After a tough first round of conference games (2-5), the Sabers knocked off every team for seven straight conference victories and a 9-5 final record in the Missota Conference. The Sabers finished in sole possession of second place ahead of third-place finisher Holy Angels (8-6) and behind conference champion Prior Lake (13-1). The Sabers denied the Lakers their quest for an unblemished record with a 9-1 victory at Prior Lake in the final conference game.
MVP: Nate Roberts, Sr., Catcher
All-Conference: Zack Bohar, Jr., P/IF; John Hellkamp, Sr., CF/P; Chris Kubitz, Jr., P/1B; and Nate Roberts, Sr., C
Honorable Mention All-Conference: Sam Anderson, Sr., P/1B; and Zachary McBeain, Sr., OF
Rookie of the Year: Zak Hoffman, Fr., SS/P
Offensive Player of the Year: Zack Bohar, Jr., IF/P
Defensive Player of the Year: Zak Hoffman, Fr., SS
George Lill Pitcher of the Year: Sam Anderson, Sr.
Warren Stemmer Class Act Award: JT Holcombe, Sr., LF
2010 Captains: Zack Bohar and Chris Kubitz
Nominated for Individual Academic All State: Sam Anderson, JT Holcombe, and Nate Roberts
2009 Saber Team Nominated for Academic All-State with their combined 3.25 GPA!!!
Get the latest schedule changes and maps to fields for grades 7-12 from this site!
Congratulations to Shakopee High School senior right-handed pitcher Chase Hentges who was drafted as the third pick in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals. Chase will pitch in his first professional game for the Royals in Rookie Ball on June 24, 2008, in Sunrise, Arizona.
The Shakopee Sabers finished their 2008 campaign with a 13-8 overall record and 8-6 Missota Conference record, tied for second place behind Holy Angels. John Hellkamp (Jr. OF), Chase Hentges (Sr. P/IF), and Andrew Zellmann (Sr. C) were selected All-Missota Conference for the season. Sam Anderson (Jr., P) and Zack Bohar (So, SS/P) were selected honorable-mention all-conference. The following awards were also given out at the year-end banquet:
MVP: Chase Hentges
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Chase Hentges
Gold Glove Defensive Player of the Year: John Hechsel (Sr. 1B)
Co-Rookies of the Year: Willie Dellwo (Fr., 3B) and John Hellkamp
B-squad MVP: Andrew Marohl (P/OF)
JV MVP: Nate Roberts (3B/C)
George Lill Pitcher of the Year: Chase Hentges
Warren Stemmer Class Act Award: Andrew Zellmann
2009 Captains: Sam Anderson (P/1B), JT Holcombe (OF/SS), and Zachary McBeain (OF)
Tom Schleper: Varsity Head Coach
Contact: tschlepe@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Nickname: Schlep
Family: Wife, Brenda; Children, Dominick, Kasey, Jack, and Vinny
Dog: Macy (Wheaton Terrier)
Teaching Assignment: Junior High Eighth-Grade English since 1990
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Southwest State University; Master's Degree from St. Mary's University
Reason Mr. Schleper became a teacher: I love working with kids
Coaching Experience: Coaching baseball since 1988; football since 1989
High School Attended: Shakopee High School
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
High School Awards: Captain for both basketball and baseball; All-Conference for all three sports; MVP for football and baseball; All-Region, All-Metro, All-State baseball. State tournament in baseball.
College Activities: Lettered 2 years in football and 4 years in baseball (captain, all-district, all-conference)
Favorite Baseball Memories: Lots . . . mostly the state tournament experiences - playing in every state amateur tournament from 1986 through 2001, and 2003, including 4 state championship games.
Favorite Saying: Excuses are the tools with which people with no vision in mind build for themselves great monuments of nothing.
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Rod Carew
Favorite Food: Steak off the grill in the summer time
Favorite Movie: The Sand Lot
Do you know? Mr. Schleper's sons (Dominick, Joseph, and Vincent) share the same first names as which three famous brothers who played Major League Baseball?
Ryan Niedfeldt: Assistant Varsity Coach
Contact: rniedfel@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Nickname: Niedles
Family: Wife, Kim; Son, Max
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Middle School Sixth-Grade Physical Education Teacher - started teaching in 2001
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Luther College; Master's Degree from St. Mary's
Reason Mr. Niedfeldt became a teacher: I enjoy working with kids and I love sports!
Coaching Experience: Since 2001 in Shakopee
High School Attended: Westby High School in Wisconsin
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
High School Awards: Captain of all three sports his senior year; First Team All-Conference in football and baseball; Second Team All-Conference in basketball; 7 varsity letters
College Activities: Football and Baseball (All-Conference pitcher his senior year)
Favorite Baseball Memory: The summer of 2007 when my town team (Chaseburg/Coon Valley Blues) won the WBA State Tournament and finished with a record of 38-14.
Favorite Coaching Memory: Getting the opportunity to coach the VFW and Legion teams in Shakopee and enjoying conversations with former players through the years. Coaching my brothers while I was in college was also a fond memory.
Favorite Saying: Play hard, get dirty, and have fun!
Favorite MLB Team: Chicago Cubs!
Favorite All-time Player: Andre "The Hawk" Dawson
Favorite Food: French Fries
Did you know? Coach Niedfeldt is a HUGE Green Bay Packer fan . . .
Eric Schmitz: JV Coach
Contact: eschmitz@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Nickname: Schmitty
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Junior High School Ninth-Grade Physical Education Teacher - started teaching in 2004
Education: Bachelor's Degree from St. Cloud State University; Master's Degree from St. Mary's University
Reason Mr. Schmitz became a teacher: Develop students into responsible young adults - to make a difference in kids' lives.
Coaching Experience: Baseball - 9 years; basketball - 8 years; football - 4 years
High School Attended: Rocori High School in Cold Spring, MN
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
High School Awards: Scholarship to play baseball at St. Cloud State University, HS All-Star in baseball, All-State honorable mention in baseball, captain for basketball and baseball for 2 years each
College Activities: Baseball
Favorite Baseball Memory: Playing college baseball and taking the long bus rides all over the Midwest
Favorite Coaching Memory: Finishing 3rd place in the Legion State Tournament in 2004
Favorite Saying: We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Ty Cobb
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Movie: Good Will Hunting
Did you know? Coach Schmitz is an avid deer hunter and outdoorsman
Nik Peterson: B-squad Coach (Sophomores)
Contact: npeterso@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Middle School Special Education Teacher - started teaching in 2008 - started teaching in 1993.
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Northwestern College, St. Paul; Master's Degree from the University of St. Thomas; Special Ed from Minnesota State, Mankato
Reason Mr. Peterson became a teacher: I grew up with coaches that made a difference in my life and I want to give back and do the same for others.
Coaching Experience: Started coaching in 1988. I have coached football, basketball, and baseball at the high school and college levels.
High School Attended: Proctor High School
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
High School Awards: All-conference, All-State, Academic Honors
College Activities: Football and Baseball
Favorite Baseball Memory: Watching Rod Carew, Tony Oliva, and Harmon Killebrew play at the old Met Stadium in Bloomington.
Favorite Coaching Memory: Winning State coaching girls' basketball in Edina
Favorite Saying: "Never, never, never, quit." - Winston Churchill
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Rod Carew
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Movied: Field of Dreams and *51
Rob Wagener: Freshmen Coach
Contact: rwagener@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Family: Wife, Jessica; Dog, Rosy
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Junior High School Ninth-Grade Social Studies Teacher - started teaching in 2003
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Hamline University
Reason Mr. Wagener became a teacher: Seeing growth in students/athletes
Coaching Experience: 2005-2006 assistant varsity baseball coach at Roseville; 2007 7th grade coach at Shakopee Junior High
High School Attended: Minneapolis South
High School Activities: Soccer, Hockey, Basketball, and Tennis
High School Awards: All-conference in all four sports; All-region/Metro in baseball
College Activities: Hockey and Baseball (captain and all-conference in baseball)
Favorite Baseball Memory: Beating Gustavus my senior year in college
Favorite Coaching Memory: Coaching against Henry Sibley in Section Finals
Favorite Saying: Practice doesn't make perfect . . . perfect practice makes perfect
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Randy Bush
Favorite Food: Seafood
Favorite Movie: National Lampoon's Vacation
Josh Thom: Freshmen Coach
Contact: jthom@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Family: Wife, Mary; Daughter, Gabby - another baby on the way!
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Senior High School Social Studies Teacher - started in 2008
Education: Bachelor's Degree from St. John's University
Reason Mr. Thom became a teacher: Mentor kids to develop well-rounded student-athletes with emphasis on student first!
Coaching Experience: JV Girls BB and Softball at Rocori High School; 9B Baseball and varsity softball at New Prague
High School Attended: Farmington High School
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Student Council, Leadership Club, National Honors Society
High School Awards: FHS Male Athlete of the Year in 2001
College Activities: Baseball (2005 SJU Captain)
Favorite Baseball Memory: 2008 Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament Champions (Elko) and Individual All-Tournament Team Selection
Favorite Coaching Memory: Defeating #2 rated Willmar in first game of 2006 season
Favorite Sayings: "Can of Corn" and "Baseball is 90 percent half mental"
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Joe Mauer
Favorite Food: Open-faced beef sandwich (Granite City)
Favorite Movies: Major League and Tommy Boy
Steve Grim: 8th Grade Coach
Contact: sgrim@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Family: Wife, Sarah; Sons Joey and Colby
Teaching Assignment: Shakopee Middle School Sixth-Grade Math Teacher - started teaching in 1992
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Moorhead State; Master's Degree from St. Mary's
Reason Mr. Grim became a teacher: I enjoy working with kids and helping them learn.
Coaching Experience: 14 years with the Junior High program
High School Attended: Valley City High School in North Dakota
High School Activities: Basketball and Tennis (baseball was not offered - too much snow?!)
Favorite Baseball Memory: Lou Gehrig's speech
Favorite Coaching Memory: In 2007 when our pitcher caught a line drive to beat New Prague when they had the bases loaded!
Favorite Saying: Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
Favorite All-time Player: Roberto Clemente
Favorite Food: Ice Cream
Favorite Movie: It's a Wonderful Life
Did you know? Coach Grim is a HUGE Washington Redskins fan . . .
Don Larsen: 8th Grade Coach
Contact: dlarsen@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Nickname: Donno
Family: Wife, Cheryl; Children, Travis and Hannah
Teaching Assignment: 4th Grade teacher at Sweeney Elementary - started teaching in 1996
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Mankato State; Master's Degree from St. Mary's
Reason Mr. Larsen became a teacher: I love working with kids
Coaching Experience: 12 years with the Junior High program
High School Attended: Shakopee High School
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
Favorite Baseball Memory: Pitching for the first time with the Shakopee Indians Amateur team
Favorite Coaching Memory: Winning a very exciting game against New Prague in 2007
Favorite Saying: You don't need to be a great player to hustle!
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Kent Hrbek
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Movie: The Wizard of Oz
Did you know? Coach Larsen is a HUGE Minnesota Vikings fan . . .
Nick Dahlen: 7th Grade Coach
Contact: ndahlen@shakopee.k12.mn.us
Family: Wife, Megan; Son, Kellen
Teaching Assignment: 3rd Grade teacher at Sweeney Elementary - started teaching in 2003
Education: Bachelor's Degree from Bemidji State; Master's Degree from St. Mary's University
Reason Mr. Dahlen became a teacher: Share my knowledge
Coaching Experience: Junior High Football and Baseball; 15AAA Summer Baseball Coach
High School Attended: Hayfield High School, MN
High School Activities: Football, Basketball, Baseball
Favorite Baseball Memory: 1997 Legion Season
Favorite Coaching Memory: All have been great
Favorite Saying: Practice makes permanent; perfect practice makes perfect
Favorite MLB Team: Minnesota Twins
Favorite All-time Player: Kirby Puckett
Favorite Food: Tacos
Favorite Movie: Major League
