SPORTS FEEVER by Chris Fee of KROX Radio – chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Welcome to another edition of the Sports Feever column. I have been told that last weeks column never posted. I apologize for that. I have been working the morning shift for the past month and a half and working late so my brain is fried and I have no idea what happened. I guess working 90 hours a week for six weeks is too much??? Who knew? Anyway, it is an exciting time of year with more section champions being crowned, including a bunch of tracksters, softball and Section 8A golfers!
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I want to give a huge shout out and kudos to Chuck Everett and the Region 6A committee on the brackets they post and update! For those that don’t know, the Minnesota State High School League’s newer website and the brackets they provide suck in a new way that I didn’t know could suck! In all seriousness, they are terrible and not easily readable and are impossible to print off.
Region 6A provides a good old fashion one sheet bracket that they have used for years and it is simple, easy, and makes life for people like me much easier! So hats off to Region 6A and Chuck Everett! It is greatly appreciated and even though I have been hard on the region in the past, this is one thing that they have done a great job and it is greatly appreciated by me!
Also kudos on moving the Section 8AA semi-final game between the
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The 15th Annual Pirate/Blue Wave Boys Hockey Alumni Golf Outing is scheduled for June 7, 2025. We will be bringing hockey back this year on Friday, June 6th!! Hockey will be played at the ICON in Grand Forks from 6:30-8:30pm. Transportation will be provided courtesy of Rumors Sports Bar & Casino and Billy Tyrrell with a bus leaving the Crookston Sports Center at 5:30. The cost for hockey and bus ride is $40 per person.
On Saturday, June 7th, They will be hosting an 18-hole golf scramble with registration at 10 AM and shotgun start at 11 AM with lunch provided at Minakwa Golf Course. Registration for golf is limited to the first 20 – 5 person teams so please sign up early. The cost for golf is $85/person or $25/person if you graduated from Crookston High School or Sacred Heart High School from 2021-2025, which includes pizza at I.C. Muggs.
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The Section 8A Boys and Girls Track meet will be held at Baudette (Lake of the Woods High School track) on Friday, May 30.
Field events start at 10:00 a.m. and the running begins at 12:30 p.m.
I have a list of the top 2 times/jumps/throws/vaults and any Crookston kids in each event below. The top two in each event advance to state. The top two have the best results in the sub-section meets and that it is all it means. The results on Friday are technically the only results that matter.
Girls High Jump –
1. Annika Aakre (Park Christian) 5-06
2. Allison LaVine (Clearbrook-Gonvick) 5-02
Boys High Jump
1. Ethan Buckholtz (Nevis) 6-5
2. Jake Borowicz (Roseau) 6-2
3. Bridger Carlson (Park Christian) 6-2
4. Isaac Jacobson (Park Christian) 6-2
Girls Pole Vault
1. Addison Lauwagie (Park Rapids) 11-2
2. Markelle Pederson (West Marshall) 10-02
7. Chloe Boll (Crookston) 8-02
16. Nora Groven (Crookston) 7-08
17. Morgan Boll (Crookston) 7-02
Boys Pole Vault
1. Hayden Rettke (WHA) 12-08
2. Jarrett Galzki (Park Rapids) – 11-02
9. Makoti Weber (Crookston) 9-08
Girls Long Jump
1. Ava Phrakonkham (Bagley/Fosston) 17-07
2. Ellie Sosa (DGF) 17-06.25
Boys Long Jump
1. Caden Pagnac (West Marshall) 21-03.5
2. Isaiah Wright (Fertile-Beltrami) 20-08.75
Girls Triple Jump
1. Ellie Sosa (DGF) 38-01.75
2. Natalie Aakre (Park Christian) 34-09.75
7. Grace Boll (Crookston) 31-04.75
Boys Triple Jump
1. Gavin McArthur (Mahnomen/Waubun) 43-07.75
2. Vincent Perucho (WHA) 41-07.25
Girls Discus
1. Allison LaVine (Clearbrook-Gonvick) 132-05
2. Aria Garrett (DGF) 114-05
Boys Discus
1. Mason Larson (ABW) 152-05
2. Jake Borowicz (Roseau) 139-06
Girls Shot Put
1. Aria Garrett (DGF) 38-00
2. Atarah Tofibam (Park Christian) 37-04
Boys Shot Put
1. Jake Borowicz (Roseau) 53-00.5
2. Jonah Harstad (Fertile-Beltrami) 48-01
Girls 4×800 Relay
1. United Clay-Becker (L. Olson, K. Johnson, C. Johnson, K. Vetter)
2. Park Rapids (N. Bolton, G. Etter, K. Henderson, M. Brandt)
Boys 4×800 Relay
1. Park Rapids (K. Gartner, E. Bervig, L. Strasburg, T. Lopez) 8:20.11
2. United Clay-Becker (L Nathe, D. Knecht, B. Johnson, B. Larson) 8:40.39
Girls 100 hurdles
1. Natalie Aakre (Park Christian) 17.19
2. Kaylee Pieper (LOW) 17.35
Boys 110 hurdles
1. Kade Swenson (DGF) 15.30
2. Hayden Hauf (DGF) 15.34
Girls 100 meters
1. Ava Ava Phrakonkham (Bagley/Fosston) 12.18
2. Lydia Hanson (BGMR/Freeze) 12.75
4. Ashlyn Bailey (Crookston) 12.77
Boys 100 meters
1. Leif Shervey (United Clay-Becker) 10.91
2. Grady Hockstedler (BGMR/Freeze) 11.29
Girls 4×200 Relay
1. West Marshall (K. Marquis, N. Davey, A, Adolphson. M. Pederson) 1:46.54
2. Park Rapids (A. Schueller, C. Grewe, O. Miller, A. Lauwagie) 1:47.01
Boys 4×200 Relay
1. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (H. Rettke, V. Perucho, K. Fraizer, J. Henning) 1:33.04
2. Park Rapids (J. Walen, C. Schiller, T. Hartung, P. Hunter) 1:34.78
7. Crookston (E. Pruneda, G. Reitmeier, M. Lessard, A. Gosse) 1:39.66
Girls 1600 Meters
1. Ella Arntson (Climax-Shelly-Sacred Heart) 5:31.43
2. Lily Olson (United Clay-Becker) 5:36. 36
Boys 1600 Meters
1. Owen Winter (DGF) 4:40.30
2. Grant Martin (Climax-Fisher-Sacred Heart) 4:42.76
Girls 4×100 Relay
1. Bagley/Fosston (C. Klinkhammer, H. Quam, C. Olson, A. Phrakonkham) 50.40
2. West Marshall (K. Marquis, N. Davey, A. Adolphson, M. Pederson) 51.61
Boys 4×100 Relay
1. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (H. Rettke, V. Perucho, E. Whitaker, K. Frazier) 45.06
2. Park Rapids (J. Walen, J. Galzki, T. Hartung, C. Schiller) 45.08
Girls 400 meters
1. Annika Aakre (Park Christian) 1:01.19
2. Addison Lauwagie (Park Rapids) 1:01.48
Boys 400 meters
1. Evan Schenk (United Clay-Becker) 52.94)
2. Gavin Giese (Park Christian) 53.61
Girls 300 Hurdles
1. Grace Officer (Park Rapids) 47.31
2. Annika Adolphson (West Marshall) 48.93
Boys 300 Hurdles
1. Kade Swenson (DGF) 41.44
2. Corbin Schiller (Park Rapids) 42.93
Girls 800 meters
1. Jayla Abrahamson (Climax-Fisher-Sacred Heart) 2:24.47
2. Hannah Fonder (Bagley/Fosston) 2:25.21
Boys 800 meters
1. Kaden Gartner (Park Rapids) 2:03.93
2. Colton Connell (Northome/Kelliher/Blackduck) 2:04.19
Girls 200 meters
1. Ava Phrakonkham (Bagley/Fosston) 24.78
2. Olivia Miller (Park Rapids) 25.87
4. Ashlyn Bailey (Crookston) 26.66
Boys 200 meters
1. Leif Shervey (United Clay-Becker) 22.38
2. Vincent Perucho (WHA) 23.19
13. Aaron Gosse (Crookston) 24.22
Girls 3200 meters
1. Emelia Arntson (Climax-Fisher-Sacred Heart) 11:51.69
2. Linnea Harren (Warroad) 11:57.78
Boys 3200 meters
1. Ephraim Bervig (Park Rapids) 9:58.77
2. Owen Winter (DGF) 10:12.01
Girls 4×400 Relay
1. Park Rapids (G. Officer, O. Miller, M. Brandt, A. Lauwagie) 4:06.76
2. Fertile-Beltrami (J. Rasch, G. Proulx, S. Grunhovd, K. Hitchen) 4:14.08
Boys 4×400 Relay
1. Park Christian (O. Bye, I. Raisl, N. Peterson, G. Giese) 3:35.72
2. United Clay-Becker (E. Schenck, J. Hoekstra, L. Nathe, B. Larson) 3:37.71
Section 8A Track & Field Meet Schedule of Events
Field Events – 10:00 am
*Boys Shot Put – Girls to follow- to the nearest lesser ¼ inch
*Girls Discus – Boys to follow-to the nearest lesser inch
Girls Pole Vault – Boys to follow- to the nearest lesser ¼ inch
Boys High Jump (North pit) – Girls High Jump (South pit)- to the nearest lesser ¼ inch
*Boys Long Jump (south runway) – Girls Long Jump (north runway) to the nearest lesser ¼ inch
*Boys & Girls Triple Jump- Follow Long Jump- to the nearest lesser ¼ inch
*3 preliminary attempts. The top 9 advance to finals and receive 3 additional attempts.
Finals will be held immediately after the completion of prelims.
Finals
11:50 am – Anthem
12:00pm – 4 x 800 Meter Relay Girls
12:15 – 4 x 800 Meter Relay Boys
12:30 – 100 Meter Hurdles Girls
12:35 – 110 Meter Hurdles Boys
12:45 100 Meter Girls then 100 Meter Boys
1:00 4 x 200 Meter Relay Girls then 4 x 200 Meter Relay Boys
1:15 1600 Meter Girls then 1600 Meter Boys
1:35 4 x 100 Meter Relay Girls then 4 x 100 Meter Relay Boys
1:50 400 Meter Girls then 400 Meter Boys
2:05 Break to set hurdles and catch up on award presentations
2:20 300 Meter Low Hurdles Girls then 300 Meter Intermediate Hurdles Boys
2:35 800 Meter Girls then 800 Meter Boys
2:55 200 Meter Girls then 200 Meter Boys
3:10 3200 Meter Girls then 3200 Meter Boys
3:45 4 x 400 Meter Relay Girls then 4 x 400 Meter Relay Boys
4:00 Presentation of Trophies
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The Section 8AA Softball tournament finals will be played in Crookston after the North teams dominated. Roseau is the lone undefeated team and they await the winner of East Grand Forks and Hawley. The schedule is below –
In Crookston at Donnie Lauf field –
Noon – EGF vs Hawley (loser out)
2:00 PM – EGF/Hawley winner vs Roseau (If EGF/Hawley winner wins the game then a true championship would be played on Friday)
The Section 8A Softball Championship is Thursday at Fosston
The BGMR Gators are the undefeated team and the extremely heavy favorite to win the championship. They came in as the third seed, but there is no doubt they are the best team in the section and one of the tops in the state. There isn’t a team hitting the ball better than they are right now. The schedule is below.
4:00 PM – BGMR vs East Polk (If East Polk wins, they would play again at 6:00 PM)
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The Section 8A Baseball tournament continues Thursday at Red Lake Falls and Bemidji State.
Sacred Heart and Red Lake County are still the heavy favorites to be in the championship game next week, but the beauty of sports is being the favorites and winning aren’t a guarantee! There should be some great games coming up.
At Red Lake Falls on Thursday –
10:00 AM – Sacred Heart vs West Marshall (on KROX Radio)
12:30 PM – Red Lake County vs Fertile-Beltrami (On KROX Radio)
3:00 PM – Winners of the first two games (on KROX Radio)
5:30 PM – losers of the first two games (on KROX Radio)
At Bemidji State on Thursday-
10:00 AM – Win-E-Mac vs Mahnomen/Waubun
12:30 PM – Blackduck vs Fosston
3:00 PM – Winners play
5:30 PM – Losers play
Saturday, May 31 at Bemidji State
11:00 AM – Loser out game
1:30 PM – Loser out game
4:00 PM – (Semi-finals)
Tuesday, June 3 at Bemidji State
Thursday, June 5 at Bemidji State
Championship
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University of Minnesota Crookston baseball player Josh Dykhoff (Jr., Wadena) was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region second team as a utility player as was released Wednesday morning by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Dykhoff was named All-Region Second Team by the three major units, ABCA/Rawlings, NCBWA, and D2CCA.
Dykhoff was an All-NSIC First Team selection in 2025, and has been a three-time All-NSIC honoree in his career. Dykhoff put together his best combined season between his efforts on the mound, and at the plate. On the bump, he went 6-5 with a 3.27 ERA in 77 innings pitched, with 79 strikeouts and six walks. Dykhoff was among the nation’s leaders in strikeout/walk ratio. His opponents hit just .213 against him. Dykhoff posted a 0.87 WHIP, five complete games, and two shutouts. At bat, he hit .337, with 45 runs scored, 13 doubles, a team-high 15 home runs, and 58 RBI. Dykhoff posted a .652 slugging percentage, and a .439 on-base percentage.
| NCAA Div. II Central All-Region First Team | ||||
| Pos. | Player | Cl. | School | State |
| C | Chaz Poppy | Sr. | Arkansas Monticello | AR |
| 1B | Dagen Brewer | Jr. | Pittsburg State | KS |
| 2B | Jack Hines | Sr. | Augustana University | SD |
| 3B | Jacob Steele | Sr. | Central Missouri | MO |
| SS | Jett Buck | Sr. | Washburn | KS |
| IF | Ike Mezzenga | Gr. | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN |
| OF | Caden Robertson | Sr. | Central Oklahoma | OK |
| OF | Alex Rodgers | Gr. | Pittsburg State | KS |
| OF | Wesley Mitchell | Sr. | Southeastern Oklahoma State | OK |
| OF | Isaac Pegors | So. | University of Mary | ND |
| DH | Louis Magers | Jr. | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN |
| UT | Chase Keeton | Sr. | Southeastern Oklahoma State | OK |
| P | Ty Riley | Sr. | Fort Hays State | KS |
| P | Maddox Long | 5th | Harding | AR |
| P | Nathan Culley | Gr. | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN |
| P | Kolby Dougan | Gr. | Pittsburg State | KS |
| RP | Payton Byrd | Sr. | Henderson State | AR |
| NCAA Div. II Central All-Region Second Team | ||||
| Pos. | Player | Cl. | School | State |
| C | Jeremy Schork | Sr. | Henderson State | AR |
| 1B | Tyler Sardelli | Jr. | Arkansas Tech | AR |
| 2B | Luke Farrar | Sr. | Henderson State | AR |
| 3B | Logan Lacey | Jr. | Harding | AR |
| SS | Cole Dawson | Jr. | Arkansas Tech | AR |
| IF | Aidan Byrne | Gr. | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN |
| OF | Trevor Winterstein | Sr. | Augustana University | SD |
| OF | Vance Tobol | Sr. | Central Missouri | MO |
| OF | Zach Stroh | Sr. | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN |
| OF | Drew Townsend | Sr. | Missouri Southern | MO |
| DH | Dayvin Johnson | Sr. | Central Missouri | MO |
| UT | Josh Dykhoff | Jr. | Minnesota Crookston | MN |
| P | Dax Sharp | Sr. | Central Oklahoma | OK |
| P | Will Kates | Jr. | Northwestern Oklahoma State | OK |
| P | Maddox Thornton | Gr. | Pittsburg State | KS |
| P | Jeremy Adorno | Sr. | Southern Arkansas | AR |
| RP | JD McReynolds | Sr. | Central Missouri | MO |
| Region Position Player of the Year: Caden Robertson, Central Oklahoma | ||||
| Region Pitcher of the Year: Maddox Long, Harding | ||||
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The University of Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball team is hosting a pair of Kid’s Camps at Lysaker Gymnasium in June. The Golden Eagles will host a Kid’s Camp for girls entering grades 3-8 June 16-18 and will have a second offering June 30-July 2. The camps will be run by the Minnesota Crookston women’s basketball coaching staff and will run from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The cost of the camp is $120.
In addition, the Golden Eagles will host an Elite Camp August 8-9 for girls entering grades 8-12 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Jefferson Activity Center in Bloomington.
If you register for the Kid’s Camp or Elite Camp you can use a special offer to attend a Minnesota Lynx WNBA game August 8 at 6 p.m., against the Washington Mystics. Participants will have the opportunity to shoot a free throw on the court after the game.
To register or for more information on the camps visit https://womensbasketball.
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The Crookston High School Summer Strength and Conditioning program “Powered by Sanford Sports” will be June 2 through August 8. There will be no sessions June 30-July 4 due to the MSHSL blackout week.
For the registration and sign up info, click the following link – Crookston Weights Summer Sign Up — Signup Sheet | SignUp.com
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JOKES
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An old man goes to the Wizard to ask him if he can remove a “Curse” he has been living with for the last 40 years.
The Wizard says “maybe, but you will have to tell me the exact words that were used to put the curse on you.”
The old man says without hesitation “I now pronounce you man and wife”.
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Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending his company’s Christmas Party. Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks didn’t taste like alcohol at all. He didn’t even remember how he got home from the party. As bad as he was feeling, he wondered if he did something wrong.
Jack had to force himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table. And, next to them, a single red rose! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotlessly clean. So is the rest of the house.
He takes the aspirins, cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror. Then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick: “Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to get groceries to make your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! Love, Jillian”
He stumbles into the kitchen and sure enough, there is a hot breakfast, steaming hot coffee, and the morning newspaper all waiting for him. His son is also at the table, eating. Jack asks, “Son… what happened last night?”
“Well, you came home after 3 in the morning, drunk and out of your mind. You fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway, and got that black eye when you ran into the door.”
Confused, he asked his son, “So, why is everything in such perfect order and so clean? I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me?”
His son replies, “Oh THAT! Well, Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed,’Leave me alone, I’m married!’”
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How are former Crookston Pirates athletes doing in college or elsewhere?
****LET ME KNOW OF OTHERS TO ADD TO THE LIST. Email me at chrisjfee@yahoo.com
Paul Bittner is an assistant coach on the University of Wisconsin-Superior Men’s Hockey team.
Reese Swanson is a freshman playing hockey at St. Olaf.
Carter Coauette is a freshman playing football at Minot State.
Isabelle Smith is a freshman playing Tennis at Concordia College.
Isaac Thomforde is a freshman playing Tennis at Northwestern College in St. Paul.
Emilee Tate is a Sophomore playing Softball at Northland Community and Technical College.
Halle Bruggeman is a Sophomore on the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women’s Rugby team.
Ethan Boll is a Red-shirt Freshman on the University of North Dakota Football team.
Breanna Kressin is a Junior on the Hockey Cheer Team for THE University of Minnesota Golden Gopher Hockey team.
Jacey Larson is a Sophomore playing hockey at Dakota College at Bottineau.
Aleah Bienek is a Junior playing hockey at Trine University in Indiana.
Joslynn Leach is a Senior playing golf at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Cobbers wrapped up the Fall season.
Brooks Butt is a Junior playing football at the University of Jamestown.
Ty Hamre is redshirt Junior playing football at Bemidji State University.
Elizabeth Erdman is a coach for the Moorhead Red Dragon swim team.
Crookston School District Coaches
Blake Bergeron is the head Pirate Wrestling Coach.
Ben Parkin is the head Pirate Baseball Coach.
Jason Cassavant is a Jr. High Baseball Coach
Amy Boll is the head Pirate Girls Track head coach
Sarah Reese is the Pirate Head Girls Soccer coach
Marley Melbye is an assistant girls golf coach
Connor Morgan is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Ben Trostad is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Ethan Magsam is the Pirate Boys Hockey assistant coach
Chris Dufault is a youth wrestling Coach
Non-Crookston High School coaching/Admin/etc
Elise Tangquist is the Head Girls Golf Coach at Horace High School in Fargo, ND.
Carmen (Kreibich) Johnson is the head Little Falls Volleyball coach.
Tim Desrosier is an Assistant Coach for Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Pony Boys Basketball
Pat Wolfe is the head wrestling coach for Fosston/Bagley.
Austin Sommerfeld is an Assistant Athletic Director for Strategic Communication at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.
Collin Reynolds is the head baseball coach for the University of Colorado Buffalo Club Baseball team.
Trent Stahlecker is a School Security Specialist & he works for the Brevard Public Schools, Florida.
Cody Weiland is an assistant wrestling coach at Proctor/Hermantown.
Josh Edlund is the head football coach and phy ed teacher at Flandreau, South Dakota.
Allison Lindsey Axness is Assistant Varsity Volleyball Coach at Champlin Park
Jeff Olson is the Head Wrestling Coach and Head Baseball coach at Delano.
Jake Olson is an Assistant Football Coach and Head Boys Tennis coach at Delano.
Matt Harris is an Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Marty Bratrud is the Superintendent and High School Principal at Westhope High School.
Gordie Haug is an assistant football coach at the University of North Dakota.
Mike Hastings is the Wisconsin Badgers Men’s head Hockey coach.
Mike Biermaier is the Athletic Director at Grand Forks Schools.
Stephanie (Lindsay) Perreault works with the North Dakota State stats crew for Bison football, volleyball, and basketball in the winter. Stephanie’s husband, Ryan, is the assistant director for Bison media relations.
Jason Bushie is the hockey athletic trainer at Colorado College.
Chris Myrold is the Director and Fitness at Mission Ranch and Fitness in Camel, California.
Kyle Buchmeier is a Tennis Pro at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis
Jaren Bailey is serving our country and is currently in the Marines’ Boot Camp.
Ben Andringa is serving our country in the Army and is now a Ranger.
Jarrett Butenhoff is serving our country with the U.S. Navy.
Joshua Butenhoff is serving our country on a Submarine with the Pacific Fleet with the US Navy.
Peter Cournia is a 2002 Crookston High School Graduate and a grad of West Point and currently serving in the U.S. Army.
Philip Kujawa class of 2004, from Crookston High School. He is an Army recruiter in Rochester.
Rob Sobolik is the General Manager of the Fargodome
That’s it for this week. Thanks for the comments, and if you have anything to add or share, please e-mail chrisjfee@yahoo.com or call. Thanks for reading and listening to KROX RADIO and kroxam.com.
