SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
The forecast for next week looks to be warmer and maybe spring weather might finally be here! Lets hope so as we hit the prom and graduation open house season. The good news….we won’t have to pay to eat for about a month now!!! It is hard to believe we are a week away from May and once we hit May we are only a few weeks from Tennis playoffs and everything else follows! Here is hoping for great weather!
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The Crookston High School Summer Strength and Conditioning program “Powered by Sanford Sports” will be June 2 through August 8. There will be no sessions June 30-July 4 due to the MSHSL blackout week.
For the registration and sign up info, click the following link – Crookston Weights Summer Sign Up — Signup Sheet | SignUp.com
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It comes as no surprise that Red Lake County, Sacred Heart, and Ada-Borup-West are the top three teams in the west. I would say Red Lake County has shown they are the top all-around team so far. They have shown they have the most pitching depth, which is huge in a double-elimination tournament. Sacred Heart probably has the best pitcher in the Section with Parker Erickson (St. Cloud State commit). But Red Lake County’s Will Gieseke has shown he is in the discussion with his lights-out start.
Ada-Borup-West was supposed to play Sacred Heart earlier this season, but the game was postponed. They will play Red Lake County on Monday, May 19.
Red Lake County will play Sacred Heart on Friday and will play Ada-Borup-West on Monday, May 19.
Sacred Heart will play Red Lake County on Friday and play Ada-Borup-West later this season.
The head-to-head games are huge because the section uses a coach’s vote rather than the QRF. So, the section games are important.
Section 8A – West Standings
| Team | Section | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Ada-Borup-West | 2-0 | 3-0 |
| Red Lake County | 3-0 | 5-0 |
| Sacred Heart | 3-0 | 5-2 |
| Northern Freeze | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Fertile-Beltrami | 0-2 | 1-2 |
| Kittson County Central | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| Badger/Greenbush-Middle River | 0-3 | 0-3 |
| West Marshall | 0-0 | 0-0 |
The East Sub-section is wide-open with each section game important. Mahnomen/Waubun and Win-E-Mac are the only teams that have been able to get a handful of games in so far so it is still too early to go in-depth.
Section 8A – East Standings
| Team | Section | Overall |
|---|---|---|
| Mahnomen/Waubun | 2-1 | 4-2 |
| Win-E-Mac | 4-1 | 4-1 |
| Blackduck | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Fosston | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Northome/Kelliher | 0-1 | 0-2 |
| Bagley | 0-1 | 1-1 |
| NCE/U-H | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Lake of the Woods | 0-1 | 0-3 |
| Red Lake | 0-0 | 0-0 |
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The UMC Golden Eagle Softball team has won five its last six games and has four games left in the regular season with two games at Northern State and two games at Minnesota State Moorhead. The Golden Eagles are a half-game out of 10th place. The top 10 teams make the single-elimination NSIC Softball tournament.
Let’s take a look at the final four games.
UMC is now 8-14 in the NSIC, and that is a program record for wins in the NSIC. Now the head to Aberdeen, South Dakota, to take on Northern State on Saturday. Northern State is in second-to-last place with a 4-20 record in the NSIC. UMC needs to win both games.
On Sunday, UMC will take on Minnesota State Moorhead, which is 8-16 in the NSIC and right below UMC in the standings. UMC needs to win both game.
If UMC wins all four games this weekend, I honestly can’t see how they wouldn’t make the tournament. Sioux Falls is in 10th place and they have a conference record of 9-15 while losing their last 8 games!!!!
| School | Conf | CPct. |
|---|---|---|
| Augustana | 23-3 | .885 |
| Minnesota State | 19-5 | .792 |
| Winona State | 17-7 | .708 |
| St. Cloud State | 15-8 | .652 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 14-8 | .636 |
| Minot State | 15-9 | .625 |
| Concordia-St. Paul | 14-10 | .583 |
| Wayne State College | 13-10 | .565 |
| Southwest Minnesota State | 11-15 | .423 |
| Sioux Falls | 9-15 | .375 |
| Minnesota Crookston | 8-14 | .364 |
| MSU Moorhead | 8-16 | .333 |
| Bemidji State | 6-18 | .250 |
| Northern State | 5-19 | .208 |
| UMary | 2-22 | .083 |
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UMC Golden Eagle Baseball is now 15-15 in the NSIC and one game out of third place. If UMC continues its solid play and series wins, it could finish anywhere from third to seventh place in the conference. But if the Golden Eagles stumble, they could drop out of the top eight and playoff contention.
So here is another look at what UMC has left to play –
Duluth – (three games at Duluth on April 26 and 27. Duluth is 12-15 in the NSIC)
Mary (two games at Bismarck on Tuesday, April 29. Mary is 13-14 in the NSIC)
Northern State (three games in Crookston May 2 and 3. They are second to last place with 4-23 record.)
UMC is now in a three-way tie for fifth place in the NSIC with Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State. (UMC has a head-to-head tie-breaker with Southwest, and split a four-game series with Winona).
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The Northern Sun Conference has released its NSIC SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) Cup
The NSIC SAAC Cup, presented by ISG, is awarded annually at the NSIC SAAC Summit. Institutions receive points throughout the year based on the criteria within the categories below. The winner is the institutional SAAC with the most points accumulated during the academic year (September 1-May 1). The points must be achieved in each category to be eligible to win the NSIC SAAC Cup.
| Rank | Institution | SAAC Cup Points |
| 1 | Bemidji State | 11,100 |
| 2 | Wayne State | 8750 |
| 3 | MSU Moorhead | 6950 |
| 4 | Concordia-St. Paul | 6550 |
| 5 | Minnesota State | 6500 |
| 6 | Minnesota Crookston | 5300 |
| 7 | Sioux Falls | 4600 |
| 8 | Minnesota Duluth | 4000 |
| 9 | UMary | 3650 |
| 9 | Winona State | 3650 |
| 11 | Northern State | 2850 |
| 12 | Minot State | 1600 |
| 13 | Southwest Minnesota State | 1500 |
| 14 | St. Cloud State | 1300 |
| 15 | Augustana | 700 |
Categories and Criteria:
Make-A-Wish Participation. Make-A-Wish: 1/2 point for every $ raised up to $1750 and 1 point for every dollar raised thereafter.
Financial Contributions To Worthy Causes: 1/2 point for every $ raised up to $1750 and 1 point for every dollar raised thereafter
NSIC SAAC Meetings: 250 points for each attendee (max of 3) at SAAC Summit. Receive 50 points for each participant (max of 3) on NSIC SAAC Zoom Meetings.
Campus SAAC Meetings: Receive 100 points for campus SAAC meetings (max of 2/month). Receive an additional 50 points per meeting for engaging campus/community leaders.
SAAC Legislative Grid: Receive 250 points for completing/returning on time. Receive an additional 250 points for meeting with President/Chancellor AND FAR to review proposed legislation.
NSIC SAAC Initiatives: Receive 500 points for NSIC SAAC organized initiatives (Diversity & Inclusion, Mental Health Awareness/Green Bandana Project, It’s a Slam Dunk-Don’t Drive Drunk, Life After College).
Other projects: Receive 250 points for SAAC-organized community service/engagement projects that occur during the academic year.
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JOKES
A blonde arrived for her first golf lesson and the pro asked her to take a swing at a ball to see how she’d do.
The blonde did so and completely duffed the shot.
The pro said, “Your swing is good but you’re gripping the club too hard grip the club gently as you would your husband’s penis.”
The blonde took another shot and nailed the ball 275 yards straight down the fairway.
The pro said, “That was excellent!! Let’s try it again, only this time take the club out of your mouth.”
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There was a Roman emperor who never aged after he turned 19. His name was Constant Teen.
At the age of 65 my Grandma started walking 10 kilometers a day. She’s 92 now and we have no idea where she is.
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Before performing a baptism, the priest approached the young father and said solemnly, “Baptism is a serious step. Are you prepared for it?”
“I think so,” the man replied. “My wife has made appetizers and we have a caterer coming to provide plenty of cookies and cakes for all of our guests.”
“I don’t mean that,” the priest responded. “I mean, are you prepared spiritually?”
“Oh, sure,” came the reply. “I’ve got a keg of beer and a case of whiskey.”
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This married couple was sitting in a fine restaurant when the wife looks over at a nearby table and sees a man in a drunken stupor.
The husband asks “I notice you’ve been watching that man for some time now. Do you know him?”
“Yes” she replies. “He’s my ex-husband and has been drinking like that since I left him seven years ago.”
“That’s remarkable” the husband replies. “I wouldn’t think anybody could celebrate that long.”
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How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST. Email me at chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Paul Bittner is an assistant coach on the University of Wisconsin-Superior Men’s Hockey team.
Reese Swanson is a freshman playing hockey at St. Olaf.
Carter Coauette is a freshman playing football at Minot State.
Isabelle Smith is a freshman playing Tennis at Concordia College.
Isaac Thomforde is a freshman playing Tennis at Northwestern College in St. Paul.
Emilee Tate is a Sophomore playing Softball at Northland Community and Technical College.
Halle Bruggeman is a Sophomore on the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women’s Rugby team.
Ethan Boll is a Red-shirt Freshman on the University of North Dakota Football team.
Breanna Kressin is a Junior on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.
Jacey Larson is a Sophomore playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Aleah Bienek is a Junior playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.
Joslynn Leach is a Senior playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brooks Butt is a Junior playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Ty Hamre is redshirt Junior playing football at Bemidji State University.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches
Blake Bergeron is the head Pirate Wrestling Coach.
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Jason Cassavant is a Jr. High Baseball Coach
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Marley Melbye is an assistant girls golf coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Ben Trostad is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Ethan Magsam is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Non-Crookston High School coaching/Admin/etc
Elise Tangquist is the Head Girls Golf Coach at Horace High School in Fargo, ND.
Carmen (Kreibich) Johnson is the head Little Falls Volleyball coach.
Tim Desrosier is an Assistant Coach for Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Pony Boys Basketball
Pat Wolfe is the head wrestling coach for Fosston/Bagley.
Austin Sommerfeld is an Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Communication at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
Collin Reynolds is the head baseball coach for the University of Colorado Buffalo Club Baseball team.
Trent Stahlecker is a School Security Specialist & he works for the Brevard Public Schools, Florida.
Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown.
Josh Edlund is the head football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.
Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach at Champlin Park
Jeff Olson is the Head Wrestling Coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.
Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.
Matt Harris is an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.
Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of North Dakota.
Mike Hastings is the Wisconsin Badgers Men’s head Hockey coach.
Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Grand Forks Schools.
Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football, volleyball, and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for Bison media relations.
Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College.
Chris Myrold is the Director and Fitness at Mission Ranch and Fitness in Camel, California.
Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis
Ben Andringa is serving our country in the Army and is now a Ranger.
Jarrett Butenhoff is serving our country with the U.S. Navy.
Joshua Butenhoff is serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.
Peter Cournia is a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and a grad of West Point and currently serving in the U.S. Army.
Philip Kujawa class of 2004, from Crookston High School. He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.
Rob Sobolik is the General Manager of the Fargodome
That’s it for this week. Thanks for the comments, and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mail chrisjfee@yahoo.com or call. Thanks for reading and listening to KROX RADIO and kroxam.com.
