SUPERIOR, Wis. – The sting of the high school spring sports season shutdown can still be felt across the Northland, including summer travel teams like the Twin Ports Rampage. The team is made of up some of the best local softball players who were eager to get back on the field. Some of them even had their winter sports season…
CIRCLE PINES, Minn. – It’s been a busy offseason for former UMD goalie Maddie Rooney. She’s taking part in a few youth hockey camps and she signed a deal with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association. And now, she’s adding a new position on her resumé: assistant high school hockey coach. Rooney will be joining the coaching staff for the…
DULUTH, Minn. – This week, hockey rinks across the Northland opened their doors, but not for games just yet. So in the meantime, it’s all about three things: practice, practice, practice. The Pionk hockey camp is underway at the Heritage Center, but with new guidelines for social distancing. Some of the rules include each camper having their temperature taken before…
BRISTOL, Conn. – For the past 13 years, ESPN has given out the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at their annual award show the ESPYs. It is earned by a person in the sports world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and dedication. This year’s recipient is Mesabi Range running back Taquarius Wair. The Minneapolis native was severely burned…
DULUTH, Minn. – The 2020 Northern Exposure hockey tournament has been cancelled. The event was scheduled for July 17th to the 19th. But due to the state of Minnesota classifying hockey as a high-risk sport, organizers say there was no way to safely put together this year’s event. “The state of Minnesota has not given adequate notice to policy changes…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – This week, Grand Rapids High School has just begun the early stages of adding turf to Noble Hall Field. The school board proposed that if the community raised $700,000, they would put up the rest. And thanks to some generous donations, the project was underway. “We had a committee called the “Noble Hall Turf Field Committee”…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Doug Trentor has been named the new head coach of the Superior girls hockey team. He’s spent the past three seasons as the assistant coach under Marc Franta, who has resigned for both personal and professional reasons. Trentor will look to improve on last season’s performance for the Spartans as they won just four games. Categories: High…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – There’s a long list of current and former UWS student-athletes who didn’t travel far from their high schools to become Yellowjackets. In fact, some are from just down the road at Superior High School, including this year’s talented recruiting class. On the hardwood, Joey Barker is taking his talents to the Yellowjackets men’s basketball team, a program…
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s the three words we’ve been waiting to hear for the past three months: rinks are open. This week, hockey rinks across the Northland held soft openings, including the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center. Organizers were meticulous in their planning, creating social distancing guidelines, all the way down to how athletes should enter and leave the building. Rules…
DULUTH, Minn. – After two weeks of virtual workouts, Impact Sports Training (IST CrossFit) is back in the gym. “Now that we can get outside and offer outdoor workouts as well as the indoor sessions, it’s nice to have that face to face contact,” owner and director of Performance Chris Bell said. “It’s less of a mental struggle being back…
DULUTH, Minn. – On Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced phase III of the “Stay Safe MN” Plan, which will begin on June 10. Gyms, personal fitness and yoga studios may open at 25 percent capacity. Outdoor entertainment venues, such as sporting events, may also open at 25 percent capacity, without exceeding 250 people in a single self-contained space. Walz…
DULUTH, Minn. – This week, local high school golfers would have been getting ready to take part in the state tournament. The pandemic wiped that out so the Minnesota Junior PGA stepped in to save the day. The organization will host a senior showcase next week at the Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids. The boys tournament will take…
DULUTH, Minn. – As organized youth sports slowly start getting back on the practice fields, some teams won’t have that benefit due to many facilities being closed in the city of Duluth. Case in point, the Gitchi Gummi Soccer Club. The club has nearly 600 players on 40 teams from U-9 to U-18. Their main season was lost due to…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – After months of waiting and wondering if we’ll ever see sports again, organized youth activities return this week for local baseball teams in the Northland. Members of the Hermantown VFW and American Legion baseball teams jump on the diamond for the first time this season. Players say after what happened with the spring season, they are overjoyed…
HIBBING, Minn. – The Hibbing City Council recently declared August 18th to be named “Scott Perunovich Day”. The former UMD star is coming off a historic junior year, becoming the sixth Bulldog in program history to win the Hobey Baker Award. The defenseman signed a two-year deal with the St. Louis Blues after leading UMD to back-to-back national titles in…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – This week, the Twin Ports Pro Development Camp announced that this year’s camp will be taking place from July 27th to July 30th at the Superior Ice Arena. Organizers say this year’s installment will obviously have a different look. And there’s a chance some of the pros won’t be able to make it due to the ongoing…
COLERAINE, Minn. – This past weekend, we learned that Grant Clafton has stepped down As head coach of the Greenway boys hockey team. After five seasons with the Raiders, Clafton says he felt like now was the time to step back and let someone else take over. “There’s other things at stake, especially which is obviously the kids and the…
DULUTH, Minn. – Former Marshall standout Willy Stauber has committed to playing college hockey at UW-Eau Claire. The 6’2″ defenseman spent the past two seasons and some change with the Bismarck Bobcats in the NAHL. In 105 games, Stauber finished with seven goals and 27 assists. Categories: College, High School, Sports
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Corey Veech Memorial Field hosted its first football game on August 31st, 2001. It’s seen better days recently, so the school has finally began the first steps in giving it a much-needed facelift. A ground-breaking ceremony was held Monday with school administrators and members of Centricity Credit Union, who provided the athletic department with over $1 million…
CHERRY, Minn. – Cherry’s Kaelynn Kudis will be joining Mesabi Range volleyball next season, the team announced on Twitter. The middle hitter led the Tigers to an 18-6 record last season. Kudis was also a standout on the Cherry basketball team, leading the Tigers to a 22-7 record and to the section 7A semifinals. She also leaves as the program’s…
COLERAINE, Minn. – Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin boys hockey coach Grant Clafton has resigned as head coach of the Raiders boys hockey team after five seasons. The Greenway High School Board approved Clafton’s resignation during their monthly meeting on Wednesday. In his time with GNK, Clafton led the Raiders to a 90-41-2 record, including three straight appearances in the Section 7A championship game…
DULUTH, Minn. – Former Duluth Marshall baseball standout Carter Sullivan announced on his Twitter page that he’s going to Ave Maria University in Florida to play his college ball. The campus is about one hour southwest of Fort Myers, which Sullivan says will give him a much-needed change of scenery. “It’s a beautiful campus. Just a really good environment there….
DULUTH, Minn. – Last month, the city of Duluth closed all baseball and softball fields until at least July 1st. The announcement has kept local youth teams in limbo about what their summer will be like. This week, organizers received some clarity as city officials say that due to budget concerns, Wheeler and Wade Fields will not be maintained for…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior Youth Organization announced Thursday that they are planning to start their season the week of June 15th, and as long as they have enough teams, it will run through the week of August 21st. Initial registration fees will be refunded immediately and a new sign-up process will be created in the next few days. According…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Essentia Duluth Heritage Center has announced a soft opening on June 8th. Teams will be allowed to have two small pods of 10 or less to be on the ice for skill development. This is in accordance to the state’s Phase II of their Stay Safe Plan. Phase III would allow for scrimmages and games to…
ESKO, Minn. – Former CEC standout Ryan Nelson committed to playing college hockey For the Iowa State men’s hockey team. The Esko native spent the past three seasons with the Minnesota Wilderness appearing in over 100 games and served as team captain this past season, finishing with five goals and 17 assists in 50 games as a defenseman. Categories: College,…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Hockey outlined a detailed plan for teams who want to hold practices, clinics and tryouts only. Among the rules for arriving at the rink are that players should arrive to the arena fully dressed with the exception of skates and helmets. As for on-ice activities, pods of 10 people or less should be created with…
DULUTH, Minn. – With no spring sports this season, many teams and athletes are still doing what they can to stay active. They’ll hold their own workouts, do Zoom classes, and now a few local girls lacrosse teams have started the Northern Lakes Girls Lacrosse Challenge. The challenge was started by Grand Rapids/Greenway head coach Mark Surface and features the…
WHITEWATER, Wis. – The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association announced that they have suspended the all-star games that were scheduled to take place this summer. Superior’s Luke Persons and Jarrett Gronski, Northwestern’s Brsyon Mazur and Drew Pearson and Northwoods/Solon Springs’ Jeffrey Meling were all selected to play. The games were scheduled to take place on July 18 at UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater,…
PROCTOR, Minn. – Proctor girls basketball’s Matt Solberg was named section 7AA coach of the year while Derek Parendo was named section 7AA assistant coach of the year by the Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association. The duo led the Rails to a 23-4 record and a perfect 9-0 section record during the regular season as they went on to win…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – With spring sports in the rear view mirror, everyone in the state of Minnesota is looking ahead to summer sports or whatever is left of them. Organized youth activities has been a big topic of discussion and the Minnesota Department of Health provided some details on the plan moving forward. As part of the state’s Stay Safe…
DULUTH, Minn. – If all goes well, the high school hockey season is about six months away and many coaches agree what you do in that time is just as important as what you do when the season gets started. Case in point: the Duluth Northern Stars hockey team. The girls have been spending the last month getting on Zoom…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minnesota state officials provided an update on youth sports during Governor Tim Walz’s press conference on Wednesday. Activities may resume on June 1st, but must follow guidelines from the Department of Health, which includes limiting gatherings to no more than 10 kids. Officials also say games are still not allowed to take place. Categories: High School, Sports
CARLTON, Minn. – For the past seven weeks, high schools across the state turned the lights on at their football fields in honor of the graduating class of 2020. And Monday night, the Carlton Bulldogs turn the lights on for one final night. Firetrucks and ambulances were also at the field with their lights and sirens on. 46 balloons were…
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. – Don Rolando has been named the new head coach of the International Falls boys basketball team. This will be his first head coaching position since 2002 at Rainy River Community College for five years. He also led the Grand Marais/Cook county boys basketball team for six years before that. He’ll take over a Broncos team that…
DULUTH, Minn. – There’s two types of people during a pandemic: those who focus on the negatives and those who will make the best out of a tough situation. The UMD women’s hockey team fits in the latter category. The Bulldogs coaching staff is holding a Virtual Skills Camp, the first of its kind for the program. The camp includes…
DULUTH, Minn. – Longtime Denfeld softball coach Dick Swanson was recently diagnosed with cancer, making the pandemic that much tougher for him to deal with. But Monday, his team, along with several local supporters, decided to pay him a special visit. The Hunters organized a drive-by parade right outside Swanson’s house. Cars passed by honking, waving and shouting out words…
DULUTH, Minn. – After a year of junior hockey with the Madison Capitols, former Duluth East standout Ricky Lyle Jr. committed to Army West Point. “When you’re there and trying to see yourself in the spot, it kind of had that Harry Potter feel so I was kind of in awe and I knew in my head that this is…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Hawks boys soccer standout Matt Joki has signed his National Letter of Intent to join the Tusculum men’s soccer team down in Greenville, Tennessee. The midfielder was a four-year letterwinner for Hermantown, finishing his high school career with 16 goals and 18 assists. Joki was also first-team All Conference and second-team All State, leading the Hawks to…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – When high school athletes decide to continue their athletic careers in college, some have to move to another city, another state or sometimes another country. For superior’s Noah Benson, he’s just going down the road. This past weekend, Benson signed his National Letter of Intent to join the UWS men’s soccer team. The center back put pen…
DULUTH, Minn. – This past weekend, another staple of summer sports was taken down as the American Legion Baseball season was cancelled across the country. I spoke with Joe Wicklund and he explained why legion baseball is so important to local players. “If you’re a player who is dreaming about being recruited the summer after your junior year of high…
DULUTH, Minn. – The Duluth Rowing Club announced on their Facebook page that the 2020 Duluth Regatta has been cancelled. This year’s edition would have been the 62nd, which takes place at Park Point. The event brings hundreds of rowers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Canada. The Rowing Club also says their facilities will remain closed until further notice and…
DULUTH, Minn. – The MSHSL is sending out finalists plaques and medals to all teams that were still playing in the girls state basketball and boys section tournaments. For the Duluth Marshall girls, they had just won their first state tournament game in program history and were ready for the state semifinals when the tournament was canceled. Although they couldn’t…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – American Legion Baseball in both Minnesota and Wisconsin has been canceled for this season due to the coronavirus pandemic, both states announced on Saturday. This is the first year ever that legion baseball will not be played in either state, with Wisconsin going back to 1927 and Minnesota being played every year since 1923. Minnesota is…
DULUTH, Minn. – When the coronavirus impacted players and teams across the area, the Northland Sports Page radio show was also hit hard as they were taken off the air. But the trio of Brian Prudhomme, Dave Cook and Topher Davis have transitioned to YouTube, churning out shows every Saturday. Here’s how you can listen: The Northland Fan YouTube page…
ROCK HILL, S.C. – All across the Northland basketball players are staying in shape with virtual workouts. But how would you like to learn from two of the greatest players in Minnesota High School basketball history? Duluth natives Bjorn and Anders Broman started Broman Academy as a way to keep basketball in their lives. And while they currently live in…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Former Proctor/Hermantown hockey star Sophie McGovern has signed a pro deal with a team in Finland. She has signed on with TPS of the Naisten Liiga. McGovern just finished her final year at Norwich University, finishing second in the country with 44 points. She would wrap up her career with the Cadets ranked fourth all-time in points…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – This week, Rebekah Morris was named the new head coach of the Thunderhawks volleyball team. Morris graduated from Grand Rapids High School back in 2014 and played four years on the volleyball team. She continued her athletic career at the University of Minnesota Morris, before returning home to coach at her alma mater, including last year…
COON RAPIDS, Minn. – The Minnesota PGA Junior Golf Association has announced that they will host a Minnesota High Schoo Senior Golf Showcase to honor the class of 2020. The tournament will take place June 9th for boys and June 10th for girls and will be played at the Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids. Registration is open to…
PROCTOR, Minn. – Earlier this week, rumors began to swirl regarding the status of Proctor boys basketball coach Kory Deadrick. And now, the worst case scenario was confirmed. Deadrick has resigned as head coach of the Rails boys basketball team. In his lone season at Proctor, he led the team to a 9-19 record. FOX 21 has learned from multiple…
