Esko Girls Complete Section Trifecta

Nov 18, 2011

Northland Sports Online

With the 2011 fall sports season coming to a close and slowly winter sports are taking hold, let us not forget what a great accomplishment it has been for the Esko Eskomos lady athletes this fall. The Eskomos made three state tournament appearances in three different sports with a host of remarkable athletes.

Esko’s amazing run began with the Esko-Carlton’s girls soccer team making it to the state soccer tournament. Esko-Carlton had an amazing run through the section playoffs by defeating four quality teams, and then beat #1 seeded Chisago Lakes in the section finals, the team which beat them in the previous year’s playoffs.

The Cross country team which ran through the sectional meets and had the top three finishers in the section in Marisa Shady, Kailee Kiminski, and Kallyn Knutson. The Eskomos also preformed extraordinary well at the state cross country meet, finishing in third place as a team, and it was Shady and Knutson named all-state when they both finished in the top 25 of the girls race, with Shady placing 3rd and Knutson finishing 24th.

The Esko girls volleyball team made its third appearance at the state volleyball tournament, representing Section 7AA for the second straight year as well. The Eskomos lost in the opening round to the eventual state champions in Marshall, however the Eskomos rebounded defeating Visitation in the consolation round before falling to Sauk Center in the consolation finals.

Let us not forget several of these student athletes also participated in more than one fall sport and made two state tournaments. Marisa Shady and her sister Erika participated in both Cross country and soccer for the Eskomos, while Kallyn Knutson was on the girls soccer team and the volleyball team for Esko.

It is believed to be the first time in Esko’s storied history that a complete section sweep has occurred. Esko activities director Chad Stoskopf believes the accomplishment is well deserved by the group, telling Northland Sports Online. “I think this says a great deal about the group of girls as a whole. They are a unique bunch with many kids playing more than one fall sport; this dynamic has helped team chemistry and the overall culture of support within the athletic department. The kids get along great and they encourage and support the other sport(s).”

Northland Sports Online would like to congratulate all the Eskomo participants for their hard work in the classroom as well as in the extra-curricular activities.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com