It was a solid battle, until it wasn’t. In a season-opening rematch of last year’s Section 1 9-Man title game, Lanesboro and Grand Meadow battled for nearly three quarters. In the blink of an eye, GM seemingly was on the cusp of a huge play, only for it to be a huger one for the Burros. With the third quarter waning, James Semmen’s group led 8-0. Burro senior J.T. Rein dropped to punt. But the snap went over his head inside his own 20. Rein, a fast and strong fourth-year starter, avoided a few tackles, made the sideline, and scampered for a huge momentum-swinging fantastic 64-yard TD run, the ever-rare bad-punt-snap-run TD! Lanesboro took off after that. They scored on their next series. Head-three of their tri-pronged attack, Hayden Lawstuen found paydirt (23-yard TD). Mason Howard added a late score (20-yard TD). By a final of 28-0, the Burros posted a big early win over perennial power GM. Lanesboro’s first score came on their first possession, an 11-play, 60-yarder capped by Seth Semmen’s 2-yard TD (plus J.T. Rein conversion run). GM thrice drove into Burro territory (1st and 10s at the 25, 15, and 26), but came with nothing. Rein led the way (18-172 yards, TD rushing) for the victors. Lawstuen (6-50 yards, TD rushing, defensive interception) and Semmen (7-30 yards, TD rushing) helped. Orion Sass (3-36 rushing) added some late yardage. GM was led by Taylor Glynn (13-22, 111 yards, INT passing; 18-85 yards rushing). Receivers Jace Kraft (4-33), Cael Gilbert (5-35), and Corbin Ludemann (4-43) helped. Starting tailback Dustin Copley didn’t play. Understudy Jacob Kerrins (13-23 yards) was mostly bottled up. The Burro defense seven times stopped him for negative yards. Lanesboro trench guys set a tone both sides of the run game. GM had 34 carries for 112 yards rushing (3.3 YPC), Lanesboro 38 carries for 322 yards (5.8 YPC) rushing. First downs were near even (L 16, GM 14). Ten of the team’s 11 combined drives (not ended by halftime or the game) produced multiple first downs. Lanesboro is 1-0, 1-0. GM is 0-1, 0-1.
Bill Glomski Invite Features Area Champions and Runners-Up
This year might be a watershed season for cross country amongst Journal 11 teams. There are a lot of strong runners and teams among the five Journal-covered squads. A few of said runners took to the course and left tracks at Stewartville’s Bill Glomski Invite at Bear Cave Park. Heading the team action were Chatfield’s girls. Sixteen complete gal teams ran in Stewie and Chatfield topped them all. Jayna Harstad’s group (82) took first over nearest foes Cotter (120), LFC (125), and Byron (128). With over 100 total gals running, the Gophers top five (scoring runners) all finish top 25. Juniors Aletta Strande (21:10) and Belle Carr (21:21.9) took 10th and 11th, seniors Katelyn Dornack (21:55.3), Tessa McMahon (22:29.2), and Abbi Gillespie (22:33.8) 17th, 21st, and 25th respectively. No other team had more than three runners in the top 25. Two more Gophers finished top 40, Ella Bakken (33rd) and Anna Kivimagi (38th). Individually, Cotter’s Sonja Semling (19:43.8) took first at the 5,000-meter course. Taking second was the top individual Journal 11 finisher, GMLOS junior McKenna Hendrickson (19:54.2), her best C-C finish ever. Hendrickson was safely ahead of Lourdes Anna Peikert (20:16.7) for third. LFC runners Lillyan Kiehne (12th > 21:32.2) and Brielle Ruen (20th > 22:21.5) each finished top 20. Macayla Brogle (27th > 22:42.2) and Morgan Pickett (30th > 22:55.8) each finished top 30. Lauren Brogle (41st > 23:21.8) rounded out third place LFC’s five scoring runners. Kingsland’s girls ran but were incomplete. Their top finisher was Kylie Meyer (42nd > 23:22.4). On the guys side, Kingsland junior Garrison Hubka cemented his status a bonafide star by claiming the guys’ individual title (17:24.8). He’s the first Journal-covered athlete to win the large Stewartville invite in the Journal era. He did so narrowly over LFC’s Carson Ruen (17:27.9), who took second. Hubka and Ruen are the first Journal duo to go 1-2 at Stewie in the Journal era. The twosome often ran side-by-side back in track season at 1,600 and 3,200-meter races. Team-wise, Lourdes (101) bested R.A.A.C.H.E (124) and Pine Island (142). Kingsland took fifth (173), LFC sixth (198), Chatfield seventh (227), and GMLOS 11th (of 20 complete teams). Chatfield’s Treyton Lanning (9th > 17:51.8), Kingsland’s Cole Kruegel (11th > 17:59.2), GMLOS’ Cohen Wiste (22nd > 18:58), and Kingsland’s Andrew Imm (25th > 19:07) finished top 25. Gopher Logan Thompson (28th > 19:13.2) and Burro Isaac Snyder (30th > 19:14.6) finished top 30. The boys race had around 150 runners.
Photo by Paul Trende
Cougar VB Snipes Sets Versus Burros, Pull Sweep
The last time Mabel-Canton and Lanesboro volleyball played; it took five sets for M-C to prevail. The Cougars decade-plus long SEC league-match winning streak (155 games) was tested but defended. But it took the heroics of now graduated Kenidi McCabe. A match-up to start this season, Cougars (2-0, 2-0) without McCabe, was intriguing. Could Lanesboro (2-0, 2-0), ye of four returning All-SEC players, put an end to a historic run? The Burros had their chances. But the earth continued its normal volleyball spin in the SEC. The Cougars, a rich smattering of young players and veterans (like usual), played the part of an M-C volleyball team in game one. The match was tied 6-6, but behind the Morken sisters, Sophie’s 5 kills and Sahara’s 12 assists, the Cougars controlled the rest of the game, winning 25-16. Lanesboro had nine hitting/service errors to M-C’s four. In game two, Lanesboro junior hitter Kaci Ruen began exerting her will. She helped the Burros to a 7-0 run (served six points, two kills) for a 11-5 lead. The Burro lead grew as high as seven thrice (14-7, 15-8, 18-11). At that point, Lanesboro was in control. But like Ruen’s early serving session flummoxed M-C, a Sophie Morken serving session flummoxed Lanesboro. The junior served nine straight points (including a trio of aces). M-C went from down 19-14, to up 23-19! Lanesboro scored three of the next four to make it 24-22, but a Burro serving error ended the set. M-C, down 18-11, closed with a 14-4 run and won 25-22 despite Ruen having six kills in the set. Game three had Burro senior Malia Tessum serve her squad into the lead. She ripped off six straight points. Lanesboro went up 8-4. The Burros led 14-6, 17-13, and 22-18 up to 20, 30, and 40 points respectively. Lanesboro got to set point at 24-19. K-Ruen was huge, teeing off with (mostly off-the-net) shots. She had nine kills in the set. Tessum helped with her passing, compiling 15 digs. But then M-C senior Molly Lee took her turn at the old serve flummoxing thing. After getting a side-out via a kill, Lee served six straight Cougar points. The Cougars went on a 7-0 run to end the match, winning the third set 26-24. In a match of runs, they sniped two sets and got the 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-22, 26-24). Sophie Morken (11 kills, 13 digs, 16-17 serving, 4 aces), Sahara Morken (28 assists, 6 digs, 14-15 serving, 3 aces), and MaKenzie Kelly (17 digs) led the Cougars statistically. Emily Carolan (6 kills, 6 digs), Lee (5 kills, 12 digs, 17-17 serving, 3 aces), Saijal Slafter (5 kills), and Kinley Soiney (4 kills) helped. Ruen was the best hitter on the floor (18 kills, .207 hitting). She had 18 of Lanesboro’s 37 kills. Setter Ella Cambern (34 assists, 16 digs) and Tessum (35 digs) also did big work. Lynsey Ruen (6 kills, 6 digs), Jessie Schreiber (5 kills), and Skyler Check (7 digs) helped. The Cougars were 70 of 74 serving (94.6%) with 13 aces. Lanesboro was 54 of 63 serving with 3 aces. M-C also beat Kingsland earlier in the week 3-0 (See Volleyball/SEC below). Lanesboro beat L-O earlier in the week 3-0 (See Volleyball/SEC below). The Cougars improved to 3-0, 3-0. Lanesboro fell to 2-1, 2-1.
Young Falcons Down Gophers, Post 2-0 Week
A year ago, Fillmore Central and Chatfield shared the TRC volleyball crown with Cotter and PEM. Schedules weren’t nearly balanced, but the Gophers had a resurgence and FC hasn’t had a losing season in a decade. And thus, an earlier season match-up this year between the teams was a key one. Game one saw Chatfield lead 14-10. But FC went 6-1 to go ahead 16-15. Senior Lauren Mensink had back-to-back aces to spur the spurt. The game was then tied at 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, and 21. Falcon junior Abby Bothun then authored a kill and two aces in succession, helping FC to a 25-21 win despite Gopher Zayda Priebe scoring with six kills. Travis Malley’s group only trailed twice (early) in game two. FC went ahead at 7-6. On seven different occasions, Chatfield again was within one, the last 20-19. FC scored five of six points to get to 24-20, then survived some more Priebe offense (kill/block in succession). A service error gave FC the 25-22 win, the 2-0 lead. Molly Thomas’ Gophers regrouped in game three. With it 9-9, they scored five straight points to lead 14-9. FC got as close as two thrice (18-16, 20-18, 21-19), but the Gophers prevailed 25-20. Game four had six early ties, and then another late. With it 18-15 Gophers, FC scored five straight points. Four came courtesy of a Kendyl Kraling (two ace) serving session. Chatfield’s serve receive had its lapses (FC had 10 total aces). The Falcons led 20-18 and then 22-20, only for Priebe to again go kill/block, producing the game’s eighth tie (22-22). But a Kammry Broadwater’s off-the-block-kill and a Gopher hitting error made it 24-22. Another off-target Gopher pass was sent back to FC’s side. Emma Illg quickly pushed it to an open corner for a point and the match! The young Falcons got a good win, 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 20-25, 25-22). The senior setter Mensink led FC (37 assists, 10 digs, 14-14 serving, 3 aces). Broadwater (13 kills), Bothun (11 kills, 8 digs), Kraling (23-23 serving, 3 aces, 11 digs), 8th grader Kyla Hellickson (21 digs), and Regan Hanson (8 kills) made it a team effort. Alyssa Britton (5 kills) and Illg (4 kills) helped. Priebe led all hitters with 16 kills (.440 hitting). Peyton Berg (10 kills, 10 digs), Jaelyn LaPlante (8 kills), Kara Goetzinger (6 kills), and Kennedie Schmaltz (5 kills) helped on “O” for Chatfield. Devann Clemens (14 assists, 13 digs) and Sydney Allen (18 assists, 20-20 serving, 3 aces) split setting. Shelby Nolan (12 digs) and Alexis Hinckley (12 digs) did work on defense. FC then spotted D-E set one (17-25) before winning three straight (25-14, 25-17, 25-15) to grab another 3-1 win. Mensink (3 kills, 30 assists, 8 digs, 16-16 serving, 2 aces), Broadwater (14 kills, 8 digs), and Hellickson (22 digs) did big work. Bothun (6 kills), Hanson (4 kills), Britton (4 kills), and Illg (3 kills) chipped in some offense. Marissa Topness was 20-20 serving with 5 aces. After a 3-2 loss to Hayfield to open the season, FC (2-0, 2-1) wins it first two TRC games. Chatfield rebounded by beating PEM 3-0 (See Volleyball/TRC).
Runners “Gallup” to Start Year at W-K
A year ago, LARP’s Tyler Rislov and Andrew Hoiness, and Kingsland’s Garrison Hubka, all finished top 10 at the section 1A Meet. Each finished high enough to qualify for state. Rislov and Hoiness (with Luke O’Hare) led their team to a state qualification (despite state not being run per COVID). It only made sense, with the opening race of the year, the W-K Gallup, that the above three guys would be front runners. Getting their legs under them at just a two-mile event, Hubka (11:02.38), Hoiness (11:05.93), and Rislov (11:07.84) went 2-3-4 behind Arcadia’s Jose Monroy (10:46.27). The LARP guys helped their squad to a team victory (38) over Pine Island (73), Arcadia (78), Kingsland (80), PEM (94), and W-K (135). Also finishing highly for Matt Kingsbury’s group were Tyler Betthauser (9th > 11:49.21), Ryan Prinsen (10th > 11:51.67), and Matthew Sprague (15th > 12:15.34). Also finishing top 15 for Kingsland were Cole Kruegel (7th > 11:37.45) and Andrew Imm (14th > 12:15.06). Seventy-three total runners competed. On the girls side, LARP took fifth (89) with Pine Island (46) taking first, PEM (54) second, Mondovi (67) third, and Arcadia (88) fourth. W-K (146) took sixth. LARP’s Ellie Ekern (11th > 15:06.62) and Kingsland’s Kylie Meyer (12th > 15:07.25) finished top 15 of Journal 11 performers. That two-mile race was won by Mondovi’s Courtney Stadtler (12:52.52) with PI’s Brooklyn Radtke (13:34.27) taking second and PEM’s MollyKate Hagen (13:34.9) third. Only 41 gal runners competed. The Knights had just two runners in the field.
Photo by Heather Kleiboer
Spring Grove FB Wins Defensive Duel at Houston
The Spring Grove defense stopped Houston twice inside the five-yard-line during a scoreless first half and held on downs six times overall. Every SG possession started in the Lions’ defensive end of the field. The SG offense did not cross midfield until six seconds before halftime. But just three plays into the second half, SG sophomore QB Elijah Solum (12 of 18, 189 yards, TD) hit Tysen Grinde (4-128, TD receiving) with a 65-yard TD pass for a 6-0 lead. Midway through the final quarter, Solum’s 37-yard pass to Grinde and 18-yard toss to sophomore Jaxon Strinmoen set up Hunter Holland’s three-yard TD run and conversion plunge to close the scoring. Holland finished with 56 yards on 17 carries to lead SG’s ground attack. Houston QB Isaac Heyer threw for 104 yards (12 of 23 passing) and carried on 29 of his team’s 32 rushes for 84 yards. One third of the Hurricane total yardage came as the game began with a 60-yard Houston drive that ended when Lion Camron Kraus forced a fumble on first down at the SG five-yard-line (the only Hurricane turnover of the night). After converting two third-down plays on that first drive, the ‘Canes went 0 for 10 on subsequent third downs. An early 20-yard pass to Ethan Hargrove was Houston’s longest gainer, while the Lions had seven plays covering 20 or more yards. SG rushed for only 65 yards but had more aerial yardage (189) than Houston had total offense (179 yards). SG is 1-0, 1-0. Houston is 0-1, 0-1. Additional coverage and complete stats on the Journal web site.
Photo by Lee Epps
Hot Shots
In the biggest football news of the week, Lake City ended Caledonia’s 71-game winning streak via a 30-13 victory. The longest current streak in the nation and the second longest in Minnesota history are over. The Warriors hadn’t lost since the state semifinals of 2014. Caledonia had six turnovers and the Tigers zero. Chase Johnson put up over 400 yards total offense and accounted for 7 TDs (See Athlete of the Week), while Tristan Lewison caught three passes for 150 yards and 2 TDs, as L-O (1-0, 1-0) dumped Southland 57-26. The Cards avenged one of two South-East losses from last year. FC’s Bryce Corson ran for 267 yards and 6 TDs (See Performer of the Week) as FC (0-0, 1-0) jumped all over J-W-P 53-13. R-P football (0-0, 1-0) held Medford to negative total yards well into the fourth quarter in posting a 24-6 victory. Brady Gile scored twice for the Trojans. Cayden Tollefsrud ran for 131 yards and a score to propel M-C over L/P 16-6. The Cougars (1-0, 1-0) are 21-1 in the series. James Howard ran for 121 yards to 2 TDs while snagging a pick and authoring a sack as Kingsland (0-0, 1-0) performed its first shut-out in many years, beating Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 16-0. Caledonia volleyball posted sweeps over Cotter and La Crescent. R-P volleyball swept D-E and St. Charles, and went 3-2 at the Rochester-Century tourney (took third place). Houston volleyball swept L/P, G-E, and Schaeffer. L-O volleyball went 2-1. Nine of the Journal 11 volleyball teams are thus above-five-hundred: M-C (3-0, 3-0), Caledonia (2-0, 4-0), Houston (3-0, 3-0), SG (2-0, 2-0), FC (2-0, 2-1), L-O (2-1, 3-1), Lanesboro (2-1, 2-1), R-P (2-0, 5-2), and Chatfield (1-1, 4-3). GM is also at five-hundred (1-1, 1-1). Caledonia/SG/Hou soccer swept PEM. The girls won 3-1. The boys won 2-0.
Photo by Paul Trende
Football (9/3) South-East District
Mabel-Canton 16, Lyle/Pacelli 6 (M-C: C. Tollefsrud 26-131 yards, TD rushing; Robert Michels 9-22, TD rushing; Alex Arneson 1 ½ sacks. M-C scored early in the second quarter to lead 8-0 and early in the fourth to lead 16-0. L/P scored with 0:14 seconds left on the clock. The Cougars limited the Athletics to 115 yards offense while M-C ran for 179)
Southland 26, LeRoy-Ostrander 57 (L-O: C. Johnson 14-281 yards (20.1 YPC), 4 TDs rushing, 5-12, 168 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT passing; T. Lewison 3-150, 2 TDs receiving, defensive interception; Layne Bird 7-92, TD rushing, 16-yard TD reception; Peyton Roe 5-45 rushing. Cardinals out-scored Rebels in every quarter. Halftime score was 28-20, but L-O won second half 23-6. Cardinals ran for 460 yards (11.5 average) while putting up 633 yards total offense. Johnson had long TD runs of 56 and 91, long TD passes of 69 and 74 to Lewison)
Cross-District
Kingsland 16, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 0 (K: J. Howard 19-121, 2 TDs rushing, 1-31 receiving, defensive interception, sack; Kale Mensink 11-15, 145 yards passing, defensive interception; Mason Kolling 4-46 receiving. Knights held BL-H-S to 104 yards total offense)
Photo by Paul Trende
Medford 6, Rushford-Peterson 24 (R-P: B. Gile 8-53, 2 TDs rushing; Malachi Bunke 14-yard rushing TD, 7-21, 75 yards, 2 INTs passing, defensive interception; Justin Ruberg 2-31 receiving, 9-yard interception return TD; Hadyn Kahoun 15-48 rushing. Trojans led 12-0 after one and 12-0 after three, but scored first 12 points of fourth quarter to put it away. Medford’s first 11 possessions didn’t render any points, as R-P’s defense limited them to negative offense and grabbed two turnovers prior to their final drive. Medford finished with just 47 yards total offense)
Caledonia 13, Lake City 31 (C: Chris Pieper 6-110 receiving; Logan Banse 7-81 receiving; Lewis Doyle 16-28, 234 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs passing, 5-yard rushing TD; Thane Meiners 14-53, TD rushing. LC: Justin Wohlers 8-19, 164 yards, TD passing, 20-102, TD rushing. The team’s exchanged second quarter scores for a 13-13 halftime tie. Lake City took advantage of two, third quarter Warrior turnovers, scoring a TD and kicking a field goal to lead 23-13 after three. The Warriors were 1st and 10 at the Tiger 11 early in the fourth down 23-13, but a sack ended the drive. A 67-yard Kris Ryan TD run in the fourth iced it. TOs: Cal 6, LC 0. Lake City is coached by former Mabel-Canton graduate Trevor Narum, who played under Karl Urbaniak in the 1990s)
Fillmore Central 53, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 13 (FC: B. Corson 15-267 yards, 6 TDs rushing; Alec Sikkink 8-49 rushing, 2-38 receiving, 32-yard blocked punt return TD (Gunner Benson block); Dillon O’Connor 4-12, 49 yards, TD passing; Jake Fishbaugher 8-yard TD reception. FC had three one-play drives, TD runs of 66, 61, and 43 all by Corson, all in the first half. He had over 200 yards rushing at halftime as FC led 33-0)
PEM 31, Chatfield 6 (C: Sam Backer 8-11, 42 yards, INT passing, 18-57, TD rushing. PEM: Connor McGuire 12-22, 225 yards, 3 TDs passing; Peyton Schumacher 4-139, 3 TDs receiving. Score was 18-6 PEM heading to fourth. Gophers 0-0, 0-1)
Volleyball (8/30 – 9/4) Three Rivers Conference
Dover-Eyota 0, R-P 3 > 25-20, 25-21, 25-23 (R-P: Kaylee Ruberg 12 kills, 17 digs; Hannah Ronnenberg 14 digs; Isabelle Kahoun 15 assists, 7 digs; Aviana Anderson-Ingram 15-15 serving, 3 blks, 4 digs; Elly Malone 3 kills, 7 digs, 10-10 serving. Ruberg had 12 of R-P’s 20 total kills)
Caledonia 3, Cotter 0 > 25-19, 25-14, 25-22 (Cal: Logan Koepke 8 kills, 18 digs; Sadie Treptow 8 kills, 8 blks; Jovial King 30 assists; Emme Kittleson 23 digs)
St. Charles 0, R-P 3 > 25-11, 25-19, 25-23 (-: K. Ruberg 11 kills, 16-16 serving, 5 aces; I. Kahoun 16 assists, 7 digs; H. Ronnenberg 3 kills, 12 digs, 20-20 serving, 3 aces; A. Anderson-Ingram 4 kills, 12 digs; Emarie Jacobson 4 kills, 5 digs; E. Malone 7 digs. Trojans were 71-74 serving with 9 aces)
PEM 0, Chatfield 3 > 25-17, 25-15, 25-18 (C: Z. Priebe 12 kills > .280 hitting; P. Berg 9 kills, 9 digs, 4 aces; D. Clemens 13 assists; S. Allen 10 assists; J. LaPlante 5 kills; S. Nolan 7 digs)
La Crescent/Hokah 0, Caledonia 3 > 25-18, 25-18, 25-10 (C: L. Koepke 9 kills, 11 digs; J. King 23 assists; E. Kittleson 14 digs; Paige Klug 6 kills, 8 digs; Grace Myhre 4 kills)
Southeast Conference
L/P 0, Houston 3 > 25-11, 25-12, 25-15 (H: Sydney Torgerson 7 kills, 4 aces; Lilly Carr 8 assists, 8 aces, 4 digs; Emily Botcher 3 kills, 4 aces; Jaden Woodard 4 kills, 5 digs)
Spring Grove 3, L/P 0 > 25-2, 25-8, 25-14 (SG: Addyson McHugh 8 kills, 4 aces; Lydia Solum 3 kills, 5 aces; Brielle Neeley 5 kills; Sydney Holland 4 aces; Kenadee Gerard 4 kills. Eight Lions contributed to 19 ace serves. Ten Lions contributed to 28 kills)
Lanesboro 3, LeRoy-Ostrander 0 > 25-18, 25-20, 25-12 (L: K. Ruen 17 kills, 5 aces; E. Cambern 5 kills, 25 assists, 10 digs; M. Tessum 20 digs; J. Schreiber 6 kills; Chloe Schnebly 19-20 serving, 3 aces. L-O: Sidney Lewison 8 kills; Sam Volkart 3 kills, 12-12 serving; Gracie O’Byrne 7 digs; Anna Welsh 11 assists; Jenna Olson 6 digs. With Lanesboro trailing game three 12-9, Schnebly served 16 straight points to close out the game and match)
Mabel-Canton 3, Kingsland 0 > 25-10, 25-15, 25-17 (M-C: Kinley Soiney 13 kills (hit .667 > 18 total attacks); So. Morken 11 kills, 13 digs, 13-14 serving, 3 aces; S. Slafter 6 kills, 19-20 serving, 3 aces; M. Lee 7 kills, 5 digs; Sa. Morken 35 assists, 6 digs, 12-12 serving; M. Lee 7 digs. K: Anika Reiland 4 kills, 12 digs; Shelby Beck 4 kills, 4 digs; Alyssa Link 12 assists, 5 digs; Audrey Webster 17 digs)
Houston 3, Glenville-Emmons 0 > 27-25, 25-23, 25-18 (H: S. Torgerson 10 kills; E. Botcher 5 kills, 8 digs; L. Carr 11 assists; J. Woodard 6 kills)
L-O 3, L/P 0 > 25-12, 25-18, 25-13 (L-O: S. Volkart 6 kills, 15-17 serving, 6 aces, 5 digs; G. O’Byrne 10 digs; J. Olson 9 assists; Jordan Runde 5 kills; S. Lewison 4 kills, 5 aces; Benita Nolt 4 kills)
Grand Meadow 3, Kingsland 0 > 25-15, 25-11, 25-16 (GM: Anna Oehlke 11 kills, 6 digs; Emma Grafe 13 assists, 8 digs; Isabelle Fretty 14 assists, 9 digs; Lauren Queensland 15 digs; River Landers 9 kills; Cotton 12 digs; Kendyl Queensland 7 kills, 10 digs. K: A. 4 kills, 7 assists, 7 digs; A. Reiland 3 kills, 6 digs; S. Beck 6 assists, 5 digs; A. Webster 10 digs. Knight 0-3, 0-3)
Schaeffer Academy 0, Houston 3 > 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 (H: J. Woodard 8 kills; S. Torgerson 5 kills; L. Carr 8 assists)
Non-Conference
Randolph 1, L-O 3 > 26-24, 25-20, 25-27, 25-14 (L-O: J. Runde 12 kills; A. Welsh 23 assists; S. Volkart 4 kills, 21 digs, 3 aces; G. O’Byrne 25 digs; S. Lewison 6 kills, 4 aces; K.Welsh 9 aces. Cardinals performed odd feat of posting 25 service errors but also scoring with 18 aces)
Rochester-Century Tourney (R-P defeated G-E (23-25, 25-22, 15-12), Austin (25-20, 25-22), and Albert Lea (25-23, 25-18) while losing to Rochester-Century (15-25, 13-25) in pool play. Chatfield beat Red Wing (25-20, 25-19), Waseca (25-15, 25-19) while losing to Byron (25-27, 21-25) and Lake City (24-26, 23-25). R-P was placed in the third-place match and lost to Lake City (19-25, 23-25). Byron defeated Century for the tourney title (25-23, 26-24). Gophers tourney leaders: Z. Priebe (41 kills), P. Berg (12 kills, 21 digs), D. Clemens (34 assists), S. Allen (30 assists), S. Nolan (20 digs, 5 aces))
Soccer (9/2)
(G) C/SG/H 3, P-E-M 1 (The C/SG/H girls snapped a scoreless, 11-match losing slide with a come-from-behind home win. Hailey Alfson tied the score with a 20-yard free kick in the first half and scored the go-ahead goal in the second half. Ten minutes later, eighth grader Loisah Gay assisted on a Cameryn Kruse goal. Freshman goalkeeper Josie Foster saved 15 of 16 Bulldog shots. In this season opener, coach Chris Jandt praised the play of five midfielders – senior Therese Jore, junior Kennedy Kruse and eighth graders Siri Konkel, Loisah Gay and Macy Kraus)
(B) Cal/SG/Hou 2, PEM 0 (Both goals came in the first half, both unassisted by Austin Meyer and Lyle Myhre. In goal, August Allen made five saves. Caledonia/Spring Grove/Houston finally kicked off the season after a postponement and cancelation)
*The Fillmore County Journal Sports page is a written collaboration of Paul Trende and Lee Epps.