FOREVER YOUNG

by Pat Rupp

For most of the eight years Jon Holmes has been the head coach of the FHS girls’ hockey team, he has started the year with a team dominated by youth. His ninth season behind the Tiger bench will be no different.

The Tigers lost only three seniors to graduation last spring but this year’s squad began workouts last Monday with just three returning letter winning upperclassmen on its 2015-16 roster: senior co-captains Maddie Oines (forward) and Dani Wright (defender) and junior defender Kenna Cavanaugh.

Another loss over the off-season occurred when last season’s leading scorer Kenzie Hauswirth (40 points in 2014-15) transferred to Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault.

Holmes said the missing pieces from last year’s puzzle will not be easy to replace but he is confident his young but talented group will produce another successful season. Farmington is 116-89-12 during Holmes’ tenure.

“We have a group of younger players, including four new freshmen, who are talented and hungry,” Holmes said. “I think they will make up those missing points by committee.”

Key returnees from last year’s pleasantly surprising team that went 12-11-2 overall and 8-9-1 in the rugged South Suburban Conference include eight sophomores and freshman Marissa Agerter, last year’s second leading scorer (29 points).

The skilled sophomore class includes forwards Ellie Moser (24 points), Emily Rubins, Savannah Tucker and Elizabeth Auge; defenders Carly Simon and Taylor Anderson and goaltenders Emily Auge and Abbie Bollig.

Moser, an all-South Suburban performer last winter, added to her hockey resume’ over the off-season by participating in the high-powered USA Hockey National Camp as well as playing in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League.

Emily Auge logged the lion’s share of netminding minutes last season, finishing with a 10-9-1 record with a 3.13 goals-against average and .878 save percentage.

Holmes is also counting on returning sophomores Lexi Budensiek (forward), Kiley Braatz (defense) and Jessica Jensen (defense) and a quartet of incoming freshmen: forwards Megan Bernu, Bailey Kelly and Jenna Gerold and defender Cassie Knutson.

“One of our key strengths as a team is commitment,” Holmes said. “This group is very tight-knit and dedicated to personal and team growth.”

As for concerns, Holmes said the biggest may be his team’s youth, especially as it relates to physical maturity.

“Physically competing with bigger, stronger teams night in and night out will be a challenge,” he said. “We are going to have to stick to our game and try to stay away from the bumps and bruises that come with high school hockey…I am optimistic this group will be up for the challenge.”

Half of Holmes’ goals for his young charges are general in nature: 1) creating a practice work ethic that demands the best from every player, every day and 2) improving as individuals and a team every week.

The others objectives are more quantifiable, including battling for one of the top three spots in the final South Suburban standings and landing a spot in the Section 1AA tournament game with a state tourney berth on the line.

Holmes picked a veteran Eagan squad as the pre-season favorite in the chase for conference honors with the two Lakeville schools also expected to field quality teams. Lakeville South and Lakeville North also figure to be among the front-runners in the section race.

Holmes has a veteran staff returning with former head coach Keith Revels and veterans Jason Kohlbeck and Alan Jenrich serving as assistants. Former Tiger standout Krystal Bauman who went on to play at Division I schools Vermont and Minnesota State, Mankato, also joins the staff this year.

“Krystal has some unique hockey experiences and brings a new element to our staff,” Holmes said. “The players have already reacted positively to her.”

The Tigers kickoff their 2015-2016 campaign Tuesday, November 17 with a South Suburban contest at Eagan.