SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Area football players signed to play college football next year on National Signing Day on Wednesday. Here is a list I was able put together.
Carter Coauette (Crookston) signed with Minot State University
Timmy Guler (Pelican Rapids) signed with Minnesota State Moorhead
Brody Friend (DGF) signed with Minnesota State Moorhead
Brayden Spears (TRF) signed with Minnesota State Moorhead
Josh Dudgeon (DGF) signed with Minnesota State Moorhead
Ryan Kangas (Win-E-Mac) signed with Bemidji State
Spencer Ness (Bemidji and formerly of Crookston) signed with the University of Jamestown
Zachary Jeuch (EGF) signed with the University of Jamestown
Cameron Spaeth (Ada-Borup-West) signed with Mayville State.
Brayton Rach (Perham) signed with the University of Mary
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The Section 8A Girls Hockey Coaches seeding meeting was Monday morning, and the seven-time defending champion Warroad Warriors are the top seed once again. The tournament seeds and schedule are below.
SEEDS-
1. Warroad
2. Crookston
3. East Grand Forks
4. Thief River Falls
5. Detroit Lakes
6. International Falls
SCHEDULE –
Thursday, Feb. 8th – Quarterfinals at High Seed
International Falls(6) at East Grand Forks (3) at 6:00pm
Detroit Lakes(5) at TRF(4) at 7:00pm
Saturday, Feb. 10th – Semi Finals @ Crookston
Warroad(1) vs TRF/Detroit Lakes Winner @ 2:00pm (ON KROX TV)
Crookston(2) vs EGF/International Falls Winner @ 4:30pm (ON KROX RADIO and TV)
Thursday, Feb. 15th – Finals @ Crookston
Game Time: 7:00pm (ON KROX RADIO AND TV)
Nobody wants to know my predictions, so here they are out of spite! In all seriousness, if it doesn’t go like 99.9 percent of the people think it would be a big shock.
FIRST ROUND
Thief River Falls will beat Detroit Lakes
East Grand Forks will beat International Falls
SEMI-FINALS
Warroad will beat TRF 5-1
Crookston will beat EGF 4-0
I will pick the championship in next week’s column.
CLICK HERE for the SECTION 8A GIRLS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT PROGRAM
For the Section 8A Girls Hockey semi-finals, there will be a shuttle service on Saturday from the Crookston High School Parking Lot to the Crookston Sports Center that will cycle every 15 minutes beginning at 1:30 pm and concluding at the end of the second semi-final game when all have been returned to their vehicles. This is in anticipation of a full parking lot at the CSC and not being able to park on the grass on the west side building.
If you are looking for an easy in and easy out, park at the Crookston High School parking lot.
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SECTION 8AA GIRLS BASKETBALL
The top seed will be Perham and they have a big lead for that spot, but the interesting thing is Barnesville has beaten them twice, but Pelican Rapids has beaten Barnesville twice!
So it looks like Pelican Rapids will be the second seed and Barnesville the third seed.
The top two seeds will get a first-round bye this year, with only 14 teams in the section.
Here is how the Minnesota-scores.net QRF looks as of Wednesday.
1. Perham 18-3 (126.1) 2 losses to Barnesville
2. Pelican Rapids 20-2 (106.8) (lost to EGF and Perham – beat Barnesville 2 times for tie-breaker)
3. Barnesville 13-7 (105.9)
4. Menahga 19-1 (101-9)
5. East Grand Forks 17-5 (99.9)
6. Hawley 10-10 (73.7)
7. Wadena-Deer Creek 13-8 (73.5)
8. Park Rapids 10-11 (66.2)
9. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 8-13 (62.2)
10. Frazee 8-10 (59.0)
11. Roseau 8-14 (45.3)
12. Thief River Falls 4-17 (41.7)
13. Crookston 3-17 (39.1)
14. Warroad 4-15 (31.0)
The tournament bracket is below-
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SECTION 8A GIRLS BASKETBALL
It is becoming a little more clear that Fosston and Sacred Heart will likely be the top seeds in each subsection, but it is also becoming clear that the section has a handful of teams that all have a legitimate chance at winning a section championship.
The Minnesota-scores.net QRF rankings on Wednesday are below.
WEST SUBSECTION
1. Sacred Heart 18-1 (87.9) only loss to EGF Green Wave
2. Kittson County Central 16-4 (76.0)
3. Northern Freeze 15-4 (69.2)
4. Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 13-6 (65.0)
5. Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 13-8 (58.9)
6. Climax-Fisher 9-10 (55.7)
7. Stephen-Argyle 6-9 (54.0)
8. Fertile-Beltrami 10-12 (48.8)
9. Goodridge/Grygla 6-13 (35.3)
10. Red Lake Falls 3-16 (29.4)
11. Red Lake County Central 1-20 (26.7)
EAST SUBSECTION –
1. Fosston 20-1 (92.8) only loss to Sacred Heart
2. Kelliher/Northome 16-3 (81.2)
3. Cass Lake-Bena 14-4 (79.9)
4. Blackduck 13-8 (49.2)
5. Mahnomen/Waubun 7-16 (40.3)
6. Win-E-Mac 5-15 (35.9)
7. Clearbrook-Gonvick 6-13 (33.9)
8. Bagley 5-15 (32.4)
9. Red Lake 4-16 (27.3)
10. Lake of the Woods 2-16 (25.1)
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Adding a third class to Girls Tennis, implementing a seeding process in State Football, expanding seeding in State Volleyball and modifying the suspended game language in Soccer were Fall Activity Advisory proposals approved by the Minnesota State High School League’s Board of Directors during its meeting on Thursday, February 1.
Action Items
9A: Conference Placement
The Board of Directors approved a Conference Placement Determination and Executive Committee affirmation that Detroit Lakes High School be placed in the Central Lakes Conference.
9B: Fall Activity Advisory Proposals
Note: All proposals are reviewed by Region Committees, the AD’s Advisory Committee and the Principals’ Advisory Committee.
Soccer:
The Board of Directors approved a Suspended Game Policy for Soccer.
Regular Season: If less than one-half of the game has been played, the game will be replayed from the point of suspension unless game completion is mutually agreed upon by head coaches in which case the existing score would be final. The host school has the authority to suspend a game for inclement weather.
Postseason: Games that have been suspended before the completion of the first half, or are tied at the point of suspension, shall be replayed from the point of suspension unless game completion is mutually agreed upon by head coaches and tournament manager in which case the existing score would be final.
Girls Tennis:
With 194 member schools participating in Girls Tennis, the Board of Directors approved a proposal to add a third class. Per League classification policy, the minimum number of teams required for a third class is 192. The approved proposal will divide the participating teams into three equal classes by enrollment. With the passage of the proposal, more students will have access to the state tournament and the reduction in enrollment ratios creates more equitable and balanced section competition. Because the next Competitive Section Placement cycle is in Spring 2025, this will be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year.
Volleyball:
The Board of Directors approved implementing a state tournament seeding process for the quarterfinals that determines Nos. 1-8 in the four enrollment classes. Previously, the state tournament quarterfinals were seeded Nos. 1-5 with the pairing of the three remaining qualifying schools determined by a random draw.
Football:
The Board of Directors approved the implementation of a seeding system for state quarterfinals in Class Nine-Player through Class AAAAA. The state tournament quarterfinals will be divided geographically into North and South brackets, respectively. Those two brackets in each class will seed the qualifying teams 1-4. The semifinal round at U.S. Bank Stadium would seed the advancing teams with the higher seed in the North playing the lower seed in the South, and the higher seed in the South vs. lower seed in the North. Class AAAAAA will continue to use a pre-determined bracket based on section seeds.
Discussion Items
10A: Representative Assembly Proposals
Bylaw 208.02: Gymnastics — A Gymnastics Advisory Proposal seeking to provide an opportunity for member school coaches to coach their student-athletes during the school year outside of the designated season, did not receive the required support of the administrative regions to advance to Representative Assembly.
Bylaw 522.07: Dance Team — A Dance Team Advisory proposal seeking to eliminate the spring tryout window received the required support at the Administrative Region level to advance to the Representative Assembly. If approved by the Representative Assembly, it will move tryouts to the approved winter season, which aligns with other League activities. This change would take place in the 2025-2026 season.
The Representative Assembly is Tuesday, May 7.
10B: Adoption of Programs: Sunset Draft
The Adoption of Programs Committee has completed its work and has submitted a draft policy for consideration by the Board of Directors. With their work completed, the League has received policy language for the adoption of a new program, the policy on engaging in presenting partnerships and the language that provides a process and timeline for possible sunset of League programs that are fewer than 32 schools or teams. This is the first reading of the conclusionary draft.
10C: 9th Grade Governance
A draft timeline indicating the steps in the consideration of adding 9th Grade Governance in the 2025-2026 school year was presented to the Board of Directors. Ongoing discussion included prominent topics of amending the League’s Constitution, Bylaws and Policies, financial implications, messaging and communications during the Fall 2024 Area Meetings and the creation of a task force.
10D: Competitive Section Placement: Boys Volleyball
Boys Volleyball, in Emerging Status as an activity, is a year from its debut as a League-sanctioned activity. In preparation, League Staff shared the process, steps and timeline required for Competitive Section Placement. Feb. 23 is the deadline for member schools to complete surveys requesting 2024-2025 registration and co-op intentions. On March 4, the League will begin the Competitive Section Placement process for the inaugural season in the 2024-2025 school year.
Committee Reports
11A: Eligibility Committee
-The Board of Directors approved the Eligibility Report as presented.
11B: Audit/Finance Committee
-The Board of Directors approved the November 2023 and December 2023 Financial Statements.
-The Board of Directors approved an Audit/Finance Committee recommendation to increase the number of comp tickets to member school administration from four to eight for the Girls and Boys Hockey State Tournaments and the Girls and Boys Basketball State Tournaments with the intent that these tickets be used for additional contest supervision.
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MILESTONES –
Willow Thiel (Perham and UMC WBB commit) scored the 2,000th point of her career this week in a win over Breckenridge.
According to Matt Pederson, who is the guru of basketball stats in MN:
-There are just under 3,600 known girls with 1,000 points
-There are 260 known girls with 1,000 rebounds
-There are 79 known girls with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds
-Willow just became the 80th known girl in MN history with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
For the season, Willow is averaging about 29 ppg and 14 RPG.
Caleb Rosendal (Thief River Falls) scored 47 points in a win over Menagha last week to break a school record for points in a game.
Shandi Nelson (Red Lake Falls) scored 43 points in an 86-82 loss to BGMR on Friday. The 43 points is a new Red Lake Falls Eagle Girls Basketball individual game scoring record.
Owen Chervestad (Red Lake County) scored the 1,000th point of his career this week.
Brynlee Mahlen (Fosston) scored the 1,000th point of her career on Monday in a win over Win-E-Mac.
Aiden Wolfe (Fosston) won his 75th match by pin on Tuesday.
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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)
JOKES
I was sitting at the bar staring at my drink when a large, trouble-making biker stepped up next to me, grabbed my drink, and gulped it down in one swig.
“Well, whatcha’ gonna do about it?” he says menacingly as I burst into tears. “Come on, man,” the biker says, “I didn’t think you’d cry. I can’t stand to see a man crying.”
“This is the worst day of my life,” I said. “I’m a complete failure. I was late to a meeting, and my boss fired me. When I went to the parking lot,
I found my car had been stolen and I don’t have any insurance. I left my wallet in the cab I took home. I found my wife with another man … And then my dog bit me.”
“So, I came to this bar to work up the courage to put an end to it all. I buy a drink, I drop a capsule in it and sit here watching the poison dissolve. Then you show up and drink the whole thing!”
“But, enough about me, how are you doing?”
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There is this taxi driver in New York City, and it is nearing the end of his shift, but he decides that he will pick up one more person before he turns in for the night. So he stops and pulls over, and a nun gets in the car. She tells him where to go, and they start off. It is a long drive, and the driver keeps looking at the nun through the rearview mirror of his cab.
Now, the nun is getting very upset by this and says, “Um…can I help you??!!”
The taxi driver looks very embarrassed and says, “I’m sorry, it’s very embarrassing, I cannot say.”
And the nun looks at him and says, “Now, my son, I have been in this business far too long to be disturbed by anything you have to say, so go ahead.”
The driver thinks for a minute and says, “Ok, well, for as long as I can remember, I have had the biggest fantasy about kissing a nun.”
She looks amused at first, then replies, “Well, I think I can help you with that, but first, you must promise me two things: the first is that you are a Catholic, the second is that you are single. If you can promise this, I shall give you what you ask for.”
And the driver says, “Great!! Sure I’m a single Catholic!!”
So they pull into an alley and the nun crawls into the front seat of the cab and gives the driver an amazing kiss. Porn stars would be envious of this kiss. And they finish up and get back on the road.
Soon the taxi driver starts looking nervous and peering at the nun in the rear view mirror again. Just staring at her, and when the nun asks him why he is staring and he says, “Well, I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you. You see, I’m not a catholic, and I’m also married.”
The nun smiles and says, “Well, I haven’t been honest with you either…My name is Kevin, and I’m going to a Halloween party.”
— —
An old man lived alone in Idaho. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, Bubba, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
Dear Bubba:
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my potato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love, Dad
A few days later, he received a letter from his son.
Dear Dad:
For heaven’s sake, Dad, don’t dig up that garden. That’s where I buried the BODIES.
Love, Bubba
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local Police showed up and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day, the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Dad:
Go ahead and plant the potatoes now. It’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love, Bubba
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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
Halle Bruggeman is a freshman on the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women’s Tennis team.
Grace Fischer is a freshman on the Concordia College (Moorhead) Women’s Golf team.
Ethan Boll is a Freshman on the University of North Dakota Football team.
Breanna Kressin is a Sophomore on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.
Emma Osborn is a Sophomore playing basketball at Northland Technical and Community College in Thief River Falls.
Jacey Larson is a Sophomore playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Aleah Bienek is a Sophomore playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.
Elise Tangquist is the Head Girls Golf Coach at Horace High School in Fargo, ND..
Kaleb Thingelstad is a junior playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan.
Joslynn Leach is a sophomore playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a Junior playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Aleece Durbin is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Womens Track and Field team.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches
Todd Miner is a Pirate Football assistant coach.
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant 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
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming coach and assistant girls golf 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/Admin/etc
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.
Katy (Westrom) Horgen is the 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 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.
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.
