extended sports coverage for the B-B-E community brought to you by the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper in Brooten, MN. (Address: P.O. Box 250, Brooten) http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com. ALL VIEWS posted are strictly and without exception the opinions of the newspaper owner and no one else; they're written in first hand format. Please submit feedback in writing to the address posted above. **This is Minnesota's oldest varsity high school sports blog. We hope to keep it going into the future!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Hyping it up - the Jaguars vs. Bulldogs football opener will be a battle to the end
A few notes on Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity...
The LP/HT Bulldogs return a whopping 32 letterwinners from last year. To break it down, they played in a number of blowout games where they got beat handily, so it was probably a little easier type of season to throw a bunch of players out on the field.
Only eight seniors graduated from last year's team.
The Bulldogs bring back nine starters on defense and 10 on offense.
Both the Jaguars and Bulldogs will be starting sophomore quarterbacks.
Sophomore quarterback Alex Heigl will guide the LP/HT offense; this is his second year starting as quarterback. LP/HT head coach Joe Scoblic reported that he has developed a dangerous running game to add to his ability to sling the ball downfield.
The Bulldogs also return four of five starting linemen from 2010. Their biggest guy on the line, a senior, weighs in at 240 pounds.
This Jaguars sports update and football season opener preview is brought to you by:
Jaguars volleyball wins 12th straight season opener
Now in his fifth season as head coach of the Jaguars volleyball team, Kevin Weller gives instruction to his team during a timeout in game three of tonight's win over Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta.
Dating back to 2000, the Jaguars volleyball team has now won every season opener. Tonight against Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta, the Jaguars defeated the Tigers 3-1 while overcoming a very rough start in game one where they fell behind 21-7 before getting on track and losing 25-16 with their dignity intact.
The Jaguars (1-0) are next in action on Thursday night, when they travel to Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School (Grove City) on Thursday night for another non-conference match. The Falcons, who lost 3-0 to the Jaguars in last year's second match of the season, finished 16-9 overall last year. I haven't found out what they return for personnel from that team. They have five seniors on the roster, just like the Jaguars.
The lineup for the Jaguars is introduced below...
Against MA/CA tonight, the Jaguars took quite awhile to get the rust shaken off and the offense rolling. The Tigers put up 11 points on the scoreboard by the time the Jaguars had recorded their third kill of the match, an ace attack by Kendra Braegelman. It didn't get better, though, as the Jaguars fell behind by as much as 21-7 and 24-8 before starting a rally and closing game one with an 8-1 run. Down the stretch the Jaguars picked up kills from Kendra Braegelman, Tia Halvorson, Taylor Braegelman and Brittany Roelike, as well as two ace serves by Kim Kollman.
The Jaguars had found their way out of the wilderness, and they proceeded to win the final three games of the match without much trouble.
**Two other quick notes...the girls' tennis triangular at Melrose was canceled due to rain yesterday. No word on a makeup date yet. Also, don't forget that Friday night's football game will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood. Of course I'd much rather you get to the game and cheer on the Jaguars football team in person, but if you live a long distance away you can hear all the action either on the radio at 107.1 FM or online at www.kmgk1071.com.
Area volleyball results on August 30: Hancock 3, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 0
Maccray 3, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 0
Dawson-Boyd 3, Montevideo 1
Litchfield 3, Eden Valley-Watkins 2 (Dragons win game five 15-13)
Maple Lake 3, Monticello 2 (Maple Lake is 5-0; they won game five 19-17!)
Browerville 3, Bertha-Hewitt 2
Nevis 3, Park Rapids Area 0
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 3, Osakis 1
Holdingford 3, Foley 0
Melrose Area 3, St. Cloud Cathedral 0
TheJaguars girls tennis team defeated Benson/K-M-S and Maccray/Renville County West by 5-2 scores today at a triangular hosted by Benson. It is the first time I can recall that they have gone 2-0 at a triangular meet! It is the first time they have won the Benson/K-M-S triangular. It also marks the first time since August 2007 when the Jaguars have defeated Benson/K-M-S.
The icing on the cake is the record of the Jaguars' one-doubles team of Daisha Meyer and Mattea Eckstein. They have teamed up this season to forge a 7-1 record to start their season, the best start to any doubles team in B-B-E history. Even cooler is the fact that they're both just sophomores. It's a long season, but they definitely are on the right track to a winning year.
The Jaguars squared their overall record at 4-4 with the two wins today and take their solid momentum to Melrose Area on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. triangular match. Melrose Area has picked up a win this season over New York Mills (7-0) and also was defeated by powerhouse Osakis 4-3 on August 22 and by Becker 4-3 on August 24.
The third team at Melrose will be Little Falls.
The 4-4 record for B-B-E girls' tennis marks the best start to their season since 2007, when they finished 7-6 with August matches completed.
**Just saw this...Friday night's football opener between B-B-E and Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity will be broadcast on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood. Awesome!
Coming Tuesday night - the Jaguars volleyball team's season opener
The much anticipated 2011 season for the Jaguars volleyball team gets underway this Tuesday night with a home match against Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta.
Action for the varsity team begins at 7 p.m. at the B-B-E High School. Their normal gymnasium at the elementary school is receiving floor repairs due to a high water table in Brooten. (Which is due to the very odd summer we've had that included unusual rain events throughout the past three months.)
Volleyball results from the Albany tournament, won by state-ranked Maple Lake
Maple Lake, who will be the top competitor with the Jaguars volleyball team for the Central Minnesota Conference crown this fall, was rated sixth in the preseason Class AA coaches' poll. The Jaguars were rated seventh in the Class A poll.
Last season, Maple Lake had their second-best season ever in school history (in terms of wins/losses) by going 22-8 and finishing in second place in Section 5AA. They were 6-1 in the CMC, one game behind the Jaguars. In 2009, Maple Lake finished 19-5 overall and also in second place in Section 5A.
Maple Lake results at Albany tournament on Friday... Maple Lake 2, Minnewaska Area 0
Maple Lake 2, Watertown-Mayer 1
Maple Lake 2, Little Falls 1
Maple Lake 2, Albany 1
Albany results at Albany tournament: Albany 3, Milaca 0
Albany 3, Rocori 0
Maple Lake 2, Albany 1
Other results at Albany on Friday...
Watertown-Mayer 2, Little Falls 0
Watertown-Mayer 2, Minnewaska Area 1
Watertown-Mayer 2, Rocori 0
Jaguars girls' tennis comes up short by a hairpin in opening match at Minnewaska Quad today
Mattea Eckstein fires off a serve during the Minnewaska Area match at one-doubles...she and teammate Daisha Meyer won in straight sets. With the match tied at three points apiece between B-B-E and Montevideo, all the marbles came down to the three-doubles match including Jaguars Jesseca Cobb and Amanda Evans. After losing the opening set and then falling behind 3-1 in the second set, the Cobb/Evans duo stormed back to win the second set's final three points in a 6-4 win. In the tie-breaking Pro-10 third set, Cobb/Evans gave their all but came up short by a 10-6 score.
Final result: Montevideo 4, B-B-E 3.
The Jaguars got out to a good start against Minnewaska Area in the second match of the day. No word yet on how that turned out. They'll face Parkers Prairie to close out the quadrangular.
*Update at 7pm...the Jaguars lost to Minnewaska Area 4-3 and defeated Parkers Prairie 5-2. They are now 2-4 overall and travel to Benson for a triangular next Monday afternoon. The third team at the triangular is Maccray/Renville County West, who is also in Section 5A along with the Jaguars.
The Jaguars girls' tennis team will seek a second, third and even fourth win of the season on Thursday when they travel to the Minnewaska Area Quad meet. Action begins at 9 a.m.
Other action on Thursday has the Jaguars volleyball team traveling to Alexandria for a scrimmage.
Also on the horizon, the Jaguars football team travels to St. John's University on Saturday for a 4-team scrimmage.
This is great - Jaguars football has another big turnout for pre-season practices
Shown is second-year head coach Moscho with his Jaguars football team huddled up at the end of their Friday morning practice last week... Coach Moscho reported that numbers for the Jaguars football team hover above the 50 mark, with 52 athletes enduring preseason drills by the end of this past week. The Jaguars have a preseason scrimmage next Saturday (Aug. 27) at St. John's University.
While I'm on the subject of fall sports, I want to make note of the Jaguars volleyball team's season opener. They begin the 2011 campaign with a #7 state ranking in the preseason poll against Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta next Tuesday, August 30 at home. MA/CA, who had a strong 17-9 season last fall, suffered heavy graduation losses and bring back only two starters, two sophomore outside hitters. It will be the first of a few tune-ups the Jaguars have on the schedule before they begin defense of their five straight Central Minnesota Conference crowns, dating back to 2006.
Jaguars girls' tennis posts first win of the season
The Jaguars girls' tennis team defeated Milbank today by a 4-3 score.
They take a 1-2 record into the Minnewaska Quad this coming Thursday. Action begins at the Minnewaska Area high school at 9 a.m. Teams joining the Jaguars and the host Lakers are Parkers Prairie and Montevideo.
A little venting, regarding how ethanol constantly gets a bad rap because of bad information
It’s pure stupidity to suggest that ethanol is driving up the cost of food. Anyone with (1) a brain and (2) any knowledge of the agriculture industry knows that ethanol production creates countless byproducts that are used for feedstock for our livestock industry. Ethanol production is simply a more refined use of the raw product of corn.
Jaguars girls' tennis opens season with home triangular on Friday
Kelly Reller, shown in action at the Sub-Section 5A-West individual tournament last October, is one of four seniors on the roster for the Jaguars girls' tennis team... Action begins at 8:30 a.m. at the high school tennis courts. Teams included are Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Upsala-Swanville Area and Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Dawson-Boyd.
The following day, the tennis team travels out to Milbank, South Dakota.
Now in her fifth season guiding the Jaguars girls tennis program, Coach Westrom will have four seniors leading the team this fall on the courts. Read more about the team and Westrom's season outlook in next week's newspapers.
This Jaguars sports update, the first of the fall 2011 season, is brought to you by:
Lake Henry and Spring Hill open the Class C state amateur baseball tournament on Saturday
**Lake Henry opens the state tournament at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 20 at Glencoe. The Chargers play at the same location on the same day at 7:30 p.m.
Both teams are poised for a nice run in the tournament, each having dangerous hitters up and down the lineup, with deep pitching batteries ready to anchor their defense.
The baseball park in Glencoe, historic Vollmer Field, has been called a "classic ball park in western Minnesota with all the amenities."
Pine trees sit behind the fences in left and right field. It sits in an open area that’s great to pull up your lawn chair on for a warm summer night of baseball. Vollmer Field will join Barney Tadsen Field in Brownton as the two main host sites for the 2011 State Amateur Baseball Championships.
More photos and video footage from this past weekend will be updated here as the week develops.
By Friday I'll be changing gears to fall Jaguar varsity sports. Pre-season practices opened today for the Jaguars girls' tennis, volleyball and football squads.
Elrosa Saints' bid for state falls short today in loss to Spring Hill
Below, a rough clip during Matt Middendorf's three-RBI home run in the third inning today against Spring Hill. (yeh the clip is bad but I got some nice still shots at the same time as shooting the video...)
The Elrosa Saints lost 13-3 today in seven innings to Spring Hill in the final playback game of the Region 15C tournament today in Spicer. After falling into an 8-0 hole in the first inning, the Saints scored three runs of their own in the third frame on Matt Middendorf's three run home run on no outs. That was all they got, though, in the shortened-inning loss.
The Saints finished the year 11-10 overall as the third best team in the 16-team region.
Spring Hill went on to lose 5-2 to Lake Henry in the region championship game. The Lakers drafted Brad Mergen of Farming, while the Chargers drafted Elrosa's Ethan Vogt.
**Lake Henry opens the state tournament at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 20 at Glencoe. The Chargers play at the same location on the same day at 7:30 p.m.
Below, the Elrosa Saints are on the field warming up for their game on Saturday against Norway Lake-Sunburg...
More to follow later.
This Elrosa Saints and Region 15C amateur baseball update is brought to you by:
The biggest game in the history of the Battle for the Keg is at noon on Sunday
Below, the Keg is shown back in Spring Hill's possession following the Chargers 7-4 win over Elrosa on August 7 at the Region 15C tournament... First pitch between Elrosa and Spring Hill is set for noon at Green Lake Diamonds in Spicer. At stake is a trip to the Class C state amateur baseball tournament.
The "Battle for the Keg" series between Elrosa and Spring Hill dates back to 2007. No game has had more at stake when these teams have met than the one coming on Sunday.
In a nutshell...Elrosa Saints beat Norway Lake-Sunburg 5-2 to advance in Region 15C - Kelly Reller is crowned Miss Belgrade
It was a terribly busy day for folks of the B-B-E area today, with the Region 15C tournament taking place down in Spicer, along with the annual August Fest activities in Belgrade.
The Elrosa Saints lived to fight another day after beating Norway Lake-Sunburg 5-2 in the elimination bracket today. Ethan Vogt picked up his second complete-game victory at Region 15C this season while throwing eight strikeouts. The Saints got hot early, with Matt Middendorf hitting a one out solo home run in the top of the first inning.
In the winner's bracket final of Region 15C, Lake Henry defeated Spring Hill by a 5-3 score. The Lakers advance to state with the win. They play at 2:30 on Sunday in the Region 15C championship (seeding game) against the winner of Sunday's Elrosa vs. Spring Hill match up. That game begins at high noon in Spicer.
Lake Henry was nursing a 1-0 lead they gained in the third inning heading into the final inning, when Jon Lieser cranked a grand slam home run to make it 5-0 in favor of the Lakers.
The Chargers battled back in the ninth inning with a three-RBI home run, but that was all they got.
More to follow later.
This Elrosa Saints update is brought to you by...(now retired, I haven't updated his advertisement yet, his practice was purchased by Dr. Rambow a few months ago)...
Belgrade's August Fest begins Friday night with a Firemen's Chicken Dinner
For travelers coming to Belgrade from the east on Highway 55, these two large "Sinclair gas station" inflatables will be greeting them at Micki's. The Firemen's Chicken Dinner runs from 4:30 to 7:30 at the Belgrade V.F.W. The event kicks off Belgrade's annual August Fest activities.
Click on the poster below to see the full schedule. (Poster courtesy of the Belgrade Observer)
Below, a scene from "The Jungle Book" tonight in Terrace featuring Riley Schumann of Brooten... Director Julie Lloyd is addressing the crowd in this picture following the conclusion of "The Jungle Book" at the Terrace Mill.
A photo gallery from the August 10 performance can be found at the Sauk Centre Herald website at http://saukherald.mycapture.com
Terrace Mill to host Children's Theater performances this week Wednesday and Thursday
Below, a view of the Terrace Mill theater following one performance of "Twinderella" on July 22, 2010... This is pretty neat. A great event right in B-B-E's own backyard. The 12th annual Children's Musical Theatre at the Terrace Mill will present "The Jungle Book" http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifthis week Wednesday and Thursday nights, Ahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifugust 10-11. A picnic will be held at 5 p.m. both nights, with the performance to follow at 6:30.
Scenes from this past weekend's Region 15C baseball tournament
A handful of Elrosa partisans getting relief from the sun on Sunday in the bleachers... A handful of future Elrosa Saints players gathered on the large deck in front of the press box at Green Lake Diamonds... The Elrosa Saints team is about to begin their game against Farming on Saturday...
Elrosa Saints fall into elimination bracket at the Region 15C tournament, lose to Spring Hill 7-4
Action from the middle of today's game between Elrosa and Spring Hill...
In a revision of the Battle for the Keg during the time-tested Elrosa vs. Spring Hill series, the Chargers won 7-4 after getting a strong pitching effort from starter Eric Schoenberg and another onslaught of offense from their bats. Elrosa took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the second before Spring Hill erupted for four runs in the bottom of that frame.
The Chargers scored three more runs before Elrosa made a rally late in the game that was too little, too late.
Elrosa faces either Norway Lake-Sunburg or Atwater in an elimination game at 2:30 on the afternoon of Saturday, August 13 in Spicer.
In the first game held today at Green Lake Diamonds in Spicer, Lake Henry survived a tough challenge from Farming in a 5-4 outcome, a game that lasted about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Brad Mergen threw 8 innings for Farming, with Chad Mergen coming on in relief in the 9th.
For Lake Henry against Farming, draftee Scott Schroeder (Richmond) started on the hill, with Jason Kampsen and Jon Lieser sharing relief duties.
Spring Hill faces Lake Henry at noon on Saturday, August 13 in Spicer for a state-qualifying game. Both are 2-0 in the tournament. Lake Henry beat Atwater 4-2 in the first game on Saturday.
Below, more action from Elrosa's 1-0 win over Farming on Saturday...
This Elrosa Saints and Region 15C amateur baseball update is brought to you by:
Lake Henry, Spring Hill and Elrosa win Region 15C openers today
The Elrosa Saints fans were packed in like sardines in the bleachers, coming out in force to support the Orange and Navy today... Final scores from Green Lake Diamonds today for the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament opening round games: Lake Henry 4, Atwater 2 Spring Hill 16, Norway Lake-Sunburg 3 (7 innings) Elrosa 1, Farming 0
An RBI-single by Pat Illies gave Elrosa a 1-0 lead and they held on for the win. Both Josh Engquist and Ethan Vogt pitched complete games. Unofficially, Vogt threw 123 pitches.
Sunday's schedule: 10:30am - Lake Henry vs. Farming 1pm - Elrosa vs. Spring Hill (possible state-qualifying game, depending on whether or not Lake Henry wins) 3:30pm - Norway Lake-Sunburg vs. Atwater (an elimination game)
The Spring Hill vs. Norway Lake-Sunburg game featured a healthy rain delay...
The Farming Flames are in their first Region 15C appearance since 2002...below, the Flames lineup is introduced...
The Elrosa Saints have had seven Region 15C tournament appearances since 2002. Below, their lineup is introduced...
This Elrosa Saints and Region 15C amateur baseball update is brought to you by:
The action begins at 10:30 on Saturday morning in Spicer. At that time, Lake Henry faces Atwater in the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament opening game.
125th annual Pope County Fair is underway in Glenwood
Below, B-B-E students Jared Sorenson, Raeann Sorenson, Allegra Tebrake and Shante Bratsch all show goats at the 4-H show on Thursday afternoon at the Pope County Fair...
Pony rides by Oakdale Farm and Orchard are offered for $3 from 11am to 5pm. At noon, a Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo Show will be held on the free stage. A second such type of show will take place at 3pm at the same location.
At 1pm, a prize drawing will be held for kids ages 10 and under at the free stage. The carnival and all its exciting rides opens at 1pm. Carnival armband specials run from 1pm to 5pm and also from 6pm to 10pm.
The Pope County 4-H Project Bowl teams will serve at the Little Red Barn Feed at 4:30pm.
The Truck and Tractor Pull will begin at 6pm in the grandstand. Adult tickets are $15, kids 6-12 are $10 with kids under 6 getting in free.
Saturday, August 6 is Armed Services Day
The 4-H Livestock Auction will be held at 9am on Saturday. The Pope County Farmer's Market will be held on the fairgrounds from 8am to 11am. The Glacial Ridge Cattlemen's Feed takes place at 4:30pm at the Little Red Barn. A U.S. Flag-folding demonstration will be held at 5:30pm on the free stage.
Information about Sunday's activities will be posted on Friday.
This Pope County Fair update is brought to you by:
