Five Esko seniors sign Division III commitment letters
May 24—ESKO — Five soon-to-be Esko high school graduates made their collegiate athletic plans official with the signing of their commitment letters on Tuesday, May 23 at Esko High School.
A.J. Kazel, who's one of three captains on the Esko baseball team, will continue his playing career at the with University of Northwestern, St. Paul under head coach Dave Hieb.
Kazel shared that his decision extended beyond the school's athletic opportunities.
"I really liked the campus, so it's not just about the sports," he said. "I mean I'm just very excited to be on campus and to be with my new teammates."
Head baseball coach Ben Haugen lauded Kazel for his leadership qualities displayed throughout his time with the program.
"He leads by example and he leads with his encouragement and his words. He's always the guy that's going to help out above and beyond what's expected of him...(He's) just one of the best young men I've had a chance to coach," he said.
Kazel is equally dependable on the field, according to Haugen.
"He's a really good first baseman — good hands," Haugen said. "He knows situations and he understands what we're trying to do and he's able to communicate it with the team. So from a defensive standpoint, having him at first base (has) probably saved us four or five outs throughout the course of the year just with his glove. So he's really come a long way at that spot," he said.
Senior Raegan Olson will join former Esko teammate Lily Hanson as a new member of the Yellowjackets' softball team next season.
Olson is currently in her third varsity season with the Eskomos, in which she's helped lead the team to a 11-10 record through one game of the Section 7AA playoffs as a second baseman. Her .459 batting average trails only Avery Kuklinski among members of the team.
UWS, under head coach Melissa Fracker, is coming off of a 31-13 season, which culminated in an NCAA Division III tournament appearance.
Long-distance runner Ben Meysembourg will compete for the Division III St. Scholastica Saints in 2023-24 as a member of the cross country and track teams.
Earlier this year, Meysembourg earned his first trip to the Class A state cross country meet in Northfield, Minnesota, where he placed 42nd individually among the 160 runners.
He is currently in his final season with the Esko track and field team, which is looking to repeat as Section 7A champions. Meysembourg competed in multiple events at the Class A state meet last year, including the 3,200-meter run.
Reigning Polar League Conference (big schools) Co-MVP Gabby Martenson will be heading down to the Twin Cities to continue her volleyball career with the Division III Wildcats.
Martenson posted a team-high 327 kills (3.84 kills per set), 51 ace serves and 171 digs from the right-side hitter position last season.
After her dominant senior season, Martenson was selected to compete in the Big Dog and Essentia Health All-Star matches.
Multi-sport athlete Megan Chopskie will join the Macalester College swimming and diving team next season in St. Paul.
Chopskie earned All-Lake Superior Conference honors this past season in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard breaststroke events.
She finished third in the 100-yard backstroke event at the Section 7A meet in November of 2022.
