Author: Neil Vierzba

Section Football: Grand Rapids Blanks Hermantown to Win First 7AAAA Title Since 2021

Grand Rapids previously defeated Hermantown 34-20 in the regular season.

DULUTH, Minn.- The Grand Rapids football team dethroned the defending 7AAAA section champions on Friday night. Battling Hermantown for the 2nd time this season, the Thunderhawks left no doubt as they came away with the 41 to 0 victory. Grand Rapids clinches their first state tournament berth since the 2021 season. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports

Northwestern Football Routs St. Croix Falls to Advance to Sectional Semifinals

The Tigers will next face Grantsburg on November 7th.

MAPLE, Wis.- The Northwestern Tigers football team remains perfect during their 2025 campaign. On Friday, Northwestern handled St. Croix Falls 47 to 20 in Level II action to advance to the sectional semifinals. The Tigers will next face Grantsburg on November 7th. Kick-off is at 7 PM. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports

Section Football: Cook County Claims Section 7 9-Man Title, Ends 18-Year State Drought

It's the first time since the 2007 season that Cook County has advanced to state.

HIBBING, Minn.- The Cook County football team extended their memorable season on Friday night. Playing Littlefork-Big Falls in the Section 7 9-Man title game, the Vikings were able to get the best of the Vikings, 29 to 12. It’s the first time since the 2007 season that Cook County has advanced to state. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports

Section Volleyball: Grand Rapids Earns Redemption Against Princeton to Head to State

The Thunderhawks are back at state after missing out in 2024.

HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Back in August, the Grand Rapids volleyball team began their season with a four-set loss to Princeton. Over two months later, the Thunderhawks returned the favor. This time defeating the Tigers, 3-1 in the 7AAA title game. Grand Rapids advances to state for the first time since the 2023 season. “Every year we have really coachable girls. I…

Section Football: Cromwell-Wright Handles Bertha-Hewitt to Claim Section Five 9-Man Title Once Again

This is the 5th time in program history that the Cromwell-Wright co-op has made it to state.

BRAINERD, Minn.- For the 2nd straight season, the Cromwell-Wright football team made it to the final eight. On Thursday, they defeated Bertha-Hewitt 41 to 18 to claim the Section 5 9-Man title. The Cardinals were led by Drew Nyberg, who had four touchdown passes and a field goal in the victory. This is the 5th time in program history that…

State Girls Soccer: Esko & St. Cloud Cathedral Tie in 3rd Place Game

Esko finishes their 2025 campaign with a 14-3-2 record.

ST. PAUL, Minn.- The Esko girls soccer team ended their season with a tie on Thursday afternoon. Playing St. Cloud Cathedral in the Class A 3rd place game, both teams would not find the back of the net as they both finished with zeros. Esko finishes their 2025 campaign with a 14-3-2 record. Categories: High School, Sports

UMD Forward Zam Plante Lands on U.S. Collegiate Selects Roster

Plante is one of 25 players on the roster.

DULUTH, Minn.- Current UMD forward Zam Plante now has holiday plans. He’ll be suiting up for the U.S. Collegiate Selects team at the Spengler Cup. Plante is one of 25 players on the roster. He’s the 2nd member of his family to play at the Spengler Cup, joining his dad Derek, who suited up in 2002. Plante and his teammates…

Esko Volleyball Advances to 4th Straight Section 7AA Title Game

On Wednesday, Esko swept Greenway in straight sets in the 7AA semifinals to secure their spot in the title game.

HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The Esko volleyball team will get the chance to play for a trip to state. On Wednesday, Esko swept Greenway in straight sets in the 7AA semifinals to secure their spot in the title game. They’ll next face Rush City on Saturday in Hermantown at 4 PM. It’s the 4th straight year that Esko will play the Tigers…

Northern Star: Britta Koski

Koski had nine goals and seven assists in the team's first 17 games of the season.

ESKO, Minn.- Britta Koski is not hard to miss on the field. She rocks two different colored cleats and is a big part in almost every goal for the Esko girls soccer team. “One of Britta’s strengths is being able to see the game before the game even really happens. She can see where that pass needs to go to…

Section 7A Volleyball: North Woods & Floodwood Secure Spots in Title Game

The section title game is set for Saturday at 4 PM at Rock Ridge High School.

VIRGINIA, Minn.- The Section 7A volleyball championship game is now set. On Wednesday, North Woods and Floodwood both secured their spots with semifinal wins. The Grizzlies defeated South Ridge in four sets and the Polar Bears upset Chisholm in five sets. The section title game is set for Saturday at 4 PM at Rock Ridge High School. Categories: High School,…

State Girls Soccer: Esko’s Rally Falls Short in Semifinal Loss to Providence Academy

Hannah Rautell had the lone goal for Esko

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- For the 2nd straight season, the Esko girls soccer team saw their title hopes end in the state semifinals. Facing top-seeded Providence Academy, Esko went into the break trailing by two. Then in the 2nd half, Hannah Rautell found the back of the net to pull her team within one. Shortly after that though, the Lions responded with…

UMD Men’s Hockey to Begin Conference Play with Top-Ten Tilt in North Dakota

The last time the Bulldogs picked up a sweep in Grand Forks was during the 2017 season.

DULUTH, Minn.- Last weekend, the UMD men’s hockey team picked up their first victory against Minnesota since the 2021-2022 season. And this weekend, they’ll look to secure their first win in Grand Forks since 2023. It’s the Bulldogs versus the Fighting Hawks of North Dakota to begin NCHC play. UMD has struggled to get the best of UND in their…

UMD Women’s Hockey Tasked with Facing New Coach & Potential Roster Absences in SCSU Series

The Bulldogs have dominated the head-to-head in recent years as they'll take an unbeaten 10-game streak into Friday's matchup.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD women’s hockey team will continue conference play with a bout against St. Cloud State this upcoming weekend. The Bulldogs have dominated the head-to-head in recent years as they’ll take an unbeaten 10-game streak into Friday’s matchup. Something different this time around though is the Huskies have a new head coach and UMD may be without their…

Section Volleyball: Duluth East Sees Season End with Four-Set Loss to Andover

Duluth East finishes the year with a 19-9 overall record.

ANDOVER, Minn.- The Duluth East volleyball team looked to secure a spot in the Section 7AAAA title game on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the ran into a tough Andover squad, who went on to defeat the Greyhounds 3-1 in the semifinals. Duluth East finishes the year with a 19-9 overall record. Categories: High School, Sports

UMD Football to Travel to Play Jamestown in First-Ever Meeting

Jamestown joined the NSIC back in July.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD football team bounced back this past Saturday, picking up a 54 to 32 victory to remain unbeaten all-time against UMary. Now, the Bulldogs shift their attention to a first-time opponent. UMD will make their way to Jamestown, North Dakotato meet the Jimmies, who just joined the NSIC conference in July. In their debut season, Jamestown has…

Adam Gajan Secures NCHC Goaltender of the Week Honors Again

This is Gajan's second weekly conference honor this month and the fourth of his collegiate career.

DULUTH, Minn.- UMD goaltender Adam Gajan has once again been named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week. The Slovakia native stopped 45 of the 46 shots he saw against the Minnesota Golden Gophers this past weekend. He also recorded a 0.50 goals against average, as well as a .978 saves percentage. This is Gajan’s second weekly conference honor this month…

Trio of UWS Athletes Pick Up UMAC Weekly Honors

Both volleyball and soccer were recognized.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- UW-Superior had a number of athletes pick up UMAC weekly awards. In volleyball, Savanna Hering is the Defensive Player of the Week and her teammate Makenna Hohbein is the Offensive Player of the Week. Hering had 48 digs this past week and Hohbein tallied 38 kills. On the pitch, Seth Davidson is the Men’s Soccer Offensive Athlete of…

Section Volleyball: After One-Year Hiatus, Grand Rapids to Play for 7AAA Title Once Again

Grand Rapids lost to North Branch in the semifinals in 2024.

NORTH BRANCH, Minn.- The Grand Rapids volleyball team has found themselves back in the Section 7AAA championship game. On Monday, the Thunderhawks defeated North Branch in four sets in the semifinals to secure their spot. They’ll next face Princeton, who swept Cloquet in the other semifinal game on Monday night. The section title game will take place on Thursday at…

Dehnicke Continues Breakout Campaign, Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week

UMD is at Jamestown this upcoming Saturday for a 1 pm kickoff.

DULUTH, Minn.- UMD tight end Luke Dehnicke has been named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week. The redshirt freshman continued his breakout campaign on Saturday as he had 230 receiving yards and four touchdowns receptions against UMary. In other Bulldog football news, the team moved up two spots to number 13 in the latest AFCA poll. UMD is at…

UMD Men’s Hockey Cracks Top 10 for First Time Since October of 2022

UMD currently sits at 7-1 on the year.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD men’s hockey team has made a big jump in the recent USCHO poll after their weekend sweep over 12th ranked Minnesota. The Bulldogs moved to 10th in the poll, breaking the top 10 in the national rankings for the first time since the 2022 season. UMD currently sits at 7-1 on the year. Another tough test…

Northwestern Football Advances to Level II After Handling Prescott

The Tigers are now 10-0 on the season.

MAPLE, Wis.- The Northwestern football team continued their perfect season on Friday night. Playing Prescott in Level I of the WIAA Playoffs, the Tigers left no doubt as they came away with the 67 to 20 victory. Northwestern will next face St. Croix Falls in Level II on October 31st. Kick-off is at 7 PM. Categories: Friday Night Frenzy, High…

Three-Goal 2nd Period Dooms #4 UMD Women’s Hockey in Loss to #3 Minnesota

UMD goaltender Eve Gascon stopped 16 shots before she was forced to leave the game in the 2nd due to injury.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD women’s hockey team is still in search of their first win against Minnesota since the 2022 season. On Friday, the Gophers came into Amsoil Arena and left with the 4-0 shutout victory. UMD goaltender Eve Gascon stopped 16 shots before she was forced to leave the game in the 2nd due to injury. The Bulldogs will…

#18 UMD Men’s Hockey Remains Unbeaten on Road By Blanking #12 Minnesota

This is UMD's first victory against Minnesota since the 2021-2022 season.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- The UMD men’s hockey team picked up an early season statement win on Friday against Minnesota. In their first 10 minutes of the opening period, the Bulldogs jumped out to a two goal lead thanks to scores by Daniel Shlaine and Zam Plante. Then in the 3rd, Grayden Siepmann tacked on another goal as UMD coasted to the…

Former Bulldog Dominic James Makes NHL Debut with Tampa Bay Lightning

James was one second away from having 10 minutes of ice time and had one shot on goal in Tampa's contest against Chicago.

TAMPA, Florida.- 11 former Bulldogs have now played in a NHL game this season. Thursday night, forward Dominic James made his debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning. James was one second away from having 10 minutes of ice time and had one shot on goal in Tampa’s contest against Chicago. Before his time with the pro team, the Bulldog captain…

State Boys Soccer: Southwest Christian Scores Two Unanswered Goals to Eliminate Duluth Marshall

Duluth Marshall finishes the season with a 11-6-2 record.

FOREST LAKE, Minn.- The Duluth Marshall boys soccer team made their 3rd straight state tournament appearance on Thursday night. Playing Southwest Christian in the Class A quarterfinals, Marshall held a 1-0 lead for the first 75 minutes of the contest. Benson Peterson scored the goal for the Hilltoppers. After that though, the Stars rallied back to force overtime and then…

Section Volleyball: Cloquet & Proctor Extend Seasons with Opening Round Wins

Wednesday marked the beginning of a number of section volleyball tournaments.

CLOQUET, Minn.- Wednesday marked the beginning of a number of section volleyball tournaments. In 7AAA, Cloquet began their quest towards a state berth by topping Hermantown, 3-1 in the quarterfinals. Cloquet will next play at Princeton in the semifinals on Monday. In 7AA, Proctor held off Mesabi East in five sets to advance to the quarterfinals. The Rails now shift…

State Soccer: Parrott’s Hat Trick Lifts Esko to Class A Semifinals for 2nd Straight Year

Esko was led by Addie Parrott, who had a hat trick in the victory.

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn.- The Esko girls soccer team will once again get the chance to play at U.S. Bank Stadium. On Wednesday, Esko defeated St. Croix Prep 4-1 in the quarterfinals to secure their spot in the semifinals. Esko was led by Addie Parrott, who had a hat trick in the victory. Paiton Plante had the other goal for…

Rock Ridge Girls Tennis Wins Class AA State Title

On Wednesday, the Wolverines defeated Blake 6-1 in the state title game to capture the trophy.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.- For the first time in program history, the Rock Ridge girls tennis team has captured the Class AA state title. On Wednesday, the Wolverines defeated Blake 6-1 in the state title game to win the trophy. Singles: 1 Mayme Scott Grade 11 Vs Sienna Szerda Grade 9 Rock Ridge (Virginia) 6-1 4-6 10-7 – 2 Ellie Dimberio Grade 8 Vs Michelle…

#4 UMD Women’s Hockey Set for Top 5 Tilt Against #3 Minnesota

The Bulldogs last win against the Golden Gophers came on March 12th of 2022.

DULUTH, Minn.- For the 2nd time this year, the 4th ranked UMD women’s hockey will face off against another top five team. It’s the Minnesota Golden Gophers versus the Bulldogs for the 122nd time. In recent years, Minnesota has a hold of the head-to-head matchup by taking nine of the last 10 meetings. The Bulldogs last win against the Golden…

#18 UMD Men’s Hockey Puts Unbeaten Road Record to the Test at #12 Minnesota

UMD is in search of their first win against Minnesota since October of 2021.

DULUTH, Minn.- Like the UMD women’s hockey team, the Bulldog men will also be taking on the Gophers this weekend. The two teams last met a little over a year ago on October 18th and 19th, with Minnesota taking both contests 7 to 5 and 5 to 1. UMD is so far a perfect 3-0 on the road this year…

Tony O’Neil Steps Down as Head Coach of Minnesota Monsters

O'Neil helped lead the then Harbor Monsters to back-to-back ArenaMania titles in their first two years as a team.

DULUTH, Minn.- As the Minnesota Monsters make the jump to the AF1, they’ll be doing so without their head coach. On Wednesday, Tony O’Neil stepped down from his position, citing his mental health as the reason. O’Neil helped lead the then Harbor Monsters to back-to-back ArenaMania titles in their first two years as a team. He also was the Arena…

Prep Football: Esko & Duluth Denfeld Earn Home Wins in Respective Quarterfinal Round Matchups

The first round of the Minnesota prep football playoffs began on Tuesday night. 

DULUTH, Minn.- The first round of the Minnesota prep football playoffs began on Tuesday night. In section 7AAA, Esko hosted Proctor in the quarterfinals. Esko defended their home turf, defeating the Rails 50-0. Esko will hit the road on Saturday, October 25th, to take on Pierz in the semifinal round. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Over in section 7AAAA, the…

State Soccer: Grand Rapids & Duluth East Girls, Duluth Denfeld Boys Fall in Quarterfinals

Three local soccer teams took the big stage on Tuesday night to begin state tournament play.

FOREST LAKE, Minn.- Three local soccer teams took the big stage on Tuesday night to begin state tournament play. Perhaps the most eager to get going was the Grand Rapids girls, who made their first-ever state tourney appearance. The Thunderhawks drew the defending champs, Mahtomedi, who they held in check in the first half and most of the second. But…

Hughes Once Again Named to U.S. Rivalry Series Roster

It's the 3rd straight year that she's set to skate for the team.

DULUTH, Minn.- Forward Gabbie Hughes has once again been named to the U.S. National roster for their upcoming rivalry series against Canada. It’s the 3rd straight year that she’s set to skate for the team. Hughes’ first game with the red, white, and blue is November 6th in Cleveland. Hughes currently plays for the Ottawa Charge of the PWHL. Categories:…

Mayer & Gascon Earn WCHA Weekly Honors, UMD Remains Ranked #4

UMD plays host to Minnesota on Friday at 7:02.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD women’s hockey team stayed put at number four in the USCHO Poll. They also had some players pick up some weekly WCHA honors. Forward Rae Meyer is the Rookie of the Week after posting three points in UMD’s sweep of MSU-Mankato. Her teammate, Eve Gascon is the Goaltender of the Week. She stopped 41 of the…

UMD Football & Volleyball See Some Movement in Recent Polls

Both the UMD football and volleyball teams moved a bit in their respective polls.

DULUTH, Minn.- Both the UMD football and volleyball teams moved a bit in their respective polls. The Bulldog football squad moves up a spot to number 15 after their bye week. UMD will host UMary on Saturday. As for the UMD volleyball team, they go down a spot to number 18. They’ll be in action Tuesday at Bemidji State. Categories:…

Five Local Soccer Teams Learn State Seeding & First Round Opponent

Over the weekend, the state seedings for both boys and girls soccer were released.

DULUTH, Minn.- Over the weekend, the state seedings for both boys and girls soccer were released. And only one local team secured higher than a 5th seed spot. That team would be the Esko girls, who are set for their 4th straight state tournament. Esko earns the 4th seed and will clash with the 5th seed, St. Croix Prep in…

UMD Men’s Hockey Cracks Top 20 for First Time in Over a Year

UMD heads to Minneapolis to battle the Gophers this upcoming weekend.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD men’s hockey team is ranked for the first time in over a year. The Bulldogs are now the 18th ranked team in the country after their weekend sweep of Bemidji State. Interestingly enough, it was the Beavers who the Bulldogs played the last time when they were ranked. That matchup took place on October 5th in…

Prep Football: Hermantown, Duluth Denfeld, & Esko End Regular Season with Victories, Proctor Falls

The final week of the Minnesota prep football season kicked off on Wednesday night. 

HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The final week of the Minnesota prep football season kicked off on Wednesday night. In Hermantown, a rematch of last years section 7AAAA championship game took place, as the 6-1 Hawks hosted the 6-1 North Branch Vikings. The Hawks dominated all game, defeating the Vikings 56-26. Hermantown ends the regular season with a 7-1 record. Cloquet aimed for…

After Spending First Month on Road, UMD Women’s Hockey Ready for Home Opener

UMD is vying for their 95th win all-time against Minnesota State.

DULUTH, Minn.- After almost a month on the road, the UMD women’s hockey team will finally be able to play in front of their home fans this upcoming weekend. The Bulldogs continuing their WCHA slate by taking on the Mavericks of Minnesota State. It’s been a while since UMD has dropped a game to Minnesota State. You have to look…

UMD Men’s Hockey Set for Home and Home Series with Bemidji State

In the two squads last 10 meetings, UMD holds a 6-1-2 record with the lone loss coming last year on October 5th.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD men’s hockey team is preparing for a home and home series with Bemidji State. In the two squads last 10 meetings, UMD holds a 6-1-2 record with the lone loss coming last year on October 5th. Head Coach Scott Sandelin sees a lot of improvement from his upcoming opponent while comparing last year to this year….

UW-Superior Golf Well Represented in End of the Year UMAC Honors

The UW-Superior men won the UMAC conference tournament recently.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- UWS had plenty of end of the year honors in men’s and women’s golf. Men’s coach Paul Eberhardt is the UMAC Coach of the Year. Superior’s Andrew Rude earns UMAC Player of the Year Honors. Andrew Slatten is the Rookie of the Year. Lastly, 10 total men’s and women’s golfers earn all-conference honors. Categories: College, Sports

Esko Girls Soccer Blanks Proctor for 4th Straight Section 7A Title

Esko was led by Britta Koski, who had the lone goal in the contest.

ESKO, Minn.- The Esko girls soccer team will once again get the chance to play for a state title. On Tuesday, Esko defeated Proctor 1-0 to claim their fourth straight Section 7A title. Esko was led by Britta Koski, who had the lone goal in the contest. Esko will learn who their first round opponent is at state over the…

Debay’s Late Goal in OT Sends Grand Rapids Girls Soccer to First-Ever State Tourney

Kylie Debay scored the lone goal with 58 seconds left in overtime.

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn.- The Grand Rapids girls soccer team will finally be able to play on the big stage at state. On Tuesday, the Thunderhawks defeated the Hawks of Hermantown 1-0 in the Section 7AA title game. Kylie Debay scored the lone goal with 58 seconds left in overtime. The state tournament matchups will be announced over the weekend. Categories:…

Duluth Marshall Boys Soccer Heading to State for 3rd Straight Season

Mason Park and Benson Peterson each had two goals for Marshall.

RAMSEY, Minn.- The Duluth Marshall boys soccer team claimed their 3rd straight Section 7A title on Tuesday. Playing Spectrum, the Hilltoppers found the back of the net four times in the first half and wouldn’t look back to pick up the 5 to 1 win. Mason Park and Benson Peterson each had two goals for Marshall. State matchups will be…

Northwestern’s Ethan Harms to Continue Football Career at Dordt

So far this season, the quarterback/receiver has 440 rushing yards, 423 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns.

MAPLE, Wis.- Northwestern’s Ethan Harms now knows where he’ll be heading once his time with the Tigers wraps up. On Sunday, Harms announced his commitment to Dordt University, a Division three team based out of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. So far this season, the quarterback/receiver has 440 rushing yards, 423 receiving yards, and 17 total touchdowns. He’ll join former…

After Suffering First Loss, UMD Football Falls to #16 in AFCA Poll

This is the 2nd time this season that UMD has been ranked 16th.

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD football team did see some movement after suffering their first loss of the year at Northern State on Saturday. The Bulldogs have fallen to 16th after previously being 10th a week ago. This is the 2nd time this season that UMD has been ranked 16th, with the last time being on September 15th. UMD will have…

UMD Women’s Hockey Stays Put at #4 in Latest USCHO Poll

The Bulldogs suffered their first two losses of the season, falling 4 to 3 and 4-0 to top-ranked Wisconsin.

DULUTH, Minn.- It was a tough weekend for the UMD women’s hockey squad. The Bulldogs suffered their first two losses of the season, falling 4 to 3 and 4-0 to top-ranked Wisconsin. Even with the sweep, UMD wasn’t impacted in the latest USCHO poll. The team remains ranked 4th in the nation. This upcoming weekend will mark the first time…

Prep Football: Northwestern Stays Undefeated, Cloquet Wins Thriller, Duluth Denfeld Falls at Home

Friday marked week 8 for prep football teams in Wisconsin. 

MAPLE, Wis.- Friday marked week 8 for prep football teams in Wisconsin. The Northwestern Tigers hosted Ashland in the U.S Highway 2 rivalry game. The Tigers defeated the Oredockers 49-0 to win their 18th consecutive U.S Highway 2 rivalry game. Over in Minnesota, the Cloquet Lumberjacks squared off against Duluth East. The Lumberjacks defeated the Greyhounds 21-20 after a game-winning…