PROCTOR, Minn. – For third straight year, Proctor hosted the Section 7AA Volleyball Scrimmage featuring 14 teams from across the Northland. It gives coaches a chance to see their team in live action, as well as allowing the players to finally get on the court in a competitive setting. “It’s really helpful to see where your team is at in…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – For this week’s Coaches Corner, we sit down with new Hermantown football coach Mike Zagelmayer, who takes over for longtime coach Daryl Illikainen. Zagelmayer is also the head coach of the Hawks baseball team. Categories: Coaches Corner, Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth East has just finished up their first week of preseason. In the past the Greyhounds have struggled, but they are coming off of a 5–3 season with hopes of only getting better. “Five wins, that’s the most we’ve had in a season in a while. With the sophomores that played last year and the juniors that are now…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – The Hermantown softball program was born in 1978, almost 40 years ago. And the founding father of Hawks softball is calling it a career. Tom Bang is retiring as head coach of the Hermantown softball team after 41 seasons. According to athletic director Beth Clark, Bang turned in his resignation letter a few weeks ago, but she…
PROCTOR, Minn. – The Rails football team has won two of the past three section 7AAA titles. One big reason for that is a strong senior class, 21 to be exact, who have now moved on. So now the team is in full rebuild mode for the upcoming season. It’s day three of practice for the Rails, which has a…
ESKO, Minn.- The Eskomos began their day of preseason in the classroom and then took to the field. Last season didn’t end the way they had hoped, falling to proctor in the section championship. But this year their sights are on getting better and making it to State. “We had a lot of momentum last year and I think we’re…
CLOQUET, Minn.- Last night the Cloquet School Board voted on the pending approval to hire Shea Walters as the new head coach of the boys Cloquet– Esko– Carlton hockey team. Walters will lead the Lumberjacks this upcoming season. The former Hibbing High School star served as an assistant coach for CEC last season and prior to that he was an…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- Hermantown had their first practice of the season bright and early Monday morning. In the off season Hawks head coach Daryl Illikainen stepped down and since then Mike Zagelmeyer has taken his place. It’s a new seaon and the team is welcoming of the new leadership. “We’re looking forward to something new here with Coach Zags. Obviously tradition leaves…
DULUTH, Minn.- For this week’s Coaches Corner, we sit down with former Hermantown hockey coach Bruce Plante. After spending 28 years with the Hawks and winning 3 State Championships, Plante is being inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Categories: Coaches Corner, Friday Night Frenzy, High School, Sports
TWO HARBORS, Minn.- Two Harbors Football took to the practice field this week. The Agates are coming off of their third consecutive conference title looking to make it four. In order to make that happen it is all about working as a unit. “We’ve got to really work as a team. I know that’s cliché but we do. And our guys…
MAPLE, Wis. – High school football practices are underway and the Northwestern Tigers are preparing for their first game against Ashland next week. The team is excited and ready for the new season as they only graduated four players from last year’s team. The Tigers plan to use that to their advantage. “We’re returning pretty much the same team, just…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – High school football practices are well underway across the Northland. One team that’s already in week two of practices is Superior High School. The Spartans are coming off a disappointing season with a 3–6 record in 2017. But the vibe is different with this squad and everyone is noticing. “We’ve all been playing a lot longer than…
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. – The Minnesota State High School League has announced that they will no longer be reimbursing schools for state tournament expenses. The decision was made based on the rise in state tournament venue costs and a drop in ticket sales. In the 2017–18 season, more than 56,000 fewer tickets were sold compared to the year before. This…
DULUTH, Minn. – This week, former Hermantown hockey coach Bruce Plante was named a member of the Minnesota State High School Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2018. It’s a big moment for Plante’s son Derek, who had a successful career at UMD, as well as winning a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999. And although his dad…
CLOQUET, Minn. – Cloquet superintendent Mike Cary announced that the school board voted to not renew the contract of Kevin Smalley as the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey coach. Two weeks ago, Smalley resigned as head coach of the team after one season. But this past Thursday, Smalley rescinded his resignation. However, the board decided to go in a different direction and…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – The Minnesota High School Coaches Association has announced that Bruce Plante will be a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Plante retired back in 2017 after leading Hermantown to their second straight Class A state title and their third in school history. In 28 seasons as Hawks head coach, Plante won 547 games and…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth Marshall defenseman Nolan Krenzen has made the decision to head to the USHL for the upcoming season with the Sioux City Musketeers. In his final season with the Hilltoppers, Krenzen put up 26 points in the regular season with 11 goals and 15 assists. Categories: High School, Sports
SUPERIOR, Wis.- The Superior High School football team worked to bridge the gap between athletics and special needs students by hosting the first annual Superior Spartan Football Champions Camp. The camp is designed for kids with disabilities to get the chance to participate in a sport that they normally would not be able to do. “We’ve got seven stations set…
DULUTH, Minn.- Duluth lacrosse hosted their first annual Lax at the Lake tournament. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Duluth lacrosse program, hosting a total of eight teams spanning from Duluth all the way down to the Twin Cities. On the first day of the tournament teams participated in pool play to determine where in the bracket they…
DULUTH, Minn.- CSS football held their annual Elite One Day Camp. The program combines both on field drills with in classroom film study to teach essential football fundamentals while giving the campers an opportunity to learn about the Saints’ championship football program. “We get about 20–25 kids. We’re able to give them really detailed coaching and techniques like that. Then we…
CLOQUET, Minn.- Duluth East alum and Minnesota Wilderness forward Nick Altmann is taking his talents to the East Coast. The former Greyhound has committed to playing Divison III hockey in the NESCAC conference at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The Duluth native finished up his NAHL career with 23 goals and 33 assists for 56 points in 146 regular season games….
DULUTH, Minn. – It was Day Two of the Minnesota Junior Golf Tour’s stop in Duluth. Monday, 50 of the best young golfers in the state competed at the Lester Park Golf Course. And Tuesday, they moved to Enger Park. Here are the final results from Tuesday’s action. Boys 7 to 9 years old: Bennett MacKenzie, Eagan MN Jackson White,…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – One month ago, the Hermantown football team was without a head coach as Daryl Illikainen stepped down after 21 years on the sidelines. But now the Hawks have their guy, and they didn’t have to go far to find him. Monday night the Hermantown Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Mike Zagelmeyer as the new head…
DULUTH, Minn. – Kevin Smalley has resigned as head coach of the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton boys hockey team, the school district confirmed on Thursday. This comes one year after Smalley took over the Lumberjacks program after longtime bench boss Dave Esse stepped down after 18 years. In his lone season with the Lumberjacks, he led the team to a 17–8–1 record, falling…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – The PGA Junior League Championship continued its season on Tuesday at the Nemadji Golf Course in Superior. 80 of the brightest golfers from ages 9 to 13 competed as teams which lessens the pressure of trying to get the best score. “It’s not like ‘Hey I’m going to meet you at 9 o’clock in the morning to…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – Iron Range native and Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will be bringing the Stanley Cup to the Miners Memorial Building this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Due to time constraints, organizers will allow only one photo per group and no autographs, with the overall goal of allowing as many people as possible to get a…
DULUTH, Minn. – Hockey in July continued on Saturday as Mars Lakeview Arena was packed for another night. Eveleth-Gilbert took on East Ridge in the first semi-final game of the night. The Golden Bears scored early in the first on a power play, but that was all they could do on offense. The Raptors would tie things up in the…
DULUTH, Minn. – All eyes were on Mars Lakeview Arena Friday night for the opening night of the Blackwoods Open hockey tournament, which featured eight teams competing throughout the weekend. In game one, Duluth Marshall fell to East Ridge 6-1. In the second game, it was Eveleth-Gilbert over Tartan 9-5. Categories: High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn. – This week, young Vikings fans from across the Northland made their way to Malosky Stadium for the 10th annual Vikings summer skills camp. The camp is designed to teach kids about the importance of teamwork. Former Vikings linebacker EJ Henderson has been coming to Duluth for the past three years and he says the camp has been…
DULUTH, Minn.- Mars Lakeview arena will host the tenth annual Blackwoods Open hockey tournament beginning Friday. Eight teams will face off including Duluth Marshall, Eveleth-Gilbert and Superior. The event is a great chance for coaches to reconnect with their players who are just glad to get back on the ice. “Obviously everyone has other things going on in their lives. But…
DULUTH, Minn. – UMD Softball is hosting their first summer camp for high school girls looking to improve their game. Although the camp is through UMD, other coaches from the area and across the country are attending to help build strong players. UMD head coach Jen Walter admits that the game is constantly changing and even she has things to…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – The University of Wisconsin-Superior men’s basketball team opened their Fundamental Skills Camp at the Mertz Mortorelli Gym Monday morning. The camp is open to athletes from third grade to 12th grade, which gives these “ballers” a chance to work on important skills at a young age. “We’ve got a real good relationship with the local high school…
ESKO, Minn. – Eskomos pitcher Brody Kaldahl announced on his twitter account that he has committed to the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. The pitcher/shortstop was stellar for Esko in his senior year, earning Class AA All-State honors, along with teammate Tyler Peterson. He was also invited to play in the Minnesota All–Star Series. Kaldahl was the winning…
DULUTH, Minn.- St. Scholastica has announced their annual Prospect Showcase Camp which will be held in August. The camp is intended for 2019–2021 high school graduates providing them with an opportunity to put their talent on display in front of the CSS coaching staff. It’s also a chance to receive instruction from a program that has produced 41 NCAA All-Region and 4…
ST. PAUL, Minn. – This past weekend, the schedule was announced for the 2019 Hockey Day Minnesota. And a team from the Northland has been invited to the party. The Greenway-Nashwauk-Keewatin boys hockey team will take on Bemidji on Saturday January 19th, 2019. The game will be outdoors on Lake Bemidji at 4:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcasted…
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Daryl Illikainen has resigned as head coach of the Hermantown football team. The 52–year–old informed his team Wednesday during the final day of the UMD Team Camp at Malosky Stadium. Illikainen accepted a teaching position in Orono which he says allows him to be closer to his two kids. “As we kept talking about it, our daughter…
SUPERIOR, Wisc. – The third installment of the Twin Ports Development Camp began this week as 40 kids showed up to the Superior Ice Arena. The camp will be going on throughout the entire week and looks to strengthen the skills that most of the kids already have. “A lot of us are professional or college players and we’re still…
DALLAS, Texas – Hermantown native and UMD commit Cole Koepke will be taking his talents to Tampa Bay as the Lightning selected the forward in the sixth round of the NHL Draft. Koepke currently plays in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers, finishing this past season fifth in the league in goals with 28. Koepke was a senior captain…
DULUTH, Minn.- Junior ace pitcher Ben Pedersen and senior catcher Derrick Winn have been named to the 2018 class AA All–State team. This pitcher-catcher duo was the backbone of the Hilltoppers this season leading their team to their first state championship game. Pedersen finished his season with 1.64E.R.A. in his 21 1/3 innings pitched and a batting average of .588, Winn right under him…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- The Duluth Marshall Baseball team made their way down to Target Field to take on Maple Lake for the State Championship title. The Hilltoppers started strong with a 3-1 lead after two innings. But, the Irish would make a come back and defeat the toppers 8-4. Categories: High School, Sports
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The Legion summer baseball season has officially begun. Hermantown hosted Cloquet for the season opener Wednesday. The Skeeters got on the board first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second. But, the Lumberjacks answered back and ended up taking this game 10-8. Categories: High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn. – High school football players from Northern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin gathered at Malosky Stadium to take part in a skills camp. It was a chance for the players to show off to the coaches who are looking to scout some prospective college athletes. “The majority of our recruiting classes come through these camps at one point, whether…
VIRGINIA, Minn. – “I’d be a liar if I said I predicted Matt when he was 8 years old to be a 15–year NHL player,” Keith Hendrickson said. Keith Hendrickson was the head coach of the Virginia–MIB boys hockey team from 1986 to 2011, including the four years where Matt Niskanen donned the blue and white. And he remembers writing…
DULUTH, Minn.- Wade Stadium was the home of multiple section finals games Thursday, including the 7AAA finals between Grand Rapids and Chisago Lakes. The Thunderhawks put up 7 runs in the second inning alone and would continue to dominate. Grand Rapids defeated Chisago Lakes 11-5, claiming their first section title in six years. Categories: High School, Sports
SUPERIOR, Wis.- In 7A play, Carlton and South Ridge faced each other in the semi finals earlier in the week. Thursday, the Bulldogs and Panthers met again in the section finals. South Ridge would need to win two games against Carlton to take home the title. The Panthers took game one, forcing the winner-take-all game Thursday evening. The momentum continued…
DULUTH, Minn. – In the 7AA section finals, Duluth Marshall defeated Esko 4-1 in the early game to set up a winner-take-all at Wade Stadium. And in the second game, the Hilltoppers score as many runs in one game as they did the entire section tourney and they beat the Eskomos 23-1. Duluth Marshall is going back to the state…
CARLTON, Minn. – In the single A state softball tournament, Carlton is back for the second consecutive year. The combination of hot bats and stellar defense is what drove the Bulldogs to a sectional victory. But this time, they also have an experienced squad. “Everyone was pretty nervous and everyone got up to the plate and they were just scared…
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. – In just their third year of existence, the Duluth boys lacrosse team made it to the section 7 finals against Centennial. But the dream season came to an end on Wednesday as the Wolfpack fell to the Cougars 8-6. Duluth finished the season with just two losses on the year. Categories: High School, Sports
DULUTH, Minn. – One more spot was left in the 7AAA baseball section finals. Cloquet and Chisago Lakes went head-to-head at Wade Stadium. The Lumberjacks scored three runs in the first inning. However, the Wildcats would come back as they win it 8-6. Chisago Lakes moves on to face Grand Rapids in the section finals Thursday at Wade Stadium. Categories:…
DULUTH, Minn. – What a night it was for the Duluth boys lacrosse team. The “Cardiac Kids” came back from a 4–0 hole to defeat the Blaine Bengals and punch their ticket to the section finals for the first time in program history. It’s not the first time Duluth was in a nail–biter as they’ve played a couple of close…
