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, August 31, 2020
Crazy good news
"Crazy good" news...a phrase used to try and emphasize that it is really, really good news!
Over the weekend, we learned that fall K-12 enrollment at B-B-E schools is 646. This is a seven-year high!
Some cooler weather this week is welcomed by kids, parents and staff. Fall is in the air finally, although there is one day this week with a forecasted high of 81 degrees. I think that will feel nice! Part of our garden is still in the "growing" stage, although most is in the "harvest" stage by now.
(VIDEO) Elrosa vs. Kimball: Friday Nights under the Lights I
Here's action from the top of the seventh inning to complete tonight's baseball action in Elrosa:
Elrosa won game one 4-1 before falling 7-3 in the nightcap against Kimball.
The Elrosa Saints baseball program is sponsoring a high school-level team this fall. They will play area teams in Friday night doubleheaders through the Stars of Tomorrow Baseball Academy fall league. The second doubleheader of the fall season will be Friday, September 11. Games are at 5 and 7 p.m. in Elrosa.
In other news, a reminder...the Lake Henry Lakers amateur baseball team plays in the Round of 32 of the Class C state tournament on Sunday, August 30 at 5 p.m. in Milroy. Their opponent will be defending state champion Jordan.
We love our baseball in the land of Rocks and Cows!
Tonight in Elrosa, the Elrosa Saints will host doubleheader baseball with games at 5 and 7 p.m. at Saints Field. The opponent is Kimball, and Elrosa's team will consist of senior high baseball players from B-B-E high school.
The Special School Board meeting for opening bids on the school project that was scheduled for Monday, August 31 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 2 at 4 p.m. at the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa high school library.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame-Minnesota chapter will hold its 2020 banquet on Sunday, September 13 at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference center. Social hour begins at noon, and the dinner and video runs from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The program, plaques/inductions takes place from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
One of the new inductees is Bud Heidgerken of Freeport. He was an assistant varsity coach for the Brooten Buccaneers wrestlers from its founding in 1970 until the school's athletic program merged with Belgrade-Elrosa in 1988.
For tickets, contact former Hancock-Cyrus wrestling coach Spencer Yohe at spenceryohe@gmail.com. Online registration, with payment by credit card, is another option by clicking here: http://mn-nwhof.ticketleap.com.
On Monday this week in Morris, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' tennis team opened their 2020 season with a 7-0 loss to Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta/West Central Area.
And in searching the Morris newspaper website, I came across this story talking about fall baseball in western Minnesota (short link) https://bit.ly/2FY1ppr. I also learned tonight that a B-B-E baseball team will have games this fall, although I don't have all the details. This is exciting news!
Three teams from Region 15C competed in the opening weekend of the Class C state amateur baseball tournament, with one of the three advancing to next weekend.
On Sunday, the Regal Eagles fell 5-1 to St. Patrick, while St. Martin lost 5-0 to Gaylord. Lake Henry advanced with 3-1 win over Midway.
Region 15C champion Watkins and Lake Henry play this coming weekend. The Lakers play defending state champion Jordan at 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 30 in Milroy.
And what a day that was! Here's members of the B-B-E choir singing the National Anthem before the start of the boys' basketball team's state tournament run.
The date was Thursday, March 22, 2012, and the Jaguars defeated Lakeview Christian Academy 85-76 in the Class 1A state quarterfinals on their way to a state title in a perfect and truly unforgettable 33-0 season. The singing group included freshmen through senior choir members. A new member of the K-12 teaching staff at B-B-E, Brittany (Roelike) Borgerding, is in the far back of this group. She was a junior that year.
Brittany (Roelike) Borgerding, No. 17, high-fiving her teammates Taylor Gregory and Becca Gruber during the Section 5A championship match on November 3, 2012 in Pierz.
During her team's 48-42 win over Melrose Area on December 6, 2012, Brittany Roelike is shown in action dribbling out of defensive pressure applied by Tayler Reller. It was the home opener for her team during her senior season, and the win evened their record at 2-2 overall. On the coaching end of things, it was Anderson vs. Anderson! Yes, that night, Coach Chris Anderson was out-dueled by his wife Coach Kristina Anderson. (He got even with her the next year, with a 60-51 win for Melrose.)
A former three-sport star B-B-E Jaguars student-athlete is now a member of the K-12 teaching staff at B-B-E schools.
Brittany (Roelike) Borgerding, B-B-E Class of 2013, will be one of three first grade teachers this year at B-B-E elementary. The approval was made this week as the first grade expanded from two to three sections.
Borgerding was a standout athlete for the Jaguars volleyball, girls' basketball and spring fastpitch teams during a four-year run on the varsity level of the athletic program. She was also the female Triple-A winner in her senior year.
*Below, a throwback to 2013! At about 35 seconds into the video, Borgerding (No. 10) cans a three-pointer from the right wing in the second half to narrow a deficit to 34-26 at Brandon-Evansville. Then at about 1:10 in the video, she stripped the ball away during a trap and earned a back court foul.
The video was taken during the Sub-Section 6A-South quarterfinals...a little over seven years ago. It was Coach Kristina Anderson's first season as head coach.
*Below, back to the fall of 2011! It was Borgerding's junior season of volleyball, with the Jaguars set to host MACCRAY in a non-conference match. She sang the National Anthem:
I've got one more video to post, trying to dig back in the archives to her sophomore year at B-B-E when they went to state in volleyball!
*AND here is one from 2010! This was the Section 5A championship night at Pierz Healy high school. It was an incredible night where the Jaguars survived four very tough sets against a red-hot, state-ranked Nevis team for a trip to the state tournament. Here, Borgerding knocks a kill from her left hitter position to clinch a 25-22 win in game one.
I remember that night like it was yesterday! And it was almost 10 years ago. Dang, that was FUN.
*Okay, last video, here's back to her senior year of volleyball...sub-section finals. She is No. 17 in the video, and this features the post-match celebration after the Jaguars finished the sweep of Upsala at Pierz.
Below is video from after the top of the seventh inning was finished in last Sunday's game against Farming. The Saints turned a double play to quell a threat by Farming.
Game updates will follow around noon today from Greenwald.
Elrosa faces St. Martin in a win-or-go-home elimination game of the Region 15C tournament today at 11 a.m. in Greenwald.
Game updates:
Final score: St. Martin 4, Elrosa 0. The Saints finish a very memorable season 11-4 overall.
Here's video from the top of the fourth inning today in Greenwald:
The Martins are playing Lake Henry now in a seeding game for state. The loser will be the No. 4 seed to state from Region 15C.
Thank you for supporting Elrosa and Stearns County League baseball...and the business supporters of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper!
That's it for today. Time to take the rest of my day off! Get your sunshine!!!!
The game is a go for Watkins vs. Kimball tonight at Elrosa's baseball stadium. The Elrosa area has gotten over four inches of rain in the last 12+ hours, but the field handled it with no issues.
Game time is 8 p.m. tonight under the lights of Saints Field.
*Update: the Watkins Clippers won 4-3 over Kimball to advance to the Region 15C championship game. Kimball will play whoever wins through Saturday's elimination game action.
Here's video from the bottom of the fourth inning in Sunday's game at the Region 15C baseball tournament:
In case you missed it or forgot, the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team plays in an elimination game of the region tournament on Saturday, August 15 at 11 a.m. in Greenwald. It's win or go home!
As of Thursday, August 6, the Minnesota State High School League has announced that football and volleyball seasons will take place in the spring of 2021. Tentative dates are March to May, but official dates still need to be determined.
For football, the center focus of the scheduling will be trimming from eight games to six. For volleyball, the center focus of scheduling will be elimination of multi-school tournaments. In both sports, competing with local schools will be the priority as it is prudent.
Both football and volleyball student-athletes will have the opportunity to practice this fall, but no competitions or scrimmages will take place.
(VIDEO) Elrosa Saints battle in opening weekend of regions
Below is video from the bottom of the sixth inning in Saturday's game against Lake Henry:
I wish I would've started rolling tape right away when James Kuefler stepped to the plate! Kuefler, Elrosa's lead off batter, drilled the first pitch he saw over the center field fence at Greenwald, sailing over just north of the scoreboard.
Earlier today at Minnewaska Area high school, the Starbuck Stars earned their first state tournament berth in 21 years with a thrilling 3-2 win in 10 innings over the Milroy Yankees. Starbuck, which includes 1986 Belgrade-Elrosa graduate Brian Gruber on the roster along with two of his sons, will play Bird Island at 7:30 p.m. back at Minnewaska in the Region 4C winner's bracket final. The winner of that game gets a pass to the championship game that takes place at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Bird Island earned a state berth with a 2-0 win over Regal earlier today. Shane Radermacher, a 2005 graduate of B-B-E high school, went all nine innings on the mound for the Eagles. He pitched a great game with three strikeouts, no walks and just five hits.
More to come.
Thank you to all our business sponsors for the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper!
Game updates will follow here this afternoon in the elimination game between Elrosa and Farming.
*Update: Regal lost 2-0 in Region 4C to Bird Island. They play again in an elimination contest next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Minnewaska high school.
In the first game today in Greenwald, Watkins won 11-9 in 10 innings over Lake Henry in a state qualifier.
*Update: Farming took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning today over Elrosa.
**Update: through three innings, Elrosa has a 4-1 lead over Farming.
Final score: Elrosa 4, Farming 2! Saints advance to next weekend! Elrosa (11-3 overall) plays at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 15 in another elimination game.
*Update: after seven innings, Richmond has a 10-7 lead over Spring Hill. This is also an elimination game.
*Final score: Spring Hill 14, Richmond 10. The Chargers scored seven runs in the eighth inning to gain the lead for good. It held up to advance them to next weekend in Region 15C.
Here's video from the Lake Henry game on Saturday, bottom of the fifth inning:
More to come in a new blog post, including more stats, recaps and video from this weekend's action.
The Region 15C amateur baseball tournament continues on Sunday at Greenwald. Three games are on deck, starting with a state-qualifying game at 11 a.m. between Lake Henry and Watkins in the winner's bracket.
Two elimination games follow. The Elrosa Saints take on Farming at 1:30 p.m., and then at 4 p.m. the Richmond Royals face the Spring Hill Chargers.
Here's video where Lake Henry pulled ahead against Elrosa:
In Region 4C, the Regal Eagles won 10-5 against Raymond in their game on Saturday. They play against Bird Island on Sunday in a winner's bracket game.
The Watkins Clippers defeated Farming 2-0 tonight to begin the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament.
A great crowd of 250 was on hand at the Elrosa baseball stadium with a perfect night for baseball! The weather was somewhat humid, but we had a nice breeze to cut down on the humidity and the mosquitoes.
Below, video from the bottom of the fourth inning, with Watkins at the plate:
Here's video from the top of the sixth inning tonight:
Tomorrow the region tournament continues at Greenwald, with three games there and then a fourth game back in Elrosa.
Farming will play in an elimination game on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in Greenwald against the loser of Saturday's Lake Henry vs. Elrosa game.
Saturday's other games in Greenwald include St. Martin facing Richmond at 11 a.m., and then Spring Hill taking on Kimball at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday's evening game in Elrosa features the winners of the first two games of Saturday with first pitch set for 8 p.m. from Saints Field.
According to news from the MSHSL today, the fall sports season will be split up.
For the B-B-E Jaguars, girls' tennis is still being allowed, although I don't have official word yet on what we will do here.
The MSHSL voted to move football and volleyball into next spring (March to May 2021)...more details to follow.
I've been under the impression that if we lived a pretty low-profile summer, it would lead to being able to have fall sports (and school) ...but I guess I was wrong in having hope and faith in our leaders.
I'm pretty taken aback by this news and can't further comment publicly.
Here's video from the bottom of the ninth inning a week ago, in Elrosa:
Jackson Peter closed out the game as relief pitcher for the Elrosa Saints, who completed the virus-shortened regular season schedule with an 8-1 Stearns County League record.
Elrosa begins the Region 15C tournament next weekend, Saturday, August 8 at 4 p.m. in Greenwald. Their opponent will be Lake Henry. The Lakers advanced through the play-in round game today by virtue of a 3-1 win over St. Augusta in Greenwald.
The Region 15C tournament continues on Friday, August 7 when Farming takes on the Watkins Clippers. That game is in Elrosa at 8 p.m. that night.
In Region 4C, the Regal Eagles will begin their quest for a state tournament berth as the No. 3 seed from the County Line League. They open regions at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 8 at Minnewaska Area high school's baseball stadium. Their opponent will be Raymond, the No. 2 seed from the Cornbelt League.
