Saturday, September 30, 2017

(HD video) Halftime of Homecoming football

Here's halftime at Homecoming last night, with the Homecoming Royal Court introduced:


We could not have asked for a better night to play football and make some Homecoming memories! The week started out with coronation, which you can see here at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2017/09/07/bbe/29th-belgrade-brooten-elrosa-homecoming-court/519.html.

Here's a sad, sad story, horribly tragic news out of Swift County. I have since learned that all three people involved in this accident have died: http://www.swiftcountymonitor.com/articles/2017/09/30/one-dies-two-critically-injured-early-morning-accident-south-benson.


Labels: ,

Friday, September 29, 2017

Friday Night Lights V: a very, very special Homecoming!

Note: this blog post will be updated multiple times throughout Saturday. By tonight, it will have considerably more content to read and watch. Saturday is chocked full of events - which wrap up with attending the University of Minnesota-Morris Homecoming football game at Big Cat Stadium.


Coach Moscho with some of the first-string Jaguars late in the fourth quarter.

So tonight was Homecoming night! 

I want to begin by stating how immensely proud I am of everyone in Jaguar Country! I find no shame in being very proud of our community and the ability to feel insulated and even separated from the dark nastiness that seems to be permeating our country right now.

Belgrade V.F.W. members.

The scene before kickoff was picturesque, even picture-perfect! Four members of the Belgrade V.F.W. served as Color Guard while presenting the U.S. flag and the Minnesota flag. They gathered on the west end of the football field along with our B-B-E Jaguars football team. While our Jaguars stood side-by-side along the length of the west end zone, they held their right hand over their hearts with their helmets in their left hand. The entire stadium went silent as the V.F.W. Color Guard marched across the west half of the field towards the 50-yard line. There, they made a left turn to face the center of the stadium seating. B-B-E junior Kaylee Torgerson then performed the National Anthem. Once the singing ended, the crowd cheered and clapped. I made a point to look west towards the players, and every last one of them - every one! ...did not make a move from standing at attention, as the Color Guard had not dismissed. Finally, the four Color Guard members marched straight ahead to the north side of the football field. There was a four-second pause once they got to the sideline, a pause in which the stadium went silent again. I wonder what everybody had on their minds at that moment. It was absolutely beautiful. The kicker that got me, and had me choked up, was when I glanced back towards the players and saw them all still standing at attention right up to the moment the Color Guard members got to the sideline and dismissed. From there, the players gathered at the west goal post to prepare for starter introductions.

Indeed, it was a very proud moment to be a part of Jaguar Country.

*Below, that very special moment when the National Anthem was performed by Kaylee Torgerson (1:24 on the video) while the team stood at attention. That is how it is done!!!!! I think that's all that needs to be said on that topic.


With all that said, let's get back to the game!! Tonight the Jaguars hosted Parkers Prairie for the school's 29th Homecoming game. The Jaguars played an outstanding second half of football after trailing at halftime 23-22.

After the opening kickoff, the Jaguars got two five-yard runs from Isaiah Gilbert to get near midfield. Then came an incomplete pass, a run with a one-yard loss, a false start penalty, a quarterback sack with a seven-yard loss and finally a punt on 4th-and-23. Yikes!

The Panthers took over at their own 38-yard line and used nine plays to score first. Two key plays involved their superbly talented junior tight end, Travis Yohnke, who converted third-and-10 early in the drive with a 30-yard catch. The second play converted third-and-four in the red zone, when Yohnke hauled in a one-handed catch. Senior back Austin Koep scored from six yards out, and Yohnke caught the two-point conversion. With 6:14 on the clock, Parkers Prairie's three-minute, 11-second long scoring drive put them ahead 8-0.

The Jaguars found their footing on their second possession. Starting on their 42, Adam Jaeger ran eight yards to the right, and on third down, he took a pitch to the right for six yards. On second-and-eight, Ryan Illies ran for 10 yards. Four plays later, on fourth-and-seven, Parker Schwinghammer had a fabulous 12-yard catch on the left sideline. From the 16-yard line, Kyle Felling then ran around the left side to score with 1:51 left. Jaeger's catch in the right flats for the two-point conversion tied the game at 8-8.

Two penalties marked the start of Parkers Prairie's next drive. First, it was holding on the visitors, and then the Jaguars committed a pass interference penalty to make it 1st-and-5. B-B-E's defense stiffened up to force 4th-and-1. Disaster struck when Yohnke caught a 61-yard touchdown pass with 11:11 on the clock. A two-point conversion catch was good over the middle for a 16-8 Parkers Prairie lead.

Gilbert electrified the Jaguar Country faithful when he ran the ensuing kickoff back 68 yards to set up an 11-yard field. Jaeger's seven-yard run was followed by a four-yard touchdown carry by Gilbert with 10:15 left. The two-point carry was short, leaving the Jaguars down 16-14.

Parkers Prairie started on their 24-yard line. Felling earned a "pick six" of over 30 yards, but a penalty nullified the touchdown. With the penalty, the Panthers had first down on their 39. Their air game struck once again with a 52-yard catch on third-and-long. With first-and-goal at the B-B-E seven, Matt Jirik caught a six-yard touchdown pass with 8:08 left. The PAT kick made it 23-14.

B-B-E recovered an onside kick at their 48-yard line. Two plays later on 3rd-and-11, Jaeger caught an 18-yard pass from Illies. Felling's eight-yard catch was followed by a two-yard run by Illies on 3rd-and-1. Tyler Bents ran for six yards on first down, but two plays later the Jaguars faced 4th-and-2. Jaeger busted free to get four yards. First down! The mood quickly soured when a run play lost nine yards on first down. Felling then hauled in an on-the-mark pass over the middle by Illies, bolted past a defender and scored on a 20-yard catch with 1:24 left. Schwinghammer then caught the two-point conversion in the right corner to make it 23-22.

Parkers Prairie had the ball for just 39 seconds and punted on 4th-and-15. The Jaguars started on their 40-yard line, and a 21-yard run by Gilbert made a go-ahead touchdown a real possibility. With first down on the visitors' 19, B-B-E hurt their chances with two straight penalties. With 15 seconds left, Jaeger caught a 17-yard pass but was tackled just inside the left sideline. B-B-E called a timeout with six seconds left, and on their last play, Illies was flushed from the pocket, scrambled towards the right sideline and threw a bomb into the end zone. The Panthers secondary broke up the pass at the horn.

Halftime: Parkers Prairie 23, B-B-E 22.

*Below, video from the final minutes of the second quarter, which started with the Jaguars trailing 23-14. There were a few bleak moments in that second quarter - but the Jaguars finished strong heading into halftime!


After halftime, B-B-E's first-team defense gave up just one touchdown while they took over the game late in the third quarter and into the fourth quarter. Just six points were scored in the third quarter, while 26 points were scored in the fourth!

The Panthers had first possession in the third quarter. B-B-E's defense was all fired up, getting in the backfield on three straight plays - all incomplete passes. Ben Boie was credited with a hurry on second down, and on third down, Gilbert was Johnny-on-the-spot on an over-the-middle pass to Yohnke. The visitors had the ball just 14 seconds and punted from their 40-yard line.

From their 36-yard line, Gilbert had a 10-yard carry on the first play. Then Jaeger had a huge gain on a carry, but the Jaguars suffered a lost fumble at the visitors' 27-yard line with 10:54 left. Parkers Prairie didn't have the ball long, though, as the B-B-E defense smothered them with a six-yard loss on the second play, 2nd down and three to go. Following that was an incomplete pass and a punt.

The Jaguars restarted from their 39-yard line and quickly moved into Panthers' territory. A 12-yard catch by Jaeger on 3rd-and-7 was followed by a 23-yard run by Tyler Bents to get first down at the Panthers' 24. The Jaguars got nine-and-a-half yards on the next three plays, and Gilbert was stopped just short on 4th-and-2 at the visitors' 15-yard line with 6:24 left.

Parkers Prairie converted one first down on the next series, but on 4th-and-5 they punted from their 35-yard line with 4:21 left.

B-B-E started their eighth possession of the game from their 43. On 2nd-and-10, Felling ran with great blocking ahead of him to the left for 17 yards. Two plays later, Jaeger convered 3rd-and-10 with a wide-open, 23-yard catch in the left flats. Felling ran for 10 yards, and on 1st-and goal he ran in a seven-yard touchdown with 2:09 left. The extra-point failed, making the score 28-23 Jaguars.

Parkers Prairie answered with a 67-yard touchdown drive spanning the third and fourth quarters. Keys to the drive were eight- and 14-yard catches plus three runs good for eight yards each. On 3rd-and-4 with 9:34 left in the game, the Panthers scored to retake the lead. Senior tight end Ross Ruckheim caught the two-point conversion to make it 31-28 Panthers.

With something to prove, the Jaguars stormed right back, starting on their 40-yard line and getting a 10-yard run by Illies on the first play. Jaeger than ran for 15 yards, and Gilbert followed that with a 13-yard carry. With first down at the Panthers' 22, Jaeger and his blockers blasted the Panthers defense with a 22-yard run with 8:22 left. The extra-points attempt was no good, leaving it B-B-E 34, Parkers Prairie 31.

What followed was absolutely incredible! The Thomas Kollman kickoff flew inside the 20-yard line and rolled near the end zone. The Panthers managed just a few yards on the return, and the Jaguars special teams crew smothered the return at the visitors' 13-yard line. The Panthers went three-and-out, and their punt was blocked, with the ball sailing high in the air and landing at the Parkers Prairie 10-yard line with 6:50 left. Seconds later, Gilbert scored from 10 yards out on B-B-E's first and only play of the drive. Illies ran in the two-point conversion, and suddenly the Jaguars were on top 42-31!

The Panthers started on their 35 on their next drive, got stuffed on their first run play and then had two incomplete passes before punting. The Jaguars got the ball back with 5:39 left at their own 38-yard line. Gilbert converted second down with a 13-yard run, then blasted the Panthers with a 17-yard carry. Two plays later on second-and-goal, Gilbert ran in a seven-yard touchdown to make it a three-score game, 48-31.

Final score: B-B-E 48, Parkers Prairie 37. The fourth quarter was nothing short of INCREDIBLE! The Jaguars scored 20 straight points to take a 48-31 lead late in the fourth quarter with about two minutes left, when Adam Jaeger scored on an eight-yard carry.

Sarah Schmitz leading the B-B-E student section in the roller coaster during the fourth quarter after the Jaguars took a 34-31 lead.


Ryan Illies put up terrific quarterback numbers, going 12-of-19 for 127 yards with one touchdown. Complementing his passing was a robust, brawny ground game that amassed 268 rushing yards and B-B-E's six other touchdowns!

Parkers Prairie's Matt Ferley put up equally impressive numbers, as their senior quarterback had 9-of-22 passing marks for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

The Jaguars improve to 4-1 overall and 4-0 in Midstate, Sub-District 3. They haven't been 4-1 since the 2013 season. Also, they remain in a tie for first place along with Upsala/Swanville area, who remains undefeated at 5-0 overall after defeating visiting Browerville 30-14 tonight. Next for B-B-E is the longest road trip on the schedule, as the Jaguars head north to New York Mills for Week Six.
With this win, B-B-E's football program improves to 11-18 overall on Homecoming night. Five of those 11 wins have come in the Coach Moscho era (est. 2010).

*Here's video from the fourth quarter tonight, moments after the Jaguars took a 34-31 lead...the fans were amazing!!! They ROCKED that stadium!! Thank you to senior Sarah Schmitz for leading the students!


I want to say a special thanks to the fans for their extra push they gave in the second half when the game was hanging in the balance! My adrenaline was through the roof, and mid-way through the third quarter - after the Panthers took a 31-28 lead - I asked myself, "How do I not get kicked out of the game?" while still trying my best to get our fans in the stadium cranked up. Somehow, by some miracle, I pulled it off. It was a terribly exciting finish to what has been a very emotional week, and an especially emotional day, in Jaguar Country.

The video highlight reel will be incredible tonight! I'll need about a half hour to start processing the clips. Stay tuned!

Midstate, Sub-District 3 football scores in Week Five, September 29:
Upsala/Swanville Area 30, Browerville 14
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 36, New York Mills 0 (at Murdock)
Royalton 46, Kimball Area 44

Area football scores in Week Five, September 29:
Paynesville Area 66, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 8 (Bulldogs pile up 523 yards of offense!)
Moorhead 36, Willmar 20
Ottertail Central 43, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 0
BOLD 68, Benson 0
New London-Spicer 56, Litchfield 20
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 22, MACCRAY 0
Sauk Centre 28, Osakis 14
Hancock 46, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 19
Melrose Area 40, Rockford Area 7    
Yellow Medicine East 15, Lakeview 8
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 41, Montevideo 7
Minnewaska Area 35, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta
Lac qui Parle Valley 27, Canby 6
Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity 32, Medford 22
Pierz 50, Eden Valley-Watkins 12
Brandon-Evansville 44, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 0
Mayer Lutheran 42, Kenyon-Wanamingo 14
Holdingford 20, Maple Lake 15
Mountain Lake Area 30, Renville County West 27


Labels: ,

Halftime

The B-B-E Jaguars football team trails 23-22 on Homecoming night to Parkers Prairie. The Panthers went up 8-0, then the Jaguars tied it. Parkers pulled ahead 16-8, and the Jaguars came right back with a four-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Gilbert with 10:15 left in the second quarter.

The Panthers scored again with a PAT kick for a 23-14 lead. B-B-E scored with a 2-point conversion to get to halftime down by one.


Labels: , ,

(HD video) Homecoming Pep Fest

Here's a long video clip from the pep fest today at the high school, which included grades 5-12:


I am hopeful for a huge turnout of fans tonight for the Homecoming football game! Kickoff is at 7 p.m. You can watch the game online at https://sites.google.com/a/bbejaguars.org/bbe-broadcasting.

Labels:

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Homecoming volleyball night

Coach Weller gives his post-match talk to the Jaguars following their Homecoming win by sweep!

We had a terrific crowd tonight for the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team's Homecoming match, and school spirit in Jaguar Country could not be better!

The Jaguars had a tough opponent on tap: the Kimball Area Cubs, defending Section 5A champion and a fellow sub-section rival.

Tied 9-9 in game one, the Jaguars took charge and surged ahead 21-12 before winning 25-20. They ran on great starts in games two and three, ahead 5-0 and 4-0, respectively. In game two the Jaguars built leads of 14-5 and 21-8 before crushing the Cubs 25-12. They led 14-7 in game three, then 19-11, before the Cubs made a late rally to close the lead to just two points. B-B-E finished off the match with a 25-22 win to improve to 3-1 in the Central Minnesota Conference and 11-8 overall.

The Jaguars have a long break now until traveling to second-place Holdingford next Thursday, Oct. 5.

Below is video from the end of the match:


Continue to hold our students and their families in our prayers tonight as we soon wrap up Day Four of Homecoming week in Jaguar Country. It has been a marvelous week in many ways! Let's be sure to end on a high note with all of Friday's excitement!

Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on September 28:
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 3, Paynesville Area 1  
Maple Lake 3, Holdingford 0 (defending state champion Irish win a battle of conference unbeatens)
Eden Valley-Watkins 3, Pierz 1

Area volleyball scores on September 28:
Glencoe-Silver Lake 3, New London-Spicer 0
Albany 3, Mora 0
Brandon-Evansville 3, Parkers Prairie 0
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 3, Benson 0
YME 3, K-M-S 1   
Minneota 3, Renville County West 0    
MACCRAY 3, Lakeview 0
BOLD 3, Minnewaska Area 1     
Melrose Area 3, Montevideo 1     
Sauk Centre 3, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 1     
Henning 3, Pillager 0    
Sebeka 3, Bertha-Hewitt 0      
Wadena-Deer Creek 3, New York Mills 0.
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 3, Browerville 1    
Royalton 3, Osakis 1     
Swanville 3, Upsala 2 (Cardinals win game five 15-13)


Labels: , ,

Tragedy in Crookston

I just read this earlier today. It is awful!

http://www.inforum.com/news/4334933-11-year-old-crookston-boy-dies-suicide-school-district-says

The thought of childhood suicide haunts me. I pray that I will never have to write about it in Jaguar Country.

Please pray for Crookston. The boy was in sixth grade.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Powder Puff flag football

Coach Gilbert gives instructions to the senior players during the Powder Puff football game.
Senior Nicole Wesbur and Megan Carroll celebrate a touchdown.

The senior class won the annual Powder Puff flag football game this afternoon. Here's some brief coverage of the game at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2017/09/07/bbe/b-b-e-homecoming-powder-puff-football/520.html

Here's a glimpse on the field and stadium at the start of the game:



...and below is another video clip from one of the Powder Puff football game's quarter breaks - it was likely halftime, although I am not 100% sure of that:

...and here's a lengthy clip from the Color FUND Run:

So far, a terrific week of Homecoming in Jaguar Country!

I found this late Wednesday night at the West Central Tribune website, and I wanted to share it here: http://www.wctrib.com/opinion/4334051-keillor-gentle-people-shall-prevail.

Let's hear it for the nice people! May we all strive to be nicer to those around us every day. Myself included!!! As anyone would guess, I know the B-B-E Class of 2018 very well. I have seen them grow up from elementary school to being on the verge of adulthood. I can't say enough how nice they are. Top to bottom, side to side, every last one of them. They are good people. Their parents should be very proud.


Labels: , ,

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Sweep in Wildcat Country

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team won 3-0 at New London-Spicer tonight in a non-conference border battle. It was also a Homecoming match for the Wildcats, just as Thursday night's match will be for B-B-E. Game scores were 25-13, 27-25, 25-13. You can read more about the wild, back-and-forth battle in game two in this week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

Next is the Homecoming match for the Jaguars (10-8) against Kimball (5-10) on Thursday.

Below is video from the end of game one tonight:

And here's video from the last few points of a very exciting, come-from-behind win for the Jaguars in game two!

In a Prairie Conference match at Long Prairie tonight, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' tennis team lost 5-2 to the LP-GE/USA Thunder.

Area volleyball scores on September 26:
Maple Lake 3, Mayer Lutheran 1 (both teams entered tonight's match undefeated, with Maple Lake improving to 18-0 with the win, Mayer Lutheran drops to 17-1)
Litchfield 3, Eden Valley-Watkins 0     
Annandale 3, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 1
Albany 3, Pierz 2
Browerville 3, Upsala 2    
Royalton 3, Swanville 1     
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 3, Osakis 1
Melrose Area 3, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 1   
Sauk Centre 3, BOLD 0   
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 3, Montevideo 2    
Benson 3, Minnewaska Area 1   
Parkers Prairie 3, Bertha-Hewitt 0   
MACCRAY 3, Yellow Medicine East 2    
Minneota 3, Canby 2   
Lac qui Parle Valley 3, Renville County West 2   
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Lakeview 0
Pine River-Backus 3, Verndale 0      
Central MN Christian 3, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 1


Labels: ,

Monday, September 25, 2017

(HD video) Football Jaguars vs. Royalton

Shown is part of a first-half scoring drive for the B-B-E Jaguars football team against Royalton in their Week Three match up:


Monday is off to a wet, soggy start in the Bonanza Valley area. Yikes!!! We sure could use a couple weeks of dry weather to help the farmers keep the fall harvest rolling smoothly...

Labels: ,

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Don't miss! Terrace Mill Fall Festival

Riley Schumann (center) and Treven Quade shown in the Terrace Mill Children's Theater summer performance in July 2013. The Terrace Mill Foundation supports numerous Fine Arts programs throughout the year for all ages. 

The historic Terrace Mill presents their Fall Festival and Fiddlers Jamboree on Sunday, Sept. 24 from noon to 4 p.m. Music begins at 1 p.m. and features Terry Nelson, Mikko Cowdry and area fiddlers. Admission is just $5 at the gate. Food, art, music and vendors will be on hand. 


http://terracemill.org.

The Bonanza Valley Voice will be there, and we hope to see you there too!!

**Update: here's some initial coverage of the event posted at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2017/09/07/regional/terrace-fall-festival-and-fiddlers-jamboree/518.html

Labels: , , ,

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Volleyball in Willmar


The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team will take on New London-Spicer in the Willmar tournament semifinals this afternoon. In pool play, the Jaguars started with a 2-1 win over Renville County West; game scores were 22-25, 25-12, 15-11. Next were straight-set wins over Lakeview (25-11, 25-12) and Central Minnesota Christian-Prinsburg (25-17, 25-16) to complete a sweep of three Camden Conference teams.

Stay tuned for more updates.

**Update: in the tournament semifinals, the Jaguars won game one 25-17 before the Wildcats eked out a narrow 26-24 win in game two. The Jaguars breezed past NL-S 15-8 in the third set to get into the championship.

The Jaguars fought hard against Willmar, who is 6-0 in the Central Lakes Conference with a half-match lead over powerhouse Rocori. The Cardinals finished the day 5-0 while improving to 13-3 overall with a 25-22, 25-17 win in the championship.

B-B-E is now 9-8 overall and play next at New London-Spicer (7-12) on Tuesday, September 26.

*Homecoming week reminders: the coronation is Monday night at 7:30 p.m., while the B-B-E girls' tennis team hosts Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Upsala-Swanville Area on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. for their Homecoming match. The Color FUND Run is on Wednesday at 1 p.m., and it will be followed by the Homecoming Powder Puff flag football game.


Labels: , ,

Two big events coming today in the Bonanza Valley

Shown is Todd Trustheim (Brooten high school Class of 1987) leading the Brooten Fire Department raffle at the Brooten Pavilion on October 3, 2015.

The Brooten Fire Department hog roast and 20-gun raffle is at the Brooten Pavilion tonight, Saturday, September 23, with social hour and games from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., food with free-will donation, then the general / gun raffles starting at 7 o'clock.

Down in Swift Falls, Brink's Beer Joint invites everyone to their annual Fall Turkey Fest celebration, also being held today, Saturday, September 23. The fun starts with a bean bag tournament at 2 o’clock; the Turkey Cook-Off is 3 to 5; during that time the Firemen Water Fight will start at 3:30 p.m. with area fire departments invited - the parade is at 5:30 and live music will be from 6 to 9. 

As always, you can see a long list of area events throughout the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper, with the community calendar printed on page 2 each week. You can visit the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's community calendar at this link: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/page/bonanza-valley-community-calendar/102.html.

Thank you for your interest in what's happening across the Bonanza Valley and B-B-E area!

*Today I will try posting volleyball updates: in the first match of the day for the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team at Willmar, they beat Renville County West in three sets. Next is a pool play match against Lakeview.

The Jaguars easily beat Lakeview in straight sets!

**Pool play update: the Jaguars finished 3-0 in pool play with a straight-set win over Central Minnesota Christian-Prinsburg. No word yet on who they face in the championship semifinals. Additional updates from Willmar will be added in a new blog post.



Labels: , , , ,

Friday, September 22, 2017

Friday Night Lights IV: statement win on the road!


Tonight was statement night for the B-B-E Jaguars football team! On the road at Browerville, the Jaguars completely dominated the Tigers while pitching a shut out in the third and fourth quarters. After having a slim 22-20 halftime lead, the Jaguars were in top form on their way to a 42-20 win.

Browerville was a state entrant and Class 1A state semifinalist in 2016 after winning the Section 6A title. They beat Mahnomen 40-28 in the state quarterfinals and finished 9-4 overall after losing to eventual state champion Rushford-Peterson 49-0 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. While not knowing what they lost for seniors to graduation, I have a hunch that the 2017 graduation hit them hard. Still, Browerville lists 11 seniors on their 33-man roster, which also has 13 juniors.

Browerville also competed at state in 2015, going 8-0 in the regular season, winning the Section 6A title and then falling to Minneota in the state quarterfinals. They made it to state in 2012 after an 0-2 start. Browerville was a section finalist in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Also noteworthy: this is B-B-E's first win over Browerville since 1993, when the No. 7-seeded Jaguars shocked the heavily-favored and No. 2-seeded Tigers in the Section 5C quarterfinals with a 22-20 win. Tonight's win was also B-B-E's widest margin of victory since a 26-point win at K-M-S on Sept. 25, 2015 by a 34-8 score.

Both teams scored on their first possessions for an 8-8 tie in the first quarter. The Jaguars struck first when Ryan Illies passed to Adam Jaeger for a 30-yard touchdown. Browerville answered with a 60-yard touchdown run by senior running back Dalton Butler with a successful two-point conversion. On the following kickoff, Jaeger took it to the house with an 82-yard touchdown return that helped the Jaguars go up 16-8. Late in the first quarter, Browerville was threatening and drove deep into B-B-E territory. They finished off the drive early in the second quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass and narrowed B-B-E's lead to 16-14 with a failed two-point conversion.

B-B-E then scored again on a two-yard carry by Illies to go up 22-14, and the Tigers responded with a 10-yard touchdown catch before halftime. At the half, B-B-E led 22-20.

The Jaguars then played perhaps their best quarter of football in years when they outscored the Tigers 20-0 in the third quarter. Jaeger electrified the B-B-E faithful with a 78-yard punt return to open up the third-quarter scoring. Kyle Felling then tacked on touchdown runs of 7 and 17 yards for a 42-20 lead.

I was very pleased that the J.V. Jaguars took over in the fourth quarter to finish the game. Classy. Winning with class and losing with class are both important in any sport - especially at the high school level when many lessons are taught to our youth. Great job, B-B-E! The J.V. squad played very well even though they did not score. They kept the ball on the ground with no turnovers and kept the game clock running.

Ryan Illies finished with 4-of-10 passing marks for 50 yards, with 30 of those 50 yards coming on the touchdown pass to Jaeger.

Overall, Browerville outgained B-B-E 245 yards to 214, with two special teams touchdowns helping make the difference for the Jaguars. The Tigers rushed for 187 yards to 164 by B-B-E, with nearly one-third of their rushing yards coming on one play, the 60-yard touchdown run. Browerville's Butler finished with 78 yards rushing on seven carries, so six of his carries yielded 18 yards.

The Jaguars converted just one of nine third-down tries, but they made good on two of three fourth-down conversions. Felling had B-B-E's longest carry with a 37-yard run, while Isaiah Gilbert was their leading rusher with 62 yards on nine carries. Jaeger had 30 yards on three carries, Ryan Schwinghammer had 30 yards on four carries (long of 18 yards), Tyler Bents had 17 yards on two carries, Illies had 12 yards on five carries, Andrew Weller had one carry that lost four yards, and Jackson Peter (second-string quarterback) lost 17 yards on four carries.

Browerville's starting quarterback, junior Brady Emery, had nine passing attempts and made good on three of them for a total of 30 yards with a 15-yard touchdown pass. Butler had a successful halfback pass for 28 yards, so both teams each finished with four succcessful pass completions on 10 tries each.

Browerville (1-3) was hurt by two lost fumbles, the only turnovers of the game. Jaden Pastian had one fumble recovery.

Now 3-1 overall, the Jaguars host Parkers Prairie (2-2) and their 45-man roster with 12 seniors next Friday for Homecoming. It will be another big game for the Jaguars, as they look to build on the successes of the first half of the season. Tonight, Parkers Prairie hosted 11th-ranked (Class 1A) and undefeated Upsala/Swanville Area, and the outcome of that game will tell quite a bit about each of those teams.

*Update: the bartender in Urbank heard that Parkers Prairie lost tonight. The score he heard was 30-18, but I have not confirmed that from another source. That's all I have so far for intel.

*Update after midnight: indeed, Upsala/Swanville Area did win by a 30-18 score at Parkers Prairie tonight, but just like B-B-E, they had their hands full in the first half. The unranked Panthers caught fire in the first quarter and built an 18-8 second-quarter lead over the state-ranked Patriots. USA had an 8-6 lead before the Patriots got an interception by junior Travis Yohnke at the USA 25-yard line. Yohnke soon scored on a six-yard plunge to put the host Panthers ahead 12-8. Earlier, Parkers Prairie's senior running back Austin Koep scored on a 42-yard run to get his team out to a 6-0 lead. Koep scored again in the second quarter to make it 18-8. USA's Lawrence Mettler scored a touchdown run with five seconds left in the first half to narrow the deficit to 18-16.

USA then owned the second half as injuries took their toll on Parkers Prairie along with the visitors' stifling defense.

Parkers Prairie head coach was quoted in the Echo Press saying, "It was pressure on the quarterback and no sustained drives. And then we just got tired. The USA team runs, runs, runs. They don’t huddle. And if you’re not in shape, boy, you get tired quick."

I finally have a long list of area football scores. See below.

Midstate, Sub-District 3 football scores in Week Four on September 22:
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 32, Kimball Area 20 (at Kimball)
#11 Upsala/Swanville Area 30, Parkers Prairie 18 (USA and B-B-E remain on top of the sub-district with 3-0 records)
B-B-E 42, Browerville 20
Royalton 40, New York Mills 0

Area football scores on September 22:
Brandon/Evansville 27, Bertha-Hewitt 20 (B-E Chargers hand B-H Bears their first loss)
Verndale 49, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 6
Rocori 30, Alexandria 16
West Central Area/Ashby 28, Wadena-Deer Creek 20
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 14, Osakis 0 (A-C-GC improves to 3-1 by dominating the ground game with 302 rushing yards on 42 carries compared to Osakis's 136 rushing yards on 44 carries; the Falcons scored on their first possession, and they tacked on another touchdown in the fourth quarter at Grove City)
Willmar 38, Big Lake 6
Hawley 48, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 0
BOLD 23, Minnewaska Area 7 (BOLD took an early 10-0 lead, and at halftime the 6th-ranked Class 1A Warriors led 10-7 over the 7th ranked Class 2A Lakers at Minnewaska; BOLD then flexed its muscle by pitching a shut out in the second half to win the battle of unbeatens)
Red Rock Central 62, MACCRAY 6 (at Lamberton, No. 8-ranked nine-man RRC improves to 4-0; the Wolverines are 0-4)
Canby 27, Lakeview 13
Eden Valley-Watkins 27, Rockford Area 0
Maple Lake 7, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 0
Paynesville Area 48, Holdingford 27
Rothsay 52, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 13
Hancock 34, Underwood 6
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 35, Benson 16 (winless Benson led 8-7 early in the second quarter before fading and trailing 28-8 at halftime on their home field; they have just 23 players on their 9th-12th grade roster, including 7 seniors; MA/CA finished with 354 rushing yards on 34 carries)
New London-Spicer 38, Foley 7
Renville County West 34, Fulda 12
Sauk Centre 31, Montevideo 14
#3 Pierz 17, Melrose Area 0
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 30, Ortonville 13
Mayer Lutheran 42, Medford 8
Minneota 39, Yellow Medicine East 0
Glencoe-Silver Lake 21, Albany 14


Labels: ,

Football on the road

The B-B-E Jaguars football team has an early lead at Browerville tonight. At the start of the second quarter, the Jaguars are ahead 16-8. B-B-E put up the first points with an 8-0 lead, and the Tigers then tied it. On the following kickoff return, Adam Jaeger scorched the Browerville special teams unit with a touchdown run.

*Update: early in the second quarter, Browerville now trails 16-14.

*Update: later in the second quarter, the Jaguars now have a 22-14 lead. Extra points will be crucial tonight!!

**Halftime: B-B-E 22, Browerville 20. It's a barn burner! Let's go Jaguars, time for a big second half!!

*Update at 21:00...the Jaguars had a HUGE third quarter and now lead 36-20 with the fourth quarter coming. Stay tuned!!

More updates to follow!!


Labels:

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Volleyball sweeps

Back in the friendly confines of their home gymnasium, the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team shook off two straight losses with a 3-0 sweep of Eden Valley-Watkins. The Central Minnesota Conference match was won by scores of 25-15, 25-17, 25-19 to lift the Jaguars to 5-7 overall. The win also gives them some positive momentum heading into the Willmar tournament this Saturday.

Below is video from game three tonight:


Don't forget! Tomorrow night, for Friday Nights IV, the B-B-E Jaguars football team travels to Browerville for a Midstate, Sub-District 3 contest. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.!

Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on September 21:
Maple Lake 3, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 1
Pierz 3, Kimball Area 0
Holdingford 3, Paynesville Area 2 (Huskers win game five 15-9; Holdingford is in a tie with Maple Lake for first place in the CMC at 3-0)

Area volleyball scores on September 21:
Watertown-Mayer 3, New London-Spicer 1
Albany 3, Becker 0
Sauk Centre 3, Melrose Area 0
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 3, Minnewaska Area 0
Sebeka 3, Henning 1
Pillager 3, Bertha-Hewitt 0
MACCRAY 3, Central Minnesota Christian-Prinsburg 0
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 3, Lac qui Parle Valley 0
Canby 3, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 0
Lakeview 3, Renville County West 1
Minneota 3, Dawson-Boyd 0
Wadena-Deer Creek 3, Verndale 1
New York Mills 3, Menahga 1
Montevideo 3, Benson 0
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 3, BOLD 1
Royalton 3, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 0


Labels: , ,

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

(HD video) Storm aftermath in Belgrade

Here's a glimpse of the storm clean up that took place on Wednesday morning in Belgrade (September 20):


...and here's video from an Elrosa-area farm that suffered severe damage from the storm:


See additional coverage of the storm aftermath in the Bonanza Valley at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com. *Also: school will resume at B-B-E on Thursday, September 21.

Labels: ,

Monday, September 18, 2017

(HD video) B-B-E football vs. Royalton

Below is video from late in the third quarter in last Friday's home game against Royalton:


This week the Jaguars take on Browerville on Friday night in Browerville.

Labels: ,

(Video) Special music at West Lake Johanna

Here's a nice way to start the week! From the West Lake Johanna Lutheran church's 150th anniversary worship on August 20:


For the B-B-E Jaguars, the next home varsity event is on Thursday when the volleyball team hosts Eden Valley-Watkins (3-8, 0-2).

Labels: , , ,

Friday, September 15, 2017

Friday Night Lights III: ground game rules

A powerful running game propelled the B-B-E Jaguars football team to a 24-8 win over No. 9-ranked (Class 2A) Royalton in their Week Three match up. The Royals were a state entrant last year after winning the Section 7AA title.

The Jaguars led 16-0 after the first quarter and tacked on a third touchdown in the third quarter.

Their 242 yards rushing compared to just 70 for Royalton. Another key statistic: the Jaguars were 6-of-12 on third-down conversions, while the Royals were just 2-of-10 in that category. Royalton had 83 yards passing, while the Jaguars gained 24 yards through the air. B-B-E's Ryan Illies completed five passes on eight attempts in the game.

This was an impressive performance after two less-than-memorable nights in their first two games.

Below, video showing B-B-E's first touchdown of the game:


Below, video from the opening minutes of the third quarter, featuring the Jaguars stopping Royalton inside the 35-yard line on the opening drive of the second half:

The Jaguars take a 2-1 record to Browerville next Friday for their Week Four match up. The Tigers are 1-2 now after getting their first win of the season tonight by a 32-0 score over winless New York Mills.

Mid-State, Sub-District 3 scores on September 15:
Browerville 32, New York Mills 0 (at New York Mills)
Upsala/Swanville Area 24, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 14 (at Swanville, USA led 16-14 at halftime)
Parkers Prairie 28, Kimball Area 12 (at Parkers Prairie)

Area football scores in Week Three, September 15:
Barnesville 21, West Central Area/Ashby 0
Eden Valley-Watkins 20, Holdingford 6
Willmar 54, Princeton 14
Minnewaska Area 35, Montevideo 6
Dawson-Boyd 47, Lakeview 7
Zimmerman 28, New London-Spicer 7
Pierz 34, Maple Lake 7
Brandon-Evansville 47, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 6
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 26, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 25 (Tigers score 18 points in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough to pull off the win at Big Cat Stadium)
Bertha-Hewitt 38, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 18
Hancock 36, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 0
BOLD 40, Sauk Centre 7
Renville County West 50, MACCRAY 7
Osakis 27, Benson 6
Staples-Motley 27, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 6
Albany 51, Little Falls 12
Hutchinson 21, Big Lake 14
Paynesville Area 54, Rockford Area 0 (Max Weidner passed for 254 yards for the Bulldogs with 14 completions in 20 attempts)
Melrose Area 56, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 0
Minneota 53, Canby 0
Wabasso 35, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 0
Ortonville 17, Yellow Medicine East 16


Labels: ,

Game updates

At halftime: B-B-E 16, Royalton 8. The Royals entered the game 2-0 and ranked No. 9 in Class 2A.

The Jaguars scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the game to take a 16-0 lead.


Labels: ,

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Paynesville!

We have a barn burner going in Paynesville! The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team is fighting to get a game five right now.

The Bulldogs won game four 25-23 to clinch the match. The Jaguars held a 23-21 lead in game four and seemed poised to win the set and force a tie-breaker. Two straight errors tied the game at 23-23, with the Bulldogs earning the win with four unanswered points. Game scores were 14-25, 25-20, 22-25, 23-25.

Below is video from the end of game two:


Next for the Jaguars (4-6) is a tough road match at Albany (5-5) next Tuesday. They return home next Thursday to host Eden Valley-Watkins (3-7, 0-1) in a conference match that will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.

Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on Sept. 14:
Maple Lake 3, Pierz 0

Area volleyball scores on September 14:
Willmar 3, St. Cloud Apollo 0
Rockford Area 3, New London-Spicer 1
Albany 3, Little Falls 0
Royalton 3, Browerville 0
Upsala 3, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 2 (Cardinals win game five 15-11)
Sauk Centre 3, Minnewaska Area 0
Montevideo 3, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 1
BOLD 3, Benson 1
Wadena-Deer Creek 3, Henning 1 (W-DC gives Henning their first loss)
Sebeka 3, Verndale 1
Menahga 3, Bertha-Hewitt 0
Lakeview 3, Central MN Christian 0
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Minneota 1
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 3, Lac qui Parle Valley 2 (Game scores for this Camden North Conference match were 25-18, 25-23, 19-25, 21-25, 18-16! at K-M-S high school)
MACCRAY 3, Dawson-Boyd 0
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 3, Renville County West 0

Here's a quick shout-out to the Terrace Mill Foundation! They are gearing up for a very exciting family-friendly event on Sunday, Sept. 24. You can learn more about it on page 12 of this week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.


Labels:

Youth tackle football

I just noticed on the school calendar that the B-B-E 5th-6th grade youth tackle Jaguars will scrimmage at halftime of this Friday's home varsity football game. It appears that the weather will be perfect for a football game.

I can't wait!

In other news...
I read that K-12 enrollment has increased at West Central Area schools. Last year they started the school year with 723 students. This year they had 752 students enrolled as of the first week of school.

I'm currently gathering as much enrollment data as I can on surrounding schools and will report on it in the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

Not a subscriber? Well, get on it! You are cheating yourself! Just $18 locally, $20 out of the area - PER year! http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00148.1.2974986213020409509/subscribe.
Local, local, local! That is what makes up our newspaper every week. We go out of our way to fill the newspaper with local news that you can only find in the Bonanza Valley Voice.

And here's the Bonanza Valley Voice online photo gallery. It includes photos printed in the newspaper as well as what didn't get printed! https://bonanzavalley.smugmug.com.


Labels: ,

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

It's a sweep!

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team won 3-0 over Verndale tonight in a non-conference home match. The Pirates (3-5) jumped out to a 15-6 lead in game three, but the Jaguars fought hard to tie it at 19-19. They earned the sweep with a thrilling 25-23 win in game three.

Next is an even tougher match when they travel to Paynesville (11-3) on Thursday.

Here's video from the end of game two:


Area volleyball scores on September 12:
Kimball Area 3, Litchfield 0
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 3, Mound Westonka 0
St. Cloud Cathedral 3, Albany 1
Swanville 3, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 2
Osakis 3, Browerville 1
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 3, Hancock 0
Sauk Centre 3, Benson 0
Melrose Area 3, BOLD 0
Montevideo 3, Minnewaska Area 0
Wadena-Deer Creek 3, Nevis 2
Canby 3, Lakeview 0
Henning 3, Battle Lake 1


Labels: ,

Radio

Tonight's volleyball match will be aired on Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood.

(HD video) Volleyball's game five vs. HL-W-W

Shown is video from game five of the Central Minnesota Conference opener last Thursday for our B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team. The Jaguars won the final set 15-8 to clinch the win.


I hope to see a big crowd pack the home gym on Tuesday night, when our Jaguars (3-5) take on Verndale (4-5) in a Section 5A match up.

If you haven't done it already, you can clip out the Fall 2017 varsity sports schedule out of page five from last week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

Labels: , ,

Sunday, September 10, 2017

(Video) Football at Kimball

Here's action from the second half at Kimball on Friday:


Don't forget the sex trafficking forum that will be held at the B-B-E high school at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 11. Read the feature story about it on page one of last week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

Labels:

Saturday, September 09, 2017

Volleyball in Marshall

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team lost 2-1 to Jamestown in their first match of the day at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge.

The Jaguars play Hutchinson at 1:15 p.m. at SMSU this afternoon.

*Update: the Jaguars lost all three matches on Saturday and take a 3-5 record into next week's action. They host Verndale on Tuesday night.


Labels:

Friday, September 08, 2017

Friday Night Lights II

The B-B-E Jaguars football team got into the win column by a 12-6 score tonight. They had many chances to salt the game at Kimball, but in the end they hung on to withstand a late Cubs drive near the end zone and were happy to get out of town with the win.

B-B-E (1-1) ran for a season-high 271 yards, with four ball carriers rushing for 52 yards or more. Adam Jaeger had 78 yards on 16 carries. The Jaguars also had 54 yards passing from Ryan Illies. The Cubs (0-2) had 224 total yards, with 145 yards coming through the air and 79 on the ground.

Now the Jaguars have to prepare in earnest for a tough home game for Week Three, when they host undefeated Royalton on Friday, Sept. 15. The Royals shut out Parkers Prairie to night by a 32-0 score and are 2-0 so far this season.

Below, here's video of B-B-E's second touchdown of the game with 8:07 left in the third quarter:

In news from Marshall, the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team went 1-1 tonight in the opening round of the Southwest Minnesota Challenge. In their first match of the night, the Jaguars lost 2-0 to undefeated Lakeville South (4-0) with scores of 12-25, 16-25. The Cougars are a state power in Class 3A, as they took third place at state in 2016 with a final record of 30-4.

In the night cap at Marshall, B-B-E picked up a 2-0 win over Burnsville with scores of 25-23, 25-23.

On Saturday, the Jaguars open up the first of three matches by taking on Jamestown (11-1) at 10:45 a.m. at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Mid-State, Sub-District 3 football scores on Sept. 8:
Kerhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 25, Browerville 13
Upsala/Swanville Area 44, New York Mills 0
Royalton 32, Parkers Prairie 0

Area football Week Two scores on September 8:
Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 22, Rockford Area 12
Sauk Centre 34, Benson 14
United North Central 44, West Central Area/Ashby 8
Minnewaska Area 14, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 8
Pillager 40, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 6
Brandon/Evansville 50, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 0
New London-Spicer 40, St. Cloud Cathedral 10
Edgerton/Ellsworth 46, Renville County West 22
Rothsay 52, Hancock 40
BOLD 39, Osakis 14
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 41, Montevideo 15
Canby 20, Ortonville 14
Paynesville Area 44, Melrose Area 16
Westbrook-Walnut Grove 42, MACCRAY 34
Albany 49, Milaca 0
Minneota 48, Dawson-Boyd 21
Wabasso 39, Yellow Medicine East 6
Lac qui Parle Valley 14, Lakeview 12
Hutchinson 46, Willmar 38
Maple Lake 28, Eden Valley-Watkins 0
Pierz 35, Holdingford 14


Labels: ,

Halftime

The B-B-E Jaguars football team scored with 8:32 left in the first quarter, but at halftime the score is tied 6-6.

**Update: with 3:46 left in the game, B-B-E leads 12-6.

More to follow later tonight, including the final score and other coverage from Kimball!


Labels: ,

Game day

The B-B-E Jaguars football team heads to Kimball tonight for their Week 2 match up of the regular season. One team will win for the first time, as they both are 0-1. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Below is video from a would-be scoring drive that ended with an A-C-GC interception in the end zone in the first half of last Friday's season opener:


I hope to see many of you at the game in Kimball tonight!

Labels: ,

Thursday, September 07, 2017

CMC opener

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team took on a very talented Howard-Lake-Waverly-Winsted Lakers squad in the conference opener tonight. After splitting the first sets, B-B-E won game three, but the Lakers evened it up with a 25-21 game four win.

The Jaguars were in control for most of game five and clinched the win by a 15-8 score.

Below is video from the end of game three:


B-B-E's next action is tomorrow, with the Jaguars opening up competition at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge in Marshall at 6:15 p.m. and then again later in the evening. They continue with three more matches on Saturday.

Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on Sept. 7:
Holdingford 3, Pierz 2
Paynesville Area 3, Kimball Area 1
Maple Lake 3, Eden Valley-Watkins 1

Area volleyball scores on September 7:
Willmar 3, St. Cloud Tech 0
Mayer Lutheran 3, Hutchinson 0
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 3, Browerville 0
Royalton 3, Osakis 0
Upsala 3, Swanville 1
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 3, BOLD 1
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 3, Minnewaska Area 2     
Melrose Area 3, Benson 0
Lakeview 3, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 0

MACCRAY 3, Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 1
Dawson-Boyd 3, Renville County West 0
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Central MN Christian 0
West Central Area 3, Hancock 0
Sauk Centre 3, Montevideo 0     
Wadena-Deer Creek 3, Bertha-Hewitt 0
New York Mills 3, Sebeka 1
Verndale 3, Pillager 1   


Labels: ,

Pleased!

I am very pleased to report that opening day K-12 enrollment at B-B-E is 663. This is a remarkable achievement considering that one year ago, the school year began with 628 students registered.

Nice to have good news like that!

Labels: ,

Monday, September 04, 2017

State title game

The Lake Henry Lakers played in a state championship game for the ages today against the Kimball Express. The game went back-and-forth for nine innings and featured no fewer than four home runs. Kimball won the game 6-4 on a two-run walk-off home run by Scott Marquardt.

Great season, Lake Henry! You made the Stearns County League proud.

Labels: ,

Sunday, September 03, 2017

State baseball update

Lake Henry is in the state Final Four! The Lakers won 3-2 earlier today over Faribault in the quarterfinals. The game was tied 2-2 after three innings, and Lake Henry scored the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning.

Patrick Courtney (New London-Spicer draftee) the winning pitcher, entering in relief and going six innings. Weston Brinkman started, pitching the first three innings.

Lake Henry takes on New Prague tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals. The game will be in Hamburg.

*Update: Lake Henry defeated New Prague 4-2! They advance to the Class C state tournament championship game for the first time in team history. Their opponent will be Kimball, and the title game will be played at 3 p.m. on Monday at Irish Yard in Green Isle.

Kimball defeated Bemidji 3-0 in the other semifinal game on Sunday night.


Labels: , , ,

Saturday, September 02, 2017

Saints run ends

The Saints prepare to take the field at Green Isle's Irish Yard for pregame warm-up drills at state.

Jordan defeated the Elrosa Saints 4-0 in the Sweet 16 round of the Class C state amateur baseball tournament on Saturday night in Green Isle. Elrosa had five hits in the game, but they could not get the clutch hit when needed with runners on base. It was a solid game from start to finish, but the Brewers had a bit more firepower and used that to advance to the Elite Eight round of state.

Here's some video from later in the game, with Elrosa leaving one stranded. It was indicative of the entire game, when they had runners on but couldn't get them home.


Elrosa finishes the best season in program history with a 24-11 overall record. This is the fourth time they've played in the Sweet 16 at state (2002, 2009, 2016, 2017).

I'm already looking forward to next year! These last two seasons have been very exciting to follow, and I expect more of that in 2018.

Also, good luck to Lake Henry as they compete in the Elite Eight at state on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Hamburg. Their opponent will be Faribault. If the Lakers win, they will play again at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday night in Hamburg against the winner of Jordan / New Prague.


Labels: , , , , , ,

Game day! Elrosa at state


It's game day once again for the Elrosa Saints! They face a very formidable team in the Jordan Brewers tonight at 5 p.m. in Green Isle in the Sweet 16 of the Class C amateur state tournament. Rest assured, our Saints will be ready for them!

Below is video from early in the Hampton game, Friday night last week, as it started raining:


Game updates will be posted tonight as often as possible from Green Isle, courtesy of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper and our terrific business sponsors!

The game will be aired on KASM 1150 AM of Albany.

Lake Henry beat Buffalo 3-2 earlier today.

**Update: with three innings complete, Jordan is ahead 2-0 after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

**Update: with five innings complete, Jordan is ahead 3-0. Elrosa has struggled at the plate so far, earning just one hit.

The final score will be posted in a new blog post.

Labels: , , , ,

Friday, September 01, 2017

Friday Night Lights I


The season opener was rough for the B-B-E Jaguars football team. The Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Falcons posted a 14-0 halftime lead and scored the first touchdown of the second half on a 71-yard catch by Josh Kinzler to go up 22-0 with 10:26 on the clock in the third quarter.

For B-B-E, the first-string and second-string offense both scored touchdowns.

Final score for the Week One season opener: A-C-GC 41, B-B-E 12.

Next for the Jaguars is a trip to Kimball Area (0-1) next Friday, Sept. 8. The Cubs lost 40-0 to Eden Valley-Watkins on Thursday night this week in their season opener. EV-W took second place in the Class 2A state tournament last fall.

Below is video from the first B-B-E touchdown of the game:


Area Week One football scores on August 31/September 1:
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 34, Benson 28 (2 OT!)
BOLD 51, Paynesville Area 8 (BOLD had 364 rushing yards)
Osakis 33, Browerville 6
Royalton 22, Sauk Centre 15
Melrose Area 27, Montevideo 18
Minnewaska Area 23, Maple Lake 6
Parkers Prairie 41, Wadena-Deer Creek 20
Willmar 28, Fergus Falls 13
Hancock 62, Laporte 0
Annandale 14, Albany 0
Verndale 36, Brandon/Evansville 26
West Central Area/Ashby 14, Breckenridge 6
Ortonville 28, Springfield 25
Upsala/Swanville Area 38, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 20
Holdingford 34, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 6
Underwood 38, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 30
Mountain Lake Area 28, MACCRAY 0
Wabasso 25, Lac qui Parle Valley 24
Pierz 69, Milaca 0
Dawson-Boyd 46, Adrian 14
Russel-Tyler-Ruthton 46, Renville County West 20
Minneota 58, Sleepy Eye 7
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 8, Yellow Medicine East 0
Holy Family Catholic 38, New London-Spicer 35
Rothsay 54, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 0

More will be posted on Saturday morning.


Labels: ,

Football opener updates

The B-B-E Jaguars football team kicks off against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at 7 o'clock tonight.

The game will be aired on the radio on Smooth Magic 107.1 FM of Glenwood, which also streams online on TuneIn and at their website.

Game updates will be posted here as often as possible throughout the game, courtesy of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper and its business supporters!

*Update: at halftime, the ACGC Falcons have a 14-0 lead; they scored on consecutive possessions, the first on a 44-yard catch.

* Update: with 10:20 left in the game, ACGC is ahead 34-6.

Final score: ACGC 41, B-B-E 12.

Thank you for checking on the game.


Labels: ,