Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Days of Gold

This week I'd like to spotlight one of my favorite country artists in Jake Owen, specifically his latest chart hit "Days of Gold." And there have been some days of gold as far as winning games is concerned for the Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) teams.

This past week I was able to see the DCB men's and women's basketball teams win games, and the DCB hockey team earn a sweep as well. The men's basketball team is currently on a six game win streak. They also proclaimed themselves "Mega Bowl" champions (a Semi-Pro reference).

This upcoming week I have another pair of DCB basketball games and a Bottineau-Rugby hockey game to cover.

I went 2-2 in my four fantasy football leagues this past week. I'm officially eliminated from one of my fantasy leagues in 10th place and at 4-8. In the others I'm still in contention. In one I'm in fifth place at 6-6, another I'm in second place at 6-6 and the final one I'm in second at 7-5.

I got seven games right in a crazy week of NFL football, including a no-win tie from the Vikings/Packers. I have 110 right in 12 weeks, as I've cooled off of late.

I have 18 pictures to share this week, so enjoy and follow me on twitter @typhoonater467 if you want to see links to when I put up this blog, as well as follow Bottineau area sports.

Bottineau-Rugby senior Harrison Aide tries to get past a Devils Lake defender in a 7-3 loss to the Firebirds in the season opener in Bottineau last Tuesday.

Junior Noah Grant fires a strong shot at the Devils Lake net in the second period.

Braves senior goaltender Riley Monson makes a good stop in the first period last Tuesday.

Aide looks to pass as he skates up ice.

Junior Luke Amsbaugh scores a goal in the second period.

DCB sophomore Kyle Volk looks to squeeze a shot between a defender and the goal last Saturday in a game against South Dakota State University at the Lumberdome.

Anthony Mancini skates up ice with the puck last Saturday.

Sophomore Chris Watkins fires a shot at the net in a 5-1 win over the Jackrabbits.

Connor Hicks looks to go up high on a goal try in the second period last Saturday.

Bobby Solari delivers a strong shot.

Alex Herman tries to sneak a shot past the defense.

Hicks drives into the offensive zone.

Spencer Archer sizes up the goalie after beating his defender.

Sam Robinson goes up for two last Saturday in a 101-81 win over Trinity Bible.

Travis "YMCA" Frye scores two points in the first half last Saturday.

Imani Scott drives in for two points last Saturday in a Ladyjacks win over Trinity Bible College.

DCB's Savannah Bruce (right) and Leah Parizek fight for a rebound in the first half last Saturday.

Parizek for two.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

For Reasons Unknown

This week I chose the song "For Reasons Unknown" by the Killers. Originally on the album "Sam's Town," the song was recently re-released with a bunch of other Killers hits on an album called "Direct Hits."


Anyhow I had a pretty  busy week with a long last Monday (Nov. 11) including photographing a couple of Dakota College at Bottineau basketball games. I also covered a DCB hockey game on Saturday. However, the biggest thing I did was go to the Dakota Bowl. Specifically the nine-man title game that Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn was in.

I have another busy week ahead with Bottineau-Rugby hockey tonight and all three DCB sports this weekend.

I won in three out of my four fantasy football leagues, and things are looking up in all but one league. I'm currently in 10th (4-7), second (5-6), third (6-5) and fifth (6-5).

I had nine right in NFL pick 'em last week, and haven't had a good week in awhile. I have 103 right in 11 weeks this season.

Anyhow, I have a bunch of pictures from the past week:

Sioux senior quarterback Hunter Braaten is sacked and is about to take another hit last Friday in the Dakota Bowl.

Chas Tofteland tries to bring down Cavalier's Chase Walton at the Fargodome. Cavalier won 54-6.

Hawkin Smette, a Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn senior wraps up Tornado back Brock Robbins.

Smette runs past Robbins on a carry.

Braaten breaks an arm tackle.

Braaten runs away from junior Jeff Stith in the first half last Friday.

The two teams watch the coin toss including (from left): WNG's Braaten, Ethan Miller and Smette.

The Sioux await getting their runner-up trophy following the nine-man title game.

Eighth grader Trent Marquart can't corral a pass from Braaten in the second half.

Cavalier's Ryan Chrest picks off a Braaten pass intended for Miller.

Sophomore Dustin Weeks pancakes Cody Walton to free up Miller on a kick return.

Reese Schell punts the ball in the second half.

Braaten cuts outside.

Tofteland and Smette combine to bring down Chrest.

Jacks sophomore Julian Vasquez goes up for a jumper last Monday against Dawson Community College.

Vasquez waits as the clock ticks down before halftime.

DCB's Travis Frye tries to get a rebound as he's boxed out by two Buccaneers players.

Sophomore point guard Billy Engel fires a pass up court.

Frye drives hard to the hoop.

Ladyjacks freshman Imani Scott shoots for two last Monday against Dawson.

DCB freshman Brett Hebel puts a hit on a Finlandia JV player last Saturday at the Lumberdome.

Mark Williams looks to pass in the second period.

Hebel fires a puck into the zone.

Casey Barile skates the puck into the offensive zone last Saturday against the Lions.

Tyler Elshaug looks to shoot last Saturday.

Ethan Hicks fires a shot toward the net in the second period.

James Kelly wrangles in a puck as he makes a move toward the Lions goal.

Matt Mehlhaff puts a big hit on a Lions player.

Mehlhaff skates into the corner.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Survival



This week I chose the song "Survival" off of Eminem's seventh studio album "The Marshall Mathers LP2." I really like the album, and it kind of was the theme of the week.

I only photographed one game this week, but it was a big one as the Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn Sioux survived a Skyhawk attack late in the fourth quarter to win. The Sioux held on to win 32-31 on the gridiron to advance to the Dakota Bowl for the second straight year. Unfortunately I only have a couple photos as my camera battery died midway through the first half. I'm sorry I didn't even think to charge it.

Anyhow, I went 1-3 in my fantasy football leagues last week, and my playoff hopes are starting to dwindle a bit. Going to need to have a good week to keep those hopes alive. I'm currently in sixth (5-5), fifth (5-5), ninth (4-6) and eighth (4-6). The good news is that even though I'm low, I'm still within reach of the playoffs in all leagues.

I got nine games right last week in NFL pick 'em, including two big upsets as I picked the Vikings and the Buccaneers to win. I'm up to 94 games right in 10 weeks for the season.

Only a couple pics for this week due to the camera battery incident.There should be a lot more next week.

Sioux fans celebrate after a first-quarter touchdown.

The Shiloh Christian field has quite the score board, but the Sioux had an early lead.



Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Timber

I named this week's blog post after the current Pitbull/Ke$ha hit "Timber" because this past weekend was filled with me covering a lot of Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) Lumberjack athletics.

I also went to Towner twice to cover both prep volleyball and football playoffs. I covered four DCB events throughout Friday and Saturday, and jumped back and forth between them all. Needless to say it was a long weekend.

This week there is a bit of a lull in the action. The only thing to cover for me to photograph is Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn's game in Bismarck for the semifinals of the playoffs.

I went 2-2 in fantasy football leagues this week and I'm in fifth (5-4), fourth (5-4), ninth (3-6) and sixth (4-5) in those leagues.

It was also a down week in NFL pick 'em, as I only got six games right this week.

I have a record number of pictures (or near record, I'm not sure, and I'm way too lazy to look it up), so enjoy.

Bottineau senior libero Rachael Fix digs out a Sawyer shot last Thursday at the District 11 tournament in Towner.

Fix passes the ball up to the setter.

Stars senior setter Bailey Neubauer puts up a set to a teammate last Thursday.

Junior Kennedy Olson goes up for a block.

Stephanie Brenden tries to block a Flashes shot.

Newburg-Westhope junior Lauren Mach delivers a big hit last Thursday against Rugby in the opening round of the district tournament in Towner.

Maddy Lodoen slams a shot to the Panthers side.

Mach and freshman Hannah Tofteland go up for a block.

Mach forces a shot to the corner.

Mach tries for the block.

Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn senior Hawkin Smette goes in to tackle Towner-Granville-Upham quarterback Eli Luna.

Senior Hunter Braaten waits near Donny Artz as the clock runs down with the Sioux up by more than 30.

Smette plunges in from a yard out to score in late in the game.

Ethan Miller hauls in a catch near the sidelines.

Miller tries to juke out a Titans opponent.

Smette fights for extra yards with two Titans bringing him down.

Braaten flies down the field. He ran for 310 yards, his second straight game with more than 300 yards on the ground.

Braaten is congratulated by Titans senior Luke Bacon after the Sioux win last Saturday.

Sioux head coach Tom Nesvold is hit with the "Gatorade bath" by Hawkin Smette after the game. It was Nesvold's 100th win as the Sioux head coach.

Charles Johnson fights to stay up after catching a pass in the first half last Saturday against NDSCS.

Jacks quarterback Shazzon Mumphrey looks to throw after escaping a defender.

Mumphrey eludes rushers and looks toward receiver Jonathan Parks (left).

Parks heads up field after making a catch.

Mumphrey delivers a pass.

Desmond Goodlow-Griffin fights with the Wildcats ball carrier to try and bring him down.

Desmone Butler tries to bring down the Wildcats kick returner.

Jacks quarterback Willie Fair comes in to carry the ball for a good gain.

From left: Frankwood Altenor, Jeremy Hill and Mitchell Jules take a knee before they hit the field.

DCB Foundation Director Brandy Simpson played for the Alumni team last Friday and Saturday in the Kevin Thom Classic.

Simpson fights for a rebound.

Former Ladyjack Allison Scherr puts up a three ball.


Ladyjacks freshman and BHS alum Whitney Brandvold puts up a shot last Friday against CMU.

Zirahuen Hernandez drives to the down the court.

Hernandez looks to pass after driving into the paint last Friday.

Hernandez and Leah Parizek fight for a loose ball.

Mary Jones goes up for two.

Hernandez boxes out an opponent after a free throw.

Imani Scott puts up a three pointer in last Friday's contest.

Wesley Harrison puts up a jumper last Friday against CMU.

Sophomore Julian Vasquez has to restrain his teammates who get excited after a big dunk by Patrick Robinson.

Xavier Cruz puts up a three last Friday.

Travis Frye, a freshman, drives down the baseline.

Sophomore Billy Engel draws a foul.

Engel puts up a floater last Saturday against the Winnipeg Wesman.

Freshman Jake Arck goes in for two on the fast break.

Vasquez goes hard to the hoop last Saturday.

Cruz for two.

Engel on the fast break in the first half.

Brett Hebel tries to slide it past the NDSU goaltender last Friday evening at the Lumberdome.

Alex Herman fires a shot at the Bison net.

James Kelly gets around a defender and goes toward the net.

Lucas Lindholm tries to pound in a shot near the net.

Hebel looks to fire a shot past a defender and at the net.

Cody Bronson fires a shot at the net.

Matt Mehlhaff skates the puck up ice.

DCB celebrates a goal in the second period.

Cody Anderson fires a strong shot at the Bison net.

Goaltender Ryan Miner deflects the puck over the net.

Kelly goes to celebrate with Hebel after scoring his first collegiate goal.

Miner scoops up the puck.

Hebel tries to force the puck into the corner of the net.