Mother Nature is giving a big middle finger to spring sports once again! With a forecast of several inches of snow and 60 mile per hour winds into Thursday after raining/snowing all day Tuesday and Wednesday. While it doesn’t surprise any of us, and is actually normal for this time of year, it asks questions of when spring sports should actually start.
It will never change unless it affects the metro area and Southern Minnesota. But we are going to take a look at when they should start, because I am bored and thinking out loud for fun.
I was at an indoor track meet at Concordia College last week and almost EVERY coach I talked to was not excited to be there. As a former track participant, indoor track meets suck!
I think coaches know the indoor track meets aren’t worth the time, but it is something for the kids to compete in instead of practicing indoors, which keeps the kids happy. I am also noticing a drop-off in participants in a lot of these spring sports. Hockey, basketball, volleyball, and other sports are having several events in the spring now and that is taking some numbers away. The other is the continued crappy weather. If the temps were in the upper 60’s to low 70’s every day this time of year in Northern Minnesota you would see a big improvement in numbers. But that is not the case and makes you wonder how much longer some programs can continue to field teams without co-ops.
Baseball and softball – Why even schedule a game before April 15? Why not schedule double-headers only? The double-headers give you problems with lack of lights at several fields. And it gets cold when the sun goes down and speaking from experience, it isn’t fun.
Outdoor track – Most meets aren’t held until mid-April. A good call by track coaches up north.
Golf – most teams don’t start until mid-April, but then they have several meets a week for a month.
Boys Tennis – most start this week and it is the one sport that is the touchiest when it comes to rain. Any rain can force a postponement. As long as the courts are dry and the weather is “warm enough” they can play.
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Monday wrapped up the greatest sporting event in all of sports….March Madness (NCAA D1 Men’s Basketball tournament). There is nothing better, nothing that has more people interested in it, nothing that makes more money. The tournament accounts for over 80 percent of the money the NCAA brings in. Kansas had to win SIX games to win the championship and that is the reason why it is the toughest tournament to win.
The one thing I noticed in the game was the elite athleticism that both teams had. To be a Division 1 athlete, you have to be a freak of nature that has worked extremely hard on your skills to get where you are. But if you are not an amazing athlete or 7 feet tall, you aren’t playing D1.
I have been to a couple of Final Fours, two world series games, an NHL playoff game, several NBA playoff games, NIT playoff games, NFL playoff games, and many other big sporting events. The Final Four is still the coolest thing to go to, especially in San Antonio. But if the Gophers ever make it, I will be going and that would make it a bit better than the 1987 World Series (Game 1 and 2).
Kansas is the National Champions and it just goes to show you how silly things like Rivals, ESPN, and everybody else that does rankings of players actually is.
Final recruiting rankings of the main KU basketball rotation players:
G: Harris — No. 94
G: Ochai — No. 132
G: Braun — No. 130
F: Jalen Wilson — No. 53
C: McCormack — No. 36
B1: Remy — No. 84
B2: Lightfoot — No. 116
Only one recruit was rated in the top 50!!!
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There is a lot of Minnesota/local interest in the NCAA Frozen Four with THE University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and Minnesota State Mankato making up half of the final four teams. Everybody says how good NCHC is but who has the most teams in the Frozen Four this year? That’s right – the Big Ten! Minnesota and Michigan. They are also two schools pretty much everybody across the Nation has heard of. So it could be a decent rating grabber if Minnesota and Michigan meet in the championship. Better than MSU-Mankato vs Denver. At this point, the NCAA doesn’t care, but whoever is carrying the game on TV sure does.
The local angle is Minnesota State Mankato’s head coach, Crookston native Mike Hastings, and assistant coach Todd Knott of Red Lake Falls. A lot of Crookston Gopher fans are torn on who to root for. Let’s say, either way, Crookston and Red Lake Falls Gopher fans will be happy with whoever wins!
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For leading Minnesota State University into the 2022 Frozen Four, Mike Hastings has once again been chosen as the recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award as Division I Men’s Ice Hockey CCM/AHCA Coach of the Year by his peers.
The honor is the third for Hastings, and his second consecutive selection. He joins only three other coaches who have won this award three times: Len Ceglarski, at both Clarkson and Boston College, Charlie Holt of New Hampshire and Jack Parker of Boston University.
The 2021-22 Mavericks bring a 37-5 record into Thursday’s semifinal game (7:30 p.m. CST) against the University of Minnesota as they look for their first national championship. It is the only missing piece on the Hastings resume.
In less than a decade, Hastings has propelled the MSU program into a conference and national power. The Mavericks have played in seven NCAA tournaments, reaching the heights of the Frozen Four in 2021 and 2022. And the MacNaughton Cup has practically found a permanent home in the team’s downtown Mankato facility over that span. It should come as no surprise. After all, Hastings has never experienced a losing season as a head coach at any level.
Hastings and his Minnesota State teams have won more games over the last ten years than any other program in the country. Over that time, the Mavericks have racked up a record of 273-94-24 for a national-best .727 winning percentage. Inheriting a program that reached 20 victories just twice in its first 16 seasons as a Division I program, Hastings truly changed the culture at Minnesota State and turned the Mavericks into a consistent winner. Not only have his Mavericks won no fewer than 21 games in any of his 10 seasons, but they hit the 30-victory plateau three times, including this year where they’ve won a school-record 37 games.
In Hastings’ time at Minnesota State, the Mavericks have hoisted the MacNaughton Cup seven times in eight years (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) and have captured four league postseason tournament titles (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022). Qualifying for the NCAA tournament appearances seven times (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), Minnesota State would have qualified for a eighth if not for the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which prematurely shut down one of best seasons in team history.
The fourth coach in the history of the Maverick men’s hockey program, Hastings arrived at Minnesota State following a three-year stint as the associate head coach at Nebraska-Omaha. He also served as an assistant coach with the men’s hockey program at the University of Minnesota for one season and before that had a 14-year run as head coach of Omaha of the United States Hockey League. He left the USHL as the league’s all-time winningest coach, compiling a 529-210-56 record with the Lancers, never had a losing season and led Omaha to three Clark Cup titles as the USHL’s play-off champions. He was named USHL Coach of the Year three times and as the team’s general manager, earned league GM of the Year honors five times.
Assisting Hastings this season were Todd Knott and Paul Kirtland. The runner-up for this year’s Spencer Penrose Award was Bob Motzko of the University of Minnesota.
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The University of Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagle Men’s Basketball team received a verbal commitment from Chandler Meeks, a 6’1 guard from Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska.
Meeks is a defensive bulldog who will be NSIC ready, especially on the defensive end. Meeks had a tremendous senior year and will play in the Nebraska Coaches Association Boys Basketball All-Star game on July 25. He averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block per game this season.
Meeks was also named All-State Honorable Mention, Class A Honorable Mention, and All-Metro Conference Second team.
Westside won the conference and region championship and lost to Creighton Prep in the first round of the Nebraska State tournament.
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Last week we had a list of NSIC Men’s Basketball players in the transfer portal.
The UMC Golden Eagles had the following –
Ethan Channel (6’4 JR) (6 credits from graduating so transferring as a grad transfer since UMC doesn’t have a grad program. He was the only minor surprise on the list, but after finding out he only had six credits left, it makes more sense)
Zen Goodridge (6’7 JR) (Maybe going to Mayville State)
Dylan Hushaw (6’2 Soph)
Hunter Lyman (6’8 Fresh) (Looks to be going to Valley City State)
Jerome Mabry (6’3 Soph)
Tyrese Shines (6’3 Soph)
Brian Sitzmann (6’4 Jr) (Grad transfer)
Zach Westphal (6’2 Soph) (Grad transfer)
With that being said, here is an interesting stat on Division II transfer portal entries. Only about 25 percent actually play somewhere else in Division II.
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Congratulations to Roseau’s Tracey Wensloff, longtime Roseau Ram head baseball coach on the announcement that he will be inducted into the Minnesota Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Tracey was/is a first-class person and coach. His teams were always well-coached, had a ton of left-handed hitters, great pitchers, and were ALWAYS good. Congratulations to a great coach and an even better person on the acknowledgment!
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Congratulations to Thief River Falls’ Cody Wienen on signing to wrestle at Minnesota State Moorhead.
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The Minnesota State High School League Board of Directors meeting will meet Thursday, April 7 at 9:30 a.m. at the Minneapolis Marriot West.
The meeting agenda is below –
Pledge of Allegiance
1. Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
2. Approval of Minutes (2/3/22)
3. Individuals or Delegations on Agenda Issues*
4. Board of Directors Members’ Reports and Comments
5. Lobbyist’s Report
6. Legal Counsel’s Report
7. Executive Director’s Report
8. Executive Committee Report
9. Action Items
A. 2022-2023 Tournament Calendar
B. 2022-2023 Meeting Dates
C. Conference Placement
10. Discussion
A. Representative Assembly Amendments
B. Activity Advisory Proposals
C. Student Listening Sessions
D. NIL Policy
11. Committee Reports
A. Eligibility Committee
B. Audit/Finance Committee
C. Marketing and Communications Committee
D. Education and Leadership Committee
12. Information Items:
A. Board Officer Candidates for 2022-2023
B. Election of Board Officers – June Meeting
C. Hall of Fame: Sunday, April 24 – Marriott Northwest – Brooklyn Park
D. Board Workshop: Wednesday, May 4, 2 p.m.
E. NFHS Summer Meeting: San Antonio, TX – Tuesday, June 28 – Saturday, July 2
F. Board Recognition of Title IX Representatives
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, June 7, 2022, 9:30 a.m.
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University of Minnesota Crookston men’s golfer Connor Humble (Sr., Rosemount) was named NSIC Men’s Co-Golfer of the Week. Humble earned a top-10 finish at the Mule in Warrensburg, Missouri. April 4-5 and tied for the top NSIC individual finish.
Humble shot a three-round score of 211, with rounds of one-over par 71, and even-par 70 in the second and third rounds. He tallied eight birdies over the three rounds. He helped the Golden Eagles to a 287 in the second round, their lowest team score since 2011.
He was Co-Golfer of the Week with Brady Holland of Winona State University, who he tied for 10th with at The Mule.
The Minnesota Crookston men’s golf team finishes out the 2021-22 season at the NSIC Men’s Golf Championship in Blue Springs, Missouri. Thursday, April 14-Saturday, April 16.
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University of Minnesota Crookston hockey defenseman Casey Kallock (Sr., Alvarado, Minn.) was named ACHA Division II Central Region All-Athletic Third Team as announced by the ACHA. Kallock was selected to the ACHA Division II All-American Second Team during the 2020-21 season.
Kallock finished the 2021-22 season with 13 goals and 21 assists. Kallock anchored the defense for the second-straight season for UMN Crookston. He tallied four power-play goals for the Golden Eagles. In his career, Kallock has 19 goals and a program-high 34 assists during the ACHA Division II era.
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The new season is underway for the 11,790 student-athletes participating in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League (MNSHSCTL) this spring. Those athletes compete on the 400 high school teams from across the state that participate in the program, which is a part of the USA Clay Target League.
“We are excited to see a record number of high school teams participating this season.” said John Nelson, President of the USACTL, “There is such a high demand for outdoor activities that are an alternative to traditional sports, kudos to the coaches and parents that make these teams possible.”
The students’ 9-week season began in late March with the first of two practice weeks to get them warmed up. Weekly competition begins on the 17th of April, with a final ‘fun week’ in mid-May. The season culminates with championships held in June, and athletes with top season averages will be invited to register for the League’s National Championship held in Michigan every July. This spring, over 31,500 student athletes are participating in League programs across the country.
“Athletes of all types are able to participate in clay target shooting,” said Nelson, “The League has a ‘no benchwarmers’ philosophy, and the League’s True Team® scoring system is designed so that everyone’s score matters, not just the top athletes on a team.”
About the USA Clay Target League
With over 43,000 participating athletes in the 2021-2022 school year, the non-profit USA Clay Target League is the largest youth clay target shooting sport program in the world. The League offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, and 5-stand leagues to secondary and postsecondary schools across the country.
The League is the only 100% school-approved clay target shooting sport program in America and the League’s co-ed and adaptive nature are key attractions to schools nationwide. The League is fully Title IX compliant with both male and female athletes competing on the same team. Additionally, it’s an ‘adaptive’ sport, which allows students with physical disabilities to take part.
The League’s priorities are safety, fun, and marksmanship – in that order.
The League is the safest sport in school, with not one reported injury since the inception of the League in 2001. Each athlete must complete firearm safety certification before participation.
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JOKES
A middle-aged woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table, she had a near death experience. Seeing God, she asked, “Is my time up?”
God said, “No, you have another 43 years, two months and eight days To live.” Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a facelift, liposuction and tummy tuck. Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well look even nicer. After her Last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance.
Arriving in front of God, she demanded, “I thought you said I had another 40 years? Why didn’t you pull me out of the path of that ambulance?”
God replied, “Girl, I didn’t even recognize you.”
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A man calls home to his wife and says, “Honey I have been asked to go fishing at a big lake up in Canada with my boss and several of his friends. We’ll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me to get that promotion I’ve been wanting, so would you please pack me enough clothes for a week and set out my rod and tackle box. We’re leaving from the office and I will swing by the house to pick my things up. Oh! And please pack my new blue silk pajamas.”
The wife thinks this sounds a little fishy but being a good wife she does exactly what her husband asked. The following weekend he comes home a little tired but otherwise looking good.
The wife welcomes him home and asks if he caught many fish. He says, “Yes! Lots of Walleye, some Blue gill, and a few Pike. But why didn’t you pack my new blue silk pajamas like I asked you to do?”
The wife replies; “I did, they were in your tackle box.”
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A guy falls asleep on the beach for several hours and gets a horrible sunburn all over his body.
He goes to the hospital and is promptly admitted after being diagnosed with second-degree burns on his legs.
He was starting to blister and in pain by the time the doctor arrived. To help, the doctor prescribed an IV with saline and electrolytes, a sedative, and a Viagra pill every four hours.
The attending nurse was rather surprised by the prescription and asked, “What good will Viagra do him?”
The doctor replied, “It will keep the sheets off his legs.”
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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
Katherine Geist, a sophomore, is running track for Carleton College.
Emma Boll, a freshman, is playing softball at Northwestern University in St. Paul.
Emma Borowicz is a freshman running track at Minnesota State Mankato.
Ben Trostad is a senior playing Men’s Golf at UMC.
Kaleb Thingelstad is a freshman playing golf at Kansas Wesleyan University. KWU is done for the fall season.
Joslynn Leach is a freshman playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brady Butt is a sophomore playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Rachel Hefta, is a junior playing volleyball at Hastings College in Nebraska.
Ty Hamre is playing football at Bemidji State University.
Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Germany, for Düsseldorf EG.
Gretchen Theis is a sophomore at NDSU on the Equestrian team.
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.
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
Kaylee Desrosier is a softball coach for Fargo Davies Middle School.
Josh Edlund is an assistant 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 Thief River Falls High School
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 in New York.
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.
The post SPORTS FEEVER – April 7, 2022 appeared first on KROX.
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