I Dream of Spring

This week I chose k. d. Lang's "I Dream of Spring" as my blog title, as I can only dream of green grass on the golf course and ball fields in Bottineau, as the massive amount of snow dumped upon us this winter is still is hanging around.

I did hit up a DCB softball practice last week and took a few pics of them practicing in the gym.

Otherwise still doing news stories as well.

Here are a few pics:

Sophomore Keysha Jansen throws a warm up toss last Wednesday in the BHS gym.

Freshman Jasmin Hall (left), Jess Mehling (middle) and Destiny Kaus warm up last Wednesday.

Mehling fires home during a fielding drill.

Freshman shortstop Maria Espindola tosses one to second base during fielding practice.

Freshman pitcher Tawnya Tychynski practices her form last Wednesday.

Espindola scoops up a grounder during fielding practice.

I Got the News

This week I chose Steely Dan's "I Got the News" as my title of the week because this week (and probably for a long while) I will be taking over some of the news coverage as sports are in a lull right now. So for now, "I Got the News."

I wrote about the 2010 census this week. I found in my research that Bottineau is getting smaller, while my hometown, Albany, is getting significantly larger.

I also continued coverage on a project that the Bottineau Winter Park and the New York Says Thank You foundation are trying to get started. They are trying to raise more than $1 million to create a new chalet that will help children with disabilities learn how to ski.

I also did a profile on a new pastor at a local church, and wrote about the 19U hockey teams championship at the Northern Plains President's Cup. 

Bang the Drum All Day

For Today's blog I chose the song "Bang the Drum All Day" by Todd Rundgren. This song expresses what I've been doing most days the past week--nothing. And while it was nice to finally have some time off from the chaos that was winter sports playoffs, I can't wait for spring and the sports that ensue.

What I did do last week was a feature story on a local girl's hockey player. I think it turned out well. I beat the big spring snow storm out of town Friday and went home for the weekend. I had a very enjoyable time with family and friends in my old haunts and stomping grounds.

All I have this week are a couple of the other poses I had of Ashley Blue from the feature story I did.

The End

I chose The Door's 1967 hit "The End" this week as my blog title. I did so because as the Bottineau Stars and the Ladyjacks both failed to extend their seasons and the 19U hockey state tournament signified the completion of their season, it was indeed the end of winter sports for the 2010-11 season.

This weekend I covered the 19U state tournament held in Bottineau for three days of ladies hockey. I also had the privilege of covering one of the best girls basketball games I've ever seen as the Dakota College at Bottineau Ladyjacks came up just short of Nationals last Saturday.

It will be a bit more work on other things for me for the next couple weeks until spring begins to spring. I can't wait until the snow melts and I can hit the links.

Here are my pictures from the past week:

Ladyjacks sophomore Shannon Smith goes strong to the hoop last Saturday against North Platte.

Smith lays in another in a 69-68 loss in the District F championship game in Bottineau.

Freshman Jordan Allard puts up a shot in the first half last Saturday.

DCB fans await the outcome of a free-throw during the first half.

Allard drives in the lane during the first half.

Sophomore Haley Mindt barrels to the hoop in the second half.

Excited fans cheer during the second half last Saturday.

Sophomore Kate Helgeson is stripped as she tries to go to the hoop.

Lady Knight's guard Destini Lewis argues with a ref after being called for a foul.

Mindt tries to weave through defenders in the second half.

Fans try to make a North Platte player miss during a second half free throw attempt.

Mindt falls to the court after the Ladyjacks heartbreaking loss.

The Bottineau Avalanche get hyped up before their game against Fargo 14U last Friday.

Senior Taryn Thorsell makes a save in the first period of the first round of the 19U state tournament in Bottineau.

Bottineau's Ashley Blue dekes out the Fargo goalie en route to a goal in the first period.

Blue attempts a shot in the final period last Friday.

Blue skates the puck past the blue line last Friday.

Bottineau's Karlee McCloud fights with a Lightning defender for control of the puck last Friday.

Bailey Neubauer chases down a loose puck during the 19U state tournament this past weekend.

Thorsell traps a puck along the side of the net in the second period last Sunday in the third place game against Crosby.

Thorsell about to cover a puck in the second period in Sunday's 2-1 win over Crosby in Bottineau.

Bottineau Head Coach Curt Getzlaff  barks instructions at his players during the final period last Sunday.

Riding the Storm Out

This week the song I've chosen is "Riding the Storm Out" by REO Speedwagon. I chose this because I felt like I was hit by a storm of sports stories this past week as I was here, there and everywhere for sports coverage. Now, I'm riding the final waves of the storm until the winter season finishes.

This past week I traveled to Minot twice for Region 6 boy's basketball. The Braves were runners-up in the region. I also traveled to Velva on Friday for the District 11 tournament. Saturday morning I headed north to the Bottineau Winter Park to cover the ski team's only home race. However, I only had to cross town to cover 19U hockey on Sunday.

None the less it was a busy week, but the storm is nearly ended, the worst weeks are behind as far as being busy goes.

Congratulations are in order for the Ladyjacks basketball team who captured the Region XIII title for the third time ever this past weekend. Good luck this weekend.

A personal picture record was broken for this blog this week as I have 41 photos to share. Here they are:

Bottineau's Bailey Neubauer about to sling a pass to a teammate during last Sunday's 6-2 win over Langdon.

Bottineau's Ashley Blue fights with Langdon's Hennager in a faceoff during the first period.

Senior Taryn Thorsell stones a Blades attacker in the first period last Sunday.

Avalanche's Jacie Ceglowski skates the puck up the ice in the first period.

Neubauer battles for a faceoff in the second period.

Bottineau's Tiffany Schuster about to attempt a shot in the second period.

Blue looks to make a move in the second period.

Blue scores her third goal of the game in the second period last Sunday.

Senior Heather Milbrath looks for an open teammate in the third period.

Braves junior Mark LaCroix limps in anguish after injuring his knee last Tuesday in a region game against Velva.

Bottineau fans cheer on their team during Tuesday's Region 6 semifinal game against Velva.

LaCroix calls out a play Tuesday in the second half.

BHS junior Justin McCloud chucks a pass in the first half last Tuesday.

LaCroix drives in the lane in last Tuesday's win over Velva.

McCloud shoots a three in front a large crowd during last Thursday's Region 6 Championship game against Bishop Ryan.

Senior Tyler Neubauer attempts a shot with the left in the first half last Thursday.

LaCroix dishes to a teammate in the second half.

McCloud tries for a hoop and the harm in the first half last Thursday.

Braves junior Devon Grenier inbounds the ball in front of the Lions' faithful last Thursday.

McCloud looks for an open teammate as he brings the ball up the court in the first half.

Stars senior Alysha Thompson attempts to move past a Titan defender last Friday in the opening round of the District 11 tournament against Towner-Granville-Upham.

Stars junior Mikayla Hahn runs into Titans freshman Mckenna Thompson in the first half last Friday.

Braves junior Heidi Artz shovels a pass past TGU's Ashley Brodehl last Friday.

Hahn drives inside in the second half against TGU.

Artz attempts a three late in the contest last Friday.

Sioux senior Alisha Braaten looks to pass in the first half last Friday in an opening round match against Dunseith during the District 11 Tournament.

Sioux senior Kendra Thom attempts a shot in the first half last Friday.

Braaten is swamped by Lady Dragon defenders in the first half.

Thom gets two on a fast break in the first half.

Sioux junior Amber Getchell passes to a teammate in the first half.

Thom fights with a Dragon post player in the second half last Friday.

Sioux junior Jade Teske traps a Dunseith player in the corner during the second half.

Sioux sophomore Bailey Tofteland attempts a basket in the second half.

Sioux junior Kylee Conway applies pressure on Dunseith's point guard in the second half.

BWP skier Sydney Nelson crosses the finish in a timed run last Saturday at BWP north of Bottineau. 

BWP's Kutter Moum stretches through the finish last Saturday morning.

Seena Hagen weaves through the poles last Saturday.

Brady Moum about to cross the finish.

Austin Barden squeaks past the poles en route to the finish line.

Two deer run through some deep snow just north of Upham last Friday afternoon near the J. Clark Salyer Wildlife Refuge.

Here a deer hops the fence after it crossed the road to join its friend just north of Granville last Friday afternoon.