MEDFORD CURLING PREVIEW - Back to four players a side, curlers hope for improved years

MEDFORD CURLING PREVIEW

With numbers up, the Medford Raiders curling team is looking for continued growth and improvement on both the boys and girls teams.

After fielding three-person teams for both the boys and girls last season, the program gained in numbers to field full four-person teams on the boys and girls sides.

On the girls side, sophomore Caidyn Zenner will return in the skip position with junior Erica Brandner in third.

“[Caidyn] and Erica work really well together in the house. They have good communication and a good relationship,” said assistant coach Jackie Lemke.

Zenner and Brandner are joined by two newcomers, freshman Stacey Dassow, playing second, and senior Kaya Fortin as lead.

While a freshman and new to the high school team, Dassow is at home on the ice participating in youth and middle school programs through the Medford Curling Club. Coach Stu Amundson praised her receptiveness to getting instruction.

“She is really receptive to help. She loves to learn about the game and get better,” Lemke said of Dassow.

Fortin is the girls team’s sole senior and is new to the sport, but the coaches said she is picking it up quickly.

“She is a natural athlete and wants to do well,” Lemke said.

The coaches noted that they are still an overall young team. “Sometimes that is a nice thing,” Lemke said. “You don’t have to break bad habits and can steer them where you want them.”

While the girls team got their only win of the season in their last game last year against Marshfield, the season was marked with steady improvement. This is something the coaches hope to see continue this season.

The girls season starts on Tuesday, Nov. 28 when they face Marshfield at home.

On the boys side, there are three seniors, with two, Alex Wilson and Nathan Willman returning from last year. Senior Austin Klinger and sophomore Jaeden Brandner are new to the team this season.

“All of them are playing in new positions this year,” Lemke said. “It is a bit of a learning curve for everyone.”

“I think our current skip has been looking forward to this movement for his entire career,” Lemke said of Wilson who curled in the third position last year. “I think he is ready to go,” she said.

A key to the success of the team this year will be how well Wilson and third Nathan Willman can work together.

“[Alex] and Nathan work really well together,” Amundson said praising the amount of communication they have talking back and forth about strategy to make the right decisions on the ice.

Amundson praised Willman’s ability to keep track of the numbers.

“He is a details man,” Amundson said of Willman’s ability to know the timing of the rocks through the game.

Amundson said he expects to see the boys developing with every game.

“They are going to make a ton of shots,” he said of Wilson and Willman.

The challenge will be getting them comfortable in their new positions.

On the front end for the boys, Klinger and Brandner are improving greatly in practice.

“I think they will progress really well,” Lemke said, noting they both take instruction well.

For the upcoming season, which opens at home against Marshfield on November 28, the coaches are looking for a growth year. They noted the boys who are returning were really happy with the way the season went last year and with their results at Tietge Bonspiel.

A goal for this season will be to build on that enthusiasm and develop as the season goes on.