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SPORTS FEEVER – March 30, 2023

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

 

— — —

I found out the Park Rapids Panther Football program will be dropping from Class AAA down to Class AA next year after an appeal filed by Park Rapids A.D. Jeremy Nordick. First of all, that is great for Park Rapids. I am hoping they are in Section 8AA, and always loved the friendly rivalry between Crookston and Park Rapids in football.
I asked Jeremy for more information, and this is what we had to say.

We are excited about the opportunity to compete at the AA level. The appeal was quite the process the last few weeks which involved a lot of research, data, and facts.
In looking at many of the area schools, especially the teams we annually compete against. We are completely overmatched in many key categories and have been for years.
The data I can’t post, due to confidentiality, but we are pleased that the MSHSL Advisory Board was willing to listen to our situation. We thank them for their understanding, and we are extremely excited that we are able to compete on a level playing field.
We aren’t sure where this will put us as far as Section play. I could see us geographically in 6AA or 8AA. According to the MSHSL timeline, that will get configured in the next two weeks.
Then District placement is the last week of May.

Thank you, Jeremy! Great job on doing what is right for your program. As soon as the MSHSL makes the announcement on the realignment for all sports, KROX will have the info on our website, and we will break it down in this column too.

— — —

Senator Mary Kunesh, (a democrat from New Brighton – I dont think I have to list Democrat, that is pretty much a given in a case like this) has introduced Senate File 548, which would prohibit the use or adoption of a name or image that refers to an American Indian tribe as a mascot. The bill does allow school districts to request an exemption through a written request to the Tribal Nations Education Committee and the Indian Affairs Council.

Other bills, like Senate File 619, House File 1875 and House File 1269, the House education omnibus bill, all have sections similar to Kuneshs bill. In each bill, school districts can be granted exemptions by either the Tribal Nations Education Committee and the Indians Affairs Council or all 11 federally recognized tribal nations in Minnesota and the Tribal Nations Education Committee.

Other co-sponsors or others that have introduced similar bills include – Rep. Laurie Pryor (D-Minnetonka); Rep. Heather Keeler (D-Moorhead); Rep. Hodan Hassan (D-Minneapolis); Rep. Kim Hicks (D-Rochester), and Rep. Greg Davids (D-Preston).

I have reached out to Warroad Boys Hockey Coach Jay Hardwick via email and haven’t heard back from him on his thoughts as he has posted some things on Twitter. If I hear back from him, I will share it on the column.

— — —

Springs Sports practices are underway and we have a list of the participants for each Crookston Pirate sport.

Pirate Girls Golf (22 out 7-12 – up 6 from last year)
Seniors Grace Fischer, Hannah Brouse
Juniors Cassie Solheim, Morgan Nelson, Coral Brekken
Sophomores Addie Fee, Paige Abrahamson, Kaylie Clauson, Georgia Sanders
Freshman Taylor Wieland, Lucy Smith, Taylor Schulz, Halle Nicholas, Ava Martin, Emelia Hoerner, Madelyn Anderson, Emma LaPlante
8th graders None
7th graders Grace Boll, Alyssa Johnson, Lilli Bridgeford, Abigail Bruley, Sylvia Christensen

Pirate Girls Track (31 out 7-12 – down 9 from last year)
Seniors (4) Libbie Salentine, Katelynn Schulz, Carly Thode, Brianna Wardner
Juniors (5) Emma Gunderson, Marissa Haugen, Isabelle Smith, Cassie Solheim, Halle Winjum
Sophomores (5) Maddie Harbott, Naomi Johnson, Carley Knutson, Mariah Overgaard, Tessa Weber
Freshman (5) Ashlyn Bailey, Chloe Boll, Sam Memengwaa, Kamryn Proulx, ZiiZi Sam
8th grade (6) Rylee Anderson, Aubrey Bartrum, Teagan Fanfulik, Alaina Goelzer, Jaleianie Hebert, Katie Seaver
7th graders (6) Kylah Boman, Grace Boll, Alexis Durham, Nora Groven, Maddie Hanson, Alyssa Johnson

Pirate Boys Track (17 out 7-12 – down 2 from last year)
Senior (1) Thor Harbott
Juniors (2) Caden Boike, Javen Lund
Sophomores (2) Rylan Lubarski, Jayden Mulvey
Freshman (8) Jeremiah Durden, Dereon Dyson-Roberts, Kahnen Hansen, Wyatt Marsyla, Ciaran Mulvey, Lennon Prudhomme, Alejandro Rodriguez, Makoti Weber
8th grade (1) Aaron Gosse
7th graders (3) Jackson Caputo, Erik Pruneda, Gavin Reitmeier

Crookston Pirate Baseball (37 out 7-12 – added 3 from last year)
Seniors (6) – Ethan Boll, Jack Doda, George Widman, Jackson Demarais, Alex Longoria, Tanner Giese
Juniors (4) – Blake Melsa, Lucas Miller, Carter Coauette, Evin Trudeau
Sophomores (4) – Teagen Lubinski, Matt Contreras, Parker Kelly, Conner Hanson
Freshman (11) Gavyn Hlucny, Lucas Perala, Jay Reese, Tarek Siegle, Brady Chandler, Greyson Ecker, Nolan Cassavant, Cody Demarais, Tony Elbinger, Carter Fee, Isaiah Donarski
8th graders (3) – Austin Lund, Jaron Knutson, Ethan Lanctot
7th graders (9) – Gabe Perala, Mauricio Arriaga, Cam Martin Jax Frederick, Erik Pruneda, Josiah Herberg, Sam Tappe, Kolton Bahrenfuss, Thomas McEndree

— — —

The Minnesota Boys Basketball Coaches Association has announced the Senior All-Star game rosters, and some names from northwest Minnesota are on the teams.

Soren Anderson of Perham
Owen Leach of DGF
Adam Jenkins of Moorhead

And Coaching the Green team is Greg Garmen of Crookston and Keith Pearson of Fergus Falls.

— — —

The Minnesota Boys Basketball Coaches Association has released the Class A and AA Academic All-State team. Area players making the team are below

Dante Frank of Blackduck
Tate Inniger of Barnesville
William McGlynn of Stephen-Argyle
Cullen Norland of Fosston
Jack Rosendahl of TRF
Micah Thompson of Perham

— — —

The Heart OLakes Conference has announced the Boys Basketball all-conference award winners.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Owen Leach, Drew Sheely
Perham Micah Thompson, Soren Anderson, Alex Ohm
Hawley Sam Senske, Brevin Stoa
Barnesville Tate Inniger, Gannon Bolgrean, Zach Bredman
Pelican Rapids Ian Fahje, Charlie Larson
Breckenridge Landon Blaufuss, Alex Sanchez
Frazee Carter Sonnenberg

HOL MVP Owen Leach (DGF)

— — —

It is good to see the Roseau Ram wrestling program is having a lot of success. Roseau has had a tough couple of years on the varsity side, but the varsity team was full of solid young wrestlers, and now the youth team is having tremendous success.

This past weekend, Roseau’s youth wrestling team qualified for the Minnesota State Youth Wrestling tournament to be held in Rochester. This is the second year in a row that Roseau has qualified for team state. Roseau will begin first-round action at 3:30, Thursday afternoon at the Rochester Civic Center.

— — —

Crookston Pirate Basketball will hold a Spring Shooting Camp for Crookston Public, Private, and home-schooled students in 2nd through 6th grade. The camp will be held April 4, 5, 11, and 12.

Grades 2-4 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 5-6 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Pre-registration is required. Student name, parent name, school, grade, and phone number. Send registration to darinzimmerman@isd593.org.

— — —

The Crookston Youth Soccer Association will have spring soccer from May 4-30 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The schedule for each age group is below –
Pre-K 5:00 to 5:45 p.m.
Kindergarten 5:00 to 5:45 p.m.
Grades 1-2 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 3-4 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Grades 5-6 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The cost is $30 per participant and the CYSA intends to provide a soccer ball for each kid. Pre-registration is required. The registration form is available below, and you can return the registration form and payment at Crookston City Hall. Or mail it to –
Crookston City Hall
Attn: Andrea
124 North Broadway
Crookston MN 56716

If you have any questions call Coach Sarah Reese at 218-349-0457. There is also a need for parent coaches. No experience is necessary.

— — —

LACE EM UP BASKETBALL CAMP

Make plans now to attend the 28th annual Lace em Up basketball camp to be held in Red Lake Falls high school at the Robert Matzke Gym from June 5-8, 2023.

The camp is open to any boys or girls who are currently in grades K-10. The camp is set up to run from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 for grades 5-10 (grade they were in this past school year) each morning, and from 12:30 until 3:00 p.m. for grades K-4 (grade they were in this past school year). The cost of the camp is $70 with a maximum cost per family of $100. If you register before May 22, you will also receive a camp T-shirt. After May 22, ALL SINGLE REGISTRATION FEES WILL BE $80 AND THE MAXIMUM COST PER FAMILY WILL BE $120, DUE TO CAMP PREPARATION AND AWARD ORDERS.

Cut on the dotted line and return the following to: Steve Philion, 518 Champagne Ave., Red Lake Falls, MN 56750. (cell: 218-686-3608) (home: 218-253-2499). E-mail: sphilion@rlfedu.org

Make checks payable to: Lace em Up Basketball Camp

If anyone needs help with the cost of the camp, let Mr. Philion know as we have people who have offered to cover costs for kids that need financial help.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Name____________________________________
Grade in 2022-2023________________ (GRADE JUST COMPLETED)

T-shirt sizes: Please circle one:
Youth sizes: EXTRA SMALL SMALL MEDIUM LARGE
Adult sizes: SMALL MEDIUM LARGE X-LARGE XX-LARGE

Address:________________________________________________

MALE____________ FEMALE____________

I, the parent of the above student agree to allow my child to participate in the 2023 Lace em Up basketball camp in Red Lake Falls. I also understand that the camp director, the City of RLF, and the RLF school district are not responsible for any injuries, accidents, or COVID that my child might incur.

SIGNATURE OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN:______________________________

Emergency cell number of parent or guardian:____________________________

— — —

JOKES

A manager at Wal-Mart had the task of hiring someone to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of 20 resumes, she found four people who were equally qualified. Jennifer decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job.
The day came, and as the four sat around the conference room table, Jennifer asked, ‘What is the fastest thing you know of?
The first man replied, ‘A THOUGHT.’ It just pops into your head. There’s no warning.’ That’s very good!’ replied Jennifer.
‘And, now you sir?’ she asked the second man. Hmmm .. let me see. ‘A blink! It comes and goes, and you don’t know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of. ”Excellent!’ said Jennifer. ‘The blink of an eye, that’s a very popular clich for speed.
She then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. ‘Well, out at my dad’s ranch, you step out of the house, and on the wall, there’s a light switch. When you flip that switch way out across the pasture, the light on the barn comes on in less than an instant. ‘Yip, TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of. Jennifer was very impressed with the third answer and thought she had found her man. ‘It ‘s hard to beat the speed of light,’ she said.
Turning to Bubba, the fourth and final man, Jennifer posed the same question. Old Bubba replied, ‘After hearing the previous three answers, it’s obvious to me that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA. ”WHAT!?’ said Jennifer, stunned by the response. ‘Oh sure,’ said BUBBA. ‘You see, the other day I wasn’t feeling so good, and I ran for the bathroom, but before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, I had already crapped my pants.
‘BUBBA is now the new greeter at a Wal-Mart near you! You probably will think of this every time you enter a Wal-Mart from now on.

— — —

It is World Piano Day!

A man walks into a bar with a small dog under his arm and sits down at the counter, placing the dog on the stool next to him. The bartender says, “Sorry, pal. No dogs allowed.”

The man says, “But this is a special dog he plays the piano!”

The bartender replies, “Well, if he can play that piano, you both can stay… and have a drink on the house!”

So the man puts the dog on the piano stool, and the dog starts playing. Ragtime, Mozart… and then he plays some rock ‘n’ roll. The bartender and patrons are amazed.

Suddenly, a bigger dog runs in, grabs the small dog by the scruff of the neck, and drags him out. The bartender asks the man, “What was that all about?”

The man replies, “Oh, that was his mother. She wanted him to be a doctor.”

— — —

Jack, a handsome man, walked into a sports bar around 9:58 pm. He sat down next to this blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV…

The 10:00 news was on. The news crew was covering a story of a man on a ledge of a large building preparing to jump. The blonde looked at Jack and said, ‘Do you think he’ll jump?’ Jack says, ‘You know what, I bet he will.’ The blonde replied, ‘Well, I bet he won’t.’ Jack placed $30 on the bar and said, ‘You’re on!’

Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off of the building, falling to his death. The blonde was very upset and handed her $30 to Jack, saying, ‘Fair’s fair… Here’s your money.’ Jack replied, ‘I can’t take your money, I saw this earlier on the 5 o’clock news and knew he would jump.

‘The blonde replies, ‘I did too; but I didn’t think he’d do it again.’ Jack took the money.

— — —

How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST. Email me atchrisjfee@yahoo.com

Breanna Kressin is a Freshman on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.

Emma Osbornis a freshman playing basketball at Northland Technical and Community College in Thief River Falls.

Jacey Larsonis a freshman playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.

Olivia Huckis a freshman playing soccer at Minnesota State Moorhead.

Aleah Bienekis a freshman playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.

Elise Tangquistis the Assistant Girls Volleyball and Assistant Girls Golf Coach this year at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.

Kaleb Thingelstad is a sophomore playing golf at Dakota Wesleyan.

Joslynn Leachis a sophomore playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.

Brady Buttis a Junior playing football at the University of Jamestown.

Ty Hamreis playing football at Bemidji State University.

Paul Bittneris playing professional hockey in Norway.

Kate MacGregoris senior swimming at Minnesota State Moorhead.

Aleece Durbinis a Junior on the University of North Dakota Womens Track and Field team.

Nick Garmenis a junior playing tennis at the University of Minnesota Morris.

Elizabeth Erdmanis a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.

Crookston School District Coaches
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Emily Meyeris the Pirate head girls hockey coach and softball assistant coach.
Lacia Hansonis the Junior High softball coach.
Jeremy Lubinskiis a Pirate 8th Grade Football coach.
Amy Bollis the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reeseis the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Cody Brekkenis the Crookston Community Pool Supervisor
Marley Melbyeis the Head Girls Swimming coach
Brock Hansonis a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Ben Halosis a Pirate Baseball assistant coach.
Alex LaFranceis a Pirate Baseball volunteer assistant coach.
Jeff Perreaultis the Pirate Girls Golf head coach
Wes Hansonis the Pirate Wrestling Head Coach and assistant boys golf coach
Kevin Weberis a Pirate Boys Basketball volunteer assistant coach
Connor Morganis the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Sam Melbyeis the Pirate Boys J.V. Hockey coach
Chris Dufaultis a youth wrestling Coach
Colton Weilandis an assistant 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 Sommerfeldis an Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Communication at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.

Collin Reynoldsis the head baseball coach for the University of Colorado Buffalo Club Baseball team.

Trent Stahleckeris a School Security Specialist & he works for the Brevard Public Schools, Florida.

Cody Weilandis an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown.

Josh Edlundis the head football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.

Allison Lindsey Axnessis Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coachat Champlin Park

Jeff Olsonis the Head Wrestling Coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.

Jake Olsonis an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.

Katy Westromis the Head Girls Tennis Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Monticello High School.

Matt Harrisis an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Marty Bratrudis the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.

Gordie Haugis an assistant football coach at the University of Wyoming.

Mike Hastingsis the Minnesota State Mankato Mens head Hockey coach.

Mike Biermaieris the Athletic Director at Grand Forks Schools.

Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreaultworks with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football, volleyball, and basketball in the winter. Stephanies husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for Bison media relations.

Jason Bushieis the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College.

Chris Myroldis the Director and Fitness at Mission Ranch and Fitness in Camel, California.

Kyle Buchmeieris 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 Butenhoffis serving our country with the U.S. Navy.

Joshua Butenhoffis serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.

Peter Courniais a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and a grad of West Point and currently serving in the U.S. Army.

Erik Ellingsonis 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 Sobolikis the General Manager of the Fargodome

Thats it for this week. Thanks for the comments, and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mailchrisjfee@yahoo.comor call. Thanks for reading and listening toKROX RADIOand kroxam.com.

 

The post SPORTS FEEVER – March 30, 2023 appeared first on KROX.

Posted on

SPORTS FEEVER – March 30, 2023

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

 

— — —

I found out the Park Rapids Panther Football program will be dropping from Class AAA down to Class AA next year after an appeal filed by Park Rapids A.D. Jeremy Nordick.  First of all, that is great for Park Rapids.  I am hoping they are in Section 8AA, and always loved the friendly rivalry between Crookston and Park Rapids in football.
I asked Jeremy for more information, and this is what we had to say.

We are excited about the opportunity to compete at the AA level. The appeal was quite the process the last few weeks which involved a lot of research, data, and facts. 
In looking at many of the area schools, especially the teams we annually compete against. We are completely overmatched in many key categories and have been for years. 
The data I can’t post, due to confidentiality, but we are pleased that the MSHSL Advisory Board was willing to listen to our situation. We thank them for their understanding, and we are extremely excited that we are able to compete on a level playing field. 
We aren’t sure where this will put us as far as Section play. I could see us geographically in 6AA or 8AA. According to the MSHSL timeline, that will get configured in the next two weeks.
Then District placement is the last week of May. 

Thank you, Jeremy!  Great job on doing what is right for your program.  As soon as the MSHSL makes the announcement on the realignment for all sports, KROX will have the info on our website, and we will break it down in this column too.

— — —

Senator Mary Kunesh, (a democrat from New Brighton – I don’t think I have to list Democrat, that is pretty much a given in a case like this) has introduced Senate File 548, which would prohibit the use or adoption of a name or image that refers to an American Indian tribe as a mascot. The bill does allow school districts to request an exemption through a written request to the Tribal Nations Education Committee and the Indian Affairs Council.

Other bills, like Senate File 619, House File 1875 and House File 1269, the House education omnibus bill, all have sections similar to Kunesh’s bill. In each bill, school districts can be granted exemptions by either the Tribal Nations Education Committee and the Indians Affairs Council or all 11 federally recognized tribal nations in Minnesota and the Tribal Nations Education Committee.

Other co-sponsors or others that have introduced similar bills include – Rep. Laurie Pryor (D-Minnetonka); Rep. Heather Keeler (D-Moorhead); Rep. Hodan Hassan (D-Minneapolis); Rep. Kim Hicks (D-Rochester), and Rep. Greg Davids (D-Preston).

I have reached out to Warroad Boys Hockey Coach Jay Hardwick via email and haven’t heard back from him on his thoughts as he has posted some things on Twitter.  If I hear back from him, I will share it on the column.

— — —

Springs Sports practices are underway and we have a list of the participants for each Crookston Pirate sport.

Pirate Girls Golf – (22 out 7-12 – up 6 from last year)
Seniors – Grace Fischer, Hannah Brouse
Juniors – Cassie Solheim, Morgan Nelson, Coral Brekken
Sophomores – Addie Fee, Paige Abrahamson, Kaylie Clauson, Georgia Sanders
Freshman – Taylor Wieland, Lucy Smith, Taylor Schulz, Halle Nicholas, Ava Martin, Emelia Hoerner, Madelyn Anderson, Emma LaPlante
8th graders – None
7th graders – Grace Boll, Alyssa Johnson, Lilli Bridgeford, Abigail Bruley, Sylvia Christensen

Pirate Girls Track (31 out 7-12 – down 9 from last year)
Seniors (4)– Libbie Salentine, Katelynn Schulz, Carly Thode, Brianna Wardner
Juniors – (5) Emma Gunderson, Marissa Haugen, Isabelle Smith, Cassie Solheim, Halle Winjum
Sophomores (5) – Maddie Harbott, Naomi Johnson, Carley Knutson, Mariah Overgaard, Tessa Weber
Freshman (5) – Ashlyn Bailey, Chloe Boll, Sam Memengwaa, Kamryn Proulx, ZiiZi Sam
8th grade – (6) Rylee Anderson, Aubrey Bartrum, Teagan Fanfulik, Alaina Goelzer, Jaleianie Hebert, Katie Seaver
7th graders – (6) Kylah Boman, Grace Boll, Alexis Durham, Nora Groven, Maddie Hanson, Alyssa Johnson

Pirate Boys Track  (17 out 7-12 – down 2 from last year)
Senior (1) – Thor Harbott
Juniors (2) – Caden Boike, Javen Lund
Sophomores (2) – Rylan Lubarski, Jayden Mulvey
Freshman (8)– Jeremiah Durden, Dereon Dyson-Roberts, Kahnen Hansen, Wyatt Marsyla, Ciaran Mulvey, Lennon Prudhomme, Alejandro Rodriguez, Makoti Weber
8th grade (1) – Aaron Gosse
7th graders (3) – Jackson Caputo, Erik Pruneda, Gavin Reitmeier

Crookston Pirate Baseball  (37 out 7-12 – added 3 from last year)
Seniors (6) – Ethan Boll, Jack Doda, George Widman, Jackson Demarais, Alex Longoria, Tanner Giese
Juniors (4) – Blake Melsa, Lucas Miller, Carter Coauette, Evin Trudeau
Sophomores (4) – Teagen Lubinski, Matt Contreras, Parker Kelly, Conner Hanson
Freshman (11) Gavyn Hlucny, Lucas Perala, Jay Reese, Tarek Siegle, Brady Chandler, Greyson Ecker, Nolan Cassavant, Cody Demarais, Tony Elbinger, Carter Fee, Isaiah Donarski
8th graders (3) – Austin Lund, Jaron Knutson, Ethan Lanctot
7th graders (9) – Gabe Perala, Mauricio Arriaga, Cam Martin Jax Frederick, Erik Pruneda, Josiah Herberg, Sam Tappe, Kolton Bahrenfuss, Thomas McEndree

— — —

The Minnesota Boys Basketball Coaches Association has announced the Senior All-Star game rosters, and some names from northwest Minnesota are on the teams.

Soren Anderson of Perham
Owen Leach of DGF
Adam Jenkins of Moorhead

And Coaching the Green team is Greg Garmen of Crookston and Keith Pearson of Fergus Falls.

— — —

The Minnesota Boys Basketball Coaches Association has released the Class A and AA Academic All-State team.  Area players making the team are below –

Dante Frank of Blackduck
Tate Inniger of Barnesville
William McGlynn of Stephen-Argyle
Cullen Norland of Fosston
Jack Rosendahl of TRF
Micah Thompson of Perham

— — —

The Heart O’Lakes Conference has announced the Boys Basketball all-conference award winners.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton – Owen Leach, Drew Sheely
Perham – Micah Thompson, Soren Anderson, Alex Ohm
Hawley – Sam Senske, Brevin Stoa
Barnesville – Tate Inniger, Gannon Bolgrean, Zach Bredman
Pelican Rapids – Ian Fahje, Charlie Larson
Breckenridge – Landon Blaufuss, Alex Sanchez
Frazee – Carter Sonnenberg

HOL MVP – Owen Leach (DGF)

— — —

It is good to see the Roseau Ram wrestling program is having a lot of success.  Roseau has had a tough couple of years on the varsity side, but the varsity team was full of solid young wrestlers, and now the youth team is having tremendous success.

This past weekend, Roseau’s youth wrestling team qualified for the Minnesota State Youth Wrestling tournament to be held in Rochester.  This is the second year in a row that Roseau has qualified for team state.  Roseau will begin first-round action at 3:30, Thursday afternoon at the Rochester Civic Center.

— — —

Crookston Pirate Basketball will hold a Spring Shooting Camp for Crookston Public, Private, and home-schooled students in 2nd through 6th grade.  The camp will be held April 4, 5, 11, and 12.

Grades 2-4 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 5-6 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Pre-registration is required.  Student name, parent name, school, grade, and phone number.  Send registration to darinzimmerman@isd593.org.

— — —

The Crookston Youth Soccer Association will have spring soccer from May 4-30 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

The schedule for each age group is below –
Pre-K – 5:00 to 5:45 p.m.
Kindergarten – 5:00 to 5:45 p.m.
Grades 1-2 – 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 3-4 – 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Grades 5-6 – 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The cost is $30 per participant and the CYSA intends to provide a soccer ball for each kid.  Pre-registration is required.  The registration form is available below, and you can return the registration form and payment at Crookston City Hall.  Or mail it to –
Crookston City Hall
Attn: Andrea
124 North Broadway
Crookston MN 56716

If you have any questions call Coach Sarah Reese at 218-349-0457.  There is also a need for parent coaches.  No experience is necessary.

— — —

“LACE ‘EM UP” BASKETBALL CAMP

Make plans now to attend the 28th annual “Lace ‘em Up” basketball camp to be held in Red Lake Falls high school at the Robert Matzke Gym from June 5-8, 2023.

The camp is open to any boys or girls who are currently in grades K-10.  The camp is set up to run from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 for grades 5-10 (grade they were in this past school year) each morning, and from 12:30 until 3:00 p.m. for grades K-4 (grade they were in this past school year).  The cost of the camp is $70 with a maximum cost per family of $100.  If you register before May 22,  you will also receive a camp T-shirt.  After May 22, ALL SINGLE REGISTRATION FEES WILL BE $80 AND THE MAXIMUM COST PER FAMILY WILL BE $120, DUE TO CAMP PREPARATION AND AWARD ORDERS.

Cut on the dotted line and return the following to: Steve Philion, 518 Champagne Ave., Red Lake Falls, MN 56750. (cell:  218-686-3608) (home: 218-253-2499). E-mail: sphilion@rlfedu.org

Make checks payable to: Lace ‘em Up Basketball Camp

If anyone needs help with the cost of the camp, let Mr. Philion know as we have people who have offered to cover costs for kids that need financial help.

_    _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _

Name____________________________________
Grade in 2022-2023________________ (GRADE JUST COMPLETED)

T-shirt sizes:     Please circle one:
Youth sizes:       EXTRA SMALL    SMALL    MEDIUM    LARGE
Adult sizes:        SMALL   MEDIUM   LARGE   X-LARGE    XX-LARGE

Address:________________________________________________

MALE____________              FEMALE____________

I, the parent of the above student agree to allow my child to participate in the 2023 “Lace ‘em Up” basketball camp in Red Lake Falls.  I also understand that the camp director, the City of RLF, and the RLF school district are not responsible for any injuries, accidents, or COVID that my child might incur.

SIGNATURE OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN:______________________________

Emergency cell number of parent or guardian:____________________________

— — —

JOKES

A manager at Wal-Mart had the task of hiring someone to fill a job opening. After sorting through a stack of 20 resumes, she found four people who were equally qualified. Jennifer decided to call the four in and ask them only one question. Their answer would determine which of them would get the job.
The day came, and as the four sat around the conference room table, Jennifer asked, ‘What is the fastest thing you know of?’
The first man replied, ‘A THOUGHT.’ It just pops into your head. There’s no warning.’ That’s very good!’ replied Jennifer.
‘And, now you sir?’ she asked the second man. ‘Hmmm ….. let me see. ‘A blink! It comes and goes, and you don’t know that it ever happened. A BLINK is the fastest thing I know of. ”Excellent!’ said Jennifer. ‘The blink of an eye, that’s a very popular cliché for speed.’
She then turned to the third man, who was contemplating his reply. ‘Well, out at my dad’s ranch, you step out of the house, and on the wall, there’s a light switch.  When you flip that switch way out across the pasture, the light on the barn comes on in less than an instant. ‘Yip, TURNING ON A LIGHT is the fastest thing I can think of’.  Jennifer was very impressed with the third answer and thought she had found her man. ‘It ‘s hard to beat the speed of light,’ she said.
Turning to Bubba, the fourth and final man, Jennifer posed the same question. Old Bubba replied, ‘After hearing the previous three answers, it’s obvious to me that the fastest thing known is DIARRHEA. ”WHAT!?’ said Jennifer, stunned by the response. ‘Oh sure,’ said BUBBA. ‘You see, the other day I wasn’t feeling so good, and I ran for the bathroom, but before I could THINK, BLINK, or TURN ON THE LIGHT, I had already crapped my pants.
‘BUBBA is now the new greeter at a Wal-Mart near you! You probably will think of this every time you enter a Wal-Mart from now on.

— — —

It is World Piano Day!

A man walks into a bar with a small dog under his arm and sits down at the counter, placing the dog on the stool next to him. The bartender says, “Sorry, pal. No dogs allowed.”

The man says, “But this is a special dog – he plays the piano!”

The bartender replies, “Well, if he can play that piano, you both can stay… and have a drink on the house!”

So the man puts the dog on the piano stool, and the dog starts playing. Ragtime, Mozart… and then he plays some rock ‘n’ roll. The bartender and patrons are amazed.

Suddenly, a bigger dog runs in, grabs the small dog by the scruff of the neck, and drags him out. The bartender asks the man, “What was that all about?”

The man replies, “Oh, that was his mother. She wanted him to be a doctor.”

— — —

Jack, a handsome man, walked into a sports bar around 9:58 pm. He sat down next to this blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV…

The 10:00 news was on. The news crew was covering a story of a man on a ledge of a large building preparing to jump. The blonde looked at Jack and said, ‘Do you think he’ll jump?’ Jack says, ‘You know what, I bet he will.’ The blonde replied, ‘Well, I bet he won’t.’ Jack placed $30 on the bar and said, ‘You’re on!’

Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy did a swan dive off of the building, falling to his death. The blonde was very upset and handed her $30 to Jack, saying, ‘Fair’s fair… Here’s your money.’ Jack replied, ‘I can’t take your money, I saw this earlier on the 5 o’clock news and knew he would jump.

‘The blonde replies, ‘I did too; but I didn’t think he’d do it again.’ Jack took the money.

— — —

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

Breanna Kressin is a Freshman on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.

Emma Osborn is a freshman playing basketball at Northland Technical and Community College in Thief River Falls.

Jacey Larson is a freshman playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.

Olivia Huck is a freshman playing soccer at Minnesota State Moorhead.

Aleah Bienek is a freshman playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.

Elise Tangquist is the Assistant Girl’s Volleyball and Assistant Girl’s Golf Coach this year at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove.

Kaleb Thingelstad is a sophomore playing golf at Dakota 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.

Paul Bittner is playing professional hockey in Norway.

Kate MacGregor is 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 –
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
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/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 is the Head Girl’s 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, 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.

 

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CROOKSTON SCHOOL BOARD SELECTS RANDY BERGQUIST AS NEXT SUPERINTENDENT

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The Crookston School Board interviewed five candidates for the next Crookston School District Superintendent on Tuesday to replace the retiring Dave Kuehn.

After the five interviews, the board took input from staff and community members that also attended the interviews and narrowed it down to three candidates before unanimously selecting current Osakis School District Superintendent Randy Bergquist as the next Crookston School District Superintendent.  Bergquist is married and has three children, and looks forward to taking the job in Crookston.  “He accepted the job, and we will have a special board meeting on Monday afternoon,” said Crookston School Board Chair Frank Fee. 

“Randy impressed us last night at the interview.  He is a collaborative leader and involves his staff as well as the community,” said Crookston School Board member Mike Thies.  “We received a lot of feedback from the community that he was at events, is involved, and was a volunteer fireman. The biggest thing that separated Randy was the feedback we got from all levels of staff (at Osakis) was extraordinary.” 

KROX talked with Bergquist, and the full interview is below.


 

 

 

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POLK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE ARCHITECT FEES FOR JUSTICE CENTER PROJECTS

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The Polk County Board of Commissioners met earlier this week inside the Polk County Government Center. Commissioner Mark Holy was absent from the meeting. A large portion of the meeting was spent with the board hearing various topics from Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting.

APPROVAL OF ARCHITECT’S FEES FOR JUSTICE CENTER PROJECTS

Whiting first came before the board asking for the approval of architect fees for ICON Architecture for the re-roofing and a new boiler at the Polk County Justice Center. Polk County Facilities Director Rick Langlois joined Whiting and explained why the new boiler is being added and why the scope of the project has changed. “We’re looking at this for a couple of reasons but the biggest is probably that it would be energy saving,” said Langlois. “These new boilers are much more energy efficient and we’re going to size them in such a way that we can utilize the full capacity of it. We’re looking towards heating a domestic water system as well as a hot water system and these new efficient boilers would be utilized 100% in doing that.”

The board approved the request, and the total cost is $92,500.

APPROVAL OF SOCIAL SERVICES MANAGER DESCRIPTION

Whiting then asked the board to consider approving a position description for a Social Services Manager. “We’ve actually already hired for this position,” said Whiting. “This is an updated version of the job title and job description which is slightly different than it was before. We use the State’s Merit System and according to their qualifications the description needed to be different for this kind of position. We had to bring it before the board again so they could approve it now that we’ve modified it.”

The board approved the item unanimously and the position will be directly under Social Services Director Karen Warmack.

PURCHASE OF CUSTOMIZED ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS

Whiting then spoke on behalf of Jon Steiner and Environmental Services asking the board to approve the purchase of one ash roll-off container, and one insulated roll-off container from H&S Manufacturing Inc of Stephen for a total amount of $30,200. “We cycle through roll-off containers for a couple of reasons. As time goes on, they acquire quite a bit of wear,” said Whiting. “One of the roll-offs we’re purchasing is insulted because the garbage can be very wet and during the winter it freezes, and it becomes difficult to get the material out. The other one is specialized so it can withstand the ash that comes out of the incinerator. As time goes on, that puts a lot of wear on that metal material, however, so it’s important that we cycle through and get new ones.”

The board approved the purchases unanimously.

SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE 2020 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

The last item Whiting presented to the board was setting a date for a public hearing on modifications to the 2020 Capital Improvement Plan. “We had a Capital Improvements Bond in 2020 for a series of projects and we have since decided not to proceed forward with a couple of them,” said Whiting. “So we have some money left over and we want to use those bonding funds and couple them with a later bond to help pay for improvements that are coming to the Justice Center this year.”

Because of this, the board needs to hold another public hearing on the use of the funds. The board approved the motion, and the public hearing is set for Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. inside the Polk County Government Center.

The next Polk County Board of Commissioners meeting will be on Tuesday, April 4 at 8:00 a.m. inside the Polk County Government Center.

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PIRATE BASKETBALL TO HOST YOUTH SPRING SHOOTING CLINIC

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Crookston Pirate Basketball will hold a Spring Shooting Camp for Crookston Public, Private, and home-schooled students in 2nd through 6th grade.  The camp will be held on April 4, 5, 11, and 12. 

Grades 2-4 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 5-6 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Pre-registration is required.  Student name, parent name, school, grade, and phone number.  Send registration to darinzimmerman@isd593.org.

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CFD HOSTS RETIREMENT PARTY FOR FIREFIGHTER BOB MAGSAM AFTER 24 YEARS OF SERVICE

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The Crookston Fire Department held a retirement party this afternoon for Firefighter Bob Magsam after 24 years of service with the Crookston Fire Department and the Crookston Firefighters Association. Cupcakes and snacks were provided at the Crookston Fire Hall and many came to wish Bob well and thank him for all his years of service. Pictures from the afternoon are below.

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SCRUFFY TAILS PET OF THE WEEK – ZEVA

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There are a few new faces at Scruffy Tails Humane Society in search of a new home including sweet Zeva. Zeva is sure to strike your attention with her elegant ivory and gray coat and bright blue eyes. Zeva has slowly begun to blossom out of her shell since her arrival and has proven to be a very polite young lady. Zeva absolutely loves going for long walks and bouncing around in the deep snow (we’re glad at least someone is enjoying this endless winter). When she’s not outside she can be found curled up in her kennel napping the day away patiently awaiting her next adventure. Zeva would love for you to come meet her so she can take you on her next adventure! Come meet Zeva Monday through Saturday from 3-6 PM.

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MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

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If you think only older people get colorectal (which includes colon and rectal cancer) cancer, you may want to think again. In truth, colorectal cancer is affecting more and more young adults. According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer rates for people under age 50 have increased by 1 to 2% each year since 1990. Therefore, the recommended age for screening was lowered to 45 from 50 in 2021.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and a great time to be screened. At RiverView Health, general surgeons Dr. Brett Vibeto and Dr. Huy Nguyen and gastroenterologist Dr. Max Miranda offer colonoscopy and other screenings to find precancerous polyps — abnormal growths — that can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening also helps find colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best. Colorectal cancer screening saves lives.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every five deaths in the United States is due to cancer. In 2019, the latest year for which incidence data are available, in the United States, 142,462 new cases of colorectal cancer were reported, and 51,896 people died of this cancer. Statistics show that if everyone 45 and older were screened regularly, as many as half of the deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided. 

The risk of getting colorectal cancer increases with age as polyps become more common. Other factors that increase your risk include having a diet that is low in fiber and high in fat and having a sedentary lifestyle. Men and women are equally affected by colorectal cancer.

Your primary care provider may advise you to be screened earlier if you have afamily history of colorectal cancer or polyps or have a personal history of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease. Several inherited disorders greatly increase your risk of colorectal cancer.

Symptom-Free? Screen Anyway
Just because you do not have any symptoms, it does not mean you are in the clear for colorectal cancer. Precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer do not always cause symptoms, especially initially. You could have polyps or cancer and not know it. That is why screening is so important. 

Some symptoms that may indicate colorectal cancer include: 

  • Rectal bleeding
  • Blood in or on the stool (bowel movement)
  • Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away
  • Losing weight and you don’t know why
  • Constant fatigue
  • Change in bowel movements
  • Discomfort in or the urge to move your bowels when there is no need

If you have any of these symptoms, the only way to know what is causing them is to see your provider.

Healthy Living goes a Long Way
While there is no way to eliminate the risk of developing colorectal cancer entirely, there is evidence that you can reduce your chance of getting it by doing the following:

  • Have a diet that is rich in fiber; eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
  • Eat cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts often
  • Avoid foods that are high in fat, particularly saturated fat
  • Eat foods that are high in calcium
  • Exercise regularly

If you are 45 or older, talk to your primary care provider about screenings available at RiverView Health, or call 281.9595 for more information.

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Murder conviction of Adnan Syed reinstated by Maryland appeals court months after he was freed

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A Maryland appeals court has reinstated the murder conviction against Adnan Syed, roughly six months after Baltimore prosecutors provided new evidence in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, due to a lower court’s violation of the victim’s family right to attend the hearing to vacate the conviction.

The 41-year-old Syed, whose conviction was made famous by the podcast “Serial,” had his conviction tossed out by a circuit court and the state’s attorney’s office. He had been serving a life sentence for the past 23 years — more than half his life — since his arrest in 1999.

Syed was released from prison in October after Baltimore City State Attorney Marilyn Mosby said DNA evidence supported his Syed’s innocence. Lee’s family filed an appeal, arguing that they were not properly notified of the efforts to release Syed, and the Maryland appeals court ruled in their favor, stating that officials failed to provide sufficient notice for Lee’s family to attend the hearing.

Tuesday’s decision is seen as a procedural issue, and there is no reason to believe Syed will be sent back to prison. A new hearing will be held regarding the evidence to vacate Syed’s conviction, but the previous murder charges have been reinstated in the interim. The prosecutor has indicated that there is evidence pointing to other suspects and that the investigation is ongoing.

Editorial credit: John B Hewitt / Shutterstock.com

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GOP House committee subpoenas Antony Blinken over Afghanistan withdrawal

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House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul subpoenaed Secretary of State Antony Blinken, to demand the official records on the department’s Dissent Channel warning against a speedy withdrawal from Afghanistan.  The Dissent Channel is a confidential channel operated by the State Department and used by foreign affairs officials and other government employees. Employees may use the channel to share dissenting opinions about the government or matters of foreign affairs.

The cable from the State Department may reveal what the department’s employees in Kabul shared with Blinken and the Biden administration nearly a month before troops were withdrawn. McCaul’s press release said the record was first requested in August 2021, after U.S. troops and staff were evacuated.

Signed by 23 staffers from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul on July 13, 2021, the Dissent Channel cable warned the State Department that the Taliban was rapidly advancing in Afghanistan, forecasting a situation the Afghan military would be unable to handle. McCaul said in a statement that Blinken has refused to provide the cable despite multiple concessions being offered on McCaul’s behalf: “We have made multiple good-faith attempts to find common ground so we could see this critical piece of information. Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken has refused to provide the Dissent Cable and his response to the cable, forcing me to issue my first subpoena as chairman of this committee. The American people deserve answers as to how this tragedy unfolded, and why 13 U.S. service members lost their lives.” McCaul said concessions included reviewing the documents by camera and having the names of staffers who signed the cable redacted.

Blinken testified to the Foreign Affairs Committee last week and during his testimony he said he was preparing the relevant information the committee is seeking.

Editorial credit: Alexandra Pandrea / Shutterstock.com