Eagan High School Athletes to Watch This Spring

As the spring sports season gets underway, these athletes are primed to lead their teams to victory. Check back later this week on Eagan Patch for more athlete profiles.

Name: Eric Peterson
Grade: Senior at Eagan High School
Sport: Baseball
Strengths: Peterson, a returning all-state baseball player and three-year varsity starter, brings plenty of power to the Wildcats' batting line-up. In 2011, the EHS senior had a batting average over .400 and hit third for the Wildcats. But the team's biggest hitter is also a versatile defensive player, according to Coach Rob Walsh, who has Peterson pegged to play shortstop this year.

"He’s one of those guys that gets along with everybody, but he also is one of the hardest working players we have, he comes to the field every day and works hard to get better," Walsh said.

Name: Abby Brinkmeier
Grade: Junior at Eagan High School
Sport: Softball
Strengths: Brinkmeier "lives and dies softball," according to Coach Courtney Dully, who noted that the junior shortstop's work ethic is among the best on the time. Last year, Brinkmeier had a .413 batting average with 13 runs and an equal amount of RBIs, according to Dully. Her skill on the field has earned her all-conference honors and numerous team awards, including the best offensive player of the year. On the ballfield, Dully said, Brinkmeier's reputation precedes her; other teams have picked her out as one of the best softball players in the region.

"She puts in an endless amount of hours working on hitting, fielding and throwing and working outside of practice on weekends," Dully said.

Name: Brady Radermacher
Grade: Senior at Eagan High School
Sport: Tennis
Strengths: The captain of the boys tennis team, Radermacher began his varsity tennis career as a ninth-grader and has competed at the team's first singles spot the last two years running. He nearly made it to state tennis as an individual last year, and has spends the off-season playing in tournaments, Coach Scott Nichols said. Radermacher's secret? He is a top-notch player at the net and a quiet leader who leads by example, Nichols said.

Radermacher, who is currently ranked fifth in the state, has a great opportunity to push through to the state tournament this year, Nichols said.

Name: Danielle Anderson
Grade: Junior
Sport: Track and Field
Strengths: An accomplished cross-country runner, Anderson's endurance allows her to stand out on the EHS girls track team in the spring, where she typically runs the 3,200-meter event. But Coach Rob Graham hopes that the Wildcats' best long-distance runner can succeed in shorter events this year, including, potentially, the 4x800-meter relay.

"She just had a breakout year in the 3,200 last year, and we’re seeing a lot of strength, and we’re expecting her to diversify this year," said Graham. He believes Anderson—already a school record-holder—may be challenging some new records this year.

Name: Nick Kuchera
Grade: Senior at Eagan High School
Sport: Boys Golf
Strengths: A well-known leader on the hockey team during the winter sports season, Kuchera is also a frontrunner on the Wildcats' boys golf team. The two-time all-conference player is a well-rounded golfer who doesn't beat himself up after a bad hole. That composure, according to Coach Brian Johnson, is one of the reasons Kuchera is an athlete to watch this year.

"The team depends on him," Johnson said. "He's been one of our main guys for three years."

Name: Scotty Pescheret
Grade: Senior
Sport: Boys Lacrosse
Strengths: The first thing you want on a successful lacrosse team is a good goalie, notes EHS Coach Bob Felter. The second thing you want is a strong face-off guy. Pescheret falls into the second category. In a sport where gaining and maintaining possession is crucial, Pescheret can win over 70 percent of face-offs, Felter said. He's also able to fire accurate shots at the opponents' goal while on the run, a technique that can be difficult to master.

"He's been playing with us forever, he loves the game," Felter said. "He also has a cannon, he probably has the hardest shot on the team when he's on the run."

Name: Adam Peters
Grade: Senior
Sport: Boys Track and Field
Strengths: Peters is a pole vaulter for the Eagan High School boys track and field program and a quiet leader on the team, according to Coach Adam Copeland. A school record holder and returning state competitor, Peters can clear 14 feet in the pole vault—a rare feat among high school athletes. Most pole vaulters will complete 6-10 pole vaults in a typical practice, but Peters twice double that to push his strength and skill, Copeland said.

"He’s constantly overstepping what we really expect of him," Copeland said. "He’s always trying to get a little bit better; he’s never satisfied with the really really good performances."

Name: Kendra Callister
Grade: Junior
Sport: Softball
Strengths: Coach Courtney Dully expects "huge things" from Callister, the EHS softball team's third-basewoman. Callister has quick hands and is a agile defensive player who can produce big hits and plenty of RBIs. Last year, she batted above .300 and hit fourth in the line-up, according to Dully.

“I just know that she's going to be a huge front runner for RBIs," Dully said. "She hits the ball hard and long, and she should have several doubles, triples and home runs."

Correction: A caption in one of the photos attached to this article misidentified EHS player Scotty Pescheret. The error has since been corrected.

Editor's Note: Check back on Tuesday for more profiles of Eagan High School athletes.

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