Looking to rebound from a 4-14 record in his first season, Littlefork-Big Falls head coach Doug Henrickson joked Monday at practice that they went as far as changing the design on their hats to find a winning combination.
“Trying a new look,” he said with a laugh.
The 2010 Vikings lost a strong nucleus from last year’s team as Mason and Paul Imhof, Cory and Jared Ecklund, Justin Franz, Brett Burmeister and Brody Pritchard all graduated.
What’s left behind is a group of unknown talent with four seniors leading the way — Tyler Fort, Ross Pritchard, Tyler Boes and Kyle Burmeister.
“Kind of like having rookies again this year,” Henrickson said.
Burmeister will move behind the plate, a position he’s happy to be playing, while a number of other players will play multiple positions. Garrett Larson will pitch and play first base, Ross Pritchard will pitch, catch and play in the outfield, Mitch Nelson will pitch and man third base, Reed Pritchard expects to pitch and play infield and Cody Pfeifer will pitch and play both infield and outfield.
“Other than that, I don’t know who is all where,” Burmeister said.
Freshman Bryce Burmeister and eighth-grader Taylor DeLack are also expected to contribute this season.
“We have a lot of young, developing pitchers,” Kyle Burmeister said.
Henrickson also said another difference will be the chemistry of this team. He thought last year’s squad didn’t transition well to him in his first year as coach and put too much pressure on themselves as seniors in their last season. A lot of the pressure led to errors and mistakes in the field.
“(This year’s team) will be a little more relaxed and have a little more confidence and play through some of those things,” Henrickson said.
Most are just hoping for a better season than last year.
“Most of us would like to have fun this year,” Kyle Burmeister said. “A lot of us just got sick of it after a while.”
2010 Vikings Baseball Schedule
Date Opponent Time
4/20 HOME vs. Northland L, 20-0
4/22 at Cook 4:30 p.m.
4/26 at Cotton 4:30 p.m.
4/27 HOME vs. Chisholm 4:30 p.m.
4/29 HOME vs. Greenway 4:30 p.m.
5/3 at Hill City 2 p.m.
5/3 at Northland 4:30 p.m.
5/4 at Deer River 4:30 p.m.
5/7 HOME vs. Northome-Kelliher 4:30 p.m.
5/11 HOME vs. Cook 4:30 p.m.
5/12 at Nashwauk-Keewatin 4:30 p.m.
5/14 HOME vs. Mountain Iron-Buhl 4:30 p.m.
5/15 HOME vs. Ely 11 a.m.
5/15 HOME vs. Tower-Soudan 4 p.m.
5/17 HOME vs. Cherry 4:30 p.m.
5/20 at Northome-Kelliher 4:30 p.m.
5/24 HOME vs. Lake of the Woods 4:30 p.m.
5/25 at International Falls 4:30 p.m.
5/27 HOME vs. Mesabi East 4:30 p.m.
