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SPORTS FEEVER – May 27, 2021

Congratulations to Class of 2021 as some graduations have already been held and most will be held this weekend in northwest Minnesota.

You are going to talk about high school stories the rest of the your life because you had great friends and if you are active in sports, and other activities you are going to have a lot of fun things that happened in your life.   College will be fun….too much fun for some, but you also need grow as a person, student, and everything else.  If you aren’t going to a college or if you are going to a vocational school that is great and you have a better chance of making more money than somebody that goes to a four year school while paying less for school!  So great choice.  Don’t feel pressured to go to a four-year school.  Find a vocation that you enjoy because you will be doing i

Wherever your next chapter takes you, I wish you nothing but success, happiness, and remember to go to all your classes and college is pretty easy!!!

— — —

One spring sport Section tournament is complete with the Thief River Falls Prowlers beating Minnewaska Area 6-1 in the 8A championship.

On the individual side there wasn’t any big surprises as the best singles player and the best doubles team won the championship-

Singles
Champion:  Tate Reichmann (Minnewaska) over Camden Broadwell (TRF)  6-4, 6-1
No True second match.

Doubles
Champions:  Dylan Hahn and Jack Onkka (TRF) over Peyton LeClair and Taylor Duncan (Benson) 6-2, 6-2
True 2nd:  Payton LeClair and Taylor Duncan (Benson) over Noah Tarczon and Matt Niblock (FF) 6-2, 6-4.

The Crookston Pirate Boys Tennis team finished the season winning four of their last eight matches, including a 4-3 upset of Benson in the first round of the Section 8A tournament.  Crookston came close to knocking off Minnewaska Area in the semi-finals with a 4-3 loss.
Speaking of the Pirate Boys Tennis team.  Carter, my seventh-grader, is my fourth kid to play tennis and he was fortunate enough to be on the tournament team and got to be a part of the tournament and that was a valuable experience.  He was one of three seventh-graders on the team.  It was fun watching Carter Fee and Sam Widseth watching and cheering on their fellow classmate and teammate Reggie Winjum as he WON both of his matches in the tournament!!!
Once again we can’t be more complimentary of the Pirate Tennis players.  The team was made up of seventh-graders through Juniors.  I am no longer amazed on how great the Pirate tennis kids are.  The kids treat each other so well and seem to genuinely care about each other, even if they have different likes, tastes, humor, etc.  It is fun watching great kids like Jack Garmen, Evan Christensen, Erik Coauette, Joey Brule and the other upperclassmen treat the younger kids so well.
A big thank you to the kids.  Also, a job well done by the parents and coaches.  Crookston had a lot to be proud of and they represented Crookston with class everywhere they went.
It was also fun watching kids like Isaac Thomforde and Nathan Kelly improve so much throughout their first season of tennis.
Most teams in Section 8A are young so it should be a pretty competitive section next year.
One thing I am hoping for is challenge matches to make a full comeback next for the Pirate girls and boys tennis team.  It will be a huge benefit for both teams and the coaches too!

— — —

The Section 8A and 8AA baseball playoffs begin on Tuesday and it looks like the seeds are pretty much set with some tie-breakers possible depending on what happens Thursday and Friday.

SECTION 8AA BASEBALL

In the North, the two hottest teams are Warroad and Crookston as they have won four in a row. Hawley and Thief River Falls come into the playoffs with a bit of a limp as they have lost nine and five games in a row, respectively.

SECTION 8AA NORTH QRF STANDINGS as of Wednesday
1. Warroad (89.6) 16-3
2. Roseau (77.5) 15-4
3. DGF (62.8) 10-8
4. Thief River Falls (60.6) 7-9
5. Crookston (49.3) 9-9
6. Park Rapids (43.5) 5-14
7. Bagley (37.9) 9-9
8. Hawley (34.0) 4-14
9. East Grand Forks (30.5) 2-15

It looks like the tie-breaker margin will be 3.9 or 4.0.   So, as of Wednesday night it looks like the seeds could go like this.  Of course things can change after the games on Thursday.

  1. Warroad
  2. Roseau
  3. DGF (has head to head win over TRF)
  4. TRF
  5. Crookston
  6. Park Rapids
  7. Bagley (might have tie-breaker advantage over Hawley)
  8. Hawley
  9. East Grand Forks

SECTION 8AA SOUTH QRF Standings as of Wednesday.
Wadena-Deer Creek is the hottest team right now after winning 12 straight games and Perham has won 8-straight games.  Something will give on Thursday when the two teams play.  Menahga has won six in a row.

  1. Perham (103.6) 17-2
  2. Wadena-Deer Creek (84.7) 17-2
  3. Menahga (78.1) 15-4
  4. Breckenridge (63.1) 14-5
  5. Fergus Falls (55.3) 4-13
  6. Pelican Rapids (52.6) 8-9
  7. Frazee (39.4) 5-14
  8. Ottertail Central (35.9) 4-15
  9. Barnesville (32.7) 4-14

As of Wednesday night, this is how I see the seeding going.
1. Perham (no matter what happens vs WDC)
2. Wadena-Deer Creek
3. Menahga
4. Breckenridge
5. Fergus Falls
6. Pelican Rapids
7. Ottertail Central (has head to head tie-breaker with Frazee)
8. Frazee (could go either way between Frazee and Barnesville)
9. Barnesville

SECTION 8A BASEBALL STANDINGS – 

WEST SUB-SECTION
Kittson County Central comes in as the hottest time with six wins in a row, including two over #1 seed Sacred Heart.  Red Lake County has lost four in a row going into playoffs.

1. Sacred Heart (66.2)  12-4
2. BGMR (55.5) 10-6
3. Kittson County Central (51.7)  9-5
4. Ada-Borup/West (51.0) 11-7
5. Red Lake County (44.3) 9-10
6. West Marshall (42.8) 8-8
7. Fertile-Beltrami (27.7) 3-10
8. Northern Freeze (16.1) 0-12

As of Wednesday night, this is how the seeding looks like it might go. The tie-breaker margin looks like it will be 2.9 points.
1. Sacred Heart (locked in)
2. BGMR (beat KCC in only meeting)
3. Kittson Co. Central (beat Ada-Borup in only meeting)
4. Ada-Borup/West
5. Red Lake County (split with West Marshall but has better section record)
6. West Marshall
7. Fertile-Beltrami
8. Northern Freeze

 

EAST SUB-SECTION
Fosston is coming in winning five straight games, including a big win over Warroad (the #1 seed in 8AA North).  Lake of the Woods has lost seven straight.
1. Fosston (59.6) 11-5
2. NCE/UH (48.4) 10-5
3. Win-E-Mac (7-8
4. Blackduck (31-9) 7-11
5. Lake of the Woods (29.8) 7-11
6. Mahnomen/Waubun (27.1) 5-10
7. Northome/Kelliher (17.8) 3-12
8. Red Lake (16-6) 2-6

As of Wednesday night, this is how seeding could go –
1. Fosston
2. NCE/UH
3. Win-E-Mac
4. Blackduck (plays LOW on Thursday – whoever wins will be the fourth seed)
5. Lake of the Woods (see above)
6. Mahnomen/Waubun
7. Northome/Kelliher (beat Red Lake in only meeting)
8. Red Lake

— — —

SECTION 8AA SOFTBALL 

NORTH SUBSECTION
Hawley comes in as the hottest team with seven wins in a row and DGF and East Polk have won five straight games with DGF’s schedule significantly tougher.  Crookston is the coldest team coming into the playoffs with three straight losses.

1.DGF (112.4) 17-1
2. Hawley (104.5) 18-1
3. Thief River Falls (73.7) 13-5
4. Warroad (69.6) 9-4
5. East Polk (58.4) 12-4
6. Park Rapids (54.1) 9-9
7. East Grand Forks (51.2) 7-11
8. Roseau (40.2) 7-11
9. Crookston (27.3) 4-15

The seeds are pretty much set except there is a chance Park Rapids will be close enough to East Polk for a tie-breaker and Park Rapids would have the advantage with win in their only meeting.

Crookston will play Roseau in a play-in at DGF on Tuesday.  The winner of that game plays DGF.

SOUTH SUB-SECTION
1.Frazee (81.9) 12-6
2. Pequot Lakes (81.2) 15-4
3. Fergus Falls (62.9) 7-12
4. Perham (61.2) 8-10
5. Barnesville (54.2) 8-11
6. Breckenridge (43.4) 6-9
7. Wadena-Deer Creek (41.8) 7-11
8. Menahga (38.8) 7-13
9. Ottertail Central (27.8) 2-16

It looks like there are a few seeds up for grabs still.  As of Wednesday night, this is how it is looking.

1.Pequot Lakes (beat Frazee in only meeting)
2. Frazee
3. Either Fergus Falls or Perham (haven’t played each other)
4. Either Fergus Falls or Perham
5. Barnesville
6 -8. Breckenridge, Wadena-Deer Creek, and Menahga (a toss up)
9. Ottertail Central

 

SECTION 8A SOFTBALL

NORTH SUB-SECTION
1.BGMR (90.9) 19-0
2. Red Lake Falls (68.3) 15-4
3. Northern Freeze (48.3) 9-8
4. Blackduck (41.4) 12-6
5. Lake of the Woods (34.4) 8-9
6. Kelliher/Northome (26.4) 9-8
7. Indus (26.0) 1-4
8. West Marshall (25.6) 2-14
9. Red Lake (24.0) 2-4

BGMR has won all 19 games so they obviously are the hottest team and the question is…..Will anybody be able to be close with BGMR?  It looks like the only team that MIGHT have a chance is Red Lake Falls.

The only seeds that are up for grabs in the North are the sixth through ninth seed.

 

SOUTH SUB-SECTION
Ada-Borup is the only team that has a winning streak after winning three straight games.

1.Lake Park-Audubon (59.7) 12-5
2. Ada-Borup/West (46.2) 11-7
3. NCE/UH (45.1) 8-10
4. Fertile-Beltrami (40.0) 8-8
5. Mahnomen/Waubun (37.7) 7-11
6. Sacred Heart (32.0) 6-13
7. Red Lake County Central (20.5) 2-13
8. Bagley (16.1) 1-15
9. Cass Lake-Bena (10.8) 1-12

As of Wednesday, the seeding will look like this

1.LPA (locked in)
2. Ada-Borup/West (beat NCE/UH in only meeting)
3. NCE/UH
4 and 5. Fertile-Beltrami of Mahnomen/Waubun (they split a double-header)
6. Sacred Heart
7. RLCC
8. Bagley
9. Cass Lake-Bena

— — —

What a week it was for the Wadena-Deer Creek baseball team.  They threw TWO no-hitters.  Peyton Rondesvedt and Josh Dykhoff (brother of UMC Baseball player Jake Dykhoff) threw back-to-back no-hitters.

The Wolverines (17-2) on the year will play Perham (17-2) on Thursday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

— — —

Coaching changes are aplenty this spring.   In Crookston alone, they are looking for a Head Girls Tennis Coach (will be the favorite to win the section next fall), a Head Volleyball coach, and a Head Baseball Coach.  They just hired a new Head Girls Hockey coach.

Roseau Ram Boys Hockey Coach Andy Lundbohm has resigned after 12 seasons.  Coach Lundbohm said he wants to spend more time with his family.

— — —

Congratulations to Stephen-Argyle Central’s (West Marshall) Jason Lindgren on being named to the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Series.  Jason was the only player from Section 8A and 8AA to make the team.

Bemidji’s Isaiah Biehn and Aaron Heger also made the All Star series.

— — —

10 Minnesotan’s have been named to the 2021 U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team selection camp roster.

Maddie Rooney of Andover (UMD)
Gracie Ostertag of Shakopee (Minnesota)
Lee Stecklein of Roseville (Minnesota)
Hannah Brandt of Vadnais Heights (Minnesota)
Sydney Brodt of North Oaks (UMD)
Dani Cameranesi of Plymouth (Minnesota)
Taylor Heise of Lake City (Minnesota)
Kelly Pannek of Plymouth (Minnesota)
Liz Schepers of Mound (Ohio State)
Grace Zumwinkle of Exelsior (Minnesota)

— — —

Roseau’s Memphis Mertens has committed to play hockey at Franklin Pierce University.

— — —

The Minnesota High School Hockey Coaches Association has announced the Section and State coaches of the year –

8AA Head – Pete Stahnke – Bemidji
8AA Assistant – Tony Kunka – Moorhead
8A Head – Robert Carr – Kittson Central
8A Assistant – Jay Hardwick – Warroad

John Mariucci State Coaches of Year
AA Head Coach of the Year- Kevin Wiley Osseo
A Head Coach of the Year- Tony Couture Little Falls

AA Assistant Coach of the Year- Tony Kunka Moorhead
A Assistant Coach of the Year- Ron Guild Delano

— — —

JOKES

A man spoke to each of his 3 sons when he sent them to college. “I feel it’s my duty to provide you with the best possible education, and you do not owe me anything for that. However, I want you to appreciate it.  As a gesture of appreciation, please each put $1,000 into my coffin when I die.”

And so it happened. His sons became a doctor, a financial planner and a lawyer, each successful financially. When their father died and they saw him in the coffin, they remembered his wish.

First, the doctor stacked 10 crisp $100 bills onto the chest of the deceased. Next, the financial planner placed $1,000 there in 20 crisp $50 bills.

Finally, it was the heartbroken lawyer’s turn. He slowly reached into his pocket, removed his checkbook, wrote a check for $3,000, put it into his father’s coffin, and took the $2,000 cash. This lawyer is now in Congress, probably in your district.

— —

Two delicate blossoms of Southern femininity, one from Mississippi and the other from Texas, were conversing on the porch swing of a large white-pillared mansion. The Mississippian said, “When my first child was born, my husband built this beautiful mansion for me.”
The Texan lady commented, “Well, isn’t that nice?”
The lady from Mississippi continued, “When my second child was born, my husband bought me that fine Cadillac automobile you see parked in the drive.”
Again, the Texas lady commented, “Well, isn’t that nice?”
The first woman boasted, “Then, when my third child was born, my husband bought me this exquisite diamond bracelet.”
Yet again, the Texas lady commented, “Well, isn’t that nice?”
The first woman then asked her companion, “What did your husband buy for you when you had your first child?”
The Texas lady replied, “My husband sent me to charm school.”
“Charm school!” the first woman cried. “Land sakes, child, what on Earth for?”
The Texas lady responded, “So that instead of saying, ‘Who gives a crap’, I learned to say, ‘Well, isn’t that nice?'”

— —

A fire started on some grasslands near a farm. The county fire department was called to put out the fire. The fire was more than the county fire department could handle. Someone suggested that a nearby volunteer bunch be called. Despite some doubt that the volunteer outfit would be of any assistance, the call was made.

The volunteers arrived in a dilapidated old fire truck. They rumbled straight towards the fire, drove right into the middle of the flames and stopped! The firemen jumped off the truck and frantically started spraying water in all directions. Soon they had snuffed out the center of the fire, breaking the blaze into two easily-controlled parts.

Watching all this, the farmer was so impressed with the volunteer fire department’s work and was so grateful that his farm had been spared, that right there on the spot he presented the volunteers with a check for $1,000. A local news reporter asked the volunteer fire captain what the department planned to do with the funds.

“That ought to be obvious,” he responded, wiping ashes off his coat. “The first thing we’re gonna do is get the brakes fixed on our fire truck!”

— —

The other night, I was invited out for a night with “the girls.” I told my husband that I would be home by midnight. “I promise,” were my last words.

The hours passed and the margaritas went down way too easily and around 3 a.m. we piled into a cab and headed to our respective homes, quite inebriated.

Just as I walked through the door, the cuckoo clock in the hall started up and cuckooed 3 times!

Realizing that my husband would probably wake up to this, I quickly cuckooed another 9 times. I was quit pleased with myself for coming up with such a quick witted solution to cover up my tardiness. Even with my impaired judgment, I could count 3 cuckoos plus 9 cuckoos equaled 12 cuckoos!

The next morning, my husband asked me what time I got in, and confidently, I replied, “Midnight…like I promised.” He didn’t even raise and eyebrow and went on reading the morning paper! Phew! Got away with that one!

After a moment, he then replied, “I think we might need a new cuckoo clock.”

A bit nervously, I asked him why, to which he responded:

“Well, last night our clock cuckooed 3 times, then said, ‘Oh, crap,’ cuckooed 4 more times, cleared it’s throat, cuckooed another 3 times, giggled, cuckooed twice more, then tripped over the coffee table and farted.”

— — —

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 professional hockey in Sweden for Vasby IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan league.

Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.

Ben Trostad is playing Club Hockey at UMC.

Ty Hamre is playing Club Hockey at UMC.

Brandon Boetcher is playing Club Hockey at UMC.

Brady Butt is a freshman playing football at the University of Jamestown.

Brita Fagerlund, is a Senior on the University of Jamestown Jimmy Women’s Track team.

Rachel Hefta, a Sophomore, is playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.

Nick Garmen is a sophomore playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Thea Oman, a sophomore, is swimming at St. Ben’s.

Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is a girls hockey and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball coach.
Carrie Clauson 
is a Junior High girls tennis coach.
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 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 –

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.

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 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 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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