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!
Monday, April 30, 2012
In a Central Minnesota Conference fastpitch game today, the visiting Holdingford Huskers defeated the B-B-E Jaguars 9-2. B-B-E falls to 3-7 overall.
At Holdingford, the Jaguars baseball team suffered their second loss in the conference by a 4-3 score to the Huskers. The Jaguars (6-4) trailed 3-1 and tied it up 3-3 before the Huskers scored the game-winning run. Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood carried the game.
More will follow later tonight.
Don't forget, on Tuesday night the track and field teams host the Belgrade Lions Invite (4:00pm), while the baseball team hosts Sauk Centre in a border battle at about 6:15pm in Elrosa.
This Jaguars sports update is brought to you by the proud support of:
Stearns County League results on April 29:
Lake Henry 8, Farming 5
Richmond 9, St. Martin 3
Meire Grove 13, Roscoe 5
Spring Hill 10, New Munich 8
Elrosa 7, Greenwald 1
Browerville takes one from Jaguars baseball team, Jaguar fastpitch tags Browerville with 1st loss of the year!
In Elrosa tonight the state-ranked Browerville Tigers (9-0) beat the Jaguars baseball team 14-4 in seven innings. The Tigers took a 5-0 lead after two innings were in the book.
The Jaguars, now 6-3 overall, travel to Holdingford next Monday for a 4:30pm game. It will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.
In Brooten, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch squad defeated Browerville 4-3 to improve to 3-6 on the season. It was the Tigers' first loss of the season after they won their first 7 games of the year. The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Jaguars, who host Holdingford next Monday. Browerville is a fellow member of Sub-Section 5A-West.
Jaguar baseball sweeps Kimball Area in doubleheader, holds 2nd place alone in the CMC
In a Central Minnesota Conference double-header today in Elrosa, the Jaguars baseball team beat Kimball Area 12-3 and 8-6 to improve to 6-2 on the season. The games have impact not only for the conference race but also the sub-section standings, as the Cubs are in Sub-Section 5A-West with the Jaguars. They now gear up for a tough game against 8-0 Browerville in Elrosa. First pitch for the JV game is at 4:30pm. The Tigers are ranked #6 in the latest Class A state rankings and beat Eagle Valley in a Prairie Conference game in Clarissa by a score of 7-5.
**Eden Valley-Watkins got tagged with another baseball loss in the CMC...see the scores posted below. Maple Lake is now 4-0 in the CMC and 5-1 overall with sole possession of first place. B-B-E, meanwhile, stands in second place alone at 4-1.
Action from the first of today's two games in Elrosa...
At Kimball, the Jaguars fastpitch team lost both games in a CMC double header. Scores were 7-3 and 7-6. They host undefeated Browerville (7-0, 4-0 Prairie Conference North) on Friday at 4:30pm.
Area baseball scores on April 26:
Sauk Centre 8, Melrose Area 3
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 10, Eden Valley-Watkins 7 !!!!
Maple Lake 7, Pierz 4
Eden Valley-Watkins 6, HL-W-W 3
Maple Lake 10, Pierz 5
Minnewaska Area 9, New London-Spicer 8
Albany 4, Paynesville Area 3
Area fastpitch softball scores on April 26:
Maple Lake 10, Pierz 0 (6 innings)
Maple Lake 3, Pierz 1 (8 innings)
Eden Valley-Watkins 6, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 4j
Melrose Area beat Sauk Centre
Maple Lake 10, Pierz 0 (6 innings)
Maple Lake 3, Pierz 1 (8 innings)
Eden Valley-Watkins 6, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 4
Albany 3, Paynesville Area 1
Minnewaska Area 12, New London-Spicer 2
Browerville 13, Eagle Valley 3
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Other news worth blogging about...Browerville's fastpitch team knocks down Osakis
Browerville tagged Osakis their first fastpitch softball loss in the regular season since 2010 and first loss in the Prairie Conference since the 2010 season. In 2010, the Silverstreaks went 16-1 in the regular season with one Prairie Conference loss (8-6 score) on May 4 at Swanville in a double-header. They went 4-2 in the Section 5A tournament with two losses coming to Barnum for a 20-3 final record.
The huge win for the Tigers took place last Friday in Osakis, only days after the Silverstreaks (5-1) had risen to the #4-rankings in the Class A coaches poll. Last season, Osakis amassed an 18-0 regular season, went 5-0 against Section 5A opponents and then went 0-2 at the Class A state tournament. In the consolation semifinals, they lost 7-6 in 10 innings to Hawley.
The Tigers sport a 5-0 record heading into today's home game against conference and neighboring rival Eagle Valley.
Osakis went undefeated in Prairie Conference action in 2009 and 2011. They are four-time defending conference champions.
From the Long Prairie Leader:
The Tigers had the tough task last Friday of taking on the reigning Prairie Conference champions on their home field at Osakis. Like she has been for much of the season so far, Tigers pitcher Abby Aksamit was sharp as she led her team past Osakis 6-3. Out in the field, Aksamit pitched seven innings and allowed only two hits with 10 strikeouts. To top off a good day, she also broke open the game with a three-RBI home run in the 5th inning that extended the Tigers' lead to 4-0.
By the way, Browerville's baseball team is also undefeated this spring with a 7-0 record. They are coached by Sauk Centre graduate Matt Middendorf, who has been a mainstay with the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team for the last 10 years. The biggest win thus far for Middendorf's Tigers came on April 17 in Collegeville, where they beat conference favorite St. John's Prep 2-1. His quotes in the Leader this week cited two double plays against the middle of the Johnnies' lineup as keys to the win. Austin Host pitched six innings for the win with one hit, five walks and four strikeouts. They capped a 3-0 week last week with a 5-4 win over Melrose Area in a game where they rallied to score four runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
Action against Eden Valley-Watkins on Monday in Elrosa...
Maple Lake is the last unbeaten baseball team in the Central Minnesota Conference, after Pierz drubbed Eden Valley-Watkins 13-2 on Tuesday at Eden Valley. After their 2-1 loss to B-B-E last Thursday, the Pioneers (4-4) have won three straight, including a 4-2 win over Albany and a 3-2 win at Holdingford.
The Irish baseball team has a 2-0 CMC record, while EV-W and Pierz sit in a three-way tie (2-1) with B-B-E in second place. EV-W and Holdingford (0-3 CMC, 2-5) are the defending CMC co-champions.
The Jaguars can help themselves out quite a bit in the conference standings when they play two games in Elrosa against Kimball Area tonight. The first game begins at 4:00pm, with the second to follow around 6:00pm. The Cubs are 1-2 in the CMC and 1-2 overall. They beat Rockford 6-1 in their season opener on April 16.
Remaining games for the Jaguars against Sub-Section 5A-West opponents include tomorrow (Friday) at home against undefeated (7-0) Browerville, May 15 at Eden Valley and May 22 at Grove City against A-C-GC.
The Jaguars boys' and girls' golf teams compete at Kimball Area today. The track and field squads are at Maple Lake, while the Jaguars fastpitch team has a CMC double-header at Kimball Area beginning at 4:00pm.
Jaguar fastpitch shut out at Sauk Centre, Baseball edges Holdingford
Senior Michelle Sanders at bat for B-B-E today; she earned the team's second hit of the game in the top of the 3rd inning.
The Jaguars fastpitch squad lost 3-0 at Sauk Centre in a non-conference game today. Smooth Magic 107 FM carried the action, with D-Mac providing play-by-play coverage.
At Elrosa, the Jaguars baseball team prevailed in a Central Minnesota Conference clash with Holdingford by a 9-7 score. The Huskers shared last year's CMC crown with eventual state champion Eden Valley-Watkins.
Action from Elrosa today - Eagles flex their muscle early
After the #1-ranked Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles plated seven runs in the top of the second, they ultimately had a 7-1 lead going into the third inning tonight in Elrosa against the Jaguars baseball team.
Below, junior Adam Heinze pitches in the top of the 3rd inning...he earns a strikeout here.
Both teams entered the game with three wins apiece; EV-W was 3-0, while the Jaguars were 3-1.
At Eden Valley-Watkins, the Jaguars fastpitch team lost 5-2 to the Eagles.
Central Minnesota Conference fastpitch scores on April 23:
Pierz 8, Holdingford 7 (8 innings)
Maple Lake 3, Rockford Area 2
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 7, Kimball Area 2
Central Minnesota Conference baseball scores on April 23:
Pierz 3, Holdingford 2
More will follow later.
A quick scheduling note...Tuesday's fastpitch game between B-B-E and Sauk Centre (in Sauk Centre) will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood. The game begins at 4:15pm. Thanks for the coverage, D-Mac! Sauk Centre defeated Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 17-3 today in a non-conference game; they are 3-3 overall.
This Jaguars sports update is brought to you by the proud support of:
After starting the year 3-0, including an exciting 9-inning win by a 2-1 score at Pierz in their conference opener last night, the Jaguars baseball team lost 6-3 tonight in Elrosa to Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg.
The Fighting Saints improved to 4-1 overall, while the Jaguars are now 3-1.
Due to the weather and also poor field conditions, theJaguars fastpitch team's home game against Pierz was postponed to May 8. It will now be a Central Minnesota Conference double-header that day.
Also, on Friday the Jaguar girls' golf team is at New London-Spicer and the Jaguars boys' golf team is in Rockford.
The Jaguars baseball team hosts neighboring rival Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg in Elrosa. The JV game is at 4:30pm, with the varsity game to follow at about 6:30pm.
...and a quick shout out to the B-B-E Speech team, as 10 of their members compete in the Class A state speech meet in Chanhassen on Friday. Exciting!
Team scores at Maple Lake on Tuesday were:
1. Maple Lake 179; 2. Osakis 185; 3. EV-W/K 195; 4. Pierz 207; 5. B-B-E 224; 6. Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 229; 7. Rockford 234.
The Jaguar boys' golf team earned second place in their first conference meet of the year.
Here's another clip from the track meet yesterday...showing a 4x800 relay handoff
B-B-E track and field meet brings out strong performances by the Jaguars
One handoff of the 4x800 relay race that started the track meet today...
Amy Bast put on the brakes, and retreated to second base when she saw would not make it third in the game at Holdingford. Photo by Herman Lensing, Melrose Beacon. The Jaguars fastpitch team had a tough-luck loss at Holdingford, where they fell 2-1 in seven innings. B-B-E is now 2-2 overall in fastpitch and hosts Pierz on Thursday, while the Huskers improved to 3-2 overall.
Shown is Saints Field in Elrosa late Friday afternoon...the cold, rainy weather nixed the B-B-E baseball team's home opener that was scheduled for Friday night against sub-section rival Browerville. The rain we've been getting over the weekend is bringing a huge sigh of relief for farmers, who were facing fairly severe drought conditions heading into the 2012 spring planting season.
Hopefully the rain breaks by Tuesday, when the B-B-E Track and Field teams will host an invitational beginning at 4:00pm. Until then, let the rain keep coming!
B-B-E track and field teams shine again at Melrose
Seventh-grader Courtney Brandt is shown in action during the 300-meter hurdles in Melrose last night. She finished with a time of 1:09.91. The Jaguars girls' track and field team took second-place honors at Melrose last night, edging third-place Sauk Centre in the process.
Jaguar fastpitch softball improves to 2-1 after shutting out A-C-GC
The B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team blanked Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 7-0 today on the home diamond. The 2-1 record marks the first time since the beginning of the 2010 season that they have an above-.500 record.
Their next game is at Holdingford (2-1) next Monday in the Central Minnesota Conference opener; it will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.
Here's my last clip from the fastpitch team's season opener last week vs. Minnewaska...
I would be remiss if I didn't give a quick shout out to the B-B-E Speech team, as they gear up for the Section 5A meet this Saturday in Milaca. The first round of competition begins at 9:00am. Around 25 speech students will be making the trip to be a part of the action. Good luck!
Area fastpitch softball scores on April 12: New London-Spicer 3, Sauk Centre 2 #4-ranked Albany 12, Minnewaska Area 7 Brandon/Evansville 14, West Central Area 4
Area baseball scores on April 12: Albany 11, Minnewaska Area 1 (5 innings) Browerville 2, Upsala/Swanville Area 1 Royalton 6, Eagle Valley 2
This Jaguars sports update is brought to you by the proud support of:
By the way, the air temperature at the time of this game hovered around 40 degrees! Brr! Dave McClurg called the game on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.
Coach Montbriand has a conference on the mound with his infield during tonight's game at Minnewaska. He is in his 12th season at the helm of the B-B-E baseball program; Pat Illies joins him as co-head coach this year. At Minnewaska, the Jaguars baseball team won 6-3 over the Lakers to improve to 2-0 on the year. The Lakers (0-1) spotted the Jaguars six runs after six and a half innings were complete before rallying with three runs in the bottom of the seventh.
At home, the Jaguars fastpitch team (1-1) won in five innings by a 10-0 score over sub-section rival Upsala.
Action from Minnewaska Area high school tonight...
More will follow later tonight.
This Jaguars sports update is brought to you by the proud support of:
Another clip from last week's fastpitch softball season opener
The B-B-E fastpitch team hosts Upsala today at 4:30pm. At Minnewaska, the Jaguar baseball team faces the Lakers in an attempt to improve to 2-0 on the season.
The B-B-E track and field teams compete at Paynesville Area at 4:30pm.
Another big honor for the Jaguar boys' basketball team - Coach Montbriand will be on WCCO tonight during the Timberwolves game
**This just in!
Coach Montbriand is bringing a B-B-E Jaguar basketball jersey to the Timberwolves basketball game tonight at Target Center. It will be used as a model for a giant Jaguar jersey that will hang from the Target Center rafters during the entire 2012-13 Timberwolves season.
This is a regular honor given to all state basketball champions in Minnesota.
"After next season we will get to keep the jersey to hang in our gym!" said Coach Montbriand. "I will also be the halftime guest on WCCO Timberwolves radio tonight. The game starts a 8pm tonight (an hour later than usual)."
Tune in to hear all about it! Very exciting for B-B-E!
**You can listen to wcco.com on the internet: www.wcco.com and then click on the "830AM" option.
This Jaguar sports boys' basketball update is brought to you by the proud support of:
Jaguar fastpitch falls in heartbreaking season-opener loss - Jaguar baseball beats USA!
A quick update.
In eight innings, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team lost to the Minnewaska Area Lakers today. It was a back-and-forth game, with the Lakers going up 6-4 in the 3rd inning, while the Jaguars tied it at 6-6 in the 6th frame.
Their next game is at home against Upsala next Tuesday.
Action from earlier in the game...
Up at Upsala, the Jaguars baseball team beat Upsala/Swanville Area 4-2 in their season opener. USA had defeated Melrose Area 2-1 on Monday this week. Brady Weller earned the win on the mound in five innings of work, while fellow senior Tucker Cebulla earned the save in the last two frames. Their next action is at Minnewaska Area next Tuesday at 4:30pm.
Area girls' fastpitch results on April 5: Albany 18, Royalton 0 (Royals are no-hit by Huskies senior Karli Persson) Pierz 6, Little Falls 5 Holdingford 10, Foley 9 Annandale 7, Maple Lake 6 (12 innings!)
Katelyn Heinze earned a runner-up finish in the 400 open at A-C-GC yesterday, finishing with a time of 1:09.5... Two quick notes: The Jaguars girls' track and field team earned 2nd place at the A-C-GC Invite yesterday in Grove City with 120 team points.
The relay teams of the Jaguars boys' track and field team won all four events, sweeping them for the first time ever at any meet for any B-B-E track and field team.
At Paynesville schools, they are considering making around $240,000 in budget cuts due to budget problems the school is experiencing. That's never fun, for any school, at any time.
Meanwhile, their school just ratified a new contract with its 79 licensed teachers (with a total payroll of $5.5 million) that gives a 2.35 percent raise in 2011-12 and a 1.91 percent raise in 2012-13.
HUH?
To add insult to injury, their school will ask property taxpayers in their district to raise the local tax levy this fall...because the school needs the money.
Hopefully voters there are smarter than the school thinks they are, and they'll realize they really can't be in that bad of financial shape if they're giving out a 2+ percent raise on top of the regular steps and lanes that teachers earn year to year.
Fact: at B-B-E and Sauk Centre, teachers are enduring a "hard freeze" to their salaries in 2011-12.
State champion B-B-E Jaguars hold team banquet in Padua tonight
That was a lot of fun and a great honor to be a part of! I have a great amount of video and photos from the event. More will be posted through the rest of this week.
(Just the food itself at the Padua Pub made it worth the drive)
Photos by Teresa Winter Above are scenes from Xcel Energy Center in early March, when B-B-E junior Patrick Rooney advanced to the Final Four round of the 170-pound state wrestling meet. He eventually placed third to finish with a 39-2 record. In the top photo, Rooney is shown right after winning his third-place match.
I've got quite a bit of "desk clearing" to do before I'm able to fully focus on spring sports! It was a very special winter season for the B-B-E Jaguars.
Attention B-B-E basketball fans! Don't miss out on your chance at additional "state champion" gear
Below, an example of what's being offered... Hands down, this is slicker than sliced bread!
The directions are pretty easy.
Go to www.rambow.com ...and then under the left-hand column, type in "bbechamps" as an order code to pull up a list of B-B-E state champion apparel for sale.
**Get your order in today! The program ends on April 8, after which Rambow, Inc. goes to work creating the T-shirts and getting the orders out the door.
For those not familiar with our area, Rambow, Inc. is a clothing manufacturer located west of New London. They've been operating for 33 years.
This is not only a great way to support a locally-owned business that employs people from our B-B-E area, but also a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get your hands on apparel that proudly says you were a part of the sparkling 33-0 boys' basketball season at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa.
Moments during the final minute of the sub-section championship game
Below is the five-point possession that the Battlers enjoyed with 47 seconds left to make it a 61-60 game in the Sub-Section 6A-South championship on Mar. 13...
The Jaguars' run to the state championship almost came to an end only three games into the playoffs!
