SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Crookston High School Activities Director Nate Lubarski told us that they are conducting Boys and Girls Basketball Head Coach interviews this week. Stay tuned, we could have some news on new coaches soon.
He also told us that he has not applied for the Girls’ Hockey head coach position yet.
That said, it sounds like Crookston Girls Hockey won’t have Taylor Field next year as she is going to Shattuck. So Crookston will have their top two scorers, Addie Fee and Jocelyn Field, but 3 through 8 will be gone. They will have some work to do this offseason.
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Big news in College Hockey!! St. Thomas is leaving the CCHA to join the NCHC in the 2026-27 season, which would be its first season eligible for the NCAA tournament.
It just goes to show you how important having a boatload of money, a new arena, and being in a major market like the Twin Cities (TV) can do for a program. Plus, we all know St. Thomas will be a top 20 team by the time they move to the NCHC.
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I received an email from somebody in the know who wanted to give me some input on the Section 8AA basketball seeding changes over the years. I was talking about in a previous column. It is some good stuff on why some decisions are made. The one CONSTANT in all sports is that coaches aren’t asked for their input time after time! Some admin and coaches hijack for their own benefit. Anyway, here is the email I received. I am withholding the name to make sure there isn’t any backlash.
For the record, I am 100 percent in favor of 1-16 (or whatever the number is each year – 1 -14), and the semi-finals and championship at DL. It was a great venue, the atmosphere was electric, and everybody was close to the floor. With that said, here is the email I received.
Chris,
I love reading your Sports Feever columns, I read every single one. I think that you do a great job in regards to giving info about rankings and standings leading up to playoffs.
There are 2 points you’ve made now about 8AA Basketball that I want to provide clarity on.
Overall, these aren’t a North vs. South deal, it’s an Old vs. New way of thinking. What it really comes down to is a very small group of people making decisions.
First, when you talked about the committee moving the tournament back to Concordia. The biggest push for this was the older guys that remember the “old times” when WDAY broadcast all the games there and remember that atmosphere. Let’s just say there was a huge push to get this back to Concordia and coaches were NOT advised or consulted of this decision. I didn’t even know about it until halfway through the season.
Btw, all of the coaches I have talked to would prefer the game in Detroit Lakes. This year, there would have been a conflict with the semifinal date (which we could have moved?). But that’s not why they made the decision. After seeing it at both locations the last 2 years, Detroit Lakes was a much better atmosphere.
Second, regarding seeding 1-16. The first time we did that was in 2015-2016. I thought it was great, but in that first year, WDC had to go to Roseau to play, and it switched back to North/South. This was voted on in a meeting in June after the 16-17 season and again, coaches weren’t consulted at all. For four grueling years, we had to deal with the North/South seeding. In the first 2 years, the South benefited from this. In the 19-20 and 20-21 seasons, the seeding benefited the North greatly. Either way, I believe it’s terrible to seed based on geography, not on the results of the season.
If anybody else, including admin and coaches – current or past, has info or complaints about Region 6A and how they operate, let me know. I am technically a media liaison with the MSHSL and am asked about issues that pop up frequently and I have a good relationship with the MSHSL. I am going to be reaching out to the head brass and bring up these concerns. I have heard of a select few making decisions. It isn’t right to not allow all coaches to have input on tournament decisions. They don’t need to be the gospel but should have some input instead of a few having their way.
And even if Mr. Reid Froiland disagrees with me, Concordia College’s gym is a dump.
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Region 8A Executive Director Todd Selk has released the tournament information for the following section tournaments.
SECTION 8A BOYS TENNIS –
May 17 – Seeding meeting
Monday, May 20 – Team First Round matches at Osakis
Tuesday, May 21 – Team Semi-final and Championship at Osakis. Individual tournament also starts on the 21st.
Wednesday, May 22 – Individual semi’s and championship
SECTION 8A SOFTBALL –
May 18 – Seeding (QRF)
May 21 – First round and Second round
May 23 – Third Round (Semis) at highest seed
May 28 – Semi-finals and playbacks
May 30 – Section 8A Championship
SECTION 8A BOYS AND GIRLS GOLF
May 21 – North Sub-Section meet at Roseau
May 22 – South Sub-Section meet at Headwaters Golf Course
May 28 and 29 – Section 8A meet at Bemidji Town and Country Club
SECTION 5A SOFTBALL –
May 17 – seeding (QRF)
May 20 – First round – Loser out at high seed (6 sties)
May 21 – Double elimination tournament begins at high seed (4 sites)
May 23 – Day 3 at high seed (2 sites, 3 games)
May 28 – Day 4 at Neutral Site (1 site 3 games)
May 30 – Championship (Neutral site)
SECTION 8A BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK
May 23 – East Sub-Section meet at Baudette
May 23 – West Sub-Section meet at Ada
May 31 – Section 8A meet at Gylndon
SECTION 8A BASEBALL –
May 24 – Seeding (Coaches vote)
May 28 – Sub-Section play-in game at #1 seed
May 28 – Sub-Section East Quarter-finals at high seeds
May 28 – Sub-Section West Quarter-finals at high seeds
May 30 – Sub-Section East semi-finals and finals at Bemidji State
May 30 – Sub-Section West semi-finals and finals at Fertile
June 1 – Section 8A tournament at Crookston
June 4 – Section 8A tournament at Crookston
June 6 – Section 8A Championship at Crookston
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The Section 8A Boys Tennis tournament begins on Monday, and Osakis will be the host this year. Here is how I see the coaches vote going.
1. Minnewaska Area (beat every section opponent they played
2. Crookston (beat everybody in the section except a 5-2 loss to Minnewaska Area, but might be the best team right now)
3. East Grand Forks
The rest is really up in the air!!!!
4. Perham, Thief River Falls, New London-Spicer, and Detroit Lakes are all in the mix for 4-7. I am leaning Perham, TRF, NLS and DL, but wouldn’t be surprised if that is jumbled as TRF had nice wins early, but has struggled in the second half of the season.
8. Osakis will be the final spot
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The Agassiz Valley Softball Conference will hold its conference night tonight (May 16) at Thief River Falls.
The standings as of Wednesday (with conference records) –
1. RLF 10-1
2. BGMR 11-3
3. Roseau 8-3
4. Thief River Falls 4-2
5. Sacred Heart 6-5
6. East Grand Forks 4-6
7. Northern Freeze 4-7
8. Warroad 3-8
9. West Marshall 1-8
10. Crookston 1-9
The conference games will be the following –
4:00 pm
#1 RLF versus Roseau
#2 EGF vs West Marshall
#3 Sacred Heart vs Warroad
6:00 pm
#1 TRF vs BGMR
#2 Crookston vs Northern Freeze
8:00 pm Conference Championship Game
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Goodridge/Grygla’s Lewis Jones signed to play basketball at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls.
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Former University of Minnesota Crookston and East Grand Forks Green Wave baseball player Jake Hjelle has signed a professional contract with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the American Association. Hjelle was dressed for last night’s Redhawks game in Fargo, N.D., against the Kansas City Monarchs.
Hjelle was a two-time All-NSIC First Team pick. He is the most decorated Golden Eagle in program history, a 2023 unanimous All-American, the 2023 NCBWA National Player of the Year, the 2023 D2CCA Regional Player of the Year, and 2023 NCBWA Regional Player of the Year. He was the 2023 NSIC Player of the Year. Hjelle was a career .341 hitter, with 188 runs scored, a school-record 61 home runs, and 207 RBIs.
Hjelle is the eighth former Golden Eagle to play professional baseball. He joins Zach Seipel (Danville Braves, Gulf Coast Braves, and Augusta Greenjackets), Matt Dallas (River City Rascals, Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers, New Jersey Jackals, Jersey Wise Guys, and Boise Hawks), Will Zimmerman (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, Ottawa Titans, and Sussex County Miners), Paul Krebs (Kane County Cougars, and Idaho Falls Chukars), Jake Dykhoff (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks), Conner Richardson (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks), Zeke Hass (Tar Heel Kings, and Santa Fe Fuego), and Cody Pamperin (Plattsburgh Redbirds). Seipel and Krebs are the only to compete in the MLB minor league system, while the other six have played independent professional baseball.
Hjelle will be teammates with former Golden Eagle teammate Jake Dykhoff on the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. Dykhoff is in his second season with the Redhawks. He has three innings pitched out of the bullpen in 2024.
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UMC Baseball lost to Southwest Minnesota State in the first round of the NSIC tournament last week and lost to a pitcher who is now playing for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks and after seeing him pitch, it doesn’t surprise me at all!
Making his professional debut, Sebeka, Minnesota, native Kolby Kiser threw three scoreless innings and allowed only one hit to earn career win No. 1 and help the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (3-2) notch a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Monarchs (3-2) on Tuesday at Newman Outdoor Field.
Kiser, a Southwest Minnesota State product, threw only 37 pitches to the 10 batters he faced, striking out two and allowing one hit to earn the win in his pro debut.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston tennis team chad two student-athletes named to the All-NSIC teams. Madeleine Schneider (Sr., Gartringen, Germany) earned All-NSIC First Team for the second-consecutive season. Daniela de Lucas Rivera (Fr., Madrid, Spain) was named All-NSIC Second Team. It marked the first time the Golden Eagles have had multiple players named to the All-NSIC teams.
The Golden Eagles have had three student-athletes named to the All-NSIC team in the program’s history. Schneider in 2023 and 2024, de Lucas Rivera in 2024, and Catherine Brown in 2016.
Schneider went 12-3 in singles as a senior for Minnesota Crookston. Schneider is the all-time leading singles player at No. 1 singles, and at any position for the Golden Eagles. Schneider had the third-best winning percentage in the conference as a senior. Schneider had the best winning percentage at No. 1 singles. As a doubles player, Schneider went 9-5 at No. 2 doubles with Blaike Zander.
De Lucas Rivera went 9-3 at No. 2 singles for the Golden Eagles, posting the fifth-best winning percentage in the NSIC. She had the third-best winning percentage at No. 2 singles. In doubles, she teamed with Ariadna Solis Guals for a 5-7 mark.
Florentia Hadjigeorgiou of Augustana was named the NSIC Player of the Year, while Chloe Siegfort was named the NSIC Freshman of the Year. UMary Head Coach Vida Saliendra was named the NSIC Coach of the Year, after helping the Marauders finish second in the Northern Sun.
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“LACE ‘EM UP” BASKETBALL CAMP
Make plans now to attend the 29th annual “Lace ’em Up” basketball camp to be held in Red Lake Falls High School at the Robert Matzke Gym from June 3-6, 2024
The camp is open to any boys or girls in grades K-11. The camp is set up to run from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 for grades 5-11 (grade they were in this past school year) each morning and from 12:30 until 3:00 p.m. for grades K-4 (grade they were in this past school year). The cost of the camp is $70, with a maximum cost per family of $100. If you register before May 22, you will also receive a camp T-shirt. After May 22, ALL SINGLE REGISTRATION FEES WILL BE $80, AND THE MAXIMUM COST PER FAMILY WILL BE $120 due to CAMP PREPARATION AND AWARD ORDERS.
Cut on the dotted line and return the following to: Steve Philion, 518 Champagne Ave., Red Lake Falls, MN 56750. (cell: 218-686-3608) (home: 218-253-2499). E-mail: sphilion@rlfedu.org
Make checks payable to: Lace ’em Up Basketball Camp
If anyone needs help with the cost of the camp, let Mr. Philion know as we have people who have offered to cover costs for kids that need financial help.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Name____________________________________
Grade in 2023-2024________________ (GRADE JUST COMPLETED)
T-shirt sizes: Please circle one:
Youth sizes: EXTRA SMALL SMALL MEDIUM LARGE
Adult sizes: SMALL MEDIUM LARGE X-LARGE XX-LARGE
Address:_____________________________________________________________
MALE____________ FEMALE____________
I, the parent of the above student agree to allow my child to participate in the 2024 “Lace ’em Up” basketball camp in Red Lake Falls. I also understand that the camp director, the City of RLF, and the RLF school district are not responsible for any injuries, accidents, or COVID that my child might incur.
SIGNATURE OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN:_______________________________________
Emergency cell number of parent or guardian:________________________________
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
Emily Tate is a freshman playing Softball at Northland Community and Technical College.
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
Emilee Tate is the Pirate 7th grade volleyball coach.
Todd Miner is a Pirate Football assistant coach.
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball 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
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
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.
