SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
The Minnesota State High School League State Football playoffs begin this week.
STATE FOOTBALL-
9 PLAYER FIRST ROUND –
Fertile-Beltrami (11-0) takes on Goodridge/Grygla (9-1) at Moorhead High School Thursday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. ON KROX RADIO.
This is Fertile-Beltrami’s 8th state tournament appearance and third in a row. Last year, Fertile-Beltrami beat Ogilvie 22-6 in the first round and lost to Spring Grove 27-6 in the semi-finals. Fertile-Beltrami made it to state in 1981, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2021, and 2022.
Goodridge-Grgyla is making its 5th state tournament appearance. Previous trips were 1989, 1991 (state runner-up), 2010, and 2012.
Goodridge-Grylga’s only loss came to Ottertail Central 20-0 in week one.
The teams have four common opponents this year.
Fertile-Beltrami beat Warren-A-O 42-0. GG beat WAO 34-6
Fertile-Beltrami beat Win-E-Mac 57-0. GG beat WEM 24-6 and 37-12
Fertile-Beltrami beat Kittson Co. Central 55-16. GG beat KCC 16-8 in 2OT
Fertile-Beltrami beat Clearbrook-Gonvick 46-0 and 52-20. GG beat CG 28-0.
All first-round games are played on November 9.
Section 3 – Hills-Beaver Creek (9-0) vs Section 1 – Kingsland (11-0) (at Albert Lea High School)
Section 4 – Ottertail Central (10-0) vs Section 2 – Cedar Mountain (7-3) (at Buffalo High School)
Section 7 – Mountain Iron-Buhl (11-0) vs Section 5 – Nevis (9-0) (at Grand Rapids High School)
The QRF rankings for the eight state 9-Player teams are as follows –
1. Otter Tail Central 46.3
2. Fertile-Beltrami 45.7
3. Nevis 45.4
4. Hills-Beaver Creek 44.8
5. Kingsland 43.6
6. Mountain Iron-Buhl 39.7
7. Goodridge/Grygla 39.0
15. Cedar Mountain 30.4
— — —
CLASS A FIRST ROUND-
Mahnomen-Waubun (10-0) takes on Parkers Prairie (9-2) on November 10 at Brainerd High School at 7:00 p.m.
Mahnomen-Waubun is making its 4th state tournament appearance. They also made appearances in 2018, 2021, and 2022.
Mahnomen made a total of 26 state appearances – 1974, 75, 76, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 98, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Waubun made four state football appearances – 1990, 2007, 2015, and 2016.
Between Mahnomen, Waubun, and the coop of Mahnomen/Waubun, they have a total of 34 state football appearances!!!!
Parkers Prairie is making their second state tournament appearance. The first was in 2003. Parkers Prairie beat New York Mills in the Section 6A Championship game. Their two regular season losses came to Class AA teams with a 26-0 loss to Staples-Motley and a 16-8 loss to Pillager.
Mahnomen/Waubun and Parkers Prairie had one common opponent with MW beating Lake Park-Audubon 32-8 and Parkers Prairie beating LPA 21-14 in week one and 47-22 in the section 6A semi-finals.
All play on November 10.
Section 3 – Springfield (10-1) vs Section 1 – Fillmore Central (10-0) (at Jordan High School)
Section 4 – Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (10-0) vs Section 2 – Mayer Lutheran (8-2) (at St. Cloud Apollo High School)
Section 7 – Braham (9-2) vs Section 5 – Minneota (11-0) (at St. Cloud Tech High School)
The QRF rankings for the eight state Class A teams are as follows –
1. Fillmore Central 65.8
2. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 65.4
3. Mayer Lutheran 63.6
4. Minneota 60.6
5. Mahnomen/Waubun 59.3
6. Springfield 56.0
13. Parkers Prairie 47.9
15. Braham 47.2
— — —
CLASS AA FIRST ROUND-
Barnesville (11-0) will take on Osakis (9-1) at 7:00 p.m on Thursday, November 9 at Alexandria High School.
Barnesville is making its 10th state football appearance. 1978, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 (State champs).
Osakis is making its 8th appearance. 1996, 97, 98, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019.
Osakis’ only loss came to another state entrant, Eden Valley-Watkins 38-14 on September 15.
Barnesville only had one close game all year with a win over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in week one.
All play on November 9.
Section 3 – Jackson County Central (9-0) vs Section 1 – Caledonia (10-0) (at Rochester Mayo High School)
Section 4 – Cannon Falls (9-2) vs Section 2 – Triton (6-5) (at New Prague High School)
Section 7 – Moose Lake/Willow River (10-1) vs Section 5 – Eden Valley-Watkins (10-0) (at Forrest Lake High School)
The QRF rankings for the eight state Class A teams are as follows –
1. Caledonia 90.0
3. Barnesville 82.9
3. Jackson County Central 82.9
5. Eden Valley-Watkins 79.1
6. Cannon Falls 75.9
7. Moose Lake-Willow River 75.4
8. Osakis 72.7
17. Triton 56.7
— — —
CLASS AAA FIRST ROUND-
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (9-1) will take on Albany (8-2) on Friday, November 10 at Alexandria High School.
Barnesville is making its 10th state tournament appearance. 1978, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022.
Albany is making its 21st state football appearance. 1974, 1980, 81, 83, 84, 88, 89, 1992, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2015.
DGF’s only loss was to Barnesville in the first week of the season. Albany’s two losses came at the hands of New London-Spicer 48-20 in the first week of the season. They lost to Rockford 20-14 in overtime on October 6. They bounced back to beat New London-Spicer 24-23 in the Section 6AA championship.
The rest of the quarterfinal games will be played on November 11
Section 3 – Waseca (9-2) vs Section 1 – Stewartville (11-0) (at Hastings High School)
Section 4 – Minneapolis North (9-1) vs Section 2 – Dassel-Cokato (9-1) (at Orono High School)
Section 7 – Esko (10-0) vs Section 5 – Annandale (10-0) (at Brainerd High School)
The QRF rankings for the teams –
1. Minneapolis North 106.2
2. Esko 104.3
3. Dassel-Cokato 104.0
4. Stewartville 100.9
5. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 99.1
6. Annandale 94.2
8. Waseca 90.6
11. Albany 78.8
— — —
STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FOR THE SEMI-FINALS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thursday, November 16th, 2023, Semi Finals: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
9- Man: 10:30 a.m.
9- Man: 1:00 p.m.
AAAA: 4:00 p.m.
AAAAAA: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 17th, 2023, Semi Finals: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
AA: 9:00 a.m.
AA: 11:30 a.m.
AAAAA: 2:00 p.m.
AAAA: 4:30 p.m.
AAAAAA: 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 18th, 2023, Semi Finals: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
A: 9:00 a.m.
A: 11:30 a.m.
AAA: 2:00 p.m.
AAA: 4:30 p.m.
AAAAA: 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 24th, 2023, Championship: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
A: 10:00 a.m.
AA: 1:00 p.m.
AAAA: 4:00 p.m.
AAAAAA: 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 25, 2023, Championship: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
9 -Man: 10:00 a.m.
AAA: 1:00 p.m.
AAAAA: 4:00 p.m.
— — —
The Minnesota State High School Volleyball tournament is underway at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul through Saturday.
Class A starts today (Thursday).
CLASS A seeds/teams/record/QRF rank
1. Russel-Tyler-Ruthton (27-6) 2nd
2. Mayer Lutheran (26-6) 3rd
3. Mabel-Canton (35-1) 4th
4. New Life Academy (20-10) 9th
5. West Central Area (23-9) 10th
NS – Ely (26-5) 11th
NS – Badger/Greenbush-Middle River (24-8) 18th
NS – Pine River-Backus (22-9) 20th
The matchups are below –
FIRST ROUND
5:00 PM – #1 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton vs Pine River-Backus
5:00 PM – #4 New Life Academy vs #5 West Central Area
7:00 PM – #2 Mayer Lutheran vs Ely
7:00 PM – #3 Mabel-Canton vs Bagder/Greenbush-Middle River
SEMI-FINALS (November 10)
1:00 PM – RTR/PRB winner vs NLA/WCA winner
3:00 PM – ML/Ely winner vs MC/BGMR winner
CONSOLATIONS SEMI-FINALS (November 10)
1:00 PM – RTR/PRB loser vs NLA/WCA loser
3:00 PM – ML/Ely loser vs MC/BGMR loser
FINALS (November 11)
10:30 AM – Consolation Championship
12:30 PM – Third Place
2:30 PM – Championship
— —
Class AA starts today (Thursday).
CLASS AA seeds/team/record/QRF rank
1. Southwest Minnesota Christian (26-5) 1st
2. Pequot Lakes (27-5) 2nd
3. Caledonia (27-5) 6th
4. Rush City (28-2) 7th
5. Annandale (22-8) 9th
NS – Redwood Valley (30-2) 10th
NS – Wadena-Deer Creek (22-9) 14th
NS – Concordia Academy (20-10) 19th
The matchups are below –
FIRST ROUND
1:00 PM – #1 Southwest Minnesota Christian vs Wadena-Deer Creek
1:00 PM – #4 Rush City vs #5 Annandale
300 PM – #2 Pequot Lakes vs Redwood Valley
3:00 PM – #3 Caledonia vs Concordia Academy
SEMI-FINALS (November 10)
5:00 PM – SWMC/WDC winner vs Rush City/Annandale
7:00 PM – PL/RV winner vs Caledonia/CA winner
CONSOLATIONS SEMI-FINALS (November 10)
5:00 PM – SWMC/WDC loser vs Rush City/Annandale loser
7:00 PM – PL/RV loser vs Caledonia/CA loser
FINALS (November 11)
10:30 AM – Consolation Championship
1:00 PM – Third Place
3:00 PM – Championship
— — —
The Section 8A Girls Swimming and Diving meet will be held in Detroit Lakes on Friday and Saturday.
Crookston has one swimmer, Chloe Boll, and they are in a coop with Fosston/Bagley.
Boll has had a great year and has solid chances to make it to the finals on Saturday in all four of her events.
Boll has the fourth-best time in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.88 seconds.
The top time is Avery Schueller of Park Rapids, with a time of 55.68.
The second best time is Melena Longtin of Morris, with a time of 56.55.
The third best time is Rayna Holm of Alexandria, with a time of 57.71.
Boll has the fifth-best time in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.18.
The top-time Taylor Ziemke of Perham, with a time of 25.28.
The second best time is Avery Schueller of Park Rapids, with a time of 25.35.
The third best time is Melena Longtin of Morris, with a time of 25.51.
The fourth best time is Lyla Stadtherr of Morris, with a time of 26.01.
Chloe is on the 200-Yard Freestyle Relay team and they have the seventh-best time of 1:52.03.
Morris has the best time of 1:44.60.
Fergus Falls has the second-best time of 1:45.03.
Chloe is also on the 400-Yard Freestyle Relay team and they also have the seventh-best time of 4:13.97.
Morris has the best time of 3:54.15.
Park Rapids has the second-best time of 3:54.20.
The top two in each event advance to the State Swimming and Diving Meet. All the events and seed times are below.
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Congratulations to the following area student-athletes on signing letters of intent to play a sport in college. (If I am missing any, let me know chrisjfee@yahoo.com)
Isaac Thomforde (Crookston) will play tennis at Northwestern University in St. Paul
Caden Swenby (Fertile-Beltrami) will play basketball at UM-Crookston
Brylea Mahlen (Fosston) will play basketball at UM-Crookston
Carson Pilgrim (Warroad) will play hockey at UND
Sophie Johnson (Warroad) will play hockey at St. Scholastica
Timmy Guler (Pelican Rapids) will play football at Minnesota State Moorhead
Kate Kosobud (Moorhead) will play hockey at Minnesota
Taylor Brueske (Moorhead) will play hockey at Quinnipiac University
— — —
The Minnesota State High School League Winter Sports season has officially started for Dance and Girls Hockey. The start dates, State tournament dates, and other information is below.
Sport – Start Date- First Competition date
Boys Hockey – November 13 – November 22
Girls Basketball – November 13 – November 22
Wrestling – November 20 – November 30
Boys Basketball – November 20 – November 30
State tournament dates
Dance – February 16-17
Girls Hockey – February 21-24
Wrestling – February 29 and March 1-2
Boys Hockey – March 6-9
Girls Basketball – March 13-16
Boys Basketball – March 20-23
— — —
The Crookston Pirate Winter Sports Schedules are available on our website. Click on the link below –
CROOKSTON PIRATE WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULES – KROX (kroxam.com)
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JOKES
On their honeymoon, the new husband told his bride, “I have a confession to make that I should have made before, but I was concerned that it might affect our relationship.
“What is it?” his new bride asked lovingly.
“I’m a golf fanatic,” he said. “I think about golf constantly. I’ll be out on the golf course every weekend, every holiday, and every chance I get. If it comes to a choice between your wishes and golf, golf will always win.”
His new bride pondered this for a moment and said, “I thank you for your honesty. Now in the same spirit of honesty, I should tell you that I’ve concealed something about my own past that you should know about. The truth is, “I’m a hooker.”
“No problem,” said her husband, “just widen your stance a little, and overlap your grip, and that should clear it right up.”
— —
A wife, being the romantic sort, sent her husband a text:
“If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you.”
He replied, “I am in the bathroom. Please advise.”
— —
A burglar broke into a home.
He heard a soft voice say, “Jesus is watching you.”
Thinking it was just his imagination, he continued his search.
Again, “Jesus is watching you.”
He turned his flashlight around, and saw a parrot in a cage.
He asked the parrot if he was the one talking.
The parrot said, “Yes.”
He asked the parrot his name.
The parrot said, “Moses.”
The burglar asked, “What kind of people would name their parrot, Moses?”
The parrot replied, “The same kind of people who would name their pitbull Jesus.”
— —
Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When little Logan received his plate, he started eating right away.
“Logan, wait until we say our prayer,” his mother reminded him.
“I don’t have to,” the little boy replied.
“Of course you do,” his mother insisted, “we say a prayer before eating at our house.”
“That’s at our house,” Logan explained, “but this is Grandma’s house and she knows how to cook.”
— —
30 Dad Jokes
Is there anything worse than when it’s raining cats and dogs?
Yes! Hailing taxis.
I thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes.
Turns out it was the refrigerator all along.
I can tolerate algebra, maybe even a little calculus,
but geometry is where I draw the line.
If a child refuses to nap, are they guilty of resisting a rest?
Did you hear about the kidnapping at school?
It’s OK, he woke up.
My manager told me to have a good day.
So I didn’t go into work.
Whoever stole my depression medication —
I hope you’re happy now.
I lost my job at the bank on my first day.
A woman asked me to check her balance, so I pushed her over.
Why did the drum go to bed?
It was beat.
What do you call a rude cow?
Beef jerky.
How does a penguin build his house?
Igloos it together.
Which bear is the most condescending?
A pan-duh!
Where do you learn to make ice cream?
Sundae school.
I’m afraid for the calendar.
Its days are numbered.
Have you ever had a bad sausage?
It’s the wurst.
What do you call a fish wearing a bow tie?
Sofishticated.
I once had a dream I was floating in an ocean of orange soda.
It was more of a Fanta sea.
My wife said I should do lunges to stay in shape.
That would be a big step forward.
I have a joke about chemistry, but I don’t think it will get a reaction.
I could tell a joke about pizza, but it’s a little cheesy.
I have a joke about construction, but I’m still working on it.
What’s the best kind of bird to work for at a construction company?
A crane.
I used to be addicted to soap, but I’m clean now.
I only know 25 letters of the alphabet.
I don’t know y.
I used to be a personal trainer.
Then I gave my too weak notice.
What’s the best way to watch a fly fishing tournament?
Live stream.
What did the buffalo say to his son when he dropped him off at school?
“Bison!”
What kind of music do chiropractors like?
Hip pop.
Two guys walked into a bar.
The third guy ducked.
It’s inappropriate to make a dad joke if you’re not a dad.
It’s a faux pa.
— — —
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
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
Todd Miner is a Pirate Football assistant coach.
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant 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
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/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.
