SPORTS FEEVER – October 10, 2024 | KROX

SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com

I received a text from Region 8A Executive Director Todd Selk after I was wondering how Cass Lake-Bena and Red Lake don’t play each other. There are two football programs that are struggling, and it would be great for the two to meet up. There was a good explanation of why this isn’t happening this year. Mr. Selk’s email is below –

Hey Chris,
I just read your column, and I can shed some light on why Cass Lake-Bena and Red Lake don’t play each other. Up until mid to late summer, Cass Lake was a 9-person school. Then they formed a co-op with the Bug School (Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig), which pushed them into a Class A Division. Since schedules were already set (in fact, we are on year two of a two-year schedule established before the 2023 football season). Cass Lake is playing a 9-person regular season schedule but has to play in the 8A tournament. Hope that clears up why they don’t play this year. Next year is a realignment year, so schedules for the ’25 and ’26 season will be established.

Thanks Todd! I appreciate the information, and that makes my complaint look pretty stupid now. I am glad it wasn’t a district scheduling thing. With that being said, teams will be keeping a close eye on section alignment around late March to see what changes are made. I hope they keep Section 8AA football the same. Park Rapids opted down to AA, and I am glad the MSHSL listened to them and allowed them to.

One thing that will be interesting is the addition of another tennis class! In Section 8A Girls tennis, you could see TRF gone, And possibly East Grand Forks and Perham. I would think everybody else would be the same, but who knows at this point. We will have to wait and see.

The clip below is from a story we had on February 1.
With 194 member schools participating in Girls Tennis, the Board of Directors approved a proposal to add a third class. Per League classification policy, the minimum number of teams required for a third class is 192. The approved proposal will divide the participating teams into three equal classes by enrollment. With the passage of the proposal, more students will have access to the state tournament and the reduction in enrollment ratios creates more equitable and balanced section competition. Because the next Competitive Section Placement cycle is in Spring 2025, this will be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year.

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The Section 8A Girls Tennis tournament will start on Thursday, and the Championship will be on Friday at Fargo Courts Plus. It is going to be another great tournament. Three teams were ranked, and a fourth team was ranked most of the year until the end when they were beaten by the three ranked teams in the section.

Team Seeds –
1. Perham
2. Crookston
3. Thief River Falls
4. Staples-Motley
5. Park Rapids
6. East Grand Forks
7. Roseau
8. Wadena-Deer Creek
9. Parkers Prairie

TEAM SCHEDULE

First-Round/Play-in – Thursday, October 10 at Fargo Courts Plus
9:00 a.m. – Wadena-Deer Creek vs Parkers Prairie (Play-in match)
10:30 a.m. – #4 Staples-Motley vs #5 Park Rapids
Noon – #1 Perham vs the play-in winner
1:30 p.m. – #2 Crookston vs #7 Roseau
3:00 p.m. – #3 Thief River Falls vs #6 East Grand Forks

Semi-Finals (Thursday, October 10)
4:30 p.m. – Staples-Motley/Park Rapids winner vs Perham/play-in winner
6:00 p.m. – Crookston/Roseau winner vs TRF/EGF winner

CHAMPIONSHIP (Friday, October 11)
10:00 a.m. –

INDIVIDUAL SEEDS – (Tournament starts Friday, October 11 after the team championship and continues Saturday.)

SINGLES –
1. Ronnie Noska (SM)
2. Ruby Leach (EGF)
3. Kaia Anderson (Per)
4. Braylee Wienen (TRF)
5. Ella Ehler (PR)
6. Paige Abrahamson (Crox)
7, Anna Lunsetter (TRF)
8. Karlee Walsh (EGF)
9. Nora Bolton (PR)
10. Corrine Olson (SM)
11. Bailey Strunk (Ros)
12. Autumn Branchaud (Perham)
13. Ava Martin (Crox)
14. Sophie Pfeffer (PP)
15. Dakota Dunham (Ros)
16. Charli Snyder (WDC)
17. Cailin Jensen (PP)
18. Lydia Helmbrect (WDC)

DOUBLES –
1. Piper Green/Brianne Ellison (TRF)
2. Kaylie Clauson/Addie Fee (Crox)
3. Annna Fiemeyer/Kaylee Endres (WDC)
4. Morgan Smith/Aubrey Zimmerman (Per)
5. Abbey Runyan/Emmy Goochey (PR)
6. Violet Radniecki/Alayna Moe (Per)
7. Heidi Zimmerman/Madison Perius (SM)
8. Georgia Sanders/Ashlyn Bailey (Crox)
9. Natalie Hanson/Kaylee Perius (SM)
10. Anna Lunsetter/Kaitlyn Kruse (TRF)
11. Anna Helling/Brooke Schilling (PP)
12. Lindsey Vistad/Abby Swanson (Ros)
13. Morgan McDonald/Chloe Svenson (EGF)
14. Bryn Wilson/Ava Holmgren (Ros)
15. Rachel Ulvin/Kate Dravis (PR)
16. Maya Pulkrabek/Madi Wallace (EGF)
17. Chloe Leeseberg/Emma Weinger (WDC)
18. Izzy Langager/Abigal Koep (PP)

This is how I see the team tournament going.
Perham, Crookston, and Thief River Falls all win their first-round matches. The Staples-Motley vs. Park Rapids match will be interesting and could be 4-3 either way.
Semi-finals – I see Perham winning maybe 5-2,but I never count Staples-Motley out in girls tennis and it wouldn’t surprise me if they make it 4-3 either way. They are pretty much guarunteed a win at first singles in every match. I see Crookston beating TRF 4-3 (But TRF is more than capable of winning the match. I think it is really a 50/50 match going in. And I feel that whoever wins between Crookston and TRF will be the section champs.
Championship: Crookston wins 4-3 and advances to state for the second straight year. However, Crookston will have to play like they have in the last two or three weeks of duals. If they don’t, TRF could easily knock them off in the semis. Stay tuned. I know this much: the semi-finals and championship matches will be some outstanding tennis!!!

Individuals –
Singles – Ronnie Noska of Staples-Motley is the overwhelming favorite to advance back to state and has a chance to place at state.
I would say second place and a trip to state is going to be interesting. You have EGF’s Ruby Leach, Perham’s Kaia Anderson, and TRF’s Braylee Wienen all capable of finishing second. Don’t sleep on the fifth seed Ella Ehler of Park Rapids either.

Doubles –
This will also be a great tournament. The top seed, deservedly so, is TRF’s Piper Green/Brianne Ellison. They are very good and are the top seed for a very good reason. The second and third seed was a toss-up up, with Crookston’s Kaylie Clauson and Addison Fee getting the second seed because Coach Gina Gunderson drew a King out of a deck of cards. Wadena-Deer Creek’s Anna Fiemeyer/Kaylee Endres beat Crookston’s doubles team earlier this year, so this is definitely a toss-up if they play each other. The fourth through fifth, sixth, and even seventh seeds are all capable of picking up some big wins, so the quarterfinals and semi-finals are going to be great matches.

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The Section 8A Boys Soccer Tournament seeds and schedule were released on Sunday. 

The North sub-section is as follows –
1. Pelican Rapids
2. Fergus Falls Hillcrest
3. Crookston
4. Fergus Falls High School
5. East Grand Forks

The South sub-section –
1. St. Cloud Cathedral
2. Melrose
3. Central MN Christian
4. St. John’s Prep
5. Minnewaska Area
6. Morris

North schedule –

First round (Thursday – October 10 at high seed)
Game 1 – Play-in winner at #1 Pelican Rapids  at 7:00 PM
Game 2 – #3 Crookston at #2 Fergus Falls Hillcrest at 4:00 PM (ON KROX)

Second round (Saturday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner at highest seed (time TBD)

South schedule –
Play-in (Tuesday – October 8 at high seed)
Game 1 – #5 Minnewaska Area at #4 St. John’s Prep at 4:00 PM
Game 2 – #6 Morris at Central MN Christian at 4:00 p.m.

First round (Thursday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 3 – Game 1 winner at #1 St. Cloud Cathedral at Whitney Field at 7:00 p.m.
Game 4 – Game 2 winner at #2 Melrose at 4:00 p.m.

Second round (Saturday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner at highest seed

SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP (Tuesday, October 15 at Sauk Centre High School at 5:15 PM)
North Champion vs South Champion

As with any low scoring sports, be ready for some “upsets,” except when it comes to the Section Champion. If St. Cloud Cathedral doesn’t win the section championship, that would be a big upset for whoever from the north sub-section beat them. They are the heavy favorites and I don’t see anybody knocking them off. But, we are talking high school sports in a low scoring game. There is a reason why they play the games!!!!

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The Section 8A Girls Soccer Tournament seeds and schedule were released on Sunday. The seeds and schedule are below.

The North sub-section is as follows –
1. East Grand Forks
2. Pelican Rapids
3. Crookston
4. Fergus Falls Hillcrest 

The South sub-section –
1. St. Cloud Cathedral
2. St. John’s Prep
3. Albany
4. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley
5. Melrose

North schedule –

First round (Thursday – October 10 at high seed)
Game 1 – #4 Fergus Falls Hillcrest at #1 East Grand Forks  at 5:00 PM
Game 2 – #3 Crookston at #2 Pelican Rapids at 5:00 PM ON KROX

Second round (Saturday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner at the highest seed (time TBD)

South schedule –
Play-in (Tuesday – October 8 at high seed)
Game 1 – #5 Melrose at #4 Walker-Hackensack-Akeley at 4:00 PM

First round (Thursday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 2 – Game 1 winner at #1 St. Cloud Cathedral at Whitney Field at 4:45 p.m.
Game 4 – #3 Melrose at #2 St. John’s Prep at 4:00 p.m. (College of St. Benedict)

Second round (Saturday, October 12 at high seed)
Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner at highest seed at 11:00 AM

SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP (Tuesday, October 15 at Sauk Centre High School at 7:30 PM)
North champion vs South Champion

East Grand Forks and St. Cloud Cathedral are the two heavy favorites to win their respective sub-sections. EGF is the defending Section Champion and the championship will be a great matchup if it is those two teams.

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The Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors met last week and here are some of the highlights from their meeting. Unfortunately, abolishing district football schedules wasn’t on the docket, but the funny thing……They made a technical language amendment of replacing “district” with “section or subsection.” Maybe they will do the same with football scheduling. One could only hope and pray that it happens.

9A: Constitutional Amendment: Technical Language Amendment 

• The Board of Directors approved a motion to approve the amended Constitutional Language. The proposed language amendments do not change the constitutional intent. Examples of the changes include: 

• Replacing “district” with “section or subsection.” 

• Inserting accurate language relative to insurance coverage. 

• Adding “electronic voting” to “mail ballot.” 

• Replacing “regulations” with “bylaws and policies.” 

9B: Spring Advisory Proposals 

Baseball 

• The Board of Directors approved a proposal to seed all teams in each classification Nos. 1-8. 

Boys and Girls Golf 

• The Board of Directors approved two proposals: One provides clarification on the definition of a two-day, 36-hole limit creating greater flexibility for events of 36, 54 and 72 holes. The other clarifies that in a two-day MSHSL event if one of the teams modifies its lineup on day two, only that team will be determined to have played two events. All other teams will count it as one event. 

Boys and Girls Lacrosse 

• The Board of Directors approved a proposal to seed all teams Nos. 1-8. 

Softball 

• The Board of Directors approved a proposal to seed all teams in each classification Nos. 1-8. 

Speech 

• The Board of Directors approved two proposals: One is to modify the penalty for exceeding the time limit from being ranked last in a round to the participant being dropped one rank in the round. The other is to allow speech participants to modify their speech from the sub-section to section and section to state level based on feedback from the judges. 

9C: Classification, Competitive Section Placement and District Football Timeline for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 

The Board of Directors approved a motion to accept the timeline outlined by League Staff.  

Key upcoming dates for Member Schools include:  

• Nov. 29, 2024 — Nonpublic Fall Report Form Due 

• Jan. 24, 2025 — Deadline for completed applications for new co-ops or dissolutions of existing co-ops to be placed and the deadline for schools or co-ops to opt up in any sports or activities, per board policy.  

• Feb. 24, 2025 — Member Schools inform League of new football co-ops.   

9D: 2024-2025 Strategic Directions 

The Board of Directors approved a motion to adopt the Strategic Directions that will guide work during the 2024-2025 school year. They are: 

1. The League will promote and support its mission and beliefs and the value of education-based activities and athletics through effective communication systems and mediums. 

2. The League will support the health, safety, wellness, inclusion and belonging of all students, coaches, administrators and officials through leadership, instruction, support and resources. 

3. The League will employ effective policy governance to review, revise and create bylaws and policies that grow, enhance and clarify League student participation.   

Discussion Items   

10A: State Tournament Venues and Schedule 

• Boys Basketball — League Staff shared an update on the state tournament schedule and the challenges created by three regular-season Minnesota Timberwolves games during the week of March 17, 2025. Target Center will only be used on Tuesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 20, for quarterfinal contests. The remaining quarterfinals (Class A) and championship rounds in all classes will be played at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.   

• Softball — League Staff shared survey feedback from coaches who were asked about a state tournament site for a championship day event. This will be an Action Item at the next Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5.  

10B: Enrollment and Participation Eligibility  

• League Staff shared information on Member Schools’ increased interest in more closely connecting enrollment and eligibility, especially in educational settings such as online education. Potential language and timelines will continue to be discussed. More information will be shared at the Board of Directors Workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 6, with potential action at the December Board Meeting. 

Committee Reports   

11A: Eligibility Committee  

• The Board of Directors approved a motion to send an amendment to Bylaw 411.10.G (Alumni Participation) to the Representative Assembly for consideration. The 48-member legislative body of the League meets on May 13, 2025.    

• The Board of Directors approved the Eligibility Report as presented.   

11B: Audit/Finance Committee   

• The committee met with Auditor Juli Mader from the State Auditor’s Office to discuss the annual audit process.  

• The Board of Directors approved the Financial Statements from July 2024 and August 2024.  

11C: Marketing and Communications Committee  

League Staff shared: 

• Work is underway with Colin Sokolowski, a public relations and communications consultant, for a Communications Analysis and the development of a Strategic Communications Plan. 

• Updates were provided on Social Media engagement and reporting from Member Schools throughout Greater Minnesota.  

• League Staff provided updates on sponsorship and marketing leading into the fall state tournament events. 

• Updates were given on media relations, including photography policies, expansion of photo coverage at state tournament events and electronic credentialing. 

11D: Education and Leadership   

League Staff shared the following information: 

• League Staff shared officiating updates, including that state tournament selections are underway.  

• Discussed information on weather delays, game-ending procedures and helpful phone apps to assist in management. 

• Provided updates on Elective Coaches Education Courses available on Coaches Dashboards. 

• Planning for Together 3.0 is underway. Events will be held in Willmar, Rochester, Bemidji and the Twin Cities beginning in November.  

• Shared Wrestling points of emphasis, specifically focused on illegal holds. Officials are required to watch the regular instructional module as well as the points of emphasis. 

• League Staff shared that a League-created Music Adjudication and Accreditation course is now the requirement for Music Adjudicators eligibility. This replaces using an NFHS-created module.  

• League Staff members who serve on NFHS Fine Arts Committees attended the NFHS Performing Arts Conference in suburban Chicago in late September.  

Informational   

• Next in-person meeting: Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, 9:30 a.m. 

— — —

JOKES

— —

A retired man who volunteers to entertain patients in nursing homes and took his portable keyboard along. He told some jokes and sang some funny songs at patients’ bedsides. 

When he finished, he said, in farewell, “I hope you get better.”

One elderly gentleman replied, “I hope you get better, too.”

— — —

A guy named Bob receives a free ticket to the Superbowl from his company.

Unfortunately, when Bob arrives at the stadium he realizes the seat is in the last row in the corner of the stadium — he is closer to the Goodyear Blimp than the field.

About halfway through the first quarter, Bob notices an empty seat 10 rows off the field right on the 50 yard line. He decides to take a chance and makes his way through the stadium and around the security guards to the empty seat.

As he sits down, he asks the gentleman sitting next to him, “Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?” The man says no.

Now, very excited to be in such a great seat for the game, Bob again inquires of the man next to him, “This is incredible! Who in their right mind would have a seat like this at the Superbowl and not use it?”

The man replies, “Well, actually, the seat belongs to me, I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first Superbowl we haven’t been to together since we got married in 1967.”

“Well, that’s really sad,” says Bob, “but still, couldn’t you find someone to take the seat? A relative or a close friend?”

“No,” the man replies, “they’re all at the funeral.”

— — —

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 Bethel.

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.

Tags: sports, Sports Feever