After a three-year hiatus (that followed five straight state titles), Caledonia football is back in the state tournament. The #2-ranked Warriors beat Lewiston-Altura and Dover-Eyota to reclaim the 1AA throne. The moved Monday night semifinal game versus the Cardinals (5-seed, 4-5) was not a work of art. The Warriors (1-seed, 8-0) had not played in 12 days and struggled with a … [Read more...]
Volleyball: #2 M-C Tops #7 FC, Cougars Repeat as 1A Champions
Ten years after the teams met for a 1A final (2013), Fillmore Central and Mabel-Canton did so again. Both teams battled hard to get there. The finals match was then an anti-climactic sweep after a wild week of action. Cougars Trek Through Goodhue, Defend Past Upstart Alden-Conger in Five Sets Defending 1A champ #2 Mabel-Canton (1-seed, 32-1) downed Goodhue (9-seed, 12-13) … [Read more...]
Football: Undefeated #5 Kingsland Heads to State for First Time in 20 Years
Kaaleem Reiland rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns while also passing for 135 yards and two more scores as Kingsland sped past Spring Grove, 44-14, in the 9-player football Section One championship game at Austin. The sophomore quarterback also ran and passed conversions. Beau Wiersma (25-130 rushing) scored three TDs – two rushing and one pass reception – plus added a … [Read more...]
Football: #2 Falcons Repeat as 1A Champs, Return to State
Fillmore Central school district existed for 29 years and boasted exactly zero state football berths (and a lot of lost section title games). But for the second straight year, Falcon football is headed to state. FC (1-seed, 10-0) withstood Kenyon-Wanamingo (3-seed, 8-2) and its physical running attack in posting 14-0 win in the 1A finals. The Knights’ first possession took 17 … [Read more...]
Cross Country: LARPH Boys, Rakosnik, and Kivimagi Take on State
The area’s top cross-country runners took on their last event of the year, the state meet at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights. LARPH’s boys team, LFC’s Autumn Rakosnik, and Chatfield’s Lexi Kivimagi all had solid showings. Rakosnik competed in her first state meet. She took a very impressive 28th place (19:59.4), the third best 8th grader in the field. It was her third … [Read more...]
Volleyball: #2 Chatfield’s Season Ends in 1AA Semis
It was a great season. But 1AA top-seed Chatfield had its state hopes annulled by the same team they fell to last year in the same spot. Kristi Rindels’ #2 Gophers (1-seed, 25-2) only had a little trouble in the 1AA quarters versus Medford (8-seed, 14-15). The Tigers fought in set one, but Chatfield prevailed 27-25. They then swept the match 3-0 (27-25, 25-12, 25-6). Harper … [Read more...]
Hot Shots
Spring Grove (4-seed, 22-6) volleyball led game five of a 1A quarterfinal versus Alden-Conger (5-seed, 23-5) by a 9-5 tally, but fell 16-14 to lose the match 3-2 (15-25, 25-16, 16-25, 25-20, 14-16). Joelle Halverson had 23 kills and Sydney Holland 25 digs in the defeat, as the Lions’ season ends at 22-7. Rushford-Peterson (7-seed, 15-12) also lost a 1A quarterfinal match in … [Read more...]
Volleyball Playoffs – Section 1A (10/31)
(Quarterfinal) 5-seed Alden-Conger (23-5) 3, 4-seed Spring Grove (22-6) 2 > 15-25, 25-16, 16-25, 25-20, 14-16 (SG: S. Holland 25 digs, 19-19 serving; J. Halverson 23 kills; Jordis Neeley 16 kills, 19 digs, 3 aces; Hailey Normann 10 kills; Kendal VanMinsel 5 kills, 48 assists, 2 aces; Izabel Kaufmann 16 digs. The teams essentially took turns in controlling the first four … [Read more...]
Football Playoffs – Section 1AA (10/30)
(Semifinal) 3-seed Chatfield (7-2) 22, 2-seed Dover-Eyota (5-3) 24 (C: C. Rowland 25-104, 2 TDs rushing, 9-13, 101 yards, INT passing; Kail Schott 10-94, TD rushing; Devin Reinhardt 3-58 receiving. D-E: Levi Williams 13-20, 175 yards, TD passing, 14-78, TD rushing, 28-yard field goal; Damon Bye 7-87, 2 TDs receiving; Landon Lehnertz 22-55 rushing, 2-yard TD pass. Chatfield … [Read more...]
