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. 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!
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Volleyball Jaguars at Southwest Minnesota Challenge (VIDEOS)
The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team went 0-2 at the opening night of action at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge tournament in Marshall. In one of the matches, they split the first two sets. In the tiebreaker set, they held a 13-11 lead but lost 16-14. Other details are being sought out.
The Jaguars finished with a 1-4 record at Marshall. They lost by a 2-1 set margin to Class 4A Prior Lake in their first Friday match. In the last match last night, the Jaguars lost 2-0 to Sioux Falls Christian.
Today, the Jaguars faced Sioux Falls Roosevelt and earned a 2-1 win. They finished with 2-0 losses to No. 3-ranked Mayer Lutheran and Class 4A Eastview. Next: the Jaguars (3-5 overall) host Swanville in a non-conference match on Tuesday, September 15.
How about the B-B-E football team!
And back to last night's thrilling win...the scoreboard for last night's games has been updated in the previous blog post. It includes the other 3 Mid-Northwest Gold District final scores.
Here's a video featuring the final plays of B-B-E's first scoring drive last night:
Also, a video from the second quarter of last night's football game was just posted to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website. That can be found by clicking here: BBEvsWCAfootball2026.
The Jaguars improved to 4-0 in the past four meetings with West Central Area.
Here's a postgame interview with Coach Moscho last night:
I'll repost that at a future date.
After studying the scores of the first two games with teams that the Jaguars face, I have a declaration: if the football team can draw 3 to 5 more players, consisting of players who quit the team this summer, I have full confidence that the Jaguars can have a 7-1 or 6-2 regular season. It is possible, but they have to have more depth. How can we make it happen? Playing with 22 players leads to having too many players going both ways. It's not the way you want to grind through a regular season of football. Think about it: the Jaguars have the talent this season to have another very special season!
More to come later tonight. Tomorrow will be a busy day with the Bluegrass Festival at Terrace and the Fall Festival at Trinity Lutheran in Grove Lake. I hope you can make it to one or both of those events!
Friday Night Lights II: Jaguar football is 2-0! (VIDEOS)
It is a VIVID and EXCITING MEMORY! It was 20 years ago this night! (Technically, it was Friday, September 8, 2006) The B-B-E Jaguars football team improved to 2-0 early in the 2006 season with a 27-0 beat down of Class 3A Rockford on the home gridiron. In the 2006 season opener, the Jaguars traveled to Ogilvie and won 36-22. That season had a final record of 3-7, however, as the Jaguars did not win again until the playoff opener in Belgrade. It was during THAT football season that this sports blog was born. (More on that, later.)
Fast forward to tonight: while hosting the Mid-Northwest Gold District opener on the home gridiron, the Jaguars faced West Central Area. With 20 players dressed for the game, the Jaguars battled with all kinds of heart until the final horn while recording a 20-14 win. It marks just the 8th time in B-B-E history that the football team has a 2-0 start to the season. The first time was in 1997, and the second time did not occur until the 2006 season. Under Coach Chris Moscho, the Jaguars started 2-0 in the 2013 season. The fourth 2-0 start in school history was in 2021. At this point, B-B-E now has four straight 2-0 starts to the football season. I find this a terrific accomplishment!
Next: the Jaguars host Upsala/Swanville Area in Week 3.
How the first half played out:
The WCA Knights were the superior team in the first quarter and led 8-0 at the first break. They took a 14-0 lead on a fumble recovery and roughly a 35-yard return for a touchdown. This occurred with 8:44 on the clock in the second quarter. The two-point conversion pass was tipped in the end zone, and WCA held a 14-0 lead at that point.
The Jaguars responded in the exact fashion they needed to. They failed to score on their first four possessions of the game. The fifth possession started at their own 30-yard line. Two carries by Lance Radermacher and then an 8-yard catch by Radermacher moved the chains. Aiden Mueller then ran a 29-yard quarterback keeper to WCA's 28. On 3rd-and-3, Austin Berge got a 3-yard catch to move the chains a third time. On the next play, which was the drive's 8th play overall, Berge hauled in an 18-yard touchdown reception from Mueller. Mueller then ran off left tackle for the two-point conversion, and now the Jaguars trailed 14-8 with 5:06 on the clock.
WCA's next drive lasted just two plays. On the second play, Tyler Myers knocked the ball loose from a WCA ball carrier, and Baron Breitbach was Johnny-on-the-spot with a fumble recovery. With 4:55 to go, the Jaguars were in business again, and they had the ball starting on WCA's 39-yard line.
B-B-E needed just 2 plays to score again. On 2nd-and-9, Mueller threw a bomb to the endzone, and Noah DeRoo caught the ball in the endzone for a 38-yard reception. It was a jump ball play, and WCA's defender was in the exact right spot. DeRoo tipped the ball but kept running. He managed to catch the ball and land in pay dirt. Tie game! 14 to 14! The PAT kick was blocked. With 4:08 left before halftime, the Jaguars and Knights had battled to a draw. That score stood to halftime.
Here's a third quarter video tonight:
Here's a video from early in the fourth quarter:
I still have a massive amount of notes to comb through.
Here's a video showing the game in the balance in the latter part of the fourth quarter tonight:
A few game statistics:
The Jaguars outgained the Knights 234 yards to 181 overall. WCA had 100 rushing yards to 98 for the Jaguars. Turnovers were a draw: each team had one interception thrown, and each team had one lost fumble. This was a very even game, but the Jaguars managed to outplay WCA in the second, third and fourth quarters to earn the big district win.
One statistic jumps out at me: WCA's talented senior quarterback, Owen Gruchow, carried the ball two times tonight. On those two carries, the Knights had a net loss of 18 yards. That made a huge difference in the game.
Mid-Northwest Gold District Week 2 scores on September 11:
Browerville 20, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 8
Upsala/Swanville Area 52, Benson 7
Ashby/Brandon-Evansville 28, Maple Lake 22 (A/BE Bolts improve to 2-0)
Week 2 area football scores on September 11:
Border West 46, Hancock 0
Albany 20, Pequot Lakes 19
Willmar 42, Westonka 0
Rock Ridge 50, St. Cloud Apollo 6
Osakis 22, Minnewaska Area 21
Otter Tail Central 28, New York Mills 6
Hills-Beaver Creek 46, Renville County West 6
Minneota 55, Eden Valley-Watkins 0
Monticello 22, Alexandria 6
Kimball Area 24, Paynesville 14
Hutchinson 26, Becker 20
Dawson-Boyd 41, Yellow Medicine East 0
MACCRAY 40, Canby 0
Holdingford 9, Royalton 8
Lester Prairie 28, BOLD 8
Melrose Area 40, Sauk Centre 32
Redwood Valley 64, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 14
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 49, Montevideo 6
The B-B-E Jaguars football team is facing their home opener tonight as they play West Central Area with a 5 p.m. kickoff. The Knights are in the hunt for their first win of the season after losing 28-14 last week at their home stadium against Lake Park-Audubon. WCA has a big, beefy front line that will challenge the Jaguars, according to head coach Chris Moscho.
Here's a video from Hudl with action in the final minutes of the second quarter last week Thursday:
The Jaguars played at New York Mills in the season opener 8 nights ago.
Game updates to follow here. A storm is supposed to hit Jaguar Country by 9 p.m. tonight.
**After quarter number one: WCA 8, B-B-E 0.
Halftime: B-B-E 14, WCA 14. The Jaguars overcame adversity and won the second quarter!
After 3 quarters: B-B-E 20, WCA 14.
To see the final score, hit refresh to read the Friday Night Lights II blog post.
After 8 p.m., rainfall blasted part of the area. Fortunately, by that point, the stadium was empty.
Volleyball wins at Kimball, football game is at 5!
The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team won the Central Minnesota Conference opener at Kimball on Thursday night.
The Jaguars utilized outstanding 34.5 percent hitting to sweep the Cubs by scores of 25-15, 25-18, 25-11. The top hitters were Macey Roering with 11 kills and McKinley Haider with 8 kills. Kamie Fischer racked up 6 ace serves, and Kimball Area struggled to put up an attack. Mya Worms and Teagan Dingmann each had 2 solo blocks.
A weather-related announcement: the B-B-E Jaguars football team's home opener will have a 5 p.m. kickoff tonight. Please spread the word. Also, the game will be aired on Smooth Magic 107.1 FM.
Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on September 10:
Royalton 3, Maple Lake 1
Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 3, Holdingford 1
Eden Valley-Watkins 3, Paynesville Area 1
Here's action from the state championship game on Sunday night in New Prague:
The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team completed the season with a 27-8 record after losing a nailbiter 5-4 in the Class C state championship game on Sunday. Coverage of the state tournament is in print this week and next week in the Bonanza Valley Voice.
Here's a link to the newspaper's SmugMug gallery featuring pictures from the Fairmont game: ElrosaSaints-vs-Fairmont.
In other news...>
Time to put humpty-dumpty back together again and re-start the newspaper's sports department. It has been a hellish week. On Tuesday, a major cocaine bust took place in downtown Brooten. This was mentioned on page one of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper. Additional crime coverage is forthcoming online and in print. On Friday afternoon, a web article was posted to the newspaper's website regarding the arrest: BrootenCocaineBust9-8-26.
I am hoping to plow through a mountain of work this afternoon and make it to the football game on time. Fingers crossed.
An incredible ending handed the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team an improbable 3-2 win over MACCRAY tonight in their second straight non-conference match. The Jaguars were in tough shape late in game five as they faced a steep, uphill climb in the form of a 14-11 deficit.
The Wolverines had a 4-1 run that lifted them ahead 6-5 in game five, but Macey Roering's kill tied it at 6-6. MACCRAY got traction in the form of a kill, an ace serve and an ace block to go up 9-6. Out of a B-B-E timeout, MACCRAY served long for a huge side out. The Wolverines got a kill, but Teagan Dingmann's kill made it a 10-8 score. MACCRAY's hitting error made it 10-9, and head coach Tory Brouwer called her first timeout of the set. Laken Anderson's kill tied it at 10-10, and Mya Worms had a kill to tie it at 11-11. MACCRAY then got two kills and an ace block to go up 14-11.
Roering buried a left side attack for a kill and a crucial side out that staved off defeat. On the next volley, Roering knocked an attack into a MACCRAY block attempt. The ball sailed out of bounds, but the referees held a conference to discuss whether or not the ball got across the net for an attack. The call held, and the Jaguars then trailed 14-13. Out of MACCRAY's final timeout, Roering hit another ace attack for a 14-14 tie.
On the next volley, Kamie Fischer knocked a direct attack over to the right corner. MACCRAY's pass was shanked, and the hitter was unable to recover it for an attack. This lifted the Jaguars in front 15-14 with four straight points scored. Teagan Dingmann then finished the match with an ace serve after she served the last four points of the night.
Game scores were 20-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-8, 16-14. Hitting percentages for B-B-E across all five sets: negative 2.5 in game one, 24.5 in game two, 10.3 in game three, 36 in game four and 32 in game five.
Earlier in the match...
After getting demolished in game three and losing 25-18, the Jaguars regrouped and took it to the Wolverines with a 25-8 win that tied the match at two sets each.
Here's action featuring the final points scored in game four tonight:
B-B-E had small early leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-2 in the fifth set. After falling back 14-11, the Jaguars stormed back to claim a thrilling, roller coaster-like 16-14 win and even their record at 1-1. It also marked head coach Holly Breitbach's first career varsity win.
Here's the full video of game five:
B-B-E had 18 percent hitting tonight, which marked a significant improvement from the 4 percent hitting they had one week ago at New London-Spicer.
Next: the Jaguars travel to Kimball this Thursday for the Central Minnesota Conference opener. The Cubs are 4-1 overall after beating neighborhood rival Dassel-Cokato 3-2 tonight at D-C high school.
The Wolverines (1-2) now have back-to-back 3-2 losses heading into their Camden Conference opener, which is next Tuesday, September 15.
Business announcement: the last day of the season for the Jenniges Meat Chuckwagon is Friday, September 18. Please spread the word!
A well-tuned MACCRAY Wolverines team is causing havoc for the B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team, and the visiting team has a 2-1 set lead tonight in Brooten. Earlier this evening, the JV football team won 54-0 against Benson in Belgrade.
The Wolverines took it to the Jaguars and won game three by a 25-18 score. B-B-E trailed by 6 to 9 points for a large chunk of that set.
Game four: B-B-E 25, MACCRAY 8. We are going to a 5th set. This final set should start at about 8:36 p.m.
In game five, the score is tied 5-5. To see the outcome of the match, hit refresh to see a new blog post.
The dream is cut short: Elrosa baseball suffers one-run loss in state finals (VIDEOS*)
I don't use this phrase often, but I think it's fitting to include it. The game was not for the faint of heart!
With their backs to the wall late in the Class C state tournament amateur baseball championship, the Elrosa Saints baseball team rallied and battled and hung in there after falling behind 5-1 to Fairmont. Three runs plated in the bottom of the 7th inning were not enough, however.
Final score on Sunday, September 6 in New Prague: Fairmont 5, Elrosa 4. The Saints finish an incredible season with a 27-9 overall record. It was an incredible ride. Thanks for the memories! This is just the third time in the history of the Stearns County League that one of our teams has played in the state championship game. The first was in 1998, when Richmond lost in the state finals by a 6-4 score to Glencoe. In 2017, Lake Henry lost 6-4 to Kimball in the Class C state finals.
Here's a video from an action-packed bottom of the second inning on Sunday night:
Time to rest up and recharge the batteries! It's Labor Day. Don't forget this event in rural Villard: BreakfastOntheFarm2026.
Monday afternoon update: I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to, and the time spent at Breakfast on the Farm in rural Villard. The Reichmann family is wonderful! One of their daughters-in-law is Tara Reichmann, who is the Minnewaska Area boys' and girls' head tennis coach. Her brother is former B-B-E superintendent Patrick Walsh.
Alas, it's time to get back to some very important sports writing.
And now back to baseball...
The Elrosa Saints finished 27-8 overall after completing a terrific 4-1 record at the state tournament. This is remarkable!
Here's a video from the bottom of the fourth inning against Fairmont:
The Saints had numerous players earn post-tournament awards. I'm getting that compiled tonight to write about.
Some additional coverage is being posted at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: StateFinals6thInning.
Here's a video featuring action in the bottom of the 7th inning:
Peyton Winter, batting No. 8 in the lineup, is shown batting at the plate with three runners on with zero outs. At that point, Elrosa trailed 5-1.
Elrosa's dreams were gashed in the bottom of the ninth inning, when they left the tying run stranded at third base.
Community event announcement!
The Honebrink family and all the friendly staff of Brink's Beer Joint in Swift Falls invites everyone to the annual Turkey Fest celebration, which is on Saturday, September 19 in the scenic village of Swift Falls. Other details to follow in The Voice...the Turkey Fest parade starts at 5:30 p.m.!
The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team is playing at 6 p.m. tonight in the Class C state championship game at New Prague's Memorial Park Stadium.
Hopefully that's not news to you by now!
The Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's sports department is on its way to the game. Updates to follow.
UPDATES...(and these are edited somewhat after the game as I prepare for the 129-mile drive home!)
At 6:05 p.m., the first inning wrapped up, and the score is 0-0.
In the top of the 2nd inning, Fairmont got a 3-RBI double on 2 outs. They lead 3-0 going into the bottom of the frame.
**In the bottom of the 2nd, Jackson Peter hit an RBI single, and the score is now 3-1 going into the third inning.
**Four complete: Fairmont 4, Elrosa 1.
**After 5 1/2 innings: Fairmont 5. Elrosa 1.
After 7 complete: Fairmont 5, Elrosa 4. The Saints scored 3 times in the bottom of the seventh inning. Derek Wiener led off with a single, Luke Illies walked, and Gavin Kampsen singled to load the bases.
On a fielders choice to the shortstop, Peyton Winter advanced to first while Wiener scored. The 6-5 throw to third went wide, so all 4 runners were safe! No outs!
On a new pitcher, Blaine Fischer walked. On a 2-0 count, Illies attempted to score on a wild pitch, but the catcher tagged him out at the plate. Jackson Peter hit an RBI fly to bring Kampsen home. Ethan Mueller then hit an RBI-single for a 5-4 score.
Fairmont's third relief pitcher recorded the third out, with Elrosa leaving 2 stranded but making the outcome in doubt.
After 8 complete: Fairmont 5, Elrosa 4. Both teams went quietly at the plate in this inning.
Final score: Fairmont 5, Elrosa 4. A late game rally fell short. Game and season a wrap.
Time to drive home safely.
*NOTE: a new blog post is going up on Monday morning, and it will be heavily edited throughout the day.
Don't look now! The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team is heading to the state championship game! They now take on Fairmont in the Class C state title game. This game will be played at 6 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, September 6 in New Prague. The site is Memorial Park Baseball Stadium, where
Elrosa won its first two state ball games. They are playing in their 13th state tournament in program history. Overall, this is Minnesota's 103rd state amateur baseball tournament. How about that!!
This marks the first time in Elrosa history that the baseball team will play for a state title. It will also be just the third time in the history of the Stearns County League that a team will play for a state title. It first occurred in 1998, when Richmond took second place. In 2017, Lake Henry also made it to the Class C finals but fell to Kimball.
In tonight's game:
Tonight, in New Prague, the Saints faced Hanska in the state semifinals. They had a 5-2 lead going into the 9th inning. In the top of the 9th, the Saints scored one more run to make it 6-2. In the bottom of the 9th, Hanska loaded the bases on no outs with two walks and one hit batsman. Jared Cortez, a draftee from Norway Lake-Sunburg, entered as the second relief pitcher of the game. He proceeded to earn three straight strikeouts to seal the win!
Hanska (22-5-1) loaded the bases in the first inning but pushed just one run across home plate on an Elrosa error. They had a runner forced out at home, and the inning ended with a Lakers runner thrown out at home after tagging up on a fly ball to left field.
Elrosa scored once in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly-RBI to make it a 1-1 tie. The Lakers pulled ahead with one run scored in the bottom of the second for a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Elrosa scored 3 times to gain a 4-2 lead and never looked back.
Overall, the Hanska Lakers left 15 runners stranded. They were held in check for the bulk of the game by Greenwald draftee Grant Moscho, who pitched 7 innings and earned the win with 6 walks and 7 strikeouts. Moscho is a first cousin to B-B-E head football coach Chris Moscho. He threw 136 total pitches and surrendered just 3 hits with no runs.
Derek Wiener and Luke Illies had 3 hits each to lead the offense, while Blaine Fischer and Ethan Mueller each had two hits with two RBI apiece. Altogether, Elrosa launched 13 hits on the Hanska Lakers.
Cortez, a Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Class of 2024 graduate, is the son of James and Kris Cortez of Lake Johanna Township. Kris (Skarpness) is a B-B-E Class of 1996 graduate, while James was a 1996 K-M-S grad. Just for fun! Here's Jared's Southwest Minnesota State University baseball biography page: https://smsumustangs.com/sports/baseball/roster/jared-cortez/13611.
By the way! Fairmont's 2020 population is listed at 10,487. Elrosa's population stands around 230 people.
Here's a video from the state opener against Pierz back on August 23:
That video was recorded in the bottom of the fourth inning with Payton VanBeck pitching.
In case you missed it...
The Cedar Creek Gospel Band, made up of musicians based in Kandiyohi County, performed for the worship service held at the Brooten Pavilion on Sunday, August 30. The worship was hosted by the Big Grove-Crow River-Grace Lutheran and Trinity-West Lake Johanna Lutheran parishes.
The Class C state semifinal amateur tournament game will be aired on Smooth Magic 107.1 FM of Glenwood. I encourage you to tune in either on the radio or at their website: https://www.kmgk1071.com.
The Starbuck Stars semifinal game ended at 6:34 p.m., and they lost 10-0 in 7 innings to Fairmont.
The Elrosa game should start sometime after 7 p.m. in New Prague. I expect a time of about 7:05 p.m. for first pitch.
**Game updates won't be posted here until after 9 p.m.
**UPDATE: Elrosa leads 6-2 in the 9th!
Final score: Elrosa 6, Hanska 2! The Saints advance to the championship!
More to come in a new blog post at 10 p.m. tonight.
Elrosa Saints are heading to the State Final Four!
The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team has made program history by advancing deeper in the state tournament than any previous team. The Saints won 3-2 tonight in a nailbiter against Glencoe in the state quarterfinals at Shakopee.
In relief on the mound, Ashton Dingmann threw just 2 pitches to record 2 outs and earn the save. It was an incredible finish that had right fielder Derek Wiener reaching high above his head for a pop fly grab and the third out!
Payton VanBeck started and earned the win in 8 1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts. While he pitched, Glencoe earned just 3 hits. They finish their season 23-7 overall.
NEXT! Please spread the word! The Elrosa Saints (26-8) play at 6:30 p.m. in New Prague tomorrow, Saturday, September 5 against Hanska. At stake is a berth in the Class C state championship game.
In the other state semifinal game tomorrow: Starbuck advanced to the state semifinals after winning 6-5 in 12 innings against Luxemburg. The Stars trailed 4-0 early before coming back to tie the game at 4-4 and then 5-5 to force extra innigs. Starbuck plays at 4 p.m. in New Prague tomorrow against Fairmont.
Fairmont bounced Richmond from the tournament in their quarterfinal game tonight in Chaska. I don't have that final score.
Elrosa is currently facing off with Glencoe in the state quarterfinals of the Class C amateur baseball tournament. The game is being played in Shakopee at Joe Schleper Stadium. After the first inning is complete, the score is zero to zero. Payton VanBeck is Elrosa's starter, and he earned 3 strikeouts in the top of the first inning.
Here's the link to Elrosa's new website: https://www.elrosasaints.com. Bookmark it! They have done a great job building that new website.
After two innings complete: Elrosa 0, Glencoe 0. After three innings complete: Elrosa 0, Glencoe 0. After four innings complete: Elrosa 0, Glencoe 0.
In the top of the fifth inning, Payton VanBeck fired back-to-back strikeouts to retire the side. The first out was recorded on a ground ball play by shortstop Gavin Kampsen to first baseman Ashton Dingmann. VanBeck has now retired 7 straight Glencoe batters.
UPDATE! In the bottom of the fifth inning: the Saints took a 1-0 lead on an RBI-single by Jackson Peter with no outs! Three batters later in the inning, designated hitter Luke Dingmann hit a bomb to centerfield for a standup 2-RBI double. Scoring on the hit were Blaine Fischer and Jackson Peter.
After five innings complete: Elrosa 3, Glencoe 0.
UPDATE in the Starbuck game: the Stars fell behind 4-0 early in the game against Luxemburg. In the 8th inning, Starbuck scored 3 runs to tie the game at 4-4.
Back to the Elrosa game...in the top of the sixth inning: Glencoe had bases loaded, but Payton VanBeck fired his 11th strikeout of the game to leave 3 runners stranded! How about that!
After six innings complete: Elrosa 3, Glencoe 0. After seven innings complete: Elrosa 3, Glencoe 0. I've also heard that the Starbuck game is tied at 5-5. I don't know what inning they're in.
UPDATE! We are going to the 9th inning in Shakopee with Elrosa holding a 3-0 lead. The 9th inning is starting at about 9:43 p.m.
Action in the top of the 9th inning at Shakopee:
The first batter for Glencoe flew out to third base...Peyton Winter calmly grabbed a pop fly grab for the first out! The second batter hit a high ball on the infield, and it dropped for a base hit.
And now we have Ashton Dingmann pitching for Elrosa. The Saints have a 3-1 lead with 1 out on the scoreboard in the top of the ninth inning.
Let's have the FINAL score in a new blog post...hit refresh!
