With Mid-Southeast squad Blooming Prairie and Southeast-White squad Caledonia playing in state title games, All-District football will be released incrementally, starting with the 9-Man All South-East team. Houston, on the wings of its 7-4 Section Runner-Up season, gets a trio of A-D players in Alec Francis (6’0” 280 Sr. OL/DL), Mikkel Schutte (6’5” 170, Sr. QB/S), and Alex … [Read more...]
2019-2020 Girls Basketball Preview
Journal covered girls basketball teams probably wanted a better 2018-2019. Only two of the seven (Kingsland, Houston) made Rochester and the section quarterfinals. Each lost. Only three of the seven finished above .500 (Kingsland, Houston, FC). Individuals did stand out, as two girls became their school’s all-time leading scorers and third went over 1,000 points. The … [Read more...]
Post-season Volleyball Awards
It was another good year of volleyball action in Fillmore County. Mabel-Canton won the SEC and 1A East again, pushing for state. Fillmore Central stayed one of the elite teams in the TRC. Lanesboro and Chatfield each improved a bunch. Nine total players from the Cougars, Burros, Kingsland, and Houston were named All-SEC. Seven players from the Falcons, Gophers, and … [Read more...]
Cougars Fall Points Away From State
Last year stung. Venerable Mabel-Canton volleyball had a legitimate chance at making their first state appearance in over a decade. Medford snatched away the dream, beating the Cougars in the Section title match 3-1 (24-26, 21-25, 25-18, 21-25). The Tigers, who finished as State Runner-Up, were better that day. This season, Lonnie Morken’s girls again pushed for that … [Read more...]
O’Hare Shines at State CC
A year ago, LARP’s Luke O’Hare made his first state cross country meet. Section 1A’s preeminent male runner ran his fastest time of the season (16:55) to take 41st overall. This season, he took a big step forward. A top ten finish next year will be a goal. O’Hare moved up 24 spots to take 17th at the state meet in Northfield. He finished 5000-meters in a time of 16:29.9, … [Read more...]
King to King Too Much For Gophers
In some other section, Chatfield football (3-seed, 8-2) would be the dominant force. But in Minnesota Section 1AA, Caledonia (1-seed, 10-0) is the monolith, and the Gophers again fell in the section title game. The difference was the Noah King to Eli King connection and first half ball security. An interception on the Gophers first possession led to a King to King 35-yard TD … [Read more...]
First Quarter Leads GM Past Houston
It took one quarter from Grand Meadow (2-seed, 9-1) to seize control of their Section 1 9-Man title game with Houston (5-seed, 7-3). The ‘Canes’ first offensive play was a fumble. On 4th and 9 from the 24, Lark QB Evan Oehlke scrambled 22 yards to the two yard-line. Dusty Copley capped the short field drive (2-yard run) for the 7-0 lead. Houston then went three and out. GM … [Read more...]
Gophers Get Back to Section Title Game
You play hard as long as you can, even if it means playing one of the nation’s top programs in the end. For a second straight year, Chatfield football is in the 1AA Section final. In the quarters, the Gophers (3-seed, 6-2) took on K-W (6-seed, 3-5). Chatfield posted two TDs in the first (Sam Backer 3-yard run, Corey Ericson 26-yard INT return), second (Reid Johnson 2-yard … [Read more...]
Cougars/Falcons Face Off in VB Semis
It’s bankable. M-C, FC, and Caledonia will make the 1A East volleyball semifinals. Some booking of the three always occurs in Rochester. This year, M-C and FC renewed their rivalry. The #6 in A Cougars (1-seed, 31-2) got there by handling R-P (9-seed, 12-15) in the quarters, 3-0 (25-7, 25-12, 25-9). Sarina Stortz (15 kills, 3 ½ blks) and Kenidi McCabe (5 kills, 35 assists, … [Read more...]
Football Play-Offs (10/22 & 10/26)
(1A Qtr) W-K (7-seed, 1-7) 8, R-P (2-seed, 6-2) 39 (R-P: T. Meldahl 26-261, 2 TDs rushing; Malachi Bunke 9-15, 77 yards, 2 TDs, INT passing, 4-yard TD run; Justin Ruberg 4-41, 2 TDs receiving; Brady Gile 35-yard TD run) (1A Qtr) FC (5-seed, 3-5) 7, Randolph (4-seed, 6-2) 26 (FC: Zach Haugerud 19-39, 181 yards, TD passing; Cory Brown 27-yard TD reception; Grant Kennedy 5-52 … [Read more...]