Whitbred wins No. 500

Park of Cottage Grove softball coach Charlie Whitebred earned his 500th victory on May 6 as the Wolfpack shutout Suburban East Conference rival Cretin-Derham Hall. Whitbred began his head coaching career at Park 27 years ago as a co-coach with the man he would eventually succeed, Dick Burke. After two seasons of coaching with Burke, he became the sole head coach of the team and has been a fixture in the third base coaching box ever since. Park has averaged over 20 wins a season during Whitbred's tenure with the team and the Wolfpack have made 13 state tournament appearances — the last coming in 2004. The coaches' 2008 squad is No. 5 in the latest Class AAA poll and have clinched at least a share of the SEC title with a 13-2 record after defeating Hastings in a 14-13 slugfest on May 12. Whitbred's 1993 squad won the Class AA title and Park has earned three State runner-up finishes in his time at the helm. The Wolfpack will look towards earning their 14th trip to State in the Whitbred era when they begin the Section 3AAA playoffs next week.