Prep Athletes of the Week: St. Agnes rises along with pitcher Angela Proper

St. Agnes • softball

Proper’s work ethic and competitiveness show in the Aggies’ team success.

The sophomore standout has been instrumental in St. Agnes’ 8-0 start, both in the circle and at the plate. She has helped the Aggies climb to No. 5 in Class 2A in the coaches association poll.

The Aggies have scored in double figures six times and have four shutouts.

“We have gotten off to a pretty good start,” Proper said. “I like to bring energy to the team. I’m a team player.”

Proper is 7-0 as a pitcher with a 1.47 ERA, allowing nine earned runs in 43 innings. She has yielded 24 hits while striking out 78 and walking 10.

“Angela is not only one of the top pitchers in the state of Minnesota, but she is also a great hitter, fielder and baserunner,” St. Agnes coach Dan Berthiaume said. “She is an all-around great ballplayer.”

Proper, a lefthander, is hitting .586 (17-for-29), with two doubles, one triple and a tiebreaking home run in the sixth inning against Holy Family. She has 14 RBI and eight runs scored.

“She works hard all the time, in season and out, and spends a lot of time in the weight room,” Berthiaume said. “Her compete level is off the charts.”

Now Proper is eyeing a return trip to the state tournament. The Aggies finished fourth last season, and Proper made the all-tournament team.

“We want to win the [Skyline] conference, get to the section championship and hopefully back to Mankato for the state tournament,” Proper said. “We have a strong team culture here.”

Proper plays a big part in that.

“Angela gets even more excited about her teammates’ successes than she does her own,” Berthiaume said. “She is the kind of person who stays at the ballfield after a two-hour varsity practice to cheer on the junior varsity team for the remainder of their game. Angela is a terrific teammate.”

Annandale • golf

Dahle knows how to get a season started. The junior shot a 4-under-par 66 to lead Annandale to the team championship in the eight-team Litchfield Invitational. “Gavin’s performance was an incredible way to start the 2024 season,” Annandale coach Scott Paa said. “Gavin has put in a lot of work this past year and it was great to see the results right away. During the round Gavin commented that he wasn’t hitting the ball great, but he stayed patient and converted great opportunities when he had them.”

Benilde-St. Margaret’s • lacrosse

Evens has helped the defending state champion Red Knights get off to a 3-0 start. The senior midfielder, a Marquette recruit, has 12 goals and 12 assists. She had 56 goals last season. “She takes what the defense gives her and adjusts every game,” Red Knights coach Ana Bowlsby said. “Julia is creative, and that is contagious to her teammates as well. She got a lot stronger in the offseason and that has translated to on-field success.”

Princeton • baseball

The Tigers’ leadoff hitter has been the igniter to a 6-0 start for a program that has been on the rise the past four seasons. Olson is hitting .435 (10-for-23), with four doubles, a triple and a grand slam. He has driven in 12 runs, scored 10 times and stolen five bases. The junior shortstop/pitcher is also 2-0 on the mound with a 0.00 ERA, with 10 strikeouts in 10 innings.

St. Michael-Albertville • golf

Labrador, an eighth-grader, shot a school-record 3-under-par 68 to win a five-team Lake Conference meet at Wild Marsh Golf Club in Buffalo. “What a wonderful round. It was fun to watch,” Knights coach Mitch Harmoning said. “Abby works very hard at her game. While she had five birdies on the round, she also scrambled well to save par on many holes and that is as impressive to me as the birdies.” She finished tied for 17th in the state meet last season.

Mahtomedi • tennis

A senior, Rathmanner is 8-0 this season and became the first player in program history to reach 100 career victories. He finished third in the Class 2A individual singles tournament last season. “Sam has worked incredibly hard on his craft,” Mahtomedi coach Aaron Freer said. “As an undersized player, Sam has developed power and tenacity to go along with his incredible court smarts.”

Park of Cottage Grove • lacrosse

The junior midfielder, coming off a 47-goal season, has netted 15 goals in the first two games this season for the Wolfpack (2-0). A Missouri Western recruit, she eclipsed 100 career points with eight goals in a 9-4 victory over White Bear Lake in a Suburban East Conference matchup. She is also closing in on 100 career goals.

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