Two teams with identical 1-1 records will battle Friday night as the St. Louis Park Orioles head up to New Hope to take on the Cooper Hawks.
It will be the first meeting between the two schools since last season's Section 5AAAAA semifinals where the Hawks ended the Orioles season with a resounding 35-7 victory.
Last week, St. Louis Park came back from a 17-0 deficit and scored 27 unanswered points to beat the Waconia Wildcats 27-17. Quarterback Aaron Ellingson ran for two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass to Sajid Nathim. Ellingson also payed defense and had 12 tackles. Tobyous Davenport had seven tackles.
As for the Hawks, they came back from a season opening loss to Waconia and ousted the Orono Spartans 35-7. Quarterback Joseph Russell completed 10 of 18 passes for 224 yards and passed for three touchdowns. Sherrod Russell ran 18 times for 94 yards, including a touchdown. Corneilus Wooten caught two touchdown passes for 125 yards.
The key to the Orioles beating the Hawks is for Ellingson to spread the ball around on offense. It doesn't have to be The Aaron Ellingson Show since he has Nathim in the backfield and Davenport, Cole Ewald and McCabe Dvorak. They also need to contribute to the offensive attack. The defense will need to shut down The Brothers Russell, who were key components in the Cooper win over Orono.
The Russells are also the key to the Hawks beating the Orioles. The momentum from the Orono win needs to carry over. As for the Hawks defense, they will need to force turnovers and pursue Ellingson. One player who stood out on defense for Cooper is Kellen Andler, who had five tackles and two sacks against the Spartans.
The weather picture should be better than Thursday. Game time is 7 PM.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
SLP Orioles Batlle Rain to Sweep Cooper Hawks
On a wet Thursday night, the St. Louis Park Oriole soccer teams battled heavy rain and a lightning delay to sweep the Hawks with the boys winning 6-2 and the girls shutting out the Hawks 2-0.
Neither heavy rain or a lightning delay could keep the St. Louis Park boys soccer team from getting two goals apiece from Dan Lainsbury and Nick Riley that led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Cooper Hawks.
The Orioles got on the scoreboard when Bennett Kouame went down the left side of the field and fed Lainsbury but the ball deflected off his left foot and entered the net. Lainsbury helped set up the second St. Louis Park goal :56 later with a centering pass to Riley and he sent it into the goal. Riley would pick up an assist on the third goal on a pass to Lainsbury for his second goal of the game. Unfortunately, the game was stopped with 23:49 left in the first half due to lightning and according to Minnesota State High School League, there would be a minimum delay of 30 minutes. The good news was the game resumed following the delay as Abdirahman Mohamed would help the Hawks avoid a shut out and the Orioles led at halftime 3-1.
St. Louis Park would score two second half goals in a span of 1:01. Riley would score his second goal from the left side and Kouame lined one to the net to put the Orioles ahead 5-1. They would increase the margin to five on a penalty kick goal from Andrew Kneiser. The Hawks would conclude the scoring with 2:13 to play. Following the game, the identity of the Cooper goal scorer was revealed. It was Henry Suah.
Orioles head coach Chato was not present because he was out of town and assistant coaches Pat Hartman and Bob Decker ran the team in his absence.
St. Louis Park remains unbeaten at 8-0 and will have a tough test coming their way on Tuesday, September 17 when they host the unbeaten Blake Bears at 7 PM. The Bears have won their last six games via shutout and have outscored their opponents 38-0. Cooper fell to 1-6 and hosts the South St. Paul Packers on Saturday, September 14 at 5 PM.
Now to the girls game as Lola Ruff and Alma Beaton tallied in the first half to lead the St. Louis Park Orioles to a 2-0 win over the Cooper Hawks.
Ruff would open the scoring for the Orioles with a left side goal and Beaton would score from the center slot to put St. Louis Park ahead by two at halftime.
Neither team would score in the second half though Beaton almost scored her second goal of the game but the ball bounced off the right crossbar.
St. Louis Park improved their record to 4-2-2 and heads to Minneapolis South on Monday, September 19 to take on the Tigers at 6 PM. Cooper dropped to 4-3 and will head down I-694 to Stillwater on Saturday, September 14 to face the St. Croix Prep Lions at 10 AM.
Neither heavy rain or a lightning delay could keep the St. Louis Park boys soccer team from getting two goals apiece from Dan Lainsbury and Nick Riley that led the Orioles to a 6-3 win over the Cooper Hawks.
The Orioles got on the scoreboard when Bennett Kouame went down the left side of the field and fed Lainsbury but the ball deflected off his left foot and entered the net. Lainsbury helped set up the second St. Louis Park goal :56 later with a centering pass to Riley and he sent it into the goal. Riley would pick up an assist on the third goal on a pass to Lainsbury for his second goal of the game. Unfortunately, the game was stopped with 23:49 left in the first half due to lightning and according to Minnesota State High School League, there would be a minimum delay of 30 minutes. The good news was the game resumed following the delay as Abdirahman Mohamed would help the Hawks avoid a shut out and the Orioles led at halftime 3-1.
St. Louis Park would score two second half goals in a span of 1:01. Riley would score his second goal from the left side and Kouame lined one to the net to put the Orioles ahead 5-1. They would increase the margin to five on a penalty kick goal from Andrew Kneiser. The Hawks would conclude the scoring with 2:13 to play. Following the game, the identity of the Cooper goal scorer was revealed. It was Henry Suah.
Orioles head coach Chato was not present because he was out of town and assistant coaches Pat Hartman and Bob Decker ran the team in his absence.
St. Louis Park remains unbeaten at 8-0 and will have a tough test coming their way on Tuesday, September 17 when they host the unbeaten Blake Bears at 7 PM. The Bears have won their last six games via shutout and have outscored their opponents 38-0. Cooper fell to 1-6 and hosts the South St. Paul Packers on Saturday, September 14 at 5 PM.
Now to the girls game as Lola Ruff and Alma Beaton tallied in the first half to lead the St. Louis Park Orioles to a 2-0 win over the Cooper Hawks.
Ruff would open the scoring for the Orioles with a left side goal and Beaton would score from the center slot to put St. Louis Park ahead by two at halftime.
Neither team would score in the second half though Beaton almost scored her second goal of the game but the ball bounced off the right crossbar.
St. Louis Park improved their record to 4-2-2 and heads to Minneapolis South on Monday, September 19 to take on the Tigers at 6 PM. Cooper dropped to 4-3 and will head down I-694 to Stillwater on Saturday, September 14 to face the St. Croix Prep Lions at 10 AM.
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Three Game Shows Debut and a Host Departs
September 8, 1969. A significant day in game show history that's highlighted with the return of a game show classic and the death or its original host.
Go back to the fall of 1968 when Mark Goodson and Bill Todman revived What's My Line in syndication as a five day a week show following the cancellation of the original John Daly version in 1967 along with I've Got a Secret, To Tell the Truth and Password. The What's My Line revival became a syndicated success and saved the company from layoffs following the mass cancellations. It also encouraged Goodson and Todman to revive more of their classic formats.
The first to return was To Tell the Truth. Initially, Goodson was planning to go the route of Password after it was axed by CBS in 1967 and rerun the final daytime season in syndication. When What's My Line became a hit, Goodson decided to bring back To Tell the Truth in the fall of 1969 and abandon the reruns. Bud Collyer, who hosted both the daytime and nighttime To Tell the Truth was offered the hosting job but due to declining health, he turned it down. Instead, the new host would be Garry Moore, who would come out of retirement after a short-lived revival of his variety show was cancelled in 1967 and replaced by the popular but controversial Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour would occupy the host's chair.
Peggy Cass, Kitty Carlisle and Orson Bean would return to their panel spots. The only regular panelist who did not make the transition to the revival was Tom Poston. His spot would be taken by Bill Cullen, who also subbed for Moore as host when he was on vacation. Bean would be a regular the first season and after he no longer became a regular, a guest panelist such as Gene Rayburn would occupy his spot.
On the same day that many stations aired the new To Tell the Truth for the first time, Collyer passed away from a circulatory ailment at the age of 61.
Another show that was originally hosted by Collyer would debut the following week in syndication. Beat the Clock would return with Jack Narz replacing Collyer as host. Two couples would continue to perform stunts against the clock. The major change was the addition of a celebrity guest that would help the couples on a stunt.
Two firsts would occur for the Beat the Clock revival. It was the first Goodson-Todman game show to be produced in Canada since production was moved from New York to Montreal the following season to cut costs and sell to Canadian television. It would also be the first game show to utilize Gene Wood as an announcer. Wood would replace Narz as host in 1972 after he left due to his travel expenses commuting from California to Montreal. It was the stepping stone to a successful career at the mike as he would announce Family Feud and Card Sharks as well as many other game shows.
The third and last Goodson-Todman game to debut was He Said, She Said, the first game show hosted by former major league catcher Joe Garagiola. The show would be sponsored by Holiday Inn and featured four celebrity couples who played for a member of the studio audience. One spouse would be offstage while the other would guess how they would respond to a question. A correct response earned 25 points and an incorrect match deducted 10. The winning couple earned the audience member a week's day at a Holiday Inn.
He Said, She Said would have the shortest run of the three, airing for only one season. But the show would return in 1974 with a new title Tattletales and a new host Bert Convy. The show, airing after CBS' top rated Match Game would run from 1974 to 1978 and returned in 1982 and ran for two more years.
The fall of 1969 would be fruitful for Goodson-Todman as they would now have four shows on the air and three would have long and successful runs. What's My Line would run for another five years, Beat the Clock would also have a five year run and To Tell the Truth air for nine years, with Garagiola replacing Moore for the final season in 1977. The syndicated game show genre that began with Truth or Consequences in 1966 was in full force.
Friday, September 6, 2019
SMB Wolfpack Swarms Past Spectrum Sting
The Spectrum Sting defense was seeing Redd Friday night as sophomore Sanjay Redd scored two touchdowns to highlight a 28 point second quarter that led the SMB Wolfpack to a 51-16 victory at Gordy Aamoth Jr. Stadium on the Blake School campus in Hopkins.
Spectrum, based in Elk River took the early lead on Elias Aberra's 66 yard run down the left side to put the Sting ahead 6-0. Tack on the two point conversion and the lead vaulted to 8-0. But that would be the only bright spot for Spectrum as the Wolfpack would even the score as quarterback Jalen Suggs on fourth down and seven kept the ball, changed directions and entered the end zone. It would be 8-8 at the end of the first quarter.
SMB would put the game away in the second quarter with 28 straight points. Suggs would prove that he is one of Minnesota's top high school athletes by turning two consecutive bad center snaps into outstanding plays. The first turn what would be a double digit yard loss into an 11 yard game and the second, after being pursued by a swarm of white Sting jerseys, he fired a 17 yard pass to Caleb Hoilien to put the Wolfpack ahead 15-8. SMB would get the ball back following a blocked punt recovered by Toby Jacobson at the Sting one yard line. After a illegal procedure penalty sending them back five yards to the six, Redd ran the ball into the end zone.
It wasn't all offense for the combined team from St. Paul Academy, Minnehaha Academy and Blake. Defense would also be a factor as they recovered a fumble at the Spectrum seven yard line and Redd would score his second touchdown with a seven yard run up the middle. As soon as the Sting got the ball back, they lost it again on a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Michael Hall and he scored the touchdown to put the Wolfpack ahead 36-8 at halftime.
First year Wolfpack head coach Chris Goodwin took out Suggs and numerous starters in the second half with the game decided. Elijah Wade would replace Suggs at quarterback and he would capitalize on a fourth down conversion with a 16 yard gain. He would also cross the goal line after escaping a Spectrum tackle and scoring from 15 yards to increase the score to 44-8.
Another reserve would be credited with a touchdown as the game headed into the fourth quarter. James Killilea would score on a four yard touchdown run and the Wolfpack led 51-8. The Sting would end their lengthy scoring drought on Aberra's second touchdown in the final minute of the game, scoring from 38 yards.
The Wolfpack improved their record to 2-0 and will head to West St. Paul on Friday, September 13 to face the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders at 7 PM. The Sting fell to 0-2 and will also be in action on the 13th, hosting the Fridley Tigers in a 4 PM start.
Spectrum, based in Elk River took the early lead on Elias Aberra's 66 yard run down the left side to put the Sting ahead 6-0. Tack on the two point conversion and the lead vaulted to 8-0. But that would be the only bright spot for Spectrum as the Wolfpack would even the score as quarterback Jalen Suggs on fourth down and seven kept the ball, changed directions and entered the end zone. It would be 8-8 at the end of the first quarter.
SMB would put the game away in the second quarter with 28 straight points. Suggs would prove that he is one of Minnesota's top high school athletes by turning two consecutive bad center snaps into outstanding plays. The first turn what would be a double digit yard loss into an 11 yard game and the second, after being pursued by a swarm of white Sting jerseys, he fired a 17 yard pass to Caleb Hoilien to put the Wolfpack ahead 15-8. SMB would get the ball back following a blocked punt recovered by Toby Jacobson at the Sting one yard line. After a illegal procedure penalty sending them back five yards to the six, Redd ran the ball into the end zone.
It wasn't all offense for the combined team from St. Paul Academy, Minnehaha Academy and Blake. Defense would also be a factor as they recovered a fumble at the Spectrum seven yard line and Redd would score his second touchdown with a seven yard run up the middle. As soon as the Sting got the ball back, they lost it again on a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Michael Hall and he scored the touchdown to put the Wolfpack ahead 36-8 at halftime.
First year Wolfpack head coach Chris Goodwin took out Suggs and numerous starters in the second half with the game decided. Elijah Wade would replace Suggs at quarterback and he would capitalize on a fourth down conversion with a 16 yard gain. He would also cross the goal line after escaping a Spectrum tackle and scoring from 15 yards to increase the score to 44-8.
Another reserve would be credited with a touchdown as the game headed into the fourth quarter. James Killilea would score on a four yard touchdown run and the Wolfpack led 51-8. The Sting would end their lengthy scoring drought on Aberra's second touchdown in the final minute of the game, scoring from 38 yards.
The Wolfpack improved their record to 2-0 and will head to West St. Paul on Friday, September 13 to face the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders at 7 PM. The Sting fell to 0-2 and will also be in action on the 13th, hosting the Fridley Tigers in a 4 PM start.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
SLP Orioles-Waconia Wildcats Football Preview
The St. Louis Park Oriole football team heads down Highway 5 Friday night for their first road game of the season and second straight against a Carver County opponent as they battle the Waconia Wildcats.
The Orioles opened their 2019 last Thursday night against a team who played in last year's Class AAAAA state tournament the Chaska Hawks and got shut out 23-0. New Hawks quarterback Grif Wurtz reached the end zone three times on keeper touchdowns.
As for the Orioles, they had scoring opportunities throughout the game. In the first quarter, Aaron Ellingson, also the quarterback, intercepted a Wurtz pass but St. Louis Park lost the ball on downs. Turnovers would also plague the Orioles and McCabe Dvorak almost put St. Louis Park on the scoreboard but his touchdown was called back due to a pass interference penalty.
Waconia began the regular season last week, heading to New Hope to face the Cooper Hawks and got two second quarter touchdowns from Tim Stapleton and a strong defense that led them to a 14-12 win. Cooper cut the lead to two points :55 into the fourth quarter on Joseph Russell's touchdown pass to David Conners. The Hawks would go for the two point conversion but the pass was incomplete. The Wildcat defense held Joseph Russell to -23 rushing while his brother Sherrod carried 13 times for 54 yards. Waconia was led by Stapleton's 19 carries for 98 yards.
The key to the Orioles beating Waconia is find opportunities to get the ball over the goal line. Ellingson has to find the open receivers and Sajid Nathim has to establish the ground game like he did last season. The defense has to shut down Stapleton and the Wildcats rushing attack as well as force turnovers.
Waconia will have to use their strong defense anchored by Erix Groneveld and Jack Fritz and the backfield will need another solid game from Stapleton.
No threat of rain is in Friday night's weather picture. Game time is 7 PM.
The Orioles opened their 2019 last Thursday night against a team who played in last year's Class AAAAA state tournament the Chaska Hawks and got shut out 23-0. New Hawks quarterback Grif Wurtz reached the end zone three times on keeper touchdowns.
As for the Orioles, they had scoring opportunities throughout the game. In the first quarter, Aaron Ellingson, also the quarterback, intercepted a Wurtz pass but St. Louis Park lost the ball on downs. Turnovers would also plague the Orioles and McCabe Dvorak almost put St. Louis Park on the scoreboard but his touchdown was called back due to a pass interference penalty.
Waconia began the regular season last week, heading to New Hope to face the Cooper Hawks and got two second quarter touchdowns from Tim Stapleton and a strong defense that led them to a 14-12 win. Cooper cut the lead to two points :55 into the fourth quarter on Joseph Russell's touchdown pass to David Conners. The Hawks would go for the two point conversion but the pass was incomplete. The Wildcat defense held Joseph Russell to -23 rushing while his brother Sherrod carried 13 times for 54 yards. Waconia was led by Stapleton's 19 carries for 98 yards.
The key to the Orioles beating Waconia is find opportunities to get the ball over the goal line. Ellingson has to find the open receivers and Sajid Nathim has to establish the ground game like he did last season. The defense has to shut down Stapleton and the Wildcats rushing attack as well as force turnovers.
Waconia will have to use their strong defense anchored by Erix Groneveld and Jack Fritz and the backfield will need another solid game from Stapleton.
No threat of rain is in Friday night's weather picture. Game time is 7 PM.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Chaska Hawks Shut Out SLP Orioles
New Chaska quarterback Grif Wurtz was at his best to open the 2019 football season with three keeper touchdowns to lead the Hawks to a 23-0 shutout of the host St. Louis Park Orioles Thursday night.
Last season. Wurtz was a safety for the Hawks state tournament team that lost to eventual state champion Owatonna in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
There would be some life for the Orioles in the first quarter after Aaron Ellingson intercepted a pass on third down and six yards to go. But they couldn't put the ball in the end zone. Chaska would score the only first quarter touchdown following two runs from Nic Snuggerud totaling 38 yards and ended on Wurtz's three yard keeper run with 1:04 left in the quarter.
Neither team would tally in the second quarter though St. Louis Park almost tied the game on a touchdown pass from Ellingson to McCabe Dvorak. But it was called back due to a defensive pass interference penalty and the score remain 7-0 at the half.
Wurtz would also play a role in the Hawks lone third quarter touchdown as he would move the chains on fourth and two. They would get closer to the goal line since the Orioles were called for unsportsmanlike conduct so the ball would be spotted at the St. Louis Park three yard line. Once again, Wurtz would score on a three yard keeper to increase the score to 14-0.
Another trip to the end zone came for Wurtz in the fourth quarter, scoring on a four yard keeper touchdown and bolstered their lead to 20. The Hawks would add a 29 yard field goal from Snuggerud with 4:29 to go and that would be the end of the scoring.
Chaska opened their season with a 1-0 record and will host their district rival the Chanhassen Storm on Friday, September 6 at 7 PM. St. Louis Park fell to 0-1 and will also be in action on the 6th as they head down Highway 5 to Waconia to face the Wildcats in a 7 PM start.
Last season. Wurtz was a safety for the Hawks state tournament team that lost to eventual state champion Owatonna in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
There would be some life for the Orioles in the first quarter after Aaron Ellingson intercepted a pass on third down and six yards to go. But they couldn't put the ball in the end zone. Chaska would score the only first quarter touchdown following two runs from Nic Snuggerud totaling 38 yards and ended on Wurtz's three yard keeper run with 1:04 left in the quarter.
Neither team would tally in the second quarter though St. Louis Park almost tied the game on a touchdown pass from Ellingson to McCabe Dvorak. But it was called back due to a defensive pass interference penalty and the score remain 7-0 at the half.
Wurtz would also play a role in the Hawks lone third quarter touchdown as he would move the chains on fourth and two. They would get closer to the goal line since the Orioles were called for unsportsmanlike conduct so the ball would be spotted at the St. Louis Park three yard line. Once again, Wurtz would score on a three yard keeper to increase the score to 14-0.
Another trip to the end zone came for Wurtz in the fourth quarter, scoring on a four yard keeper touchdown and bolstered their lead to 20. The Hawks would add a 29 yard field goal from Snuggerud with 4:29 to go and that would be the end of the scoring.
Chaska opened their season with a 1-0 record and will host their district rival the Chanhassen Storm on Friday, September 6 at 7 PM. St. Louis Park fell to 0-1 and will also be in action on the 6th as they head down Highway 5 to Waconia to face the Wildcats in a 7 PM start.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Chaska Hawks-SLP Orioles Football Preview
Thursday night is a big night for football in Minnesota. The Vikings conclude the preseason in Buffalo against the Bills, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at TCF Bank Stadium and numerous high school teams, including the St. Louis Park Orioles open the 2019 season. Here's a preview of the Orioles season opener as they host the Chaska Hawks.
Last season the Orioles began the post Johnny Sorenson era with a 5-5 record that include three straight late season wins. Aaron Ellingson, who replaced Sorenson at quarterback will run the offense. Joining him in the backfield will be returning running back Sajid Nathim. Cole Ewald returns as one of the Oriole receivers. The big question for St. Louis Park this season will be do they have enough depth? The numbers aren't the size of Eden Prairie or Wayzata but can be successful with the roster they have?
As for the Hawks, they have been to the state Class AAAAA tournament the last two years, losing in the quarterfinals in 2017 to Carver County rival Waconia and last year to eventual state champion Owatonna in the quarterfinals.
Chaska has experience returning in the backfield with Matthew Kuntz, Marcus Holasek and Stevenson Klotz lining up behind new quarterback Grif Wurtz, who played safety last season. Holasek and Klotz are also key components of the Hawks defense.
The key to the Orioles beating the Hawks is to give Nathim opportunities to break through the Chaska defense and for the St. Louis Park defense to slow down the Chaska ground game.
The weather picture for Thursday should be outstanding. Get outside and take in some high school football. Game time is 7 PM.
Last season the Orioles began the post Johnny Sorenson era with a 5-5 record that include three straight late season wins. Aaron Ellingson, who replaced Sorenson at quarterback will run the offense. Joining him in the backfield will be returning running back Sajid Nathim. Cole Ewald returns as one of the Oriole receivers. The big question for St. Louis Park this season will be do they have enough depth? The numbers aren't the size of Eden Prairie or Wayzata but can be successful with the roster they have?
As for the Hawks, they have been to the state Class AAAAA tournament the last two years, losing in the quarterfinals in 2017 to Carver County rival Waconia and last year to eventual state champion Owatonna in the quarterfinals.
Chaska has experience returning in the backfield with Matthew Kuntz, Marcus Holasek and Stevenson Klotz lining up behind new quarterback Grif Wurtz, who played safety last season. Holasek and Klotz are also key components of the Hawks defense.
The key to the Orioles beating the Hawks is to give Nathim opportunities to break through the Chaska defense and for the St. Louis Park defense to slow down the Chaska ground game.
The weather picture for Thursday should be outstanding. Get outside and take in some high school football. Game time is 7 PM.
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