SPORTS FEEVER – MAY 13, 2021

Wednesday was a pretty cool day and one that was an enjoyable day on the job.  First I broadcast the first Pirate Softball victory of the season where they played a great offensive and defensive game and had a tremendous pitching performance  from Jenna Coauette. Jenna is a great kid (a very smart young lady too) and there might not be an athlete at Crookston High School that works harder than her!  She goes to the weight room five days a week, and is always working on her game (volleyball, basketball, and softball).  So to see her have a great game and all the girls get the win with every player making solid defensive plays or having great at-bats…it was pretty cool.  And it was Coach Sunny Bowman’s first win, which was pretty cool too!

After I was done writing the softball story, I started working on the Girls Golf story and the Pirates shot their best round of the year and had all six of their scores at 106 or lower which is outstanding.  Coach Jeff Perreault said the girls were all pretty happy with their play.

Everybody loves success, but when you see the improvement both teams have had and the girls keep working hard it is even better.  And it shows the coaches are doing a good job, the athletes are working hard, and nicer weather doesn’t hurt!

So to all the teams out there….keep improving, keep working hard and make sure you leave everything out there before the season is over and you won’t have any regrets.

Good luck to all teams and enjoy the beautiful weather!

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Congratulations to the new Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey coach Emily Meyer.  It is great to see a former player come back and coach her alma mater.  A former high school and college player that has been there and done that.  She is also one that pushes the kids to be their best.

Meyer is also an assistant softball coach and several hours before their game on Wednesday she was working with the players (varsity and J.V.) and working on things with them on the J.V. field.  It was cool to see Coach Meyer and the players putting in some extra work and it paid off with their first win.

I had a chance to talk with Emily Wednesday night and the story on her being named head coach (pending school board approval) is below –

Emily Meyer, a 2011 Crookston High School graduate, has been offered and accepted the job as Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey Coach.  Meyer takes over for Tim Moe, who announced his resignation after the season.

Meyer, an assistant softball coach, told the players in a group text after the Pirate softball game on Wednesday afternoon.  “I am so excited to be given this opportunity,” said Meyer. “I just announced it to the girls, so they found it out from me and not somebody else.  I think everyone is ready to take the next step, and they know I will be the one to push them.”

Meyer was a four-year varsity player and two-time captain for the Crookston Pirate Girls Hockey team.  After graduation, she played at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.  Meyer stayed in Wisconsin after graduating from college and returned to Crookston two years ago, where she took a paraprofessional job and the assistant girl’s hockey and softball coaching jobs.

“Not in a million years,” said Meyer responding to the question if she ever thought she would be the head coach of the Pirates. “The stars lined up perfectly, and the position kind of fell into my lap.  I walked into the school to apply for a para position and Marilyn Wahouske, in the district office,  said oh my gosh, I have to bring you to T-Moe (Tim Moe). He is going to be so excited, and it has fallen into place, and it has been an awesome opportunity.  I am so happy to be back and never expected this to happen.”

Meyer plans on starting summer workouts on June 5, when the coaching waiver starts.  Getting in the weight room will be one of the many things they do this summer.  “Crookston is blue-collar hockey, and that is how we are going to win games, by getting into the gritty areas and outworking teams.  Other teams like Warroad have the skill, but if we have the heart and everybody wants it and works hard, we will be a tough team to beat.”

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Longtime Minnesota Viking coach Jerry Burns died on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Burns served as the franchise’s offensive coordinator from 1968–1985, and head coach 1986 to 1991.

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The Crookston Men’s Slowpitch Softball League is scheduled to start May 18. Some of the existing teams are in need of more players due to retirements and people moving away from Crookston and the league could also use more teams. If you are interested in playing, you can contact Andrea Prudhomme at Crookston Parks and Rec at 218-281-1242 and she can help you find a team or give advice on registering a team.

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The Crookston Pirate Dance team will have tryouts on May 25 and 27.

The tryout is for all upcoming 7th – 12th grade Crookston High School students and no prior dance experience is needed.  Everyone will make a team.

The tryouts will be held Tuesday, May 25 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Dancers must attend both nights.  The tryouts will be held at the Just For Kix Studio at 108 North Main Street.

If you are unable to make it or have any questions contact coach Grace Espinosa at 218-791-2152.

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The Minnesota Hockey HP National Camp teams have been announced and there are a couple of area players on the teams.

HP 17’s-
Kellen Murphy of Roseau
Gavin Lindberg of Moorhead
Jaksen Panzer of East Grand Forks

HP 16’s-
Erick Comstock of Warroad
Joseph Gramer of Moorhead

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The top 120 players from the Spring Festival will be selected to train at the CCM High Performance 14 Development Camp in St. Cloud.

Girls HP 14 area players –
Roseau – Summer Byfuglien, Lily Erickson, Jasmine Hovda, Payton Remick
Warroad – Kaiya Sandy, Katy Comstock
Bemidji – Samantha Nistler
Crookston – Ashlyn Bailey, Addie Fee
Thief River Falls – Kali Knutson
East Grand Forks – Blake Schultz

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The top 102 players from the Spring Festival will be selected to compete at the CCM High Performance Summer Festival in St. Cloud.

Girls HP 15 Summer camp attendees –
Crookston – Reese Swanson
Bemidji – Peyton Weidemann

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The top 120 players from the Spring Festival will be selected to train at the CCM High Performance 14 Development Camp in St. Cloud.
Boys HP 14  

East Grand Forks – Tucker Lovejoy, Nolan Meulebroeck
Thief River Falls – Rylan Leake
Bemidji – Benjamin O’Leary
Warroad – Dominic Anthony, Broden Hontvet
Roseau – Eli Wensloff

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The top 102 players from the Spring Festival will be selected to compete at the CCM High Performance Summer Camp in St. Cloud.

The Boys HP 15
East Grand Forks – Cole Bies, Landon Jamieson, Jace Van Eps
Thief River Falls – Jace Erickson, Braydin Lund, Connor Roff, Max Arlt
Warroad – Carson Pilgrim
Bemidji – Noah Mannausau

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Former University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Hockey player and graduate, Brock Anundson has been named the new Athletic Director for the Alaska Nanooks.  Anundson is also  a graduate of Lake of the Woods High School in Baudette.

Anundson is a 2005 graduate of UMC and most recently was Assistant Athletic Director at Black Hills State University.  The following is a press release from the Alaska Nanooks.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Dan White has named Brock Anundson to serve as the next director of athletics for the Alaska Nanooks.

Anundson was selected from a pool of four finalists after a national search led by Athletics Staffing and Consultants. He will start his new position on July 12.

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Kansas Jayhawk football coach Lance Leipold has assembled his new staff bringing in five coaches from Buffalo while also keeping five from KU’s previous group.
One of the coaches added to the staff is former University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Football Coach Scott Fuchs, who will be the offensive line coach.

Fuchs, a 25-year veteran of college coaching, just wrapped up his third year as offensive line coach at the University at Buffalo. Before Buffalo, he coached five seasons as offensive line coach at Wyoming. Head Coach Lance Leipold and Fuchs also worked on the same staff at Nebraska-Omaha from 2004-06.

An outstanding offensive lineman himself, Fuchs was named to the 1993 Kodak/American Football Coaches Association first-team All-America squad as a senior offensive guard at North Dakota State.  NDSU won three consecutive North Central Conference rushing titles during his three years as a starter.  He was part of three North Central Conference Championship teams at NDSU in 1990, ‘91 and ‘92.  The 1990 Bison captured the NCAA Division II National Championship.

Fuchs coached the offensive line at North Dakota State, his alma mater, from 2009-13 before being hire at Wyoming. He helped lead the Bison to an astounding 43-2 record and three national titles between 2011 and 2013. In 2012 and 2013, Fuchs coached Consensus First Team All-America offensive tackle Billy Turner.  Turner was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.  All total, Fuchs has coached nine All-Americans and 32 All-Conference performers during his career.

Prior to returning to his alma mater, Fuchs coached one season at Southern Illinois in 2008.  That team tied for the conference title and advanced to the first round of the FCS Playoffs.  He also coached at Grand Valley State (2007), Nebraska-Omaha (2003-06), Minnesota-Crookston (2000-02), Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1999) and Valley City State (1997-98).  The only school he did not coach the offensive line was his one season at Wisconsin-Eau Claire when he coached the defensive line.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston has announced Head Softball Coach Travis Owen has stepped down from his position to pursue other career opportunities. The change is effective at the end of Owen’s contract.

This past season, the Golden Eagles finished 10-32 on the season and 6-22 in the NSIC.

In his three years at the helm of the Golden Eagles, Owen amassed 29 wins and in his first season in 2019, his Golden Eagles set the school record for most wins in a season with 13 victories. In 2019, the Golden Eagles also set the school record for most non-conference wins with 11.

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Roseau’s Sophie Helgeson has signed to play hockey at Wisconsin.  Her twin sister, Katie Heleson, earlier committed Quinnipiac.

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Warroad’s Tyrus Culleton signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Central Lakes College.

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The Section 8AA BASEBALL was updated on Sunday, May 10.  The QRF from Sunday along with updated records are below.   The next QRF will by updated on Sunday, May 17.

All information courtesy of www.minnesota-scores.net.

Rank – Team – QRF – Record
1. Warroad  72.2 (10-1)
2. Perham 68.8  (11-2)
3. Roseau 54.9  (10-3)
4. Menahga  51.5  (9-3)
5. Wadena-Deer Creek  50.6  (9-2)
6. Breckenridge  49.2  (8-2)
7. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton  45.9  (6-4)
8. Thief River Falls  44.0  (7-4)
9. Pelican Rapids  39.7  (5-4)
10. Crookston  32.8  (5-7)
11. Fergus Falls  32.5  (2-10)
12. Park Rapids  29.6  (3-9)
13. Hawley  28.1  (4-8)
14. Frazee  28.0  (4-9)
15. Ottertail Central  21.6  (2-10)
16. Barnesville  20.6  (3-9)
17. Bagley  20.2  (3-7)
18. East Grand Forks  18.6  (1-8)

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The SECTION 8A BASEBALL QRF was updated on Sunday, May 10 (a new one will come out on the 17th) and the rankings are below –

WEST SUB-SECTION
Rank – Team – QRF – Record
1. Sacred Heart 51.5 (7-1)
2. Red Lake County 35.0  (8-6)
3. BGMR 33.7  (6-5)
4. West Marshall 32.9 (5-4)
5. Ada-Borup/West 32.1  (8-4)
6. Kittson County Central  28.3 (3-5)
7. Fertile-Beltrami 17.0 (2-6)
8. Northern Freeze 9.2  (0-8)

EAST SUB-SECTION
1. Norman County East/UH  37.1  (7-3)
2. Win-E-Mac  35.3  (7-3)
3. Fosston 30.1  (4-4)
4. Lake of the Woods 24.5  (7-4)
5. Mahnomen/Waubun  18.9  (3-7)
6. Blackduck  17.9  (4-7)
7. Red Lake  13.0   (1-4)
8. Northome/Kelliher  6.7  (0-7)
9. Lake Park-Audubon  0.0  (0-1)

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The Section 8AA SOFTBALL was updated on Sunday, May 10.  The QRF from Sunday along with updated records are below.   The next QRF will by updated on Sunday, May 17.

All information courtesy of www.minnesota-scores.net.

Rank – Team – QRF – Record
1. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton  77.3  (13-1)
2. Hawley  67.7   (11-1)
3. Pequot Lakes  60.9  (13-4)
4. Thief River Falls  53.6  (7-3)
5. Warroad  45.8  (6-4)
6. Frazee  41.8  (6-6)
7. Perham  41.1  (3-3)
8. East Polk  37.0  (8-4)
9. Fergus Falls  36.3  (4-8)
10. Park Rapids  35.2  (5-6)
11. East Grand Forks  32.0  (3-8)
12. Breckenridge  29.6  (4-5)
13. Barnesville  27.4  (4-7)
14. Menahga  25.4  (7-9)
15. Wadena-Deer Creek  24.6  (3-9)
16. Roseau  23.4  (4-7)
17. Ottertail Central  15.0  (1-10)
18. Crookston  12.6  (1-11)

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The SECTION 8A SOFTBALL QRF was updated on Sunday, May 10 (a new one will come out on the 17th) and the rankings are below –

Rank – Team – QRF – Record

NORTH SUB-SECTION
1. BGMR  64.8  (14-0)
2. Red Lake Falls  43.6  (9-3)
3. Northern Freeze  34.9  (7-6)
4. Blackduck  28.7  (9-4)
5. Lake of the Woods  23.0  (5-6)
6. Kelliher/Northome  21.1  (4-4)
7. Red Lake  15.0  (1-4)
8. West Marshall  7.0  (0-7)
9. Indus  6.3  (0-3)

SOUTH SUB-SECTION
1. Lake Park-Audubon  46.0  (9-2)
2. Ada-Borup/West  41.7  (8-4)
3. Norman County East/UH  33.9  (4-5)
4. Mahnomen/Waubun  27.2  (6-8)
5. Sacred Heart  22.2  (3-4)
6. Red Lake County Central  20.1  (2-6)
7. Fertile-Beltrami  17.2  (4-6)
8. Bagley  10.3  (1-10)
9. Cass Lake-Bena  8.9  (1-8)

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The Minnesota High School League has voted to allow girls wrestling at the state tournament next year and boys volleyball will have to wait another year.  The news from the MSHSL meeting on Tuesday is below –

A Girls Wrestling Division during the postseason was approved today when the 48-member Representative Assembly legislative body of the Minnesota State High School League met for its annual meeting. In other action, the Representative Assembly fell two votes short of approving the addition of Boys Volleyball as a League-sanctioned activity.

Proposed bylaw amendments require a two-thirds majority vote for passage. Both amendment proposals were approved by 9 of the 16 administrative regions prior to reaching the Representative Assembly for consideration.

“Today’s meeting demonstrated the significant desire for youth sports programs to be adopted by the Minnesota State High School League and for students to have the opportunity to represent their school as they compete,” said Erich Martens, the League’s Executive Director. “The decision by our membership to offer our girls in wrestling the chance to compete for individual honors in their own postseason division is a big step. Minnesota now joins other regional states like North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri in offering this opportunity for girls wrestlers.”

The addition of a Girls Wrestling Division in the postseason will be enacted during the 2021-2022 school year. The amendment proposal was approved by a 44-4 vote.

Under the approved amendment, girls will train and compete with the boys’ teams during the regular season, but will have the option of competing in a girls-only individual section and state tournament that would occur simultaneously with the boys postseason individual tournaments. As part of the approved amendment, girls would be eligible to remain a part of the boys’ team for postseason dual tournaments.

During the 2019-2020 season, 153 girls in Minnesota participated in high school wrestling. More than 21,000 female wrestlers are competing nationally.

League Staff will work with the Board of Directors and the leadership of the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association in developing models of implementation for the girls postseason. Twelve weight classes are suggested as part of the approved amendment: 95, 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 160, 170, 182 and 220.

A proposed amendment to add Boys Volleyball fell two votes shy of passage. Twenty-nine members of the Representative Assembly voted in favor of the proposed amendment and 18 against with one abstention. With the abstention, the requirement threshold was 31 affirmative votes. The proposed amendment had the required support of 9 of the 16 administrative regions more than a year ago, but requested it be tabled for consideration prior to the Representative Assembly’s meeting in May of 2020.

Opportunities to participate in Boys Volleyball still remain.
The sport is in its third organized season as a recreational, or club, activity offered by some member schools. In the 2018-2019 school year, more than 50 Minnesota member schools played club volleyball. There are 24 state associations that sanction Boys Volleyball. Like all other youth sports in Minnesota, Boys Volleyball was not played in the spring of 2020 because of the global pandemic.

The next Representative Assembly meeting will be in May of 2022.

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Beginning with the 2022-23 season, a 35-second shot clock will be permitted in high school basketball games by state association adoption. A proposal for a national rule mandating a shot clock was not approved.

A shot clock was among the topics discussed by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Basketball Rules Committee at its annual meeting April 20-22 held virtually this year. All recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Rule 2-14 states that each state association may adopt a shot clock beginning in the 2022-23 season — according to guidelines outlined in the Basketball Rules Book — to encourage standardization among states. Guidelines include displaying two timepieces that are connected to a horn that is distinctive from the game-clock horn, and using an alternative timing device, such as a stopwatch at the scorer’s table, for a shot clock malfunction. The guidelines also allow for corrections to the shot clock only during the shot-clock period in which an error occurred and the officials have definite information relative to the mistake or malfunction.

“We provided the committee with a lot of information regarding the shot clock, including responses to a 46-question survey sent to states currently using a shot clock,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee.

Rule 3-5-4e was added to allow players to wear head coverings for religious reasons without obtaining state association approval. The head covering shall not be made of abrasive or hard materials and must be attached so that it is highly unlikely to come off during play. Basketball is the sixth sport in which a rule related to the wearing of head coverings or other equipment for religious reasons has been adopted, following volleyball, field hockey, soccer, spirit and swimming.

The official signals were also modified to use the same hand signal for a player control foul and a team control foul. Officials should use Signal 36, which is a hand placed at the back of the head, for both types of fouls. Previously, a team control foul was communicated with a punch of the hand.

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The Minnesota Wild, in conjunction with Bally Sports North and Minnesota Hockey, today announced Minnesota State Mankato will play the University of St. Thomas in men’s hockey as part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 in Mankato. More details regarding dates and teams participating in Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 will be announced this summer.

Mankato will host Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 at Blakeslee Stadium, sitting on the southern edge of Minnesota State University. Blakeslee Stadium is home to MSU Football and served as the summer training camp home to the National Football League’s (NFL) Minnesota Vikings from 1966-2017. The 7,000-seat, natural grass surface facility opened in 1962. Minnesota State University is home to one of the top men’s and women’s hockey programs in WCHA history. The hockey program boasts 16 current and former NHL players and three Olympians.

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Tags: Andrea Prudhomme, Brock Anundson, Crookston Pirate Dance team, sports, Sports Feever