Author: Sam Ali

Strong Third Period Pushes CEC Girls Hockey Past Duluth Northern Stars

Ashtyn Schneberger, Taylor Wick, Tenley Stewart, Dana Jones and Eve Eugenis all scored for the Lumberjacks.

DULUTH, Minn. – A strong third period would be the difference as the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton girls hockey team picked up a road win over the Duluth Northern Stars 5-1 Wednesday afternoon at the Heritage Center. Ashtyn Schneberger, Taylor Wick, Tenley Stewart, Dana Jones and Eve Eugenis all scored for the Lumberjacks. Jenna Horvat scored the lone goal for the Northern Stars….

NCAA Tournament Preparations Already Starting for UMD Women’s Basketball Team

Head coach Mandy Pearson says that her coaching staff has already started looking into what teams they could potentially face in the central region.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD women’s basketball team is coming off a great weekend after capturing their sixth NSIC tournament title in program history. The Bulldogs earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which will be their third trip in a row. But with every trip to the dance comes with increased expectations. “The first year that we made…

UMD’s Nick Swaney Talks Record-Breaking Home Finale

Swaney hit the 100 point mark for his career, the 59th player in program history to do so.

DULUTH, Minn. – We can all agree that we are living in the golden age of TV. There’s a show for just about anyone, whether you binge watch or catch it live. One of the top shows for UMD hockey fans is “The Swaneshow”, starring senior forward Nick Swaney, and his season finale at Amsoil Arena was one to remember….

Prep Basketball: Duluth Marshall, Proctor Girls, Hibbing Boys Build Momentum Towards Sectionals

The Hilltoppers and Rails girls, as well as the Bluejacket boys got themselves in the win column on Tuesday night.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Senior Gianna Kneepkens finished with 44 points as the Duluth Marshall girls basketball team picked up a road win Tuesday night over Hermanton 81-65. In other prep basketball action, the Proctor girls knocked off Cloquet 53-44 and the Hibbing boys led wire-to-wire as they defeated Duluth Denfeld 79-30. Categories: High School, Sports

Prep Boys Hockey: Grand Rapids, Hermantown, Duluth Denfeld, CEC, Greenway Earn Tuesday Night Wins

Big night of prep boys hockey as the Thunderhawks, Hawks, Hunters, Lumberjacks and Raiders emerged victorious.

DULUTH, Minn. – Garret Drotts, Jack Peart and Easton Young scored for the Grand Rapids boys hockey team as they defeated section foe Duluth East 3-1 Tuesday night at the Heritage Center. Other prep boys hockey scores include Hermantown blanking Duluth Marshall 6-0, Duluth Denfeld getting the home shutout over Virginia/MIB 5-0, Cloquet-Esko-Carlton tops Hibbing/Chisholm 3-0 and Greenway gets a…

Superior Volleyball Team Begin Alternate Spring Season

Superior is scheduled to open their season Thursday at home against Sparta.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Back in the fall, the WIAA gave schools the option to play fall sports on schedule or move to the alternate spring season. And after over a year of not playing at all, the Superior volleyball team is finally back at practice. The Spartans were one of only a few teams who opted out of playing in…

Former UMD Hockey Coach, Virginia Native Mike Sertich Named 2021 Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey

The award honors a player, coach or administrator who has made outstanding and historic contributions to the sport.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Former UMD men’s hockey coach and player Mike Sertich has earned the Hobey Baker’s 2021 Legend of College Hockey honor. Sertich spent 25 years with the Bulldogs, racking up 350 wins and was named WCHA Coach of the Year three times and National Coach of the Year in 1984. The award honors a player, coach or administrator…

Sarah Hurst Named New Head Coach of Duluth Girls Lacrosse Team

Hurst went to Connecticut College, where she was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

DULUTH, Minn. – Tuesday, Sarah Hurst was named the new head coach of the Duluth Wolfpack girls lacrosse team. She’ll take over for Marissa Guillou, who is an assistant coach for the UWS women’s soccer team. Hurst is originally from Skaker Heights, OH and went to Connecticut College, where she was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. She…

Spring Season Underway for UWS Volleyball Team

The Yellowjackets began their season Saturday with a home sweep over Northland College.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Back in the fall, the UMAC announced that the volleyball season would be moved to the spring. Did everyone agree with that move? No. But we’ve learned in the past year that sometimes, you got to just roll with the punches. That’s what the UWS volleyball team are doing as their spring season began this past weekend….

D3 Basketball: UWS Men Drop Season Finale, UWS Women Earn Road Win Over CSS

The Yellowjacket men dropped a close one at home, while the women knocked off rivals CSS.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – In their regular season finale, the UW-Superior men’s basketball team dropped a close one to Northwestern 69-62 Monday night at the Mertz Mortorelli Gym. On the other side of the bridge, the UWS women used a strong fourth quarter to knock off CSS 59-49 behind 21 points from Kaija Davies. Categories: College, Sports

Prep Girls Basketball: Crosby-Ironton Squeaks By Esko, Duluth East Takes Down Two Harbors

The Rangers won by the slimmest of margins, while the Greyhounds earned a big home win over the Agates

ESKO, Minn. – In a battle of two of the top teams in Section 7A, the Crosby-Ironton girls won a nail-biter over Esko 56-55 Monday night. In other prep girls basketball action, Ashlynne Guenther led the way with 34 points as Duluth East topped Two Harbors 78-45. Categories: High School, Sports

Proctor/Hermantown Girls Hockey Top Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Sweep Season Series

Sophomore forward Nya Sieger scored twice as the Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey team defeated Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 5-1

PROCTOR, Minn. – Sophomore forward Nya Sieger scored twice as the Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey team defeated Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 5-1 Monday night at the St. Luke’s Sports and Event. Alyssa Watkins, Reese Heitzman and Michaela Phinney all scored for the Mirage, who stayed undefeated on the season. Dana Jones scored the lone goal for the Lumberjacks. Categories: High School, Sports

D3 Men’s Hockey: CSS, UWS Fall at Home in Conference Play

It was a rought night at home for the Saints and Yellowjackets men's hockey teams.

DULUTH, Minn. – Despite a shots-on-goal advantage of 29 to 26, the St. Scholastica men’s hockey team would fall at home to Marian 3-2 Friday night at Mars Lakeview Arena. Nate Pionk and Brent Jones would score the goals for the Saints, who fall to 4-6 on the season. And on the other side of the bridge, the UW-Superior men…

UMD Women’s Hockey Top Wisconsin to Set Up Winner-Take-All Game for WCHA Regular Season Championship

If the Bulldogs pull off the sweep on Saturday, they will win their first WCHA regular season championship since the 2009-2010 season.

DULUTH, Minn. – Junior forward Gabbie Hughes scored twice for the UMD women’s hockey team as they defeated the University of Wisconsin 4-2 Friday night at Amsoil Arena. Lizi Norton and Anna Klein also scored for the Bulldogs, who picked up their first win over the Badgers since November of 2016. Junior goalie Emma Soderberg finished with 26 saves as…

Coaches Corner: Rhett McDonald

For this week's segment, we hear from the head coach of the Duluth East boys basketball team.

DULUTH, Minn. – For this week’s Coaches Corner, we spoke with Duluth East boys basketball coach Rhett McDonald about the latest success for the Greyhounds. McDonald spoke about what his team learned from their early season match-up against top-ranked Minnehaha Academy, as well as the stellar play of seniors Noah Paulson and Mattie Thompson. Categories: Coaches Corner, Friday Night Frenzy,…

UMD Men’s Hockey Senior Class Reflect on “Eventful” Four Years

Puck drop for Saturday night's home finale at Amsoil Arena is set for 7 p.m.

DULUTH, Minn. – Saturday night, seven members of the UMD men’s hockey team will be playing one final game at Amsoil Arena when the Bulldogs host St. Cloud State. This class, which originally started with 10 including Hobey Baker winner Scott Perunovich, experienced a level of success few can rival in all of college hockey and spoke about their experiences…

UMD’s Emma Soderberg Named Top-8 Finalist for National Goalie of the Year

Nationally, the junior netminder ranks second in goals against average and third in saves percentage.

DULUTH, Minn. – UMD’s Emma Soderberg has been named one of eight finalists for National Goalie of the Year. This award will be presented for the first time this year from the Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association. Nationally, the junior netminder ranks second in goals against average and third in saves percentage. In the WCHA, Soderberg is tops in almost every…

Prep Girls Basketball: Hermantown Tops Proctor, Duluth East Earns First Win of the Season

Thursday night was a good night for the Hawks and the Greyhounds.

PROCTOR, Minn. – Sophomore Liv Birkeland led all scorers with 26 points as the Hermantown girls basketball team earned a road win over Proctor 73-63 Thursday night. Maiah Christianson and Megan Menzel finished with 20 and 10 points, respectively, for the Hawks. The Rails were led by Payton Rodberg and Hailie Evans, who each scored 20 points. In other prep…

Northwestern Boys Basketball Blow Past Aquinas, Advance to Section Finals

Northwestern will take on top-seeded St. Croix Central Saturday in the section championship game.

LA CROSSE, Wis. – In the Division 3 section semi-finals, the Northwestern boys basketball team scored early and often as they ran past Aquinas 80-52 Thursday night. Cole Lahti led the Tigers with 15 points, while Monte Mayberry and John Grohn also finished in double digits. Northwestern will take on top-seeded St. Croix Central Saturday in the section championship game….

Prep Boys Hockey: Hermantown, Duluth Marshall Victorious On The Road

The Hawks and Hilltoppers came in as visitors and left as winners on Thursday night.

DULUTH, Minn. – Cole Antcliff and Aydyn Dowd both finished with hat tricks as the Hermantown boys hockey team picked up the road win over Duluth Denfeld 9-3 Thursday night at the Heritage Center. In other prep boys hockey action, Duluth Marshall would score four times in the third period to get the road win over Proctor 7-3 at the…

Duluth East’s Giovani Saldivar Commits to CSS Men’s Basketball

He will join former teammates Isiah Hendrickson and Noah Winesett, who are also on the Saints roster.

DULUTH, Minn. – This week, Duluth East’s Giovani Saldivar announced on Twitter that he has committed to joining the St. Scholastica men’s basketball team. The sharpshooter has been a big part of the Greyhounds success this year. He will join former teammates Isiah Hendrickson and Noah Winesett, who are also on the Saints roster. Categories: College, High School, Sports

UMD Alum Nicole Jensen Named New Softball Coach at Duluth Denfeld

She replaces longtime Denfeld softball coach Dick Swanson, who passed away last summer.

DULUTH, Minn. – Thursday, Duluth Denfeld hired Nicole Jensen to be their new head softball coach. Jensen played her college ball at UMD and was recently on the coaching staff at Duluth East. Jensen is also a social studies teacher at Lincoln Park Middle School. She replaces longtime Denfeld softball coach Dick Swanson, who passed away last summer. Categories: High…

South Ridge’s Deekon Anvid Signs NLI for Southwest Minnesota State Track & Field

he will compete in all of the throwing events, including shot put, weight throw and discus.

CULVER, Minn. – South Ridge’s Deekon Anvid has signed his National Letter of Intent to join the track & field team at Southwest Minnesota State where he will compete in all of the throwing events, including shot put, weight throw and discus. The big man made his mark for the Panthers football team, leading the team in tackles and being…

UMD Women’s Basketball Top Sioux Falls Behind Olson’s Double-Double

The Bulldogs will face the winner of Friday's match-up between Bemidji State and Concordia-St. Paul.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Junior forward Brooke Olson finished with a season-high 31 points and added 12 rebounds as the UMD women’s basketball team held off a late rally to knock off Sioux Falls 78-64 Thursday morning in the first round of the NSIC tournament. Ann Simonet, Maesyn Thiesen and Payton Kahl also finished in double figures for the Bulldogs,…

A Golden Reunion: 1945 Boys Hockey State Tournament Medal Returns Home to Eveleth

After sending out a tweet honoring his grandfather's 1945 state title win, Phill Drobnick got a special surprise from the MSHSL.

EVELETH, Minn. – Eveleth native Phill Drobnick is a big fan of gold. He was the head coach of the U.S. men’s curling team, aka Team Shuster, who won gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics. And last week, he received another gold medal that has a story not even Hollywood could come up with. Back in 1945, the MSHSL hosted…

WCHA Regular Season Championship On The Line as UMD Women’s Hockey Gets Set to Host Wisconsin

If UMD sweeps the Badgers, they will win the WCHA regular season championship for the first time since 2010.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD women’s hockey team will wrap up the regular season this weekend with one of its most important series in recent memory. The Bulldogs will host top-ranked Wisconsin and here’s what’s on the line. If UMD sweeps the Badgers, they will win the WCHA regular season championship for the first time since 2010. Even if they…

UWS Women’s Hockey Drop Nail-Biter to UW-Eau Claire

Junior forward Tessa Jorde scored the lone goal for the UW-Superior women's hockey team

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Junior forward Tessa Jorde scored the lone goal for the UW-Superior women’s hockey team, but it wouldn’t be enough as UW-Eau Claire held off the Yellowjackets to get the 2-1 win Wednesday night at Wessman Arena. UWS goaltender McKenzie Whalen finished with 39 saves in the losing effort. The Yellowjackets will face the Blugolds Friday night in…

UMD’s Brooke Olson Named NSIC North Division Player of the Year

The Rice Lake native led the conference in scoring and recorded her 1,000th career point last weekend.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD women’s basketball team received some great news Wednesday as junior forward Brooke Olson was named NSIC North Division Player of the Year. The Rice Lake native led the conference in scoring and recorded her 1,000th career point last weekend. She was also named to the All-Conference First Team. “She went out this summer and she…

UMD Women’s Basketball Prepare to Open NSIC Tournament Run

UMD will face Sioux Falls in Thursday's first round match-up. Tip-off is set for 10 a.m.

DULUTH, Minn. – Win or go home. That’s the mentality moving forward for the UMD women’s basketball team as they get set to open the NSIC tournament Thursday morning at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The Bulldogs are coming off a series where they suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of St. Cloud State, the…

UMD’s Drew Blair Earns All-Conference Honors, Austin Andrews Named Top Freshman

This is Blair's second straight season earning all-conference recognition, while Andrews averaged over 13 points and seven rebounds for UMD.

DULUTH, Minn. – Wednesday, UMD men’s basketball sophomore guard Drew Blair was selected to the all-conference Second Team, while Austin Andrews took home NSIC North Freshman of the Year honors. Head coach Justin Wieck says although the season came to an end this past weekend, he is excited for the future of his program. “This team’s going to be together…

Prep Hockey: Denfeld Boys, Proctor/Hermantown Girls Pick Up Home Wins, Grand Rapids/Greenway Girls Earn Road Comeback Victory

The Hunters and Mirage cruised at home, while the Lightning rallied late to get the win on the road.

DULUTH, Minn. – Four different goal-scorers for the Duluth Denfeld boys hockey team as they picked up a home section win over Hibbing/Chisholm 4-2 Tuesday night at the Heritage Center. Simon Davidson, Nate Burke, Cooper McClure and Kade Shea scored for the Hunters, while Kasey Kemp and Keeghan Fink scored for the Bluejackets. In prep girls hockey action, Proctor/Hermantown stayed…

Prep Basketball: Esko Girls Top Hermantown, Grand Rapids Boys Defeat Duluth Denfeld

The Eskomos girls were victorious at home, while the Thunderhawk boys made the road trip worth it.

ESKO, Minn. – After taking their first loss of the season last Friday night in overtime at Pequot Lakes, the Esko girls basketball team bounced back in a big win, earning a home win over Hermantown 59-23. In prep boys basketball action, Grand Rapids got the road win over Duluth Denfeld 59-36. Categories: High School, Sports

Grand Rapids’ John Bonner Commits to St. Scholastica Football

He joins teammate Caden Hofstad who committed to CSS last month.

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Tuesday afternoon, Grand Rapids standout John Bonner announced on Twitter that he has committed to joining the St. Scholastica football team. Bonner finished his career with the Thunderhawks recording eight rushing touchdowns and four receiving TDs. He helped Grand Rapids finish the regular season undefeated. He joins teammate Caden Hofstad who committed to CSS last month….

Eveleth Native John Mayasich Granted State of Hockey Legacy Award

The award recognizes individuals who've made extraordinary and long-term contributions to hockey in Minnesota.

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Eveleth native and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer John Mayasich has been granted the State of Hockey Legacy Award from the Minnesota Wild. Mayasich led the Golden Bears to four straight state championships, going undefeated in each year. He went on to play with the minnesota golden gophers, becoming the program’s all time leader in goals…

Section Tournament Awaits Northwestern Boys Basketball Team

Northwestern will face Aquinas in the section semi-finals. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday night.

MAPLE, Wis. – The Northwestern boys basketball team is still alive after a regional title win last week over Cumberland. Despite dropping two games in the regular season to the Beavers, the Tigers were able to battle back to win their second championship in three years. And now, their confidence is sky-high heading into the section playoffs. “It’s super exciting….

Longtime Hermantown Coach Tom Bang Joins CSS Softball Team

Bang spent over 40 years with the Hawks, before stepping down in 2018.

DULUTH, Minn. – The St. Scholastica softball team kicked off their season last week with a pair of sweeps against Crown and Northland College. The Saints have also started this season with a bang, literally. Former Hermantown softball coach Tom Bang has joined the Saints coaching staff for the 2021 season. Bang spent over 40 years with the Hawks, before…

Prep Boys Basketball: Moose Lake-Willow River, South Ridge Successfully Defend Home Court

The Rebels and Panthers earned section wins at home on Monday night.

MOOSE LAKE, Minn. – 12 different players get on the score sheet for the Moose Lake-Willow River boys basketball team as they got the home win over Proctor 105-52 Monday night. In other prep boys basketball action, South Ridge knocked off Lakeview Christian 76-53, thanks to a game-high 25 points from senior Noah Sertich. Sophomore Austin Josephson also chipped in…

Duluth Denfeld Boys Hockey to Host “Hockey Fights Cancer” Night

The Hunters will host Hibbing/Chisholm and a donation box will be available to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

DULUTH, Minn. – Tuesday night, the Duluth Denfeld boys hockey team will team up with Minnesota Hockey and the Minnesota Wild to host “Hockey Fights Cancer” night. The Hunters will host Hibbing/Chisholm and a donation box will be available to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The team also put out a special video in support of those…

Proctor/Hermantown’s Alyssa Watkins Scores 100th Career Point

Watkins also scored her 50th career goal alongside her teammate Michaela Phinney, who also hit that same milestone.

HERMANTOWN, Minn. – If you’ve been to a Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey game in the past few years, you’ve probably heard the name Alyssa Watkins said multiple times. And those points add up as the senior forward recently hit a major milestone. This past Friday Watkins scored her 100th career point for the Mirage in a win over Northern Lakes. She…

Kevin Moore, CSS Men’s Hockey Finally Clicking After Slow Start to Season

This past weekend, CSS put up 17 goals in two games as they swept Finlandia and showed off their offensive firepower.

DULUTH, Minn. – The Kevin Moore era for the CSS men’s hockey team is well underway. And after a rocky start to the season, the Saints have turned things around, winning three straight and four of their last five. “I think it’s been a really big process for the team learning my style, learning just things about me. But overall…

NCHC Announces Changes to UMD Men’s Hockey Series vs. St. Cloud State

The two games will now be split for this weekend and next weekend.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The NCHC announced Monday a slight adjustment for this weekend’s series between the UMD men’s hockey team and St. Cloud State. The two games will now be split for this weekend and next weekend. The Bulldogs will host the Huskies on Saturday with puck drop set for 7 p.m. And then UMD will travel to St….

Coaches Corner: Emma Stauber

For this week's segment, we catch up with the head coach of the Proctor/Hermantown Mirage girls hockey team.

DULUTH, Minn. – For this week’s Coaches Corner, we hear from Proctor/Hermantown girls hockey head coach Emma Stauber as her team is currently undefeated on the season. She also spoke about the Mirage’s big win over Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and what it means to have the chance to play for a state title. Categories: Coaches Corner, Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports

Strong First Period Pushes Minnesota Wilderness Past Austin

Jake Herter, Ethan Wolthers, Mikol Sartor and Gavin Rasmussen all scored for the Wilderness.

CLOQUET, Minn. – A three-goal first period would be the difference as the Minnesota Wilderness got the home win over the Austin Bruins 4-2 Friday night at the Northwoods Credit Union Arena. Jake Herter, Ethan Wolthers, Mikol Sartor and Gavin Rasmussen all scored for the Wilderness, who will look for the sweep Saturday night in Austin. Categories: College, Friday Night…

Northwestern Boys Basketball Top Cumberland, Advance to Regional Finals

The Tigers move on to Saturday's regional finals to face top seed Cameron.

CUMBERLAND, Wis. – Despite getting swept in the regular season by Cumberland, the Northwestern boys basketball team picked up a win when it mattered most as they defeated the Beavers 82-68 Friday night. Cole Lahti led the way with 21 points while John Grohn finished with 19. The Tigers move on to Saturday’s regional finals to face top seed Cameron….

St. Scholastica Men’s Hockey Light Up The Scoreboard in Home Win Over Finlandia

Zack DeBoom and Jordan Fralich each scored twice while eight other Saints also scored, including freshman brothers Filimon and Arkhip Ledenkov.

DULUTH, Minn. – Hibbing native Zack DeBoom led the way with two goals as the St. Scholastica men’s hockey team defeated Finlandia 12-4 Friday night at Mars Lakeview Arena. Jordan Fralich also finished with two goals while eight other Saints also scored, including freshman brothers Filimon and Arkhip Ledenkov. CSS improves to 3-5 on the season as they travel to…

Superior Boys Hockey Top Lakeland Union, Advance to State Title Game

Carter Kalin, Carson Gotelaere, Kell Piggot and Mason Stenberg scored for the Spartans, who advance to the state title game for the first time since 2015.

SPOONER, Wis. – The Cinderella run continued for the Superior boys hockey team as they defeated Lakeland Union 4-1 Thursday night in the Division 2 state semi-finals at the Spooner Civic Center. Carter Kalin, Carson Gotelaere, Kell Piggot and Mason Stenberg scored for the Spartans, who advance to the state title game for the first time since 2015. They will…

D3 Basketball: UW-Superior Women, St. Scholastica Men Victorious at Home

Home court advantage was the difference for the UWS women and CSS men.

DULUTH, Minn. – In the annual Bridge Battle rivalry game, the UW-Superior women’s basketball team got the win over St. Scholastica 57-48 Thursday night at the Mertz Mortorelli Gym. Kaelyn Christian led the Yellowjackets with 15 points, while Bryton Kukowski chipped in with 10 points of her own. The Saints were led by Lizzie Altendorf who finished with 15 points….

Colorado College Stuns UMD Men’s Hockey With Third Period Comeback

Senior forward Nick Swaney scored the lone goal for UMD, who dropped their third straight game.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD men’s hockey team led 1-0 going into the third period. But Colorado College would score twice in the final frame to stun the Bulldogs 2-1 Thursday night at Amsoil Arena. Senior forward Nick Swaney scored the lone goal for UMD, who dropped their third straight game. They’ll wrap up the regular season next week against…

Playoff Berth On The Line This Weekend for UMD Men’s Basketball Team

The Bulldogs are currently in 5th place in the NSIC North Division standings.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD men’s basketball team will wrap up their regular season this weekend with a road trip against St. Cloud State. The Bulldogs are currently in 5th place in the NSIC North Division standings and with just four teams moving on to the conference tournament, the team says it will be sink or swim against the Huskies…