SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
The Crookston Pirate Girls’ Tennis team finished fourth place at the Minnesota State Class A Girls’ Tennisemy 5-2 before losing two heartbreakers. They lost to Litchfield 4-3 with three three-set matches tournament this week. They beat Providence Acad and lost to Pine City 4-3 to finish fourth.
The Pirates were 21-6 on the year after losing five of the 10 members of the tournament team. It was an impressive season for the Pirates, especially for the five seniors on the squad. The squad was a tight-knit group, and that was evident all season long, especially at the state tournament.
A fourth-place finish at state is a great season, and all the girls had Crookston excited, the community is proud of what they did. Congrats to the Pirates and best of luck to my Niece Addie Fee and her doubles partner Kaylie Clauson in the state individual doubles tennis tournament on Thursday and Friday.
Speaking of Crookston teams that ended their season this week, the Pirate Football team lost to Barnesville in the first round of the playoffs and lost their 19 straight game dating back to the 2023 Section 8AA championship when they lost to Barnesville. While the Pirates didn’t have a close game all season long, I give credit to the players as they kept coming to practice and working hard and showed improvement throughout the season. It has been a tough career for the five seniors, but they kept battling, and I have a lot of respect for the boys who kept coming back and working hard. Football is by far the toughest sport (wrestling would be second) as it is a grind physically and mentally. Although it is 10 times better than it was 20 to 30 years ago with better equipment/helmets and limited two a days, etc.
While the Pirates didn’t win a game, they showed their character and that was an A-plus.
The Crookston Pirate Volleyball team struggled this year as they didn’t win a match. They also didn’t win a set all season long. They lost several players that would have been huge factors this season, including their libero who moved to the lake and enrolled in Fertile. And Crookston’s biggest struggle was on the back row serve receive. They also lost some other players to not coming out, and other reasons. The rest of the girls worked hard and played hard, but just never had that consistency they were hoping for.
Again, give credit to the girls for playing hard every match, working hard in practice, and competing all season long. They have a lot of good young players, but they will need to put a ton of time in the weight room, J.O’s, and jumping and quickness/reaction time if they want to break the losing skid.
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The Section Football first-round games were played on Tuesday, and there weren’t any big upsets in the area. We will take a look at all the area section semi-final games and predictions.
SECTION 6 9-MAN-
Park Christian at Fertile-Beltrami – This game is all Fertile-Belatrami. Nobody has been close to Fertile-Beltram all season long and that won’t change on Saturday.
Clearbrook-Gonvick at Fosston – I expect this to be a close game, similar to the first meeting between the teams when Fosston won 29-18. Clearbrook-Gonvick is always well coached and it seems like they always play their best football in the playoffs. I think Fosston wins, but it will be a good game.
SECTION 8 9-MAN-
Warren-Alvarado-Oslo at Goodridge-Grygla – WAO is playing some good football right now and played Goodridge-Grygla to a 20-18 loss back on September 20. I am predicting an upset with WAO winning the game and advancing to the section championship.
Kittson County Central at Stephen-Argyle – The rivalry continues and it should be another outstanding game. Stephen-Argyle beat KCC 22-20 on September
20 and I wouldn’t expect anything different on Saturday in Argyle. I am picking the Storm to win, but wouldn’t be surprised if it came down to extra points.
SECTION 8A –
Polk County West at Mahnomen/Waubun – These teams have had some great semi-final games, and I expect this game to be much closer than the first meeting between the teams earlier this year when Mahnomen/Waubun won 47-13. PCW is playing much better football at the end of the season.
Ada-Borup-West at Red Lake County – Both teams had a bye in the first round so they will be well-rested. Red Lake County hammered ABW 70-25 in the regular season. I don’t anybody is expecting a similar score, but I am picking Red Lake County to win by a couple of scores.
SECTION 8AA –
Frazee at Barnesville – Barnesville is the #1 ranked team in the state and will be well-rested after beating Crookston in the first round. Frazee played a great game and was able to beat Park Rapids for a big first round victory. I am picking Barnesville to win by 35.
Hawley at Pelican Rapids – This game is going to be a fantastic game. The first meeting between the teams during the regular season was a dandy with Pelican Rapids winning 18-15. I am expecting a similar game with Pelican Rapids winning and the game will likely come down to extra points.
SECTION 8AAA
East Grand Forks at Fergus Falls – EGF handled Thief River Falls in the first round. Fergus Falls had a bye. I am going with Fergus Falls to win the game by maybe two scores.
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton at Morris Area – I mentioned earlier this year that DGF will be a team that nobody wants to play at the playoffs and I am here to say that DGF will knock off Morris area in the semi-finals.
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The Section 8A Volleyball Tournament had its first round matches on Wednesday evening after play-in matches on Monday.
WEST SUB-SECTION
Kittson County Central beat Climax-Fisher 3-0
Red Lake Falls beat Lake of the Woods 3-0
Sacred Heart beat Northern Freeze 3-0
BGMR beat Warren-A-O 3-0
EAST SUB-SECTION
Ada-Borup-West beat RLCC 3-0
Clearbrook-Gonvick beat Northome/Kelliher 3-1
Fosston beat Blackduck 3-1
Fertile-Beltrami beat Bagley 3-1
Friday’s October 25 quarterfinals – at high seed
WEST – Red Lake Falls at Kittson County Central (at Hallock) at 7:00 PM
WEST – Sacred Heart at BGMR (Greenbush) at 7:00 PM (ON KROX Radio)
EAST – Clearbrook-Goncick at Ada-Borup-West at 7:00 PM (at Ada)
EAST – Fosston at Fertile-Beltrami at 7:00 PM (at Fertile)
SEMI-FINALS – Tuesday, October 29 at UMC)
6:00 PM – East highest seed vs West lowest seed
30 minutes after the 6 PM match – West highest seed vs East lowest seed
CHAMPIONSHIP – Friday, November 11 at UMC
7:30 PM
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The Section 8AA Volleyball tournament kicked off on Wednesday.
DGF had a bye
Park Rapids beat Roseau 3-0
Barnesville beat Warroad 3-0
East Grand Forks beat Menahga 3-0
Hawley had a bye
Perham beat Frazee 3-1
Thief River Falls beat Pelican Rapids 3-0
Wadena-Deer Creek beat Crookston 3-0
Friday’s October 25 quarterfinals – at high seed
Match 1 – Park Rapids at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton at 6:00 PM
Match 2 – Barnesville at East Grand Forks at 7:00 PM
Match 3 – Perham at Hawley at 7:00 PM
Match 4 – Thief River Falls at Wadena-Deer Creek at 7:00 PM
SEMI-FINALS – Tuesday, October 29 at a site TBD)
6:00 PM – Winner of Match 3 vs Winner of Match 4
7:45 PM – Winner of Match 1 vs Winner of Match 2
CHAMPIONSHIP – Saturday, November 2 at TBD
7:00 PM
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What is going on in Bemidji? Superintendent Jeremy Olson has brought his good luck to the Lumberjacks as the Girl’s Tennis team and the Boy’s Soccer team both made it to state this year. It was the fist time that Bemidji has made it to state in Class AAA soccer!
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JOKES
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 you 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?'”
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After my husband and I had a huge argument, we ended up not talking to each other for days.
Finally, on the third day, he asked where one of his shirts was.
“Oh,” I said, “So now you’re speaking to me.”
He looked confused,
“What are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you noticed I haven’t spoken to you for three days?” I challenged.
“No,” he said, “I just thought we were getting along.”
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A married couple was watching volleyball game at a beach when the wife spotted a couple in the bleachers. They were being very affectionate. The girl was running her hands all over the boyfriend and nibbling on his ear. He had his hands on her chest.
Looking at them, the wife said to her husband “I don’t know whether to watch them or the game.”
Husband said, “Better watch them! You already know how to play volleyball.”
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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
Reese Swanson is a freshman playing hockey at St. Olaf.
Carter Coauette is a freshman playing football at Minot State.
Isabelle Smith is a freshman playing Tennis at Concordia College.
Isaac Thomforde is a freshman playing Tennis at Northwestern College in St. Paul.
Emilee Tate is a Sophomore playing Softball at Northland Community and Technical College.
Halle Bruggeman is a Sophomore on the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women’s Rugby team.
Ethan Boll is a Red-shirt Freshman on the University of North Dakota Football team.
Breanna Kressin is a Junior on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.
Emma Osborn is a Junior playing basketball at the University of Minnesota Crookston.
Jacey Larson is a Sophomore playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Aleah Bienek is a Junior playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.
Joslynn Leach is a Senior playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a Senior playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Brooks Butt is a Junior playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Ty Hamre is redshirt Junior playing football at Bemidji State University.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Marley Melbye is an 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
Elise Tangquist is the Head Girls Golf Coach at Horace High School in Fargo, ND.
Carmen (Kreibich) Johnson is the head Little Falls Volleyball coach.
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.
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.
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.
