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Park Center will still be competitive in Class 3A

By David La Vaque, Star Tribune, 06/14/11, 3:26PM CDT

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After consecutive Class 2A state championships, Pirates will move up to Class 3A in 2012


Nicola Tade

Park Center's two consecutive softball state tournament titles coincided with its drop to Class 2A, the second-largest of the sport's three classes.

The Pirates will return to the Class 3A ranks next spring, and while it's anyone guess how they will fare in the postseason, it appears they will not be overmatched.


Kati Fern

Reasons for optimism start with the roster. Just four seniors saw action in the championship victory against Hermantown. Among the returning players are pitcher Nicola Tade, who threw a perfect game (five innings) in the quarterfinals, and Kati Fern, a leadoff hitter who ignites the lineup. In addition, infielder Megan VanHulzen made the all-tournament team.


Megan VanHulzen

Regular season success against the Class 3A teams in the Northwest Suburban Conference is another strong indicator of the Pirates' potency. They went 14-2 in the conference this season and are 27-7 in the past two seasons. Five NWSC schools will join Park Center in Class 3A, Section 5 for the next two seasons.

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