Welcome to the first Sports Feever column of the month of March. March Madness is officially here. We have a lot of things in this weeks feever column. Enjoy and good luck to all teams!
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Crookston High School will hold a send-off for the state wrestlers (Carter Coauette, Ethan Boll, Ethan Bowman, Gavin Hlucny, Hunter Knutson, Evin Trudeau) at 9:15 am Thursday beginning at the front of the High School commons. The wrestlers will also be going to Highland Elementary School.
The Crookston Pirate wrestling team achieved something this past weekend that has only happened once in school history. The Pirates will be sending 6 individual wrestlers to the Class A State Tournament at the Excel Energy Center. The State Tournament will begin on Friday, with the finals taking place on Saturday. The only other time 6 wrestlers have made the Individual State Tournament for Crookston was back in 2011 when the team had Anthony Caputo, Josh Edlund, Wyatt Hanson, Brody Davidson, Blake Bergeron, and Nate Merten all earn berths. The six Pirate wrestlers who will be competing in this year’s State Tournament, are Evin Trudeau, Gavyn Hlucny, Carter Coauette, Ethan Boll, Ethan Bowman, and Hunter Knutson. We sat down with each one of them, as well as their Head Coach Wes Hanson to learn more about them, why they wrestle, and for those who have been at the State Tournament before, what it’s like competing at that level.
To read the story and comments from the wrestlers and Coach Hanson CLICK HERE.
At 106 pounds, Evin Trudeau (41-9) will wrestle Braxton Lange of Caledonia (30-15).
At 120 pounds, Gavin Hlucny (34-10) will wrestle Kie Anderson (39-7) of Jackson County Central.
At 138 pounds, Carter Coauette (35-12) will wrestle Charley Elwood (17-1) of Medford.
At 145 pounds, Ethan Bowman (34-12) will wrestle Zach Fier (17-5) of Minneota.
At 182 pounds, Hunter Knutson (24-16) will wrestle Peyton Hemmesch (30-5) of Paynesville.
At 220-pounds, Ethan Boll (41-1) will wrestle Cashmere Hamilton-Grunau (21-15) of Minneapolis North
Ethan Boll is seeded #3 at 220.
Evin Trudeau is seeded #4 at 106 pounds
Hunter Knutson is seeded #11 at 182 pounds
Carter Coauette is seeded #11 at 138 pounds
Ethan Bowman is seeded #13 at 145 pounds
Gavyn Hlucny is seeded #16 at 120 pounds
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We have an update on Alex Gullingsrud and the family could use more prayers! A post from Facebook is below –
Thank you for all you’ve done for Alex and our family! We really appreciate everything! Our family is truly blessed with all the support, kindness, generosity, love, and prayers!
Alex was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma late August. He had a huge tumor in his pelvic bone and one in his lung. Since then, our lives have been turned upside down! Alex, Mom, and Dad traveled to Rochester to Mayo for appointments, MRI, PET and CT scans, surgery to place a port, and the first round of Chemotherapy. We were there for 12 days. We returned home and went to school for a couple of weeks before the next couple of rounds of Chemotherapy began. Late October, we traveled back to Rochester for more CT and PET scans along with appointments with the Oncology Team and Orthopedic Surgeons.
Unfortunately, the Chemo did not work as both tumors grew. We were able to come home and spend one day together as a family before Alex had to head back to Mayo for a major surgery to remove the tumor in his pelvic bone and amputation of his right leg (a hemipelvectomy). Alex was incredibly brave and strong both mentally and physically! He worked hard at his Physical Therapy and did everything the surgeons instructed! He was up and walking with a walker/crutches five days after the surgery! We went home after only 12 days in the hospital! Alex loved being home and enjoyed playing with his brother and sisters. Unfortunately, an infection began in the wound and we had to return for a revision surgery and another nine day stay at Mayo. Alex returned home just in time to spend Thanksgiving with our family! Recent scans have found that Alex now has numerous nodules (tumors) filling both of his lungs. Today, Alex is scheduled to have surgery on one of his Lungs to remove the first tumor detected. They will biopsy it and decide a plan from there. There is a possibility that the surgeon will attempt to remove as many of the nodules as possible in the first lung. Then, after some recovery time, the other lung as well.
Alex has loved spending time at home with his brother and sisters! When he isn’t busy working on his schoolwork, he is playing with all the toys in the house, building forts, organizing his sisters toys (yikes…not always perceived as helpful to his sisters), playing with his stuffed animals, playing basketball in the basement, reading, going outside, playing on his iPad or new Nintendo Switch, finding (from our toy bins) and wrapping Christmas gifts for his siblings, helping bake cookies, and playing with all the Christmas decorations!
We are truly blessed to have this time to spend together! We are truly grateful for each moment! We are also truly grateful for all your support, encouragement, and love! “No one fights alone” is a phrase we have heard and use often! We feel your tremendous support surrounding us each and every day! You have helped us more than you will ever know…you have helped give us the strength to walk through this journey with Alex! We know that God has an amazing plan for Alex and He is also with us every step of the way! God bless you!
From the bottom of our hearts….THANK YOU!
Love,
Mike, Nikki, Ben, Alex, Gracie, & Corin Gullingsrud
We have an update after the surgery on Wednesday. His dad, Mike Gullingsrud said –
“Alex is out of surgery and currently resting. Surgery went well and medical staff removed 8-9 additional tumors from his left lung. Rest up Alex!! Thank you EVERYONE for all of the encouragement and support!!”
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The Section 8A Boys Basketball tournament seeds and bracket has been released and Cass Lake-Bena and Sacred Heart received the top seeds. The seeds and bracket are below.
WEST SUB-SECTION –
1. Sacred Heart
2. Warren-Alvarado-Oslo
3. Northern Freeze
4. Goodridge/Grygla
5. Badger/Greenbush-Middle River (BGMR beat RLC head-to-head)
6. Red Lake County
7. Stephen-Argyle
8. Kittson County Central
9. Lake of the Woods (Had better overall winning percentage over CF)
10. Climax-Fisher
EAST SUB-SECTION
1. Cass Lake-Bena
2. Fertile-Beltrami
3. Mahnomen/Waubun (beat Fosston head-to-head)
4. Fosston
5. Blackduck (better overall winning percentage to edge ABW)
6. Ada-Borup-West
7. Win-E-Mac
8. Clearbrook-Gonvick (beat N/K head to head)
9. Northome/Kelliher
10. Bagley
PLAY-IN GAMES – MARCH 4 at High Seeds (7:00 PM)
Climax-Fisher at Stephen-Argyle ON KROX Radio
Lake of the Woods at Kittson County Central
Bagley at Win-E-Mac
Northome/Kelliher at Clearbrook-Gonvick
SECOND ROUND – MARCH 10 at 7:00 PM at High Seeds
WEST SUB-SECTION –
Game 1 – KCC/LOW winner at Sacred Heart
Game 2 – BGMR at Goodridge/Grygla
Game 3 – Climax-Fisher/Stephen-Argyle winner at Warren-Alvarado-Oslo
Game 4 – Red Lake County at Northern Freeze
EAST SUB-SECTION –
Game 5 – Bagley/WEM winner at Cass Lake-Bena
Game 6 – Blackduck at Fosston
Game 7 – Northome/Kelliher / Clearbrook-Gonvick winner at Fertile-Beltrami
Game 8 – Ada-Borup-West at Mahnomen/Waubun
QUARTERFINALS – MARCH 12 at Ralph Engelstad Arena in TRF
NOON – Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner On KROX Radio
1:45 PM – Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner On KROX Radio
3:30 PM – Game 5 winner vs Game 6 winner On KROX Radio
5:15 PM – Game 7 winner vs Game 8 winner On KROX Radio
SEMI-FINALS – MARCH 15 at Ralph Engelstad Arena in TRF
6:00 PM – West Sub-section Championship ON KROX Radio
7:45 PM – East Sub-section Championship ON KROX Radio
CHAMPIONSHIP – March 18 at Ralph Engelstad Arena in TRF
7:00 PM – ON KROX RADIO AND KROXAM.COM LIVE STREAM
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The Crookston 12U Girls Hockey team recently won the District 16 12U B Girls Hockey tournament that was held in Crookston.
Crookston was the second seed coming in, but that didn’t stop them from dominating the tournament. Crookston beat Bemidji 10-0 in the first round and in the championship they beat Roseau 9-0. Roseau will also advance.
The West regional tournament will be held in Monticello March 4-6. In the first round, Crookston will play Brainerd-Little Falls on Friday, March 4 at 2:00 p.m. Win or lose, Crookston will play either North Wright County Red or Moorhead. The tournament is double-elimination and the other teams competing are Alexandria, Buffalo, Central Minnesota Riverblades, and Roseau.
Members of the team are Adley Vigness, Madi Abrams, Shyuh Burnette, Rilynn Aubol, Mya Bower, Kira Daniel’s, Katie Seaver, Peyton Demarais, Aubrey Bartrum, and Hailey Fritz. The team is coached by Derrick Seaver, Brett Tahran, Jake Abrams, and Pete Vigness.
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The 2022 Northwest Hockey All-Conference team has been announced. The players were selected on a vote from the Conference Coaches. Teams in the conference are Red Lake Falls, Lake of the Woods, Kittson County Central, and Bagley/Fosston.
The 2022 Northwest Conference Champions are the Red Lake Falls Eagles.
The All-Conference Team:
Goalies – Pacey Struthers (Red Lake Falls), Ashtin Fredrickson (Red Lake Falls), and Riley Stromlund (Lake of the Woods)
Defense – Blane Schmitz (Red Lake Falls), Hayden Olsonawski (Kittson County Central) Anson Haack (Lake of the Woods), Isaac Schermerhorn (Bagley/Fosston)
Forwards – Ty Kennett (Red Lake Falls), Tyler Hennen (Kittson County Central), Evan Girdler (Red Lake Falls), Landon Sugden (Kittson County Central), Marcus Olson (Bagley/Fosston), Jack Wood (Lake of the Woods)
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The Pine to Prairie Conference chief statistician, Dave Peterson, has released the final stats leaders for the Boys and Girls teams.
CLICK HERE for the Boys stats leaders
For the Girls stats leaders CLICK HERE
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There will be a new golf team in Section 8A after the Sacred Heart School Advisory Committee and School leadership approved the addition of boys and girls golf for this spring. The season will begin March 21 and if you are interested in coaching boys and girls golf, contact Blake Karas at bkaras@sacredheartegf.net.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball team announced the signing of twin sisters Hope Dudycha (G, 5-5, Austin, Minn./Austin H.S.) and Emma Dudycha (G, 5-5, Austin, Minn,/Austin H.S.).
Hope Dudycha (G, 5-5, Austin, Minn./Austin H.S.)
Hope Dudycha is a three-time All-Big 9 Conference selection for Austin H.S. (2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21). She has twice earned All-State Honorable Mention accolades (2019-20, 2020-21). She reached the 1,000 point milestone during the 2020-21 season.
She is the daughter of Jeremy and Nicole Dudycha. Dudycha is undecided on her major at Crookston. Hope Dudycha will get the opportunity to compete with her twin sister Emma Dudycha.
Emma Dudycha (G, 5-5, Austin, Minn./Austin H.S.)
Emma Dudycha earned All-Big 9 Conference Honorable Mention accolades during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.
She is the daughter of Jeremy and Nicole Dudycha. She plans to major in health sciences at Crookston. Emma Dudycha will get the opportunity to compete with her twin sister Hope Dudycha.
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Pillager Public School Hires Paul Clark as Head Football Coach. Clark was previously a head coach at Waubun Public School and most recently an assistant at Mahnomen Public School. Paul brings almost 20 years of coaching experience with eight of that being head coach to Pillager Public School, starting this coming fall.
While at Waubun, Clark led the Bombers to two state semi-final appearances and four conference/district titles in his six years. When the program merged with Mahnomen, he became an assistant under his brother and oversaw the defense where the program won the state championship in 2018.
Paul Clark received a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Health Education from Moorhead State University in 1998 and his Master’s Degree in Education from St. Mary’s in 2005. Paul was a member of the football team at Moorhead State and was on the Dean’s List for four semesters. He lettered in football, basketball and golf while in high school. Paul is now a husband, father of four, and interested in hunting, fishing, and golf.
Paul will be responsible for teaching physical education classes as well as being the Community Education Director and Youth Sports Coordinator next year.
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JOKES
A farmer named Clyde had a car accident. In court, the trucking company’s fancy lawyer was questioning Clyde.
“Didn’t you say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine,’?” asked the lawyer.
Clyde responded, “Well, I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule, Bessie…”
“I didn’t ask for any details”, the lawyer interrupted. “Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, ‘I’m fine!’?”
Clyde said, “Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road…..”
The lawyer interrupted again and said, “Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud.
Please tell him to simply answer the question.”
By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde’s answer and said to the lawyer, “I’d like to hear what he has to say about his favorite mule, Bessie”.
Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded.
“Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite mule, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting, real bad, and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident, a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her fatal condition, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes.
Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, “How are you feeling?”
“Now what the hell would you say?”
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A married couple was in a terrible accident where the woman’s face was severely burned. The doctor told the husband that they couldn’t graft any skin from her body because she was too skinny. So the husband offered to donate some of his own skin.
However, the only skin on his body that the doctor felt was suitable would have to come from his buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about where the skin came from, and requested that the doctor also honor their secret. After all, this was a very delicate matter.
After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the woman’s new beauty. She looked more beautiful than she ever had before! All her friends and relatives just went on and on about her youthful beauty!
One day, she was alone with her husband, and she was overcome with emotion at his sacrifice. She said, ‘Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. There is no way I could ever repay you.’
‘My darling,’ he replied, ‘I get all the thanks I need every time I see your mother kiss you on the cheek.
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A woman sought the advice of a sex therapist, confiding that she found it increasingly difficult to find a man who could satisfy her and that it was very wearisome getting in and out of all these short-term relationships.
“Isn’t there some way to judge the size of a man’s equipment from the outside?” she asked earnestly.
“The only foolproof way is by the size of his feet” counseled the therapist.
So the woman went downtown and proceeded to cruise the streets until she came across a young fellow standing in an unemployment line with the biggest feet she had ever laid her eyes on. She took him out to dinner, wined and dined him, and then took him back to her apartment for a nightcap.
When the man woke up the next morning, the woman had already gone but, by the bedside table was a $20 bill and a note that read, “With my compliments, take this money and go out and buy a pair of shoes that fit you.”
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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
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.