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The finalists for the Rochester Area Sports Banquet’s 2012 Sports Awards have been made and the winners will be announced at the eighth annual banquet to be held on Jan. 28 at Mayo Civic Auditorium. Shannon Miller, USA’s most decorated gymnast and a member of the 1996 Olympic Games “Magnificent Seven” Women’s Gymnastics Team, will be the guest speaker at the banquet, which is being sponsored by Home Federal Bank, KTTC Television, Clear Channel Radio, Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Amateur Sports Commission.

Five finalists in each of six categories were selected from more than 100 nominations by a 15-person panel of Rochester media representatives and sport experts. The 30 finalists represent a large variety of different sports.

Banquet tickets are $30 each or a table of 10 for $300 and can be purchased by calling the Rochester Amateur Sports Commission at 507-280-4701 or online at www.rochsports.com.

Here are more details on the finalists:

RASC 2012 FINALISTS (listed alphabetically per category)

Organization/Event of the Year:

•Northland Youth Wrestling Association – Local leadership that has established a series of youth wrestling tournaments to support, promote and raise the level of competition in youth folk style wrestling. Numerous events give all wrestlers the opportunity to earn the experience of competing at the state level in both individual and team competition.

•Rochester Swim Club Orcas – Largest clubs in the state with over 350 youth swimmers and 40 adult swimmers. Orcas were the host of numerous competitive events in 2012 bringing over 3000 visitors to Rochester. Orcas are a very successful club with history of state champion swimmers.

•Rochester Youth Hockey Association – Organizes and administers league and tournament play for growth in tournaments hosted and the continued investment in their funding of the Graham Arena Complex

Rochester Youth Volleyball Association – run or assist with 6 major events each year which attract over 400 teams to Rochester annually. Offer volleyball from rec level up to elite traveling volleyball through SMV (Southern MN Volleyball) club.

•Rochester Youth Football Association – This volunteer organization saw continued growth Grades 2nd – 8th grade football with a total of 1200 kids and 54 teams participating!

Team of the Year (Coaches from these teams could also be nominees for Coach of the Year):

•Grand Meadow Football – State Runner-Up; 12-2 season record

•Lewiston-Altura Girls Golf – state champs

•PEM Boys Basketball – State Champs in Class AA. 27-6 record.

•Rochester Lourdes Football – State Runner-Up; 13-1 season record

Rochester Lourdes Boys Soccer – State Champs; 22-1 record

Coach of the Year:

•Charro Coleman – Byron Girls & Boys track teams – led both teams to HVL championships. 14 athletes qualified individually for state. 13 earned all-state finishes. State champ team (4 x 100 girls relay). Boys were 10th @ state and girls were 5th @ state. Girls – Section Runner Up; Boys – Section Champs

•Gary Sloan – Grand Meadow Football – state runner up; 12-2 record

•Kirk Thompson – PEM Basketball – led team to state championship

•Mike Kesler – Lourdes Football – state runner up; 13-1 record

•Tom Kane – Lourdes Soccer – led them to state title (22-1 record); career winning percentage of .840. National Soccer Coaches Association – Coach of the Year in MN.

Female Athlete:

•Ashley Hinsch – ZM Girls Basketball, Softball & Volleyball – led basketball team to state tournament

•Erin Claflisch – member of U of M swimming team (from Mayo); participated in Olympic trials; finished 5th in 100 M, 7th in 50 M, finished 3rd in 4 x 200 relay at Big 10 meet. Team won Big 10 championship.

•Jess Aney – Century Tennis - doubles champ with sister Katie; played doubles instead of defending singles title this year. 25 goals & 53 assists in 26 game hockey season (2011-2012)

•Laurel Ramer – KM Soccer - Ms. Soccer Class A; team qualified for state tourney; playing @ U of Wyoming next year

Sam Macken – Lourdes Girls Fastpitch & Hockey – scholarship to U of M

Male Athlete:

•Alex Crawford – 388 yards – Century & Rochester Citywide all time record for single game. 1,914 rushing yards for the season. Offensive Big 9 player of the year.

•Brian Kiel – participated in Olympic trials; led Purdue in individual victories with 11. Team was ranked nationally all season.

•Broc Berge – KM Wrestling & Football - #1 recruit in the country @ 195 pounds. #11 overall recruit in the country. State champ 48-0 record in 2011-2012 season. Scholarship to Iowa

•Jack Thomas Nelson – Byron Football – HVL All Conference; AP All-State Honorable Mention; All State QB; set 7 school career records. Captain of football, basketball & baseball teams.

•Mitch Brown – Century Baseball – MN Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year; 7-1 record with 0.91 ERA. Drafted by the Cleveland Indians

Adaptive Athlete/Team:

•Ben Jordan – State Tournament All-Tourney Team for Rochester Raiders

•Kathryn Lubahn – Pine Island Track & Field; competes in wheelchair events; throws shot put & discus

•Mitch Ristau – plays football for Fillmore Central with prosthetic leg.

•Nicole Mock – 3 year captain of Rochester Raiders.

•SE MN Miracle League – run by volunteers; adaptive baseball