The 2018-19 high school sports season wrapped up with state championships in baseball and clay targets but there were some memorable moments that would stand out in an outstanding season. Here are HSGN's Top 10 memorable moments.
Blogger's Note: The list is based on games covered, games announced and overall newsworthy items that would qualify.
1. St. Louis Park freshman pitcher Kristofer Hokenson made his varsity debut on May 1 and pitched a five inning, complete game no-hitter against the Cooper Hawks.
2. Hopkins Royals fans were in full force at both Williams Arena and Target Center as both the girls and boys basketball teams won the state Class AAAA championship in a one week span.
3. It was a big year for Minnehaha Academy, especially for Jalen Suggs. In the fall, he quarterbacked the SMB Wolfpack to the state Class AAAA football title and in the winter led the Redhawks boys basketball team to the Class AA championship. Next season, they will move up to Class AAA and their chances of winning a state championship will get even tougher. Another trophy was brought back to the south Minneapolis campus in June when the baseball team beat Duluth Marshall for the state Class AA baseball title.
But it wasn't just boys sports that got all the glory at Minnehaha Academy. The girls basketball team, led by Taytum Rhoades beat the Caledonia Warriors to win their first Class AA championship since 2010.
4. The Edina Hornets girls hockey team won their third consecutive Class AA championship on Olivia Swaim's goal in double overtime to beat the Brainerd Warriors. Two weeks later, green and gold clad fans populated the Xcel Energy Center's green seats to witness the boys hockey team's overtime victory in the Class AA championship over Lake Conference rival Eden Prairie.
5. A state boys hockey title came to The Granite City when the St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders beat the Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin Raiders 5-2 to become the first St. Cloud based team to win a state title in the event's 75 year history.
6. Led by running back Jason Williamson, the Owatonna Huskies beat the St. Thomas Academy Cadets to win their second straight Class AAAAA football title. Williamson will play next season at Minnesota.
7. The Henning Hornets returned to the state boys basketball tournament for the first time since 1966 and took home their first Class A title with a 67-42 win over the North Woods Grizzlies.
8. It was Little League Day at Derrick Keller Field and the St. Louis Park Orioles hosted perennial Section 6AAAA power the Wayzata Trojans and got a walkoff single from Jack Wandmacher in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the young fans home happy.
9. It's been a bold year for the BOLD Warriors. The Olivia based school beat Mahnomen/Waubun to win the state Class A football title and many members of the team also excelled on the baseball diamond when they beat the New York Mills Eagles in the Class A title game.
10. Finally, HSGN was in the press box the night when the Farmington Tigers faced the Eagan Wildcats in the first high school football game played at TCO Stadium at the site of the Vikings training camp. Since Eagan was the home team, veteran state tournament public address announcer Dave Giles, who is the voice of Eagan sports in the regular season was at the mike for this monumental game.
A monumental season ends and fall sports practice begins August 12.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Stillwater Ponies Take Third Place in Class AAAA Baseball
The Class AAAA third place game between the Rogers Royals and the Stillwater Ponies was like watching a play in two acts.
In Act I, Stillwater pitcher Ben Borrman held the Royals hitless through six innings, allowing only one base runner, a walk to Carter Van Engen and in Act II, the Royals came back from a three run deficit in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game and the Ponies won in the bottom of the inning on a walkoff, bases loaded squeeze bunt from Nicholas Seeman that led them to a 4-3 win Saturday night at CHS Field in St. Paul.
Both teams were scoreless through the first three innings as Borrman would go on a run of eight straight strikes that would include striking out the side in the fourth and fifth innings. The senior pitcher did get support from the Ponies offense. In the bottom of the fourth, Jay Haws hit an RBI single that scored Tuanson Dufrense-To and Haws would cross the plate on a double from Noah Potter.
Stillwater would go up by three in the bottom of the fifth on Will Frisch's home run that landed in the left field bullpen.
But Rogers, who entered the state tournament with a sub .500 record of 11-13 would battle back with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Borrman's no hitter would come to an end on Easton Miller's one out triple and he would score on Reed Olson's RBI single. They would tie the game on Nick Smegal's two RBI double that scored Olson and Christian Meyer.
The Ponies were up in the bottom of the seventh and Drew Gilbert led off with a double and stole third base, Frisch's one out walk and Dufrense-To being hit by a pitch loaded the bases for Seeman. He laid down a perfect squeeze bunt in front of Van Engen and Gilbert would head home to bring the Ponies the bronze medals and third place trophy.
Borrman pitched a complete game and finished with 14 strikeouts.
Stillwater concluded their season with a record of 24-3 and Rogers ended their year 13-14.
In Act I, Stillwater pitcher Ben Borrman held the Royals hitless through six innings, allowing only one base runner, a walk to Carter Van Engen and in Act II, the Royals came back from a three run deficit in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game and the Ponies won in the bottom of the inning on a walkoff, bases loaded squeeze bunt from Nicholas Seeman that led them to a 4-3 win Saturday night at CHS Field in St. Paul.
Both teams were scoreless through the first three innings as Borrman would go on a run of eight straight strikes that would include striking out the side in the fourth and fifth innings. The senior pitcher did get support from the Ponies offense. In the bottom of the fourth, Jay Haws hit an RBI single that scored Tuanson Dufrense-To and Haws would cross the plate on a double from Noah Potter.
Stillwater would go up by three in the bottom of the fifth on Will Frisch's home run that landed in the left field bullpen.
But Rogers, who entered the state tournament with a sub .500 record of 11-13 would battle back with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Borrman's no hitter would come to an end on Easton Miller's one out triple and he would score on Reed Olson's RBI single. They would tie the game on Nick Smegal's two RBI double that scored Olson and Christian Meyer.
The Ponies were up in the bottom of the seventh and Drew Gilbert led off with a double and stole third base, Frisch's one out walk and Dufrense-To being hit by a pitch loaded the bases for Seeman. He laid down a perfect squeeze bunt in front of Van Engen and Gilbert would head home to bring the Ponies the bronze medals and third place trophy.
Borrman pitched a complete game and finished with 14 strikeouts.
Stillwater concluded their season with a record of 24-3 and Rogers ended their year 13-14.
Saturday, June 15, 2019
East Ridge Raptors and New Prague Trojans Head for Class AAAA Fianls
If there's anything certain about Saturday's Class AAAA semifinal games at CHS Field in St. Paul, there will be a new state champion as the East Ridge Raptors scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning on errors to dethrone the defending champion Stillwater Ponies 6-5. They will face the New Prague Trojans who got four hits and two runs from Joe Weiers as they fought off a robust Rogers Royals comeback with five runs in the top seventh inning to advance to t heir first state championship game with a 12-7 victory.
EAST RIDGE 6, STILLWATER AREA 5 (8 INNINGS)
For the third time this season, the East Ridge Raptors and the Stillwater Ponies squared off, this time for a berth in the Class AAAA finals and it was the Woodbury based Raptors that clinched their first state title game berth as they scored two unearned runs to end Stillwater's championship reign 6-5.
The Raptors scored two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Roman Newitzki that scored Max Moris and Cam Hunter came home on a wild pitch by Will Frisch. Frisch, who will be playing for Oregon State next season, though drafted by the Twins, would settle down in striking out five consecutive batters.
The Ponies were not locked in their stable for long as they took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mitch Novak's squeeze bunt just outside the batter's box scored pinch runner Noah Potter, followed by Gavin Zurn's RBI single that scored Peter King, followed by a ground out to second base by Jonathan Koehn that scored Novak.
East Ridge would tie the game at three in the top of the fifth as Ben North's RBI single scored Carter Seidl. The Raptors would go up 4-3 in the top of the sixth on Frisch's throwing error that scored Newinski. Stillwater sent the game into extra innings on Kade Peloquin's RBI single that scored Nicholas Seeman. On to the eighth.
The Raptors would score twice in the top of the eighth. North would cross the plate on an error Stillwater catcjer Logan Jordan and Joe Trollen would increase the lead, scoring on a throwing error by relief pitcher Matt Moore. The Ponies would score one run in the bottom of the eight as Koehn reached base on an error by third baseman Seidl but it wasn't enough to overtake East Ridge.
Frisch, in six innings would strike out 11 batters.
NEW PRAGUE 12, ROGERS 7
The cinderella story of the Rogers Royals, who came to St. Paul with an 11-13 record came to an end as New Prague, playing in their first state tournament since 1980 pulled away with five runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the Royals 12-7.
Cade Pavek put the Trojans ahead in the top of the first on an RBI single that scored Drew Picka. The Royals took the lead with two in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles from Reed Olson and Carter VanEngel.
New Prague regained the lead in the top of the second as Austin Shingeldecker's throwing error scored Jake Deutsch and Weiers. They would add three runs in the top of the fifth, two coming on Pavek's double.
But Rogers would come close in the bottom of the sixth with five runs as Chase LaMotte doubled in two runs and a single from Jonah Mauerer accounted for another two to cut the lead to 8-7. Could there be another miracle for the growing northwest suburb?
The answer would be no as New Prague would add four runs to their ledge as Weiers got his fourth hit of the game with an RBI single, Spencer Kajer's single added two more and Collin Dorinski shut the door for the Royals with an RBI single.
The Trojans improved their record to 18-8 and the Raptors 20-6. They will play for the Class AAAA on Thursday, June 20 at 7 PM at Target Field. The Ponies fell to 23-3 and the Royals dropped to 12-14. They would meet in the third place game to wrap up the day's festivities.
EAST RIDGE 6, STILLWATER AREA 5 (8 INNINGS)
For the third time this season, the East Ridge Raptors and the Stillwater Ponies squared off, this time for a berth in the Class AAAA finals and it was the Woodbury based Raptors that clinched their first state title game berth as they scored two unearned runs to end Stillwater's championship reign 6-5.
The Raptors scored two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Roman Newitzki that scored Max Moris and Cam Hunter came home on a wild pitch by Will Frisch. Frisch, who will be playing for Oregon State next season, though drafted by the Twins, would settle down in striking out five consecutive batters.
The Ponies were not locked in their stable for long as they took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mitch Novak's squeeze bunt just outside the batter's box scored pinch runner Noah Potter, followed by Gavin Zurn's RBI single that scored Peter King, followed by a ground out to second base by Jonathan Koehn that scored Novak.
East Ridge would tie the game at three in the top of the fifth as Ben North's RBI single scored Carter Seidl. The Raptors would go up 4-3 in the top of the sixth on Frisch's throwing error that scored Newinski. Stillwater sent the game into extra innings on Kade Peloquin's RBI single that scored Nicholas Seeman. On to the eighth.
The Raptors would score twice in the top of the eighth. North would cross the plate on an error Stillwater catcjer Logan Jordan and Joe Trollen would increase the lead, scoring on a throwing error by relief pitcher Matt Moore. The Ponies would score one run in the bottom of the eight as Koehn reached base on an error by third baseman Seidl but it wasn't enough to overtake East Ridge.
Frisch, in six innings would strike out 11 batters.
NEW PRAGUE 12, ROGERS 7
The cinderella story of the Rogers Royals, who came to St. Paul with an 11-13 record came to an end as New Prague, playing in their first state tournament since 1980 pulled away with five runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the Royals 12-7.
Cade Pavek put the Trojans ahead in the top of the first on an RBI single that scored Drew Picka. The Royals took the lead with two in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles from Reed Olson and Carter VanEngel.
New Prague regained the lead in the top of the second as Austin Shingeldecker's throwing error scored Jake Deutsch and Weiers. They would add three runs in the top of the fifth, two coming on Pavek's double.
But Rogers would come close in the bottom of the sixth with five runs as Chase LaMotte doubled in two runs and a single from Jonah Mauerer accounted for another two to cut the lead to 8-7. Could there be another miracle for the growing northwest suburb?
The answer would be no as New Prague would add four runs to their ledge as Weiers got his fourth hit of the game with an RBI single, Spencer Kajer's single added two more and Collin Dorinski shut the door for the Royals with an RBI single.
The Trojans improved their record to 18-8 and the Raptors 20-6. They will play for the Class AAAA on Thursday, June 20 at 7 PM at Target Field. The Ponies fell to 23-3 and the Royals dropped to 12-14. They would meet in the third place game to wrap up the day's festivities.
Saturday, June 8, 2019
In Memory of Robert Earle
He was known as "The Man With the Questions." From 1962 to 1970 Robert Earle asked very bright students tough questions on the hit network quiz show GE College Bowl, taking over for original host Allen Ludden.
On June 5, Earle passed away at the age of 93.
When Ludden left College Bowl to focus on the classic word game Password, the producers needed a new host. Earle, who worked for GE after serving as a professor of radio and TV at Ithaca College in New York pursued the opportunity in an unusual audition. He taped an episode with Ludden asking the questions and set up a lecturn in the Ithaca College TV studio so he could insert himself into the tape. After he finished the show, he sent the audition tape to producers Don Reid, John Moses and Jack Cleary. They liked what they saw. Earle became the new host of College Bowl in the fall of 1962.
Earle would turn out to be the perfect moderator for the show. His warm manner and some resemblance to Ludden was a plus.
Also, Earle had a background in broadcasting. He started out in radio in Syracuse, NY and became the news anchor at WKTV in Utica. One young broadcaster who was influenced by Earle, who would tape the news before going on the air was Dick Clark. Clark would go on to greater fame as the host of American Bandstand and various Pyramid incarnations from 1973-1988.
Unfortunately, Earle would not host another game show after the GE College Bowl left the air in 1970. He did host a pilot for a game show titled King of the Hill but like many pilots, it was not picked up. He would also do the voiceovers for many commercials, including Lincoln-Mercury.
But Earle will be remembered by many game show fans as "The Man With the Questions." May he rest in peace.
On June 5, Earle passed away at the age of 93.
When Ludden left College Bowl to focus on the classic word game Password, the producers needed a new host. Earle, who worked for GE after serving as a professor of radio and TV at Ithaca College in New York pursued the opportunity in an unusual audition. He taped an episode with Ludden asking the questions and set up a lecturn in the Ithaca College TV studio so he could insert himself into the tape. After he finished the show, he sent the audition tape to producers Don Reid, John Moses and Jack Cleary. They liked what they saw. Earle became the new host of College Bowl in the fall of 1962.
Earle would turn out to be the perfect moderator for the show. His warm manner and some resemblance to Ludden was a plus.
Also, Earle had a background in broadcasting. He started out in radio in Syracuse, NY and became the news anchor at WKTV in Utica. One young broadcaster who was influenced by Earle, who would tape the news before going on the air was Dick Clark. Clark would go on to greater fame as the host of American Bandstand and various Pyramid incarnations from 1973-1988.
Unfortunately, Earle would not host another game show after the GE College Bowl left the air in 1970. He did host a pilot for a game show titled King of the Hill but like many pilots, it was not picked up. He would also do the voiceovers for many commercials, including Lincoln-Mercury.
But Earle will be remembered by many game show fans as "The Man With the Questions." May he rest in peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)