I will start the column by thanking the Activity Director(s) that nominated me for the Minnesota State High School League’s Outstanding Media Service Award, which I will be awarded during halftime of the State Class AAA Girls Basketball championship game on Saturday night. So if you are at the game, feel free to heckle or boo me. Or heck, chant over-rated, or whatever you would like.
I don’t know who nominated me, but I was told they had several nominate me so that is pretty cool. It is a humbling honor to receive such a prestigious award for doing what you love doing. I tell people they don’t need to thank us for what we do because we are doing our job. But winning a second state-wide award is pretty humbling. It just goes to show you don’t have to be the smartest person in the world, but if you work your butt off, people notice. More information on the award is below –
Each school year, the Minnesota State High School League recognizes two media members with the League’s Outstanding Media Service Award. The award recognizes the media contributions and service to the participants, the member schools, and their communities.
The award has been presented since 2015. In the first two years of the award, there was one recipient. In 2017, in a reflection of the evolving media coverage, the award was split into two divisions: Print and Electronic. The recipients are traditionally honored during halftime of the Class AAA boys basketball championship game at Target Center in an on-court ceremony. Recipients are known for their passion, endless enthusiasm, and knack for heartfelt storytelling of the journeys of the participants, member schools, and their communities.
Recipients are selected through a multi-layered process that begins with nominations from activities directors of the League’s member schools. This process begins each January and recipients are determined by the end of February.
Past recipients:
2015 — Dave Harris, Alexandria
2016 — Wally Wakefield, Lillie News, Maplewood
2017 — Print Division: Mike Bialka, Brainerd Daily Dispatch; Electronic Division: Craig Olson, Fergus Falls
2018 — Print Division: John Sherman, Sun Newspapers; Electronic Division: Bill Bentson, KFIL Radio, Preston
2019 — Print Division: Tom Elliott, St. Cloud Times; Electronic Division: Jim Bartels, KNUJ Radio, New Ulm
2020 — Print Division: Mitchell Palmer McDonald, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder; Electronic Division: Dave Lee, WCCO-AM, 45TV
2021 — No winners (Covid)
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KROX will have the Section 8A Boys Basketball Championship on the radio and on the KROX Live stream as the Sacred Heart Eagles appear in their first-ever MSHSL Section 8A championship game on Friday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Sacred Heart has had a tremendous season, going 27-3 on the year. They are led by Kobe Tomkinson, averaging over 20 points per game, and Sam Gapp. But the rest of the team has been outstanding too. Josiah Sunby and Ethan Arnston single-handedly kept the Eagles in the game in the semi-finals with three three-pointers each in the first half. Another top-notch player is Denney who had a double-double in the semi-finals along with some big defensive plays and blocked shots. The team is well-coached by Destry Sterkel who is as passionate about basketball as anybody and genuinely loves his players and wants the best for them, not only on the basketball floor, but in life too. The Eagles are making their first ever trip to the section championship game and they are looking to make the first trip to the MSHSL state boys basketball tournament. It doesn’t get much better than that. These players have already made program history in many ways, but they would love to put a big stamp on this season with a trip to the big show.
Sacred Heart will face a team in Cass Lake-Bena that is no stranger to section Championships, making their fifth appearance in a row to the title game. They have had an outstanding season going 26-3 on the year. They have so many players that can hurt you and can shoot the ball anywhere on the floor. They play solid defense and love to run and gun. They lost games to Nevis, Mahnomen-Waubun and Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa.
Last year, Cass Lake-Bena lost to BGMR in the Section 8A Championship game.
Two years ago, they were supposed to play Ada-Borup-West in the Section 8A
In 2019 they lost to Ada-Borup in the Section 8A Championship game.
In 2018, Cass Lake-Bena beat Ada-Borup in the championship game and finished fourth at state.
Who is going to win? Glad you asked. I have a feeling Sacred Heart wins by 5 by hitting some free throws late in a great game.
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The Fergus Falls Otter Girls basketball team received the three seed in the State Class A Girls Basketball tournament. They drew the 27-1 Pequot Lakes Patriots and Fergus Falls didn’t have any problems and cruised to a victory.
Fergus Falls, no surprise to anybody that played them, was led by Ellie Colbeck, the outstanding senior guard that is going to South Dakota State University (D-1) next year, had 25 points on 11 of 17 shooting, 2 of 4 on threes, she added eight assists, six steals, and five rebounds!!!!
Tori Ratz had 22 points on 8 of 14 from the field (5 of 11 on threes), 5 assists. Ainsley Hanson had seven points and 10 rebounds.
Fergus Falls will play Minnehaha Academy in the semi-finals. Minnehaha Academy hammered Lake Crystal Welcome Memorial by 50 points in the first round. It was 51-18 at halftime.
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The Cass Lake-Bena Panther Girls Basketball team received the second seed, behind Mountain Iron-Buhl in the State Class A Girls Basketball tournament. Cass Lake-Bena is 28-2 on the year and they seemed to get shorted on the “random draw” as they will take on undefeated Hayfield. Cass Lake-Bena had a QRF ranking of 3 while Hayfield had a QRF ranking of 4 in Class A. It will be an interesting first-round matchup, but I think Cass Lake-Bena will be a tough match-up for most teams. Last year, Cass Lake-Bena made it to state and lost to Mountain Iron-Buhl in the first round by a 50-49 score!! Cass Lake-Bena has everybody back and they have several outstanding players, including Taryn Frazer. She will be playing basketball at UMC next year.
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Speaking of State Girls Basketball, there were 10 teams out of the 32 teams (about one-third) that didn’t play over Christmas break. Most of those 10 didn’t play for 10 to 14 days. Hopefully, coaches will take note and see, taking time off over the Christmas break isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t matter if you play or not over the break. You still can make it to the state tournament.
With that being said, in the Boys State Hockey tournament, all 16 teams played over the Christmas break. So take that for what it is worth.
Two of the 16 state girls hockey teams didn’t play over Christmas break. Orono and Brainerd/Little Falls didn’t play over Christmas break.
In the state Wrestling program, they don’t list individual tournaments, but only one or two had a dual over the Christmas break, but I am pretty sure many of the teams had individual tournaments.
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131,467 fans attended the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey tournament. Class A only had about 20 percent of the number. Class AA sold out every session! Simply impressive on the turnout for state hockey year after year. The amount of friends and former teammates that make the trip an annual event is so cool!
42,258 fans attended the Minnesota State High School Wrestling tournament.
We are still waiting for the Girls State Hockey tournament numbers from the Excel Energy Center!
Minnesota Boys Basketball will be lucky to have half of the boys hockey total this year.
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The Northern Galaxy Girls Basketball Conference has announced the All-Conference awards.
All-Conference –
Stephen-Argyle – Riley Mooney, Grace Carlson
Warren-A-O – Lily Bayne, Annika Magnusson
Red Lake County Central – Cari Bachand, Carlee Whalen
Goodridge/Grygla – Caitlyn Jacobson, Katelyn Larson
Sacred Heart – Grace Vonesh
Red Lake Falls – Gabby Casavan
Northern Freeze – Brooke Olson
All-Conference Honorable Mention –
Stephen-Argyle – Mary Kazmierczak, Greta Weberg
Warren-A-O – Elise Oberg, Hannah Pederson
Red Lake County Central – Marissa Thomas
Goodridge/Grygla – Kylie Delage, Hannah Wilebski
Sacred Heart – Ava Knudson
Northern Freeze – Rhiannon Horien
Offensive Player of the Year – Caitlyn Jacobson (Goodridge/Grygla)
Defensive Player of the Year – Caitlyn Jacobson (Goodridge/Grygla)
Coach of the Year – Heidi Carlson (Stephen-Argyle)
Team champion – Stephen-Argyle (10-0 conference record)
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Forty-seven of the top American hockey players born in 2006 have been invited to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp. The camp, which will help select the 2022-23 U.S. National Under-17 Team, will take place March 20-24, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
The 47 players, which includes 26 forwards, 16 defensemen and five goaltenders, will be split into two teams, Team Matthews and Team Kane, for the duration of camp. The squads will participate in on-ice practices, off-ice training and play in five games against each other during their week at USA Hockey Arena.
NOTES: The 47 players on the 2022 National Team Development Program evaluation camp roster represent 16 different states. Minnesota leads the way with nine invitees on the roster, while Massachusetts follows with seven, Illinois and Michigan have five, and California has four representatives on the roster.
Minnesota players – Hometown and team –
Brendan McMorrow – Lakeville – Benilde St. Margaret’s High School
Ben Miller – Woodbury – Hill Murray High School
Max Plante – Hermantown – Hermantown High School
Brodie Ziemer – Carver – Shattuck St. Mary’s
Logan Hensler – Woodbury – Hill Murray High School
Adam Kleber – Chaska – Chaska High School
Sam Lauila – Moorhead – Moorhead Bantam AA
Will Skahan – Woodbury – St. Thomas Academy High School
John Whipple – Excelsior – Shattuck St. Mary’s
There wasn’t a player from North Dakota on the team. Maybe that is why all the Grand Forks kids/Old UND players kids send their kids to EGF.
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JOKES –
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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
Katherine Geist, a sophomore, is running track for Carleton College.
Emma Boll, a freshman, is playing softball at Northwestern University in St. Paul.
Emma Borowicz is a freshman running track at Minnesota State Mankato.
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 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 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.
