It has been 19 years since Rogers made its one and only softball state tournament appearance. That's not much of a legacy upon which to build, but that was never a concern for the 2024 Royals, a team that returned eight of nine starters from a year ago and has the luxury of 17 pitchers — yes, 17 — in the program.
"It was state tournament or bust for us this year," coach Jerry Bruns said. "It's the last of our goals. First was to win the conference, then win the section, then state."
Rogers (19-3) finished tied atop the Northwest Suburban Conference with Andover and Champlin Park and is the No. 3 seed in the Class 4A tournament. The Royals open pursuit of their first state championship Wednesday against unseeded Edina (16-9) at 10 a.m. at Caswell Park in North Mankato.
Bruns mentioned the contributions of senior leaders Lauren Freeberg, who is hitting .448 this season and .459 for her career; catcher Kami Messer, who has played all but one game behind the plate and still managed to hit .421; and Lexie Young, who has been a whiz with the glove at first base and deft with the bat.
"But every starter matters," Bruns said. "To get this far, at some point you need contributions from everybody."
Perhaps the most impactful input Rogers has received is on the rubber, where the Royals' depth of talent has paid off.
"That's made a difference because it keeps games close until the offense gets going. And it's so much easier to play with a lead," he said.
The pitcher leading the charge is an eighth-grader experienced beyond her years, AnnaBelle Waldoch. She is the daughter of Angie (Recknor) Waldoch, a two-time Metro Player of the Year at Hopkins, a former Gophers star pitcher and a CCX Media Hall of Famer. AnnaBelle Waldoch is 11-2 with two saves and a 1.32 ERA.
The influence of AnnaBelle's mother has filtered down through the pitching ranks. Instruction from Angie Waldoch and longtime local pitching coach Stan Waldhauser have been instrumental in the development of Rogers' wealth of pitching. Bruns is happy to reap the benefits.
"AnnaBelle has a Hall of Fame pitcher at home. She's not your typical eighth-grader," he said. "All the pitchers have worked hard all winter, with very little down time. They come to us with good fundamentals and great training. Then we bring them along."
As is typical, most of Rogers' players are on summer and fall club teams that barnstorm the country, playing many more games than allowed in the short high school season. That experience aids in development and team camaraderie, but Bruns, who has raised three daughters who played college softball, said few things equal the pride the players get from playing in a state tournament with their high school team.
"I think there's nothing more important than putting on that hometown jersey," he said. "In high school, you play with what you have. If you need a player, you don't get the chance to just go add one. That's what makes it special."
Tournament brackets: Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A
Tickets: Cost ranges from $8 to $13. Purchase at mshsl.org/tickets.
Streaming: By the Neighborhood Sports Network (subscription required). Link to the streams here.
