The Night Time is the Right Time

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer, so night-time games are ahead. I chose the song "The Night Time is the Right Time" by Creedence Clearwater Revival to celebrate evenings out to enjoy sporting events.

I've been doing really well in NFL pick 'em this year. I went 11-3 this past week, getting only the Green Bay and Cincinati upsets wrong (along with everyone else) and a tough Washington upset pick that didn't pan out. I am currently one point out of first place at 49-28.

Fantasy is not going well at all, and I'm not going to talk about it much. I'm just going to go about the season as if I need to win every week, and change nothing to my approach and hope things turn around soon.

I have got a ton of pictures this week, 44 to be exact, enjoy.

Harrison Aide lunges to try and make a tackle last Friday against Carrington.

Bottineau seniors Jesse Klebe (left) and Dalton Sivertson (right) converge to tackle Carrington's Casey Murphy.

Bottineau's John Gohman leaps for a grab at home against Carrington last Friday.

Gohman is tackled by Brady Smith after making a sensational grab. The play was called back due to penalty, however.

The Bottineau offense lines up in the first half.

Klebe fights for extra yards.

Senior Wyatt Johnson stops Murphy in the backfield.

Tanner Bickford lobs a pass in the second half last Friday.

Senior tailback Trevor Wettlaufer runs to the outside.

Lineman Cody Bedlion and Dalton Sivertson try to bring down Murphy.

Senior Bailey Tofteland puts a shelacking on a kill last Tuesday against Drake-Anamoose.

Sophomore Lauren Mach tries to put the ball down for a point.

Hadlee Schell fights to push it over to the Raider side.

Sophomore setter Molly Lodoen sets it to the center.

Tofteland passes a serve.

Damon Bateman makes a tackle last Saturday against Ellsworth Community College.

Qu'Shar Littles (left)  looks to land a big block for Mathis Thomas (right) in the first half last Saturday.

Jonathan Parks tosses a pass down the middle in the first half against the Panthers.

Littles fights for extra yardage after a catch.

Kanavis Stewart takes a screen toward the sideline.

Evans Norris (left), Antwan Moore (right) and David Moore (center) combine to make a tackle.

Jaylen Lee about to deliver a punt.

Lee punts the ball away.

Thomas attempts to juke an opponent.

Thomas looks to run to the outside while Lance Jackson (left) prepares to block.

Tyias Huck hauls in a pass in the second half.

Sophomore Jordyn Sondrol slams down a kill last Saturday against Dawson.

Jackie Miller goes up for a block.

Sondrol tries to block a Buccaneers hit.

Sophomore Josie Degagne digs out a Lake Region State shot last Saturday afternoon.

Sondrol pushes the ball past a Lady Royals blocker.

Leah Parizek is not impressed.

Sondrol about to put down a big shot.

Sondrol receives a serve in the game against LRSC.

Freshman Amber Gable directs a serve to her setter.

Setter Ashleigh Aufforth dishes out a set last Saturday afternoon.

The Ladyjacks celebrate after a point.

Degagne (left), Aufforth (center) and Courtney Hart (right) celebrate after an ace.

Aufforth puts up a set for Sondrol (right).

Katryna Hahn delivers a big strike last Thursday against Rugby.

Hahn reaches to try and get a point last Thursday.

Junior Courtney Gallagher about to hammer a shot to the Panthers side.

Stephanie Brenden gets a kill.

Klebe (center) watches as Jake Carrol (left) and Owen Furby (right) celebrate a Stars victory last Thursday over Rugby.

October Road

For some reason I feel like I've used this before, but whatever, this week I chose James Taylor's "October Road" as my song. It is just the beginning of October and getting into the heart of the regular season matches for all fall sports. It is when teams truly prove their worth.

The past week I covered volleyball games of all three volleyball teams that I cover: the Newburg-Westhope Eagles, the Dakota College at Bottineau Ladyjacks and the Bottineau Stars. The Eagles and Stars won, while the Ladyjacks didn't come out on top.

This week is going to be pretty busy for me. It started with city council (I am doing some news while a colleague is out of town). Next I have a volleyball game in Newburg tonight. Then a volleyball game in Bottineau on Thursday, a home Braves football game on Friday and college football and volleyball games on Saturday. Add to that a couple news photos and some stories I have to draft and it makes for a really busy week. Oh, and NBA 2k13 comes out today, so chances are I'm not going to be getting much sleep this week.

I am now 2-2 in my Bottineau fantasy football league following a tough loss this past week despite a decent performance from my team. Hopefully things will at least improve enough to get me into the playoffs, then I can do some damage. In my other league I'm 0-4. I also won my second week (out of four) in the new NFL pick 'em that I'm in. I went 13-2 this week, only missing the Dallas/Bears game last night and a wildcard upset pick where I went with the Chiefs over the Chargers.  I'm 38-25 on the year so far. I am in fourth place overall right now. First place is 40-23.

Here are the few leftover pictures from volleyball the past week:

Eagles senior Hadlee Schell serves last Tuesday in Newburg.

Schell slams a ball toward the Towner-Granville-Upham net last Tuesday in a 3-1 victory over the Titans.

Schell goes up for a block during last week's match.

Newburg-Westhope senior Jade Teske strikes the ball.

Ladyjacks setter Ashleigh Aufforth sets up a teammate last Wednesday against Bismarck State College.

DCB's Leah Parizek goes cross court for the kill.

Courtney Hart goes up and tries to block a Mystic shot.

Hart tries to go across the court last Wednesday.

Hart strains to try and dig out a Mystics hit last Wednesday.