American Legion baseball season ends (VIDEO)

The Brooten American Legion Post No. 288 baseball team entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed. Last Monday at Benson, Post No. 288 won at Benson-Hancock before losing in the winner's bracket to No. 1-seeded Glenwood-Lowry on Thursday night.

Last night in the sub-district championship series, Brooten suffered a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Glenwood-Lowry to see their season conclude. If they won that game, they would have immediately played a second game last night in another must-win situation. Glenwood-Lowry now advanced to the West Central District tournament and plays in Parkers Prairie on Monday.

The full description of the playoff tournament for Brooten was the Division II West Central Sub-State Northeast pod. That is a mouthful, and I find it easier to just say "Sub-District" in my description.

Here's video from the fourth inning with Luke Illies pitching:


Today the Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team travels to Spring Hill for a 1:30 p.m. division game. This game will conclude their regular season.

(VIDEO) 3-on-3 basketball

Here's a video clip from the Austin Young 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament that was held yesterday at the B-B-E high school.


They had 22 teams competing in the youth division!! Look for photos from the tournament in the August 15 and/or August 22 issues of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

Radio Friday at the Voice

The Bonanza Valley Voice has expanded into radio broadcasting...sort of...the newspaper has partnered with Smooth Magic 107 FM of Glenwood to bring you "The Voice on KMGK" where the newspaper publisher and B-B-E Jaguars sports reporter/editor will visit with radio sports broadcaster Brady Erdmann for a 10 to 15-minute period each Friday morning.

The first show was on March 10, and the second one is on Friday, March 17 starting at about 9:15 a.m. This arrangement was set up back in February, and with the difficult March we've had so far, the promotion of the radio show fell by the wayside.

This is a terrific extension of the radio station, and we will do our part to help promote the programs on Smooth Magic 107 FM that promote B-B-E and Brooten-area activities.

You can tune in with the "TuneIn" app on your SmartPhone, listen on your radio if you live close enough to Glenwood or use their website to listen in = http://www.kmgk1071.com

Two wins!

Canon Swanson battling for the Jaguars at 126 pounds, where he got a pin against Paynesville.

The B-B-E Jaguars wrestling team won two matches in home conference action tonight! They started out by thrashing the Kimball Area Cubs with a final score of 50-16. Paynesville Area also defeated Kimball when those two teams met in the second dual of the night. In the third dual, the Jaguars took on the Bulldogs in a classic border battle match that was not decided until the 195-pound match was complete. Final score: B-B-E 38, Paynesville Area 33.

The Jaguars are now 3-0 overall and in Central Minnesota Conference duals for the season. Their next action is another triangular next Tuesday, December 13 at Albany. The other team involved is Becker. Action begins for B-B-E with the Jaguars taking on Becker at 6:15 p.m.

Ryan Illies (50) pressures this shot by Ortonville in the first half.

In another home contest tonight, the B-B-E Jaguars boys' basketball team lost 68-54 to sub-section rival Ortonville. The Jaguars fared far better offensively tonight against Ortonville than they did in the season opener against Osakis. The improvement was very noticeable and noteworthy. Derek Wiener led the Jaguars with 19 points.

The Trojans, who led 40-27 at halftime, improved to 3-0 with the win. They are 2-0 against very solid Camden Conference competition after beating Lac qui Parle Valley 54-43 the night before their trip to Brooten. Ortonville competes in the Pheasant Conference in basketball and figures to be a factor in that race this season along with Hancock.

Speaking of Hancock, the Owls will be the next opponent for the Jaguars boys' basketball team. Next Tuesday B-B-E travels to Hancock for a non-conference contest.

Tonight's boys' basketball game was aired on 106.5 FM The Train.

Area boys' basketball scores on December 9:
Annandale 54, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 32
St. Cloud Apollo 47, Willmar 46
Parkers Prairie 54, Verndale 51
Sauk Centre 75, Upsala 50
Kimball Area 81, Royalton 43
Dawson-Boyd 80, Renville County West 52
Battle Lake 81, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 53
West Central Area 56, Henning 38
Maple Lake 70, St. John's Prep 64
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 85, Paynesville Area 56
Holdingford 94, Foley 81

Central MN Conference girls' basketball score on December 9:
Maple Lake 51, Pierz 39

Area girls' basketball scores on December 9:
Swanville 55, Upsala 51
Sauk Centre 67, Minnewaska Area 53
Dawson-Boyd 75, Ortonville 67
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 59, Benson 35
Kimball Area 53, Dassel-Cokato 28 (the Cubs are off to a nice 4-1 start; their only loss is to a very good Annandale team by a 59-53 score)
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 52, Browerville/Eagle Valley 47
Montevideo 49, Melrose Area 40
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 65, BOLD 49
Albany 59, Mora 17
Hancock 51, West Central Area 26
Hutchinson 98, Glencoe-Silver Lake 70

4 day week

Note: much of what you read below is my opinion, not the opinion of any B-B-E staff member.

The state of Minnesota is forcing B-B-E to return to a five-day week for 2015-2016. They've "granted" B-B-E with the option of having a transitional year in 2014-2015 to move back to the five-day schedule. It's what I call the act of a very heavy-handed state government.

Details to follow! Much is up in the air right now, including whether B-B-E will return to a five-day week in the fall of 2014, the fall of 2015 or fight for a two or three-year extension to the current four-day model.

I am anxious to tell Governor Dayton what I think about Big Brother knowing best!!!

What's fascinating is how the Department of Education is allowed to lie about their decision-making process. Flat out lie. It boggles my mind. Seriously! They are the "department of education" which somehow implies they should be modeling what we want our kids to know or learn...yet what they do is model deception and not telling the truth?

For MDE to say they didn't see "any increase" in test scores at 4-day week schools is complete nonsense. I just looked at math test scores this morning, and ours and A-C-GC's went up while a long list of area 5-day schools' scores went down. That's the cold, hard fact, folks!!!

I'm trying to get more comment out of MDE. They need to straighten out their message.

Superintendent Bullard is crafting a letter to send to all parents of the B-B-E district. Once I have that I will share information from that.

I am somewhat troubled by what could happen in the cases of current B-B-E students who open-enrolled into the district in large part from the four-day schedule. For some families the four-day schedule is a hassle, but for others it's an outright benefit. From my experience, it's been working out well, and I'm terribly upset that MDE had to stick their nose into our business.

For our family the big picture isn't in favor one way or another. This past winter I saw the B-B-E community respond that we wanted another 3 years with it. The big thing for me is this: we would always have the option to revert to 5 days at ANY time any year at our choosing. We weren't married permanently to the 4 day schedule. We could've returned in one year, two years, three years...if we want to. That's the beauty of local control. But in an election year with a vulnerable governor up for reelection, all bets are off. And local control is one of the big victims.

At the end of the day, we have to remain vigilant and active on a daily basis in our advocacy for B-B-E schools and the life we enjoy ("we" meaning my family, for starters) in Jaguar Country. Whether we are a 4-day or a 5-day school, one thing won't change: we have a terrific school system that's great for kids from any type of background or family; we have absolutely awesome, stand out, truly dedicated staff. Top to bottom!!! We have generous English Language Learner staff time for elementary students. In the high school we have a full-time business teacher and a full-time agriculture teacher, two things you don't find in many rural schools of our size. Beyond that, class high school elective offerings have expanded from 57 three years ago to 64 in the current year. Hey, MDE, tell me how that's somehow not good for our students?

The successes at B-B-E will remain a constant even if school officials have to reorganize how we deliver education to students. If you believe that having your kids in a school that emphasizes a family-atmosphere that never allows a single student to fall through the cracks...by all means, come on over to B-B-E. It's a story worth sharing...in good times and in tougher times.

Destination: Minnetonka HS

I will be blogging from the player bus after 2.


A short note from Osakis: I am thrilled to report that the 7th grade Jaguars (boys) beat Sauk Centre 37 to 20 today in the consolation semis. The 8th grade Jaguars beat New London-Spicer also in a consolation semi. It was also nice to see that just one NL-S 8th grade player threw his water bottle to the gym floor while making some odd comment in Osakis after they were defeated by our Jaguars. The NL-S parents also displayed a total of zero outbursts and threw out no lewd comments during that game, according to eyewitnesses. They're making progress!

In the last game of the day in Osakis, the 8th grade boys' basketball Jaguars defeated Paynesville Area 43-38. Great job guys!

At a Front Court tournament in Eden Valley-Watkins, the 8th grade girls' basketball Jaguars won easily in preliminary games over Minnewaska and Paynesville. Their next game is at 4:15.

Step IV is a bust: Jaguar volleyball falls to red-hot Nevis

One of this year's seniors consoles a younger player after the loss tonight. There was a huge amount of mutual respect between all four classes of girls on the varsity team: freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Megan Weller fires off a serve in game three tonight. She and three other outstanding seniors will graduate next spring. They will be hard to replace if not impossible to replace, but at B-B-E we don't necessarily seek to replace players, we just groom more great ones and keep things running at a very high level!!

 Losing to "red hot" teams is getting old, but there's not much you can do about it but tip your hat to your opponent. The Nevis Tigers became three-time defending Section 5A champions tonight with a 3-0 sweep over our Jaguars volleyball team. They've won 4 of the last 5 section crowns since 2009. Game scores were 25-19, 25-18 and 25-10.

A long list of area teams fell today in volleyball section finals: Sauk Centre, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta, BOLD, Henning. One piece of good news: the Maple Lake Irish punched their ticket to state with an amazing 3-2 win over Park Center tonight. The Irish trailed 12-6 in game five...an almost insurmountable deficit, when they proceeded to score 9 unanswered points to take it 15-12! Great job to the Irish, Coach Marty Kiebel and his staff.

**Posting again: here's my Sauk Centre Herald photo gallery from the Royalton win.
http://saukherald.smugmug.com/2013SPORTS/B-B-E-fall-varsity-sports/Step-III-Jaguar-volleyball-win

The Section 5A championship album will be added on Sunday or Monday...most likely Monday. I need some time off on Sunday!!!!!!

B-B-E finishes 26-8 overall after another absolutely tremendous season on the volleyball courts. I have an enormous amount of pride and admiration to the hard work our girls put into the sport. They truly love the game and love keeping B-B-E's great tradition going. Of course, going to state is clearly the goal every year, but just being in the running for state is incredibly difficult, yet we've done it every season since 2004 (getting into a section championship). That has to be one of the greatest postseason streaks in Minnesota. I know it rates right up there with such volleyball greats as Stewartville, Alexandria, Marshall, Minneota and others.

Does it suck to keep losing to Nevis right before "state"! You bet it does. But you can't help but have respect and tip your hat to their program. They will be on top until someone knocks them down...I visited briefly with Mr. Gossen tonight about what happened to us this weekend. He wholeheartedly agreed with my statement: if you are tired of losing, you just have to get better. If you work to get to a certain point but that's not enough - you just have to keep improving. He has what I call a fantastic sports mind. He gets it. He knows all about building winning programs in a variety of sports.

It boils down to that, underclassmen, no matter if it's volleyball, tennis, football, speech, FFA, basketball, etc...keep up the hard work, do your best, throw everything you have into what you love (athletics, academics, fine arts) and success will follow!!!

Friday Night Lights X: B-B-E Jaguars are section-final bound!!!

Although they stalled out and punted near midfield with under 2 minutes to go, the Jaguars managed to burn an incredible amount of clock with the game in the balance with a handful of first downs to limit ACGC's chances in the 4th quarter. I have to double-check my notes, but I believe the Jaguars started their final offensive series from their own 12-yard line with just over 7 minutes remaining. They burned over 5 minutes off of the clock by grounding-and-pounding the ball to get to where they are shown in the above photo.

The whole game was on the line in the final minute, when A-C-GC took over after a punt and had a fair distance left to go (60+ yards) in order to overcome the Jaguars. Fortunately, they did not!!!!

EVERY Jaguar who stepped on the field tonight played their hearts out. (The JV was great too cheering on the sidelines!) Shown are two Jaguars who were outstanding tonight. Jared Steffensen had a monster quarterback sack on the game's final play. Tommy Cebulla had some incredible rushes for key yardage throughout the game and especially in the 4th quarter. What a win!!! I am so proud of this team.

The 6th-ranked Jaguars football team had the biggest second-half of play for the entire season and came up with an incredible 26-22 win over 12th-ranked Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City tonight. They faced the toughest front-line of the entire season. The Falcons (7-3) were so completely dominant on the line of scrimmage that they out-gained B-B-E in rushing yards by a 278 to 67 margin in the first half. Who was ahead at the end of the game, though? (Us!) One thing that has me grinning ear to ear about is the thought posted quite a bit at Minnesota-Scores.net that "B-B-E doesn't have much offense after Kollman"...Oh really! That is precious! I hope that folks keep thinking that. It is fine by me. I've been monitoring the chatter at that website's online football forum, and the naysayers are silent. Go figure.

If you want to get an idea of what damage the Jaguars can do, go to their next game.

Now 9-1 overall, the Jaguars will play in a section championship in the sport of football for just the 4th time in school history (1997, 2010, 2012, 2013)...that's four section final games in 26 seasons. That is absolutely mind-boggling considering that from 1989 to 2009, the Jaguars won only six playoff games. Six playoff wins in 21 seasons!! Not only that, but in 8 of those 21 seasons, they had such poor records they failed to make it to the playoffs. For the 13 seasons where they did make it to the playoffs from 1989 to 2009, the Jaguars went 6-13.

From 2010 to 2013, the Jaguars are 6-3 in the playoffs. In 1988, the first year of B-B-E Jaguar football, they went 1-1 in the Section 4B playoffs (13-8 win over Atwater-Grove City in Belgrade and then a 40-8 loss to Morris Area in Morris). Do the quick math and see this: the first 22 Jaguar football teams went 7-14 in playoff games. Now they have a shot at the program's 14th playoff win next Friday night.

That playoff history should give you an idea of why I have been hollering and yelling on this blog about tonight being a huge, huge game. It really means a lot to see the hard work of both the players and coaches result in them becoming a very good football team. It is immensely rewarding to see their hard work pay off with regular season and playoff wins. Only time will tell how good they are and how deep they can stretch out this playoff run.

With a new school record for wins under their belt, the Jaguars face Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity for the Section 4A championship. That HUGE HUGE game is next Friday at O'Gara Field in Sauk Centre (on the turf!). Kickoff is at 7:00pm, Friday, November 1. The Bulldogs are 7-3 overall and are playing lights-out football. Read further below on this blog to learn about their game earlier today at Minneapolis North.

I will be up for HOURS tonight writing about this game. This is incredible for our school, community and our team!!! The game ended a half hour ago and the adrenaline is STILL banging away. Our Jaguars just defeated a stacked, loaded and fabulously talented football team. It's amazing.

One quick note: the Jaguars had a KEY stop in the middle of the 4th quarter. The Falcons got as far as the 12-yard line after they turned over the ball on downs. Also, the fact that it was a home game wouldn't have been possible if our high school field wasn't in the great condition it is. It is a very well-built football field. Other schools (Minnewaska) haven't been as lucky during the wet, cold October we've endured.

Random: A-C-GC scored first on a 31-yard field goal attempt with 6:11 left in the first quarter. They stopped the Jaguars on the game's opening drive with 10:09 on the clock.

These parts of the first half were fun: Trey Heinsius had an 82-yard touchdown reception with 3:04 left in the 2nd quarter. B-B-E was trailing 9-6 at that point, but his TD and the following PAT kick put the Jaguars ahead 13-9. B-B-E scored earlier in the 2nd quarter (9:50 left) on a running play by Tommy Cebulla. So after A-C-GC went up 9-0, the Jaguars scored 13 unanswered points. The Falcons regained the lead at 16-13, but the Jaguars scored one more time in the 2nd quarter on a 52-yard catch by Trey Heinsius to go up 19-16 at halftime.

**Here's a short video clip from that sequence...7:25 left in the game, the Falcons had 4th down and 8 to go on the B-B-E 12-yard line...here's what happened:


What a day for the Central Minnesota Conference! Pierz came up with a HUGE upset win by taking down host Foley 23-12 tonight. The Falcons were the #1 seed. Holdingford won 48-18 against an over-matched Pelican Rapids team in Section 6AA; they led 28-10 at halftime. As I posted this afternoon, both Maple Lake and Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted won Section 4AA semifinals. Those two teams will meet for the section championship. That is incredible!!!

Paynesville Area ripped Sauk Centre 46-8 on their home field to advance to the Section 5AA championship game. I knew the Mainstreeters were underdogs, but I honestly did not see that coming since Sauk Centre played incredibly well in their playoff opener. Melrose Area lost 42-26 to favored Annandale, but the Dutchmen had their best football season since 2004. Back in 2004, the Dutchmen went 7-3 overall and 1-1 in the Section 6AAA playoffs. Going 2005 to 2012 without a playoff win has been tough on their program, but they are definitely on the rebound.

I'll be getting video posted starting at 10:15...photos and other game notes to follow after 11:00. I am a little
buzzed on adrenaline even an hour and 20 minutes after the game was over. The final horn went off at 21:12.

Here's the Sauk Centre Herald photo album from last night's volleyball win with 105 photos:
http://saukherald.smugmug.com/2013SPORTS/B-B-E-fall-varsity-sports/Step-I-BBE-volleyball-3-EVW-0

While I'm still on my "looking back" kick, I added up the number of wins and losses B-B-E football teams have had since the Jaguar athletic program was formed in August 1988. That cumulative record is 69-171. (Tonight was the 69th football win at B-B-E.) Their playoff record is 13-17, while they've missed making the playoffs in 8 of the school's 26 seasons.

Holy smokes!!!!

At halftime: B-B-E Jaguars 19, A-C-GC Falcons 16. The Jaguars are getting badly outplayed from every statistical category except (1) passing yards and (2) the overall score.

B-B-E's 25th annual Homecoming is this week

This week's Homecoming schedule at the high school.

The 25th B-B-E Homecoming coronation is Tuesday morning during the second-hour period.

Friday Night Lights Part III: Jaguars win 2nd half in battle of CMC giants

Brian Goodwin rolls out from the pocket during the first half tonight. After the Jaguars struggled to get even to 25 yards of offense before halftime, they rallied in the second half and made it a game.

Final: Holdingford 27, B-B-E 18. The Jaguars scored with under a minute remaining in the game, but the 2-point conversion attempt failed to leave it at a two-score deficit. That was one of the most incredible second halves of football I've ever seen. To go from being flat-out embarrassed to getting your "chin up", dusting yourself off and getting back in the driver's seat after you crashed and burned was truly incredible to witness.

The Huskers scored first with 1:37 left in the first quarter on a 12-yard touchdown catch. They went up 14-0 with 7:48 left in the second quarter on a 9-yard touchdown catch by Jordan Gombos. The Jaguars played "pretty well" defensively in the first quarter before absolutely falling apart in the second. For example, while they generated only four yards of offense on their first drive, the Huskers got only 11. They wilted in the second, though, before getting fired up by a 17-yard interception return by defensive end Brendon Loch in the third quarter.

The Jaguars mounted an incredible goal-line stand mid-way into the 4th quarter, holding off Holdingford from scoring with 1st down on the BBE 8-yard line. With 5:40 left in the game, the Jaguars got the ball back on their own 3-yard line. They proceeded to drive the length of the field in about 5 minutes of game time and put up the game's final touchdown.

**Posted at 11:40pm...the last 6 or so minutes of the game. Good stuff! The Jaguars clearly were outplaying the Huskers in the 4th quarter, they were one touchdown too many behind, though:


Now it's time for Homecoming and the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Lakers! They are surprisingly 2-1 on the season after winning a huge upset in Howard Lake tonight by a 28-14 score over Pierz. The Lakers haven't beaten Pierz in a long, long time.

More to follow later...time to head home and dodge the corn choppers and other farm machinery out on northern Stearns County roads tonight.

Get a load of this! D-Mac reported to me that Minnewaska Area was ahead of Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City by a 21-7 score at halftime tonight. Then heading into the 4th, the Falcons made a comeback to trail 24-22. WOW!! **FINAL: Minnewaska Area 24, A-C-GC 22...unreal, I almost don't believe it! I have to see it from another source before I believe that.

**D-Mac confirmed that there was no scoring in the 4th quarter of the game, and indeed #3-ranked A-C-GC is now 2-1 on the season after losing at Minnewaska.

**Also, a big score to report: Tri-City United 28, Mayer Lutheran 7. The #9-ranked AAA Tri-City United Buccaneers lost to the Class AAA state champions in the Section 3AAA championship last year to finish 8-3 overall in the team's first year of existence. I really believed Mayer Lutheran was hands down the best team in Section 4A coming into this season. Now with A-C-GC losing, it's all up in the air. The #1 seed is truly up for grabs in Section 4A. It's exciting. It also places more emphasis on beating HL-W-W next Friday on Homecoming night!

**And! To top it off, Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity lost to the Awesome Blossoms of Blooming Prairie by a 30-15 score tonight in Lester Prairie no less. The Bulldogs are 1-2.

The #1 seed is up in the air right now in Section 4A.

VIDEO from the third quarter tonight...Youtube is acting up and it's not letting me remove some of the "shake" like usual...I apologize:


CMC scores for Week 3:
HL-W-W 28, Pierz 14 (hard to believe! but true! Joe Aalid had 3 TDs to lead the Lakers)
Maple Lake 31, Eden Valley-Watkins 21
Rockford Area 30, Kimball Area 23

Area football scores on Sept. 13, Week 3:
Sauk Centre 36, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 35 (OT!)
Melrose Area 27, YME 6
Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 27, Cedar Mountain/Comfrey 15
Barnesville 46, LP-GE 6
Blooming Prairie 30, Lester Prairie/Holy Trinity 15
Minnewaska Area 24, A-C-GC 22
Upsala/Swanville Area 34, #4-ranked Osakis 8 (Ouch)
Browerville 36, West Central Area 14
MACCRAY 26, Canby 6
Montevideo 34, Benson 13
Tri-City United 28, Mayer Lutheran 7
Royalton 63, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 14
Paynesville Area 20, BOLD 18 (Paynesville is 3-0)

Reminder: All-sports meeting is Wednesday

An all-sports meeting for all incoming 7th-12th grade athletes at B-B-E is next Wednesday, July 31 at 8:15pm at the high school. It is a required meeting for all junior high and varsity-level athletes who plan on being involved in at least one sport during the 2013-14 year.

Still having some 'quiet' time

Spring sports are just around the corner, but for now I'm laying low with the sports blogging world.

I will have much to cover once things get started. I am excited to take in Jaguar baseball games this spring, as former B-B-E Jaguar stand out baseball player Pat Illies takes over the program from former head coach Dave Montbriand.

Illies, a 1992 B-B-E graduate, was on Montbriand's first two varsity teams in 1991 and 1992.

Busy night tonight for Jaguar fans

After coaching her first home game last week, Coach Anderson leads her Jaguars in the team's first Central Minnesota Conference game at Kimball Area tonight.

Take your pick and pick your poison...the Jaguars have three varsity teams in action tonight.

On the home mats, the B-B-E wrestling team hosts Royalton/Upsala in a dual meet at 7:00pm (JV 6:00). I look for great things to happen in that dual as they heat up the December schedule with additional wins.

At Kimball Area, the Jaguars girls' basketball team faces the Cubs in the Central Minnesota Conference opener. The Jaguars need to give a little payback, as they were whipped by the Cubs in last year's CMC opener (also at Kimball) in a 58-34 loss.

Just down Highway 71 at New London-Spicer, the Jaguars boys' basketball team squares off with a very good Wildcats team in a much-anticipated border battle. That game will be on the Train, although not with coverage from the usual suspects (tip of the hat to Bill Dean and Don Leukam).

Also a big FYI: some of the schedules on the internet show the boys' basketball team hosting Sauk Centre this Friday night. That's not what will happen, as the Mainstreeters will host B-B-E in the non-conference border battle. Their next home game is next Tuesday (Dec. 18) against Eden Valley-Watkins in the conference opener. On Friday, December 21, the Jaguars travel into Pope County to face a much-improved Minnewaska Area team.

While I grabbed your attention, click on this link if you have a few minutes to spare and read up on how Zach Huisken's Division II college basketball career started off with a bang...not the right type of bang either:
http://www.pipestonestar.com/Stories/Story.cfm?SID=38822. I'll never forget that game last March, when the Jaguars beat Huisken's Southwest Christian squad in the Class A state title game. It was a pure heavyweight, dogfight, take-no-prisoners type of ball game that should really make any B-B-E fan proud that our Jaguars came out on top.

'Jesus Chris Superstar' opening night is sold out!

A scene from early in Act I tonight at the B-B-E high school...

That was an incredibly awesome show! We are incredibly blessed to have such wonderful theater talent in our B-B-E school district.

Spread the word! The next show is at 7:30pm tomorrow night, with a matinee show at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon. Call all your friends and neighbors in the surrounding area to attend either of those two shows.

More will follow on Saturday morning.

Somehow...we have to get up for Volleyball and Football tonight

Two huge, huge events are on tap tonight in Jaguar Nation.

First, at 5:00pm is a home volleyball match against Eden Valley-Watkins. The Jaguars need to beat the Eagles in order to ensure they win the Central Minnesota Conference outright.

Two hours later, the Jaguars football team hosts Eden Valley-Watkins in a must-win situation in order to secure a first-round home playoff game. This is HUGE! I don't have time to get into it, but first-round home football playoff game have been incredibly rare at B-B-E.

A side note. Funeral announcements have yet to be released by the Vos family. I will post as I get that information confirmed.

"This week, we are all  JAGUARS!"

More will follow later.

B-B-E Youth Tackle football season begins

The opening kickoff tonight against Willmar Blue... ...and into the latter part of the second half, the Jaguars found their footing and moved down field...

A few quick notes on the fall sports seasons

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team had a successful tour through the Breakdown preseason tournament a couple weekends ago in the Twin Cities. They went 3-3 and defeated Blaine, Eden Prairie and Mayer Lutheran for their three wins. The season opener is Tuesday, August 28 at home vs. A-C-GC.

The B-B-E Jaguars football team had an incredible turnout for their summer camps recently completed, and a total of 45 athletes took part in the varsity-level camp. Fall sports seasons officially kick off tomorrow (Monday) with varsity practices for the girls' tennis, football and volleyball teams.

This Friday, August 17, the Jaguars girls' tennis team hosts a triangular at the high school courts beginning with an 8:30am match against Long Prairie-Grey Eagle/Upsala/Swanville. The second match pits LP-GE/USA against Lac qui Parle Valley, and the Jaguars face LQPV in the third match of the day beginning around noon. The triangular marks the beginning of Colleen (Radermacher) Borgerding's tenure as the head coach of the program. She is a former B-B-E Jaguar standout in girls' tennis before graduating in 2005.

More scenes from last night's win at Minnewaska Area...and a clip from last week

Senior Amy Bast knocks down a shot against Minnewaska with just over 12 minutes left in the game...

Brittany Winter has a nice drive to the basket and dishes off to Amy Bast on the left block with just over one minute left in the game...

The Jaguars boys' team defeat Sauk Centre on Dec. 13...

A few fun facts I learned from the Minnesota State High School League...
Did you know? In a survey of 300 high schools in Minnesota, the average GPA for student athletes was 2.84, while the average student's GPA was 2.68. The study also showed that student athletes miss an average of 7.4 days of school each year, compared to the average student missing 8.8 days a year.

More video from this past week...

From halftime of the boys' basketball game on Tuesday night against Sauk Centre...

The National Anthem prior to last night's girls' basketball game...