SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This week’s column is the annual A to Z list. I hope 2024 is your best year ever and thanks for making 2023 a fantastic year.
Enjoy the list.
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Now it is time for the 2023 A to Z New Years list. I have used a few suggestions that I received over the past week. It is a tough list to make, and we miss several people that should. We try to highlight people who have had important impacts on KROX, Crookston, and area athletics. Here is this year’s list –
A – Alex Gullingsrud – He makes the list for the third year in a row. Alex is the son of Nicki (Philion) and Mike Gullingsrud. Nicki is the head Red Lake Falls volleyball coach, and Mike is a longtime official for area high school and college athletics. Alex is a true warrior, and what he has done since losing his leg to cancer is a true inspirational story. 2023 has been a memorable year for the 10-year-old. He was named the 2023 USA Hockey Disabled Athlete of the Year and was recently honored at the Minnesota Wild Cancer Night game. The kid is somebody everybody can look to for inspiration!
Advertisers – The lifeblood of all media. We thank all the advertisers on KROX Radio and KROXAM.com. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. We thank all the advertisers, and the best way for you to thank them is to patronize their businesses or tell them thank you for sponsoring KROX programming!
B – Badger/Greenbush-Middle River Gator Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball teams – What in the world is in the water in Badger/Greenbush-Middle River? In the last calendar year they have gone to state in Girls Basketball, Softball, and this fall, they went in Volleyball! Three for three!! It starts off with fantastic athletes who are driven and willing to do what it takes to be the best they can be. They have outstanding coaches for all three teams. What they have done might not have been done in a calendar year before by an area school. What BGMR has done is fantastic and congratulations on a year to remember.
C – Crookston Pirate Booster Club and Crookston Fine Arts Booster Club – The two clubs raise money each year to give to the Crookston Pirate athletic teams and the Crookston School District music, arts, and drama departments. The financial impact is well over $40,000 each year and that helps every activity in the Crookston School District, thanks to the many people that donate to one or both of the clubs.
Crookston Baseball Association – There hasn’t been an organization that has done more for their sport than the Crookston Baseball Association over the last five to 10 years. They have helped with facilities at the UMC Baseball field and added scholarships. They have made upgrades to Jim Karn Baseball Field, the highland complex, and at some point in the hopefully near future would like to do a grandstand at Jim Karn Field. So when you are out at Crookston establishments, make sure you play some pulltabs or electronic pulltabs because the proceeds go to the Baseball Association.
CYBA and Crookston Blue Line Club – for their promotion of youth basketball and hockey while trying to keep it as affordable as possible and giving the kids as many opportunities to play the two great sports.
D – Doctors – Dr. Steve and Lucas Biermaier from Biermaier Chiropractic; and Dr. Collin Fennel, Dr. Erik Kanten, and a few others from RiverView Health volunteer their time and services at Crookston Pirate sporting events. How many high school football teams have an orthopedic surgeon and two chiropractors at home football games? You see Dr. Erik Kanten and Steve Biermaier on the boy’s and girls’ hockey benches is reassuring to parents. The doctors listed give their time, services, and overwhelming peace of mind to the kids, parents, and coaches.
E – Eric Schmidt – Eric’s first job after graduating from the University of North Dakota was at Crookston High School as a teacher and Head Football and Girls basketball coach. Eric is currently coaching for the University of Washington Huskies Football team that will compete in the NCAA Football semi-finals on January 1 against Texas. The winner advances to the championship game. Eric is the Special Teams and Edge Rushing coach and will coach with the Huskies for one or two more games before leaving for a new job. He has been hired at San Diego State as the Defensive Coordinator for the Aztecs. Not only is he a great guy, he is an outstanding coach. We wish best of luck to Schmidty in the playoffs and on the new venture with the Aztecs after that!
F – Fertile-Beltrami Falcon Football – Coach Brian Nelson, his staff, and of course, the players of Fertile-Beltrami have made it to three straight State Football playoffs and have also made it to three straight state semi-final games!!! The Falcons had only two seniors this year, and there was some question on how good (pretty good or really good) they would be coming into this season, but that was answered in the first game of the year when they dominated Border West and never looked back the rest of the season. The seniors are fantastic players, with Derek Sorenson and Caden Swenby. They will be impossible to replace, but next year looks to be the best year yet for Falcon football!
Fosston Greyhound Baseball – The Fosston Greyhound Baseball program has been one of the best in the state year in and year out. This past spring, the Greyhounds won the state championship under one of the best coaches in the business, Ryan Hanlon.
They upset Sacred Heart in the Section 8A championship, twice! They beat Legacy Christian 11-1 in the first round of state. Beat Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 7-5 in the semi-finals and beat Lyle-Pecelli 3-2 in the state championship. To win a state baseball championship is something that is extremely rare for teams in Northwest Minnesota, but they did it with great hitting, pitching, and defense. Congratulations to Fosston on the amazing run and representing Section 8 in the best way possible.
Frank Fee – He still helps KROX once in a while. He is a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame and was the one to start KROXAM.com and create the monster it has become. He covered high school sports for over 40 years and served on the Region 8A committee as a school board member, he was a long-time Section 8A Boys Hockey statistician when hockey had one class and has broadcast thousands and thousands of high school sporting events and hundreds and hundreds of state tournament games. He taught me the importance of hard work and doing things the right way.
G – Girls Hockey – Pirate Girls Hockey – The Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey program is off to an 11-3-1 start this season, including a 2-0 victory over Warroad. It was the first victory over Warroad in 17 years!!! They have a solid and deep team, and it seems like they continue to get better each week. The sky is the limit for the girls, but the road continues to go through Warroad, and they are still the team to beat in February.
H – Halle Winjum – The senior three-sport athlete tore her ACL in a basketball camp this summer and had to miss playing for the Crookston Pirate Tennis team and their trip to the state. She is also missing her senior year of basketball. Halle has committed to play basketball next year at the University of Minnesota Crookston and we can’t wait to see her play again in her hometown. She is not only a tremendous athlete, but she is a better teammate and person. It doesn’t get much better than Halle!
I – Iowa Hawkeye Women’s Basketball player Caitlin Clark – The 6’0 senior guard has captivated fans all over the country with her exciting play and has sold out almost every game she has played in. Clark is the only player in Division One men’s or women’s basketball history with 3,000+ points, 750+ rebounds, and 750+ assists.
J – Jokes –
What does a Bulls fan do after they see their team win?
Rewind the VHS tape.
I asked my trainer at the gym if I could start shadow boxing.
He said, “Knock yourself out!”
What is the most depressing thing about tennis?
You’ll never be as good as a wall.
Swimming is a confusing sport, because sometimes you do it for fun, and other times you do it to not die.
What does an athlete do once he loses his sight?
Become a referee.
What is the hardest thing about skateboarding?
Concrete.
What’s the difference between a ball hog and time?
Time passes.
Soccer is surprisingly relevant to my life.
I have a hard time scoring.
What does a Timberwolves fan do after they win the finals?
Turn off his Playstation and go to bed.
K – KROX Staff – The KROX staff keeps things moving. It is a typical small business where we all do more than one job, partially because of the website. I have the best staff working at KROX. I am lucky to have dependable, hard-working employees who truly care about KROX and our listeners and are doing the best we can do each day. I thank them and without them, we have nothing.
L – Listeners and Website visitors – Without the listeners and website visitors, we wouldn’t be able to continue to do what we do. Your continued support of all of KROX’s coverage is appreciated, and we’re looking forward to providing another full year of Crookston and Northwest Minnesota sports coverage in 2024.
M – Miller (Emma Miller) – Emma Miller, the Sophomore guard on the University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Women’s Basketball team. She was just named the NSIC player of the week last week. She is averaging just shy of 20 points per game and leading her team to a 7-5 overall record and 4-2 in the NSIC.
N – Neil Steffes – Neil Steffes makes the list this year after earning the 500 coaching victory of his boy’s basketball coaching career. Neil has been a coach for almost 30 years at Fertile-Beltrami and always has his team ready to play each game and each season. 500 wins already is an impressive feat, and he will likely earn many more this year for sure. Neil isn’t only a great basketball coach, but he is an assistant coach of the Fertile-Beltrami Falcon Football team that has gone to state three years in a row and has been a power in northwest Minnesota forever. Neil is also a track coach and has been a big part of a lot of the Falcon’s success, especially in the pole vault. He is a great coach and a great guy, and hats off to a coach that I actually played against!!!
O – Officials – No matter how good, or bad, they might be, they are an important part of high school, college, and pro athletics. Without them, we have call your own….which we all know would get ugly. We thank them for their commitment to athletics and the willingness to take the yelling and screaming of fans and coaches to make sure we can watch our favorite sports!. Thank all officials for their hard work and dedication to keeping sports going!
P – Philion, Steve Philion – Steve Philion is in his 50th year of coaching basketball, and his Red Lake County Rebels have started the season with a 7-0 record after beating Cass Lake-Bena and Sacred Heart last week. This might be one of Coach Philion’s best teams and could also be one of the youngest teams he has had. Steve makes this year’s list because of their 50th year of coaching, along with many years of officiating football, baseball, and softball. Not only is he a great coach and solid official, but he is one of the best people you will meet. He also does a lot of volunteer work for the Knights of Columbus, Lions Club, has the Lace Em Up Basketball camp, and does a lot of things around the Red Lake Falls community. He is a member of the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and has well over 600 career wins. Hats off to Steve!!
Q – Quotes –
All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity – Gordie Howe
Most football players are temperamental. That’s 90 percent temper and 10 percent mental – Doug Plank
“I’ve seen George Foreman shadow boxing and the shadow won.”—Muhammad Ali
The game was closer than the score indicated.”—Baseball player Dizzy Dean, after a 1-0 game
I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf.”—Pitcher Tug McGraw, asked whether he preferred grass or Astroturf.
We have a great bunch of outside shooters. Unfortunately, all our games are played indoors.”—Basketball player Weldon Drew
“Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row.” — Vitas Gerulaitis, upon beating Jimmy Connors after 16 consecutive losses to him
“When you’re rich, you don’t write checks. Straight cash, homie.” — Randy Moss
R – Rick Niemela – The Crookston School District Transportation Director has been a magician every year. The Pirate sports teams have been able to get busses for every trip without any problems (that we know of), and they have started all the games on time this year.
S – Sacred Heart Baseball and Basketball – The Sacred Heart Boys Basketball team has won back-to-back Section 8A championships. They are led by Destry Sterkel and he has created a monster and a power in northwest Minnesota. They are 6-1 this year and have great guards, shooters, and post players. They have the complete package and are one of the favorites again to win the section this year.
The Sacred Heart Baseball team has won the Section 8A championship three times in the past five years and just missed last year. The Eagles have things going with the two programs, and both teams should have another great winter and spring.
T – Tiffany Fee – My wife, the better half. She is like a fine wine. She keeps getting better with age. She really is the best!! Tiff has done a great job raising our kids, making meals, keeping the house clean, and everything else she does all while working 40 to 60 hours a week. She is so busy, I can’t get a haircut! She is basically the opposite of me……she is nice and friendly, and everybody likes her. Most importantly, she puts up with me!! She is the best wife a guy could ask for, and I thank her for everything.
U – UMC Men’s Club Hockey – The UMC Men’s Club Hockey team continues to win in their third season as a program. They have mostly area kids and are off to a 15-3 start, and when they get back into action in January, they will have a month before the conference tournament. The goal is to make the club hockey national tourney this year and they should have a decent shot this year.
V – Victories – The Minnesota Timberwolves are leading the NBA Western Conference, and even the most die-hard Timberwolves fan is waiting for something to happen. So far, Anthony Edwards has proven to be one of the best players in the NBA, and the Rudy Gobert trade is paying off this year. It should be a fun rest of the year.
The Minnesota Wild have been on fire since firing their coach. They have won four games in a row and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are right back into the thick of things, as far as playoff contention goes, and in the NHL, if you make the playoffs, you have a shot at the cup, which has been proven year after year.
W – Wes Knutson – Wes was a Minnesota High School registered official for 51 years. He officiated nearly every sport except hockey, with many section and state tournament experiences. Wes had a stroke after heart surgery last year and we are happy to say he is doing better each day! This year, Wes was inducted into the Minnesota Softball Hall of Fame for his many, many years of umpiring softball.
X – X-Factor – Crookston Pirate Winter athletic teams X-factors –
Boys Hockey – This was the toughest one to pick. So, I took the easy route. All the players. They have had a solid start to the season, and they are fun to watch and have more depth than I have seen a Pirate team have in many years. They will need a solid group of seniors to step up their play to be competitive with the top teams in the section (Warroad, EGF, TRF).
Girls Hockey – I am pointing out the obvious, but the MVP is Kambelle Freije, and I believe she is the X-factor. She single-handedly helped Crookston beat Warroad, but scoring goals will be part B. No matter how good your goalie is, you have to score at least a goal to win.
Boys Basketball – The seniors. This is their last year of Pirate Basketball, and if they want to see the season turn around, they will have to lead the charge.
Girls Basketball – Naomi Johnson and Emma Gunderson. They are two leaders who have some good varsity minutes, and how they do will be important to the rest of the season.
Wrestling – I don’t know if this will be possible, but filling the lineup is the x-factor this year. They haven’t been able to fill half of the lineup this year, and as far as the team portion of the season goes, that is going to be the X-factor.
Y – YOU! – If you are reading this, thank you!
Z – Darin Zimmerman – Coach Z will have a firm, stronghold on this spot for years to come. Not just because of the Z in his name but because of what he has done with the girl’s basketball program. I know Darin would be the first to admit that he has some pretty good athletes to work with, he has molded the program into a defensive juggernaut and one o the top programs in the state. They will stay towards the top of the section for many years to come.
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The latest Minnesota High School sports rankings are available by clicking the link below.
Minnesota High School Rankings – KROX (kroxam.com)
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The Crookston Pirate Winter Sports Schedules are available on our website. Click on the link below –
CROOKSTON PIRATE WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES – KROX (kroxam.com)
JOKES
See above
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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.
