Welcome to the Sports Feever column on this July 9, 2020. It has been another busy week of sports news and as each week goes by it looks less likely we will have Fall Sports this year. We have a lot of information on why in the column.
The Independence Day weekend showed us that missing sports really isn’t that big of a deal when we found out Fertile-Beltrami High School student-athlete Jude Olson died in an ATV accident. The 16-year-old was a multi-sport athlete in Football and Wrestling and went to the state wrestling tournament in February at heavyweight. He was only a sophomore and was 19-17 going into the state tournament this year. From all the reports, he was an outstanding kid. He had a sense of humor, was well-liked by his teammates, classmates, and anybody that was lucky enough to meet him.
My heart goes out to Jude’s family. I can’t imagine the shock, the sadness, and all the other emotions that they are going through.
I was lucky enough to watch him wrestle several matches, including against my son Blake two years ago. He had really improved over the past two years and I know Coach Chad Hitchen was excited to see what his final two years of his wrestling career could bring.
There is a saying and even a song that says “Only the good die young.” This is a perfect example of that.
I ask you that you keep Jude, his family, friends, and the Fertile-Beltrami school and communities in your thoughts and prayers during this tough time and remember to give your child(ren) a bigger hug and an extra I Love You before they leave the house and go to bed.
Linda Widrig of the Fertile Journal (who takes great pictures of Fertile-Beltrami sporting events) has shared some pictures of Jude on Facebook. CLICK HERE to see the pictures.
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I am officially predicting NO College Fall sports at any level this fall and winter sports won’t happen.
The Ivy League announced Wednesday they won’t allow a fall sports season and no sports can be played until January 1, 2021.
Junior Colleges across the country are canceling their sports. 10 junior college schools in Arizona announced they were canceling their sports for the upcoming school year. Now the 24 MCAC Schools in Minnesota (including Northland in TRF/EGF), North Dakota, and Wisconsin junior colleges have announced they are canceling football, volleyball, and soccer and any practices or winter sports that compete or practice in the fall semester are banned. For basketball, baseball, softball, and wrestling, in which practice and competition spans fall and spring semesters, all organized physical activities are prohibited during the fall semester.
Discussions about the potential for spring seasons for these sports are continuing and guidance will be provided in the near future.
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Commissioner Dave McKane has said there is a POSSIBILITY that they could move their fall sports to the spring.
Many schools from Division III, Division II, and even Division I have announced they won’t have sports in the fall.
What does all this mean? What is the NSIC going to do? They have already cut the amount of games football, volleyball, and soccer can play in the fall. With a conference that spans five states (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa) it will be challenging for teams to practice and play against each other including a lot of travel for the teams in the conference.
I am predicting the NSIC will have to follow suit and not have fall sports, or any fall sports practices. I hope I am wrong, but I don’t see it happening this fall. Heck…I am doubtful winter sports will happen too.
President Trump is also saying if you are a foreign student and the school doesn’t have classes in person/on-campus the students have to stay home. So what would that mean for UMC teams?
The University of Minnesota Crookston is trying to figure out how to Macgyver a plan to allow the 60 international students on campus (almost 1/11th to 1/12th of the on-campus enrollment!! It sounds like the U of M has put together a plan, but if you don’t have classes on campus, I don’t see how you can have sports on campus! The two go hand-in-hand.
I put together a list of foreign players (including Canada) each team has. (I didn’t include North Dakota or Wisconsin in my foreign players;).
Soccer – 3
Volleyball – 1
Men’s Basketball – 6
Baseball – 3
Softball – 2
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Stanford Athletics announced it will cut 11 of 36 varsity sports following the 2020-21 season: men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling.
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Henning High School (going to be senior guard) Ellie Dague announced her commitment to play basketball for the North Dakota State University Bison. Dague, a 5-10 forward, averaged just shy of 21 points per game and is considered one of the top players in NW Minnesota.
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The Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association named the 2020 All-State Academic team and several student-athletes from the area made the team.
Class A All-State Academic Team
Nathan Fortman and Dustin Osland (Win-E-Mac)
Treydon Boushee (Fosston)
Derek Peterson and Zach Benson (Red Lake County)
Riley Resnick (Norman County East-Ulen/Hitterdal)
Class AA All-State Academic Team (Section 8AA players)
Daniel Wensloff (Roseau)
Carter Mulcahy, Maddux Kovash, Stephen Lindberg (Perham)
CLASS AA All-State Academic Team awards
Perham (Coached by James Mulcahy) won the team title with a team GPA of 3.71
Roseau (Coached by Tracey Wensloff) received the team Silver Award
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Minakwa Golf Course held their annual Fourth of July tournament last weekend. The tournament was 27 holes with different formats on each round of nine holes. There were three flights in the tournament and the top three teams from each flight are listed below –
First flight –
1st place – Travis Ross and Evan Dimke – 100
2nd place – Seth Heppner and Brian Bekkala – 104 (won tie-breaker)
3rd place – Jack Lindgren and Scott Lindgren
Second Flight –
1st place – Brock Strommen and Zach Strommen – 115 (won tie-breaker on hole 27)
2nd place – Vance Harren and Cam Harren – 115
3rd place – Brad Brekken and Marcus Brekken – 116
Third Flight –
1st place – Steve Brekken and John Lucken – 133
2nd place – Aaron Elwood and Jesse Moronez – 137
3rd place – Darren Schmaltz and Bruce Highness – 138
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Crookston’s Travis Ross shot a two-over-par 74 in the second round of the Minnesota State Open Championship at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
Ross had two bogies, two birdies, and five pars on the front nine. On the back nine, Travis had two bogies to card a two-over-par, 74. He is in a tie for 25th place with a two-round total of 144, 10 strokes behind Jeff Sorenson of Minikahda Golf Club. Ross will tee off at 7:40 a.m. on Thursday for the third and final round of the tournament. The third round will be an important one for Ross, who is tied for the ninth-best professional score.
Ross is playing in the tournament as an exempt player after finishing in the top 25 at the 2019 State Open Championship.
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Jokes
A man walks into a hamburger shop and orders a regular meal. Later, the waitress brings his meal to him. He takes a bite out of it, and notices there’s a small hair in the hamburger. He begins yelling frantically at the waitress, “Waitress, there’s a hair in my hamburger! I demand to see what is going on!”
So, the waitress takes him back where the cook is and to his demise, he sees the cook take the meat patty and flatten it under his arm pit. He says, “That’s disgusting!”
Then the waitress says, “You think that’s disgusting you should see him make donuts.”
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What She Really Means
I need = I want
We need = I want
It’s your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now
Do whatever you want = You are going to pay for this later
We need to talk = I need to complain
Sure…go ahead = I don’t want you to
I’m not upset = Of course I’m upset, you moron!
You’re so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot
You’re certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?
I’m not emotional! And I’m not overreacting! = I have a severe case of PMS
Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs
This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house
I want new curtains = I want new curtains, new carpeting, new furniture, new wallpaper…
I need new shoes = the other 40 pairs are simply the wrong shade
I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep
Do you love me? = I’m going to ask for something expensive
How much do you love me? = I did something today you’re really going to hate
I’ll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on T.V.
Is my butt fat? = Tell me I’m beautiful
You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me
Are you listening to me? = Too late, you’re dead
Yes = No
No = No
Maybe = No
I’m sorry = You’ll be sorry
I was wrong = Not as wrong as you
Do you like this recipe? = It’s easy to fix, so you’d better get used to it
Was that the baby? = Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he goes to sleep
I’m not yelling! = Of course I’m yelling, this is important!
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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 playing for the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Bluejacket.
Brady Heppner, is playing hockey for the Roanoke Raildogs in the SPHL.
Aleece Durbin, is a Sophomore on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Brita Fagerlund, is a Junior on the University of Jamestown Jimmy Women’s Track team.
Ben Trostad is a sophomore member of the University of Minnesota Crookston golf team.
Isaac Westlake, is a Senior on the Winona State Warrior Men’s Golf team.
Elise Tangquist, is a Junior golfer for the University of Northwestern in St. Paul.
Mason LaPlante, a freshman, is playing soccer at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, a freshman, is playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Cade Salentine is a redshirt Freshman playing football at the University of North Dakota.
Nick Garmen, is a freshman playing basketball and tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Thea Oman, a freshman, is swimming at St. Ben’s.
Crookston School District Coaches –
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
Blake Fee is an assistant 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
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