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K-Heart Sports – 09/13/23

Posted on Sep 13, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 09/13/23

MINOT, ND – The first high school volleyball polls of the season were released on Tuesday. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class A Volleyball Poll

Team (First Place Votes)   Points   Record
1. Fargo North (9)                 50        11-0
2. Fargo Davies (1)               40         9-1
3. Bismarck Century (1)        31         8-2
4. West Fargo Sheyenne      25 9-3
5. Bismarck High                   12         8-2

Others receiving Votes: Fargo Shanley

Class B Volleyball Poll

Team (First Place Votes) Points Record

1. May-Port- CG (4)                        96          9-0
2. Northern Cass (3)                       79           8-1
3. Dickinson Trinity (1)                    76           9-0
4. Central McLean (1)                     68         14-1
5. North Star                                    65    8-0
6. South Prairie-Max (2)                  63         10-0
7. Linton-HMB                                 31           6-2
8. Bottineau                                     17 7-2
9. Shiloh Christian                           16           6-2
10. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich 15           4-2

Others receiving votes: Thompson, Our Redeemers, Central Cass, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood, New Rockford-Sheyenne

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MINOT, ND – Tuesday’s scores:

High School Boys Cross Country
Class A

Northwest Conference Meet – Stanley
1. New Town, 19
2. Killdeer, 80
3. Trinity Christian Williston, 102
4. Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark, 102
5. Glen Ullin-Hebron, 140
6. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 144
7. Bishop Ryan, 172
8. Tioga, 204
9. Garrison, 233

Individual winner: Xavier Bell of New Town, 16:57

High School Girls Cross Country
Class A

Northwest Conference Meet – Stanley
1. Killdeer, 18
2. New Town, 38

Individual winner: Brynn Hanson of DLB/L&C, 19:49

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High ties Jamestown, 0-0 (6th draw for Minot. Now 4-0-6)
Bismarck Legacy def. Mandan, 3-0
Bismarck Century def. Williston, 2-1
Dickinson ties Bismarck High, 2-2

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Jamestown, 8-1 (Magicians 9-1 overall, 3-0 WDA)
Jamestown def. Minot North, 8-1
Bismarck Legacy def. Mandan, 5-4
Bismarck Century def. Bismarck High, 5-2

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A
Jamestown def. #3 Bismarck Century (3-1) 25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 25-12
Minot High def. Watford City (3-0) 25-23, 25-19, 25-21
Williston def. Mandan (3-1) 28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 27-25
Bismarck Legacy def. Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-0) 26-24, 25-20, 25-23

Class B
#4 Central McLean def. Standing Rock (3-0)
#5 North Star def. Our Redeemer’s (3-2) 25-23, 21-25, 22-25, 27-25, 15-7
#6 South Prairie-Max def. T-G-U (3-1) 25-18, 25-16, 21-25, 25-21
#8 Bottineau def. Dunseith (3-0)
#10 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. North Prairie (3-0) 25-18, 25-10, 25-15
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Ray (3-0) 25-16, 25-13, 25-12
Nedrose def. Rugby (3-0) 25-16, 25-16, 25-22
Velva def. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (3-1) 25-18, 22-25, 25-22, 25-15
Kenmare-Bowbells def. Glenburn (3-0) 25-11, 25-17, 25-20
Beulah def. Hazen (3-0) 27-25, 25-19, 25-19
Stanley def. Killdeer (3-0) 25-14, 25-21, 25-22
Trenton def. White Shield (3-0) 25-5, 25-5, 25-8
Tioga def. Divide County (3-0) 25-18, 25-14, 25-16
Harvey-Wells County def. St. John (3-0) 25-11, 25-19, 25-18

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MSU GOLF

BEMIDJI, Minn. (MSU) – Seniors Holly Knudsen and Taylor Cormier led the way for the Beaver women finishing one stoke apart and landing in the Top 15 as the Minot State women’s golf team scored a solid fourth-place finish at the Tracy Lane Memorial hosted by Bemidji State. Knudsen tied for 13th overall at 20-over 164 (83-81) and Cormier finished 15th at 21-over 165 (83-82) to lead the Beavers, who shot a team total of 88-over 664 (330-334) for the two-day event at the Bemidji Town & Country Club. While Knudsen and Cormier led the way for the Minot State women, fellow senior teammate Jaci Jones also added a Top 20-performance as she tied for 20th at 24-over 168 (85-83) for the Beavers. Rounding out the scores for the fourth-place Minot State women were Lauryn Keller, who finished 24th in her second collegiate tournament with a 26-over 170 (79-91), and Zoe Banack, who was 31st at 34-over 178 (90-88). The University of North Dakota won the women’s team title with a 55-over 631 (306-325) while North Dakota’s Emersyn Walker won the women’s individual title by two shots with a 10-over 154 (73-81).

While the Minot State women finished fourth, the Beaver men’s team settled for 11th as the Beavers cut 10 strokes of their Monday score but could not climb in the team standings and finished with a team total of 56-over 624 (317-307). Chase Gedak led the way for the Minot State men finishing tied for 32nd at 11-over 153 (78-75). While Gedak led the Minot State men’s effort, Bemidji State transfer Max Karnik was next for his new Minot State team as he tied for 43rd at 14-over 156 (76-80). Joshua Tu was third for the Beavers as he tied for 46th at 15-over 157 (80-77), Zach Hendrickson tied for 50th at 18-over 160 (85-75), and Casey Fjeld was 59th at 27-over 169 (83-86) for Minot State. On the men’s side, Bemidji State’s Logan Schoepp was the individual tournament champion by one stroke as he shot an even-par 142 (69-73) for the 36-hole event, while Minnesota State, Mankato won the men’s team title with an 8-over 576 (280-296).

The tournament was the second event of the fall for the Minot State golf teams who are back in action next week playing at the Concordia, St. Paul-Minnesota State Brawl in Wisconsin next Monday and Tuesday.

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MSU WOMEN’S SOCCER

BEMIDJI, Minn. (MSU) – Minot State came up short against Bemidji State 1-0 Tuesday on the road at Chet Anderson Stadium. After Bemidji took a 1-0 lead into the half, Minot State kept them scoreless the remainder of the game. Siriana Gudino led Minot with two saves. Minot State registered four shots in the loss, two of them on goal. Minot faced 12 Bemidji shots, three of them on goal. Minot State dropped to 3-1-0 overall after the defeat. Minot State returns home on Saturday for a conference matchup to take on in-state rivalry, UMARY.

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TWINS-RAYS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Willi Castro hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Minnesota Twins rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Tuesday night. Edouard Julien also homered for the Twins, who lost Monday’s series opener. They lead the AL Central by 7 1/2 games over Cleveland with 17 to play. René Pinto homered and Josh Lowe had an RBI single for the Rays, who missed an opportunity to gain ground in the AL East with first-place Baltimore losing to St. Louis. Tampa Bay remains three games behind the Orioles. Minnesota was held to two hits through six innings before Max Kepler singled off Rays starter Zack Littell (3-6) with one out in the seventh. After Carlos Correa struck out, Castro hit a first-pitch slider to the seats in right-center field. Louie Varland (4-3) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, followed by a shutout inning from Caleb Thielbar before Jhoan Duran had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 26th save in 31 chances. Littell, a full-time starter since July 30, allowed three earned runs and five hits over seven innings. Joe Ryan, who shook off a comebacker off his pitching hand in the second inning, allowed two earned runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings, the second time in four starts since returning from a groin strain he did not make it out of the fifth.

UP NEXT
Tampa Bay RHP Taj Bradley (5-7, 5.44 ERA) is scheduled to face Minnesota LHP Dallas Keuchel (1-1, 4.78) in this afternoon’s series finale.

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VIKINGS-QUICK TURNAROUND

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Kirk Cousins took the third down shotgun snap in the first quarter from the Minnesota 30-yard line and started his survey of the field. He patted the ball once, began his throwing motion and was toppled to the turf by blitzing Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Winfield knocked the ball loose upon impact and fell on it at the 18, setting the Buccaneers up for a field goal that proved to be the winning margin in the season opener last week. As well as Cousins has typically performed on plays with an extra pass rusher, all it takes is one colossal whiff on a blitz such as Winfield’s and the whole game can go awry. “Voided zones as a passer, you always feel good about. I think the key is it being picked up,” Cousins said Tuesday with the Vikings in hastened preparation for their game Thursday at Philadelphia following that bitterly disappointing defeat to Tampa Bay. “It potentially gives an opportunity to take advantage, but there are pros and cons to just about every style of defense. You just kind of roll with the punches.”

Cousins, who was sacked twice and hit nine times against the Bucs, has the quick release, accurate touch and studious approach to take advantage of an extra rusher and complete a pass into the vacated zone. According to Sportradar data, Cousins went 14 for 18 for 124 yards against five or more Buccaneers rushers. Since Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018, he has a 111.4 passer rating against the blitz, trailing only Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes over that span in the NFL. The Buccaneers were especially determined to send pressure when Cousins was in the shotgun, a formation that became a bit safer when backup center Austin Schlottmann entered the game following the back injury to Garrett Bradbury in the first quarter. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said there were some “unscouted” looks the Buccaneers gave them early in the game that they adjusted to quickly. Winfield blitzed on the second play of the game, too, pressuring Cousins into an incomplete pass he had to rush to Justin Jefferson to avoid a sack.

The Eagles will pose just as much of a challenge for the Vikings, if not more. They led the league last season in sacks per pass attempt and allowed the fewest passing yards. The Vikings had plenty of prime-time trouble on the road in Week 2 against them last season, too. “One of the best fronts, if not the best, in the league right now. We have a ton of respect for, not only the guys that you’ll see in the starting units, but they’ve got kind of a first and second wave of problems defensively,” O’Connell said. “There’s always going to be some things where a team can get you, especially in the opener or before things have been really put on tape yet based upon game-planning something that maybe they’ve done in the past and just giving a little bit different look. We’ve got to find ways to survive those downs and not turn the football over, and that’s all 11 guys out there.”

Blitzes or not, the Vikings simply have to keep Cousins better protected to be able to beat the Eagles. He’s not an escape artist like Mahomes and some of the scramblers around the league, so there’s a little less room for error there. Whether Bradbury or Schlottmann is at center, right guard Ed Ingram remains a work in progress on the interior as well. As with the Buccaneers and Winfield, who found a seam when fullback C.J. Ham turned inside to help the offensive linemen, pressure can come from anywhere. “We’ve got to throw it out quick,” Jefferson said. “That’s the only answer to that.”

K-Heart Sports – 09/12/23

Posted on Sep 12, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 09/12/23

MINOT, ND – Shanley and North remain atop the Class AAA and AA football polls. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class AAA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)       Record    Points    Last Week
1. Fargo Shanley (19)               3-0          99            1
2. West Fargo Sheyenne (1)     3-0          73            2
3. Minot High                             3-0          68            3
4. Bismarck High                       2-1          37            RV
5. Fargo Davies                        1-2           11            4

Other teams receiving votes: Bismarck Century (1-2), Mandan (1-2), West Fargo (1-2)

Class AA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)        Record    Points    Last Week
1. Fargo North (18)                    3-0          94    1
2. Grand Forks Red River (1)    4-0           76    2
3. Fargo South                           2-1          48    3
4. Jamestown                             2-1          34            4
5. Dickinson                                3-0          28            5

Other teams receiving votes: Valley City (3-0)

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MINOT, ND – Monday scores:

High School Girls Golf
Class B

Region 4 Tournament – Souris Valley Golf Course in Minot
1. Bottineau, 383
2. Nedrose, 395
3. Velva, 422
4. Rugby, 426
5. South Prairie-Max, 435

Medalist: Elle Rybchinski of Bottineau, 87

Ray-Tioga Invite
1. Des Lacs-Burlington, 418
2. Kenmare-Bowbells, 437
3. Tioga, 510
4. New Town-Parshall, 513
5. Stanley, 540

Medalist: Laila Christianson of DLB, 86

High School Girls Volleyball

Class B
Berthold def. Ray (3-0)
Powers Lake-Burke Central def. Alexander (3-0)

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MSU WOMEN’S SOCCER-HONOR

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – A pair of shutout performances by junior goalkeeper Siriana Gudino not only earned the Beavers a pair of wins over the weekend but earned Gudino special recognition from the conference. The junior-college transfer from Ceres, California was named the NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week as she back-stopped Minot State to a pair of 1-0 wins on the road last week. The honor is the first for Gudino and the first Player of the Week award for the Beavers this season.

Thursday in a 1-0 shutout of host Montana State Billings, the transfer from Cypress College (Calif.) made seven saves for the Beavers to preserve the team’s one-goal advantage. Saturday in a neutral-site game against Black Hills State played in Billings, Gudino once again was unbeatable as she stopped four shots for her second straight shutout as Minot State scored another 1-0 victory. Gudino now is 3-0 in goal for the Beavers this fall and has stopped 13 of the 14 shots she has faced in her first season with Minot State.

Gudino and the Beavers play at Bemidji State today in a non-conference game, then make their home debut Friday hosting

Mary at 6 p.m. in the NSIC opener for both teams at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

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UND HOCKEY-PRESEASON HONOR

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UND) – Sophomore forward Jackson Blake and senior forward Riese Gaber were two of the six players selected to the Preseason All-NCHC Team, selected by the media, the league announced on Monday. North Dakota and Denver paced the league with two players on the team, while St. Cloud State and Colorado College rounded out the six-man squad.

Blake was the NCHC’s Rookie of the Year last season, also picking up Second-Team All-NCHC and NCHC All-Rookie Team accolades. The two-time NCHC Rookie of the Month led UND with 42 points last season, which ranked fifth in the NCHC and second among freshmen, while playing in all 39 games. In conference play, the Carolina Hurricanes draft pick’s 29 points tied for second among all skaters. Blake scored 16 goals as a freshman last year, including 10 in NCHC play, while dishing out 26 assists overall. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native was also the leading vote-getter on the preseason team, earning 25 out of a possible 27 votes.

Gaber joined Blake on the All-NCHC Second Team last season, tallying 37 points while playing in all 39 games. His 20 goals led UND and ranked seventh in the NCHC. Named North Dakota’s captain for 2023-24, Gaber enters the year with 95 career points, tying for the most among active NCHC players. In conference play only, his 23 points and 13 goals both ranked in the top 10 in the NCHC a season ago. This is his second selection to the preseason team, earning the nod in 2022-23.

Media members voted for three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender on their ballot with each vote worth one point. The top three vote-getters at forward, top two defensemen and highest vote-getting goaltender made up the preseason all-conference team. A total of 27 ballots were submitted by media members covering each team, as well as select national college hockey media.

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NDSU FOOTBALL-HONOR

ST. LOUIS (NDSU) – North Dakota State placekicker Griffin Crosa was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week by the league office Monday, Sept. 11. It is his third career player of the week honor. Crosa, a senior from Dublin, Ohio, converted three field goals and five extra-point kicks in North Dakota State’s 44-7 home win over Maine. Crosa connected from 27, 40 and 31 yards to help the Bison open a 9-0 lead in the first half. The five PATs extended Crosa’s streak to 99 made in a row, eighth most in MVFC history. His 14-point game is a league high for a kicker this season. No. 2-ranked North Dakota State (2-0) is scheduled to host Central Arkansas (1-1) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Gate City Bank at the Fargodome.

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TWINS-RAYS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Yandy Díaz connected for his 20th homer and finished with four hits, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 7-4 on Monday night. Josh Lowe had three hits for the second straight day as Tampa Bay won for the sixth time in seven games. The Rays (89-56) stayed three games back of AL East-leading Baltimore. After Tyler Glasnow (9-5) departed, Kevin Kelly, Jake Diekman and Pete Fairbanks each pitched a hitless inning. Fairbanks worked the ninth for his 23rd save. It was a costly win for Tampa Bay, which lost center fielder Jose Siri when he was hit in the fifth inning by a pitch from Dylan Floro. Siri, who has a career-high 25 homers and 56 RBIs this year, has a fractured right hand. Max Kepler and Royce Lewis homered for the AL Central-leading Twins, who finished with six hits. Sonny Gray (7-7) was charged with two runs, one earned, and six hits in four innings. Kepler hit his 22nd homer in the fourth, and Lewis added a three-run shot in the sixth. It was Lewis’ 12th homer. Gray struck out five and walked one, and his four innings matched his shortest outing of the season. He threw two wild pitches and hit Luke Raley twice.

UP NEXT
Tampa Bay RHP Zack Littell (3-5, 4.29 ERA) is scheduled to face Minnesota RHP Joe Ryan (10-9. 4.21 ERA) today.

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NFL-RODGERS INJURED

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers’ debut with the New York Jets lasted just four snaps. And now the four-time MVP and a shell-shocked fanbase will have to see how long he might be sidelined. Coach Robert Saleh said the team believes Rodgers injured his left Achilles tendon when he was sacked by Buffalo’s Leonard Floyd and fell awkwardly on the leg during Monday night’s 22-16 overtime win over the Bills. Saleh said the 39-year-old Rodgers would have the MRI on Tuesday after X-rays during the game were negative. NFL Network reported Rodgers’ left foot was in a black walking boot as he was carted to the X-ray room.

The injury silenced a crowd that had been raucous just minutes earlier, anticipating Rodgers’ Big Apple debut. The Jets haven’t made it to the Super Bowl since Joe Namath won the franchise’s only championship during the 1968 season, and frustrated fans hoped Rodgers’ arrival was the first step to getting back to the big game. Rodgers jogged onto the field during player introductions with an American flag in hand on the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and received his first official welcome from Jets fans. With hip-hop artist and actor Method Man announcing Rodgers’ name — accompanied by a laser light show — the quarterback got huge applause.

New York acquired Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder in this year’s draft from Green Bay on April 26. In exchange, the Packers got the 13th overall selection, a second-rounder, a sixth-rounder and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that could become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of New York’s plays this season — a scenario that now appears highly unlikely. Rodgers, who spent his first 18 seasons with Green Bay, raised expectations for the Jets and their fan base when he said he expects to win in New York and pointed out during his introductory news conference that the team’s only Super Bowl trophy looks “lonely.” If healthy, he would give the Jets their most accomplished quarterback since Brett Favre, who was acquired from Green Bay in 2008 — clearing the way for Rodgers to become the Packers’ signal caller.

Rodgers, who has repeatedly said he won’t be one-and-done with the Jets, agreed in July to a restructured contract that gives him $75 million in fully guaranteed money over this season and next. It amounts to a nearly $35 million pay cut from the deal he had with Green Bay in which he was set to make $110 million guaranteed.

K-Heart Sports – 09/11/23

Posted on Sep 11, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – MONDAY – 09/11/23

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The grit Baker Mayfield showed Tampa Bay down the stretch of his debut sure outweighed the rough start. He had ample support from a more-than-capable defense, too. Mayfield recovered to throw two touchdown passes without a turnover, and the Buccaneers beat Minnesota 20-17 in the season opener after three first-half turnovers by the Vikings on Sunday. Mayfield, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft who landed with his fourth team in three years to take over for the retired Tom Brady, completed 21 of 34 passes after a 3-for-11 start. He hit Mike Evans for a score right before halftime for a 10-all tie. Kirk Cousins went 33 for 44 for 344 yards and touchdowns to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison, and Justin Jefferson had nine catches for 150 yards. But after going an NFL-record 11-0 in one-score games during the 2022 regular season, the Vikings ran out of that late-game mojo. The Vikings visit Philadelphia on Thursday night.

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PACKERS-BEARS

CHICAGO (AP) — Jordan Love kept telling himself he and his teammates were going to play great. He imagined how it would feel to leave the field with a win, too. Now he knows. Love looked like he might be ready to follow in the footsteps of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, throwing for three touchdowns to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 38-20 season-opening victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Love spent three years waiting for this moment behind four-time MVP Rodgers. He shook off a slow first half and helped propel the Packers to a lopsided win. Love completed 15 of 27 passes for 245 yards and posted a 123.2 rating. His only previous start was a loss at Kansas City in 2021 when Rodgers was sidelined with COVID-19.

For the Bears, it was more of a same for a team that went 3-14 to set a franchise record for losses last season. Chicago came into the season expecting major improvement after a series of offseason upgrades. The Bears lost their 11th straight game overall, and their 10th in a row against NFC North opponents. Justin Fields was 24 of 37 for 216 yards. He had a touchdown pass and an interception in a performance that did little to answer biggest question hanging over the team: Can he become the passer the Bears need him to be? Fields also ran for 59 yards.

UP NEXT
Packers: Visit Atlanta next Sunday.
Bears: Visit Tampa Bay next Sunday.

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TWINS-METS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — DJ Stewart hit a two-run double in the ninth inning and the New York Mets overcame a career-high 14 strikeouts by Minnesota starter Pablo López to beat the Twins 2-0 on Sunday and avoid a three-game sweep. López went eight innings for the Twins, who have a 7 1/2-game lead in the AL Central over Cleveland. Stewart doubled to right-center off reliever Griffin Jax (6-9), who took over for López in the ninth. Francisco Lindor led off with a bloop double and Jeff McNeil was hit by a pitch — the third time a Mets batter was plunked in the game. Stewart connected on a full count two batters later. López was brilliant, getting his 200th strikeout of the season when he fanned Lindor in the first. The right-hander became the ninth Twins pitcher to accomplish that feat, and the ninth Venezuelan-born pitcher in major league history to do so. López walked off the mound to a standing ovation after his 106th pitch ended the eighth. His 14 strikeouts marked the most by a Twins starter since Francisco Liriano whiffed 15 against Oakland on July 13, 2012.

UP NEXT
RHP Sonny Gray (7-6, 2.98) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game series at home against Tampa Bay tonight. Gray has permitted just four runs over his last three starts.

K-Heart Sports – 09/10/23

Posted on Sep 10, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SUNDAY – 09/10/23

MINOT, ND – Saturday scores:

High School Girls Swimming & Diving

Capital City Invite – BSC Aquatic Center in Bismarck
1. Minot High, 412
2. Bismarck Century, 377.5
3. Bismarck Legacy, 346.5
4. Williston, 240
5. Dickinson, 218
6. Fargo Davies, 197
7. West Fargo Horace, 176
8. Fargo Shanley, 143
9. Bismarck High, 118
10. Mandan, 79
11. Capstone Classica Acad., 10

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High ties Bismarck Legacy, 2-2 (5th draw of the season for Minot)

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Fargo Shanley, 6-3
Mandan def. Williston, 7-2
West Fargo Sheyenne def. Jamestown, 9-0

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MINOT STATE FOOTBALL

MOORHEAD, Minn. (MSU) – Host Minnesota State Moorhead sandwiched touchdowns around the halftime break to open up a lead on the visiting Minot State Beavers, who fell 56-14 to the MSU Moorhead Dragons on the road Saturday afternoon. Minot State responded to an early 21-0 Minnesota State-Moorhead advantage with a second quarter touchdown to narrow the deficit to 21-7. After Minnesota State Moorhead scored to increase its lead to 49-7, the Beavers got on the scoreboard again to narrow the gap and make it a 49-14 game. Minot State didn’t score again in the game and Minnesota State Moorhead added seven more points to finish off the scoring. The Dragons improved to 1-1 on the year and 1-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, while the Beavers fell to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in conference matchups.

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MINOT STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

BILLINGS, MT (MSU) – Minot St. shut out Black Hills St. 1-0 Saturday (Sept. 9) at Yellowjacket Soccer Field. Minot St. improved to 3-0-0 on the season following the victory. Minot St. grabbed a 1-0 lead when Yossi Villagrana scored her second goal of the season in the second minute. The lone score held in the 1-0 game. Siriana Gudino also earned her second shutout game in a row, and second of the year. To complete the four game road trip, the Beavers head over to face Bemidji State University in non-conference battle of the beavers game on Tuesday.

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MINOT STATE VOLLEYBALL

LUBBOCK, Texas (MSU) – The Beaver volleyball team battled but could not come up with win No. 2 of the weekend on Saturday, falling in four sets to Southern Arkansas to start the day, then dropping a three-set match to host Lubbock Christian to close out play at the Chaps Classic. Minot State (1-7 overall) now heads back to Minot to open home and NSIC play next weekend, hosting No. 5 ranked St. Cloud State on Friday at 6 p.m., then No. 7 Minnesota Duluth at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the MSU Dome.

Southern Arkansas def. Minot State 25-22, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19

The Minot State volleyball team lost Saturday as the Southern Arkansas Muleriders posted a 3-1 (22-25, 23-25, 25-18, 19-25) victory at the Rip Griffin Center. The Beavers were led by a double-double from Maggie Machado, who registered 10 kills and 12 digs on the day. Bailee Brommenschenkel also added nine kills to help the offense. On the defensive end, Kendal Braun chipped in with 19 digs to go with four blocks from Taylor Wyatt.

Lubbock Christian def. Minot State 25-16, 25-19, 25-22

The Minot State volleyball team lost to the Lubbock Christian Lady Chaps 3-0 (16-25, 19-25, 22-25) Saturday on the road at Rip Griffin Center. The Beavers attack was paced by Maggie Machado, who finished with 17 kills on the day, and by Emily Kotelnikoff, who had 13 while hitting .333. The Beavers got 14 digs from Kendal Braun to lead them defensively.

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UND FOOTBALL

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – No. 17/15 North Dakota (2-0) defeated Northern Arizona (0-2), 37-22, in the 57th annual Potato Bowl USA Game on Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Hawks electrified the Alerus Center in the third quarter, scoring 17 points. After leading 13-3 at intermission, North Dakota came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter and pushed its lead to 30-9 before heading into the final stanza. Quincy Vaughn scored the first touchdown of the quarter midway through the period with a one-yard rush. Northern Arizona then trimmed the deficit to 20-9 before attempting a two-point conversion. The attempt was snuffed out by Elijah Beach, who ripped the ball out before Ted Mullin raced the rest of the way for a successful conversion attempt for UND. Less than three minutes later, Tommy Schuster found Wesley Eliodor for a 45-yard touchdown pass. The Hawks then put together a successful two-point conversion of their own, when Isaiah Smith dove over the pile to bring the score to 30-9. Schuster then scored with his legs on a one-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter and NAU put together two scoring drives in the final four minutes to bring the final tally to 37-22.

Schuster was efficient in the game, going 21-for-30 for 259 yards passing and a touchdown. Bo Belquist was his favorite target, hauling in eight receptions for 123 yards. Red Wilson was also a popular target with five grabs for 50 yards. Eliodor scored the lone receiving touchdown on a 45-yard catch and had three grabs for 56 yards. It was a backfield by committee for UND, with six different Hawks recording carries for 150 yards and four touchdowns. Gaven Ziebarth was the top contributor with 12 rushes for 69 yards and a score. Defensively, the Fighting Hawks were paced by Wyatt Pedigo with eight tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles-for-loss. Twenty-three UND players recorded a tackle in the win. In the game, North Dakota edged Northern Arizona in offensive yardage by a 448-445 margin. The Hawks racked up 298 yards through the air and 150 yards on the ground. Comparatively, the Lumberjacks put up 274 yards passing and 171 yards rushing.

UND led 13-3 at intermission. The first score of the game came off a two-yard Ziebarth rush. That scoring drive ate up nearly seven minutes of clock. UND then attempted a two-point try that was unsuccessful. NAU made a 26-yard field goal in the early moments of the second quarter. On the next UND possession, Vaughn powered ahead for a one-yard rush to push the lead to 13-3 with 5:44 left before intermission. Josh Navratil slammed the doors shut on NAU’s final drive before intermission, recording a strip-sack of Kai Millner that was recovered by Jake Saltonstall and returned 32 yards. Trey Feeney then came in for the final play of the half and found Belquist on the Hail Mary for a 39-yard gain that made it all the way down to the NAU 9.

North Dakota will visit Boise State at 11 a.m. (CT) on Saturday.

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NDSU FOOTBALL

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – North Dakota State’s defense forced four turnovers and the No. 2-ranked Bison opened their home schedule with a 44-7 victory over the Maine Black Bears on Saturday in the 34th annual Trees Bowl game at the Fargodome.NDSU linebacker Julian Wlodarczyk forced a fumble and linebacker Logan Kopp had an interception in the first quarter, and safety Cole Wisniewski had interceptions on consecutive defensive plays in the third quarter. The Bison settled for field goals despite starting on the Maine 14 and 23 after the first two turnovers. Griffin Crosa connected from 27, 40 and 31 yards as the Bison opened a 9-0 lead late in the second quarter. It was 16-0 at halftime after a 2-yard touchdown run by quarterback Cam Miller. Miller added a 1-yard TD in the third quarter, backup quarterback Cole Payton scored on running plays of 2 yards and 61 yards, and Maine finally got on the board with 6:06 left in the game when John Gay scored on a 13-yard run. NDSU running back Owen Johnson scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run with 22 seconds left. Johnson was one of nine ball carriers for NDSU, which ran for 264 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. Miller finished 14 of 19 passing for 152 yards and Payton was 3-for-5 passing for 40 yards. Nine Bison receivers caught passes led by Zach Mathis with four receptions for 62 yards. Wlodarczyk led the NDSU defense with a career-high seven tackles. North Dakota State is scheduled to close out its non-conference schedule hosting Central Arkansas at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.

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TWINS-METS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Max Kepler smashed a middle-of-the-plate slider toward the seats above right-center field with the bases loaded and two outs for the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning of a one-run game, he turned toward his dugout and smirked at his teammates. The ball struck the wall a few inches short of the flower boxes, forcing Kepler to recalibrate from a grand slam trot to a race around the bases. Thanks to a friendly carom, Kepler easily made it to third. That’s how well the second half of the season has been going for the right fielder. Kyle Farmer went 3 for 4 with a pair of two-out RBIs, Kepler had a pinch-hit three-run triple and the AL Central-leading Twins beat the New York Mets 8-4 on Saturday. Kenta Maeda (4-7) won for the first time in six starts and Willi Castro went 3 for 4 with a home run for the Twins, who moved eight games above .500 for the first time since July 24, 2022. Minnesota’s magic number for clinching the division dropped to 14 with 20 games to go, having begun the day with a 6½-game lead on Cleveland. The Guardians played later at the Los Angeles Angels.

UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (8-7, 5.28 ERA) takes the mound on Sunday.
Twins: RHP Pablo López (10-7, 3.64 ERA) pitches the final game of the series.

K-Heart Sports – 09/09/23

Posted on Sep 9, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 09/09/23

MINOT, ND – Logan Rist rushed for 100 yards and 4 touchdowns in just over one quarter of play as Des Lacs-Burlington defeated Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central 55-0, in a game we broadcast on K-Heart. Rist also added a 2-point conversion. Jake Schaefer tallied nearly 100 yards rushing and 2 TD’s, a 2-point conversion, and kicked 3 extra points as the Lakers improve to 2-2 on the season, 1-1 in Class A, Region 3. The Honkers fall to 0-4 overall, 0-2 in Class A, Region 3.

Other scores from Friday:

High School Football

Class AAA
# 1 Fargo Shanley def. Fargo South (AA #3), 49-28
#2 West Fargo Sheyenne def. Bismarck Century, 26-24
#3 Minot High def. #5 Mandan, 28-12
Bismarck High def. #4 Fargo Davies, 22-3
West Fargo def. Bismarck Legacy, 38-14
Bismarck St. Mary’s def. Wlliston, 23-6

Class AA
#1 Fargo North def. Wahpeton, 65-7
#2 Grand Forks Red River def. Turtle Mountain, 48-6
#4 Jamestown def. Grand Forks Central, 35-21
#5 Dickinson def. Watford City, 42-0
Valley City def. Devils Lake, 35-26

Class A
#1 Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison def. Nedrose, 50-19
#3 Dickinson Trinity def. Beulah, 42-0
#4 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. Rugby, 48-14
#5 Shiloh Christian def. Heart River, 56-16
Bishop Ryan def. South Prairie-Max, 48-8
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 55-0
Stanley def. Ray-Powers Lake, 40-13
Harvey-Wells County def. Bottineau, 7-6
Southern McLean def. Hazen, 20-0
Killdeer def. Bowman County, 40-7
Carrington def. Thompson, 45-15
Cavalier def. Grafton, 42-14
Hillsboro-Central Valley def. Northern Cass, 33-19
Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm def. May-Port-CG, 35-12
Central Cass def. Lisbon, 55-0

9-Man
New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock def. #1 North Prairie, 36-34 OT
#2 New Salem-Almont def. Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter, 52-22
#3 Sargent County def. Richland, 50-14
#4 South Border def. Hettinger County, 55-18
#5 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn def. Surrey, 50-0
Central McLean def. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood, 58-26
Tioga def. T-G-U, 60-6
Alexander def. Divide County, 27-0
Grant County-Flasher def. Linton-HMB, 34-30
Kidder County def. Beach, 42-30
Hettinger-Scranton def. Richardton-Taylor-Hebron, 54-14
North Border def. St. John, 54-24
North Star def. Midway-Minto, 64-8
Maple River def. Larimore, 46-18
Hatton-Northwood def. Enderlin, 50-28
LaMoure-Litchville-Marion def. Griggs-Midkota, 37-6
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood def. Hankinson, 40-20

6-Man
Center-Stanton def. New Town, 78-20

High School Girls Swimming & Diving

Capital City Draw – BSC Aquatic & Wellness Center in Bismarck
1. Bismarck Century, 601.5
2. Bismarck Legacy, 419
3. Williston, 349.5
4. Fargo Davies, 315
5. West Fargo Horace, 280
6. Mandan, 209
7. Bismarck High, 161

High School Boys Soccer
Dickinson def. Mandan, 4-3

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Valley City, 9-0
Bismarck High def. Minot North, 7-2
Williston def. Jamestown, 7-2
West Fargo Sheyenne def. Mandan, 7-2
West Fargo Sheyenne def. Bismarck Legacy, 8-1

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MSU CROSS COUNTRY

MOORHEAD, Minn. (MSU) – Minot State cross country continues the strong start to the season with both the men and the women taking second place at the Dragon Twilight in Moorhead on Friday night.

The leader for the men was Charles Hardcastle who finished 5th with a time of 18 minutes, 33.30 seconds. Four other men scored in the top 20 including Grayson Bonilla who scored 11th with 19:06.30, Camden Jasmin who scored 14th with 19:09.20, Yoni Neyschtadt who finished 18th with 19:19.30, and Marco Murillo scored 19th with 19:22.80. A very impressive showing from the men tonight in Moorhead.

The women were just as impressive as the men tonight with 7 of the women scoring 25th or better. Leading the women tonight was Sidra Sadowsky finishing 9th with a time of 15:02.40. Paulette Dominguez finished next for the women placing 11th with 15:09.40, followed very closely by Emery Smith and Jessica Martinez who placed 15th and 16th with times of 15:11.30 and 15:11.50 respectively. Next was Nicole Reeves who finished 22nd with 15:16.60. Rounding out the women were Jazmin Gorder and Bailey Wride who finished 24th and 25th with times of 15:29.40 and 15:29.70 respectively.

Both teams will race again on September 29th at the Marauder Invitational in Bismarck.

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MSU WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

LUBBOCK, Texas (MSU) – The Minot State volleyball team saw its work on the practice court pay off Friday as the Beavers picked up their first win of the season, battling to a thrilling five-set victory over Arkansas Tech in the teams’ opening match at the Lubbock Christian Chaps Classic. Minot State (1-5 overall) scored a 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 16-25, 15-7 victory in the morning match before falling 25-13, 25-14, 25-8 to Oklahoma Christian in Beavers second match on Friday. Minot State is back in action today in the tournament playing Southern Arkansas at 9 a.m. and host Lubbock Christian at 1 p.m.

Minot State def. Arkansas Tech 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 16-25, 15-7

The Minot State volleyball team displayed remarkable fortitude in a 3-2 victory over the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns Friday at Rip Griffin Center. The Beavers were led by a double-double from Maggie Machado, who registered 11 kills and 19 digs on the day. Sydney Upton also added 13 kills to help the attack. On the defensive end, Kendal Braun chipped in for with 21 digs to go with three blocks from Taylor Wyatt. Minot State attackers were helped by a team-high 25 assists from Jaina Macaulay.

Oklahoma Christian def. Minot State 25-13, 25-14, 25-8

The Minot State volleyball team lost to the Oklahoma Christian Eagles in straight sets (13-25, 14-25, 8-25) Friday at Rip Griffin Center. Taylor Wyatt finished with five kills on the day to lead the Beavers attack while finishing with a hitting percentage of .333. The Beavers got seven digs from Maggie Machado to lead them defensively. Minot State attackers were helped by a team-high 12 assists from Jaina Macaulay.

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TWINS-METS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Stevenson scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning when he stole third and continued home on catcher Francisco Álvarez’s throwing error, and the Minnesota Twins beat the New York Mets 5-2 on Friday night. With the score 2-2, Matt Wallner walked against Sean Reid-Foley (0-1), Stevenson pinch ran and Willi Castro singled. With the runners going, Reid-Foley bounced a changeup to Edouard Julien that glanced off Álvarez’s glove and rebounded off the backstop. The catcher fired a throw that bounced past third base and down the left-field line for an error that allowed Stevenson to score from second. Stevenson played his seventh game with Minnesota this year after spending most of the season at Triple-A St. Paul. He already has the go-ahead from his manager to be aggressive on the basepaths. Royce Lewis added an RBI double and scored on Max Kepler’s bloop single off Grant Hartwig. Caleb Thielbar (3-1) pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of Dallas Keuchel, who allowed two runs and three hits in five innings. Jhoan Duran pitched a hitless ninth for his 25th save in 30 chances. Minnesota has won four of Keuchel’s five starts since he joined the team in early August. AL Central-leading Minnesota remained 6 1/2 games ahead of second-place Cleveland. The Guardians beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3.

UP NEXT
Mets: LHP David Peterson (3-7, 5.40 ERA) hasn’t recorded a decision in his last seven starts, but the Mets have won two of the last three times Peterson has taken the mound.
Twins: RHP Kenta Maeda (3-7, 4.73 ERA) has allowed three runs or more in each of his last four starts. His last win was Aug. 5 against Arizona.

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VIKINGS-METELLUS CONTRACT

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings safety and special teams standout Josh Metellus agreed to terms on a two-year contract extension, further cementing the club’s deepest position. The deal for Metellus, who was a sixth-round draft pick out of Michigan in 2020, has a maximum value of $13 million with $6 million guaranteed, his agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed. Metellus is behind six-time Pro Bowl pick Harrison Smith and incumbent starter Camryn Bynum on the depth chart, but he’s been used frequently as a fifth or sixth defensive back in various personnel packages rolled out during the preseason by new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

Metellus started three games last season when Smith was sidelined, and he excelled on the four primary phases of special teams where he is expected to remain even with an increased role on defense. Selected by his peers as one of eight captains for the second consecutive season, Metellus led the team in special teams tackles in 2020 and 2022. “I always tell the group, if you just do the work, the money will come,” special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said. “If you be so good they can’t deny you, everything else will work itself out.” The Vikings also have 2022 first-round draft pick Lewis Cine as a backup safety, plus Theo Jackson and Jay Ward in reserve and special teams roles after strong performances during training camp, and Metellus said without hesitation his next goal is to become an every-down player.

“Me and my wife, we couldn’t even sleep last night, we were so happy,” Metellus said. “We manifested a lot of things and to see things come to life and be able to live this dream, I would say it’s really special for us. We’ve been here for four years. My goal is to be here my whole career.” The money for Metellus will not quite measure up to the guarantees that wide receiver Justin Jefferson could soon get, with his representatives and the Vikings in negotiations on an extension that will undoubtedly make him the highest-paid player at his position.

“Of course I would want a contract to be done,” Jefferson said. “But at the end of the day, it is all up to them and what the ownership wants to do with that.” At his regular weekly interview session with reporters on Thursday, Jefferson was peppered with contract questions in light of a megadeal signed this week by San Francisco’s Nick Bosa that made him the richest defensive player in the league. “I’ve done something that no one has ever done in the history of the game, so my situation is a little bit different than everyone else’s,” Jefferson said. “Of course, I’m going into my fourth year, trying to talk about contract two years early. There’s so many different parts that go in toward it. That’s why I leave it up to my agent and just keep my mindset on the field.”

K-Heart Sports – 09/08/23

Posted on Sep 8, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 09/08/23

MINOT, ND – Friday means high school football is on the air. We’ll have a Class A Region 3 contest as Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central hosts Des Lacs-Burlington. Pregame set for 6:40 pm on 106.9 K-Heart, khrt.com, and on the Live 365 app.

Thursday scores:

High School Football

9-Man
Berthold def. Dunseith, 50-20
Nelson County def. Four Winds, 20-14

High School Boys Cross Country

Mandan Kiwanis Invitational
1. Bismarck Century, 43
2. Bowman County, 54
3. Williston, 79
4. Minot High, 85
5. New Town, 183
6. Mandan, 204
7. Standing Rock, 215
8. Rugby, 275
9. Bismarck Legacy, 296
10. Dickinson, 327
11. Watford City, 344
12. Shiloh Christian, 390
13. Beulah, 390
14. Southern McLean, 417
15. Glen Ullin-Hebron, 449
16. Turtle Mountain, 482
17. Bishop Ryan, 398
18. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 514
19. White Shield, 550
20. Center-Stanton, 557
21. Parshall, 594

Individual winner: Taylor Wanner of Bowman County, 16:14

High School Girls Cross Country

Mandan Kiwanis Invitational
1. Minot High, 60
2. Bismarck Legacy, 66
3. Bowman County, 74
4. Bismarck Century, 75
5. Rugby, 119
6. Dickinson, 197
7. Shiloh Christian, 292
8. Stanley, 299
9. Southern McLean, 313
10. Mandan, 341
11. Parshall, 346
12. Bishop Ryan, 368
13. Beulah, 375
14. South Prairie-Max, 404
15. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 404

Individual winner: Eva Selensky of Bismarck Legacy, 19:30

High School Girls Golf
Class A

Bismarck St. Mary’s Invite – Tom O’Leary Golf Course in Bismarck
1. Mandan, 316
2. Bismarck St. Mary’s, 352
3. Minot High, 354
4. Bismarck Century, 363
5. Bismarck Legacy, 375
6. Minot North, 383
7. Jamestown, 386
8. Williston, 391
9. Dickinson, 398
10. Bismarck High, 406
11. Watford City, 484

Medalist: Anna Huettl of Mandan, 68

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High ties Bismarck Century, 1-1 (4th draw of the season for Minot)
Jamestown def. Bismarck Legacy, 3-1
Bismarck High def. Williston, 3-0

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Williston, 7-2
Bismarck Century def. Mandan, 5-4
Bismarck Legacy def. Bismarck High, 6-1

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A
Bismarck Century def. Mandan (3-0) 25-10, 25-18, 25-6
Jamestown def. Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-1) 26-24, 25-15, 20-25, 25-22
Williston def. Turtle Mountain (3-0)

Class B
Bottineau def. Bishop Ryan (3-1) 23-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-20
Our Redeemer’s def. Velva (3-0)
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Rugby (3-0)
South Prairie-Max def. Kenmare-Bowbells (3-0) 25-21, 25-22, 25-22
Newburg-Westhope def. Glenburn (3-0) 25-23, 26-24, 25-17
T-G-U def. Nedrose (3-2) 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 26-24, 18-16
Surrey def. Drake-Anamoose (3-0) 25-19, 25-7, 25-18
Berthold def. Stanley (3-2) 25-14, 25-19, 17-25, 25-16
Hazen def. North Shore-Plaza (3-0) 25-11, 25-18, 27-25
New Town def. Parshall (3-2) 25-21, 17-25, 23-25, 25-22, 15-13
Ray def. Divide County (3-0) 25-14, 25-23, 25-17
Garrison def. Standing Rock (3-1) 25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 25-19
Central McLean def. Grant County (3-0) 25-22, 25-21, 26-24
North Prairie def. St. John (3-0) 25-18, 25-17, 25-13

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MINOT STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

BILLINGS, MT (MSU) – Minot State earned a 1-0 shutout win against Mont. State Billings on the road at Yellowjacket Soccer Field on Thursday. The Beavers broke the scoreless tie when Illiana Rivera notched her first goal of the season in the 27th minute, assisted by Sofia Galvez. Minot recorded two shots on goal. Siriana Gudino collected seven saves for the Beavers out of 12 total Yellowjackets shots. The win improved Minot State’s record to 2-0-0 overall. The Beavers are back in action on Saturday versus Black Hills State University in Billings, MT.

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VIKINGS-COUSINS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For all Kirk Cousins has achieved entering his 12th season in the NFL, his sixth with the Minnesota Vikings, he has rarely escaped the very situation that defines this cutthroat league of short-lived careers. Yes, Cousins is playing for his job once again. With no extension this year to his contract, his future with the Vikings has never been less clear. “That’s kind of the life you live,” Cousins said this week. “I think when you take that seriously, it lends itself to having success more days than not.” Since he became a full-time starter in 2015 with Washington, Cousins has played in more regular-season games (128) than any other NFL quarterback and accumulated the third-most passing yards (34,110). Tom Brady, who has retired, and Matt Ryan, who remains a free agent, are the only ones with more.

Given the market price at his position and a profile that hasn’t matched the all-time greats, the Vikings defensibly decided to let 2023 play out before making another commitment even though there’s no succession plan yet. At this point in his career, though, Cousins is hardly sweating it out. “If there is entitlement in the NFL, that organization is probably doing it wrong,” Cousins said, crediting Brady, a sure-bet Hall of Fame selection, with perpetuating that mantra. “It’s going to bring out the best in all of us. If it ever isn’t that way here, I would be the first one to complain and say, ‘Hey, I sense some entitlement, so let’s change that.’”

If this is his last year wearing purple, Cousins is in position to make it count. The Vikings, who host Tampa Bay to open the season on Sunday, boast the league’s reigning receiving leader in Justin Jefferson, who’s barely beginning his prime at age 24. Tight end T.J. Hockenson made an immediate impact after arriving in a trade with Detroit. The second year in coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense ought to be smoother for everyone involved, coming off a 13-4 season during which the Vikings ranked seventh in yards and eighth in points. “In just about every phase of quarterbacking, you’re going to feel more comfortable,” Cousins said.

On the flip side, Baker Mayfield’s underwhelming start in the NFL since Cleveland made him the first overall pick in the 2018 draft has landed him with a fourth team in the last 15 months. He’ll make his debut with the Bucs in a daunting environment behind a revamped offensive line at U.S. Bank Stadium. “I act like I’ve been here, but I also still have the young mindset,” Mayfield said. “I always have room to grow and learn, but also take command of it — be a leader and just show that instead of just focusing on the game plan only. Yeah, I have to do my job, but also bring everybody else along at the same time.”

K-Heart Sports – 09/07/23

Posted on Sep 7, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – THURSDAY – 09/07/23

MINOT, ND – The Aggies remain atop the Class A Football poll while there is a new #1 in 9-Man. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class A Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)                      Record    Points    Last Week
1. Velva-Drake/Anamose-Garrison (13) 3-0           77           1
2. Kindred (3)                                           3-0          68            2
3. Dickinson Trinity (1)                             3-0          49    3
4. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich            3-0          27            4
5. Shiloh Christian                                    3-0          13    RV

Others receiving votes: Bottineau (2-1), Central Cass (2-1), Bowman County (3-0), Lisbon (3-0)

9-Man Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes) Record    Points    Last Week
1. North Prairie (7)                          3-0          75            2
2. New Salem-Almont (10)              3-0          72            1
3. Sargent County                           3-0          42            3
4. South Border                               3-0          30            5
5. Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn     3-0          23 4

Others receiving votes: New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (3-0), Wyndmere-Lidgerwood (3-0), Linton-HMB (3-0)

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TWINS-GUARDIANS

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Gavin Williams and four relievers cooled off Minnesota’s offense and the Cleveland Guardians avoided a three-game sweep with a 2-1 win on Wednesday. Minnesota still leads second-place Cleveland by six games in the AL Central with 22 games left. The Twins won the first two games of the series against the defending division champs by a combined 28-9 score. Cleveland won the season series 7-6. While the Guardians will need to go on an extended hot streak and hope for some help, the win avoids an eight-game deficit in the standings. The Twins seemingly scored at will Monday and Tuesday. Cleveland’s pitchers responded with a combined two-hitter and 11 strikeouts. Minnesota drew five walks, but was 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Williams (2-5) didn’t allow a hit until Andrew Stevenson’s RBI single in the fifth. He walked four and struck out four. Royce Lewis singled off Sam Hentges in the sixth. Hentges, Reynaldo López, Nick Sandlin and Emmanuel Clase each worked a scoreless inning. Clase retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his 38th save in 47 chances. Twins starter Joe Ryan (10-9) made his third start since being on the 15-day injured list with a strained groin. The right-hander allowed two runs in four innings.

UP NEXT
The Twins open a three-game series Friday night at home against the New York Yankees. LHP Dallas Keuchel (1-1, 5.96 ERA) will start for Minnesota.

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VIKINGS-COUSINS

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — When Kirk Cousins takes the first snap for the Minnesota Vikings in their season opener, he’ll move

into third place on the franchise’s all-time list for games started by a quarterback. One of the NFL’s most scrutinized players, whose value to the Vikings and within the league has been the source of intense debate since he signed a groundbreaking contract five years ago, Cousins has unquestionably checked the box in one of the sport’s most critical categories: durability. Entering his age-35 season, Cousins is determined not to lose it. With his deal set to expire in March, he’s also well aware that his future in the game at least partially depends on it. “Shame on me if there was more out there to get and I didn’t do all I could,” Cousins said earlier this summer. “So even if it ends after this year, I have to feel like I walk away with peace of mind that I did everything I possibly could.”

That included hiring his longtime body coach, Chad Cook, on a full-time basis. Cook lives in the Atlanta area, where he founded and directs the Players Performance Institute, but not this fall. He has an apartment near Vikings headquarters so Cousins can bookend his days with in-home and in-person sessions — even squeezing some in during training camp lunch breaks — designed to keep his arms and legs functioning at optimal levels. Cook is married with a daughter playing college soccer in Georgia. His family was fully supportive of the tradeoff of time away for the opportunity to work so closely with Cousins — one of “one or two” athletes, Cook said, he has ever trained that he would consider going full-time with. “There will be a risk of a freak injury. He’s not an insurance against those. You can get hit awkwardly and something can happen,” Cousins said. “What we’re trying to prevent is more of the nagging stuff, the chronic stuff. Then when something does happen, can we nip it in the bud a little faster?”

Cook and Cousins have been cautious about not crossing boundaries with the Vikings, viewing their work together as adjunct to the team’s well-regarded medical staff. “All we’re trying to do is, when he’s got free time, keep pushing the limits of what he’s physically capable of doing and keep him as healthy and durable as he can be,” Cook said in a recent phone interview. One of Cook’s specialties is a trademarked procedure called Muscle Activation Technique, or MAT, that involves assessing for weaknesses and applying a calculated amount of force to those lagging muscles in an attempt to restore their efficiency. “We’re not sitting there in the gym and just beating him up. We’re really fine-tuning and dissecting and analyzing and assessing what’s firing and what’s not firing and flipping the switches back on,” Cook said.

The Netflix documentary “ Quarterback ” that featured Cousins, Patrick Mahomes and Marcus Mariota provided an up-close look at the punishment that comes with the position, and subsequent promotional appearances allowed Cousins — always inquiring, forever a student — an opportunity to talk to his peers about taking care of their bodies off the field. Mahomes, too, has a personal trainer, Bobby Stroupe, who founded and runs the Athlete Performance Enhancement Center in his hometown in Texas. “You can’t prevent all injuries,” Mahomes said, “but you can prepare your body the best way possible.”

With 128 starts since he became a full-time starter in 2015 with Washington, Cousins has the most by any NFL quarterback over that span. That’s also tied for fourth-most among all players, according to Sportradar data. The list of active players from his 2012 draft class has dwindled to the dozens. Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford are the only current starting quarterbacks who’ve been in the league longer than Cousins, who entered in the same season as Ryan Tannehill and Russell Wilson. Cousins is outranked in experience by just a handful of backups, too, and even 2011 draftees Blaine Gabbert and Tyrod Taylor are younger than him despite entering a year earlier.

One of Washington’s wide receivers when Cousins was there was Santana Moss, who imparted some wisdom on the young quarterback near the end of a 14-year career about the benefits of extracurricular body work beyond the lifting-and-running basics. “It’s the consistent daily habit that over time produces a great result,” Cousins said. “I’ve never worked with someone this consistently, so I am excited to see in February what it was like to get that quality of work with that consistency for seven months straight. It could be a big difference-maker.” Whatever it takes to get a few more years out of a career defined by over achievement. “Being a starting quarterback in this league is a privilege and a platform,” Cousins said. “You get an opportunity to use that to impact people. I might never have as big of a platform as I have now.”

K-Heart Sports – 09/06/23

Posted on Sep 6, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 09/06/23

MINOT, ND – Due to wildfire smoke, several outdoor activities were postponed or cancelled on Tuesday.

High School Boys Soccer
Jamestown def. Mandan, 5-0

High School Boys Tennis

Mandan def. Bismarck High, 6-1

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A
Minot High def. Turtle Mountain (3-0) 25-19, 25-23, 25-19
Bismarck Century def. Watford City (3-0) 25-8, 25-20, 25-21
Dickinson def. Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-0) 25-11, 25-21, 26-24
Bismarck High def. Williston (3-0) 25-18, 25-15, 25-18
Bismarck Legacy def. Mandan (3-0) 25-12, 25-14, 25-15

Class B
South Prairie-Max def. Newburg-Westhope (3-0) 25-14, 25-13, 25-21
Kenmare-Bowbells def. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (3-0) 25-10, 25-19, 25-15
Bottineau def. Surrey, (3-2) 13-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-10, 15-13
Drake-Anamoose def. Nedrose (3-1) 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 27-25
T-G-U def. Benson County, (3-1) 2025, 25-11, 25-23, 25-
Rugby def. St. John (3-1) 25-20, 19-25, 25-18, 25-22
North Prairie def. Four Winds-Minnewaukan (3-0) 25-12, 25-16, 25-16
Harvey-Wells County def. Kidder County (3-1) 25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 25-13
White Shield def. New Town (3-2) 25-22, 27-25, 17-25, 23-25, 15-8
Powers Lake-Burke Central def. North Shore-Plaza (3-0) 25-21, 25-9, 25-16
Ray def. Alexander (3-0) 25-23, 25-17, 25-13
Tioga def. Stanley (3-1) 25-27, 25-18, 25-19, 25-21

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VOLLEYBALL-EXPANDING

VALLEY CITY, ND – The North Dakota High School Activities Association has given the go ahead for a 3-class system for volleyball. The Board voted on Tuesday to add a third division of volleyball starting in the fall of 2025. Guidelines and classifications for the new three-division volleyball format will be updated throughout the 2023-24 academic year with final Board approval by June 2024. North Dakota will begin a three-class system for basketball this school year and when it was approved last spring it was widely expected that volleyball would follow suit.

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TWINS-GUARDIANS

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jorge Polanco hit a sacrifice fly and Donovan Solano added a three-run triple in Minnesota’s five-run eighth inning as the Twins pushed their lead in the American League Central to seven games over second-place Cleveland with an 8-3 win over the Guardians on Tuesday night. Polanco hit a shot deep enough to right off Trevor Stephan (6-6) to score pinch-runner Joey Gallo and break a 3-3 tie. Later in the inning, Solano’s liner to center skipped past outfielder Myles Straw and rolled to the wall, clearing the bases. By winning the first two games of the critical three-game series, Minnesota, which has been atop the division since mid-July, moved seven games above .500 for the first time in 2023. More importantly, they probably put away the defending division champion Guardians with just 23 games left. Still, the Twins, who improved 4-1 on this road trip and are playing their best ball this season, aren’t taking anything for granted. Minnesota’s Christian Vázquez, who hit a game-tying homer in the sixth off Guardians reliever Matt Moore, led off the eighth with a single and Willi Castro doubled down the left-field line. Gallo came on for Vázquez and scored easily on Polanco’s fly ahead of Will Brennan’s throw. Stephan’s wild pitch made it 5-3, and the right-hander walked two and hit a batter to set up Solano’s shot — a potential knockout blow for Cleveland. Bo Naylor hit a two-run homer for the Guardians, who were blown out 20-6 in Monday’s series opener. Griffin Jax (6-8) struck out two in one inning after coming on for starter Sonny Gray, who gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. Caleb Thielbar worked the eighth and Emilio Pagán finished up for Minnesota.

UP NEXT
The rivals meet for the final time in 2023 this afternoon with Guardians rookie RHP Gavin Williams (1-5, 3.46 ERA) starting against Twins RHP Joe Ryan (10-8, 4.20).

K-Heart Sports – 09/05/23

Posted on Sep 5, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 09/05/23

MINOT, ND – No change in the Class AA Football poll. A few changes in Class AAA. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class AAA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)     Record Points    Last Week
1. Fargo Shanley (17)            2-0          89            1
2. West Fargo Sheyenne (1) 2-0          72            2
3. Minot High                          2-0    55            5
4. Fargo Davies                      1-1    22           4
5. Mandan                               1-1         19           RV

Other teams receiving votes: Bismarck Century (1-1), Bismarck High (1-1)

Class AA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)   Record    Points    Last Week
1. Fargo North (17)    2-0           85            1
2. Grand Forks Red River    3-0 60            2
3. Fargo South                     2-0 58            3
4. Jamestown                      1-1            28            4
5. Dickinson                         2-0            19            5

Other teams receiving votes: Valley City (2-0), Wahpeton (1-1)

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TWINS-GUARDIANS

CLEVELAND (AP) — Royce Lewis had a grand slam and a career-high six RBIs, and Jorge Polanco and Carlos Correa added solo homers off Lucas Giolito in his Cleveland debut as the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins crushed the Guardians 20-6 on Monday night. Lewis became the first rookie in MLB history with three grand slams in an eight-game span. The 24-year-old third baseman also is the second player ever with five homers and three slams in the same timeframe, joining baseball legend Lou Gehrig in 1931. Lewis has four grand slams in 56 career games in the majors. The Twins moved six games ahead of the second-place Guardians with 24 to play, including two more in this series at Progressive Field. They finished with 20 hits, had 12 players score, and established season highs in runs, hits and margin of victory. Kyle Farmer hit a three-run homer, and Joey Gallo and Matt Wallner each had two-run shots off catcher David Fry, who pitched the final four innings and allowed seven runs and 10 hits. Minnesota led 18-1 in the middle of the seventh. Giolito (7-12), claimed off waivers from the Angels on Aug. 31, gave up a career high-tying nine runs in three innings. The right-hander is 1-7 with a 7.22 ERA in his last 11 starts, which include outings with the White Sox, Los Angeles and Cleveland. Minnesota starter Pablo López (10-7) went six innings, allowing one run on an RBI triple by José Ramírez. The right-hander struck out three, putting him eight behind Toronto’s Kevin Gausman (207) for the AL lead.

UP NEXT
Twins RHP Sonny Gray (7-6, 2.92 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (10-3, 3.03 ERA) tonight in game two of the three game series.

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NFL-RUDOLPH RETIRES

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph has retired after a 12-year career in the NFL he spent mostly with the Minnesota Vikings. Rudolph played last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, catching Tom Brady’s last regular-season touchdown pass before injuring his knee in the final regular-season game. Rudolph was sidelined for the playoff game and not re-signed after becoming a free agent in the offseason. Rudolph confirmed his retirement Monday on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The Vikings are planning to honor him Sept. 24 during their home game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame in 2011 played 10 years for the Vikings, totaling 4,488 yards to rank second on the franchise’s career list for tight ends behind Steve Jordan. Rudolph’s 48 touchdowns are the most among tight ends and sixth overall in Vikings history. He had a consecutive starts streak of 93 straight games that ended because of a foot injury late in the 2020 season. Rudolph played for the New York Giants in 2021.

K-Heart Sports – 09/02/23

Posted on Sep 2, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 09/02/23

MINOT, ND – Ben Schepp passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns as #1 Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison defeated Des Lacs-Burlington 40-16 on Friday, in a game we broadcast on K-Heart. Treyson Iglehart tallied 184 yards receiving and three TD’s, while Hank Bodine rushed for 92 yards and two scores as the Aggies improve to 3-0 on the season and extend their winning streak to 16. Paxton Ystaas passed for 144 yards and two scores for DLB. The Lakers fall to 1-2 on the year.

Other scores from Friday:

High School Football

Class AAA
#1 Fargo Shanley def. West Fargo, 57-14
#2 West Fargo Sheyenne def. #4 Fargo Davies, 21-14
Mandan def. #3 Bismarck Century, 26-23
#5 Minot High def. Bismarck Legacy, 49-0

Class AA
#2 Grand Forks Red River def. Wahpeton, 23-12
#3 Fargo South def. Grand Forks Central, 34-0
#4 Jamestown def. Turtle Mountain, 48-12
Valley City def. Watford City, 30-0
West Fargo Horace def. Devils Lake, 27-26

Class A
#1 Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison def. Des Lacs-Burlington, 40-16
#2 Kindred def. Hillsboro-Central Valley, 44-13
#3 Dickinson Trinity def. Hazen, 42-8
#4 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. #5 Bottineau, 34-6
Bishop Ryan def. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 62-0
Stanley def. Nedrose, 34-6
Ray-Powers Lake def. South Prairie-Max, 28-16
Shiloh Christian def. Killdeer, 58-27
Bowman County def. Beulah, 31-24
Heart River def. Southern McLean, 24-22
May-Port-CG def. Rugby, 30-20
Harvey-Wells County def. Thompson, 21-18
Grafton def. Park River Area, 19-16
Carrington def. Cavalier, 33-8
Oakes def. Fargo Oak Grove, 47-20
Lisbon def. Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm, 40-13
Central Cass def. Northern Cass, 39-0

9-Man
#1 New Salem-Almont def. Beach, 44-6
#2 North Prairie def. St. John, 42-0
#3 Sargent County def. Griggs-Midkota, 46-0
#4 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn def. Divide County, 62-14
#5 South Border def. Grant County-Flasher, 37-14
Surrey def. T-G-U, 46-36
Alexander def. Dunseith, 41-8
Linton-HMB def. Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter, 42-0
Kidder County def. Hettinger-Scranton, 30-28
Hettinger County def. Richardton-Taylor-Hebron, 40-14
North Border def. Midway-Minto, 66-32
North Star def. Nelson County, 34-22
New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock def. Larimore, 53-12
Hankinson def. Enderlin, 41-6
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood def. Maple River, 47-20
LaMoure-Litchville-Marion def. Hatton-Northwood 58-12

6-Man
Trenton def. New Town, 66-32
Drayton def. Warwick, 68-7

High School Boys Tennis
Bismarck Legacy def. Williston, 7-2

High School Boys Cross Country
Class A

Rusty Bucket Meet – McDowell Dam in Bismarck
1. Bismarck High, 18
2. Bismarck Century, 52
3. Mandan, 87
4. Bismarck Legacy, 151

Individual Winner: Parker Hintz of Bismarck High, 16:09

High School Girls Cross Country
Class A

Rusty Bucket Meet – McDowell Dam in Bismarck
1. Bismarck High, 21
2. Bismarck Legacy, 50
3. Bismarck Century, 62
4. Mandan, 154

Individual Winner: Izzy Dahl of Bismarck High, 15:06

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TWINS-RANGERS

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jordan Luplow and Christian Vázquez snapped extended slumps with home runs in the go-ahead seventh inning after Texas starter Max Scherzer left the game as the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins beat the slumping Rangers 5-1 on Friday night. All of Minnesota’s runs came against Texas relievers after Scherzer struck out seven and allowed only one hit in six innings before he departed after 88 pitches with a 1-0 lead. Scherzer, in his sixth start for the Rangers since being acquired in a trade from the New York Mets, said he was dealing with some forearm tightness and communicated that to pitching coach Mike Maddux. The three-time Cy Young Award winner insisted that he is OK, and just didn’t want that to become an extended problem. The lone hit against him was when Royce Lewis was credited with an infield single on a sharp grounder off third baseman Ezequiel Duran in the fourth.

Minnesota right-hander Joe Ryan (10-8) also struck out seven and allowed only one run and three hits over six innings. He also struck out seven in five innings last Saturday in another game against Scherzer, in a 6-2 win by Texas when both got no-decisions. The Rangers (75-59) lost for the 11th time in 14 games. They returned home from a 3-6 trip having lost the AL West lead they had held for 148 of the season’s first 149 days. They are now in third place, but only a game behind the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros, still tied atop the division after both also lost Friday. Brock Burke (5-3) took over for Texas to start the seventh, when Carlos Correa ended his own 0-for-12 slide with a one-out single before pinch-hitter Luplow went the opposite way with a 381-foot drive to right after being hitless his previous 16 at-bats. Vázquez broke out of an 0-for-18 drought with a solo homer. Jorge Polanco add a two-run shot in the eighth off Josh Sborz, the second Texas reliver. All-Star shortstop Corey Seager hit his 26th homer for Texas, and officially qualified as the AL leader with his .345 batting average. Seager has missed 40 games this season because of two stints on the injured list, and didn’t have enough plate appearances to qualify until his fourth at-bat Friday. Tampa Bay third baseman Yandy Diaz began the day as the AL leader at .327.

UP NEXT
A matchup of left-handers Saturday when 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel pitches for the Twins against Jordan Montgomery, who is 2-1 with 2.30 ERA in five starts for Texas since being acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline. The 35-year-old Keuchel signed a free-agent deal in June, and is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in four games (three starts) since getting called up by the Twins.

K-Heart Sports – 09/01/23

Posted on Sep 1, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 09/01/23

MINOT, ND – Sophomore quarterback Drayson Johnson threw for 267 yards and two touchdown. He also rushed for a score as Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood defeated Tioga 22-6 last night, in a game we broadcast on K-Heart. Jaren Mattern led the rushing attack with 93 yards on 20 carries. Riley Morlock tallied 57 yards rushing and 108 yards receiving, including at 55 yard score. Senior quarterback led the Pirates with 55 yards rushing on 14 carries, but threw four interceptions. MLS improves their record to 3-0, while Tioga drops to 0-3.

Others scores from Thursday:

High School Football

Class AA
#5 Dickinson def. Williston, 26-6

9-Man
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood def. Tioga, 22-6
Central McLean def. Berthold, 34-28 OT

6-Man
Center-Stanton def. Mandaree, 95-7

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High ties Dickinson, 1-1 (3rd draw of the season for Minot)
Mandan def. Williston, 4-0
Bismarck Legacy def. Bismarck Century, 4-0
Jamestown def. Bismarck High, 2-0

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Williston, 5-2
Bismarck Legacy def. Bismarck Century, 5-2

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A
Jamestown def. Minot High, (3-0) 25-22, 25-11, 25-23
Dickinson def. Williston (3-2)
Watford City def. Turtle Mountain (3-0) 25-6, 25-21, 25-17
Bismarck High def. Mandan (3-0) 25-16, 25-15, 25-10
Bismarck Century def. Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-0) 25-18, 25-23, 25-18

Class B
Our Redeemer’s def. Kenmare-Bowbells (3-2)
South Prairie-Max def. Nedrose (3-0) 25-22, 25-9, 25-8
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Garrison (3-0) 25-11, 25-5, 25-13
Surrey def. Newburg-Westhope (3-1) 25-14, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18
Velva def. Berthold (3-2) 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-9
Bottineau def. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (3-0) 25-19, 25-17, 25-15
T-G-U def. Four Winds-Minnewaukan (3-0) 25-8, 25-14, 25-7
Harvey-Wells County def. Drake-Anamoose (3-0) 25-13, 25-15, 25-20
North Shore-Plaza def. Parshall (3-1) 25-16, 25-21, 24-26, 25-23
Trenton def. New Town (3-0) 25-13, 25-5, 25-12
Alexander def. White Shield (3-0) 25-13, 26-24, 25-12
Tioga def. Ray (3-2) 22-25, 25-14, 19-25, 25-21, 15-10
Powers Lake-Burke Central def. Divide County (3-2) 18-25, 25-12, 19-25, 25-17, 15-12

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MINOT, ND – No change in the 9-Man football poll this week. Just one change in Class A and that’s to the #5 team. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class A Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)                       Record    Points    Last Week
1. Velva-Drake/Anamose-Garrison (18) 2-0            94           1
2. Kindred (1)                                           2-0           75            2
3. Dickinson Trinity 2-0           46           3
4. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich            2-0 36 4
5. Bottineau    2-0           11          RV

Others receiving votes: Shiloh Christian (2-0), Central Cass (1-1), Bowman County (2-0), Lisbon (2-0)

9-Man Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)               Record    Points    Last Week
1. New Salem-Almont (13)               2-0          85            1
2. North Prairie (5)                            2-0          72    2
3. Sargent County                             2-0    52            3
4. Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn      2-0           28 4
5. South Border                                 2-0    26            5

Others receiving votes: New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (2-0), LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (1-1), Wyndmere-Lidgerwood (2-0), Grant County-Flasher (2-0), Linton-HMB (2-0)

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MINOT STATE FOOTBALL

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State Beavers came out strong, looking to “Defend the Herb” in their debut over new head coach Ian Shields, jumping in front of visiting Southwest Minnesota State 17-0 in the first half. But as the game wore on, second-half mistakes proved costly as the visiting Mustangs rallied to beat Minot State 28-23 on Thursday night at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium in the NSIC and season opener for both teams.

Minot State scored first with 7:09 remaining in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead on an 8-yard run by Lovett. The MSU then expanded the lead to 10-0 with a 28-yard Nate Peterson field goal. Minot State continued to extend its lead, scoring again with 1:04 left in the second quarter to go ahead 17-0 on a 16-yard scoring toss from Macleary to Stokes. Southwest Minnesota State, which scored on the last play of the first half, fought back to take a 28-17 lead late in the fourth quarter, then held on as Minot State got on the scoreboard again to cut into the lead and make it a 28-23 game but could not recover an onside kick attempt in the final minute. Southwest Minnesota State has now won seven straight over the Beavers.

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VIKINGS-HOCKENSON

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings made a bold midseason move last year to trade for T.J. Hockenson. Now they’ve given him a new contract to match. Hockenson signed a four-year extension Thursday through the 2027 season that’s the richest in the league for a tight end. According to NFL Network, the eighth overall pick in the 2019 draft will get a maximum value of $68.5 million to edge Darren Waller (New York Giants) in terms of annual average value and $42.5 million guaranteed to top George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers). Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs), who has long been considered the gold standard at the position, signed his last extension three years ago and is fourth in the league in annual average value, according to salary data compiled by Over The Cap. “I’m excited to actually play football and go out there and have to not worry about anything else and move forward from everything and go win some games,” Hockenson said after practice. “That’s really what we’re here for.”

Hockenson was the eighth overall pick by Detroit in the 2019 draft out of Iowa. The two-time Pro Bowl pick was acquired in a deadline-day trade last year by the Vikings and had 60 catches for 519 yards in 10 games. His season total of 914 receiving yards was a career high. “T.J. is a dynamic route-running tight end who can win routes in one-on-one settings versus linebackers, safeties. We can move him all over the formation,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “I do think he’s a three-down player.”

Hockenson was only a limited participant for most of training camp, first citing an ear infection that caused equilibrium trouble and later attributing his absence to lower back stiffness. Hockenson repeatedly said he wasn’t holding back because of his contract extension. “I don’t think there was ever any sense of quid pro quo or anything like that,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “I can’t tell you anything for certain, but I didn’t view it as that at all. I just felt like there was a process that needed to play out.” Hockenson was close to a full participant in practice this week, O’Connell said, and is expected to be in the starting lineup for the season opener Sept. 10 against Tampa Bay. “I’m feeling good. I’m feeling better. I’m still working into September 10th,” Hockenson said. “That’s what we were trying to be smart with: Just get me ready for the season.”

The Vikings sent a 2023 second-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick to the Lions for Hockenson and two draft picks (a fourth-round draft pick in 2023 and a conditional draft pick in 2024). He set an NFL record for the most receptions (26) by a tight end in his first four games with a team. “It’s truly a good fit for me here,” said Hockenson, who repeatedly used the word “brotherhood” to describe his feelings about playing for the Vikings. “You don’t experience that very often in this league, because it is such a cutthroat business.” The native of Chariton, Iowa, also gets to continue to play close to home.

“It’s one thing to make money,” he said, “but it’s another thing to be happy with where you are.”

With Hockenson locked up for the long term, the Vikings have one more contract situation to resolve with a pending extension for superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. He still has two years left on his rookie deal, but the Vikings would be unwise to play hardball with the reigning Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year award winner. “Justin’s someone we want around here for a very long time,” Adofo-Mensah said.

O’Connell also announced the eight captains for the season at a joint news conference with Adofo-Mensah: Jefferson, quarterback Kirk Cousins, fullback C.J. Ham, right tackle Brian O’Neill, outside linebacker Danielle Hunter, linebacker Jordan Hicks, safety Harrison Smith and safety and special teams ace Josh Metellus. Cousins was an unanimous pick by his teammates, excluding his own ballot. With running back Kene Nwangwu on injured reserve with a lower back injury, O’Connell said Ty Chandler will start as the primary kickoff returner. Chandler is the backup to starter Alexander Mattison. Myles Gaskin was added Wednesday for depth with Nwangwu sidelined. The Vikings also signed eighth-year linebacker Nick Vigil, who started in their base defense in 2021, to the 16-player practice squad.

K-Heart Sports – 08/30/23

Posted on Aug 30, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 08/30/23

MINOT, ND – Tuesday was a full day of high school sports.

High School Girls Golf
Class A

Bismarck Century Invite – Riverwood Golf Course in Bismarck
1. Mandan, 320
2. Bismarck Century, 348
3. Bismarck St. Mary’s, 351
4. Bismarck Legacy, 356
5. Jamestown, 367
6. Minot High, 374
7. Minot North, 388
8. Dickinson, 391
9. Williston, 424
10. Watford City, 454

Medalist: Anna Huettl of Mandan, 75

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High def. Williston, 8-0
Bismarck Legacy def. Dickinson, 5-2
Jamestown def. Bismarck Century, 2-0
Bismarck High def. Mandan, 3-1

High School Boys Tennis
Bismarck Legacy def. Minot High, 4-3
Mandan def. Bismarck Century, 4-3
Bismarck High def. Jamestown, 5-2

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A
Bismarck Legacy def. Minot High (3-0) 25-15, 25-16, 25-14
Watford City def. Williston (3-2) 15-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-16, 15-11
Dickinson def. Mandan (3-2) 22-25, 15-25, 25-20, 25-16, 15-10
Bismarck High def. Bismarck St. Mary’s (3-1) 25-12, 25-22, 21-25, 25-20

Class B
Our Redeemer’s def. Nedrose (3-0) 25-16, 25-15, 25-13
Bishop Ryan def. Velva (3-0) 25-10, 29-27, 25-17
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Kenmare-Bowbells (3-0) 27-25, 25-17, 25-15
T-G-U def. Glenburn (3-0) 25-13, 25-20, 25-23
South Prairie-Max def. Bottineau (3-0) 25-19, 25-19, 25-22
Central McLean def. Surrey (3-1) 28-30, 25-16, 25-21, 25-18
Berthold def. Garrison (3-0) 25-11, 25-17, 25-13
Newburg-Westhope def. St. John (3-0) 25-12, 25-17, 25-22
North Star def. Rugby (3-0) 25-23, 25-19, 25-11
North Prairie def. Drake-Anamoose (3-1) 29-27, 25-13, 21-25, 25-12
New Town def. White Shield (3-1) 25-16, 22-25, 25-21, 25-18
Alexander def. Parshall (3-2) 25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-9
Trinity Christian Williston def. Powers Lake-Burke Central (3-0) 25-16, 27-25, 25-23
Trenton def. Divide County (3-0) 25-10, 25-11, 25-6

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MINOT STATE GOLF

FARIBAULT, Minn. (MSU) – The Minot State men’s golf teams chopped 14 shots from their first-round efforts, climbing into a third-place finish at the season-opening Maverick Invitational hosted by Minnesota State, Mankato. The Beaver women also shaved strokes and finished third, as well, as the event wrapped up Tuesday at the Faribault Golf Club.

Chase Gedak led the way for Minot State with the best round of the entire tournament, shooting a 5-under 67 on Tuesday to jump into the Top 10 and finish eighth at 1-over 145 (78-67). The 67 also ties for the second-best single round in Minot State’s NCAA Division II history. Joshua Tu and Zach Hendrickson each finished in the Top 20 for the Beaver men as Tu tied for 15th at 8-over 152 (74-78) and Hendrickson tied for 18th at 9-over 153 (76-77). That helped power the Beavers charge up the team leaderboard as they shot a 7-over 295 on Tuesday and finished third with a two-day total of 28-over 604 (309-295).

On the women’s side, Taylor Cormier made a big move Tuesday with an 8-over 80 and finished 13th at 23-over 167 (87-80), while teammate Holly Knudsen finished right in front of her in 12th at 22-over 166 (83-83). Lauryn Keller and Zoe Banack added Top-20 finishes as Keller tied for 14th at 25-over 169 (85-84) and Banack tied for 20th at 27-over 171 (84-87), helping the Minot State women finish third in the team race at 95-over 671 (337-334). Jaci Jones rounded out the team scores for Minot State as she tied for 22nd at 30-over 174 (85-89), and Abigail Goettle was 31st, playing as an individual, at 36-over 180 (89-91).

For the Minot State men, Max Karnik was 26th as he chopped 10 strokes off his Monday round and finished with a 12-over 156 (83-73), Aimery Barrault tied for 33rd at 17-over 161 (81-80), and Casey Fjeld, playing as an individual, was 30th at 14-over 158 (76-82). The host Mavericks won the men’s team title with a 7-under 569 (291-278), while Hastings College’s Gabriel Escalera was the individual men’s champion with a 7-under 137 (68-69). The MSU, Mankato women also claimed the team title with a 56-over 632 (314-318), and the Mavericks’ Sammy Youngquist won the individual title with a 9-over 153 (73-80).

Now with a tournament under their belt, the Beavers get nearly two weeks off before returning to action playing at the Bemidji State Men’s Fall Invitational and the Tracy Lane Invitational, for the women, both at the Bemidji Town & Country Club on Sept. 11-12.

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TWINS-GUARDIANS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Cleveland Guardians overcame an early exit from starting pitcher Gavin Williams caused by knee soreness, taking a three-run lead by the fourth inning and beating the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Tuesday night. Minnesota, which leads second-place Cleveland by six games, went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded three runners on third base. The Twins’ Royce Lewis hit a solo homer in the fourth following grand slams in his previous two games. Williams retired Lewis on a bases-loaded popup in the first, then left because of rain knee pain and was replaced by Hunter Gaddis (2-1), who allowed one run over three innings. Sam Hentges (two innings) Trevor Stephan (one inning) and Nick Sandlin (one inning) followed with scoreless relief. Williams said he slipped during a pitch in the first inning, injuring the knee He didn’t sound overly concerned. Emmanuel Clase allowed Michael A. Taylor’s one-out homer in the ninth before getting his AL-leading 35th save in 44 chances. Taylor’s home run was his career-high 20th. Bo Naylor homered in consecutive games for the first time in his major league career, putting Cleveland ahead with a solo drive in the second off Pablo López (9-7). López gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings. Minnesota won his previous five starts prior to Tuesday’s loss.

UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Tanner Bibee (10-3, 3.01 ERA) will face the Twins for the second time this season. The rookie right-hander allowed three runs in five innings and didn’t factor into the decision in a loss to Minnesota on June 1.
Twins: RHP Sonny Gray (7-6, 3.06 ERA) was sharp his last time out, allowing just one run in seven innings in a win against Texas. He’s 0-1 in two starts against the Guardians this season.

K-Heart Sports – 08/29/23

Posted on Aug 29, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 08/29/23

MINOT, ND – The same teams remain atop the Class AAA and AA football polls. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class AAA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)        Record    Points    Last Week
1. Fargo Shanley (19)                1-0         103          1
2. West Fargo Sheyenne (1)      1-0           82    2
3. Bismarck Century                   1-0           46          4
4. Fargo Davies (1)                    1-0            45          5
5. Minot High                              1-0            32         RV

Other teams receiving votes: Mandan (0-1), West Fargo (0-1)

Class AA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)    Record    Points    Last Week
1. Fargo North (21)                2-0         103           1
2. Grand Forks Red River    2-0           74 4
3. Fargo South                       1-0           68           3
4. Jamestown                         0-1           36 2
5. Dickinson                           1-0            15         RV

Other teams receiving votes: Valley City (1-0), Wahpeton (1-0), Grand Forks Central (1-1)

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MINOT, ND – Monday scores

High School Girls Golf
Class B

Des Lacs-Burlington Meet – Wildwood Golf Course
1. Des Lacs-Burlington, 385
2. Kenmare-Bowbells, 395
3. South Prairie-Max, 401
4. Stanley, 413
5. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood, 502

Medalist: Laila Christianson of DLB, 79

Northern Lights Invite – Rolla
1. Bottineau, 393
2. Nedrose, 410
3. Northern Lights, 482

Medalist: Elle Rybchinski of Bottineau, 91

High School Boys Tennis
Minot High def. Bismarck High, 9-0

High School Girls Volleyball
Class B
Four Winds-Minnewaukan def. Turtle Mountain JV, (3-0) 25-12, 25-15, 25-15

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TWINS-GUARDIANS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Royce Lewis made a promotional appearance for the Minnesota Twins at the State Fair in the afternoon, trying his hand at shearing a cow, chatting with starstruck fans, and chowing down on chocolate cookies, mini-donuts and corn on the cob. The next stop on his moveable feast came Monday night at Target Field, a fat curveball from Cleveland pitcher Xzavion Curry that Lewis smacked into the bullpen, naturally, with the bases loaded. Becoming the first Twins player to hit a grand slam in consecutive games and powering the Twins past the Guardians 10-6 to push their American League Central lead to a season-high seven games, Lewis produced yet another team-lifting moment in a major league career that’s only 50 games long. Lewis became the 10th player in baseball history to hit at least three grand slams within his first 10 career homers and the first Twins rookie with multiple slams in one season since Danny Valencia in 2010. No other Twins player has hit grand slams on consecutive days. Matt Wallner had a solo shot in the third and Jorge Polanco launched a three-run homer into the third deck in the fourth to extend the power surge for the Twins (69-63), whose 70 home runs since the All-Star break are the second-most in the major leagues. Kody Funderburk (1-0) was credited with the win in his major league debut, tallying three strikeouts, two weak groundouts back to the mound and one popout behind second base over two perfect innings in relief of a roughed-up Kenta Maeda.

UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (1-5, 3.52 ERA) pitches tonight. The rookie has finished six innings in just three of 12 turns. Twins: RHP Pablo López (9-6, 3.69 ERA) takes the mound for the middle game of the series. After allowing a total of five runs over a six-start span, including 19 straight scoreless innings, he gave up five runs in his last turn.

K-Heart Sports – 08/26/23

Posted on Aug 26, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 08/26/23

MINOT, ND – Junior quarterback Ben Schepp completed 15 of 17 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns as #1-ranked and defending champion Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison defeated Beulah 40-13 in a a game we broadcast on 1320 KHRT. It was all Beulah to start the game as the Miners took the opening kickoff and marched 94 yards in 18 plays using up 11 minutes as they scored a touchdown with a minute left in the first quarter. From that point it was all Aggies as they would score 40 unanswered points. The Aggies improve to 2-0, while Beulah drops to 1-1.

Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood also improves to 2-0 on the season as they scored a 30-14 win over Berthold in a game we broadcast on 106.9 K-Heart. Riley Morlock led the Mavericks rushing for 68 yards and a TD. He also had a pick-six on defense. Berthold drops to 0-2.

Other scores from Friday:

High School Football

Class AAA
#1 Fargo Shanley def. Bismarck High, 35-7
#2 West Fargo Sheyenne def. Bismarck Legacy, 41-7
#4 Bismarck Century def. West Fargo, 46-40
#5 Fargo Davies def. #3 Mandan, 20-9
Minot High def. Bismarck St. Mary’s, 37-0

Class AA
#1 Fargo North def. #5 Grand Forks Central, 48-7
#3 Fargo South def. Williston (Class AAA), 36-6
#4 Grand Forks Red River def. #2 Jamestown, 33-28
Dickinson def. West Fargo Horace, 28-6
Valley City def. Turtle Mountain, 40-0
Watford City def. Hazen (Class A), 22-16
Wahpeton def. Devils Lake 39-8

Class A
#1 Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison def. Beulah, 40-13
#2 Kindred def. Cavalier, 41-12
#3 Dickinson Trinity def. Bishop Ryan, 47-0
#4 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. Harvey-Wells County, 50-12
#5 Central Cass def. Oakes, 7-0
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Minot North (Class AAA JV), 49-14
Southern McLean def. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 37-0
Shiloh Christian def. Nedrose, 56-8
Bowman County def. Stanley, 29-12
Ray-Powers Lake def. Heart River, 25-12
Bottineau def. Grafton, 36-14
Carrington def. Rugby, 48-14
Thompson def. Park River Area, 26-20
Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm def. Northern Cass, 43-14
Lisbon def. Hillsboro-Central Valley, 28-14

9-Man
#1 New Salem-Almont def. Hettinger-Scranton, 30-0
#2 North Prairie def. Larimore, 74-24
#3 Sargent County def. Fargo Oak Grove (Independent), 47-7
#4 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn def. T-G-U, 50-14
#5 South Border def. Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter, 49-26
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood def. Berthold, 30-14
Surrey def. Divide County, 34-22
Central McLean def. Dunseith, 58-18
Alexander def. Tioga, 25-6
Grant County-Flasher def. Hettinger County, 52-30
Linton-HMB def. Beach, 36-6
Kidder County def. Richardton-Taylor-Hebron, 30-6
New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock def. Four Winds, 35-12
St. John def. Midway-Minto, 72-36
Nelson County def. North Border, 44-6
LaMoure-Litchville-Marion def. Enderlin, 66-0
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood def. Griggs-Midkota, 48-14
Hankinson def. Maple River, 21-6
Richland def. Hatton-Northwood, 15-12

6-Man
Parshall-North Shore/Plaza def. Trenton, 58-26
Center-Stanton def. Drayton, 64-18

High School Girls Swimming & Diving
Minot High def. Dickinson, 124-62

High School Boys Tennis

Minot Round Robin
Minot High def. Bismarck Century, 3-2
Jamestown def. Minot North, 5-0
Mandan def. Bismarck Legacy, 3-2
Bismarck Century def. Mandan, 3-2
Minot High def. Bismarck High, 3-2
Bismarck Century def. Jamestown, 3-2
Bismarck Legacy def. Williston, 3-2
Bismarck High def. Minot North, 5-0
Mandan def. Williston, 5-0
Bismarck Legacy def. Bismarck High, 4-1
Minot High def. Jamestown, 5-0

High School Girls Volleyball

Class A

Bismarck Public Schools Crossover
(Minot High scores)
Minot High def. Valley City, (3-0) 25-22, 25-21, 16-14
Grand Forks Red River def. Minot High, (3-0) 26-24, 25-23, 15-11
Minot High def. West Fargo Horace, (3-0), 27-25, 25-22, 15-13

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TWINS-RANGERS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins took advantage of erratic pitching early, drawing four walks and scoring four runs in the first inning Friday night in a 12-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in a game that saw the benches clear. The AL West-leading Rangers lost their season-high eighth straight game and dropped into a tie for the division lead with Seattle. Texas had held sole possession of the lead since before play on May 6.

Rangers starter Dane Dunning walked three of the first four batters he faced and eventually walked the bases loaded. Matt Wallner delivered a bases-loaded triple to put the AL Central-leading Twins up 3-0 in the first inning. Ryan Jeffers added an RBI single in the four-run first. Jeffers was later hit by Dunning (9-6) in the third inning, which started a string of events that eventually led to the benches and bullpens clearing in the top of the fourth. After Jeffers was hit in the bottom of the third, Minnesota starter Sonny Gray (7-6) hit former Twin Mitch Garver in the top of the fourth. Players from both teams left their respective benches and bullpens and convened between home plate and the pitcher’s mound before things were broken up.

Prior to the benches clearing, Twins center fielder Joey Gallo and Baldelli were ejected by home plate umpire Carlos Torres.

Gallo was tossed for arguing balls and strikes, just the third ejection of his nine-year career. For Baldelli, it was his 14th career ejection, and fifth this season. Minnesota broke open the open with a six-run seventh. Edouard Julien hit a 435-foot three-run homer in the inning to put the Twins up 10-1. Carlos Correa also homered in the seventh, his 16th of the year. Garver drove in the lone Texas run allowed by Gray (7-6), a solo home run in the second inning. The Rangers also scored an unearned run in the eighth. Texas catcher Austin Hedges took the mound in the eighth inning, his first career pitching appearance. He surrendered a solo homer to Max Kepler and allowed two runs. Gray matched his season high of seven innings. He struck out four and gave up six hits.

UP NEXT
RHP Joe Ryan (9-8, 4.43 ERA) will take the mound for the Twins today. Ryan has been on the 15-day IL since early August with a left groin strain. RHP Max Scherzer (12-5, 3.77 ERA) was hit with a loss in his last start after winning his first three outings with the Rangers.

K-Heart Sports – 08/25/23

Posted on Aug 25, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 08/25/23

MINOT, ND – The Minot High boys soccer team continued WDA conference play in Bismarck on Thursday. A win improves their overall record to 2-0-2 on the season.

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High def. Bismarck High, 2-1
Bismarck Century def. Mandan, 2-1
Bismarck Legacy def. Williston, 1-0

High School Football
Class A
Killdeer def. South Prairie-Max, 41-8

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FCS POLL

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – North Dakota State was ranked No. 2 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Preseason Top 25 poll conducted by the American Football Coaches Association. Defending national champion South Dakota State was the preseason No. 1 with 24 of 25 possible first-place votes. Montana State was third, William & Mary fourth and Holy Cross fifth. SDSU and NDSU are two of the four Missouri Valley Football Conference members in the preseason poll. North Dakota was 18th and Northern Iowa was 20th. North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2. North Dakota begins the season by hosting Drake at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on Saturday, Sept. 2.

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TWINS-RANGERS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers broke a tie with a two-run, two-out homer in a three-run eighth inning, and the Minnesota Twins beat Texas 7-5 on Thursday night and sent the Rangers to a season-high seventh straight loss. In a matchup of division leaders. Minnesota tied a season high with five homers and overcame a 5-2, fifth-inning deficit. Michael A. Taylor homered twice for Minnesota, and Royce Lewis and Kyle Farmer also went deep. On a night of eight home runs, Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Leody Tavares hit solo drives for the Rangers. Texas, which has led the AL West since April 9, is just one game ahead of Houston and Seattle. AL Central-leading Minnesota opened a six-game lead over second-place Cleveland.

UP NEXT
Texas RHP Dane Dunning (9-5, 3.19) will face Minnesota’ RHP Sonny Gray (6-6, 3.15) tonight.

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VIKINGS-MURPHY

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Early in the joint practices with the Arizona Cardinals this week, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. blanketed receiver Marquise Brown on an in-cutting route before intercepting the pass and punting the ball in celebration after the play. It’s no surprise Murphy was all but running the route for Brown after spending four seasons in Arizona. The play, punt and two joint practices were meaningful to Murphy, the 2019 Cardinals’ second-round draft pick. “I’m definitely juiced up,” Murphy said. “Those are my guys, my brothers I came with. I talk to them every single day. So, just to come on the grass and look across at them in a different jersey is kind of different. But it’s fun for me to come out here and compete against them guys.”

The interception also demonstrated what the Vikings are hoping to get out of Murphy, their most experienced cornerback after he signed a two-year, $17.5 million contract in the offseason. Minnesota has undergone a major transformation in the defensive backfield over the past several years. Former Cardinals All-Pro Patrick Peterson was a part of the change, becoming the veteran leader in the secondary the past two seasons. But Peterson wasn’t re-signed and the Vikings looked to Murphy to be the veteran leader in 2023. “Guys I coached out in LA like Cooper Kupp, he always talked about Byron. ‘He’s tough. He’s got great savvy instincts. Quick. Understands what you’re trying to do as a route runner,’ and that has shown up from day one,” Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell said. “What I did not know is just, he has really assumed a leadership role. Every single day you get the same guy. I think he is excited to be in this organization.” Murphy, along with veteran safety Harrison Smith, leads a secondary with a rookie, three 2022 draft picks, and a 2021 pick along with others looking to find a spot on the 53-man roster when teams are finalized next week.

While Murphy is an Arizona native — he went to Saguaro High School in Scottsdale before being drafted by his hometown team out of the University of Washington — he’s feeling at home in Minnesota. “It’s been a great transition,” Murphy said. “Just to come to a new place is something you got to get familiar with. But I just feel like I came in and everything was just there for me right away. I came into the locker room and it just felt like a family.” Since arriving in Minnesota, Murphy has caught the eye of All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, who said Murphy reminded him of Peterson. “He was very patient with his steps, wasn’t going for every single hit, move, every single step,” Jefferson recalled about Peterson. “He was patient in his technique, knowing his technique, knowing his leverages and I see the same thing in Byron. He’s definitely a great competitor. Of course, he’s definitely athletic.”

His former teammates were happy to see him this week as Arizona joined the Vikings for a pair of joint practices before their preseason game on Saturday. “Just his energy, the type of person he was, just a great guy, great all-around guy who I was lucky to have him as one of my teammates in college,” Cardinals safety Budda Baker said. “He’s continuing to grow, continues to be a great guy and continuing to ball out on the football field.” Murphy started much of the past four seasons for Arizona, tallying five interceptions and five fumble recoveries. But the Cardinals chose not to re-sign Murphy in a year of transition for them, as well, with new general manager Monti Ossenfort and coach Jonathan Gannon. Murphy is showing the Cardinals what they’re missing this week. Despite being in his fifth NFL season, Murphy still believes he’s got something to prove, both to the league and himself. “I feel l got a lot to prove and this year, I think, that’s something I have to do and something I’ve been focused on for myself, to show everybody what type of corner I am,” Murphy said. “I play inside and outside, but obviously to be the best this year. So, I’m going to make it happen.”

K-Heart Sports – 08/24/23

Posted on Aug 24, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – THURSDAY – 08/24/23

MINOT, ND – The defending champs remain atop this weeks Class A and 9-Man Football polls. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class A Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)                      Record    Points    Last Week
1. Velva-Drake/Anamose-Garrison (14) 1-0          78            1
2. Kindred (2)                                           1-0          63            3
3. Dickinson Trinity                                   1-0          37            4
4. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich            1-0          23            5
5. Central Cass                                        0-1          15             2

Others receiving votes: Shiloh Christian (1-0), Bowman County (1-0), Beulah (1-0), Bottineau (1-0), Oakes (1-0), Harvey-Wells County (1-0)

9-Man Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)             Record    Points    Last Week
1. New Salem-Almont (11)             1-0           72             1
2. North Prairie (4)                          1-0           61             3
3. Sargent County                           1-0           42             5
4. Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn    1-0           17 4
5. South Border                               1-0          14             RV

Others receiving votes: New Rockford-Sheyenne-Maddock (1-0), LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (0-1), Wyndmere-Lidgerwood (1) (1-0), Grant County-Flasher (1-0), Nelson County (1-0)

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ND CROSS COUNTRY POLLS

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The latest North Dakota High School Boys and Girls Cross Country Coaches Poll has been released. 28 coaches voted in this week’s preseason poll.

Class A Boys Team Poll
1. Bismarck High
2. Grand Forks Red River
3. Williston
4. Bismarck Century
5. Fargo Davies

Others receiving votes: Minot High

Class A Boys Individual Poll
1. Owen Sondag (Fargo North)
2. Parker Hintz (Bismarck High)
3. Thomas Haskins (Williston)
4. Owen Hintz (Bismarck High)
5. Tyler Wall (Bismarck High)
6. Gavyn Graham (Bismarck Century)
7. Elijah Dafoe (Grand Forks Red River)
8. Gabe Hanson (Bismarck High)
9. Dawson Balzer (Bismarck High)
10. Ben Fryhling (Bismarck Century)

Class A Girls Team Poll
1. Bismarck High
2. Bismarck Legacy
3. Williston
4. Grand Forks Red River
5. Minot High

Others receiving votes: Fargo Davies

Class A Girls Individual Poll
1. Jocelyn Schiller (Grand Forks Red River)
2. Cambree Moss (Williston)
3. Bayla Weigel (Bismarck High)
4. Lily Elbert (Fargo Shanley)
5. Lexie Waldner (Bismarck Legacy)
6. Katie Olson (Watford City)
7. Izzy Dahl (Bismarck High)
8. Eva Selensky (Bismarck Legacy)
9. Reagan Berg (Valley City)
10. Angela Wold (Williston).

Class B Boys Team Poll
1. Bowman County
2. New Town
3. Kindred
4. Hillsboro/Central Valley
5. Standing Rock

Class B Boys Individual Poll
1. Taylor Wanner (Bowman County)
2. Jonah Njos (Bowman County)
3. Christian Brist (Hillsboro/Central Valley)
4. Keaton Olson (Kindred)
5. Gavin Lambourn (Bowman County)
6. Owen Johnson (Northern Cass)
7. Jekori Dahlen (Killdeer)
8. Xavier Bell (New Town)
9. Lander Lahtinen (New Town)
10. Lance Bradley (Standing Rock)

Class B Girls Team Poll
1. Rugby
2. Bowman County
3. Hillsboro/Central Valley
4. Kindred
5. Grafton

Class B Girls Individual Poll
1. Brynn Hanson (Des Lacs-Burlington)
2. Addie Miller (Killdeer)
3. Amelia Shepard (Rugby)
4. Mashae Miller (Kenmare/Bowbells/Burke)
5. Hannah Senechal (Rugby)
6. Mara Kempel (Lisbon)
7. Kenadie Pazdernik (Carrington)
8. Madison Kyle (Bottineau)
9. Allyson Goodmanson (Kindred)
10. Emerson Helgoe (Pembina County North)

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MSU WOMEN’S GOLF

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Minot State senior Taylor Cormier was named a Golfer to Watch while the Beaver women’s golf team was picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the NSIC preseason poll. The Beavers were picked to finish ninth at the NSIC Championships, which will be held in April at the Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, Missouri, in the NSIC Women’s Golf Preseason Coaches’ Poll. As for Cormier, she was highlighted as one of the conference’s Golfers to Watch this season. Cormier is a senior from Corner Brook, Newfoundland who led the team in scoring average last season at 83.6 strokes per round, and with five Top-10 finishes. She was 34th at the 2022-23 NSIC Championship. Augustana senior Molly Stevens, who was named the NSIC regular-season 2021-22 and 2022-23 Golfer of the Year, was picked as the Preseason Golfer of the Year for this season. Minot State opens the fall portion of its 2023-24 season this coming week, playing Monday and Tuesday at the Maverick Invitational at the Faribault Golf Club.

Augustana was a heavy favorite among the coaches to win the NSIC title, earning 11 first-place votes and 121 points, while Winona State collected the lone other first-place vote and 98 points. Wayne State was picked to finish third by the coaches with 95 points, then Minnesota State, Mankato in fourth with 93 points. Concordia, St. Paul was fifth with 80 points, Sioux Falls was sixth with 74 points, Southwest Minnesota State was seventh with 62 points, the University of Mary was eighth with 54 points, the Beavers were ninth with 35 points, Minnesota Crookston was 10th with 33 points, Bemidji State was 11th with 25 points, and Minnesota State Moorhead was 12th with 22 points.

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TWINS-BREWERS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Willy Adames and the Milwaukee Brewers sweated out an extra-inning victory on one of the hottest days in their home stadium’s history. Adames homered, singled home the tying run and then scored the winning run on Brice Turang’s two-out infield hit in the 10th inning of the Brewers’ 8-7 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. It was 97 degrees for the first pitch, the third-highest game-time temperature at American Family Field since it opened as Miller Park in 2001. Heat index was 110 degrees. After rallying from a three-run deficit to force extra innings, the Brewers scored two runs in the bottom of the 10th off Jhoan Durán (2-6) to win their fifth straight game. Durán was working a second inning after holding the Brewers scoreless in the ninth. Minnesota turned to its bullpen after starter Kenta Maeda threw 92 pitches — six off his season high — over five innings and retired the last eight men he faced.

UP NEXT
Twins: Begin a four-game home series against Texas today. The scheduled pitchers are RHP Pablo López (9-6, 3.51 ERA) for the Twins and LHP Andrew Heaney (9-6, 4.27) for the Rangers.

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VIKINGS-TRAINING CAMP

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — T.J. Hockenson’s second season with the Vikings might require a similar accelerated ramp-up as his first season in Minnesota. Hockenson, who had 60 catches for 519 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games with the Vikings following his mid-season trade from Detroit, has missed much of Minnesota’s training camp while dealing with an ear infection that disrupted his equilibrium. Recovered from the ear infection, Hockenson was also out of team drills on Wednesday as the Vikings and Arizona Cardinals conducted joint practices. This time, Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell said back stiffness is keeping out Hockenson, the big tight end who was second only to All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson in catches for the Vikings after his arrival in Week 8 last season. “Whether he could have gone or not, if it was a game week, that’s a different story,” O’Connell said. “But with a joint practice, I wanted to make sure that we just kept his conditioning going. That’s something that he’ll work through, and we may possibly have him tomorrow, or be ready to roll as we start our Tampa prep next week.”

Hockenson participated in individual and position drills on Wednesday. But when the two teams came together for full work, Hockenson did conditioning drills on the side. O’Connell said the back stiffness popped up “very recently.” “We’re at that time now where we just want to be smart with guys we know we’re going to be reliant on, and make sure that their preparation for Sept. 10th is what we want,” O’Connell added. Hockenson embarks on his first full season in Minnesota. He’s beginning the final season of the rookie contract he signed after the Lions made him the No. 8 overall selection in the 2019 draft.

Hockenson is due $9.4 million on the fifth-year option that was picked up by Detroit before it traded him and a pair of late-round picks to the Vikings for second- and third-round draft picks. Hockenson was asked on Monday if his absence is contract related and told reporters, “that’s not my focus.” O’Connell said Wednesday his dialogue with Hockenson has been focused on the tight end’s health. “He has not indicated to me one time that it is about (his contract) and, look, we would love to have him in every drill, just like Brian O’Neill since the start of training camp, but we’ve got to have a process where we get these guys healthy, feeling really good to go compete, as we head towards the season,” O’Connell said.

O’Neill, the No. 1 right tackle, returned to full practice on Wednesday for the first time since Achilles surgery in January. O’Connell also said rookie receiver Jordan Addison has fully cleared concussion testing. Meanwhile, second-year safety Lewis Cine was out because of a “low-grade, soft-tissue thing,” according to O’Connell.

As the teams convened for 11-on-11 drills, Arizona’s No. 1 tight end, Zach Ertz, was also an observer, along with quarterback Kyler Murray. Ertz was activated off the physically unable to perform list last week following his knee surgery in November. Murray, also coming off knee surgery, will need to be activated from the PUP list when the team cuts to its 53-man roster next week or he’ll be forced to miss the first four weeks of the season. Perhaps it’s no surprise the Cardinals’ first-team offense struggled against Minnesota on Wednesday. Along with Ertz and Murray sitting out, left tackle D.J. Humphries and center Hjalte Froholdt were missing. The two remained in Arizona for the births of their children and should join the team later this week. A familiar heat greeted the Cardinals for Wednesday’s joint practice, but the mid-to-upper 90s heat was accompanied by stifling humidity that brought the heat indexes into the 100s. The teams agreed to move practice time an hour earlier because of the heat. “It feels like spring break to me,” Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon joked. “It’s nice out. (O’Connell is) the one that wanted to move it back. He’s afraid of the heat.” Gannon’s players certainly felt the difference with the humidity. “It’s muggy,” linebacker Josh Woods said. “The air is thick. As soon as you walk outside, you just start sweating. Clothes sticking to you, it’s just bad. It’s bad. I’ll take 110 in Arizona over this any day.” Woods added: “I think we kind of let the weather dictate how we were attacking our work today. I’m excited to see how we bounce back tomorrow.” Cornerback Marco Wilson, linebacker Dennis Gardeck and quarterback Jeff Driskel didn’t practice for the Cardinals.

K-Heart Sports – 08/23/23

Posted on Aug 23, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 08/23/23

MINOT, ND – After earning a win and a draw in their first matches of the season last weekend, the Minot High boys soccer team began WDA conference play with a draw. The Magicians are now 1-0-2 on the season.

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High ties Jamestown, 1-1
Bismarck Legacy def. Mandan, 6-0
Bismarck Century def. Williston, 2-0
Bismarck High def. Dickinson, 2-1

High School Girls Golf
Class B

Mohall Invite – Mohall Country Club (Top 3)
1. Kenmare-Bowbells, 381
2. Des Lacs-Burlington, 383
3. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood, 465

Medalist: Laila Christianson of DLB, 72

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TWINS-BREWERS

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers didn’t hit the ball particularly hard during their go-ahead rally Tuesday night. It didn’t matter. The Brewers benefited from good fortune on soft contact as they scored five runs off Dylan Floro in the sixth inning of a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in an interleague matchup of division leaders. Willy Adames of NL Central-leading Milwaukee and Christian Vázquez of AL Central-best Minnesota hit two-run homers early in the game. But the game was decided in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Brewers capitalized on a Twins pitching change. Twins starter Bailey Ober retired the last eight men he faced before departing with a 3-2 lead after throwing 78 pitches. That’s when the Twins brought Floro (4-6) out of the bullpen. Floro allowed hits to six of the first seven batters he faced, with five of them scoring. William Contreras and Carlos Santana started the rally with consecutive singles. After Floro struck out Adames, Mark Canha singled home Contreras and advanced to second on right fielder Matt Wallner’s errant throw to third. Tyrone Taylor then produced a bloop hit to right that brought home Santana with the go-ahead run. Taylor has gone 8 for 16 over his last five games to improve his batting average from .178 to .216. With the Twins’ infield playing in, Brice Turang hit a liner off shortstop Carlos Correa’s glove for an RBI single. Brian Anderson, who had been 2 of 18 since coming off the injured list earlier this month, drove in two more runs with a single up the middle. Anderson’s two-run single had an exit velocity of just 80.6 mph, while the Turang and Taylor singles had exit velocities below 65 mph. Milwaukee’s Bryse Wilson (5-0), Hoby Milner and Trevor Megill combined for four innings of shutout relief. Wilson struck out three and didn’t allow a base runner in two innings.

UP NEXT
RHP Kenta Maeda (3-7, 4.13 ERA) starts for the Twins and RHP Corbin Burnes (9-6, 3.43) pitches for the Brewers as this two-game series concludes this afternoon.

K-Heart Sports – 08/22/23

Posted on Aug 22, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 08/22/23

MINOT, ND – The Class AAA and AA football polls remain unchanged this week. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class AAA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)   Points   Last Week
1. Fargo Shanley (18)         101           1
2. West Fargo Sheyenne (2) 75 2
3. Mandan                             42 3
4. Bismarck Century              35           4
5. Fargo Davies (2)               33            5

Other teams receiving votes: Minot High, Bismarck Legacy, West Fargo

Class AA Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)   Points Last Week
1. Fargo North (19)              103           1
2. Jamestown (2)                   77           2
3. Fargo South                       54           3
4. Grand Forks Red River      47 4
5. Grand Forks Central          26           5

Other teams receiving votes: Dickinson, Valley City

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MINOT, ND – Class A girls golf featured the Dickinson Invite on Monday. Mandan won for the third time in four meets.

High School Girls Golf
Class A

Dickinson Invite – Heart River Golf Course in Dickinson
1. Mandan, 319
2. Bismarck St. Mary’s, 355
3. Minot High, 364
4. Bismarck Legacy, 364
5. Bismarck Century, 377
6. Jamestown, 382
7. Minot North, 382
8. Williston, 389
9. Dickinson, 392
10. Watford City, 468

Medalist: Anna Huettl of Mandan, 72

Kinzey Welstad of Minot North finished in the top 10 at #4.

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LEGACY HOCKEY-COACH RESIGNS

BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck Legacy is looking for a new head boys hockey coach after Mario Lamoureux resigned on Monday to become the Bismarck Capitals youth hockey director. Lamoureux led the Sabers for the last two seasons. They made state tournament appearances the past two seasons along with earning a 2nd place finish in the West Region Tournament in 2022 and won the tournament in 2023.

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MINOT STATE WBB-SCHEDULE

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s basketball team will be tested this season against several of the nation’s best teams and the Beavers look to make an impact against those foes on the hardwood. Third-year head coach Mike Brandt is pleased to announce his team’s 2023-24 schedule which features 14 home contests as well as eight games against NCAA Division II National Tournament qualifiers. The Beavers will prep for the season with a pair of scrimmages against in-state junior college foes in October – versus Lake Region State College on Oct. 24 and North Dakota State College of Science on Oct. 28 – then hit the road for two neutral-site tournaments to open the season.

Action tips off in earnest on Nov. 3 in Billings, Montana with Minot State taking on the University of Tampa (Fla.) – which advanced to the Elite Eight – in the D-II Tip-off Classic. The Beavers will play Florida Tech on Saturday, then wrap up Sunday, Nov. 5, against Angelo State (Texas) – which advanced to the South Central Regional semifinal. The early-season road trip continues for Minot State with a pair of games in St. Joseph, Missouri as the Beavers play Fort Hays State (Kan.) on Nov. 10 at the Central Region Showcase, then Southern Nazarene (Okla.) on Nov. 11. SNU fell to Minnesota Duluth in the Central Region quarterfinals.

After opening with five neutral-site games, the Beavers make a quick appearance at the MSU Dome hosting West Region semifinalist Montana State Billings at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18, before hitting the road for four more games. The next road trip tips off NSIC play as Minot State visits Minnesota Crookston on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The Beavers are back in-state for a huge battle one week later, playing at the University of North Dakota on Tuesday, Nov. 28, then it is back to Minnesota for more league action as Minot State plays at Bemidji State on Dec. 1, then at St. Cloud State on Dec. 2.

After starting the season with 9-of-10 away from home, Minot State is back in the MSU Dome for five straight, hosting the “Education Game” on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at 11:30 a.m. against in-state non-conference foe Valley City State, then hosting another in-state rival in the University of Mary on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 3:30 p.m., as Minot State returns to NSIC play. The Beavers then host Northern State on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7:30 p.m., and Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 3:30 p.m. Minot State then wraps up the 2023 calendar year on New Year’s Eve hosting South Dakota Mines at 1 p.m. The Beavers are back on the road to start the new year playing at Concordia, St. Paul on January 5, then they play at NCAA runner-up national champion Minnesota Duluth on January 6.

Back home for two straight weekends, the Beavers host Sioux Falls at the MSU Dome on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 p.m., host

Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 5:30 p.m., host NCAA Tournament qualifier Minnesota State, Mankato on Friday, Jan. 19, at 5:30 p.m., and Winona State on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3:30 p.m. Back on the road, the Beavers play their final NCAA Tournament opponent, playing at Augustana on January 25, then at Wayne State on January 27. Then it’s a Battle of the Beavers at the MSU Dome on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 5:30 p.m. as Minot State hosts Bemidji State before Minot State heads to the University of Mary on February 3, then to MSU Moorhead on February 8. Minot State wraps up its home slate hosting St. Cloud State on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 1:30 p.m., then Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Feb. 16, at 5:30 p.m., and Concordia, St. Paul, on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 3:30 p.m.

The regular season then concludes with games at Southwest Minnesota State on February 23 and at Sioux Falls on February 24 before the NSIC Tournament opens with first-round games hosted at campus sites on Wednesday, February 28. The final eight teams then head to Sioux Falls for the NSIC Tournament at the Sanford Pentagon, March 2-5.

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MINOT STATE MBB-SCHEDULE

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Last spring, the Minot State men’s basketball team made a strong charge to get to the Sanford Pentagon and the quarterfinals of the NSIC Tournament. This season, the Beavers are ready to charge past that point, but before getting there Minot State looks forward to a revamped NSIC slate as 12th-year head coach Matt Murken is excited to announce Minot State’s 2023-24 schedule which features 14 home contests. Things get underway with a few tune-up scrimmages as the Beavers host Lake Region State College on Oct. 12, then play another scrimmage at Black Hills State on Nov. 4.

After those tune-ups, it’s time to tip off the season in earnest in Wichita, Kansas at the Conference Challenge hosted by Newman University as Minot State opens on Saturday, Nov. 11, against Rogers State (Okla.) then plays Newman on Sunday, Nov. 12. Minot State then travels to Montana to play at Montana State Billings on November 18 before opening NSIC action at Minnesota Crookston on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The Beavers home opener is next on the schedule as Jamestown comes to town on Saturday, Nov. 25, to play at the MSU Dome at 3 p.m., then the Beavers hit the road again to play at Bemidji State on Dec. 1 and at St. Cloud State on Dec. 2. After spending almost all of the opening month of the season on the road, Minot State returns for five straight at home starting with Valley City State playing at the MSU Dome on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m.

The Beavers then focus on NSIC action hosting the University of Mary on Saturday, Dec. 9, at 1:30 p.m., Northern State on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 5:30 p.m., Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1:30 p.m., and wrap up the homestand hosting a non-conference game against Minnesota Crookston on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 3 p.m. Back on the road, Minot State plays at Concordia, St. Paul on January 5 and at Minnesota Duluth on January 6 before returning to the MSU Dome for four more in a row. That homestand starts against Sioux Falls on Friday, Jan. 12, at 5:30 p.m., and includes a visit from Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 3:30 p.m., then the Beavers host Minnesota State, Mankato on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Winona State on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m. Minot State then plays at Augustana on January 25 and at Wayne State on January 27 before a brief trip back home for the Battle of the Beavers, hosting Bemidji State on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m.

The Beavers then play at Mary on February 3, and at MSU Moorhead on February 8 before making their final homestand, hosting St. Cloud State on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 3:30 p.m., Minnesota Duluth on Friday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., and finally Concordia, St. Paul on Saturday, Feb. 17, at 5:30 p.m. Minot State closes out the regular season at Southwest Minnesota State on February 23 and at Sioux Falls on February 24, then looks to the postseason with the NSIC First Round at campus sites on Wednesday, February 28, and the final eight teams moving on to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., for the conclusion of the NSIC Tournament, March 2-5.

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MINOT STATE CROSS COUNTRY

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Minot State’s Jacob Jensen and Sidra Sadowsky each were tabbed as Athletes to Watch this season while the Beaver men’s and women’s cross-country team each were picked to finish in the middle of the NSIC pack as the league announced its preseason poll. The Minot State men’s team was picked to finish seventh at the NSIC Championship meet held Oct. 21 at McDowell Dam in Bismarck, North Dakota, while the Beaver women were picked to finish 11th at the Championships in the NSIC Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coaches Polls. The NSIC also announced its Preseason All-NSIC Athletes of the Year and named an Athlete to Watch from each program, with Jensen being highlighted for the Minot State men and Sadowsky picked as one to watch for the Beaver women.

Jensen, a Belcourt, North Dakota product, is in his fifth year with the team and earned All-NSIC honors in 2021, is a two-time Elite 19 Award winner in cross country, and last fall he finished 23rd at the NSIC Championships and 44th at the NCAA Central Region Championship. As for Sadowsky, a junior from Hettinger, North Dakota, she had a break-out season in track and field last year setting NCAA Division II-era records in the indoor 500 meters and outdoor 800 meters for MSU. In cross country last fall, she was 92nd at the NSIC meet and 181 at the Central Region meet. They lead the way for the Beavers as the men were picked seventh with 82 points and the women earned 73 points in the preseason coaches’ poll to land at the No. 11 spot.

Augustana was favored to sweep the team titles with the men receiving 12 first-place votes and 144 points, while the Viking women garnered nine first-place votes and 191 points. Minnesota State, Mankato was picked second on the men’s side with 123 points, and Winona State was the No. 2 pick in the women’s poll with 184 points and the remaining six first-place votes. On the men’s side, Sioux Falls earned the league’s final first-place vote and was picked third with 119 points, then came Minnesota Duluth in fourth with 112 points, the University of Mary was fifth with 94 points, Minnesota State Moorhead was sixth with 85 points, Minot State was seventh with 82 points, Northern State was eighth with 72 points, Wayne State was ninth with 53 points, Winona State was 10th with 52 points, Concordia, St. Paul was 11th with 43 points, Minnesota Crookston was 12th with 19 points, and Southwest Minnesota State was 13th with 16 points.

For the women, Minnesota State, Mankato was third behind Augustana and Winona State as the Mavericks earned 167

points, Minnesota Duluth was fourth with 160 points, Sioux Falls was fifth with 142 points, Mary was sixth with 136 points, Northern State was seventh with 99 points, Bemidji State was eighth with 99 points, St. Cloud State was ninth with 90 points, MSU Moorhead was 10th with 83 points, Minot State was 11th with 73 points, Wayne State was 12th with 58 points, Southwest Minnesota State was 13th with 41 points, Concordia, St. Paul was 14th with 38 points, and Minnesota Crookston was 15th with 16 points.

Individually, Winona State senior Lindsay Cunningham was picked as the women’s Preseason Athlete of the Year. Cunningham is a two-time All-American and the two-time defending NSIC and NCAA Central Region Champion. Augustana junior Ryan Hartman was named the men’s Preseason Athlete of the Year. Hartman is an All-American who was second last fall at the NSIC Championships and eighth at the NCAA Central Region meet.

K-Heart Sports – 08/19/23

Posted on Aug 19, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 08/19/23

MINOT, ND – The high school football season kicked off for KHRT as we traveld to Berthold on Friday night. The Bombers hosted Alexander. Jordan Hernandez rushed for 150 yards and 3 TD’s as the Comets won 55-14. Hernandez also had a fumble recovery for a score. Bombers quarterback Drew Erickson was under heavy pressure most of the night being sacked eight time. Erickson finished 7 of 15 for 120 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Cooper Bredahl carried the 17 times for Berthold but could only muster 34 yards against the stout Comet defense. Alexander’s eight scores came by rushing, passing, punt return, kick return and fumble recovery.

Other scores from Friday:

High School Football

Class AA
#1 Fargo North def. West Fargo Horace, 42-0
#4 Grand Forks Red River def. Williston (Class AAA), 24-20
#5 Grand Forks Central def. Watford City, 30-6

Class A
#1 Velva-Drake/Anamoose-Garrison def. Hazen, 48-8
#3 Kindred def. #2 Central Cass, 21-0
#4 Dickinson Trinity def. Des Lacs-Burlington, 30-10
#5 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. Bishop Ryan, 40-14
Southern McLean def. South Prairie-Max, 30-22
Killdeer def Stanley, 33-8
Bowman County def. Kenmare-Bowbells-Burke Central, 54-0
Shiloh Christian def. Ray-Powers Lake, 47-0
Beulah def. Turtle Mountain (Class AA), 50-8
Bottineau def. Carrington, 36-34
Harvey-Wells County def. Rugby, 38-14
Oakes def. Ellendale-Edgeley-Kulm, 33-30
Lisbon def. Northern Cass, 38-19
Hillsboro-Central Valley def. May-Port-CG, 25-0
Cavalier def. Park River Area, 34-0

9-Man
#5 Sargent Count def. #2 LaMoure-Litchville-Marion, 59-28
#3 North Prairie def. Midway-Minto, 64-14
#4 Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn def. Central McLean, 64-40
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood def. Dunseith, 58-6
Surrey def. Tioga, 34-30
T-G-U def. Divide County, 46-42
Nelson County def. St. John, 67-14
Four Winds def. Larimore, 42-12
New Rockford-Sheyenne def. North Star, 58-42
North Border def. Hankinson, 34-24
Hatton-Northwood def. Griggs-Midkota, 28-8
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood def. Richland, 54-0
Maple River def. Enderlin, 46-6

6-Man
Center-Stanton def. Warwick, 59-0

High School Girls Golf
Class A

Williston Invite – Eagle Ridge Golf Course
1. Mandan, 323
2. Bismarck St. Mary’s, 340
3. Minot North, 361
4. Bismarck Legacy, 365
5. Bismarck Century, 379
6. Minot High, 371
7. Williston, 381
8. Jamestown, 382
9. Dickinson, 387
10. Watford City, 423

Medalist: Anna Huettl of Mandan, 77

Minot North had two golfers in the Top 10
6. Kinsey Welstad, 83
9. Emersyn Kopp, 85

Morgan Strange of Minot High was tied for 10th at 87

High School Boys Soccer
Minot High def. Grand Forks Red River, 2-1

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MINOT STATE FOOTBALL

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – With kick-off to the 2023 football season still about two weeks away, Minot State’s returning All-American defensive back Knylen Miller-Levi already is claiming awards. Friday, the senior from Las Vegas, Nevada who set a single-season Minot State record in 2022 with six interceptions, was named to the D2FOOTBALL.com 2023 Elite 100 Watch List. The honor is the first time Miller-Levi has been named to the Elite 100 Watch List. Minot State football kicks off the 2023 season on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 6 p.m. at home hosting Southwest Minnesota State at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium.

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TWINS-PIRATES

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pablo López pitched six scoreless innings, Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run homer and the Minnesota Twins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-1 on Friday night. López (9-6) allowed six hits and walked two, and extended his scoreless streak to a career-best 19 innings. He had seven strikeouts and is tied with Toronto’s Kevin Gausman for second in the majors with 187 strikeouts behind only Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (227). López hasn’t allowed a run in his last three starts. He owns a 0.36 ERA over his past four starts, lowering his season ERA to 3.51. Taylor connected for his 16th homer of the season with two outs in the fourth inning to open the scoring. Donovan Solano had two hits, including an RBI single in the sixth for Minnesota. The Twins won for the fourth time in five games and extended their lead in the AL Central to five games over Cleveland. Andre Jackson (0-1) gave up two runs on four hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings for Pittsburgh, which has lost four of five.

UP NEXT
RHP Mitch Keller (9-8, 4.27 ERA) will start today for Pittsburgh as Minnesota counters with RHP Sonny Gray (6-5, 3.04). Keller, a first-time All-Star this year, has received two runs or less of support in 11 of his last 13 starts. Gray has compiled five straight quality starts after his last outing was six scoreless innings against Philadelphia.

K-Heart Sports – 08/17/23

Posted on Aug 17, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – THURSDAY – 08/17/23

MINOT, ND – The preseason football polls for Class A and 9-Man have the defending champs on top. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class A Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)                     Points
1. Velva-Drake/Anamose-Garrison (9) 54
2. Central Cass (2)                                45
3. Kindred (2)                                         33
4. Dickinson Trinity                                23
5. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich         18

Others receiving votes: Shiloh Christian, Beulah, Bishop Ryan, Bowman County, Des Lacs-Burlington, Oakes, Bottineau

9-Man Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)            Points
1. New Salem-Almont (8)              57
2. LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (2)   48
3. North Prairie (2)                         42
4. Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn 19
5. Sargent County                         14

Others receiving votes: South Border, New Rockford-Sheyenne, North Star, Divide County, Linton-HMB, Wyndmere-Lidgerwood, Grant County-Flasher

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TWINS-TIGERS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Spencer Torkelson homered twice against Minnesota for the second time in a week, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Twins 8-7 on Wednesday. Torkelson lifted Griffin Jax’s 1-1 sweeper into the left-field seats to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh for his fourth career multi-homer game. His previous was last Wednesday against the Twins in Detroit. Relievers Beau Brieske, Tyler Holton, Alex Lange and Will Vest combined for 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Holton (2-2) earned the win by striking out five in 2 1/3 perfect innings. Max Kepler and Jorge Polanco homered for the Twins. Kerry Carpenter added a solo shot for Detroit. Jax (5-7) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs on three hits. The Twins remain four games ahead of Cleveland for the AL Central lead. The Tigers are eight back.

UP NEXT
The Twins are off today before beginning a three-game home series against Pittburgh on Friday.

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VIKINGS-TRAINING CAMP

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell made a priority call to his Tennessee Titans counterpart Mike Vrabel even before the preseason game schedule was released, desiring a hard-nosed opponent with a stout front seven to test his team against in training camp. Vrabel sought a challenge for his young defensive backs against the NFL’s reigning receiving leader, Justin Jefferson, after a season in which the Titans allowed the most passing yards in the league. Interconference joint practice sessions were the right fit for these two former teammates from 2008 with the New England Patriots. “This is going to be some hands-on experience,” Vrabel said, “just learning different guys’ route crafts, releases and different players at the line of scrimmage. So that can help us to say, ‘OK, let’s make some corrections,’ or ‘What do we need to adjust?’” Vrabel spoke to reporters before the two-hour session on a sun-soaked and wind-swept Wednesday at Vikings headquarters, and there’s a reason he offered that from a defensive back’s perspective. The Titans badly need a spike in performance from their secondary this season. Sean Murphy-Bunting was signed as a free agent to take one cornerback spot opposite fourth-year player Kristian Fulton and flanking the formidable safety duo of two-time All-Pro Kevin Byard and Minnesota native Amani Hooker. Roger McCreary, the team’s second-round draft pick in 2022, will be pushing for cornerback playing time too. He had an interception of Kirk Cousins during a two-minute drill. “Trying to squeeze one in there into the wind,” O’Connell said. “No excuses. We have to find a way to move the ball and get points right there, but that’s why I love this work.”

There’s another session on Thursday. Then the teams play their second exhibition game on Saturday night at U.S. Bank Stadium. Both teams also have another round of dual workouts next week, when the Titans host the Patriots ahead of their final preseason contest and the Vikings stay home to practice and play against the Arizona Cardinals. “It’s definitely good to go up against a different defense,” Jefferson said. The benefit, of course, is mutual. “Anytime Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting can go up against a competitor like him, it gives us confidence,” Byard said. “You feel like, ‘Hey, if I can cover this guy or if I make a good play on him, I can do it against anybody.’ It’s important. It’s key to go up against top-notch talent like that.” The visit from the Titans also gave Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah the chance to catch up with his counterpart Ran Carthon, who’s in his first season in his role. Adofo-Mensah has begun his second year. They worked together from 2017-19 with the San Francisco 49ers.

The biggest downside of the day for the Titans was a concerning injury to wide receiver Treylon Burks, who got up limping badly after catching a deep pass in a one-on-one drill and needed help to get off the field. Fortunately for both sides, no players had to be pulled out of a drill for initiating a fight or committing some form of unnecessary roughness, as is a not-uncommon occurrence across the league during these dual practices when players are not only cranky from the grind of camp but fired up to compete against an opponent with a different color jersey on. The most obviously intense moments came during a one-on-one special teams coverage drill. The defenses on both sides had the upper hand. “Just from the eye test, I thought it was really, really good,” Byard said. “We didn’t allow any big plays downfield as a defense. They made some plays, but at the end of the day I feel like we competed our behinds off.”

K-Heart Sports – 08/16/23

Posted on Aug 16, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 08/16/23

MINOT, ND – The two-day East-West Classic for Class A girls golf finished Tuesday in Jamestown.

Class A Girls Golf

East-West Classic – Jamestown Country Club
1. Grand Forks Red River 621
2. Fargo Davies 631
3. Mandan 647
4. West Fargo Sheyenne 683
5. Wahpeton 701
6. Bismarck Legacy 716
7. West Fargo 719
8. Bismarck Century 720
9. Bismarck St. Mary’s 736
T10. Minot High 747
T10. Fargo North 747
12. Minot North 751
13. Fargo Shanley 760
14. Jamestown 762
15, Fargo South 778
16. Dickinson 799
18. Williston 827
19. Grand Forks Central 844
20. Watford City 943
21. West Fargo Horace 955

Medalist: Anna Huettl of Mandan, 143

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MSU SOCCER

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s soccer team hit the turf at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium for some friendly exhibition action in a tune-up for the upcoming season. The Beavers hosted the University of Winnipeg on a sunny, sweltering Tuesday afternoon in an 80-minute exhibition that the Wesmen won 1-0 as the visitors scored a late goal for the victory. Maddie Elliott led the way defensively with six saves in goal on the day, while Morgen Fried had three shots to lead the offense. The Beavers now get a week-and-a-half off practice and prepare for their next exhibition on Saturday, August 26, when they host the Magic City Legends at 5 p.m. Minot State officially opens the season on the road Sunday, Sept. 3, playing a non-conference game at NSIC foe Minnesota Crookston.

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TWINS-TIGERS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Matt Wallner hit a grand slam to cap a five-run sixth inning and the Minnesota Twins overshadowed another milestone homer by Miguel Cabrera in a 5-3 win against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Wallner’s slam — his first in the Majors and the ninth homer in 38 games for the rookie — erased the early deficit provided by Cabrera. Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the second for his 509th career home run, equaling former teammate Gary Sheffield for 26th on the all-time list with just his second homer of the season. Cabrera is two home runs behind Mel Ott for 25th all-time and his 1,867 RBIs are one behind Ott for a tie for 11th in history. Cabrera passed Robin Yount (3,142) for 20th on the all-time hit list against the Twins last week in Detroit. Dylan Floro (4-5) earned his first win with Minnesota after being acquired from Miami before the trade deadline with a scoreless inning of relief. Jhoan Duran allowed a solo homer to Spencer Torkelson but recorded his 22nd save.

Before his final series at Target Field, the Twins presented Cabrera with gifts to honor his coming retirement. Cabrera was presented with a $5,000 donation to his foundation. The Twins also gave Cabrera a custom fishing pole, tackle box and No. 24-branded fishing hat, as well as a silver, engraved hockey stick. In 241 games against Minnesota, Cabrera has hit .304 with 47 homers and 169 RBIs. The homers and RBI are the second most for Cabrera against any team, only trailing his totals against Cleveland.

UP NEXT
RHP Kenta Maeda (3-7, 3.97 ERA) will start for Minnesota in the finale of the two-game series this afternoon. Detroit will counter with RHP Reese Olson (2-5, 4.45).

K-Heart Sports – 08/15/23

Posted on Aug 15, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 08/15/23

MINOT, ND – With high school football practice in full swing and first games to be played soon, the pre-season polls for Class AAA and AA have familiar teams at the top. Defending champ Fargo Shanley tops the Class AAA poll while state runner-up Fargo North is #1 in the Class AA poll. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota AP Sportscasters & Sportswriters Association.

Class AAA Pre-Season Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)        Points
1. Fargo Shanley (14)               88
2. West Fargo Sheyenne (3)     51
3. Mandan                                 40
4. Bismarck Century                 39
5. Fargo Davies (2)                   38

Other teams receiving votes: Minot High, Bismarck Legacy, West Fargo

Class AA Pre-Season Football Poll

Team (First Place Votes)     Points
1. Fargo North (12)                85
2. Jamestown (7)                   71
3. Fargo South                       50
4. Grand Forks Red River      46
5. Grand Forks Central          11

Other teams receiving votes: Dickinson, Valley City, Wahpeton

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FCS RANKINGS

FARGO, ND – Defending FCS champion South Dakota State is the favorite to win it all again this season. The Jacks top both the FCS STATS Perform Preseason Top 25 poll and the FCS Preseason Coaches Top 25 poll. The top 5 are the same in both polls with North Dakota State at #2, followed by Montana State at #3, William & Mary are #4, and Holy Cross is #5. The University of North Dakota is ranked #17 in the STATS poll and #18 by the coaches. North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2. The Fighting Hawks will open the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2, hosting the Bulldogs of Drake at the Alerus Center.

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MINOT STATE MEN’S HOCKEY

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The reigning ACHA National Champs are set to begin defense of their title. Minot State men’s hockey coach Wyatt Waselenchuk is pleased to announce that the puck drops on the 2023-24 season for the three-time national champion Beavers on Friday, Sept. 15, as Minot State opens its title defense with five straight road contests. The Beavers play at the University of Regina to open the season at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, then take on Briercrest College on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 16. The Beavers then head across the country to Virginia to play perennial powerhouse Liberty on Sept. 22 and 23 in Lynchburg, Va., the start of an early-season home-and-home series between the two rivals. The opening road trip wraps up closer to home as Minot State plays at in-state rival Jamestown on Wednesday, Sept. 27, before the national champs make their home debut at the Maysa Arena on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29 and 30, hosting Liberty with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights. Minot State ends the regular season with a home-and-home series against the Jimmies. After a quick trip to Jamestown on Wednesday, Feb. 28, the Jimmies and Beavers wrap up the regular season at the Maysa Arena on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. The ACHA National Tournament will be March 7-12 in St. Louis, Missouri.

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MINOT STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Coming off a run into overtime of the NSIC Tournament title game, the Minot State women’s soccer team has once again been picked as a top contender in the league by the NSIC coaches. The Beavers were picked to finish sixth in the NSIC Preseason Women’s Soccer Coaches’ Poll, while redshirt-senior forward Anabel Noches and sophomore defender Rebecca Storr each were highlighted as Players to Watch this season. Minot State, which finished fourth in the regular-season standings then advanced to the NSIC Tournament title game before falling in overtime to eventual champion Bemidji State last fall, garnered 133 points in the preseason poll and was a slim one point behind in-state rival the University of Mary in, which was picked fifth with 134 points. The Beavers open the 2023 season by hosting a pair of exhibitions, the first is noon on Tuesday, August 15, against the University of Winnipeg, and the second is Saturday, August 26, at 5 p.m. when the Beavers host the Magic City Legends team. Minot State opens the season in earnest on Sunday, Sept. 3, playing a non-conference game at NSIC foe Minnesota Crookston. Minnesota State, Mankato was a heavy favorite to win the league title this season with eight first-place votes and 187 points, while Augustana was picked second with four first-place votes and 177 points. Bemidji State was picked third with two first-place votes and 170 points, and Concordia, St. Paul was picked to finish fourth with one first-place vote and 147 points.

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MINOT STATE FOOTBALL

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The new era of Minot State football kicks off with the Beavers tabbed as an underdog by the league’s coaches as the NSIC announced its 2023 NSIC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Beavers, under first-year head coach Ian Shields, were picked to finish 12th in the league by the coaches, tying with in-state rival the University of Mary. The NSIC also announced its Preseason Players of the Year and highlighted an offensive and defensive Player to Watch from each team, with Minot State junior running back Evan Lovett and senior All-American defensive back Knylen Miller-Levi named as NSIC Players to Watch for Minot State. Minot State kicks off the 2023 season on Thursday, August 31, at 6 p.m. hosting Southwest Minnesota State at First Western Bank Field at Herb Parker Stadium. Bemidji State was the slim favorite to win the NSIC with 131 points and four first-place votes. Minnesota State, Mankato was picked second with 125 points and five first-place votes.

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NFL-COOK

NEW YORK (AP) – Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets’ offense just got another big-time playmaker. Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Jets on Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the agreement. NFL Network and ESPN first reported the deal is worth up to $8.6 million. Cook, who turned 28 last week, has run for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons but was released by the Vikings on June 8 for salary cap savings. He was scheduled to count more than $14.1 million against the Vikings’ salary cap.

K-Heart Sports – 08/05/23

Posted on Aug 5, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 08/05/23

MINOT, ND – Fargo Post 2 suffered their first loss at the Central Plains Region Legion Baseball Tournament in Rapid City, South Dakota. In the third round of the tourney Post 2 lost to Lincoln, Nebraska 7-1 on Friday. Fargo will play against St. Michael, Minnesota today and the winner moves to the championship tomorrow to battle the winner of today’s second game between Harrisburg, South Dakota and Lincoln, Nebraska.

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HOT TOTS

MINOT, ND – The Minot Hot Tots scored a 9-4 win last night in game two of their four-game home series against Mankato. The MoonDogs came out swinging by scoring 3 runs in the 1st innning. Minot would get on the board with 2 in the 2nd and 4 more in the 3rd to take a 6-3 lead. The Tots would ad a run in the 5th, 6th, and 8th innings, while Mankato got one in the 7th. Alonzo Castellanos (1-1) gets the win for Minot pitching 5 innings and surrendering 3 earned runs on 4 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk. Nick Hentges takes the loss after allowing 6 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits over 3 innings. He tallied 4 strikeouts and 1 walk. Drew Woodcox slammed a solo homerun to left field to lead off the 3rd inning for the Hot Tots. Game three is tonight at 6:35 pm at Corbett Field. After completing this series against Mankato this weekend, the Hot Tots will have only one more home game on the schedule and that’s against Bismarck on Friday.

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TWINS-DIAMONDBACKS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Michael A. Taylor homered to lead off the seventh inning, the third solo shot of the game for the Minnesota Twins in a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler went deep against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly, who otherwise cruised through six innings with nine strikeouts against the club that leads the Major League in whiffs. Jhoan Duran recorded his 20th save in 24 tries for the Twins, the flame-throwing closer’s latest shaky finish. Duran gave up a walk and a single with one out, before getting a big break when Geraldo Perdomo popped up his first-pitch bunt attempt for an easy out in front of the mound. Twins starter Bailey Ober was pulled after five innings and 104 pitches. Dylan Floro, Caleb Thielbar (1-1), Emilio Pagán and Duran finished with four scoreless innings for the Twins (57-54), who kept their 2 1/2-game edge on Cleveland in the AL Central.

UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (6-5, 4.84 ERA) pitches tonight, opposite Twins RHP Kenta Maeda (2-6, 4.53 ERA). Maeda has a 2.63 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings in seven starts since coming off the injured list, with the Twins winning five.

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TWINS-NEWS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Twins welcomed new pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who was promoted from Triple-A this week and slotted into the rotation on Sunday for the injured Joe Ryan. The 35-year-old Keuchel, who won the 2015 AL Cy Young Award with Houston, struggled badly while pitching for three major league teams last season. “I just kind of stayed persistent with wanting to be with the Twins, and it just worked out the way it worked out,” Keuchel said. Byron Buxton went on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring, expected to miss at least two weeks.

K-Heart Sports – 08/04/23

Posted on Aug 4, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 08/04/23

MINOT, ND – The Williston Keybirds saw their season come to end in a Loser Out game on day two of the Central Plains Legion Baseball Tournament in Rapid City. The Keybirds lost to Harrisburg, South Dakota 1-0. Meanwhile, Fargo Post 2 defeated Rapid City, South Dakota 2-1 in the second round winners bracket. Post 2 scored a run in each of the first two innings and then held on. Charlie Kalbrener gets the win pitching all 7 innings and giving up only one earned run on 6 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Fargo Post 2 will play Lincoln, Nebraska today.

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HOT TOTS

MINOT, ND – The Minot Hot Tots began a 4-game home series against the Mankato MoonDogs last night at Corbett Field. Minot trailed 5-0 entering the bottom of the 8th inning when Jake Schulz hit a grand slam. That would be all the runs scored by the Hot Tots who lose 5-4. The second game of the series is tonight at 7:05 pm.

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NDSU FOOTBALL-WATCHLIST

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – North Dakota State defensive tackle Eli Mostaert was one of 35 players in the Football Championship Subdivision named to the preseason watch list for the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award, presented by FedEx Ground and given annually to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. Mostaert, a senior from Lakeville, Minn., returns to the Bison lineup this year after missing 12 games during the 2022 season with a leg injury, and he has an additional year of eligibility available in 2024. He has 83 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and three pass breakups in 30 career games. More players can join the watch list during the regular season before a national media panel selects the winner from a group of finalists. First awarded in 1995, the Buchanan includes past recipients such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats, and NDSU’s Kyle Emanuel. North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2.

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TWINS-CARDINALS

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Jeffers each hit a two-run homer, and the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 on Thursday night. The Twins took two of three from the Cardinals and increased their division lead to 2 1/2 games over idle Cleveland. Minnesota has won just twice in its last eight games. Sonny Gray (5-4) picked up the win, giving up two runs and five hits in seven innings. In getting his first win since April 30, Gray snapped a four-game losing streak over a span of 15 starts.

UP NEXT
RHP Bailey Ober (6-5, 3.19) will face Arizona RHP Merrill Kelly (9-5, 3.23) as the team begin a three-game series at Target Field in Minneapolis.

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NFL-HALL OF FAME GAME

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Aaron Rodgers has yet to throw a pass in a game for the New York Jets. He’s already responsible for a long completion. Zach Wilson showed he can move New York’s offense as a backup quarterback, but the Jets kicked off the Rodgers Era with a 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night in the Hall of Fame game. Wilson, whose struggles as a starter the past two seasons sent the Jets on a QB quest that eventually got them Rodgers via trade from Green Bay in April, had some positive moments during his three series. On his 24th birthday, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft was 3 of 5 passing for 65 yards. Wilson set up the game’s first score with a 57-yard completion to wide receiver Malik Taylor — on a play suggested by Rodgers. It was a battle of rookies and reserves as both teams rested their starters in the NFL’s inaugural game of 2023. Browns rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson rallied the Browns with a pair of second-half touchdowns. Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round pick, threw a 22-yard TD pass to Austin Watkins Jr. with 9:33 left to put Cleveland ahead. Thompson-Robinson also threw a block that sprung Demetric Felton, his former UCLA teammate, for a 10-yard TD run. Greg Zuerlein kicked field goals of 54, 44 and 53 yards and Israel Abanikanda had a 10-yard touchdown run for the Jets.

K-Heart Sports – 08/03/23

Posted on Aug 3, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – THURSDAY – 08/03/23

MINOT, ND – North Dakota’s two teams at the Central Plains Legion Baseball Tournament in Rapid City find themselves on the opposite ends of the bracket after day one. The Williston Keybirds lost to Lincoln, Nebraska in the first game of the day 10-5. The Keybirds play a loser out game today against Harrisburg, South Dakota, who lost to St. Michael, Minnesota 4-0. Meanwhile, Fargo Post 2 defeated Eden Prairie, Minnesota 6-2 in the opening round. Post 2 will play Rapid City, South Dakota in the winners bracket tonight. Rapid City defeated Elkhorn-Waterloo, Nebraska.

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PERRIN-NDSU

MINOT, ND – North Dakota’s Gatorade Player of the Year in girls soccer has decided where she’ll play college soccer. Emerson Perrin of Minot High has committed to North Dakota State University. In her junior season, Emerson scored 27 goals and 14 assists. Perrin enters her senior season trying to lead the Majettes to their fourth straight state title along their 51 match unbeaten streak.

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NDSU FOOTBALL-WATCHLIST

AUGUSTA, Ga. (NDSU) – North Dakota State punter Kaedin Steindorf is on the preseason watch list for the 2023 FCS Punter of the Year Award, which is presented annually by the Augusta Sports Council. The 17 candidates on the watch list was compiled based on last year’s watch list, all-conference teams and All-America teams. Steindorf, a junior from Sherwood, Ore., averaged 40.0 yards per punt last season and placed 24 of his 50 attempts inside the 20-yard line. He had 10 punts go 50-plus yards and opponents made 19 fair catches with an average return of 9.2 yards.

North Dakota State running back TaMerik Williams was one of 35 players in the Football Championship Subdivision named to the preseason watch list for the 2023 Walter Payton Award, presented by FedEx Ground and given annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. Williams, a senior from Angleton, Texas, is entering his third season at North Dakota State. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry on 99 attempts for 702 yards and eight touchdowns last season, the most of any returning NDSU running back. Williams made the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team in 2021 after transferring from SMU and was an honorable mention to the All-MVFC team last year. He has 1,474 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in 28 games as a Bison.

North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2.

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NDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – The North Dakota State men’s basketball team will get an early start on the 2023-24 season with a trip to Costa Rica from Aug. 5-12. The Bison will play two exhibition games while in Costa Rica, on Sunday, Aug. 6, and Monday, Aug. 7. NCAA basketball teams are permitted to take a foreign tour no more than every four years, and teams are allowed 10 extra practices to prepare at home before departure. The Bison earned their fifth straight appearance in the Summit League Tournament championship game in 2023.

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UND-WATSON OBIT

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – The University of North Dakota Athletics Department and women’s basketball program mourn the loss of Dee Watson, who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, July 27. She was 80. Watson was a pioneer for women’s basketball at the University of North Dakota, serving as the first head coach in program’s history from 1974-79. Over her tenure, she finished with a 54-72 record and guided the Fighting Sioux to their first two winning seasons while the team was a member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). Watson coached the first player to receive regional and national attention for the program, as Becky Boll paced the Sioux to an 18-9 record in 1975-76. Boll averaged a double-double and became the first player to score 30-points in a game for UND. A celebration of life will be at a later date.

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TWINS-CARDINALS

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dakota Hudson pitched seven strong innings in his second start of the season and Alex Burleson hit a three-run homer, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-3 win over the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night. Hudson (2-0) struck out seven with three walks and one hit batter. The 28-year-old right-hander retired the first 11 batters he faced before issuing a walk in the fourth. Hudson gave up a one-out hit in the sixth inning when Michael Taylor singled up the middle on his 64th pitch. Joe Ryan (9-8) surrendered nine hits and seven runs in four innings in facing the Cardinals for the first time in his career. He threw 103 pitches and struck four while walking one. The Cardinals smacked four homeruns off Ryan. Matt Wallner hit a three-run homer for the Twins in the seventh. It was just the second hit allowed by Hudson.

UP NEXT
Twins: RHP Sonny Gray (4-4, 3.22) has nine career starts against St. Louis and he is 2-5 with a 5.74 ERA. This will be his first start as a Twin against the Cardinals.
Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore (1-3, 6.75) will be making his first career start and appearance against the Twins. The Twins are the seventh different opponent he has faced for the first time in his career this season.

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WILD-GUSTAVSSON

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Wild signed goalie Filip Gustavsson to a three-year, $11.25 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration after his strong first season with the club. The Wild have little room left on their salary cap after accounting for Gustavsson’s $3.75 million annual average value, but general manager Bill Guerin said he expects the 25-year-old to compete with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury for the starting job this season. The Wild also have top prospect Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings in the AHL. Gustavsson made 37 starts last season, going 22-9-7 with three shutouts, a 2.10 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. He had a shutout streak of 177 minutes, 13 seconds across four games from Feb. 28 to March 12, the third-longest in franchise history. Gustavsson, who is from Sweden, was acquired a year ago in a trade with Ottawa for goalie Cam Talbot. He was 2-3 in five starts in the playoffs, including a 51-save performance in a double overtime win over Dallas in Game 1 of the first-round series.

K-Heart Sports – 08/02/23

Posted on Aug 2, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 08/01/23

BISMARCK, ND – The Northwoods League All-Star game was held last night in Bismarck. The lone All-Star for the Minot Hot Tots, Drew Woodcox, scored the first run on the game in the 2nd inning giving the West a 1-0 lead. The game was tied at 3-3 when weather moved in and the game was eventually called after 7 innings. The West tallied 3 runs on 3 hits with no errors. The East had 3 runs on 5 hits with 2 errors. The Hot Tots are off today and then begin a four-game home series against the Mankato Moondogs on Thursday at Corbett Field.

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MINOT, ND – Wahpeton is the champion of the State Class A Legion Baseball Tournament. Post 20 defeated Kindred 10-0 on Tuesday.

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MINOT, ND – The Central Plains Legion Baseball Tournament begins in Rapid City today. The two teams that represent North Dakota are Fargo Post 2 and the Williston Keybirds, the teams that played in the State Class AA Tournament championship game. Williston plays the first game of the tournament at 9:30 am against Lincoln, Nebraska. Post 2 plays the second game at 12 pm against Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The double-elimination tournament runs through Sunday with the winner headed to American Legion World Series.

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MVFC-PRESEASON POLL

ST. LOUIS – North Dakota State was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference according to a preseason poll of the league’s media, head coaches and communications directors released Tuesday. South Dakota State was picked to win the conference with 44 of the 45 first-place votes, Northern Iowa was third, North Dakota fourth, Southern Illinois fifth and Youngstown State sixth. Illinois State, Missouri State, South Dakota, Indiana State, Murray State and Western Illinois rounded out the poll in order.

NDSU had 14 players named to the MVFC Preseason Team, including four first-team picks in fullback Hunter Brozio, offensive lineman Jalen Sundell, defensive lineman Eli Mostaert and return specialist Jayden Price. The Bison had eight second team picks: running back TaMerik Williams, tight end Joe Stoffel, offensive linemen Jake Kubas and Brandon Westberg, defensive lineman Will Mostaert, linebacker Cole Wisniewski, cornerback Jayden Price and kicker Griffin Crosa. NDSU wide receiver Zach Mathis and linebacker Nick Kubitz were honorable mentions.

Nine Fighting Hawks were also picked as members of the Preseason All-MVFC Team. Three Fighting Hawks received preseason first team recognition, with Bo Belquist (wide receiver), Donny Ventrelli (offensive lineman) and Ben McNaboe (defensive lineman) all making the team. C.J. Siegel was the lone Fighting Hawk to receive Preseason All-MVFC Second Team status, earning the honor as both a defensive back and return specialist. Tommy Schuster, Easton Kilty, Brayden Bryant, Wyatt Pedigo and Red Wilson also received Preseason Honorable Mention All-MVFC accolades.

North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2. North Dakota will open the season on Saturday, Sept. 2, hosting the Bulldogs of Drake inside the Alerus Center at 3 p.m. (CT).

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TWINS-CARDINALS

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Donovan Solano hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning and Pablo Lopez tossed six effective innings as the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins snapped a five-game skid with a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. Minnesota was coming off a three-game sweep to the Kansas City Royals and having lost the last two games of a three-game set against the Seattle Mariners. The Twins hold a two-game lead in the division over Cleveland, which was no-hit in Houston on Tuesday. Tyler O’Neill homered for St. Louis, which has lost four of its last five games and eight of 11. Lopez (6-6) allowed one run on four hits over six innings with five strikeouts. He retired the first seven hitters he faced. Relievers Emilio Pagan, Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran combined to secure the seven-hit victory. Duran recorded his 18th save in 22 chances. Mikolas (6-7) gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings for the Cardinals.

UP NEXT
RHP Joe Ryan (9-7, 4.06) will start the second game of the three-game series tonight. Ryan will be facing the Cardinals for the first time in his career. He is 5-8 with a 5.40 ERA when facing a team for the initial time. St. Louis announced after the game that RHP Dakota Hudson (1-0, 4.19) will make his second start of the season.

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VIKINGS-MATTISON

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The market devaluation of running backs across the NFL moved this summer from a trend to a bitter clash between the best players at this punishing position and the clubs unwilling to commit to them. The Minnesota Vikings recently stepped out of the contract conflict zone by releasing Dalvin Cook, his four consecutive Pro Bowls cast aside for salary cap savings. Alexander Mattison harbors none of the hard feelings that have become so prevalent across the league among his more accomplished peers. Being back with the Minnesota Vikings after briefly becoming a free agent, now promoted from reliable backup to unchallenged starter, has simply been “a blessing,” as the fifth-year player has often said this offseason. “It’s my job now to go out there and prove their decision right,” said Mattison, who signed a two-year, $7 million deal in March. “I’m extremely honored that they trust and believe in me.”

The most recent time the Vikings played a season without a Pro Bowl running back on the roster was 2006, the year before they drafted Adrian Peterson seventh overall. After 10 seasons with the franchise’s career leading rusher, the Vikings added Latavius Murray as a bridge of sorts to Cook after he was selected in the second round in 2017. Cook’s injuries limited him to a total of 15 games over his first two years, making Murray the de facto featured ball carrier until Mattison was drafted in the third round out of Boise State in 2019. Cook only missed eight games over the past four seasons, though, and didn’t miss any time in 2022. The sample size of Mattison’s work, thus, is still small. “I think he’s proven it over his career that when he’s gotten opportunities, he’s been a very productive back,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “He always knows what to do. He’s very intelligent as far as our scheme, our system, pass protection, and then he’s a talented back when he’s running. He’s always going forward. He’s got more wiggle than I think some people give him credit for.”

Mattison has been given 20-plus carries in five games over his career, once in 2020 and four times in 2021 when Cook was injured. The results were not insignificant: a total of 522 yards and two touchdowns on 114 rushes and 207 yards and two scores on 22 receptions. Among running backs with 250 rushing yards or more last season, according to Sportradar data, Mattison ranked fifth in the NFL by converting a first down on 28.4% of his attempts. Cook had three of his eight career gains of 50-plus yards from scrimmage in 2022, showing his explosiveness still exists, but he averaged a career-low 4.4 yards per rush as the Vikings struggled with their efficiency and consistency on the ground. Though Mattison has only 10 rushes of 20-plus yards in his career, the Vikings are more concerned this year about avoiding those drive-killing tackles for loss in the backfield. Cook had 33 negative runs last season, one behind Tennessee’s Derrick Henry for the second most in the NFL, per Sportradar data. The Vikings also envision using Mattison more as a receiver than Cook last season. He caught 47 of 57 passes that went his way over the past two seasons, an 82.5% rate. Cook’s catch rate (73 of 105) over that period was 69.5%. Mattison is also just 25, three years younger than Cook in a role that’s never been built to last, leaving the Vikings with another reason to believe they can rely on him to keep the ground game going in Minnesota while Cook looks for another team. He visited with the New York Jets over the weekend.

Better blocking by the interior offensive line would sure help, too. Center Garrett Bradbury was re-signed after the best season of his career, but incumbent guards Ezra Cleveland and Ed Ingram have no guarantees of staying in the starting lineup. Free agent Dalton Risner, a four-year starter for the Denver Broncos who was not re-signed, visited with the Vikings on Tuesday.

Unrelated to his promotion, Mattison said he’s aiming to provide more vocal leadership for the Vikings this season to stretch his quiet nature and accept his status. Coach Kevin O’Connell was impressed during a full-team drill when he turned to direct the substitutes far enough back from the line to make room for the play and saw Mattison already barking those orders. Before practice on Tuesday — when Mattison appeared to suffer a minor injury and was limping afterward — he joined wide receiver Justin Jefferson in slapping hands with a local high school football team watching from the sideline and waving their arms to fire up the crowd in the stands next to the field. “I’m going into year five now. I’ve been around the block a few times,” Mattison said. “The things that I’ve learned that have helped me throughout my process of not only the grind, but the studying, everything that comes with the game, if there’s anyone I feel like I can reach out to help my teammates, that’s a role I want to be in.”

K-Heart Sports – 08/01/23

Posted on Aug 1, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 08/01/23

BISMARCK, ND – The Northwoods League held their Great Plains Home Run Challenge last night in Bismarck. The West team won over the East 54-43 and Jackson Hauge of St. Cloud won the individual championship with 12 homers. The Northwoods League All-Star game will be at 7 pm tonight at Municipal Park in Bismarck. It will televised on ESPNU.

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MINOT, ND – Wahpeton and Kindred play in the State Class A Legion Baseball Tournament championship today. Wahpeton defeated Casselton 6-3 in the semifinals on Monday, while Kindred downed the West Fargo Vets 5-4.

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MINOT, ND – Pairings are set for the Central Plains Legion Baseball Tournament in Rapid City. The two teams that represent North Dakota are Fargo Post 2 and the Williston Keybirds, the teams that played in the State Class AA Tournament championship game. Williston plays the first game of the tournament at 9:30 am Wednesday against Lincoln, Nebraska. Post 2 plays the second game at 12 pm against Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The double-elimination tournament runs through Sunday with the winner headed to American Legion World Series.

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MSU SOFTBALL-COACH

MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The new leader for the Minot State softball program is a very familiar face for Beaver athletic fans. Minot State’s Director of Athletics Kevin Forde is pleased to introduce Sal Rodriguez as the new head coach for the Beaver softball program. Rodriguez, who spent the last two years as Minot State’s Assistant Director of Athletics for Revenue & Fan Development, begins his role with the softball program immediately. Along with his playing experience, Rodriguez brings a variety of coaching experience with him as he was head coach for the Bishop Ryan High School softball team for the 2020-21 season and assistant coach for the Lions for two seasons, served as a volunteer assistant baseball coach for the 2020-21 season at Minot State, and spent four years as a “buddy/coach” in Tri-Cities Challenger Baseball and as an honorary head coach for Special Olympics. Rodriguez replaces Bailey Gaspar, who led the Beavers to a 30-23 record in her one season as head coach.

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NDSU FOOTBALL

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – North Dakota State defensive lineman Eli Mostaert and offensive lineman Jalen Sundell were named to Phil Steele’s Preseason FCS All-America Team compiled by Phil Steele and the DraftScout.com staff. Mostaert, a senior from Lakeville, Minn., was named to the third team and Sundell, a senior from Maryville, Mo., was named to the fourth team. Mostaert returns to the Bison lineup this year after missing 12 games during the 2022 season with a leg injury, and he has an additional year of eligibility available in 2024. He has 83 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and three pass breakups in 30 career games. Sundell was NDSU’s starting center in the first five games of 2022 before a season-ending injury. A former offensive tackle, he started 25 consecutive games at center for the Bison over the past three years. North Dakota State opens the season against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 2.

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UND FOOTBALL

CLEVELAND, Ohio (UND) – North Dakota defensive back C.J. Siegel picked up his third honor of the preseason being named a Phil Steele Preseason All-American as a third team defensive back. Siegel had a sensational season in 2022, starting all 12 games at defensive back. He led North Dakota and tied for No. 4 in the MVFC in pass breakups with eight, while also picking off two passes. He racked up 79 interception return yards during the season to rank No. 3 in the conference. His interception return yardage was highlighted by a 50-yard interception return for touchdown in the 27-24 win at Northern Arizona early in the season. Siegel finished the season fifth in total tackles on the team, racking up 46 tackles during the season to go with 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Earlier in the day, Siegel was a Phil Steele Preseason First Team All-MVFC selection as both a defensive back and kick returner. As a returner last season, Siegel returned 15 kickoffs for 436 yards to average 29.07 yards per kickoff return. That average led the MVFC and ranked No. 7 nationally. He also had a nose for the ball on special teams, blocking a field goal attempt in the 28-19 win over South Dakota and also blocking one at No. 4 North Dakota State the following week. Siegel served as a team captain in 2022 and earned Second Team All-MVFC status at the end of the year. Siegel and the Fighting Hawks will open the season on Saturday, Sept. 2, hosting the Bulldogs of Drake inside the Alerus Center at 3 p.m. (CT).

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VIKINGS-HUNTER

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Danielle Hunter was dissatisfied enough with his contract that he skipped Minnesota’s offseason program and kept himself off the field for the beginning of training camp. With a temporary new deal reached over the weekend, Hunter put the pads on Monday and participated in practice with the Vikings for the first time since the 2022 season ended. His contract will be in question again soon, but for now the team’s best pass rusher can happily push the business part aside and work up a sweat with his teammates while trying to master a new scheme. “I just wanted to come back here, be with my teammates and play ball. I’m happy we got over that hump,” said Hunter, who’s entering his ninth year with the Vikings.

His base salary for 2023 more than tripled to $17 million, Hunter can earn an additional $3 million in incentives, according to NFL Network. He will still hit the free agent market after the season, unless he and the team strike a deal on an extension in the meantime. The Vikings can’t put a franchise tag on him next spring as part of the new agreement. As for that third long-term contract he’d like? “I’m here now. Whenever that time comes, that time comes. The big thing is I’m here now for my coaches, my teammates and the organization,” Hunter said. “They need me to be myself this year, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Trading the three-time Pro Bowl pick was a possibility, but Hunter — speaking to reporters for the first time this year — said he loves the organization and didn’t drop any hints he’d rather be elsewhere. “I want to be a Viking forever,” Hunter said.

Having been limited to seven games over the 2020 and 2021 seasons, because of neck surgery and then a torn pectoral muscle, Hunter lost some of his leverage in seeking a bigger deal. After working out in the Arizona heat, without any injuries to rehabilitate for the first time in three years, Hunter is fully healthy and poised for a productive season under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings are trying to keep him that way, so they have Hunter on a two-week ramp-up process in order to ease him into full-team drills. “My team needs me. They don’t want me to rush back out there and have something bad happen,” Hunter said. “I’m just going to follow their lead and do whatever they tell me to do.”

That’s the attitude he has toward Flores and the likelihood he’ll be in more of a pure pass-rushing role and not asked to drop into coverage from the 3-4 outside linebacker position as former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell directed last season more than Hunter had been used to previously. He had 10 1/2 sacks, his fourth double-digit season total, but he never looked completely comfortable in that scheme. Now Flores and his blitz-often scheme will have Hunter’s pass-rushing prowess to lean on, lessening the pressure on newcomer Marcus Davenport and unproven backups Patrick Jones and D.J. Wonnum at the ever-important edge spots. Hunter has 71 career sacks, which is eighth on the franchise’s career list. “He brings a level of toughness in the run game as well as the pass game. We’ll do everything we can schematically to try to put him in good position as we do with all our players,” Flores said.

K-Heart Sports – 07/31/23

Posted on Jul 31, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 07/28/23

MINOT, ND – In case you missed it over the weekend the State Class AA Legion Baseball Tournament was won by #1 Fargo Post 2 over #9 Williston Keybirds 16-7 on Saturday. The State Class B Legion Baseball Tournament was won by Thompson over LaMoure, 4-2. The State Class A Legion Baseball Tournament holds semifinals today as Kindred plays the West Fargo Jets, followed by Wahpeton battling Casselton. The championship is set for tomorrow afternoon.

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MINOT HOT TOTS

MINOT, ND – The Minot Hot Tots snapped a 6-game losing streak and earned a split of their two-game home series with Rochester by defeating the Honkers 6-5 yesterday. Brannon Mondragon scored on a Drew Woodcox single to center field in the 7th inning which would prove to be the winning run. Teams are now off for the Northwoods League All-Star activities today and tomorrow in Bismarck.

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TWINS-ROYALS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Freddy Fermin hit a homer, Maikel Garcia had an RBI double, Ryan Yarbrough gave up one run over seven innings and the Kansas City Royals completed a sweep of the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Sunday. It’s the first sweep by the Royals since last September, which was also against Minnesota. Yarbrough (4-5) had his best start of the season going seven innings, allowing one earned run and giving up seven hits while fanning five. Kenta Maeda (2-6) went five innings and gave up two earned runs on four hits and struck out seven. It’s the first time in over a month that the Twins lost a game he started. The win marks the first time this season Kansas City has won three games in a row. This is the fourth time Minnesota has been swept since June 8.

UP NEXT
RHP Pablo Lopez (5-6) will start the first of three games at St. Louis on Tuesday for the Twins.

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VIKINGS-HUNTER

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have given outside linebacker Danielle Hunter a hefty pay raise, paving the way for the team’s best pass rusher to participate in practice after a months-long contract stalemate. The Vikings announced Sunday on their website that they reached a new deal with Hunter, the three-time Pro Bowl pick with 71 sacks who will turn 29 in three months. Hunter reported to training camp last week on schedule after skipping the offseason program and mandatory minicamp, but he has yet to join his teammates on the field. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Saturday that Hunter has been “in the building” and that they’ve been in “daily dialogue” about his physical and mental preparation. “Danielle Hunter is a very special player, and as soon as we can get him out here, you guys will see him out here,” O’Connell said.

Hunter’s previous contract called for a $4.9 million base salary. According to NFL Network, he’ll make $17 million guaranteed this year with an opportunity to earn an additional $3 million in incentives. Hunter will still hit the free agent market after the season, unless he and the team strike a deal on an extension in the meantime. Hunter’s presence will be vital for a Vikings defense that has been one of the NFL’s worst over the past three years. They allowed the second-most yards and the fourth-most points in the league in 2022, despite decent production by their primary edge rushers. Hunter had 10 1/2 sacks, Za’Darius Smith had 10 sacks and backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones had four sacks apiece. Smith was since traded to Cleveland in a cost-cutting move, leaving Hunter as the only proven pass rusher on the roster. Marcus Davenport was signed as a free agent to push for a starting spot, but this remains one of the biggest questions surrounding the team this season. “I think Danielle’s a phenomenal player,” said defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who was hired to replace the fired Ed Donatell. “I look forward to working with him.”

Under Donatell, Hunter often found himself as a standup rusher in a three-point stance. The Vikings with Flores are aiming to get back to turning Hunter loose with his hand in the ground more often. “Veteran players, they’ve seen a lot of defense, coverages, fronts, stunts. I think terminology will probably be the one thing that’s a little bit different, maybe, but some of it, there’s some crossover from some things he’s heard in the past so I don’t think it’ll take long for him to get up to speed,” Flores said. “At the end of the day, we’re telling him to go get the quarterback. There’s really not much to that. So I think he’ll be just fine.”

K-Heart Sports – 07/28/23

Posted on Jul 28, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 07/28/23

MINOT, ND – The Minot Vistas saw their season come to an end on Thursday at the Class AA State Legion Baseball Tournament.

American Legion Baseball
Class AA State Tournament – Dickinson (July 24-29)

Third Round
#3 West Fargo Patriots def. #2 Minot Vistas, 8-4 (8)
#1 Fargo Post 2 def. #4 Bismarck Governors, 6-0
Loser Out
#9 Williston Keybirds def. #2 Minot Vistas, 7-6
#4 Bismarck Governors def. #6 Mandan Chiefs, 11-1

Today’s schedule

Semifinal
#1 Fargo Post 2 vs #3 West Fargo Patriots, 12 pm MT
Loser Out
#4 Bismarck Governors vs #9 Williston Keybirds, 3 pm MT
Semifinal
Post 2/WF loser vs Bismarck/Williston winner, 6 pm MT

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MINOT, ND – Burlington and Hazen were both eliminated from the State Class B Legion Baseball Tournament.

American Legion Baseball
Class B State Tournament – Carrington (July 26-30)

Loser Out
New Rockford def. Hazen, 7-6
Carrington def. Burlington, 9-5
Second Round
Thompson def. Cando, 7-5 (8)
LaMoure def. Langdon, 13-2

Today’s schedule

Loser Out
Langdon vs New Rockford, 10 am
Cando vs Carrington, 12:30 pm
Semifinal
Thompson vs LaMoure, 3 pm
Loser Out
Langdon/New Rockford winner vs Cando/Carrington winner, 5:30 pm

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MINOT, ND – The State Class A Legion Baseball Tournament begins today in Kindred and runs through Tuesday.

American Legion Baseball
Class A State Tournament – Kindred (July 26-30)

First Round
Wahpeton Post 20 vs. Watford City Walleyes, 11:00 am
Bismarck Senators vs. West Fargo Vets, 1:30 pm
Casselton Haymakers vs. Bismarck Capitals, 4 pm
Dickinson Volunteers vs. Kindred Post 117, 7 pm

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MINOT HOT TOTS

MINOT, ND – Zach Kluvers hit a two-run homer in the 3rd inning, but that’s all the scoring Minot could produce as the Hot Tots lose to the Express in Eau Claire 7-2. Minot has lost five in a row and will try to avoid a sweep of the four-game series in Eau Claire as they play the Express one more time tonight. The Hot Tots return home to host Rochester this weekend at Corbett Field.

K-Heart Sports – 07/27/23

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 in General |

K-HEART SPORTS – THURSDAY – 07/27/23

MINOT, ND – Wednesday was day three of the Class AA State Legion Baseball Tournament. The Minot Vistas are 1-0 at the tournament and play West Fargo in the winners bracket today.

American Legion Baseball
Class AA State Tournament – Dickinson (July 24-29)

Loser Out
#6 Mandan Chiefs def. #8 Dickinson Roughriders, 10-0
#5 Jamestown Eagles def. #10 Grand Forks Royals, 3-1
#6 Mandan Chiefs def. #7 Fargo Post 400, 14-1
#9 Williston Keybirds def. #5 Jamestown Eagles, 14-4

Today’s schedule

Third Round
#2 Minot Vistas vs #3 West Fargo Patriots, 10 am MT
#1 Fargo Post 2 vs #4 Bismarck Governors, 1 pm MT
Loser Out
#9 Williston Keybirds vs Minot/WF loser, 4 pm MT
#6 Mandan Chiefs vs Post 2/Bismarck loser, 7 pm MT

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MINOT, ND – Burlington was shutout in the opening round of the State Class B Legion Baseball Tournament.

American Legion Baseball
Class B State Tournament – Carrington (July 26-30)

First Round
Thompson def. Hazen, 5-4
Cando def. New Rockford, 2-1
Langdon def. Burlington, 10-0 (5)
LaMoure def. Carrington, 10-5

Today’s schedule

Loser Out
Hazen vs New Rockford, 10 am
Burlington vs Carrington, 12:30 pm
Second Round
Thompson vs Cando, 3 pm
Langdon vs LaMoure, 5:30 pm

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MINOT HOT TOTS

MINOT, ND – The Minot Hot Tots lost in Eau Claire last night 13-3. The Express scored 9 runs in the 5th inning to secure wins in the first two games of the series. Relief pitcher Taylor Montiel gets the win with 4 shutout innings allowing 2 hits with 2 strikeouts and 4 walks. Hot Tots starter Paxton Miller takes the loss after pitching 4 innings and allowing 6 earned runs on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts and 5 walks. the Hot Tots have lost four in a row and look to end that streak in game three of their four-game series against the Express tonight.

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TWINS-MARINERS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dylan Moore hit a pair of home runs, including a three-run blast in the fifth inning, and the Seattle Mariners survived a Minnesota Twins’ rally for an 8-7 win Wednesday and a series victory. Julio Rodríguez added a home run and two doubles as the Mariners won for the fifth time in their past seven games. The AL Central-leading Twins dropped their second in a row following a four-game winning streak. Mariners rookie right-hander Bryce Miller (7-3) struck out seven while yielding six earned runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Twins starter Joe Ryan (9-7) lasted just 3 2/3 innings, yielding four earned runs on seven hits and striking out seven batters. He required 95 pitches to record 11 outs.

UP NEXT
After flying out Wednesday evening, Minnesota will spend an off day in Kansas City before six games in seven days in Missouri. RHP Sonny Gray (4-4, 3.15 ERA) is expected to start for the Twins Friday against Royals RHP Brady Singer (6-8, 5.55 ERA).
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TWINS-TRADE

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins acquired Dylan Floro from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Jorge López on Wednesday in a swap of struggling right-handed relievers on contending teams. Floro is an eight-year big league veteran with a career 3.32 ERA, but the 32-year-old is 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA and seven saves this season. Floro was a regular out of the bullpen for the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. López was an All-Star in 2022 with Baltimore before being traded to Minnesota at the August trade deadine. The Twins traded minor league pitchers Cade Povich, Yennier Cano, Juan Nuñez and Juan Rojas to Baltimore for López. López went 3-2 with a 5.09 ERA in 37 relief appearances for the Twins this season. He returned from the 15-day injured list earlier this month after stepping away to address his mental health. The Twins are 54-50 and lead the AL Central by two games over Cleveland. Miami is 55-48 and in a tight race for one of the NL’s three wild-card spots.