SPORTS FEEVER – July 25, 2024 – KROX

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

The Minnesota State High School League 2024-25 School year activity calendar has been updated and looks like this –

FALL SPORT –
GIRLS TENNIS – August 12 start date – 11 week season with 16 events – First date of competition is August 15 with the final day of Section play on October 15. The state tournament is October 22-25.

BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER – August 12 start date – 12 week season with 16 games max – First date of games is August 22 – Last day of sections is October 18 – State Tournament dates are Quarterfinals October 22-24, Semi’s/3^rd place/championship are October 28 – November 2.

FOOTBALL – August 12 start date – 15 weeks with a max of 9 games – First game is August 29 – Final day of section play is November 2. State tournament quarterfinals are November 7-9. State semi-finals are November 14-16, State Championship is November 22-23.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL – August 12 start date – 13 week season with a max of 17 matches – First competition date is August 22. Final day of section play in November 2. State tournament is November 6-9 at Excel Energy Center.

GIRLS SWIMMING – August 12 start date – 13 week season with 16 meet max – First competition is August 22 – Last day of sections is November 9 – State Swimming is November 14-16 at the U of M Aquatic Center.

CROSS COUNTRY – August 12 start date – 12 weeks eason with 10 races – First competition is August 22 – Final day of Sections is October 26. State is November 2 at Les Bolstad Golf Course in St. Paul.

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Crookston had another coach resign, this time Dance Coach Grace Espinosa. In a Facebook post, Grace mentioned that she was pushed to her limits and just couldn’t do it anymore. It sounded like an assistant, and some parents made life difficult for her.

Here is the thing with Grace. She is the Just For Kix director in Crookston and Thief River Falls, a cosmetologist, and, by the way, the Pirate Dance Coach. This young lady’s work ethic is admirable and respected.

While coaching youth dance in two towns caused a few issues, it was nothing that a young woman trying to make a living and help grow the sport of dance should ever be punished for by parents and students. I know KROX would have loved to have Grace on our Coaches Corner program more often, but she was busy working, and it seemed like we could never get a time that worked on recording something this past year, but she did get us information on the dance competitions, and we appreciated that.

Grace transformed the Pirate Dance program from an unknown entity to most people in town to a hugely improved program that placed in the top three or four spots in almost every competition this past year. We posted pictures and the amazing results on our website and read about them on the radio.

It is unfortunate Crookston is losing another great person who cares about the kids and would do anything to give them the opportunity to be as successful as possible.

I would personally like to thank Grace for her commitment to Pirate Dance and turn it into something the dancers and parents are extremely proud of.

Kudos to Grace, and best of luck in your future endeavors. We know you will be successful with the work ethic that I can only imagine you learned from your mother!

A new coach has been hired and looks to have an impressive background and that is great. But I still feel for Grace as she was in a crappy situation and definitely didn’t deserve it after EVERYTHING she has done to improve the program and move it forward to the level it is currently at.  Crookston might have one of the most diverse teams in the state and that is a credit to Grace too!

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if you’re looking for a senior golfer to cheer for, how about this guy?

A guy named Roderick Bastard qualified for the Senior Open Championship.  Bastard shot 70 and survived a 3 for 1 playoff.

There you go!

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The 2024 Division II Northwest Sub-state American Legion Baseball tournament will begin Thursday in Red Lake Falls and will run through possibly Sunday, July 28.

I would say that DGF and Fosston are the favorites coming into the tournament. Not really going out on a limb on that prediction. It should be a fun tournament with a lot of good games, but I think DGF has a little more than the rest of the teams. Fosston has three super seniors and has the Norland brothers hitting 1 and 2 in the lineup and in the field, which makes them tough, too. Don’t sleep on Warroad and Wadena. Red Lake County is more than capable with some solid pitching and defense. If they hit the ball, they are going to be a tough out, too. Again, it should be a fun tournament.

The four teams from each half are listed below –

NORTH –
1. Fosston
2. Warroad
3. Red Lake County
4. Roseau

SOUTH
1. DGF
2. Wadena
3. New York Mills
4. Hawley

FIRST ROUND (Single Elimination) (Thursday, July 25 )
11:00 AM – DGF vs Roseau (GAME 1)
1:30 PM – New York Mills vs Warroad (GAME 2)
4:00 PM – Fosston vs Hawley (GAME 3)
6:30 PM – Red Lake County vs Wadena (on KROX RADIO) (GAME 4)

SECOND ROUND (Double Elim starts) AND CONSOLATION, JULY 26
11:00 AM – DGF/Roseau winner vs NYM/Warroad winner (GAME 5)
1:30 PM – Fosston/Hawley winner vs RLC/Wadena winner (GAME 6)
4:00 PM – Losers of the first two games – Loser out and 4th place (GAME 7)
6:30 PM – Winners of first two games (GAME 8)

SATURDAY, JULY 27
2:00 PM – GAME 7 winner vs Game 8 Loser (Loser is 3rd place) (GAME 9)
4:30 PM – Championship – Winner Game 8 vs Winner Game 9

SUNDAY, JULY 28 
NOON – Championship game 2 (if necessary)

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The University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball program announced the addition of Kloe Wadd (F/C, 6-2, Waseca, Minn./Waseca H.S.). Wadd will be a sophomore at Minnesota Crookston and is the sixth signee for the Golden Eagles, joining Brynlea Mahlen of Fosston, Emme Munch of Boise, Idaho, Emma Osborn of Crookston and a transfer from NCTC, Willow Thiel of Perham, and Halle Winjum of Crookston.

“We are excited to welcome Kloe to our Golden Eagle family!,” said Head Coach Natalie Moynihan. “With her addition, our roster for the 24-25 season is now complete! Kloe will help provide some much-needed length in the paint and rebounding for us. We can’t wait to get in the gym and get to work with Kloe and all of our girls soon!”

Wadd will add size and depth to the Golden Eagles. She also continues a focus on recruiting in-state. She is the fifth addition to the roster from Minnesota. The Golden Eagles are set to have 11 student-athletes from Minnesota for the 2024-25 season.

Wadd was a two-time All-Big South Conference selection for Waseca H.S. She helped her team to a 16-10 mark as a senior in 2022-23. Played volleyball and basketball for Waseca H.S. Was a 1,000 point scorer during her prep career. She earned Academic All-Conference in 2022 and 2023. She was the Waseca Booster Club MVP in 2002.

She is the daughter of Kari and Trent Wadd. Wadd is majoring in ag business and ag communication. Her younger brother and her co-own a sweetcorn business. Her father was diagnosed with M.S., so in 2019 she took over a part of the farming responsibilities. She was a 2023 Ms. Minnesota candidate. She supports blood drives and blood donation due to family history.

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The top Minnesota Boys Basketball high school recruit, who happened to move to the Twin Cities from Fargo this summer, has narrowed down his college choices to five teams.

Tommy Ahneman, a 6’11 post now from Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, will visit the Gophers on August 29, Notre Dame on September 7, Wisconsin on September 14, Nebraska on September 20, and Iowa on October 11.

Four-star guard Amari Allen from IMG Academy will visit the Gophers on August 29, too.

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The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team was a recipient of the 2023-24 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award. In addition, Ben Hoverson (Grand Forks, N.D.), Reid Grant (Johnston, Iowa), and Pedro Rossi (Bahia Blanca, Argentina) were named to the NABC Honors Court.

The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize men’s basketball programs that completed the 2023-24 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The NABC Honors Court, meanwhile, includes junior, senior and graduate student men’s basketball players who finished the 2023-24 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
Hoverson has a 3.92 GPA in exercise science and wellness. Grant has a 3.21 GPA in sports and recreation management. Rossi has a 3.42 GPA in international business.

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The American Baseball Coaches Association’s Team Academic Excellence Award honors college programs coached by ABCA members that post a cumulative Grade Point Average over 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Criteria for the ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award include:
– Must be a high school or college team
– Head coach must be a current ABCA member
– Team must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale during the academic year. GPA may not be rounded up.

ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award Recipients from NSIC
Augustana University (SD)
Concordia University, St. Paul (MN)
Minnesota State University
Northern State University
Southwest Minnesota State University
St. Cloud State University
Wayne State College

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The Crookston Lions and Minakwa Golf Course will hold their 43rd Annual Youth Golf Tournament on Monday, August 12. Shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. for 13 to 17 year olds. 12 and under will start at 9:30 a.m. Ages 9 and under will golf 4 holes, 9 to 12-year-olds will golf 9, and 13 to 17-year-olds will golf 18 holes. The entry fee is $20 and includes lunch. The fee for Park and Rec golfers or those who are 8 years old or under will be $10. Call 281-1773 to pre-register by July 31.  Make checks payable to Crookston Lions Club.  New this year are outdoor games, hole games, door prizes and tons of prizes throughout the day.

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The Crookston High School Summer Weight Room will be open at the following times for CHS student-athletes.
(Grade Levels are based on the grade you will be in next school year)
6:30 am – 8:00 am (Monday – Friday) – Grades 10th-12th
8:00 am – 9:30 am (Monday – Friday) – Grades 10th- 12th
10:00 am – 11:00 am (Monday, Tuesday & Thursday) – Grades 7th- 9th

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JOKES

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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 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 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 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

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

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.