The winter sports season is officially underway with all the sports teams playing this week.
Also a HUGE thank you to coaches and A.D.’s that put the kids and families first over the Christmas to New Year’s stretch and they don’t play during that week. Hats off to those of you that get IT and realize playing a couple of games isn’t as important as kids getting a much-needed break and some time with family. Especially this year! Most kids in northwest Minnesota play a fall sport and don’t get much of a break and that week is a much-needed break for kids and families.
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My daughter Macy Fee wants everybody to know that goes to any Pirate Girls Basketball games over the next three weeks that she has an injured ankle and did NOT get caught drinking. I am serious. With so many kids getting caught recently, she wants everybody to know she is injured!!
She finally got her boot off after almost a year. She had some ligament damage and she lied to us this summer and said that she could play basketball this summer when that wasn’t what was said, but she really wanted to play. So that put her back another six months. Now it is off and she can’t run for three weeks. I have come to the conclusion that my two daughters weren’t born to be athletes and that is 100 percent okay with me.
Macy will be great at whatever she does and she has been a great manager while injured. She wants to be a teacher and coach and will be great at it. But, I am trying to talk her into going into social media. She is really good at it and could manage a big company’s social media and do an awesome job with it. It worked out pretty well for our oldest daughter Alyssa, who is currently third in her class in PA School at St. Scholastica.
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The Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey team is off to one of their best starts in program history with four wins in their first four games, including a convincing win over Thief River Falls in the first game of the year. The Pirates were short-handed last week and played with backup goalie Jacey Larson filling in nicely. But now the Pirates will have their toughest three-game stretch of the season. They play Delano, Orono, and Warroad in their next three games. It will be a test to see how good they are. Unfortunately, for the Pirates, they will be short-handed in the Delano and Orono games this weekend.
The good news –
Underclassmen have picked up the slack with the likes of Brekken Tull, Reese Swanson, Addie Fee (two sophomores and a freshman) finding the back of the net multiple times in the last week, and Larson making a lot of saves in the net. If you are going to be short-handed, early in the season is the time because you can build more team depth for the rest of the season. So far, the Pirates have shown they can find ways to win. If they can do that in the next three games, they will open up a lot of eyes across the state.
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Congratulations to Brian Nelson and the Fertile-Beltrami Falcon Football team on a State 9-man runner-up finish last weekend. It was the first time the Falcons had competed in a state football championship game. It was a fantastic outpouring of support from fans in Fertile, Beltrami, Crookston, and all of northwest Minnesota. It is exactly why we live up in the middle of “nowhere.” We pull for area teams when they make a run especially schools like Fertile-Beltrami.
We at KROX were more than thrilled to be a part of the run, and it is hard to believe it has been 15 years since they played in the state semi-finals at the Metrodome when I was also sideline reporting in that game.
In typical State High School League fashion, they showed how incompetent they are once again at the state championship game. Kevin Kochman (one of the nicest guys and a true professional) of KRJB/KRJM in Ada/Mahnomen and I were on the sidelines doing the wireless mic for our respective stations during the game. We did the same thing in the state semi-final game and had zero issues. In the state championship game, shortly after halftime, a guy from the MSHSL came up to Kevin and told him that he couldn’t broadcast from the field. Kevin came over to me to bring me into the conversation. I told the gentleman that I have been reporting at state tournaments from the sidelines for almost 30 years, including last week’s state semi-final game. Nobody has said a word, and that the only I won’t be broadcasting from the sidelines is if they drag me out in front of all the Fertile-Beltrami fans. I also stated that we have almost 2,000 people listening online, and nobody up north gets the TV broadcast, so we are the voice for the folks back home. He told me to settle down, and I said we hadn’t done anything wrong, and seriously, you will have to drag me out of here in front of everybody. I told him to get Tim Leighton (a former newspaper writer in the cities), the head of the media “relations”. Tim came over to us, and he had the guts to ask what the problem was. I told him, in an excited tone, that we were told we couldn’t broadcast from the field. Tim, once again, had the guts to say settle down. In the next few minutes, it turned out the first guy came over to apologize to Kevin and me and he was told wrong information and was sorry. I don’t blame him because it was Tim that sent him down.
A little background – Since Leighton has taken over the MSHSL has limited radio access to players and coaches after the games at state tournaments. In his first year, they even told me that I couldn’t interview a coach at the state volleyball tourney on the arena level. I would have to interview the coaches up in the stands. This is the brain trust that we are dealing with here. They tell us we can participate in a press conference with TV and newspaper guys deep in the lower level of a concrete stadium that our signal would never be able to get through.
Radio stations also have to pay $200 to broadcast state tournaments. Newspaper and TV cameras don’t have to pay anything.
So, the more upset Tim and the MSHSL get me, it gets closer to me filing a lawsuit if they don’t change their ways. I have talked to two lawyers that have urged me to take them on, and one offered to do it pro-bono. I don’t want to do it because I’m not going to ask for money. After all, it isn’t about that. It is about letting us do our job. People like Kevin and myself do things the right way, follow the rules, and still get treated like second-class citizens. I would like to say it shocks me, but when you have people running the show that almost went bankrupt because they have people in education running a multi-million dollar business instead of businessmen and women, you get what has happened in the last nearly two years. If it weren’t for bailouts by the government and the schools (AKA us taxpayers) bailing out the MSHSL, they wouldn’t be around because they haven’t diversified their income.
Enough about the MSHSL, but I just wanted to let people know what we have to deal with when we deal with the MSHSL.
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The Fee household will be cheering against the Gopher Volleyball team on Friday night. My oldest daughter, Alyssa, has been dating a great young man from Lakeville (that she met at UMD) for several years now and we have become close with his (Paul) family. Paul’s sister, Elizabeth Junke, plays volleyball for South Dakota and the Coyotes won the Summit League championship with an impressive 3-0 victory over Omaha in the championship match. Elizabeth had 24 kills in the championship match and was named the tournament MVP. She is fun to watch so if you take in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday night and watch the match, #6 Elizabeth Junke is worth a watch. It will be a tough matchup against the Gophers, but if they play like they did against Omaha, it could be a fun match.
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Crookston’s Paul Bittner is on the move and will play for the Dusseldorfer EG hockey team. The translated press release is below –
The Düsseldorfer EG has reacted to the tight schedule and the personnel shortage in the storm and once again on the transfer market. The American Paul Bittner will support the DEG team with immediate effect and at least until the end of the season. He should give the team even more depth in the attack in the coming phase. The 1.93 m tall striker, who was drawn in the second round of the NHL draft in 2015, has so far played for Mora IK in the second Swedish ice hockey league during this ice age, where he scored one goal and three assists in eight appearances. He is expected in Düsseldorf on Friday.
Sports director Niki Mondt: “Paul Bittner is a great striker who is very versatile and can fill various roles. Due to several injuries and failures – especially in a storm – and our program, which was very tight until the Olympic break, we are of the opinion that we need more depth in the storm in order to be able to come up with four rows of storms as often as possible. ”
About Paul Bittner
Paul Bittner was born on November 4, 1996 in Crookston, USA. The North American gained his first ice hockey experience with the local ice hockey team. For the 2012/13 season he then moved to the Western Hockey League, where he went on the ice for the Portland Winterhawks for four years. During this time he scored 88 goals and 100 assists in 256 appearances. Subsequently, in 2016/17 the firm jumped into the AHL to the Cleveland Monsters. There he scored 25 goals and provided 43 assists in a total of 193 games. In 2020, the left shooter then moved to the second Swedish ice hockey league. There he played for Väsby IK last year (14 games, 13 points) and this season for Mora IK. He weighs 93 kg and is numbered 77 at DEG.
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The All-Section 8AA Football team has been announced –
Barnesville
Kaden Zenzen 12 TE/DE
Cameron Heng 12 RB/DB
Noah Krause 12 QB/LB
Travis Affield 12 OL/DL
Tim Wells 11 OL/DL
Braeden Bredman 11 RB/DB
Jonny Robideau 11 OL/LB
Pelican Rapids 5
Nick Haugrud 12 T /DT
Tim Guler 10 QB/DB
Carson McNeal 12 Slot/LB
Carter Johnson 11 RB/LB
Peyton Blakeway 11 Slot/DB
Warroad 4
Matthew Hard 12 FB/LB
Dylan Fox 12 OL/DL
Gaabi Boucha 11 RB/LB
Landon Thompson 11 OL/DL
Hawley 4
Carson Brew 12 QB/DB
Joey Aakre 12 TE/DE
Ehtan Magnuson 12 TE/DE
Derrick Tibbetts 11 RB/LB
Crookston 2
Brooks Butt 12 Dtackle
Ethan Boll 11 RB
Frazee 2
Jake Nagel 11 RB/SS
Byron Kropuenske 12 OL/DL
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The All-Section 6AA Football team has been announced –
West Central Area 7
Anthony Sykora 11 RB/LB
Matson Hoff 12 RB/LB
Evan Paulson 12 QB
Cole Anderson 11 TE/DB
Tyler Stone 11 OL/DL
Carson Spangler 12 WR/DB
Hunter Norby 12 RB/LB
Osakis 6
Wyatt Sell 10 LB
Brady Mages 12 DE
Carter Watnaas 12 TE
Kyle Mages 10 QB
Chayce Meyer 12 OL
Drew Imdieke 10 FB
Sauk Centre 4
Jay Neubert 10 WR/DB
Eli Fletcher 11 RB/LB
Andrew Boyer 12 WR/DB
Corey McCoy 11 OL/DL
Wadena DC 4
Payton Rondestvedt 12 QB/S
Josh Dykhoff 12 WR/DE
MJ Lunde 11 OL/LB
Devon Kaiser 12 CB
Staples-Motley 2
Sam Opheim 12 DE
Isaiah Schultz 11 QB
Pillager 2
Jacob Dixon 12 LB
Evan Imgrund 12 OL
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The Minnesota Twins have signed Byron Buxton to a seven-year $100 million contract with a full no-trade clause. The contract includes a $1M signing bonus.
2022 salary-$9M
2023-28-$15M per season
MVP bonuses, believed to be unprecedented, for every year of the deal.
1st-$8M
2nd-$7M
3rd-$6M
4th-$5M
5th-$4M
6th-through-10th: $3M
Also: $500K each for 502, 533, 567, 600, and 625 plate appearances.
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The Minnesota Wild is off to its second-best start in franchise history as of Monday.
2013-14: 13-4-4, 30 pts
2021-22: 14-6-1, 29 pts
2011-12: 13-5-3, 29 pts
2002-03: 12-5-4, 28 pts
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JOKES
A doctor that had been seeing an 80-year-old woman for most of her life finally retired. At her next checkup, the new doctor told her to bring a list of all the medicines that had been prescribed for her. As the doctor was looking through these his
eyes grew wide as he realized Grandma had a prescription for birth control pills.
“Mrs. Smith, do you realize these are birth control pills?”
“Yes, they help me sleep at night.”
“Mrs. Smith, I assure you there is absolutely nothing in these that could possibly help you sleep!”
She reached out and patted the young doctor’s knee and said, “Yes, dear, I know that. But every morning, I grind one up and mix it in the glass of orange juice that my 16-year-old Granddaughter drinks. And believe me, it definitely helps me sleep at night.”
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A man was riding on a full bus minding his own business when the gorgeous woman next to him started to breastfeed her baby. The baby wouldn’t take it so she said, “Come on sweetie, eat it all up or I’ll have to give it to this nice man next to us.”
Five minutes later the baby was still not feeding, so she said, “Come on, honey. Take it or I’ll give it to this nice man here.” A few minutes later the anxious man blurted out, “Come on kid. Make up your mind! I was supposed to get off four stops ago!”
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Students in an advanced Biology class were taking their mid-term exam. The last question was, ‘Name seven advantages of Mother’s Milk.’ The question was worth 70 points or none at all. One student was hard put to think of seven advantages. He wrote:
1) It is perfect formula for the child.
2) It provides immunity against several diseases.
3) It is always the right temperature.
4) It is inexpensive.
5) It bonds the child to mother and vice versa.
6) It is always available as needed
And then the student was stuck. Finally, in desperation, just before the bell rang indicating the end of the test he wrote:
7) It comes in two attractive containers and it’s high enough off the ground where the cat can’t get it.
He got an A+.
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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
Ben Trostad is a senior playing Men’s Golf at UMC.
Kaleb Thingelstad is a freshman playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University. KWU is done for the fall season.
Joslynn Leach is a freshman playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a sophomore playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, is a junior playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Sweden. He is the only American playing for Mora IK of the Allsvenskan league.
Gretchen Theis is a sophomore at NDSU on the Equestrian team.
Kate MacGregor is a senior swimming at Minnesota State Moorhead.
Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Nick Garmen is a junior playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball coach.
Jeremy Lubinski is a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekken is the Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach
Brock Hanson is a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Ben Halos is a Pirate Baseball assistant coach.
Alex LaFrance is a 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 –
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
Kaylee Desrosier is a softball coach for Fargo Davies Middle School.
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.
Katy Westrom, is Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.
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 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
Ben Andringa is serving our country with the Army in New York.
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.
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.
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