SPORTS FEEVER – Written by Chris Fee (chrisjfee@yahoo.com)
I am slowly getting my vision back and the bubble in my eye is lower than 40 percent now so I am well on the road to recovery. I found out some pretty good news on Tuesday at my appointment that I have cataracts already developing so after my eye heals I get to have cataract surgery which will improve vision in both my eyes. So that is some pretty good news.
I have told many people that I am pretty lucky and it could be worse. That was more than obvious this past week.
On September 11, Tyler David Stone, an 18-year-old senior at West Central Area High School in Barrett was killed in a head-on accident. He was wearing his seatbelt.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wes Central Area football team and school district as they deal with this tough time.
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Next week we will take a look at volleyball, football, and soccer in Section 8A and give some early predictions so look for that. We will also take a look at when playoffs start for the sports. Believe it or not, they are right around the corner.
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The Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association has named six men who will be inducted into the MBCA Hall of Fame on October 29th. The purpose of the MBCA Hall of Fame is to give special recognition to the people of Minnesota who have made significant contributions to promote high school basketball in the state via their achievements and service.
The 2022 inductees are:
Dave Cresap – Perham
Dick Ghizoni – St. Agnes, Hill-Murray, Mpls. Southwest
Grant Guzy – Spring Lake Park, Columbia Heights
Pete Petrich – Red Wing
Vern Simmons – St. Paul Johnson
Jeff Wall – Anoka, Maranatha Christian Academy, Mpls. Patrick Henry, Irondale
The induction ceremonies will be held at the MBCA Hall of Fame Luncheon on Saturday, October 29, 2:00 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis. Ticket information is available on the MBCA website: https://www.mshsca.org/boysbasketball
Dave Cresap began his coaching career at Upham, North Dakota. After seven years at Upham, he moved to Walhalla, ND. In 1995, after ten years coaching in North Dakota, Dave moved back across the border and began his Minnesota coaching career as the Head Basketball Coach at Perham High School. During the course of his 27 seasons at the helm of the Perham program he has led the Yellowjackets to ten Heart O’Lakes Conference crowns and five Section titles with State Tournament Appearances including a 2010-11 State Class AA Championship. The 2011-12 Jackets finished third in the State Tournament and the 2018-19 squad was 28-0 heading into the Section Finals when the season was ended due to the pandemic. Dave is a member of the 600 Wins Club with an overall mark of 644-293. Coach Cresap has been recognized by his peers as Section Coach of the Year seven times and Minnesota Class AA State Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2019. He also received Max Sports National Coach of the Year honors in 2011. Dave is a lifetime MSHSCA member and coached in the MBCA All Star Series. His coaching career off the hardwood includes 10 years as Assistant Coach of the Perham girls’ tennis program- earning State Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2017.
Dick Ghizoni’s coaching career spanned 33 years- starting at St. Agnes in 1979. Assuming the reins of a 1-18 team from the year before, Coach Ghizoni quickly turned things around and from 1984-2001, the Aggies were consistently a top 10 small school program. Under his tutelage and leadership St. Agnes cagers won four conference titles, two Section titles, and the 1994 Class A State Championship. Dick served as the Head Coach at Mpls. Southwest for three seasons before finishing his career at the helm of the Hill-Murray basketball program leading them to a 2011 Metro East title.
Grant Guzy became the Head Boys Basketball coach at Spring Lake Park H.S. in 1992 and led the Panthers basketball program for the next 30 seasons, retiring in 2022. Grant started his coaching career as a coach in the Columbia Heights program; 4 years as an assistant followed by 3 years as Head Coach before his move to Spring Lake Park. The Panthers had only won four games in the previous three seasons before Coach Guzy went to work and over the course of his time at the helm led SLP squads to 390 wins. The Panthers captured Section titles with State Tournament appearances in 2004, 2007, and 2009. The 2018-19 squad was 23-5 heading into the Section Finals when the season was ended due to the pandemic.
Pete Petrich served as the Boys Basketball Coach at Red Wing High School from 1949-1970. Pete arrived at Red Wing after winning a State Championship at Minot, ND. During the course of the next 21 seasons, he led the Wingers to eight Big Nine Conference titles, 8 District titles, and three Region Championships resulting in 1953, 1954, and 1957 State Tournament appearances in what was then a one class tournament. His teams amassed an overall record of 301-136, a winning percentage of 69%. Coach Petrich was named State Coach of the Year in 1970. Coach Petrich passed away in 2001.
Vern Simmons became the Head Boys Basketball coach at St. Paul Johnson High School in 2001 and served as the Head Coach of the Governors for the next 20 seasons before retiring in 2020. Coach Simmons has multiple Section Coach of the Year awards and was honored as State Class AAA Coach of the Year in 2010. Vern served as a member of the MBCA Executive Board and coached in the MBCA All Star Series. In addition to his basketball coaching role, Vern, as a member of the St. Paul Police Department, also served as St. Paul Johnson School Resource Officer.
Jeff Wall spent the first five years of his 34 year coaching career as the Head Basketball Coach at Coe College in Iowa. In 1992, he accepted a teaching/Head Basketball coaching position at Irondale HS; beginning his High School coaching career. After leading the Knights for three seasons, Jeff ventured into the Mpls. City Conference coaching Patrick Henry HS for two seasons.
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After collection of sports participation data was interrupted the previous two years by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) was able to compile its High School Athletics Participation Survey for the 2021-22 school year – its first official report since 2018-19.
Although the total of 7,618,054 participants in 2021-22 is down four percent from the 2018-19 figure of 7,937,491, high school sports are on the road back after schools in many states were unable to offer programs in normal fashion during portions of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years.
The 2021-22 total is composed of 4,376,582 boys and 3,241,472 girls, according to figures obtained from the 51 NFHS member state associations, which includes the District of Columbia.
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Frank the Tank Fee has compiled all the Pirate Fall sports schedules and they are below –
FOR ALL THE PIRATE FALL SPORTS SCHEDULES – CLICK HERE
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Crookston Park and Rec fall and winter activity registration are now open. To see what the city has to offer, click here.
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The Crookston Pirate Soccer program will hold the Pride of Pirate Soccer Camp/League for Girls and Boys in Kindergarten through 6th grade.
Camps will focus on both skills and game play.
Dates: September: 19,21,28,29, October 3,5 (From 6:00 – 7:00 pm)
Location: Crookston HS Soccer Fields
What to Bring: Athletes should bring water, soccer or athletic shoes and clothing
Please plan on arriving about 10 minutes before your game time.
Cost $25.00 pr/person
For more information, email Lon Boike, Head Boys Soccer Coach at: lonboike@isd593.org
The registration form is below –
[embeddoc url=”https://kroxam.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Pride-of-the-Pirates-Youth-Soccer-Camp-2022-5.docx” viewer=”microsoft”]
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JOKES
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Joey’s teacher sent a note home to his Mother saying, “Joey seems to be a very bright boy, but spends too much of his time thinking about sex and girls.”
The Mother wrote back the next day, “If you find a solution, please advise. I have the same problem with his Father.”
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A six year old comes crying to his Mother because his little sister pulled his hair.
“Don’t be angry,” the Mother says, “Your little sister doesn’t realize that pulling hair hurts.”
A short while later, there’s more crying, and the Mother goes to investigate.
This time the sister is bawling and her brother says…
“Now she knows.”
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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
Elise Tangquist, is the Assistant Girls Volleyball and Assistant Girls Golf Coach this year at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.
Emma Borowicz is a sophomore running track at Minnesota State Mankato.
Kaleb Thingelstad is a freshman playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University. KWU is done for the fall season.
Joslynn Leach is asophomore 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.
Rachel Hefta, is a Senior playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Norway.
Kate MacGregor is a senior swimming at Minnesota State Moorhead.
Aleece Durbin, is a Junior on the University of North Dakota Women’s Track and Field team.
Nick Garmen is a junior playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches –
Emily Meyer is the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hanson is the Junior High softball 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
Cody Brekken is the Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbye is the Head Girls Swimming 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 –
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 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.
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 Grand Forks Schools.
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 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 with the Army and is been deployed to Iraq for nine months.
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.
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.
