From International Falls to Red Wing and back again
I always knew starting my post-college career as a sports editor in International Falls, Minn., was a pretty wild idea.
I just had no idea I would be going back so early.
After two years in Red Wing (almost exactly - I started on Sept. 5, 2006), I recently made the tough decision to return to I. Falls. My last day will be Friday and I'll be covering the Lake City at Zumbrota-Mazeppa football game. The turnover was quicker than I had hoped, but with fall sports starting to get into full swing, the quicker I arrive up there and get reacquainted with everything, the better.
I had a good run as R-E sports editor Brett Boese's Baron Davis, but it's time to move to the next chapter.
If I had to pull three highlights off the top of my head right now dealing with work, the hands down No. 1 would be the 2007 Goodhue Wildcats state championship run in football. Covering state appearances by the 2008 Z-M softball team and the 2007 Kenyon-Wanamingo baseball team were also sweet.
The No. 1 part of this job, however, were the people. With visitors coming and going all the time, Red Wing just seems to know how to get along with all sorts of different
people, and that included a sports writer who apparently
is still learning how to slide (notice the end of the Aces video on July 6).
I had a good run in Red Wing, and the memories don't end on a deadline. Thanks to all and keep up the great passion for your local sports page.
* Jim Johnson's complete exit column will appear in the print edition of Thursday's Republican Eagle.
Posted by: pigskin3313 on 8/27/2008 at 12:34 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
LIVE! at Red Wing's season-opening practice
From 8 a.m. to roughly noon Monday, Republican Eagle sports writer Jim Johnson blogged from Red Wing's first football practice of the year, bringing inside information and analysis from Red Wing High School.
Have a question or comment for Jimbo? E-mail him at jjohnson@republican-eagle.com.
First things first: If you're reading this, then the Republican Eagle successfully got all the technology to work for its first ever live blogging session. We're definitely growing up. Now let's just hope a routine deep pass doesn't kill the wireless internet connection. That is, if the Wingers throw it deep today.
New coach Matt Schultz's first - and only- request on hearing about this blog was to publish a quick want ad, so here goes:
DEEP THREAT WANTED: Preferably 6-feet-4 and runs a 4.6 40-yard dash. Can catch and jump.
There it is. If there is a student out there who fits the mold, be to sure let me know as soon as possible when he suits up. I'm still filling out my cheat sheets for the 2008 Republican Eagle fantasy prep football draft and need every advantage I can get after finishing last two years in a row. This season is my year, count on it.
But now to practice, which is set to begin at 8 a.m. I'm sitting directly between the big red pole barn and the left-center field fence of the softball diamond at Red Wing High School. Former Wingers Josh Bauer and Steve Lang are finishing up painting lines in the field and the Red Wing girls soccer team has already started its first warm-up lap of the season adjacent to the practice football field. There are roughly 40 girls at the first practice.
8:00: No sign of the football team or coaches yet. They are probably holding some quick meetings. Talked to an assistant coach on Sunday and he said there will be a lot of testing on the first day. I'm guessing the best 40-yard dash time will be in the 4.7 range.
8:01: A boys soccer player just came up to me and asked if I knew where his practice was. Poor kid. He's a first-timer. I can only see the girls team practicing from a distance and haven't seen any boys players.
8:10: HERE WE GO! The sound of the click-clack can be heard from the parking lot and the players are starting to make their way to the field. Red Wing finished 1-8 last season with its lone win coming against Shakopee on Homecoming. Here's this year's schedule and the Republican Eagle's preliminary coverage schedule:
2008 Schedule
Aug. 28: HOME vs. Austin
Sept. 5: HOME vs. Farmington
Sept. 12: at Prior Lake
Sept. 19: HOME vs. Holy Angels
Sept. 26: at Shakopee
Oct. 3: HOME vs. Northfield
Oct. 10: at New Prague
Oct. 15: at Hutchinson
*All games start at 7 p.m.
R-E football coverage schedule
*Subject to change
Aug. 28: Austin at Red Wing
Aug. 29: Lake City at Z-M
Sept. 5: Farmington at Red Wing
Sept. 12: K-W at Goodhue
Sept. 19: Holy Angels at Red Wing
Sept. 26: Plum City at Pepin
Oct. 3: Northfield at Red Wing
Oct. 9: Baldwin-Woodville at Ellsworth
Oct. 10: Lake City at Cannon Falls
8:12: Players meet under the near goal post before hearing Schultz holler at them for the first time all year. They all run back from the way they came and meet Schultz for the first conditioning drills of the season.
That boys soccer player is back again, too. He's going to ask the girls coach - Tim Bowes - where boys practice is.
8:15: OK, they weren't meeting Schultz for conditioning drills, but they all ran back to main practice field and are stretching. The rough initial count is 68 in grades 9-12.
8:25: Doing plyometrics right now. Also just got poked fun at by assistant coach and head baseball coach Jim Bohmbach. He was surprised to see me (especially this early in the morning) and liked the blogging idea.
By the way, more boys soccer players are starting to show up and I do believe the head coach just showed up as well. That first-timer had it right all along.
8:27: Schultz's intensity is noted and some of the kids - a lot of the younger guys - have their hands on their knees already.
8:28: FIRST WATER BREAK.
8:35: For the record, I've had only one internet hiccup and things are surprisingly going smoothly for this being a first-time ordeal.
Schultz has split them up now and there are four different groups on the field right now.
8:37: And why are they in four different groups at the end of the field? 100-YARD SPRINTS! Don't forget to tell your time to the coach.
8:40: Anthony Bethel just ran a 41-second 100 and "pretty much tied" Danny Bergeson. Another unrecognizable kid ran a 42, but 41 seconds is the best I've seen so far.
By the way, there are a ton of unrecognizable players out here. No one has practice jerseys yet and remember, it's not only the first practice for the coaches and players, but for the local media, as well.
8:45: 100s are over and Schultz just joked with a kid and told him not to puke on him. "The weather turned out great," he told the R-E on his way to the shed.
Schultz's staff, according to the Minnesota State High School League, includes Jeff Chalmers, Matt Lonn, Jim Kelly, Russ Marshall, Tim Kelly, Mike Ehlers, Sam Westphall, Chad Bray, Adam Nelson and Bohmbach. Former coach Paul Schmit is also out here, but I don't see Chalmers or Nelson.
8:55: Individual drills have started with lineman pushing a sled and skill position players running the 40 and a shuttle drill. I'm going to head over to the 40 and see the best times.
9:15: The first group in the 40 was "not the fastest group," according to Schmit, who was timing. The best time was 5.12.
In Group 2, some more returning varsity players represented the group and broke the 5-second mark. Dan Roschen went 4.81 and 5.04, Pat Kelly went 4.99 and 4.88 and Bethel was the fastest at 4.93 and 4.75.
Coach Nelson has also been sighted, leaving Chalmers as the only coach on the list not at practice. Bergeson just ran the 40 and should challenge Bethel for the team-low time. Be right back.
9:15: FIRST COMMENT! But unfortunately I haven't seen any pukers yet. Schultz has been pretty easy on them so far, unless you consider running two 40s in a row grueling.
9:25: Scott Lewis led Group 3 with a 4.82 and 4.88, while Bergeson went 5.03 and 4.90. Peter Amendolar went 4.91 and 4.88. Lewis and Bergeson raced on the last heat and Lewis won by .02 seconds. One more group to go in the 40.
FIRST QUESTION AT 9:23: So, will the Wingers be any better in 2008? (posted by "Just Wondering in SE Minn.")
Last year's opening day roster had 19 seniors, including the starting QB (Ryan Kesti), TE/OL John Burns and numerous starting defensive players (Hayden Flack, Matt Young, Jacob Rea and Augie Lindmark, to name a few).
Any team wants to improve on a 1-8 record, but it could be an uphill battle for the Wingers. It doesn't help Red Wing is on its third coach in three years and the Missota Conference never gets any easier. The Wingers' only win last year was at home against Shakopee and they travel to play the Sabers this year. Austin is up, too, as a lot of starters return.
Schultz is out to recruit as many athletes as possible, and it can only help improve the program. I'd say three or four wins would be a great year for this team.
ANOTHER QUESTION: Tell me some of the projected starters for this team. Who are the key position players? Any 3 sport athletes to watch for this year that play football?
The top skill position players will be Bergeson (RB), Bethel (RB/WR) and Roschen (QB). It's too early to tell what position sophomore Pat Kelly will play, but he'll be a contributor. Other names that sports editor Brett Boese and I will probably mentioning often are Cody Furlong, Amendolar and Lewis.
9:42: Schultz has slowed things down a bit and has everyone sitting in a big group. He's in the middle and is reading some stuff about commitment and winning. Haven't seen anyone puke yet and don't expect to unless condition picks up.
Question from Jamaal in St. Paul: Who's the best linebacker on the team this year? Also, are there any potential scholarship athletes on this year's squad?
The linebacking core took a hit with Lindmark, Flack, Young and Rea graduation. Coincidentally, defensive coordinator Matt Lonn just walked over and said Lewis is his top athlete at linebacker this year. The rest are a "toss up."
"Your guess is as good as mine," he added.
As for the scholarship athletes, let's keep it on the field, Jamaal. The roster I have in front of me only has NAME, GRADE, POS, HEIGHT and WEIGHT. I can't find the section for GPA, ACT SCORE or WHAT IS 5x7?
9:54: HELMETS ON FOR THE FIRST TIME! And it's time to start learning the offense. Schultz is numbering position players and gaps and no one has puked yet.
10:00: Two hours in and it's been a standard first day of football practice. The weather is perfect with no humidity and even the new managers are enjoying the times.
Seniors Amanda Faas and Jordyn Kuyath are following in Brittany Herzog's shoes as team manager and expect a fun season.
"(Herzog) convinced me it would be fun," Faas said. "And I like football. I kind of drug Jordyn with me to be an extra hand."
Herzog must've rubbed off on Faas, as well. Faas spoke like an expert on being a manager and expects big things from this year's team.
"We'll be making (the players) brownies and cookies, especially if they're good," she said. "And on hot days then they will get freezies, if they are lucky. And they have to work hard, too."
Jordyn knows little about football and admitted to being inexperienced, but she's ready for the long season.
"I don't really follow football, but I should be learning a lot this year."
And how will the Wingers do in 2008?
Faas: "At least five wins."
Jordyn: "Hard to tell, it's the first practice."
10:17: Players are FINALLY running around, catching passes and running formations. As John Madden would say: "THIS IS FOOTBALL!"
ANOTHER QUESTION: Lazy B writes - Any old-timers up running through drills with the Wingers?
No old-timers participating. Coaches are deep into teaching formations, passing routes and Schultz "NEEDS A RIGHT TACKLE." One kid (Rudy?) yelled "I got it" and ran over to the RT position.
The trainer also just made an appearance but is just looking around. No injuries to report.
10:25: Another drink break? What, were those READY, SET, HUT cadences for 10 minutes too grueling for the lineman? These guys have had more water breaks then the soccer players on the adjacent field. Let's hope for some major conditioning at the end to make these kids realize their summer is over and it's football season.
10:35: Going to go shadow Schultz. Stay tuned to the 11 o'clock hour for the final hour of this season-opening blog.
If you want to pass a few more minutes at work, check this out. It's timely with the Olympics and you'll never watch the vault the same again.
As for Jesus' comments at 10:32, I'll hit that up when I get back from shadowing Schultz. But thanks for the correction. I did mean linebacking corps. I haven't had any caffeine yet and my eyes are still burning since waking up at the crack of 7 a.m., which is ridiculously early for our late-night deadline newspapering core ... I mean corps.
10:48: Hmm ... Shadowing Schultz lasted about three minutes. He was at the end of his drills with the offensive linemen and was talking about clean and jerks and snatches (workout routines for the viewers thinking I just crossed a line). Then everyone went for another water break.
Lonn is talking to everyone now. I'll be back in 10 minutes. Time to check out the skill positions. Three minutes watching offensive line drills was enough for me.
11:05: While Lonn was finishing up his quick lecture on his basic defense, I lamented to Schultz that our fans of the "barf pool" were disappointed. Well say no more as my eyes deceived me. Schultz and one of his assistants pointed out a few places on the field not to walk and said a bunch of linemen lost their breakfast after running a 300-yard sprint, which followed the three 100s. I missed it.
As for the conditioning after practice, Schultz is going to take it easy on the guys. All of the tests in the weight room will take place Tuesday, and the new coach doesn't want his players too worn out. Schultz preaches weightlifting and it's a guarantee he will get guys lifting weights. Let's just hope guys don't go too far and let this happen. Or this. This would also leave a mark.
As for Jesus' comments about the 40-yard dash, I ran it once in high school. I posted a 5.4 on long, wet grass into the wind my freshman year and never had a chance to attempt it again. No need to try again, unless they come up with a journalist Olympiad. If that's the case, I want to be trained by this guy.
11:25: Haven't missed much at practice. Players are running around more and alternating between five individual conditioning drills. The closest drill to me is the old-school running through the tires drill.
11:30: I turn to my right and one of the player's dads - Randy Leach - comes and sits down at the picnic table I'm stationed at. Pretty routine, except he's wearing a Minnesota Vikings hat, is sporting a fu manchu and looks exactly like Jared Allen. No joke. I thought for a second Schultz had pulled the special-guest of the year, but he was just here to watch his son - freshman Bryor Leach.
11:35: Everyone comes in for a breakdown and Schultz starts winding up his first practice as coach.
11:38: 1-2-3-TEAM! ... And with that practice ends. No two-a-days, but a good four-hour morning session is plenty.
Bergeson and Roschen were chatting with Schultz after practice and said routine things about Day 1.
"Tired, of course," Roschen said.
Schultz, who spent the last eight years in Cannon Falls - four years as an assistant football coach and four years as head coach - enjoyed his first day.
"I'm happy with their effort. They worked hard," he said. "The key is if they come back tomorrow."
Posted by: pigskin3313 on 8/11/2008 at 1:31 AM | Comments (12) | Permalink
Three Aces drafted, two by Dundas
Dundas defeated Miesville twice Saturday in the Section 1B finals in two long and dragged-out contests. The Dukes won Game 1 6-5 in 12 innings before winning Game 2 8-6. The first game went 3 1/2 hours and the second game went 2 1/2 hours in Dundas.
With the two wins, the Dukes earned the first pick in the Section 1B player draft. The results were as follows:
DUNDAS: Mark Moriarty, Hastings
MIESVILLE: Jimmy Bohmbach, Red Wing
DUNDAS: Andy Gibart, Red Wing
MIESVILLE: Luke Rasmussen, Northfield
DUNDAS: Brandon LaRue, Red Wing
MIESVILLE: Adam Barta, Hastings
Both Bohmbach and Gibart got drafted last year by Miesville, the '07 state champs, and Bohmbach earned All-Tournament honors for his efforts.
Both teams will play Saturday in Chaska, Minn. Dundas will take on the host at 5 p.m. and Miesville will battle Jordan at 7:30 p.m.
Check out Tuesday's Republican Eagle for complete coverage of the Dukes-Mudhens doubleheader Saturday and stay tuned for a Miesville state preview in either Thursday or Friday's newspaper.
Posted by: pigskin3313 on 8/10/2008 at 2:40 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Two and barbecue
The dugout was more upbeat Wednesday night in the first couple innings of the Aces-Dukes playoff game, but an eventful season came to a tough halt with a loss to Dundas.
I knew a huge key would be to get up early, but Red Wing's 2-0 lead didn't hold. Dukes pitcher Jeff Deuth didn't strikeout a batter but surrendered only one hit after the first inning. He went seven. The Dukes made every routine play and played like a top seed should.
There were a couple crazy moments that added to the do-or-die contest, as well.
In the fifth, Corey Tauer evaded a disaster when Brandon Rolloff tried to pull off a slash bunt. With Robin Moore at first, Rolloff squared to bunt but pulled back and destroyed a line drive to third. Tauer - Red Wing's oldest player at 35 - was all the way in and roughly 45 feet from home when he caught it at his chest. A legitimate bang-bang play, Aces catcher Paul Hartmann estimated it came off the bat at 95 miles per hour, which is legit. Luckily, it didn't turn into a disaster.
"Someone's looking out for No. 10 from above," Dukes veteran Steve Loos told me while I was coaching first base later in the game.
The contest also took a turn for the weird when a ton of mayflies hatched. Reminiscent of Game 2 of last year's ALDS between the Indians and Yankees, the mayflies were everywhere from the fifth through seventh innings. The best view of it is in the Republican-Eagle's own video, which is linked to the game story. At the 1:05 mark of the video with Moore up, the infestation is clear. Hitting became tougher and even fly balls needed more concentration. However, "they are better than mosquitoes," Aces relief pitcher Brett Gadient said after completing his first 1 1/3 innings.
The Aces ended the season on a big downer, which left Tauer nearly speechless afterward. "That's baseball, I guess," Tauer said. But it was a season in the right direction. In my first year last year, we rarely had a solid performance from a third starting pitcher and the commitment wasn't as solid. This year we had 18 players at the last regular season game at Rochester on a Wednesday night and 17 players at practice Tuesday.
The positives he heavily outweighed the negatives and it was a good - and fun - season.
Now look for as many as three or four players to get drafted from the Aces for the state tournament. Andy Gibart and Jimmy Bohmbach won a title with Miesville last year, while Tauer went to state with Hastings.
My guess is Bohmbach and Gibart are locks to be drafted, while Brandon LaRue and Tauer - if he qualifies as a pitcher - are next in line. Josh Thygesen has an outside shot, as well.
Posted by: pigskin3313 on 8/7/2008 at 2:53 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
With the first selection in the 2008 Local Blog Draft ...
Imagine an empty podium with a microphone all alone on stage in front of a raucous sellout crowd at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Red Wing Republican Eagle publisher Steve Messick steps out from behind the stage and approaches the microphone with the air loaded with anticipation.
Steve Messick: "With the first selection in the 2008 Local Blog Draft, the Republican Eagle selects ... Sports Writer Jim Johnson, Concordia College-Moorhead.
I didn't lose sleep over having the responsibility of posting the first local blog in the history of the Republican-Eagle, but I'm hoping I can avoid a Ryan Leaf- and Ki-Jana Carter-type burnout and give online readers another steak on their plates to chew on.
No. 3 Miesville 6, No. 2 Red Wing 0 - Section 1B opener - Aug. 2
It's only my second year playing in the Section 1B tournament, but one thing's for sure - you can throw out regular-season records come playoff time, because they don't matter. Miesville entered the playoffs reeling, losing five of six, and needed an "intense team meeting" Friday to get back on track Saturday. Then Red Wing comes in winning 25 of 30 and gets shutout. Trust me, it was a shocker on the bench. After Miesville's four-run first, only two runs came around from there and no one had an answer for Mudhens player/manager Chris Olean, who tossed eight shutout innings.
In one of the least entertaining games of the season offensively, it took a hit batsman - Miesville's Andrew Werner plunked Red Wing's Steve Boldt on a 3-0 count in the ninth - to perk up some faces in the Aces dugout. However, Olean visited the mound immediately after the bean ball and numerous Aces believed it was unintentional. Not even Boldt was mad and said afterward it looked like Werner was trying to throw it as hard as he could and just lost control.
Miesville will now take on Hastings tonight with the winner advancing to the state tournament. Hastings is another upset story, finishing the regular season 19-16 overall and 8-7 in the CCVL. They crushed Northfield in the play-in series before beating top-seeded Dundas after Miesville's victory Saturday. The Dukes finished 27-10 overall and 12-3 in the CCVL.
Red Wing will take on Dundas on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home contest. Brandon LaRue is expected to start for the Aces, while Jeff Deuth is the rumored starter for the Dukes. The two teams split the season series with the visiting team winning each game. A loss for the Aces would be a crushing blow following a 30-10 regular season.
Posted by: pigskin3313 on 8/5/2008 at 12:31 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink