SPORTS FEEVER – December 10, 2020

Welcome to the Sports Feever column.  Where we still don’t know when sports are going to resume, but we will take a stab at when they could start.

We still don’t know when winter high school sports will be allowed to start.  Governor Tim Walz is “expected” to make an announcement possibly on Friday.  He is going to try to extend his executive powers on Monday, December 14.  Most people are expecting him to extend the order to at least past New Years’.  What we don’t know what to expect is sports.  The Governor said on Tuesday, that they were still working on what they will do with sports.  I would think that is a good sign.  I have had talks with the MSHSL and some other statewide agencies in zoom meetings or phone calls.  Minnesota Hockey is meeting with the Minnesota Department of Health on Friday (I believe) to give their pitch on having hockey start up soon.  Minnesota Hockey has done a great job planning out what teams, players, parents, coaches, and rinks need to do to keep people safe and I like the fact they are meeting with the Minnesota Department of Health this week.  That tells me they are looking at possibly letting sports come back soon!!

We don’t know what to expect, but here is what I am thinking –
55 percent chance of sports starting January 4 (start games January 18 – not great, but not terrible)
40 percent chance of sports starting December 21 (start games the week of January 4 – best case scenario at this point)
5 percent chance of sports starting January 18 (if this is the case – you can’t play the first games until February 1 – this one would be terrible)

With that said the Minnesota State High School League met last Thursday morning in a virtual format.  The board discussed the winter and spring sports calendars.  The MSHSL looked at models to start activities December 21, January 4, and January 18.  It was reiterated many times that the MSHSL will use a calendar depending on when Governor Tim Walz and the State Health Department approves sports resuming.

WINTER ACTIVITIES AND GUIDANCE
Executive Director Erich Martens said the MSHSL will follow all Minnesota Department of Health/state guidance.

WINTER SPORTS CALENDAR
The board wants activities to start as soon as the Governor/State approves them.  The board approved the different options so they can be as flexible as possible, but several board members expressed concerns about starting before the start of the year because so many schools are in distance learning and hospitals are full.

Possible end dates –
Winter Sports would end the week of March 29.  No tournaments or invitationals.  Only duals except for sports like wrestling and dance can have triangulars.

Spring Sports would end the week of June 14.  The proposed models depending on when the Governor allows sports to resume is below.

The three potential models (provided by John Millea of the MSHSL) are pictured in the gallery below –

DEBATE
Debate has been operating virtually and has plans to hold section competition in a virtual format.  They would also like to have the state tournament held virtually.

NINE-MAN FOOTBALL CLASSIFICATION/DISTRICT FOOTBALL
The Board of Directors approved in a roll call vote a modification in the classification method for Class Nine-Man football. Enrollment in Grades 8-11 will be used to accurately classify Class Nine-Man teams
District assignments will take place following the completion of the competitive section assignment.

The board voted unanimously to take money from the Minnesota State High School League foundation fund.
$250,000 will be used to help the Regions and it will be split evenly.
$250,000 will be used to help lower the participating school’s MSHSL fees.

— — —

The Big 10 Conference only cares about money!  The Big 10 said they weren’t going to have football this year and after the rest of the big-time conferences said they were going to play, the Big 10 realized they would miss out on money.

So the Big 10 decides to play football and set a minimum amount of games a team needed to play to be in the championship game.  Ohio State (the only Big 10 team that has a chance to win the National Championship) wasn’t going to meet the minimum requirement because Michigan had to cancel their game this weekend.  So the Big 10 comes out with a revised minimum game requirement, JUST for Ohio State to play in the National playoffs and earn the Big 10 some money.

All this while the Big 10 conference doesn’t allow volleyball, soccer, and other non-revenue fall sports. (I still don’t know how this happened with Title 9).

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The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has announced a change to the basketball schedules with no women’s/men’s double-headers.  The teams will still play the same opponent each weekend, but they will play in separate locations.  So if UMC is playing Bemidji State, the men would play in Bemidji and the women would play in Crookston.  UMC Men’s and Women’s home basketball games will be played at 5:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. each weekend.

Here are the updated 2020-21 schedules. Game times will be announced at a later date.

Minnesota Crookston Women’s Basketball Schedule
Jan. 2 – at Concordia St. Paul
Jan. 3 – at Concordia St. Paul
Jan. 8 – at MSU-Moorhead
Jan. 9 – at MSU-Moorhead
Jan. 16 – host Northern State
Jan. 17 – host Northern State
Jan. 22 – at Minot State
Jan. 23 – at Minot State
Jan. 29 – host Mary
Jan. 30 – host Mary
Feb. 5 – host UM-Duluth
Feb. 6 – host UM-Duluth
Feb. 12 – at St. Cloud State
Feb. 13 – at St. Cloud State
Feb. 19 – host Bemidji State
Feb. 20 – host Bemidji State

Minnesota Crookston Men’s Basketball Schedule
Jan. 2 – host Concordia St. Paul
Jan. 3 – host Concordia St. Paul
Jan. 8 – host MSU-Moorhead
Jan. 9 – host MSU-Moorhead
Jan. 16 – at Northern State
Jan. 17 – at Northern State
Jan. 22 – host Minot State
Jan. 23 – host Minot State
Jan. 29 – at Mary
Jan. 30 – at Mary
Feb. 5 – at UM-Duluth
Feb. 6 – at UM-Duluth
Feb. 12 – host St. Cloud State
Feb. 13 – host St. Cloud State
Feb. 19 – at Bemidji State
Feb. 20 – at Bemidji State

The following policies are for media covering the games.

1. All gameday personnel/media will be subject to screening or COVID testing according to campus policy prior to entering the competition facility.
2. All gameday personnel/media who are present at the competition must wear masks and should physically distance whenever possible.
3. No one outside of Tier 1 and Tier 2 individuals shall be allowed in the team areas (i.e. athletic training room, locker rooms, locker room hallway) when student-athletes are present. [Excerpt from NCAA SSI Guidance and Recommendations for Game Day Operations – Basketball.]
4. Any buffet-style food spreads or open pizza box policy must be eliminated. Media Policies 1. Institutions should create policy on media attendance at contests. a. There shall be no in-person media contact prior to or following contests with student-athletes, coaches, or administrators. 2. Social distancing should be practiced on press row. 3. Do not share in-game equipment, microphones, or headsets. 4. Individuals not serving in a SID/media capacity will be prohibited from entering press row/boxes. 5. If allowed by NCAA rules, no paper box scores will be provided. Per NCAA rules, some sports may permit tablets on the bench to monitor stats. Should NCAA rules prohibit electronic devices on the bench, paper box scores can be placed on a vacant bench chair between halves/sets.

I can 100 percent get behind social distancing on press row (I love my space when broadcasting games), and I don’t mind the testing, but the NO buffet-style food spreads or open pizza boxes is the one thing that is going to be the hardest.  In all seriousness, I hope the NSIC is able to play starting January 2 because they are as ready as any organization can be to play the games!  There will be some cancelations because of COVID, you just hope it doesn’t affect UMC.

— — —

Shea Albrecht (OT/DT) – Orono
Joe Alt (TE/OT) – Totino-Grace
Cameron Anderson (WR/S) – Blue Earth Area
Trey Feeney (QB) – Moorhead
Nick Flaskamp (RB/LB) – Minneapolis Southwest
Marcus Hansen (DE/G/K) – Waseca
Eli Mau (LB/TE/P/K) – Chanhassen
Jake Ratzlaff (SS/TE) – Rosemount
Garrison Solliday (DL/DE) – St. Thomas Academy
Adam Tonsfeldt (QB/SS) – Barnesville

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The Minnesota Football Coaches Association All-State Academic Football team has been announced. The players selected have exhibited excellence in the classroom, in leadership opportunities within their schools and communities, and on the football field.

Class 3A –
Brevyn Lingen (Thief River Falls)
Bode Magnuson (Pequot Lakes)

Class 2A –
Adam Tonsfeldt (Barnesville)
McHale Korf (Pelican Rapids)
Blake Norris (Warroad)
Jaden Norby (West Central Area)

Class A –
Carter Williams (Red Lake County)
Daunte Leiran (New York Mills)
Ethan Houselog (Otter Tail Central)

Nine-man –
Brandon Van Den Einde (Fertile-Beltrami)
Dan Aman (Nevis)
James Pederson (Stephen-Argyle)
Alex Jacobson (Win-E-Mac)

 

— — —

Perham Yellowjacket Head Football Coach Kyle Knutson has resigned pending board approval.  Knutson had a 39-27 record and was 9-6 in the postseason.  He led Perham to two Section 8AAA championships and one Section 8AA runner-up finish.

— — —

The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference had three former student-athletes score touchdowns in NFL games on Sunday.

Former Bemidji State Beaver Gunner Olszewski was the first New England Patriot player to have a receiving TD and punt return TD in the same game since Julian Edelman in 2014.

Former Minnesota State Mankato Maverick Adam Thielen had a receiving touchdown in the Minnesota Vikings victory over Jacksonville on Sunday.

Former University of Sioux Falls Cougar CJ Ham scored a touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings in a win over Jacksonville on Sunday.

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The Minnesota High School Volleyball Coaches Association has released the Gold and Silver Academic team award winners. Gold awards were given to teams with a 3.75 to 4.0 cumulative team GPA. Silver awards were given to teams with a 3.5 to 3.74 cumulative GPA. All the teams from northwest Minnesota are listed below –

GOLD AWARD-
Ada-Borup/West
Badger-Greenbush-Middle River
Bagley
Barnesville
Bemidji
Breckenridge
Crookston
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
East Grand Forks
Fertile-Beltrami
Goodridge-Grygla
Mahnomen/Waubun
Moorhead
Norman County East/Ulen-Hitterdal
Northern Freeze
Park Christian
Park Rapids
Pequot Lakes
Perham
Red Lake County Central
Red Lake Falls
Roseau
Sacred Heart
Staples-Motley
Stephen-Argyle
Wadena-Deer Creek
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley

SILVER AWARDS
Blackduck
Fosston
Kittson County Central
Win-E-Mac

— — —

The Northern Lights Volleyball conference has announced the All-conference award winners. The award winners are below.

All-Conference
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River – Jade Reese, Cassie Dahl
Grygla-Goodridge – Chloe Kuznia
Kittson County Central – Gracie Whitlock, McKenna Peterson, Cheyanne Scalese
Stephen-Argyle – Holly Jensen

Honorable Mention
Badger/Greenbush-Middle River – Kinsley Hanson, Erika Howell
Gyrgla-Goodridge – Caitlyn Jacobson, Madison Cullen
Kittson County Central – Jenna Davis
Northern Freeze – Rhiannon Horien, Brooke Fredrickson
Stephen-Argyle – Riley Mooney
Warren-Alvarado-Oslo – Lily Bayne, Gracie Anderson

— — —

The North Border Conference has released the 2020 Volleyball All-Conference team.

All-Conference
Roseau – Katie Borowicz, Hanna Mooney, Mariah Huglen, Elizabeth Danielson
Lake of the Woods – Greta Moeller, Ashton Aery
Warroad – Saige Lund, Adrianna Heurd

Honorable Mention
Roseau – Josie Johnson, Memphis Mertens
Warroad – Liv Anderson
Northern Freeze – Brooke Fredrickson, Rhiannon Horien

— — —

JOKES

♦ I find it ironic that the colors red, white, and blue stand for freedom until they are flashing behind you.
♦ When wearing a bikini, women reveal 90% of their body. Men are so polite they only look at the covered parts.
♦ Relationships are a lot like algebra. Have you ever looked at your X and wondered Y?
♦ My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We’ll see about that.
♦ I think my neighbor is stalking me as she’s been Googling my name on her computer. I saw it through my telescope last night.
♦ You’re not fat, you’re just easier to see.
♦ If you think nobody cares whether you’re alive, try missing a couple of payments.
♦ I always wondered what the job application is like at Hooters. Do they just give you a bra and say, “Here, fill this out?”
♦ I can’t understand why women are OK that JC Penny has an older women’s clothing line named, “Sag Harbor.”
♦ Denny’s has a slogan, “If it’s your birthday, the meal is on us.” If you’re in Denny’s and it’s your birthday, your life sucks!
♦ The location of your mailbox shows you how far away from your house you can go in a robe before you start looking like a mental patient.
♦ I think it’s pretty cool how Chinese people made a language entirely out of tattoos.
♦ Money can’t buy happiness, but it keeps the kids in touch!
♦ The reason Mayberry was so peaceful and quiet was that nobody was married. Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Floyd, Howard, Goober, Gomer, Sam, Ernest T Bass, Helen, Thelma Lou, Clara, and, of course, Opie were all single. The only married person was Otis, and he stayed drunk.
Now, don’t you feel better knowing what an aphorism is?

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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

Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team. UND participated in the Dakota Dual on Friday, December 4. Aleece finished third place in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.46. She was on the third-place 4×400 relay team that finished with a time of 4:29.78 and she also finished fourth place in the triple jump with a distance of 32 feet 9.75 inches.

Brady Butt is a freshman playing football at the University of Jamestown.

Paul Bittner is playing for the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Bluejacket.

Brady Heppner, is playing hockey for the Roanoke Raildogs in the SPHL.

Brita Fagerlund, is a Senior on the University of Jamestown Jimmy Women’s Track team.

Ben Trostad, is a Junior member of the University of Minnesota Crookston golf team.

Elise Tangquist, is a Senior golfer for the University of Northwestern in St. Paul.

Rachel Hefta, a Sophmore, is playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.

Cade Salentine is a redshirt-Sophomore playing football at the University of North Dakota. 

Nick Garmen, is a sophomore playing basketball and tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Caden Osborn, is a freshman playing basketball at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Thea Oman, a sophomore, is swimming at St. Ben’s.

Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is a girls hockey and softball assistant coach.
Carrie Clauson is a Junior High girls tennis coach.
Jeremy Lubinski is a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach and assistant volleyball coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekken is the Head Pirate Girls and Boys Tennis coach and Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach
Mitch Bakken is the head Pirate Baseball coach.
Brock Hanson is the Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Jeff Perreault is the Pirate Girls Golf head coach
Wes Hanson is the Pirate Wrestling Head Coach and assistant boys golf coach
Kevin Weber is a Pirate Boys Basketball volunteer assistant coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Sam Melbye is the Pirate Boys J.V. Hockey coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Colton Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach

Non-Crookston High School coaching –

Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown

Kaylee Desrosier is a softball coach for Fargo Davies Middle School.

Justin Johnson is an assistant softball coach at the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Josh Edlund  is an assistant football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.

Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach in Champlin Park

Jeff Olson is Head Wrestling coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.

Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.

Carmen (Kreibich) Johnson, is Head Volleyball coach at Little Falls High School.

Katy Westrom, is Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.

Matt Harris, is a Director of Athletics at the British International School of Houston.

Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.

Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of Wyoming

Mike Hastings is the Minnesota State Mankato Men’s head Hockey coach

Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Thief River Falls High School

Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football and volleyball and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for the Bison media relations

Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College

Chris Myrold is a Tennis Pro on Nevis Island in the West Indies

Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis

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 also a grad of West Point and is currently is serving in the U.S. Army.

Erik Ellingson is serving our country with the U.S. Air Force at Minot.

Philip Kujawa class of 2004 from Crookston High School.  He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.

Scott Riopelle is head of Crookston Parks and Recreation

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

Tags: Adrianna Heurd, Ashton Aery, Brooke Fredrickson, Elizabeth Danielson, Greta Moeller, Hanna Mooney, Josie Johnson, Katie Borowicz, Liv Anderson, Mariah Huglen, Memphis Mertens, Rhiannon Horien, Saige Lund, sports, Sports Feever