State Legion baseball

Summer is on it's last leg. State Legion baseball begins tomorrow in LaMoure. Not a knock against LaMoure--I hear the field is very nice--but where the hell is a guy going to stay? Any chance of wireless internet access? Does a guy stay in Edgeley? Oakes?

Those are 20 miles away. Beyond that I'm not really looking forward to Minot Metros and West Fargo being in the tourney. Personally I'll give the nod to the hometown LaMoure legion.

some towns just have it

I was thinking about Napoleon wrestling and how over the years they have proven on the mat a small town can beat Class A top programs. So I thought a bit about towns/teams that just get it done.

Napoleon in wrestling
Dickinson Trinity boys basketball
Bottineau girls basketball
Bowman cross country
Fargo South football
Mandan girls basketball
Langdon girls volleyball
Bismarck High boys basketball


just a few.....I'm sure there are more

Valley City: if you can't win te game change the rules

Here's a story from the radio station in Valley City where now that the 3 class system vote didn't go their way, Valley City is looking to change the requirements from 325-400.

How about Al Cruchet and the Valley City coaches and players spend more time practicing and less time at the steps of the NDHSAA?

By Steve Phillips

June 23

The North Dakota High School Activities Association has a Board of Directors meeting at their Valley City office today. At 2pm, Valley City Activities Director Al Cruchet and several others will present their case in an effort to get the Board to create a Division of various sports based on enrollment. The Valley City people will try to convince the Board that the current enrollment of 325 is outdated and should be changed to 400 students. Due to by-laws, the NDHSAA can not just go to a 3 class system without getting every member of the state to vote yes on such a move. By appealing to the Board however, a Division for sports could be established, much like the current system in place for football. Parents, players and coaches are expected to speak for Valley City.

The part about players, coaches speaking. I'd ask why they don't get Jeff Boschee or Nate Keller to speak?

NDHSAA takes a step forward

I've been critical of NDHSAA, the board and the ND schools and athletic directors for years. As per usual they seem to be stuck in the 'was' and not the 'is' (borrowed for The Herd on ESPN radio)

But from the file of it's about time, they are looking to change all District/Regional Class B basketball tournaments to single elimination. What took you so long? But congratulations on pulling the trigger.

The old way of a team losing a game in Districts and still moving through regionals and into state rewards failure. Don't believe it happens. Off hand I know Regent did that this year. Lost round 1 or 2 in District but still made state. And I think there were others.

more from Greg DeVillers after the jump

breathe in....exhale

Thankfully there's a little bit of time from June until around August when the fall sports practices heat up. Literally. I'm a Legion baseball fan. But only as a spectator. I refuse to write about baseball, as it's the only pure outlet which remains. And the expansion of High School baseball is eroding that to. High School baseball has already began to wear out players. Can you blame them?

With school being out for a few day's or weeks depending on the town your in, Legion season has already begun. I refuse to sit down and research this. But take about 20 some odd games in HS add in 50 legion games and by the time July 4th rolls around most HS baseball players in the Legion program are begging for football to begin. It's to bad, and not the kids fault in my eyes.

I'd be curious to hear what a parent or coach thinks about this, but seriously is it for the good of the kids?

Laura Roesler Fargo South is better than Pronk

At the first day of state track the buzz is simply Laura Roesler. Period.
Just a sophomore Fargo South's Laura Roesler posted the top preliminary times in the girls 100 (11.90), 200 (24.75) and 400 (55.70).

She's one of the top runners...in the nation. Yes I said the United States. According the dyestat.com her 800 is #2 in the United States. I'd love to see her run in the boys A 800. In track the better the competition, the better the results

I ask why can North Dakota turn out cross country, track and field that are tops in the nation and not generate more buzz than just on the infield of the Bowl in Bismarck? I don't get it.

Darin Erstad is a backup, so is Chris Coste, and Pronk is barely hitting above .200.

Laura Roesler is North Dakota's best athlete on a national scale. End of discussion.

follow up to 2008 Fargo Marathon? fun run?

I hadn't planned on a post-script to my little jab about the Fargo Marathon. BUT...the comment prompted this little tid-bit:

On my way from the Regional track meet I was listening to a radio report that said around 1400 people were in the full marathon. What?

With 13,000 participating only 10% were in the actual marathon? That's like calling Paradiso a burger joint. Because they do have burgers on the menu.

Truth in advertising this was the Fargo Fun Run of 2008 and a few people ran a long ways.

how do you like that?

2008 Fargo Marathon--not that unique at all.

Today is the 2008 Fargo Marathon. Word is there will be 14,000 people involved. So I ask if 14,000 are running in it the degree of uniqueness to running a marathon is lost. Everyone is running.

It's like body art and nose rings to be unique. If every kid working at McDonalds has a nose stud and tat is there anything different? The more you copy others to be different the less you are.

Want to be different? Swim the Red River from Fargo to Oxbow. Bet you'll be the only one.

Run the marathon today? You just part of the crowd

Fargo Moorhead Liberty kickoff first and the last?

It's 35 degrees and snowing in Fargo. Today marks the Minnesota fishing opener and game one of the Fargo-Moorhead Liberty football at MSU. Scheduled to kick off at 3:30PM and carried on AM 740 The FAN in Fargo.

Is it bad karma that its snowing nobody will be there in the stands? If its Mothers Day weekend and snowing the only way Fargo Moorhead people go outside is fishing.

I looked again at the roster and former NDSU Bison QB Tony Stauss is the NAME on the team, but if I'm not mistaken it's been three years since he took a snap or live hit.

I'm trying my best to stay positive, but I just think this very well might be the first day of Liberty football of their last season. In full disclosure I've a ticket for the game, but will listen to the call on the radio. Again, if I was going to sit outside on a day like today, it would be to catch a walleye.

in season All-Star games

The girls roster for Lions All-Star has been released and the boys will come out next week. With volleyball and several football games, we're moving past the balance of having All-Star showcases and just overload. By mid-July these players are no longer HS players. They are college athletes.

I'd rather see NDHSAA sanction All-Star games for the week after the season championship games.

Nothing against the Lions, Shriners, Optimist, KCs or whatever. But it could be done better by the NDHSAA at the end of the respective season. Might make for more quality games too.

Personally in mid-July I don't care about post HS football or basketball. It's a waste.

dergulation of HS sports. Hankinson basketball takes us deeper

If you follow North Dakota sports (reading this blog you must) you've no doubt heart, read about the debacle sucking the life out of Hankinson, North Dakota. I'm not going to repost the newspaper facts. You can find those at www.in-forum.com or on www.ndpreps.com or other places.

With the coaches on the defensive and players divided the community a buzz...I venture to say no one will win. Not the parents, players, coaches, fans, city or North Dakota sports for the matter.

We can't make it disappear, but what it does is make me think that getting rid of HS sponsored sports just takes another step forward. Overbearing parents already pick and choose which AAU/ECI teams kids play on. Why stop there?

Moving to club sports and the school is off the hook, the parents can choose the team and coaches. Hmm....not such a bad idea. I think I'd call this deregulation of sports in North Dakota.

Think how much money this would save taxpayer and school districts?

ECI and high school sports

I've taken some blogging time off after the ND State basketball tourneys and this is a good topic to dive back in with.

Darin Erstad, Phil Hansen, Rick Helling, Jim Kleinsasser, Chris Coste

a list of some of the most successful modern day North Dakota athletes. And you know what? They all played multiple sports throughout HS and even college for some. So when it comes to current HS players wanting to specialize, I sigh. ECI, AAU and whatever...great...nice..fine...give kids more opportunity to hone one specific sport. But let's get real. How can you argue with history?

I know it won't happen, but I wish the tide would turn and athletes would say NO.

here's the story from Wahpeton Daily News

ECI will hold their third annual Spring Preview Basketball Showcase in Wahpeton on April 19 and 20. The preview will showcase some of the best high school boys and girls basketball talent from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

There are six divisions that are playing this year, beginning on Saturday, April 19 at 8:30 a.m., at Blikre Activities Center on the North Dakota State College of Science campus and at Breckenridge High School.

On Saturday night starting at 5 p.m., four games will be highlighted as the games of the day. First, the South Dakota Schoolers will play ECI Minnesota. The Schoolers have two players who have already committed to attend and play at South Dakota State University and have one of the best sophomores in the Midwest. The ECI Minnesota team includes 6-foot-9-inch Jordan Aaberg, from Rothsay, Minn., who has verbally committed to play basketball at North Dakota State University, and 6-foot-10-inch Kurtis Mickelson from Ashby, Minn.At 6:10 p.m., the South Dakota Heat will face ECI West (ND), followed by ECI East (ND) against Minnesota Comets North. The final game of the night will have ECI 19U playing against Minneapolis Grass Roots. The ECI 19U team includes North Dakota Class A Player of the Year, Jordan May from Fargo North, Luke Martinez from Bismarck High School and Wahpeton’s Tyler Miller.

The Spring Preview will continue Sunday at 8:10 a.m., with tournament play and the beginning of the girls division. “We would encourage all basketball fans to attend,” said Joe Kittell, ECI coach and assistant men’s basketball coach at NDSCS. “It will be a great weekend of basketball and a chance to see the best the area has to offer.”

The boys divisions of the tournament have been approved by the North Dakota High School Activities Association to allow NCAA Division I teams, along with all the other area colleges to attend and watch the top area talent in action. The girls divisions have been approved by the NCAA to be NCAA division I viewing eligible as well.

For more information, visit www.eciyouth.org.

all-state? Mr. BB? all tourney--best weiner?

I love lists..absolutely love lists. And judging by the the number of awards around, most of society loves a list to.

So it's no surprise that All State, Tournament, Spirit, Fan of the Year, best hot dog buns by a Class b school, generate chatter.

That said, take them for what they are. Don't blast the Mr. or Miss BB votes. Start your own if you dont like it.

Don't hate on the All-Tourney team, write down your own.

The beauty of lists is that we all have our own, and we can argue and disagree on them. But don't ever forget. Those that vote count. If you don't vote. You don't count. Plain and simple.

Austin Dufualt is Mr. BB 2008

Already many Class B fans are saying it's about time. But look back since...i think Hunter Berg in 1993 was the last B player to win. Tell me who from Class A should not have won?

I'm a Class B guy to the core, but it's not about what class...it's about the player.

Tommy Leikas to Adam Dobmeier.....etc etc..not saying there were no deserving players from B in there. But can't argue either way. Let's not say this is about a B player winning. This is about Austin, 2008 ND Mr. BB and leave the rest alone.

the B at the Fargodome

I've been to every State B that has been held at the Fargodome and have no beef at all with it. Personally the whiners about not being centrally located and having it stay in Bismarck doesnt cut it for me.

Each city Fargo, Bismarck, Minot have their own strengths. Fargodome is 10x easier to get in and out of than the Bismarck Civic. What I mean is that the driving and parking at Civic is horrible compared to Fargodome.

Minot..eh...let's face it. The city needs to upgrade and I'll leave it at that.

So the haters on Fargo can (and have) really toned down since I first went to Fargodome B tourney in I think 1997. Mayville beat Glenburn??? Anyway. Fargodome is more top end than what some detractors say.

Friday Friday Friday

weather stinks but the basketball was HOT last night.

My how things have changed. Last night I had one game on the radio and was listening to two others over the Web at the same time checking score updates on www.ndpreps.com. It was almost better than being there. Seriously.

I've gotten to the point where I almost like listening to a game better than watching it. Sure you dont get the atmosphere. But I love hearing a game on the radio and letting my mind paint the picture.

Seriously I'm almost thinking twice about spending much time at the State B. I'll Tivo them all. But maybe just maybe...i'll let my mind take me to Fargodome.

exhale

It's the Wednesday night before the Regional finals for boys B. But tonight the Miss BB candidates will be released. Here's hoping Ashley Privatsky, Kayle Roemmich and Mandi Bindas are NOT on the list. Like I've said before, I think with a full senior year all may have been on the list...but they didnt play.

And I can't help but think ND needs to end District basketball tournaments. The are irrelevant. Take the top four teams from the regular season and put them in the regional. As it stands the regular season is like NHL or worse yet the ND Class A system.

B girls--thank you to KVLY

What I love about North Dakota can be summed up with Bowman County vs Bottineau. When all is said and done these two have earned the title tilt tonight.

Personally I wish more games were web cast. I havent seen Bowman play since last years 3rd place game. Kent Harding has a great team. And for all the East talk about Grafton and Fairmount etc. You can't argue with the play of Abby Nasset, Tivis etc.

For some reason I think Bowman D can shut down Bottineau. We'll see...but thank you to KVLY and NDHSAA for bringing these teams to my TV.

we all make mistakes--and basketball ramblings.

I wish the state hockey debacle would turn the page. You want to take humans out of the game? Then fire all refs and just call the games over video screens? Can't be done? I know. So until you can do that, you will have humans, and humans will make errors. Live with it.

turn the page.

Regional boys basketball is hours away. From my perch I'm looking to see if LaMoure can make it out of the region for the first time in more than a decade. They've been stacked with talent for years but run into the Linton, PBK, BCN teams of regional destiny. Can they make it over the top this year?

out west I keep thinking Mott-Regent has the talent from a state championship FB team, the heart from the same and a seasoned coach in John Butterfield who oh by the way won a title in 1983--25 years ago. Could it be?

weekend chatter

SCC--thanks for the comment on Miss BB. I agree she probably will not be nominated.

Going into the weekend, I can't wait for the upsets. Lie to yourself if you don't think some Class B heavy weight boys team will NOT lose. Districts provide a game to sneak back into it, but it's no guarantee. But lose in the first round, and you've played all your chips.

Even in the girls during the region title games. Minnewaukon and Grafton both lost out.

Simply put, that is why they play the games. Rankings are just paper.

Miss Basketball

i sat back and stewed watching the Miss Basketball discussion on NDpreps for a long time. Now let me say this first. I've nothing personal against Devils Lake senior Ashley Privatsky, nothing at all. I watched her last year in Fargo several times, and she was/is an amazing basketball player. But she's been injured most of the year.

Many on NDpreps have pled her case for Miss Basketball. Which is wrong. Even nominating her is wrong. Taking that honor away from any girl is to short-change the Miss Basketball award. If injury should not take a girl out of contention for Miss Basketball then nominate Mandi Bindas from Kindred and Kayle Roemmich from Bottineau while your at it.

where would it end?

If they want to vote her to All-State? Who stay's off? Injury or not, great player in grades 9-11 is fine. But that's no what All-state and Miss BB are about.

keep Miss Basketball's integrity

weekend thoughts

If Brian Mc. is such a liar how does Rocket set with one person in between and NOT become inflamed, and at least look mad at Brian? The tape I've seen is Rocket just sits there. No way a human being in that circumstance can keep from wanting to rip the guy's head off if he's lying. Just my .02$

Richland boys lost a hearbreaker in OT to Hankinson. I look for a rematch in the Regional title game as one of the best bets in coming weeks.


Linton lost for the first time in recent memory to Central Praire on Tuesday night BUT came up big with W over previously unbeaten and #2 ranked LaMoure. No surprise here as history has show LaMoure comes up short in these BIG games. Look for more of the same in the regional tourney. I think Dan Carr who notched his 500th victory could see his karma to LaMoure after/if he retires. I always look at teams like the 2008 Loboes and wonder what kind of team they would be with Dan Carr as coach...unstoppable. that's what it is.
Daytona 500 on Sunday if anyone cares...i really dont :)

to many tournaments.

This overlap with last weekend being regional wrestling and girls districts is flat out nuts. Class B boys tournament is March 6-9 in Fargo. That's a month of tournament games. To much. We need to get rid of district tournaments in go to Regionals with keeping district alignment. top 4 teams in districts season schedule make regionals. How many bottom seed district teams make regionals in a given year anyway.

It won't happen. tournament dollars. but it was a good idea. What is it? A state champion will play 9 games from Dist through State. Why?

blame game

Jamestown Sun has a story linked here

about the NDHSAA moving the state VB tourney to Minot. Funny thing is Bob Toso the Jamestown Superintendent blames the FANS for making reservations at multiple motels and not cancelling them when they dont need the rooms, so motel space is not an issue.

puh-lease. that's about as lame of an excuse as I've heard. Maybe Bob should be on the NDHSAA board. Where those kind of quotes are common.

10 years ago Valley City didn't need another class

Pretty ironic that a week after the 3 class system which VC begged for was shot down, the Fargo Forum runs a story about Jeff Boschee lighting up the Midwest. I'm curious as to what the enrollment disparity was in 1998 between VC and Fargo South or Bismarck Century? It seems it's more about having players, coaches and a system then it is about adding a class. At least in 1998 it was.

It’s been about two decades since Floyd Boschee built a makeshift basketball hoop in the basement of his Valley City, N.D., home.

The white-painted wood backboard with an attached orange rim that was less than regulation height was one of the first places Jeff Boschee started to hone his shooting skills.

His shooting touch would help Boschee score the most career points in North Dakota Class A boys basketball.

“He wouldn’t quit until he won,” Floyd Boschee said of his son. “I would just have to let him win or he wouldn’t stop. At that point, I thought he would be real competitive.”

Jeff was just starting grade school when he started to play shooting games on that hoop with Floyd, substituting a little blue rubber soccer ball for a basketball.

“We had a game that we’d call free throws and we would shoot the best out of 25,” said Jeff Boschee, 28, who is now the head boys basketball coach at The Barstow School, a private school in Kansas City, Mo. “When my dad would win, I would want to keep on playing and playing.”

Boschee finished his high school career with 1,994 points, averaging 20.8 points in 96 varsity games. He is the only player from North Dakota to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game. Among other honors, Boschee was named North Dakota’s Mr. Basketball for his senior season.

He went on to have a standout career at the University of Kansas, where he was a four-year starter for the storied NCAA Division I program. He is the Jayhawks’ career leader in 3-pointers made with 338 and No. 13 in career scoring with 1,560 points.

A 6-foot-1 guard, Boschee is arguably the top boys high school player North Dakota has ever produced.

“He has to be in the top 10, I would think,” said Mandan’s Don Hanson, who has published The Hoopster North Dakota basketball preview for 25 years and coached for more than two decades before that. “He could score from anywhere on the floor. I think he could have scored more, but he was so unselfish. He worked within the system and got his teammates involved.”

Boschee shot 57 percent (339 of 600) from the field in his prep career, 39 percent (265 of 674) from the 3-point line and 82 percent (243 of 295) from the foul line.

While his shooting ability and scoring garnered the most attention, Boschee was not a one-dimensional player. He is the Hi-Liners’ career leader in assists with 422, an average of 4.4 assists per game.

Boschee made sure he worked on all his skills, not just his shooting. He carried around a backpack that held two basketballs, a jump rope and cones, which he used for drills.

“He set up regimens of drills that he would do all alone,” said Al Cruchet, who was Valley City’s head coach when Boschee was a freshman. “He was one of those guys who would come into the gym and work on ballhandling for 20 minutes before he would start shooting.”

His focus on basketball was so sharp that it once landed him in trouble.

When Boschee was in junior high, school was let out to allow students to help sandbag because of area flooding.

Boschee instead went to the Valley City Rec Center to play basketball.

“Our senior high principal walked in and asked me what I was doing. I got a week of detention for that,” Boschee said. “It was a way for me to play more basketball, I guess. I look back and laugh at it. The right thing to do was probably go sandbag, but that’s not what I wanted to do. I wanted to play basketball.”

His older brother Mike Boschee – who played basketball at the University of North Dakota from 1987-90 – was Jeff’s biggest influence.

When Jeff was in grade school, he can remember spending basketball weekends at UND with Mike.

“I was always watching the games and practices pretty intently,” said Jeff, who tied a Valley City record by scoring 45 points in a game his senior season.

“I think he was influenced by his older brother a lot about what it takes to be a player,” Floyd added. “The thing that stood out in my mind was how dedicated Jeff was to getting better.”

One of Boschee’s most memorable performances came in the 1997 East Region tournament championship against Fargo Shanley.

A junior, Boschee scored 39 points – including 7-of-15 shooting from 3-point range – to lead Valley City to a 75-71 victory.

He scored the first nine points of overtime, all on 3-pointers, to help the Hi-Liners overcome a 39-point game from Shanley sophomore standout Nick Jacobson. Jacobson would later play Division I basketball at Utah.

“Jeff just turned around and said ‘Guys, just jump on my back. Let’s go.’ ” said Fargo South head boys coach Mike Hendrickson, who was head coach at Valley City when Boschee was a sophomore and junior. “The biggest part is just his competitiveness. He was going to do everything he could to get better and he brought kids up with him.”

His senior year in high school, Boschee scored 40 points in the first round of the 1998 Class A state tournament to lift Valley City to a 63-56 victory against Minot.

Valley City finished third at state that season. That was the highest the Hi-Liners placed at state in Boschee’s career.

“He was just fun to go watch play, not so much as his father, but just as a fan,” Floyd said. “I was amazed at the things he could do. How he could handle the ball, shoot the ball and pass the ball. I didn’t go and watch him practice, so I was like everybody else. I would show up to watch what he could do. Wherever Valley City went to play in those years when Jeff played, the gyms were packed.”

That legend had its genesis in Floyd’s basement.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Eric Peterson at (701) 241-5513.

Peterson’s prep sports blog can be found at www.areavoices.com

February watch

Going into the weekend. I'm washed out, wasted on basketball right now. Surprised how bad Dickinson Trinity beat Mott-Regent on the boys side last night. And I'm looking for which high ranked teams will lose going into Districts. Can LaMoure keep on the winning track? They have a history of losing at the wrong time? Will it happen this year?

What about on the girls side? For some reason I'm thinking Bowman County or Bottineau will drop a game before regionals. Maybe that will tweek my interest?

a loser attitude in Valley City

Losing creates a losing attitude and that spreads like a cancer untreated.

For about a decade Valley City has fostered a losing attitude. Their most recent of many crying requests for a 3rd class is the current exhibit. It follows a spell where the teams on the basketball court only schedule EDC once for 2 point games. And fill the schedule with area B teams (and still lose)

My point is their AD and administration have decided over the years rather than try to create better teams and systems. To find 'winnable' opponents. Basically telling the kids you are not good enough to beat Shanley, Wahpeton, Devils Lake, South etc. so we'll only schedule them once.

Don't for a minute think that doesn't make the kids feel inferior.

If you think you are beaten. You've already lost. In Valley City they will continue to not treat the cause. A losing attitude. Where losing is not only accepted. It's expected. Sad for the kids, coaches, parents, fans and the town.

putting the screws to small town ND...the NDHSAA way

This a long post. So I apologize before. Reading NDpreps.com you constantly see chatter about moving the B boys bb tourney to Bismarck and the BEST place for xyz tourneys. But hidden in some recent NDHSAA mintues is where the NDHSAA and it's members are they ones putting the screws to small towns. Check out the bold type in #2. Moving the semi-finals out of small town ND. What a travesty. Take the revenue from the semi-finals and dump it into Fargo, Bismarck and Grand Forks.

And the decision makers wonder why we question the motives.

Football Advisory
November 20, 2007
Randy Vigen, Brad Sandy, Rick Philion & Bret Sorensen

9-Man
1. Reviewed the 2008 play-off brackets
2. Request that the semi-finals be played in the Alerus Center, Bismarck Bowl and the Fargo Dome

A Division

1. Request to play the first round of play-offs inter-region
1. This year there were four “back-to-back” match ups

1. Harvey versus New Rockford 40 – 0 & 10 – 0
2. North Prairie versus Velva 27 – 6 & 20 – 10
3. Langdon versus May-Port 38 -13 & 23 - 3

2. Recommend to retain four divisions of football

AA Division

1. Recommend that all AA football games have 5-person crews
2. Recommend that something beyond 7-10 male enrollments be utilized to determine placements in the football plan. Perhaps an appeal process to address:
1. Medium size schools that lose numbers to x-country
2. Schools that aren’t “traditional football schools” as they regularly have small roster numbers

AAA Division

1. Request the NDHSAA to stock some participation awards so schools can purchase and have in time for the year-end banquets.

All:

1. Delete the regulation that restricts the number of players dressed for the Dakota Bowl
1. The schools do not have to be paid for the extra players

Administrative:

1. Request an opportunity to recommend play-off officials
1. Recommend 5 Referees “white hats”
2. Send requests to the Coaches’ Advisory members for disbursement
2. Continue the head coaches’ and captains’ sportsmanship meeting and tossing coin at the 10-minute mark on the pre-game warm-up clock
1. Game administration shall set clocks to have introductions and the anthem at “zero” on the clock. *An example for a 7 PM start; at 6:30 put twenty-five minutes on the game clock and when the clock indicates 0:00 begin the anthem & introductions. If more than five minutes are required set the clock to run out at 6:52, or whatever time is necessary to have the game begin on time.
3. Officials; the coaches appreciated your renewed efforts to provide “Crew Cards” for each game and that the practice be continued.

Discussion items:

1. What can be done to improve stat information and reporting to the web? The technology department at the NDHSAA office will be consulted.
2. A two week black out period during the summer regarding out-of-season coaches’ contact with players.
3. The order of play for the Dakota Bowl and whether the games should be played on one day or two.
1. The order of played and times are affected by maximizing attendance, television and venue availability.
4. AAA weighed the possibility of playing the first round of play-off inter-region.
5. The “home field”; how is a schools’ home field determined for hosting play-offs?
6. Encourage fellow coaches to join the NDHSCA as there are many professional opportunities provided through said membership.
7. The Legion Baseball tournaments conflicting with the football season. The dates do not conflict next year.
8. There is a need for presenters at the NDHSCA Convention. If you are concerned about presenting by yourself for a full session, you can utilize your staff or other knowledgeable people. Please step forward and offer your or someone else’s, expertise by contacting Gelaine Orvik at gorvik@cableone.net.
9. The challenges involved in the upcoming football plan including; how many levels of competition (three or four), geography, the possibility of an appeal process so there is “something” in addition to the 7-10 male enrollment.

other ND HSAA issues

here's a few tidbits that flew under the radar, shielded by the 3 class basketball straw vote:

Amendments win approval

Two proposed bylaw amendments submitted by the board of directors garnered general assembly approval by sizeable margins.

The first, which passed 130-0, changed the wording in a provision dealing with all-star contests. Revised wording says an all-star team "includes, but is not limited to, the Shrine All-Star Football Team, the Lions All-Star BasketballTeams, and the Optimists All-Star Volleyball Teams.

Sylling said the new wording would not cause a conflict with the Chicago Showcase hockey tournament.

Also approved was an amendment to a provision that deals with penalties for the use of ineligible players. Primarily, the amendment was proposed to allow the board to deal with team sports and individual sports separately. Individual sports were not specifically addressed in the previous wording.

The amendment, approved 126-3, says the use of an ineligible participant "shall require the offending school to forfeit the matches won and/or the points earned by the ineligible participant or by a relay team of which he/she was a member."

Three elected to board

The election of RickJacobson, Steve Swiontek and Pete Moe to the board of directors was reported by the canvassing committee.

Jacobson, the superintendent at Wyndmere, will replace Brian Duchscherer as the southeast Class Brepresentative. Swiontek, the Devils Lake superintendent, will take the place of KimKnodle as the Class Aat-large representative . Moe, Washburn's athletic director, will represent the athletic administrators, replacing Jungling. The newly-elected board members begin their four-year terms on July 1.

Uniformity issues

NDHSAAexecutive secretary Sherm Sylling concluded the meeting with a warning to schools about illegal basketball uniforms.

With tournament time just ahead, Sylling said there are some potential problems looming that could require "some difficult calls to make."

Dave Carlsrud, NDHSAAassistant secretary, said the problem usually involves excessive trim on the uniforms.

Schools ordering uniforms from catalogs proceed under the assumption that the garments meet National Federation specifications. That's a dangerous assumption, according to Carlsrud.

"They told us at a rules meeting that about 30 percent of high school uniforms are illegal (nationwide),"Carlsrud said.

Noncompliance is more than just a housekeeping matter. It's addressed in the rulebook.

"The penalty for illegal uniforms is a technical foul for each player who enters the game," Carlsrud said.

NDHSAA straw vote shoots down the 3 class system

About all I can say is I hope this puts it to rest for 5 years. I heard callers on the radio say football has 4 classes. Which is right, but not an accurate comparison. You need 9 or 11 men to put a team on the field.

In BB 9 or 10 is the entire team.

Now Valley City can sit down and figure out how to put a winning system in, and not how to rework the class system.

BISMARCK, N.D.

Members of the North Dakota High School Activities Association have defeated a proposal for a three-class system for boys and girls basketball and volleyball.

Those sports now have Class A and Class B.

Association spokesman say Dave Carlsrud says 55 schools voted for the idea but 78 voted against it in a straw vote on Monday.

Valley City High School asked for a study of the idea.

Carlsrud says it's a dead issue for now.

FM Liberty football: the next failed ND Minor League team

I've seen dozens of minor league teams fail across North Dakota. From the Jamestown XBL team that never played a game. The FM Fever basketball team lasted a little while.

Here's introducing the next failed venture The FM Liberty coming soon, and leaving soon after.

I'll admit they have a few names such as former Gophers QB Bryan Cupito on hte roster and former NFL player Craig Sauer as a coach. But also many of the roster photo's look like mug shots.



But Fargo doesn't take football in the spring or summer. They are at Redhawks games, the lakes, or golfing.

Enjoy the FM Liberty they won't last long.

overloaded

I'm overloaded on basketball and it's not even February. I never thought moving girls to winter would end up burning me out but it has. In reverse order: I dont' follow NBA--havent for 10 years. Don't care about the gangsta/ghetto crap that takes place. I look at it as almost a modern day cock fight. All the white guy's sitting in the stands and placing bets on which team will win, and just sitting back watching millionaire gangsters fight it out on the court. But that's for another blog.

NCAA. I try to follow BCS big time basketball teams. But with around 300 DI programs it's difficult. NDSU is losing local/regional appeal with the fewer and fewer ND products on both womens and mens teams.

Besides Class B basketball if I had to pick I'd take DAC basketball, but living in Fargo area don't get enough opportunity. In my eyes these teams provide the best local level high end talent across the board. From Mayville to Minot, Valley City and Jamestown. I wish I could see more of their games.

Going down the line at UND and U Mary....my head almost hurts trying to think of all the story lines. And it's just the mens teams.

To bad HS girls teams are overshadowed by the many levels of quality boys/mens bb.

My point is there is to much quality basketball to fully enjoy and appreciate it. I guess it's a nice problem to have.

redistrcting in ND Class B January 26

On the agenda for the January 26 NDHSAA meeting is re-districting for Class B. It doesnt' give much detail but I have to believe with some of the unbalanced districts and regions losing teams to co-ops and closure this will be ongoing. It's time for the NDHSAA to look into their crystal ball and realize how to deal with this.

I'm not saying I have the answer, but these people are paid to use some forward thinking. Scrap the districts and go to regions? More flexible scheduling outside the region but within the geography.

All these and more SHOULD be part of the planning process. My fear is that it's not and they'll just get out the pen and start drawing squares..and you know what...2 years later they'll have to do it again.

Here's the listing.

http://www.ndhsaa.com/board/minutes/0708/Agenda_01_26_08.html

in season ND HS basketball tournaments

As I type I'm listening to the Linton Tuesday HS basketball tournament on AM 600 KSJB. I'm wondering with the state of co-ops and towns having to split (or more) their alloted home games. Think of the ticket sales and concessions that are lost from the revenue.

Really.

Say you had 8 home games and now you co-op and your down to 4. Then why in the world do you opt into the Stutsman County tourney or some of the dozens of in-season tourneys across the state?

So your fans and their money can get dumped into Jamestown, Bismarck, Fargo, Minot even more than usual? On top of that you lose XY home games. Wow what a lose, lose lose that is.

Which brings me back to small town ND commiting suicide.

Lemnus quits NDSU womens team

Jenna Lemnus is not just any player to quit at NDSU. She's an Enderlin native that PLAYED at Lousivlle. She wasn't just recruited or walking on at Louisville. She played. Evidently something happened at NDSU and the spin from Coach Ruley smells that she wasnt happy with Lemnus.

Personally when three players quit a team during the season there are issues. Will NDSU address them or is Ruley just given a free pass with her history at NDSU? I hope note. I hope for the sake of ALL Bison players and alumni the truth comes out. I wish players could feel free about saying the system is broke or Ruley isn't the coach she used to be. But that probably won't happen and all we can do is guess as to what happened.

here's the story

North Dakota State women’s basketball player Jenna Lemnus left the team Friday – the third NDSU player to do so this season.

All were backups and all saw little playing time. Head coach Amy Ruley cited “Division I commitment” as a common theme for the defections, something she said other coaches told her would happen with the transition from NCAA Division II.

“They said then you’ll get to the point of having that Division I commitment and then you build from there,” Ruley said.

“They said you’re going to have kids defect. They said it’s going to happen.”

Lemnus’ departure comes on the heels of Summit League home games against Missouri-Kansas City today and Southern Utah on Monday. The 6-foot-3 senior from Enderlin, N.D., a transfer from the University of Louisville, was averaging 1.5 points and 1.7 rebounds.

She missed the first five games of the season with an illness. She was the third center to see the floor in losses at Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis and Western Illinois last weekend and played just a combined six minutes.

“She said I didn’t give her a chance,” Ruley said. “It’s been a roller coaster. My point is you got to want to be here. You have to want to work. She was sick to start the year and she never seemed to get back on track.”

Sophomore forward Georgia Popovici left the team two weeks ago and freshman guard Tessa Wilka transferred to Augustana College (S.D.) over Christmas. Both rarely played.

“We’ve had some kids quit in the past on some really successful teams,” Ruley said. “When the going gets tough – all those things – the tough get going.”

some of the best coaches in the land

We are lucky in North Dakota to have some of the best coaches you could ask for. Gene Manson comes to mind from Minot. Also one of the best is Steve Miller who tonight will look for win #400...good luck.

Sometimes it seems Steve Miller must have been born holding a basketball.

Miller coaches and referees the sport during the school year. During the off-season there are clinics and camps, both as a participant and a staffer.

It all adds up. Tonight Miller stands to win his 400th high school basketball game when he sends his Bismarck High Demons against Century at the Civic Center.

Wins by the hundred (399). Likewise, losses (197). Lots of state tournaments (17) and four state titles thrown in for good measure.

Yet it's the hundreds of athletes he's coached, not the victories, that keep Miller going. This is his 18th year as BHShead coach and his 25th season as a head high school coach. In retrospect, Miller sees it as a huge accumulation of debts owed.

"No one person runs a program. You've got to have good assistants and good players around you," Miller said. "And I've had my share of good players. .. I've had several all-staters."

WhenMiller begins to reminisce about 31 seasons as a head and assistant coach, the conversation is devoid of scores and statistics.

"My first year we went to state," he said, recalling Napoleon's trip to the 1977 state Class B tournament. "We got stuck in a snow storm in Minot. Ithink we were stuck in Minot for five days. Idon't know if we won a game, but I do know we ate at the Rollin'Pin (cafe) for three straight days."

Then there was that star-crossed trip to Strasburg during the 1977-78 boys season.

"We spent two nights inLinton coming back from Strasburg in a snowstorm," Miller said. "The second night we spent in the courthouse on cots."

During head coaching stints at Napoleon,Richardton-Taylor and BHSMiller has probably endured more bus trips than he wants to think about. Yet it's what he's wanted to do as far back as he can remember.

"Iwent to college (at Dickinson State) with the idea I wanted to be a teacher and coach," he said.

He still believes it was the right decision. The non-tangible benefits surround him daily.

"The older you get the more you realize that young people keep you young," he said. "That's the biggest thing for me as far as teaching and coaching."

Miller said trophies pale in significance next to the thrill of having former players and students drop by his BHSoffice.

"The big thing for me is establishing relationships with kids you've taught and coached," he said. "I'm much more into that than anything."

It's the people factor that makes Miller's first year as Demons head coach stand out in retrospect. If he could have one game to play over again, it would be the 1991 state championship game with West Fargo. BHScame up just short in that one, falling 67-64 in overtime at the Civic Center.

"We were up by one point with no time left on the clock, and we got beat in overtime," Miller said, revisiting the scene as though it were yesterday. "At that time Idon't think Bismarck had won a state championship since 1959, and to come so close was really disheartening for those kids. ...It's one of those things in coaching you never get over. You move on, but you never get over it.

"We started the season 3-7, and that team bonded from the beginning of the year to the end of the year really, really well. They became a very, very close team. We'd won 14 straight into the state championship game."

The names returned readily to Miller. "Rusty Gillette had a phenomenal (championship) game, and Iremember Tommy Leifur hitting one of the last shots to put us up. ... Travis Kuntz was unbelievably competitive. He wouldn't let you score on him. Jeff Kanwischer was a competitive fighter, and Shad Kusler played that game with a bad knee. ... And the reserves. The reserves were a very big part of that team, too."

That team, Miller said, made basketball a big deal again at BHS.

"I'll always feel grateful to that team. ... They jump-started our program and really set the bar for the teams that followed. Ijust really loved the way that team played."

15 year old commitment to UND?

I saw this story in the GFH recently. I know it's part of the way the recruiting game is played. But good golly, a 15 year old hockey player verbally commits to UND. How many times will a 15 year old change their mind about what movie they want to see? Or where they want to go for lunch? I say coaches should NOT recruit them...who wins?

MEN'S HOCKEY: Clarke commits to UND
By Brad Schlossman
Herald Staff Writer - 01/15/2008

Jason Herter brought his hockey team to his old college campus over the weekend to compete in the Little Caesars North American Showcase.

One of his players, 15-year-old defenseman Garrett Clarke, says he will be back.

Clarke became the youngest player ever to give a verbal commitment to UND this weekend when he told Sioux coaches that he will play for them beginning in 2010.

The New Brunswick native had been a projected top-three pick in June's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft, but after visiting campus, he and his family decided college was the best route.

“There's been a lot of pressure on him and there have been a lot of distractions in the last few months,” said Tim Clarke, Garrett's father. “We did the right thing for him long-term. People will always second guess it, but we believe we made the right choice.

“We had a chance to visit campus, sit down with academic people, see a couple of games, meet a couple of former UND players who went to the NHL. . . . they had a great package put together for him.”

Clarke, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound sophomore who just turned 15 in November, is an offensive defenseman on the Russell Stover team, based in Overland Park, Kan.

He racked up scholarship offers from 13 college programs but ultimately chose UND over Wisconsin.

“He's a very skilled defenseman,” said Herter, who played at UND from 1988-91 and is UND's highest-drafted defenseman ever. “Some of the stuff he can do with the puck. . . . I thought I was pretty darn good at that. Then I look at him and say to myself, ‘I couldn't do that.' He has a fake shot move - I've never seen one better. And that includes college and the pros.

“But he's a young kid with a lot to learn. He has a long way to go to get to being a Fighting Sioux and he knows that.”

Clarke grew up in New Brunswick but moved to Green Bay, Wis., two years ago and played for the Shattuck-St. Mary's bantam team. Last year, his family moved to Kansas City and Clarke joined the nearby Russell Stover squad.

He likely will play next year for the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League under former Sioux coach Dean Blais and then arrive on campus as a 17-year-old freshman in 2010.

Herter said he had hoped that Clarke would wind up with his alma mater.

“I love all of my hockey players, but I've only had one in my four years here who I saw play and immediately called the Sioux coaches to say, ‘You've got to watch him play,' And it was (Clarke),” Herter said. “He's an offensive player, but he plays with grit and he plays pissed off. He's the most talented '92 (born) defenseman that I've seen offensively.”

Clarke is not the youngest player to give a verbal commitment to a college. Michigan, Colorado College and Notre Dame have received verbals from 14-year-olds.

Reach Schlossman at 780-1129, (800) 477-6572 ext. 129 or bschlossman@gfherald.com.

going north for football and basketball

I'm not sure how soon the impact of allowing Canadian teams into US NCAA conferences will take place. But living in ND, I'm sure DAC and other conferences could really benefit. One question is what does Canada think about the American-ification of more sports?

By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY

NASHVILLE — The NCAA is about to follow pro baseball and basketball across the Canadian border.

Schools in Division II are expected Monday to formally open their doors — and the NCAA's — to Canadian members, expanding the association's boundaries beyond the USA for the first time.

The division would be the first to take advantage of clearance granted by the NCAA's top-level Executive Committee a year ago. Monday's vote would set up a pilot program that could attract its first Canadian application, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, as early as June.

UBC, a school of 35,000 undergraduates that now competes in the NAIA in baseball and six more of its 28 varsity sports, could become a full-time NCAA member after three years. Athletics director Bob Philip attended the NCAA's annual convention here, meeting over the weekend with representatives of four prospective conferences.

Four other Canadian schools have expressed interest in NCAA affiliation.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: NCAA | Division I | Canadian | National Collegiate Athletic Association | Division II | Schools | NAIA | Bob Philip

UBC is seeking a break from Canadian scholarship restrictions that permit schools to cover only athletes' tuition. The NCAA allows room, board, books and tuition. "There should be an alternative for Canadian student-athletes to play sports and get an education and not have to go to the U.S. to get some financial assistance," Philip said.

The move requires a change in rules that limit NCAA membership to institutions "in the United States, its territories or possessions."

Scholarship protection

The NCAA is moving closer to new scholarship safeguards for pregnant college athletes. Its Division I Management Council endorsed a measure Sunday that would bar schools from cutting or canceling financial aid to athletes "because of any injury, illness or medical condition" regardless of whether the injury or condition affects their ability to compete.

Scholarships are awarded on a year-to-year basis, and protection would be limited to the year in which an athlete is receiving the aid. Schools would retain latitude to reduce or rescind the scholarships in subsequent years.

The new rule would extend to pregnant athletes — whose treatment by schools has been at issue for the past year — mental illness and eating disorders. Final approval is expected today from the Division I Board of Directors.

co-ops

There's been some chatter on Osts Posts and NDpreps on the pending petition for Edgeley and Kulm to begin a co-op for basketball in the fall/winter of 2008.

I say it's inevitable and fighting it can only hurt the kids in the end. Really, if you want to look at Wishek and Ashely or any of other co-0ps that 10 years ago seemed ludicrious you don't have to look far.

The demographics of North Dakota will continue to change and schools in rural areas will close. Few such as Berthold Our Redeemers will be new rural schools opening. But you never know.

My point, is that Edgeley and Kulm maybe okay for a couple years...but this co-op was inevitable. To delay it and wait until schools are forced isnt fair to the kids.

my view...from the crow's nest

Beginnng a nwe sports blog. It will be heavy on North Dakota and regional issues, with a little bit on the bigger picture.