As the winter sports season picks up, but the fall season hasn't quite ran out yet I'm preparing for the Slow Ride (Foghat) of the winter sports season. I say slow, because it feels like it lasts a long time. It is in fact really a fast ride, as there are nine teams that I need to follow and cover every week.
This past week I covered District 11 volleyball (Newburg-Westhope was eliminated, Bottineau took runner-up), Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn football (advanced to Class A semifinals), Jacks hockey (lost 6-3, 6-3) and had a busy, yet fun time.
Thanks again to those who read. Still haven't received any mailbag entries or questions though. I would really like to answer any questions about my job, the teams I cover, any teams/subjects/anything that readers want to hear me blabber on about. Again my email is courant1@utma.com or twitter @typhoonater467 (don't be afraid to follow me as well).
My pick 'em continues to take a dive with another poor week (6-8, last place). Hopefully things turn around. Speaking of turnarounds, one of my fantasy football teams appears to have turned the corner. With another large-margin victory this past week I moved to 5-3 in said league. However, I fell in both of my other leagues and now am 1-7 and 4-4 respectively. I guess I have hit all the scenarios of success/failure this year.
Anyhow, I have a record or near-record amount of pictures to share. Please enjoy.
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| Sophomore setter Molly Lodoen sets up a teammate last Thursday in the first round of the District 11 tournament. |
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| Sophomore Lauren Mach blocks a Katelyn Sandy shot in the first round against Velva. |
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| The Eagles celebrate after winning a point in a 1-1 tie with Velva last Thursday. |
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| Mach again is excited as the Eagles rally against the Aggies. |
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| Ashlyn Huber digs out a shot last Thursday. |
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| Hadlee Schell (right) and Lodoen (left) block an Emma Keller shot last Thursday. |
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| Lodoen (left) and Schell (right) look for a block. |
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| Mach tries to push the ball over the net. |
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| Senior Jade Teske looks to hammer a shot over the net. |
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| The Eagles bench celebrates after a set victory over Velva. |
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| Paige Stratton delivers a big hit. |
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| Schell deflects an Aggie shot. |
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| Stars sophomore Stephanie Brenden looks to go for a kill last Thursday against Dunseith. |
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| Bottineau junior Courtney Gallagher clubs a shot toward the Dragons side in the first round of the District 11 tournament. |
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| Karlee McCloud, a junior, serves in the win over Dunseith last Thursday in Velva. |
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| Bailey Neubauer sets up a teammate last Thursday. |
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| The Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn Sioux had an unexpected mascot last Saturday in a playoff game at Sioux Field. |
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| The Sioux rider imitated the Florida State ritual of throwing a spear into the field. |
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| The ball nearly disappears in the grass as freshman Chase Conway tries to control the opening kick off. |
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| Senior tailback Kodie Hancock breaks a Milnor-North Sargent tackle in last Saturday's 20-14 Class A quarterfinal win. |
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| Junior quarterback Hunter Braaten delivers a pass down field against the Bulldogs last Saturday. |
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| Braaten fights for extra yards with a Bulldog draped on him. |
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| WNG's Logan Hermes (right) and Ethan Miller (left) try to combine to drag down Andrew Martinson, the Bulldogs running back. |
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| Braaten goes low to try and wrap up Chance Noonan. |
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| Senior fullback Karlie Hancock bowls over a Bulldog defender last Saturday. |
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| Kodie Hancock slips a tackler and tries to get more yards. |
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| Braaten unloads down field. |
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| Braaten again advances for a first down, despite multiple pursuers. |
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| Tyler Simpson escapes down field for a 33-yard run on an end around. |
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| Miller acrobatically dives to try and make a tackle. |
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| Hermes (left) and Karlie Hancock (right) celebrate after a fourth down stop, which led to a Sioux 20-14 win. |
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| WNG fans line Westhope's Main Street to greet the players after the win last Saturday. |
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| Freshman defenseman Evan Alexius fights off a Shamrock to keep the puck away from the DCB net. |
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| Sophomore Cole Reisenauer speeds down the ice with the puck last Friday in the season opener against the Killarney Shamrocks. |
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| Goalie Dylan Snyder makes a save in the first period last Friday against Killarney. |
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| Freshman defender Chris Watkins stops and looks for a teammate. |
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| Jacks freshman and former Bottineau Brave Logan Millican skates toward the net on a breakaway last Friday in Bottineau. |
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| Millican scores and the Lumberdome erupts. A tight squeeze. |
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| Freshman Aaron Kolehmainen unloads with a strong shot toward the net in the second period. |
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| Captain Seth Serhienko corrals the puck in the offensive zone. |
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| Millican tries a shot in the second period. |
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| Connor Drewry a Canadian freshman finds the puck in the offensive zone. |
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| Millican stops and looks to pass. He had two goals and an assist in his debut. |
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| Reisenauer regathers the puck after making a move past a defender in the second period. |
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| Jacks freshman Preston James is socked during a tussle after the whistle last Friday. |
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| Lee Jenkins about to shoot on the Shamrock net last Friday. |
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| Sophomore Zach McDonald is shoved down by a Shamrock defender after swatting at a rebounded puck. |
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| McDonald speeds toward the net. |
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| Serhienko about to try and thread a shot through the Killarney defense. |
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| Tyler Elshaug, a Jacks freshman from Devils Lake, dumps the puck into the zone. |
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| McDonald looks to find a teammate after crossing into the offensive zone. |
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| Reisenauer looks to score. |
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| Reisenauer steers clear of the net after being denied a goal. |
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| Serhienko drives toward the net in the games final period. |
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| Serhienko delivers a shot on net. |
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| McDonald chases a puck into the Shamrock zone. |
