Winter returns

Hopefully it's short-lived!

I am in Morris right now, and the ground is pure white with about a half an inch of fresh snow that just fell. I am at the college, where Willow has West Central Wildcats AAU basketball practice. 

I haven't heard an outcome from Paynesville. 

I noticed my short writings about track and field in the newspaper were incorrect. On Tuesday, I was unaware that they have an outdoor meet scheduled for Friday (this week)...this leads me to the decision that it makes no sense to write about upcoming games when I print sports stories in the newspaper. Folks will simply have to go to this sports blog to read about the varsity sports schedule. It's a waste of resources to put that in ink in the newspaper. At least in the front part of April, the weather is too unpredictable!

Update: I heard the tough news that the varsity fastpitch team lost at Paynesville tonight. That's all I have there. On a brighter note, the JV Jaguars defeated the Bulldogs. I'll get a new blog post added on Friday morning featuring a complete report from the game. For the record, senior Kenna Lieser had 112 career hits at the end of last season. Through 2 games this season, she's got 5 hits to add to that number. She's been a varsity player since 7th grade in the 2021 season.

In other news...
The B-B-E Resistance Robotics team traveled to St. Cloud today for the first day of the Granite City Regional. The region tournament is being held at River's Edge Convention Center. This day is reserved for practice sessions. The first day of competition, which includes 51 total teams, is Friday. Action should begin at 8:55 a.m.

B-B-E's first qualification match is set for 9:40 a.m. They are in a Blue alliance with teams from Rocori and Minneota.

The official F.I.R.S.T. Granite City Regional website is found here: https://frc-events.firstinspires.org/2026/MNMI2/qualifications.

1-and-oh! ...times TWO! (VIDEOS)

On a cold evening with a mix of clouds and then a burst of sunshine, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team earned an 11-1 win in 6 innings over MACCRAY tonight. Next: a trip to Paynesville on Thursday this week for the Central Minnesota Conference opener. The Jaguars are set to host non-conference Upsala on Friday in a second straight home game.

The game started off with a bang as senior Kenna Lieser hit a two-RBI home run over dead center in the first inning. The homer drove in her freshman sister, Abby, for a 2-0 lead.

No word yet on how baseball fared against Border West.

Here's a video featuring the start of the game today:


Since I forgot to post it...here's a video recorded a few weeks ago.

From the indoor practice held on March 17:


The golf teams won't get their seasons going until next week. The official girls' golf opener is at Little Crow Golf Course in rural New London on Thursday, April 16.

More to come.

UPDATE:
The B-B-E Jaguars baseball team persevered in a tight ball game by defeating Border West 2-1 tonight in their season opener. The Jaguars overcame 16 stranded runners. They got a huge boost by a solo home run by junior Tyler Myers. B-B-E scored once in the third and once in the fifth innings. The Buccaneers scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth.

Next: a non-conference section game at Parkers Prairie on Thursday this week.

Looks like all systems GO for two season openers

As I type this, the B-B-E Jaguars baseball team is traveling west to Clinton, Minnesota, for their season opener against Section 6A rival Border West. First pitch at the Clinton ball field is at 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, on the home diamond, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team is preparing to host MACCRAY in a non-conference season opener in Brooten. That game is set to begin at 5 p.m. That's all I've got right now.

**Update: the fastpitch Jaguars are ahead 4-0 through 3 innings over MACCRAY. 

Fascinating math

Today, after purchasing around 23 gallons of E-85 fuel for our Chevy Suburban at Coop's Corner, I put my math skills to work. Here's what I came up with. At the current price of fuel, using E-85 in our Chevy Suburban is saving 5 cents a mile. The check I wrote at Coop's Corner would have been about $60 on the fuel needed for 300 miles of driving with E-10 (87 octane) fuel. Using the $2/gallon E-85, the tank cost $45. We see a loss in gas mileage with E-85, but the large difference in price for E-85 compared to E-10 is significant!

You can do the math yourself...5 cents per mile adds up fast.

This is Holy Week

Numerous area churches are celebrating and observing Holy Week with a variety of worship services. I learned tonight that St. Donatus Catholic Church in Brooten will host an Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night, April 4 at 8 p.m.

You can watch Pastor Kathy Terpstra's sermon from West Lake Johanna Lutheran church on Sunday, March 29 by clicking over to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: WestLakeJohannaPastorKathy. Pastor Kathy's sermon begins a little before the 7:00 mark. It was an excellent sermon! You'll want to check it out.

Also at the newspaper's website, you can watch video from Maundy Thursday worship at Big Grove Lutheran church, as well as a press release from Senator Torrey Westrom regarding how the state of Minnesota condones allowing male athletes to compete in girls' sports: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com.

Winter is returning...for a brief blast of snow

While we're all preparing in various ways for another round of winter weather later this week, we can still keep our eyes on spring (and summer) and look forward to what is coming in April and May. Part of what we can look forward to is the beginning of the Elrosa Saints baseball team's 2026 season. I've got more notes to share on that, but I'll leave you by referring to the amateur team's season opener on Sunday, April 26 at Saints Field in Elrosa. The opponent is Lake Henry. They have 2 games scheduled for the following weekend. Let's hope we get some nice weather and the schedule holds! I have a good feeling it will work out, and the season opener should be on April 26.

Fastpitch softball enjoys scrimmage at St. John's University

At the St. John's University Gagliardi Field and Skalicky Seasonal Dome in Collegeville, the B-B-E Jaguars fastpitch team traveled east on Saturday to face New London-Spicer in the first annual "Battle of the Bat" scrimmage. This is a new tradition started by head coach Logan Funk while working with Wildcats head coach Jacob Beranek. Max Bats of Brooten generously has donated a wood bat designated as the traveling trophy. It will have the year and score etched onto it each spring.

Coach Funk was thrilled to report that the first score etched on this Max Bats bat will reflect a winning 8-5 score for B-B-E. The Jaguars had just one error.

B-B-E's fastpitch season opener is set for Tuesday, April 9 at home in Brooten at 5 p.m. against MACCRAY.

The B-B-E Jaguars baseball team has a scrimmage on Monday (tomorrow) against Minnewaska Area. The two teams will scrimmage at 1 p.m. in Alexandria at Knute Nelson Field.

Temperatures tomorrow will climb into the mid-60s for the second straight day. It will be a wonderful day to be outside. However, Minnesota's weather gets rough starting on Tuesday, and the forecast looks quite awful as we head into April. Snow and cold is coming on April 2 and April 4. Yuck!

Earthy Elements, LLC, open house in Belgrade

This post is "late to the party" but I wanted to get it out the door even if it's at the last minute.

Business Open House TODAY in Belgrade!
The flower, plant, gift and rock shop called Earthy Elements opened at The Shed in Brooten. Ashley Zimmerle, owner of Earthy Elements, expanded her business last summer after she founded it in 2022. The next step in her business journey was a recent move to Main Street Belgrade. This took place while an expansion in another business is taking place at The Shed (located on Highway 55 East in Brooten)...on the weekend of Valentine's Day, Zimmerle moved her business to 303 Washburn Avenue, Belgrade, to The Boosters building on the north end of main street.

The next step Ashley's got in store is a business open house on Saturday, March 28 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at her new location. The Earthy Elements open house features flower, plant and prize giveaways. Easter lilies and bulb garden plants. FREE coffee samples. To-go bracelet make and take packes for $15 also available. You're invited to stop by and see the new space in the Booster's building.

See more coverage here at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: EarthyElementsBelgradeOpenHouse.