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!
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Baccalaureate service was great (VIDEO)
The B-B-E Class of 2024 had a terrific Baccalaureate worship service tonight in Brooten. Of the class of 39 graduates, 26 were in attendance tonight with numerous siblings, parents, stepparents and grandparents. This is always a marvelous event to take in. I am always immensely proud of our community - and more specifically our faith community - on Baccalaureate night.
Video is uploading, and I plan to get it posted right away online for others to watch.
Here's the worship service video from tonight:
After worship tonight, I enjoyed visiting with a handful of B-B-E baseball seniors about how the season is going. They were excited to host Paynesville, but that seems unlikely with tomorrow's forecast of additional rain and wind. The Bulldogs won their home tournament on Saturday with a 10-1 win against Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg and then a 5-4 win over St. Cloud Cathedral. They are now 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Central Minnesota Conference.
Monday updates to follow here...
11:30 a.m...about an hour ago, the home JV golf meet at Prairie View in Brooten was postponed one full week to Monday, May 6. As it stands, across the past 80 hours, the Brooten area has received between 3.5 and 4 inches of rainfall. Much of the ground is waterlogged for the time being.
Today's fastpitch game with Paynesville has been postponed to May 14 in Paynesville. For the baseball team, their game against Paynesville has been moved to tomorrow in Elrosa.
The next two weeks are jam packed with community and school-related events. This is one I hope you can consider being a part of...a public forum at the school on May 6...Click here to read more: https://t.ly/8Sk2O. Also! There's the puzzle tournament at the Belgrade library tomorrow. That's listed on The Voice website as well.
Starting pitchers Ethan Mueller and Luke Illies were too much for the host Kimball Area Cubs, as the two juniors each threw complete five-inning games while the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team earned a series sweep tonight. Game scores were 10-0 in the first game and 11-1 in the second game.
Illies fired 8 strikeouts with three hits in game two, and Mueller had 5 strikeouts while pitching a two-hitter in the opener. This was a great way for the team to recover from what was a tough outing at Eden Valley two nights prior.
Kimball Area falls to 2-5 overall and 1-5 in the Central Minnesota Conference.
Next: the Jaguars (5-2, 4-1) have a big game coming next Monday, when they host neighboring rival Paynesville Area in Elrosa in a 4:30 p.m. CMC game. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 5 in the latest Class 2A Minnesota Baseball Coaches Association rankings, were 5-0 heading into today's doubleheader at Holdingford. Both the Bulldogs and Huskers were the last teams without a loss in the CMC heading into today, so the standings could be completely shaken up depending on how those games transpired.
Other updates are coming here later tonight. I also have to get the newspaper website updated. I got a little gardening done before it got dark while planting more zucchini and spinach. Also this evening, I enjoyed time at O'Gara Stadium in Sauk Centre for the track and field meet. It was windy but sunny! The high reached around 72 degrees today, which was marvelous. It felt great to be outside.
At Sauk Centre, the B-B-E Jaguars boys' track and field teamtied for sixth place with Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (28 points each). In eighth place was Paynesville Area with 5 points. Montevideo took fifth place with 74 points. Sauk Centre was first with a whopping 217 points. B-B-E junior distance runner Taylor Nelson earned fourth place out of 27 runners with a time of 5:14.83. In the 3200, Nelson also had a great performance with a fifth-place finish out of 12 runners and a time of 11:22.11.
Friday morning update...Paynesville Area has taken early control of the Central Minnesota Conference baseball standings...they swept Holdingford in their doubleheader by scores of 10-3 and 7-4. The Huskers fall to 7-2 overall and 5-2 in the CMC, while the Bulldogs are now 7-0 overall and 6-0 in the CMC. This sets up another battle for first place next Monday, with Paynesville traveling to Elrosa to face our second-place Jaguars. On a weather-related note...it does not look promising at all for the fastpitch team's home game with Benson. The forecast shows thunderstorms and rain all throughout the afternoong and into the evening.
*Second Friday update...today's fastpitch game with Benson is postponed to Tuesday, April 30 at the same time and location.
Central MN Conference baseball scores on April 25:
Royalton 4, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 0
Eden Valley-Watkins 6, Maple Lake 3
Paynesville Area 7, Holdingford 4
Paynesville Area 10, Holdingford 3
Area baseball scores on April 25:
New London-Spicer 10, Watertown-Mayer 8
Breckenridge 5, Hawley 2
West Central Area 4, Benson 2
Albany 4, Pequot Lakes 0
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 11, Sauk Centre 1
In home-and-away Central Minnesota Conference action tonight, the Eden Valley-Watkins Eagles won two varsity contests. At home, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team lost 4-1 to the Eagles. At the home of the Eden Valley Hawks amateur baseball team, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team suffered their first shut out loss of the season by a 6-0 score to the Eagles.
In the fastpitch game, the Jaguars held the Eagles off of the scoreboard until the fourth inning after they took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. The Eagles then scored two runs in both the fourth and sixth innings. It was a very close battle, with both teams having just one error. EV-W had 6 hits compared to 5 by the Jaguars. EV-W's fastpitch team is now 5-1 overall (4-1 CMC in second place). The Jaguars are 4-5 overall (2-3 CMC), and they have a HUGE game on deck with a sub-section contest in Brooten against neighboring rival Benson this Friday. Come out and show your support! They would love a big crowd. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m. The Braves were 2-5 overall after a 16-1 loss yesterday in Madison to Lac qui Parle Valley. A win would help the Jaguars build momentum towards earning a top-four playoff seed at playoff time.
In the baseball team, both teams had just one error each. The Eagles, who have won three straight to climb to 4-3 overall (3-1 CMC), had 6 hits compared to 5 for the Jaguars. B-B-E is now 3-2 overall (2-1 CMC), and they play next in a doubleheader at Kimball this week Thursday.
Windy but mostly sunny conditions made conditions cool but manageable at the track and field meet tonight hosted at B-B-E high school. I'll get additional coverage on the meet in this week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.
I can finally catch up to additional golf coverage...the B-B-E Jaguars boys' golf team traveled to Atwater today for the Central Minnesota Conference opener. Next is a 10-team invitational at Sauk Centre's Greystone Golf Club tomorrow. The Jaguars competed last week in a 12-team golf meet at Paynesville last week that used the 6-6-6 rule. Coverage from that meet and also today's CMC meet will be in this week's newspaper.
More to come...on Wednesday morning once I get the newspaper to press.
Central MN Conference fastpitch scores on April 23:
Kimball Area 7, Maple Lake 0
Royalton 13, Holdingford 3 (a score from Monday)
Paynesville Area 11, A-C-GC 3 (also a Monday score)
Central MN Conference baseball scores on April 23:
Kimball Area 15, Maple Lake 12
Holdingford 2, Royalton 1 (a Monday game)
Area fastpitch scores on April 23:
Lac qui Parle Valley 7, Renville County West 1
Dawson-Boyd 19, MACCRAY 9
Yellow Medicine East 6, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 2
Browerville 5, Osakis 4
Swanville 7, Upsala 6 (Swanville is 9-1 overall)
Melrose Area 11, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 4
Albany 13, Milaca 12
Dawson-Boyd 8, MACCRAY 5
Area baseball scores on April 23:
Melrose Area 9, BOLD 6
Montevideo 15, West Central Area 2 (5 innings)
Minnewaska Area 15, Sauk Centre 3
Minnewaska Area 13, Sauk Centre 3
Sebeka 7, Parkers Prairie 0
Brandon-Evansville 14, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 3
Upsala/Swanville Area 18, Milaca 8
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 20, Benson 0
Minneota 9, Renville County West 2
MACCRAY 16, Lakeview 2
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 6, Yellow Medicine East 5
Catching up a little tonight...I looked at the latest Central Minnesota Conference standings, and the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team is in a tie for fourth place with Royalton at 2-2. In first is undefeated Kimball Area (5-0, 4-0), while Eden Valley-Watkins and Holdingford are tied for second place at 3-1 each.
Yesterday in a CMC doubleheader at Royalton, the Royals earned a series split with EV-W. Royalton lost game one 13-6 before they won 11-9 in the second game. Beyond first-place Kimball, I am seeing a fair level of parity throughout the remaining seven teams. This bodes well for the Jaguars, who I feel are fully capable of earning more wins than losses between now and playoff time.
From the Swanville road trip that started their season...
Here's a video from the top of the third inning, during which the Jaguars built a 2-0 lead against the Bulldogs:
Here's a video from the top of the 4th inning against Swanville on April 5, when the Jaguars loaded the bases on no outs but unfortunately came up empty:
That 2-0 lead was erased in the bottom of the third, when Swanville plated three runs. The Bulldogs, who are currently receiving votes in the state polls, eventually won by a final score of 7-2.
I've got some notes on track and field plus golf to go through on Saturday. I spent over 5 hours today at Chris Jensen Auto Repair in Belgrade helping install a full set of new brake lines in my 1999 Buick LeSabre. Fingers crossed...Old Red should be back on the road on Monday. She sat all winter at the shop staying off of the salt-covered roads this past winter...time to get my recession buster back in action.
I added a story online that I didn't have space for in the April 18 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper about local service organizations. It's not a lengthy story, but it highlights what I saw this past winter: terrific support for our local events. The Belgrade V.F.W. has held monthly steak fry and pork chop feed nights, and their last one had over 120 attend. Sometimes this event fell on a Saturday night when many are out of town for sporting events (example: state wrestling on March 2), and on the slower nights they get a turnout usually around 90. Whether it's 90 or 120 or more, the V.F.W. is grateful for the support they receive. In late January of this year, the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper had a story that outlined all the groups who received monetary donations from the Belgrade V.F.W. in 2023. They are one of at least a dozen service organizations that I work hard at promoting throughout the year.
While it's obviously early in the season, as of this weekend, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team is in a virtual tie for first place in the Central Minnesota Conference. They are 2-0 in the CMC along with Holdingford, and Paynesville Area is 3-0. They have a huge game on Tuesday coming up when they travel to Eden Valley-Watkins. The Eagles are 2-1 in the CMC and 3-3 overall. The CMC loss was by a 12-2 score against bordering rival Paynesville Area last Monday.
Late Saturday night...I posted a short web article about Chuck Sagedahl, whose funeral was held this morning in Brooten. You can find what I posted on the newspaper website by clicking here: https://t.ly/Zqquh. I still have to upload a video I've edited that features part of his HOF induction speech that he gave at the induction ceremony on January 29, 2022. It was really something else. Watching his speech brings tears to my eyes. He was such a wonderful man.
I finally have baseball plus track and field albums added to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's spring 2024 sports folder at the SmugMug gallery...you can find the spring albums by clicking here: https://bonanzavalley.smugmug.com/BBE-Spring-Sports-2024.
Just as they were on Monday in the Central Minnesota Conference opener, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team had their backs to the wall in Elrosa late in a game. This time the stakes were higher, however, as they were down to the last 3 outs while trailing by two runs. Visiting Maple Lake led 11-9 after the top of the eighth inning.
Final:B-B-E 12, Maple Lake 11 in 8 innings. The game lasted 2 hours and 40 minutes, and both teams combined for 8 errors as game temperatures hovered around 40 degrees. My minivan's thermometer read 41 degrees when the game concluded.
After the Jaguars posted a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, the Irish plated four runs in the top of the third. The Jaguars cut the deficit to 4-3 after three innings, but the Irish scored twice in the top of the fourth. Down 6-3 in the fifth, the Jaguars scored 5 runs in the bottom of the inning only to see Maple Lake score three runs in the top of the sixth.
Trailing 9-8 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Jaguars scored the one run they needed to stay alive and force extra innings when Aiden Mueller drew a bases-loaded walk. Maple Lake then took an 11-9 lead with two runs in the eighth. B-B-E faced a new pitcher in the bottom of the eighth. Luke Dingmann, who hit a leadoff single, scored the first run on a wild pitch to make it an 11-10 game. Jordan Herickhoff then knocked a two-RBI single that sailed just out of the reach of the second baseman to earn the walk-off win as Ethan Mueller scored to tie it, and Luke Illies then slid across home base with the game-winning run.
Watch how the end of the game played out tonight in Elrosa...
Aiden Mueller got the pitching win in relief while throwing two innings. Ethan Mueller started and pitched four innings, and Brett DeRoo pitched the fifth and sixth innings. The Jaguars piled up 12 hits compared to 8 by the Irish. Earning two hits each were Brett DeRoo, Luke Dingmann, Ethan Mueller, Owen Paulson and Kaden DeRoo.
Next: the Jaguars (3-1 overall, 2-0 CMC) have a conference game scheduled next Tuesday on the road against Eden Valley-Watkins. The game site has not been verified, but as of now the schedule is showing Eden Valley.
No word yet out of Maple Lake, where the fastpitch team was playing a doubleheader against the Irish.
Thursday night update...the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team earned a big CMC series split at Maple Lake. In game one, the Jaguars won 16-3 in five innings and lost 20-9 in a wild seven-inning game. The doubleheader started out with a bang for the visiting Jaguars, who scored 11 runs in the top of the first inning in the opener. After the second inning, they expanded the lead to 14-0. B-B-E takes a 4-4 record (2-2 CMC) into next week's action. The next game scheduled is at home on Tuesday against an outstanding EV-W Eagles squad.
Across both games, the fastpitch Jaguars piled up 26 hits. Mya Worms pitched all five innings in the 16-3 win with five hits, four strikeouts and one walk. Worms started in game two and pitched 6 1/3 innings, with Faith Radermacher closing with 2/3 of an inning pitched. Overall, 11 of Maple Lake's 20 runs were earned in that second game.
Central MN Conference baseball scores on April 18:
Eden Valley-Watkins 9, Royalton 2
EV-W 6, Royalton 3 (EV-W is 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the CMC)
Paynesville Area 7, Kimball Area 0 (Josiah Utsch throws a no-hitter in game two)
Paynesville Area 3, Kimball Area 1 (Bryce VanderBeek fires 13 strikeouts while going all 7 innings in the opener at Paynesville)
Holdingford 7, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 2
Holdingford 6, A-C-GC 2
Central MN Conference fastpitch scores on April 18:
Kimball Area 11, Paynesville Area 1 (6 innings)
Kimball Area 11, Paynesville Area 9 (the Bulldogs led 7-3 after 6 innings, but the Cubs plated 8 runs in the top of the 7th in the second game of the doubleheader at Kimball)
Holdingford 5, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 4 (Game one at Holdingford)
Holdingford 12, A-C-GC 5
Area baseball scores on April 18:
Upsala/Swanville Area 7, West Central Area 0
Minneota 10, Canby 1
Rockford Area 1, New London-Spicer 0
New London-Spicer 2, Rockford Area 1
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 10, Central MN Christian 2
Alexandria 7, Willmar 4
Albany 5, Melrose Area 0
Area fastpitch scores on April 18:
Sauk Centre 13, Montevideo 1 (5 innings)
Sauk Centre 12, Montevideo 2 (5 innings)
Melrose Area 6, West Central Area 3
Rockford 7, New London-Spicer 1
Rockford 14, NL-S 3
BOLD 11, Benson 1
BOLD 8, Benson 7 (9 innings; the Warriors, who are led by an outstanding 8th grade pitcher, plated 7 runs in the bottom of the 9th to win in walk-off fashion at Olivia)
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 18, Dawson-Boyd 12
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 16, Ortonville 0 (4 innings in game 2 of a Camden Conference doubleheader in Murdock)
K-M-S 17, Ortonville 2 (5 innings)
Lac qui Parle Valley 6, MACCRAY 3
LQPV 13, MACCRAY 3 (6 innings)
Minneota/Canby 22, Yellow Medicine East 2 (M/C scored 11 runs in the top of the seventh in game one at Minneota)
Minneota/Canby 12, YME 2 (5 innings)
Lakeview 16, RCW 6
Renville County West 8, Lakeview 6
Worms throws a no-hitter! Fastpitch blanks ACGC, baseball comes-from-behind for a W!
Tuesday night...this blog post was updated with two videos from the ACGC baseball game. Also, the scoreboard postings were cleaned up and added to...today we got a deluge of rain. It was very needed rain. I am calling it a "million dollar rain"!!
In a Central Minnesota Conference game against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team faced the Falcons in Grove City today. Freshman Mya Worms started and threw a rare no-hitter. The Jaguars won 13-0 in five innings to square their record at 3-3 overall. This was the first no-hitter thrown by a B-B-E softball pitcher since May 17, 2012. On that day, then-senior Michelle Sanders threw a no-hitter against St. John's Prep in a 10-0 five-inning win.
In today's win at A-C-GC, Worms issued one walk and fired 10 strikeouts. B-B-E earned 10 hits, and 7 of their 13 runs were earned. Sophomore Kacey Fischer hit the first solo home run of her career, and Bree Radermacher went 3-for-4 with two singles, one double with one RBI. B-B-E improves to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the CMC.
A-C-GC falls to 1-2 overall. They were runners-up in the CMC last year and have their eyes set on doing damage in the Section 4A playoffs...the last two games have been tough outings, however. After a 17-12 win against Minnewaska in their season opener, the Falcons dropped a 14-0, five-inning game to Eden Valley-Watkins last Thursday.
The next action is up in the air for this week, as we have some heavy rain in the forecast tomorrow. It is likely that the next action for fastpitch will be a road CMC doubleheader on Thursday at Maple Lake.
At Elrosa tonight, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team trailed 2-0 after the first inning and then 2-1 going into the sixth inning against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City.
Just for fun! I dug back into my YouTube archives and found this...
This is a video clip from the 2012 fastpitch playoff opener in Brooten...
Michelle Sanders, B-B-E Class of 2012, pitched for the varsity team beginning in the 2008 season. In fact, the biggest pitching win of her career was in that 2008 season...she earned the win in the circle on May 22, 2008 as the Jaguars defeated No. 3-ranked Maple Lake 6-5 to claim the Sub-Section 5A-West championship at Minnewaska Area.
Exciting! So exciting!!! This is so awesome! With their backs to the wall as they were running out of outs against A-C-GC, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase what was a 2-1 deficit. Final: B-B-E 4, A-C-GC 2. It puts them at 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the Central Minnesota Conference. Their next action is most likely this week Thursday in Elrosa for a CMC doubleheader against Maple Lake.
Against A-C-GC, the baseball team trailed 2-0 after 4 1/2 innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Ethan Mueller hit a one-out triple deep in left field after outrunning a cutoff throw that died in the grass in shallow left field. Luke Illies followed that with an RBI-single. Two were left stranded, however, on a strikeout and ground out. The Jaguars scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth by Ryan Jensen, Luke Dingmann and Ethan Mueller. Illies and Dingmann each had RBI hits in that inning. Kaden DeRoo got the win on the mound in relief, as the senior right hander pitched 5 1/3 innings with no hits, no runs, five walks and six strikeouts.
Here's a video from the bottom of the fourth inning in Elrosa:
Here's a video from the bottom of the fifth inning...the Jaguars plated one run, but they got robbed on a call at first base...
More to follow later...I need to have supper.
In the last bit of sports I've got to report on tonight, junior high boys' and girls' golf team members competed at The Lynx National golf course in Sauk Centre today. This was the official start of the golf season...although the varsity team (boys' golf) won't open their season until Wednesday or Thursday this week depending on the weather. I had to break away from the baseball game in Elrosa to try and catch the end of the golf meet 11 miles north...there I caught up with Coach Gary Rodgers as he brought the two girls' golf team members to the club house. Rodgers reported that five boys golfed plus two girls at The Lynx from B-B-E. I have two scores to report: seventh grader Olive Olson shot a 63, and eighth grader Marlie Schlangen shot a 70. These were two outstanding scores considering they are both first-year golfers! Rodgers mentioned that one of the junior high girls' golfers at the meet shot a 52, which is rather impressive at that level.
And some sad news...a member of the B-B-E Hall of Fame has passed away. Charles Sagedahl, Brooten Class of 1948, passed away on Saturday, April 13. He was inducted into the B-B-E Hall of Fame as a Brooten Buccaneer student-athlete with the HOF Class of 2021. You can read his obituary in the April 18 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper. As long as I live, one of the most special memories I'll always cherish was when one of my daughters and one of her friends enjoyed time on the front porch of Chuck Sagedahl's Brooten home on Halloween night of 2022. The girls both told me it was really great to hear him whistling and humming a tune as they walked up to get candy and then walked to the next home. It was a "You had to be there" moment on Crow Lake Street! We already miss Chuck. He was one of a kind.
Central MN Conference fastpitch softball scores on April 15:
Kimball Area 10, Royalton 0
Eden Valley-Watkins 11, Paynesville Area 8
Central MN Conference baseball scores on April 15:
Holdingford 1, Maple Lake 0
Paynesville Area 12, Eden Valley-Watkins 2
Area fastpitch scores on April 15:
Renville County West 14, Ortonville 1
Brandon-Evansville 18, Ashby 6
Brandon-Evansville 14, Ashby 4
New London-Spicer 11, Litchfield 10
Browerville 18, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 1
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 4, Upsala 2
Albany 10, Sauk Centre 2
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 14, West Central Area 4
Area baseball scores on April 15:
BOLD 6, Benson 2
Montevideo 7, Sauk Centre 1
New London-Spicer 12, Litchfield 2
New York Mills 14, Browerville 4
Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 9, Canby 0
Albany 9, Little Falls 5
Upsala/Swanville Area 11, Breckenridge 5
Parkers Prairie 5, Wadena-Deer Creek 1
A team numbering five from the B-B-E Speech team competed at the Section 5A meet yesterday at Melrose Area high school. Three of the five advanced to the finals: Jeffrey Cihlar in Extemporaneous Speaking, Tia Nelson in Great Speeches and Samantha Baker in Prose. Cihlar finished in first place and advances to the Class 1A state meet for the second year in a row.
Nelson finished in fifth place at sections, and Baker placed seventh.
The state speech meet takes place on Friday, April 19 at Shakopee high school.
On Monday...the B-B-E Jaguars girls' golf JV teamgets their first action of the spring. They travel to The Lynx National golf course in Sauk Centre for a 4 p.m. meet. This is the first girls' golf team action as the Jaguars since 2018. The girls' golf team was paired with Minnewaska for the 2019, 2021 and 2022 seasons - which all featured trips to the Class 2A state meet.
Also on Monday...the Belgrade city council meets in regular session at 7 p.m. You can read their agenda by clicking over to the Bonanza Valley Voice editor's blog: https://t.ly/1msnr.
The fastpitch team travels to Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City for a Central Minnesota Conference game on Monday. Also, the baseball team hosts A-C-GC in Elrosa. Both games start at 4:30 p.m.
B-B-E athletics names new head volleyball coach (VIDEO)
Brittany (Roelike) Borgerding, No. 17, high fives her teammates Taylor Gregory (14) and Becca Gruber during her final volleyball match played as a Jaguar on November 3, 2012 at Pierz high school.
The player turned teacher and assistant coach is now the head coach!
Last Monday at the B-B-E school board meeting, Class of 2013 graduate Brittany (Roelike) Borgerding was named the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team'sseventh head coach in program history. Coach Borgerding has been an assistant coach with the program since the fall of 2020. She is a staff member of the school's Jaguar Kids Connection, and in 2020-2021, she was one of three first grade teachers in the elementary school. Her husband is Ben Borgerding, also a B-B-E graduate, who is an elementary and middle school STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) teacher in Paynesville.
Here's Coach Borgerding singing the National Anthem during her junior volleyball season:
On that night (September 26, 2011), the Jaguars hosted MACCRAY in a non-conference match but lost by a 3-1 score. The Wolverines went 21-8 that fall and lost a 5-set barn burner to Minneota in the Sub-Section 3A-North championship. The Vikings later took third place at the state tournament with a 28-7 final record. B-B-E stormed through the sub-section playoffs before suffering one of the toughest playoff losses I've witnessed. In game five of the Section 5A finals, the Jaguars lost 15-12 to Nevis. The Nevis Tigers went to state and beat Minneota in a 3-2 match before falling 3-0 in the state finals to Class 1A juggernaut Bethlehem Academy of Faribault. In that 3-2 win over Minneota, the Tigers beat the Vikings 15-13 after winning game four 28-26.
In B-B-E's loss to Nevis in the 2011 Section 5A finals, the Jaguars had the upper hand after winning 25-17 in game two and 25-21 in game three. The tables turned in a big way in game four, however, as Nevis was unstoppable in a 25-8 win. Game five was topsy-turvy the whole way. I'll never forget how tough that loss was. It was brutal.
B-B-E's previous head coaches were as follows (beginning with the first one): Donna Hurst (1988-1989), Carrie Halvorson (1989-1998), Mimi Knutson (1999-2006), Kevin Weller (2007-2018), Steve Waddell (2019) and Alanna Hunter (2020-2023). Coach Donna Hurst, who retired from B-B-E in 2014, had two outstanding teams in 1988 and 1989, with the Jaguars going 18-6 in her last season before she turned the reigns over to Coach Halvorson in 1990. The past 5 B-B-E volleyball coaches all coached at least one sub-section championship team. Needless to say, the bar has been set quite high for B-B-E volleyball dating back to the first year Coach Halvorson's teams advanced to a subsection title match (1994).
In August 2020, I had an announcement posted when Coach Borgerding was hired to the first-grade position...you can read more about here by clicking here: https://bbejaguars.blogspot.com/2020/08/jaguar-standout-moves-to-classroom.html. This afternoon, I found more notes in my archives on Coach Borgerding. The notes say she was not only B-B-E's Triple-A nominee, but she then earned the District 20 Triple-A award.
In her career, Borgerding earned 1,053 digs and 964 kills. In her senior season, she earned 352 kills. In that fall of 2012, head coach Kevin Weller had 9 seniors on the roster (8 players, 1 student manager) when they were champions of the Central Minnesota Conference, Sub-Section 5A-South and runners-up in Section 5A. As a junior, Borgerding earned All-State Honorable mention.
Although they were both non-conference outings, two big games were played tonight.
In Regal for the B-B-E Jaguar baseball team's home opener, the visiting Class 2A Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Fighting Saints erased a 7-1 deficit with 6 runs in the top of the seventh inning. Closer Luke Illies coaxed just what he needed to get out of a jam and get his team to the batter's box. In the bottom of the seventh, a roller that got under the third baseman on a fielder's choice by Kaden DeRoo scored the game-winning run by Ryan Jensen.
Final: B-B-E 8, K-M-S 7. The Jaguars are 1-1 heading into Monday's home game against Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. That game is scheduled to be played at Saints Field in Elrosa.
*Here's a video after the game-winning run was scored by Ryan Jensen:
Here's a video from the top of the sixth inning featuring starter Ethan Mueller on the mound:
At Browerville tonight, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team erased a 4-1 deficit in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game. The Tigers came back to tie it and send it into extra innings. Heartbreak struck hard for the Jaguars, though, as the Tigers scored a game-winner for a walk-off 5-4 win in the bottom of the ninth. The Jaguars were ohhh-so-close to improving to 3-2 on the season. That hurts! They out-hit the Tigers 13 to 10 and committed just one error with just three strikeouts at the plate all game. Four of B-B-E's 13 hits were doubles, while Browerville had no extra-base hits.
Browerville improved to 3-0 overall with the win.
Next: the fastpitch Jaguars travel to Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City on Monday to resume Central Minnesota Conference action.
That's all for now. We are packing up for a weekend in the Twin Cities for my wife's continuing education training tomorrow and Sunday.
Area fastpitch scores on April 12:
Upsala 8, Milaca 5
Kimball Area 10, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 4
Benson 8, Dawson-Boyd 6
Paynesville Area 12, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 5
Eden Valley-Watkins 7, Litchfield 3
Sauk Centre 13, Osakis 9
Area baseball scores on April 12:
Dassel-Cokato 10, Maple Lake 7
Foley 7, Eden Valley-Watkins 6
Pequot Lakes 9, Upsala/Swanville Area 4
Paynesville Area 3, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 0
Benson 11, Renville County West 9
Benson 6, RCW 2
Minnewaska Area 7, Osakis 5
Melrose Area 4, Albany 3
Mayer Lutheran 6, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 3
Paynesville Area 3, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 0
The baseball game at Regal is on 107.1 FM of Glenwood...Brady is also on the web at https://www.kmgk1071.com. The B-B-E Jaguars baseball team is hosting Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg.
The Jaguars left one stranded in the bottom of the second inning, but they scored one run on one hit to take a 2-0 lead.
Fastpitch battles to the end in loss to Bulldogs (VIDEO); baseball takes tough loss
In the Central Minnesota Conference opener for both teams, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team gave a terrific effort all night before losing 6-3 to visiting Paynesville Area. The Bulldogs led 2-0 after three innings and extended that to 5-0 in the top of the fifth.
The Jaguars scored once in the bottom of the sixth inning and then twice more in their final at bat.
Each team had 5 hits, with Paynesville earning the game's lone extra-base hit. The Bulldogs had 4 errors, while the Jaguars had two. Earning hits for the Jaguars were Kenna Lieser, Faith Radermacher, Kacey Fischer, Mya Worms and Lydia Primus.
Paynesville Area improved to 1-1 overall. They lost 12-2 in six innings on Tuesday this week at Melrose in their season opener. The Dutchmen are 3-0 so far this season; they swept Minnewaska Area in a West Central Conference doubleheader last Friday on the road to start their season.
Next: The fastpitch Jaguars (2-2) have a tough game at Browerville tomorrow. The Tigers were runners-up a year ago in Section 6A.
The weather conditions were windy and generally on the cool side. The sun poke out from behind clouds a few times and warmed things up. Overall, it was a tough game to shoot. My lone video is uploading.
Video from tonight in the top of the fourth inning:
More to come! I have not heard a final score out of Parkers Prairie for the baseball opener.
Heartbreak in Parkers Prairie...while it's somewhat inconsequential with playoffs "a light year" away...tonight's outcome at Parkers Prairie was a tough one to swallow. After posting a 5-0 lead through three innings, the No. 6-ranked B-B-E Jaguars baseball team lost a 7-6 score with the No. 7-ranked Panthers winning in walk-off fashion. Parkers Prairie scored all seven runs in their final at bat. In one exciting moment in the game, senior Luke Dingmann hit a two-run home run in his first at bat tonight.
Dingmann, Kaden DeRoo and Ethan Mueller had two hits each. Jordan Herickhoff drew three walks and scored one run, and Owen Paulson had a two-RBI triple.
Next: the baseball Jaguars are excited for their home opener tomorrow (Friday) in Regal, where they'll host a border battle with Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg. First pitch at Buddy Beier Stadium is at 4:30 p.m.
Central MN Conference fastpitch scores on April 11:
Kimball Area 3, Holdingford 1
Eden Valley-Watkins 14, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 0 (5 innings)
Royalton 9, Maple Lake 6
Area fastpitch scores on April 11:
West Central Area 8, Sauk Centre 3
West Central Area 7, Sauk Centre 6
BOLD 7, Minnewaska Area 0
BOLD 10, Minnewaska Area 0 (the Warriors improve to 5-0 overall)
Swanville 18, Ashby 0 (5 innings)
Swanville 14, Ashby 1 (6 innings; the Bulldogs improve to 5-0 overall)
Brandon-Evansville 13, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 1
Browerville 1, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 0
Dassel-Cokato 1, New London-Spicer 0
Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 9, Parkers Prairie 6
Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 15, Ortonville 2
Area baseball scores on April 11:
Minnewaska Area 14, BOLD 4 (5 innings)
Minnewaska Area 6, BOLD 1
New London-Spicer 12, Dassel-Cokato 2 (6 innings)
Border West 12, Dawson-Boyd 2 (5 innings)
Upsala/Swanville Area 8, Osakis 5
Pierz 8, Albany 3
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 11, West Central Area 2
Emergency sirens to blow as part of Severe Weather Awareness
The first siren goes off at 1:45 p.m. today in Brooten as part of the Severe Weather Awareness week in the U.S.
Today, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team hosts Paynesville in the Central Minnesota Conference opener.
In case you missed church last Sunday, here's a video featuring part of worship at West Lake Johanna Lutheran church:
The video features the reading of the lesson, Psalm and Holy Gospel plus Pastor Jeanne's sermon. Her sermon begins at about the 5:30 mark of the video. West Lake Johanna church is located in Gilchrist Township. The building was built in 1904!
Thursday night update: the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team is holding a 5-0 lead in their season opener at Parkers Prairie. This is a battle of Top 10 teams in Class 1A!
Track and field season gets underway; fastpitch earns second win (VIDEO)
I've posted a light update at the bottom of this blog post on Wednesday night...
We had a successful night in Jaguar Country!! The evening included a rare double rainbow stretching high over the Bonanza Valley to top things off.
In their home opener, theB-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team improved to 2-1 by defeating non-conference MACCRAY 12-2 in five innings. They hit the ball well and are moving in the right direction as they prepare for the Central Minnesota Conference opener. The Jaguars host Paynesville Area on Thursday this week at 4:30 p.m. This marks the first time in 14 years that the Jaguars have started 2-1. In 2010, they lost their opener before earning back-to-back wins.
On Friday, the fastpitch team travels to Browerville. The Tigers are 1-0 after defeating defending Prairie Conference champion Upsala 2-1 on Tuesday on the road. That game was a rematch of last year's Section 6A championship, which Upsala won on their way to a fourth-place finish at the state tournament.
The B-B-E Jaguars track and field teams got their competition schedule underway with a home meet tonight that included six other schools. Temperatures flirted with 60 degrees at times as the sun shined around a handful of clouds.
Here's a video with one of the 100 open race heats tonight:
The track and field teams have over a week off from competition now to hone their skills and continue working on conditioning. Their next meet is on Thursday, April 18 at Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City.
More to come...
Wednesday night update:please click over to the Bonanza Valley Voice website to see important information for residents of Brooten: https://t.ly/oduQB. I've got a light Goat Ridge Brewing Co. story posted at the Business article section, which you can find by clicking here: https://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/section/business.
Also...the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team opens the season on Thursday at Parkers Prairie. Their home opener follows the next day, when they host a border battle with Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg at the Regal diamond. First pitch is at 4:30 p.m. from Buddy Beier Stadium.
Looking like all systems go for tomorrow's track and field meet! (VIDEO)
This is exciting!
For the first time in "a few years" ...we'll get a home track and field meet during the "single digits" of the month of April! Tomorrow, at the high school athletic complex, the B-B-E Jaguars track and field teams are set to host a seven-team meet. Field events are set to begin at 3:45 p.m. Teams included are Upsala/Swanville Area, Sauk Centre, Holdingford, Browerville, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle and St. John's Prep.
I have to look back in my records and see when the last time was that we held a home track and field meet before April 10.
The B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team (1-1) is set to host MACCRAY at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow at their home diamond at the elementary school.
Here's a video featuring the post-game huddle after the Jaguars defeated LP-GE on Friday in Swanville:
I've been sidetracked over the weekend studying the U.S. economy. I gathered a few facts and figures for a light web article, and additional commentary will be published in this week's Bonanza Valley Voice on this topic. You can find what I posted online here: https://t.ly/4XDZv. Needless to say, this economy has been a terrifying challenge for families across the Bonanza Valley area. Tonight, I learned that B-B-E schools is facing a dilemma in the health care insurance field. If they had stayed the course with existing coverage, their increases for 2025 and beyond would be in the range of 45 to 50 percent! What we are experiencing is unsustainable. I see no end in sight to the economic pain and misery that we're suffering through.
On a brighter note...I just put together some advertising for Goat Ridge Brewing Co. of New London...this is exciting! They are hosting a 9th anniversary celebration this Saturday, April 13. You can see more details at https://goatridgebrewing.com and also in this week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.
Note: this blog post was updated again on Saturday night with additional statistics and game notes.
Rome wasn't built in a day! While they badly wanted to pick up a win in the night cap to start the season 2-0, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team settled for a split in today's games to start the 2024 season. Earning a win in the season opener was a feat they last earned 8 years ago, when the Jaguars beat visiting Upsala 15-12 on April 12, 2016. Prior to that, the Jaguars won the season opener in 2008 during what ultimately has been B-B-E's best softball season in school history. They started 3-0 and 5-1, and in the playoffs they earned the Sub-Section 5A-West championship.
B-B-E won the season opener in 18 years ago by an 18-5 score at Swanville on April 4, 2006. They had a 2-0 start that year before going on to claim a winning record at 11-10 overall (1-1 playoffs). Tiffany Breitbach, who has recently coached junior high fastpitch at B-B-E before beginning cancer treatments last summer, was a senior on that 2006 squad.
Here's B-B-E recording the final out of the game in the season opener today in Swanville:
Today's action in Swanville...
In game one, the Jaguars defeated Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 10-5 after both teams scored 4 runs in the first inning. B-B-E scored twice in the second, once in the fourth and then three in the top of the seventh on a three-RBI triple by Kacey Fischer. Faith Radermacher and Brooklyn Fischer each had two hits, with Radermacher earning a single and a double plus two RBI. B-B-E's bats were strong, as all 10 runs were earned. Freshman Mya Worms pitched 6 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win with seven strikeouts, no walks and five hits.
The Jaguars had 8 hits compared to 7 by the Thunder, but LP-GE aided the Jaguars with four errors. This win snapped a losing streak that dated back to May 4 of last season, when the Jaguars swept Royalton in Waite Park in a conference doubleheader.
In game two, the Jaguars led 2-0 through 2 1/2 innings but ultimately lost 7-2 to Swanville. The Bulldogs gained the lead with three runs scored in the bottom of the second. They scored two more runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Jaguars had 8 hits in the game, but overall they left 12 runners stranded. Mya Worms and Mariah Koenig split pitching duties.. Taylor Shelton, Kacey Fischer and Kenna Lieser each had two hits, and Brooklyn Fischer doubled and Worms singled.
Swanville had defeated Ogilvie in their season opener that same day. Last year, Swanville had a great season with a 12-9 final record.
Here's a video featuring the bottom of the sixth inning against Swanville:
That's all I've got for now. It's time to get my Seinfield on and get some rest! I've got a mountain's worth of work to do tomorrow. Also, please don't forget about the Belgrade V.F.W. pork chop and steak fry tomorrow night. They serve from 5 to 7:30 p.m. We need to support our small town organizations!
Saturday morning...a busy day ahead
Last night in Swanville, at one point the softball complex had no fewer than three former head coaches in the house. Two were former highly successful boys' basketball coaches: B-B-E's Hall of Fame Coach Dave Montbriand and Melrose Area's Hall of Fame Coach Daryl Oja. Oja was head coach of the Dutchmen for 28 seasons, while Montbriand was head coach of the Jaguars for 19 seasons. The other former head coach was Sauk Centre's Bryan Olson, who led their football program in the 2000s.
I spent about an hour this morning finally getting the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website updated...here's a link to see additional Easter Sunday coverage, including a video clip from Pastor Lisa's sermon at Grace Lutheran church plus another link leading you to a video of the full sermon provided by Pastor Rick Krasky that morning at the Brooten Community Church. Link: https://rb.gy/yvyjpt.
Today, a really interesting event is coming to Goat Ridge Brewing in New London, where they are celebrating the unveiling of another craft beer and also the grand opening of the New London Food Co-op. Goat Ridge Brewing is owned by Josh Reed and his wife, Christa Otteson. Reed is a 1991 graduate of B-B-E high school who played for Coach Montbriand in his first year as head coach of the Jaguars. This event runs from 1 to 3 p.m., and you can read more about it in next week's issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.
But wait! There's more! Goat Ridge Brewing is hosting a live music event tonight (Saturday) at 7:30 p.m...from their website: "And the festivities don't stop there! Stick around for Merle Haggard Day, featuring live music starting at 7:30 pm. Join us as Trevor McSpaddin and Dan Lowinger perform a repertoire of hits and deep cuts, paying homage to the legendary artist."
Finally...do not forget! Tonight (Saturday) is the Belgrade V.F.W. pork chop and steak fry fundraiser from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
I had more time to put thoughts and some research material together in a hybrid column/news article that outlines what's taking place in Litchfield and Hutchinson...you can find that by clicking here: https://rb.gy/2ed0ja.
When we arrived in Swanville tonight, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team was holding a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. We were on eggshells at that point, but the Jaguars played great defense the rest of the way. Final:B-B-E 10, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 5. The Jaguars scored 3 runs in the top of the sixth inning with a three-RBI triple by Kacey Fischer.
Here's action from the bottom of the sixth inning:
Game two is going to start at about 6 p.m. The Jaguars will face the host Swanville Bulldogs. In their other game, Swanville defeated Ogilvie 7-0 in the other field at Swanville's softball complex.
Game two update...the Jaguars started out strong and held an initial 2-0 lead, but the host Bulldogs stormed back and ultimately scored seven unanswered points across the third, fifth and sixth innings. Final: Swanville 7, B-B-E 2. More to follow. We headed to Lucky's Saloon in downtown Swanville for supper!
I haven't heard results yet out of Minnewaska from the sub-section speech meet.
Next for the fastpitch team: the Jaguars (1-1) host MACCRAY in a non-conference sub-section game on Tuesday in Brooten at 4:30 p.m.
Friday's a big day ...and never a dull moment (VIDEOS)
A big day lies ahead as the official opener for spring sports should take place with no weather issues. The forecast is outstanding! We should see a high in the mid-50s with full sunshine and a mild east/southeast wind.
The B-B-E Speech team travels west to Minnewaska Area for the Sub-Section 5A-West meet. It's set to begin at 3:30 p.m.
The B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team will open their season with a non-conference doubleheader in Swanville. They face Long Prairie-Grey Eagle at 4 p.m., and the second game will follow at about 5:30 p.m. against the host Bulldogs.
This is a throwback...to last June, when the baseball team was competing in the Section 6A finals:
Action in that video features the beginning of the start of the top of the seventh inning against Parkers Prairie.
Here's a video from April 25 a year ago, recorded in the post-game huddle with Coach Funk following the team's home opener against Paynesville:
More to come.
Never a dull moment!...Not for one second!
There's never a dull moment around here. Even when you think there's a break in action...there's always something. Last night I learned breaking news about newspapers in Hutchinson and Litchfield both closing. Done! Closing for good! Apparently there's no future there. It developed in quick, stunning fashion.
In fact...newspapers in Chaska, Chanhassen, Jordan and other Southwest Metro area communties are closing...all done by the end of April. Newspaper publishers across the state, including myself, are stunned at the news. I have quite a bit more to say about it - of course - for another time. I have to get ready this afternoon (Friday) for a road trip to Swanville!
I just learned this tonight, and it is really terrific from my vantage point!
A couple days ago, I learned that the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team was set to get the season going with a road trip to Swanville on Thursday this week. With some last-minute wrangling by other school Activities Directors, the game tomorrow is postponed...to Friday. Here's what they've got on the docket for Friday, April 5: the Jaguars travel to Swanville, and they will play a fastpitch doubleheader. Also traveling to Swanville will be Ogilvie and Long Prairie-Grey Eagle. The Jaguars will play two total games on Friday: one with the host Bulldogs and the other with LP-GE.
Game times will be announced tomorrow.
In case you feel short on church, here's a video featuring the readings of the lesson and Holy Gospel plus the pastor's sermon last Thursday in Gilchrist Township:
Pastor Jeanne's Maundy Thursday sermon begins at about the 7-minute mark and lasts approximately nine minutes.
Today we lost a fair amount of snow. The sun felt quite strong. It was great! Temperatures reached near 50 degrees. For Thursday, the forecast includes a high of 51 degrees with full sunshine. That is set to repeat on Friday, with the high forecast for 53 degrees. Rain is on the horizon for Sunday and Monday.
Thursday UPDATE:the fastpitch season opener starts at 4 p.m. in Swanville on Friday. The Jaguars will take on Long Prairie-Grey Eagle. They also play the host Bulldogs, and that game is set for about 5:30 p.m. Their fastpitch softball complex is located west of their football stadium.
Been rather busy! Spring sports are getting back at it
I have been rather busy on the home front, but a concerted effort on the sports front has paid dividends. I am excited that recruiting efforts for the girls' golf team paid off with a commitment from a fourth student! This becomes official tomorrow with the opening day of girls' golf practice. It is also terribly exciting to see the two golf simulators that are now in full use at the Lucky Shots Bowling Alley in Brooten. This is an outstanding asset to our community! The high school golf teams will be able to utilize them as part of their preseason training.
That's all I've got right now. We had a great day of Easter on Sunday. I hope you did too.
Not surprisingly...due to the snow we got last week, the fastpitch and track and field teams will not begin their seasons tomorrow. The track and field teams have had one indoor scrimmage, which was a couple weeks ago if I remember correctly. I hope in another week, we'll finally be talking about outdoor spring sports competitions!
Tuesday night update:
The spring sports got back into the swing of things today now that we're on the back side of Easter. The fastpitch squads practiced indoors and outdoors at the elementary school. They have a robust number of 41 girls in their grades 7-12 ranks. In grades 7-11, they have 38 players, which is truly outstanding. This marks the largest number of girls in the fastpitch program since 2012. Awesome! Three senior players are on the varsity team: Brooklyn Fischer, Anna Jaeger and Faith Radermacher. On the other end of the program, the junior high team is composed solely of seventh graders. Their team has 15 players, which is also really terrific. One player remains out due to a knee injury, so their number should include 16 players next spring when they're in eighth grade. The seventh graders are coached by B-B-E Class of 2021 graduate Josie Knutson. Her dad, Brian, is a dear friend of mine. We grew up on Norway Lake Township dairy farms separated by just a mile "as the crow flies".
I hope to catch up with baseball and track and field later this week. First, I have another newspaper to publish!
