CARLTON, Minn.- Friday’s high school football game for Carlton-Wrenshall was supposed to be a celebration of their return to varsity action. Instead, they were the victims of a massive blowout, courtesy of the Nevis Tigers. On the first play of the game, Nevis pitched to running back Ayomide Ogundeji, who stiff-armed a defender and used his legs the rest of…
CLOQUET, Minn.- The defending section 7AA champions in both boys and girls soccer began their seasons on Friday. The Cloquet-Carlton girls would have to settle for the scoreless draw with St. Francis. The Lumberjacks (0-0-1) will next play at Two Rivers on Saturday. Then later that evening, the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys would fall to Two Rivers 3 to 1. Joe Bailey…
CROMWELL, Minn.- The Cromwell-Wright Cardinals comeback effort wasn’t enough to earn a season-opening victory as they fell to the Ogilvie Tigers 42-21 Thursday night. Ogilvie was the first team to get on the board with a Colby Milbrandt touchdown pass to Cole Herges. The Lions would run a similar play later in the fourth quarter, but it would result in…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The Hermantown volleyball team opened up the regular season on Thursday, hosting Duluth Marshall at home. The Hawks would go on to win the contest in straight sets. (25-12, 25-12, 25-11) Hermantown (1-0) will next play at Esko on August 29th. Duluth Marshall (0-1) will look to bounce back against Proctor, also on the 29th. Categories: High School,…
DULUTH, Minn.- Two Northland soccer teams were unable to secure season-opening victories on their home fields Thursday afternoon. The Proctor girls were defeated by the defending state champion St. Francis Huskies 2-1. The Rails trailed early after St. Francis’ Meghan Pryzbilla scored for the Huskies. Proctor will have another chance at a home victory Saturday when they host Esko. Meanwhile,…
CLOQUET, Minn.- The Cloquet Lumberjacks are hoping that the third time will be the charm this year if they were to once again play in the sectional finals. Led by Head Coach Heidi Anderson, Cloquet has reached the sectional finals two years in a row but lost in both appearances. Despite those losses, the Lumberjacks have won 44 games over…
CLOQUET, Minn.- The Cloquet-Carlton girls soccer team has made their mark on the pitch in recent history, winning four straight section 7AA titles. Even without last year’s strong senior class, the Lumberjacks are ready to defend their crown. Cloquet-Carlton’s 2022 season included a 10-game winning streak. They were also a perfect 9-0 on their home field. Head Coach Dustin Randall…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- The Superior boys soccer team opened their season on Tuesday and opened their season with a win. The Spartans would defeat Rice Lake 3-1 at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex. Superior (1-0) will next play at Hibbing/Chisholm on Thursday. Categories: High School, Sports
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Two days from Tuesday a number of teams will have their first regular season games. That includes the Hermantown Hawks, who having a whopping nine seniors on the roster this season. Head Coach Jessica Williams enters her 2nd year at the helm. She says having that amount of experience will help her team throughout the course of the…
CHISHOLM, Minn.- Chisholm senior post Tresa Baumgard has been playing varsity basketball since she was in the 7th grade. Her playing career will continue for at least four more years after her time with the Bluestreaks comes to an end as recently she announced her commitment to MSU-Moorhead. Baumgard is on the brink of history this season as she’s only…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Despite an early lead, the Superior Spartans begin their football season with a 24-3 loss to Wausau West. Superior’s lone scoring drive began with a third-and-long conversion on a pass from Sam Meller to Taynum Clark, who broke multiple tackles before crossing the first-down line. Despite the drive stalling at the 34-yard line, Tanner Leno put the Spartans…
DULUTH, Minn.- In this week’s Coaches Corner, we caught up with Duluth Denfeld head football coach, Erik Lofald. Lofald is entering his 5th season coaching the Hunters. Categories: Coaches Corner, Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports
SUPERIOR, Wis.- This weeks’ top play belongs to Tanner Leno of the Superior football team. Leno booted an impressive 51 yard kick in Superior’s season opener against Wausau West. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Plays of the Week, Sports
ESKO, Minn.- Last season, the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys soccer team claimed the top spot in the Lake Superior Conference, going a perfect 7-0 against L-S-C opponents. On August 25, the Lumberjacks will be back in action with hopes of defending their title. C-E-C ended the 2022 season with a third-place finish at the Class AA State Tournament. The Lumberjacks were often…
MOUNTAIN IRON, Minn.- Mountain Iron-Buhl senior guard Hali Savela announced her commitment to the University of Jamestown on Friday. Savela averaged 16 points per game helping the Rangers to their first state championship this past season. Savela joins Grand Rapids forward Jessika Lofstrom as part of the 2024 Jimmies recruiting class. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports
ESKO, Minn.- Esko pitcher and outfielder Finn Furcht announced his commitment to Iowa Western on Thursday. The soon to be senior compiled a 6-1 record with a 1.68 ERA last season. He could also hit too as Furcht had 10 extra base hits with 29 runs batted in. Furcht played a huge role in helping lead Esko to their first…
ESKO, Minn.- Over the last two years, Esko’s football team has had a spotless record in the regular season, but a pair of heartbreaking defeats in the postseason has kept the section 7AAA powerhouse outside of state title contention. In November of 2020, Esko lost in the state quarterfinals to Dylworth-Glyndon-Felton 21-17. Head Coach Scott Arntson is entering the year…
PROCTOR, Minn.- A Proctor girls basketball standout won’t have to go far for her next team. Forward Hope Carlson announced that she will suit up for the College of Scholastica this upcoming season. Just last season, Carlson was a Class AA All-State honorable mention. She averaged 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game. Categories: College, High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn.- The Duluth East Greyhounds haven’t had a winning football team since the shortened 2020 COVID season. The freshmen from that team are now seniors, hoping to get their program back to its former glory. The Greyhounds will have a lot of fresh faces taking the field on their season opener. Head Coach Joe Hietala estimates he has about…
PROCTOR, Minn.- It was a learning year for the Proctor football team in 2022. They picked up two wins, including their first since the 2020 season. Now, the Rails enter year two under head coach Matt Krivinchuk. With a heavy senior class led by Zak McPhee, Aaron Bergquist, Nolan Okstad, and Gavin Tabbert, Proctor is looking to put more blocks…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The Hermantown football team is back at it on the practice field after a 6-3 campaign a year ago. Having a season like that is something you can pat yourself on the back for. But, for Hawks head coach Mike Zagelmeyer and his 14 seniors they still think about the ending. Which was a 7AAAA semifinal loss to…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth Denfeld football made a step forward in 2022, picking up three wins last season. Which was three wins better than the year before. Even better news for the Hunter program is that a lot of those guys that competed in those games last year are back. That includes quarterback Mace Brooks, running back Taye Manns, and wide…
CLOQUET, Minn.- It was the first day of practice for prep sports in Minnesota on Monday. One of those teams kicking off their 2023 season was the Cloquet football team, who is coming off a 7-4 season. The Lumberjacks return a number of skill position players including running back & linebacker Warren Hietala and fullback & linebacker Carter Horvat. However,…
WRENSHALL, Minn.- The Carlton-Wrenshall Raptors have returned to the football field as they prepare for their season opener later this August. It will actually be their first varsity game in over a year after only fielding a JV team in 2022 due to low numbers. At the end of last fall, the Raptors had 20 high school players on their…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth Marshall alum Grace Kirk has gone on to do big things since her Hilltopper career ended in 2020. Now a senior guard at Brown University, Kirk made her return to the Duluth community to give back with her first-ever girls basketball camp. Nearly a dozen local athletes grades 8 through 12 were on hand to receive instructions…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.- Grand Rapids standout Jessika Lofstrom has announced her college commitment. Over the weekend, Lofstrom said on her personal twitter page she intends to suit up for the University of Jamestown, once her time with the Thunderhawks comes to an end. Just this past season, she averaged 16 points per game and helped lead Rapids to their 3rd…
MAPLE, Wis.- In three of the last four seasons, the Northwestern football team has completed a perfectly unblemished regular season. This year, the 17-time Heart O’North Champions will face the challenge of filling 18 of the 22 starting spots. That all began on Monday, Day One of practice. The Tigers graduated a large senior class last season of key players…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Hard to believe but in just 17 days from now, prep football in Wisconsin kicks off. Tuesday was the first day teams hit the practice field in preparation of the 2023 season. One of those teams getting things going was Superior, who are looking to turn things around after a 1-8 season in 2022. Head Coach Bob DeMeyer…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- With the calender flipping over to August, junior high school hockey players are allowed to announce their verbal college commitments. Hermantown junior defenseman Henry Peterson was one of those players to waste no time. Peterson announced via his own personal Twitter account that he has committed to the University of St. Thomas. He skated in 22 games last…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.- Grand Rapids head boys varsity hockey coach Wade Chiodo has been serving as director of player personnel for the Oklahoma Warriors of the NAHL the last three seasons. Now, he’s preparing for a new gig as Chiodo was named as Team President. Chiodo will still serve as head coach of the Thunderhawks for this upcoming season. Grand…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- A Hermantown standout is staying close to home to play college football. Hawks wide receiver Peyton Menzel announced his commitment to UMD on Saturday. The soon to be senior wideout hauled in 40 receptions with seven touchdowns and 579 yards receiving. Overall, he would accumulate 687 all-purpose yards. Menzel and Hermantown are coming off a 6-3 season last…
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Hermantown native Aaron Pionk would have to wait a little bit on Thursday to hear his name called in the NHL Draft. Finally at pick number 149 in the 5th round, Pionk’s home state team, the Minnesota Wild would select the defenseman. “The thought of that is crazy. I thought I had played my last game there…
DULUTH, Minn.- Hermantown hockey standout Aaron Pionk is set to experience a childhood dream. And that’s hear his name called at the NHL draft in the coming days. Over the past year, the former Hawk forward now turned defenseman, started to see interest from NHL teams at his USHSL games as well as the combine. He says he’s spoken to…
CROOKSTON, Minn.- Former Duluth East and NDSU pitcher and first baseman Caden Edwards announced on Tuesday that he is transferring to Minnesota Crookson. Over the course of three seasons in Fargo, Edwards appeared in eight games. He would strikeout eight over the course of 11 1/3 innings played. Edwards also earned his first collegiate win in a contest against Mayville…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The NHL draft takes place on Wednesday in the Music City. And two local Hermantown standouts could potentially hear their named called on the two-day draft. Those two being defenseman Aaron Pionk and Ty Hanson. Pionk just recently flipped his commitment from MSU-Mankato to UMD. He spent last season with the Waterloo Blackhawks in the USHSL, posting 12…
ESKO, Minn.- Esko senior Cale Haugen reached another great honor to round out his high school career. Haugen was awarded Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Class AA Player of the Year. The Mankato commit was lights out on the mound with a .27 earned run average with 98 ks in 51.1 innings pitched. While at the plate, he…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Superior’s Eva Peterson made her college commitment on Thursday. Peterson will play college hoops for the Grand View University Vikings beginning in the fall of 2024. The junior would average 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Spartans last year. She would also tally 32 steals and 40 assists as Superior went 21-3. Categories: High School,…
DULUTH, Minn.- Beginning on July 1st, Public Schools Stadium on the campus of Duluth Denfeld high school will have a new name. It will now be called Walt Hunting Stadium-Marv Heikkinen Field. Hunting coaching the Denfeld football team from 1927 to 1955, winning 14 city titles, and 5 state titles, some of which were official and some were unofficial. Heikkinen…
DULUTH, Minn.- A number of area teams were represented in the annual Polar League All-Star baseball game on Tuesday. Team Haugen/Weber would get the best of Team Levinski, winning the contest 16 to 4. Categories: High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn.- The Polar League held their annual All-Star softball game on Tuesday at Wade Fields. Team Blue would have a three-run sixth inning to eventually put the game away against Team Silver, 5 to 1. Categories: High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn.- The MSHSL baseball All-State teams are as follows: Class A Fr. Noah Asuma, Cherry Jr. Logan Loe, Ely Sr. Wyatt Olson, South Ridge Class AA Jr. Finn Furcht, Esko Furcht batted .394, with 29 RBIs and 5 homeruns. On the mound he posted a 1.69 ERA, 69 Ks in 37.1 IP. Sr. Cale Haugen, Esko Haugen was voted…
ESKO, Minn.- The book closed on the 2023 prep baseball season this past Friday with one State Championship coming home to the Northland, by way of Esko’s 9-0 shutout over Perham to claim their first ever State Title. Aside from being the champs of Class AA, the Eskomos were on a tear this season, shattering one record after another. Esko…
ST. PAUL, Minn.- In their first state tournament appearance since 2000, the Esko baseball team is leaving the tourney with the top prize. “We were a little nervous at the beginning, which is to be expected, but they weathered the storm and our offense carried us today and we got three unbelievable pitching performances in the tournament. I think we…
DULUTH, Minn.- The NAHL draft took place on Wednesday and three local area hockey players heard their name called in the 15 round affair. The first to hear their name called was Proctor goalie A.J. Reyelts. He was selected at pick number 125 in the 4th round by the Kenai River Brown Bears. Reyelts manned the pipes in 15 games…
MILWAUKEE, Wis.- The Ashland girls soccer team would battle with Edgewood on Thursday in the D3 WIAA State Semifinals, ultimately falling to the Crusaders 5 to 1. Cassidy Lustig had the lone goal for the Oredockers in the contest. Ashland finishes the season with an overall record of 19-3-2. Categories: High School, Sports
ST. CLOUD, Minn.- The Esko baseball team is on their way to St. Paul after defeating Cannon Falls 7-2 in the AA semifinals on Wednesday. In the bottom of the 4th, Esko would take the 3-2 lead via a throwing error by the Bombers shortstop. Moments later, Isaak Sertich stepped to the plate and crushed a grand slam to give…
ST. CLOUD, Minn.- The Esko baseball team made their first state appearance since 2000 on Tuesday, shutting out St. Agnes 1-0 in the AA quarterfinals. Esko was led by Cale Haugen, who pitched a seven inning complete-game shutout and had 12 strikeouts on the day. Esko will next play Cannon Falls in the semifinals at 1:30 on Wednesday. In other…
JORDAN, Minn.- The Grand Rapids baseball team lived up to the underdog role on Tuesday, upsetting #2 St. Thomas Academy 5-0 in the AAA semifinals. Kyle Henke led the Thunderhawks offensively with two runs batted in. Next up for Grand Rapids, they’ll play Mahtomedi in the semifinals at noon on Wednesday. The game will be played at the Mini Met…
DULUTH, Minn.- In last week’s Section 7A Championship game the South Ridge Panthers were one win away from another trip to the State Tournament. Tied with Cherry in extra innings, senior Carter Anderson got the game winning knock that punch the ticket for the Panthers for the fifth straight season. South Ridge heads into this week’s State Tournament as the…
ESKO, Minn.- It’s been a long wait for the Esko baseball team since they last made it to the state tournament. 23 years to be exact. But that wait comes to an end Tuesday when they open up tournament play. Monday afternoon, the community gathered at the Esko Sports Complex to give the team well wishes before they departed for…
