SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
KROX Radio, a Minnesota Twins affiliate from day one in 1961, received the 2024 John Gordon Minnesota Twins Radio Affiliate of the Year before the Twins game on Saturday, August 31 at Target Field.
KROX received the award for not only carrying Twins baseball every year since they moved to Minnesota in 1961, but also for our service to Crookston and Northwest Minnesota. “We are honored to receive the award as die-hard Twins fans, but more importantly because we feel very similar to the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund,” said KROX Owner/President Chris Fee. “The Twins are a class-act organization, and for them to tell us they think we are doing a great job of serving the community and northwest Minnesota means a lot to us. Not only those of us working at KROX now but those that have worked here since 1961.”
KROX received a nice trophy and Chris Fee got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Minnesota Twins Community Fund is also donating $5,000 to the Highland School Inclusive playground project. “The Twins Community Fund has a similar philosophy as KROX,” said Fee. “We give back to the community and especially to the kids and to get a $5,000 donation for the Highland Inclusive Playground project makes this award even better. We thank the Twins for their generosity and for being the best community-minded sports organization we deal with.”
Last week, I had the Section 8AA Football Coaches poll, and somehow, I pasted the 2018 team information. I still have no idea how that happened or how I had that email still. Anyway, I have included an updated Barnesville team preview.
SECTION 8AA Coaches Poll – 6 of 8 coaches responding (first place votes in parenthesis)
1. Barnesville – 5 (5)
2. Park Rapids – 13
3. Hawley – 14 (1)
4. Pelican Rapids – 15
5. Frazee – 17
6. Warroad – 24
7. Roseau – 37
8. Crookston – 39
BARNESVILLE – They are 93-15 over the last nine years and they are 26-1 over the last two seasons including a state championship in 2022 and a state runner-up in 2023. They are the heavy favorite and unanimous favorite to win the section for the 10th straight year. The last time they didn’t make it to state was nine years ago when they lost to United North Central 24-16 in the 8AA championship game.
Barnesville will bring back Nick Robideau (one of the top defensive players last year), Gannon Bolgrean (rushed for over 1,000 yards and 200 yards receiving last year) , Collin Morey (one of the top defensive players last year), Jack Maesse, Brenen Thorkildson, Jack Bredman (over 400 yards rushing), Major Ness (over 400 yards rushing and over 300 yards receiving), and Cameron Halverson (Just shy of 400 yards rushing).
Last years back-ups got a ton of time last season and they will be more than capable of filling in and the big question will be…..Can anybody come close to Barnesville this season, during the regular season.
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Section 8A Volleyball is a little different and a little similar so far this year.
Ada-Borup-West and Kittson County Central are looking very good so far this year, and that comes as no surprise to anybody.
In the West – Kittson County Central is by far the top team. Climax-Fisher has had a solid start to the season after a marathon win over Kelliher/Northome and a win over Fosston (who we knew would be done a bit this year after a big loss to graduation.). BGMR will be tough again and Stephen-Argyle, Red Lake Falls, and lake of the Woods are all going to be solid.
In the East – Ada-Borup=West is the top team coming into the season, and so far, they have looked tough. Fertile-Beltrami is going to be tough with a lot of weapons. Clearbrook-Gonvick, Blackduck, and Fosston will all be solid teams.
Right now, I am putting my bets on KCC and ABW after week one. Stay tuned. It should be a fun year in Section 8A Volleyball.
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Section 8AA Volleyball has two ranked teams: the Hawley Nuggets at #3 and Wadena-Deer Creek at #7. The section has some very good teams again, but this might be the highest level of talent they have had in a few years. One could argue that they could have three ranked teams at some point this season. Mark Tuesday, September 24 down on your calendar as the two teams will play in Wadena.
Wadena-Deer Creek has had a solid start to the season with 3-1 victories over three quality teams, East Grand Forks, Perham, and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. They will be playing in a pretty good tournament on Saturday, so it will be interesting to see how they do….I am guessing they will do very well.
Hawley has had a great start to the season beating teams easily, as expected. They beat Menahga and Perham 3-0. Some matches to keep an eye on are when they play Ada-Borup-West on September 10, the Wadena-Deer Creek match on September 24, and Pelican Rapids on October 3, just to name a few.
Pelican Rapids is 2-0, and they will have a tougher schedule starting in a few weeks. Thief River Falls is always competitive, and Park Rapids should be solid again this year. Barnesville and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton are always tough, and this year is no different.
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The American League Central has five teams, and as of Tuesday’s final scores, they had a combined record of 331 wins and 365 losses. The crazy thing is that four of the five teams are above .500 on the year! That shows you how bad the Chicago White Sox are this year. They have 31 wins and 109 losses.
Worst winning % in a season – MLB history (min. of 135 games):
.130- Cleveland Spiders (20-134 in 1899)
.169- Pittsburgh Alleghenys (23-113 in 1890)
.196- Louisville Colonels (27-111 in 1889)
.221- #WhiteSox (31-109 in 2024)
.235- Philadelphia Athletics (36-117 in 1916)
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JOKES
A guy is walking around town when he sees a bar with a sign advertising “All the Beer You Can Drink for $1!”
He thinks that’s a great deal so he goes in, sits down, hands the bartender a dollar, and asks for a beer.
“Sure, right away” says the bartender as he pulls out a tiny shot glass and fills it up halfway.
The man is stunned. “What the hell is this?” he asks.
“That’s all the beer you can drink for $1.”
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A soldier stationed in the South Pacific wrote to his wife in the States to please send him a harmonica to occupy his free time and keep his mind off of the local women. The wife complied and sent the best one she could find, along with several dozen lesson & music books.
Rotated back home, he rushed to their home and thru the front door. “Oh darling” he gushed, “Come here… let me look at you… let me hold you ! Let’s have a fine dinner out, then make love all night. I’ve missed your lovin’ so much !” The wife, keeping her distance, said, “All in good time lover. First, let’s hear you play that harmonica.”
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It was mailman George’s last day on the job after 35 years of delivering the mail through all kinds of weather. When he arrived at the first house on his route, the whole family came out, roundly congratulated him, and sent him on his way with a tidy gift envelope.
At the second house they presented him with a box of fine cigars. The folks at the third house handed him a selection of terrific fishing lures.
At the next house, he was met at the door by a strikingly beautiful woman in a revealing negligee. She took him by the hand, and led him up the stairs to the bedroom where she blew his mind with the most passionate love he had ever experienced.
When he’d had enough, they went downstairs, where she fixed him a giant breakfast: eggs, potatoes, ham, sausage, blueberry waffles and fresh-squeezed orange juice. When he was truly satisfied, she poured him a cup of steaming coffee. As she was pouring, he noticed a dollar bill sticking out from under the cup’s bottom edge.
“All this is just too wonderful for words,” he said, “but what’s the dollar for?”
“Well,” she said, “last night, I told my husband that today would be your last day, and that I wanted to do something special for you. I asked him what to give you. He said, ‘Screw him. Give him a dollar.'”
“Breakfast was my idea.”
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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
Emilee Tate is a freshman playing Softball at Northland Community and Technical College.
Halle Bruggeman is a Sophomore on the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women’s Rugby team.
Grace Fischer is a Sophomore 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 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.
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
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.
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.
