Jeff Papas
Primary tabs
Author Content
The Cloquet School Board's special meeting Monday, Aug. 6, to officially accept Kevin Smalley's resignation has introduced us once again to one of the less attractive sides of high school sports. Call it "puck politics."
Starting pitcher Gavin Rasmussen had allowed only one run through six innings in the championship game against Brainerd — but then reached his pitch count and had to be removed from the game by rule.
Now, with the departure of coach Kevin Smalley, the 2018-19 Lumberjacks will have their third head coach in the last three seasons — an unheard of turnover in one of the state's most storied programs.
Bruce Baker's team is 9-4 heading into the Wednesday, July 25, regular-season finale at Wade Stadium against the West Duluth Cubs. After that, the playoffs in Grand Rapids loom large.
After 19 years, the Ashley Abrahamson softball tournament is a Northland tradition.
A breakout season for the Cloquet-Esko boys' golf team concluded with a fourth-place team finish at last week's Minnesota Class AA state golf tournament.
After losing in the first round of the bracket to second seed and eventual third-place winner Drew Elofson of St. Peter, Tomhave rebounded in consolation play. He defeated Jim Erickson of Luverne 7-5, 6-4 to move on to the second round of consolation and also get to the second day — another first for a CEC program player.
p>"The organization is in good shape," Boitz said. "We know what we want to do and we know what our players want to do while they're here." Boitz, who has served as the team's general manager since it moved to Cloquet, became head coach after Tim Madsen left to take over the St. Scholastica men's team.
Here it is: Kendra Kelley. The do-everything junior won the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump at last week's section meet in Grand Rapids to head off to this weekend's state meet in style. In a driving rainstorm, Kelley paced the field in the 100 in 12.53 seconds, defeating Cambridge freshman Kaylee Clement — and freshman sister Katelyn — to take the top prize.
After defeating North Branch, the second-ranked team in Minnesota, earlier in the tournament, the Vikings came back to defeat the Lumberjacks twice Friday, June 1, at Braun Park to earn a section championship and a trip to state. Scores were 12-5 and 11-1. "It was heartbreaking," coach Ron Tondryk said, "but we got beat by a good team twice. I think we surprised a few people when we beat them (North Branch) earlier, but we played a team that had something to prove."