WDAY Sports Minute

The 2023 North Dakota Shrine Bowl returns Saturday, featuring some of the state's top football players. But, it was also a swan song for former Hillsboro-Central Valley coach Scott Olsen.

With players from Fargo, West Fargo, and Grand Forks, the RedHawks pitching staff is full of local arms. Two of their players go way back.

42 teams and 100 racers are gearing up for the 46th annual Air Race Classic. A challenging, all-women race across the country in single-engine airplanes. For the first time since the race began, everyone will be taking flight, starting in Grand Forks.  

The list of NDSU alum in the NFL grew by one today. Former NDSU safety Michael Tutsie signed with the Indianapolis Colt.

EJ Tackett made his first trip to the Fargo-Moorhead area a successful one Wednesday night as he defeated Kris Prather to win the PBA Farmer's Insurance Midwest Open at Sunset Lanes. Tackett — who won both the U.S. Open and PBA World Championship this year to become the ninth PBA Triple Crown Winner — earned a 227-213 win over Prather in the final.   Plus, other local and regional sports highlights. 

16 local football teams battled it out at the 22nd-annual Concordia 7-on-7 tournament. Red River topped Detroit Lakes in the championship game behind an impressive performance from tournament MVP Pearce Parks. Plus, other local and regional sports highlights.

Former North Dakota State forward Grant Nelson is reportedly headed to the Southeastern Conference. Nelson is expected to commit to Alabama, according to On3.com's Joe Tipton. Despite the report, sources have told The Forum that Nelson joining Alabama is not yet a done deal. Plus, other local and regional highlights.

The North Dakota Special Olympics returned to Fargo. They held their annual State Summer Games at West Fargo High School.

With top-seeded Moorhead on the brink of elimination, the Spuds' junior attacker stepped up when it mattered most Thursday.

It took all 18 holes to decide a winner at the North Dakota class B boys golf championship in Wahpeton Wednesday. Aidan Hall of Northern Cass used a confident chip and putt combo to make par on the ninth hole and clinch the individual title. Central Cass made school history with the first team championship in program history. In Class A, Sheyenne continued it's dominance with a third-straight team championship. Mustang Nate Peyerl picked up his second-straight individual title.

Jacob Rodin isn't supposed to be here. He's supposed to be back on the family farm in Kenmare, North Dakota. That will have to wait. At least for another week. The North Dakota State senior runner will take to the track at the University of Texas Wednesday night in Austin to compete at one of the most prestigious events in the world, the NCAA Track Championships.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton baseball won two games in the section 8AA tournament Monday to keep its title hopes alive, and more.

A full recap of all North Dakota baseball, softball, and soccer state tournaments held in Fargo and Minot.

Moorhead boys and girls lacrosse advance and Grand Forks Central girls soccer prepares for its first trip to state since 2004. Former Kindred standout heads to Women's College World Series, and more.

Almost 20 years ago, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton needed a new softball coach so they went to a neighbor to see if they could use theirs. "The Head Coach left for another town and they couldn't find anybody." Co-head coach Ron Drechsel said "I was coaching at Moorhead at the time, they asked me if I'd do it and they said, No…" After a little convincing he came around, but had one stipulation. "I told them I wouldn't do it without Tyler." he said "Been doing it for 18 years on a one year deal."

In its more than 100 year history, The North Dakota State Track Meet never had a female starter… That changed with a phone call. Sarah Boese-Noreen thought being the first female starter would be business as usual, but the reception she received on the track was a pleasant surprise.  

Prep sports roundup for Thursday, May 25.

After winning four straight state championships, the Central Cass Squirrels softball team will miss the class B state tournament for the first time ever. The Hillsboro Central Valley Burros defeated the Squirrels 5-3 in the state qualifier game on Tuesday. “At the beginning of the season, we didn't know we could do that,” said Ellie Vice, a senior infielder for the H-CV softball team. “Now that we know we can, we feel unbeatable.”

After 28 years as the boys basketball coach at Perham, Dave Cresap is stepping down to take the head coaching job at Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls. Cresap compiled more than 650 wins and took the Yellowjackets to five state tournaments, winning a title in 2011.

It's a tragedy that has brought the sport of MMA together. The death of 21-year-old Shalie Lipp, who was killed earlier this month in a car crash on Interstate 94 between Fargo and Moorhead , was considered an up-and-coming star nationally in the sport of MMA fighting. Lipp was training for the biggest fight of her promising young career at Ignite Fights'-No Mercy 11, which took place last Saturday, May 20.

Red River softball made it to state last year for the first time in 12 years. That was with a paid of middle school pitchers. Now, the duo is back, ready to do it all over again. Ninth grader Ella Speidel and eighth grader Jocie Berg are back to dominating the circle for the Roughriders, while also taking on new roles at such a young age.

When Minnesota Crookston pitcher Jake Dykhoff tossed a complete game against Minot State in the first round of the NSIC tournament, he wasn't thinking about pro baseball. Three days later, his senior year ended with a loss to Augustana. Three days after that loss, he took the mound as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks starting pitcher.

See highlights from a busy Tuesday; hear from new Horace basketball and South/Shanley hockey coaches.

The sun has barely crested above the horizon on the first day of fishing in Minnesota and Brady Baxter, a fishing guide and owner of Baxstar Fishing, is unloading his boat onto Lake Sallie. "Our schedule is really really full." said Baxter "The pontoon is rented out quite a bit already right now, and for fishing... I'm getting more calls every day now as the weather gets nicer." On a day anglers and guides take to the lakes looking for their next big fish story, Baxter isn't a guide... He's a friend.

If you're an avid hockey fan, the term "billet family" isn't a foreign term. For the rest, "billet family" doesn't ring any bells. In junior hockey, players from all over the country play for all sorts of teams, but that requires them to have a new housing situation. This is when the term comes into play. Families open their homes to kids playing for their local junior team, and take care of them until they move onto their next stage in life.

West Fargo native and professional walleye angler Corey Heiser has fished all over the country, but when it comes to Saturday's Minnesota walleye opener, he says there's nothing like it. Plus, local and regional sports updates.

One of the most recognizable characters in Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks franchise history is set to be honored this summer. Former manager Doug Simunic — who guided the team for 22 seasons and won more than 1,200 games and five league championships — will return to Newman Outdoor Field.

Minnesota becomes 25th state to sanction boys volleyball as a high school sport after the amendment received more than two-thirds of the required vote at Tuesday's annual Representative Assembly. Plus, other local sports highlights.

The Fargo Force eliminate Lincoln on the road. West Fargo and Sheyenne face off in baseball and softball doubleheaders. Shanley sweeps a pair of games with Wahpeton. Davies blanks North in soccer.

"Coming back to UND was, you know, always something in the back of my mind. Ever since I left really." After transferring from the University of North Dakota to play at James Madison for two seasons, 2021 Summit League Freshman of the Year, Tyree Ihenacho is making his return to the green and white.

The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks started training camp this week ahead of their season-opening game. The defending American Association baseball championship open the regular season Thursday, May 11, at the Kane County Cougars in Geneva, Ill.

That 2019 team won all but three games by double digits, including a 28-20 win over James Madison in the title game. Witnessing that team play in person, you could tell they were a cut above anyone else. Now, four years later, we can have an even greater appreciation for how good a team that was.

In a battle of two girls soccer teams coming off semifinal appearances, Shanley edged Sheyenne high school 2-1. Shanley had a chance to strike first off the foot of Aubrey Dew, but a sprawling save by Morgan Valvo kept the game scoreless. One minute later, Molly Flaherty redirected a bouncing ball off a volley and into the back of the net to put the Deacons on the board first. Listen to the full episode for more spring sports highlights!

It's not uncommon for student athletes to play in more than one sport over the course of a school year. Dilowrth-Glyndon-Felton's Jordan Summers and Kolton Wagner are both competing in baseball and track at the same time which is no small task. "There's practice every single day right after school." Jordan Summers said "It just depends on what time each practices if we can make both we try to make both."

It was a history making moment Friday night not just for Cody Mauch, but for Hankinson, North Dakota. The former North Dakota State offensive lineman was selected with the 48th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mauch's selection came in the middle of the second round, marking the third straight year a Bison was drafted in that round.

It's 4,356 miles from Espoo, Finland to Fargo, North Dakota. Verner is in the midst of a culture shock, but former St. Cloud State assistant coach, and now Force head coach, Nick Oliver has made his transition more comfortable. "Oliver was the only one who I knew before I came here, so it helped a lot," Verner said. "It gave me more confidence to be here." While on the SCSU staff, Oliver went the extra mile to get Verner to commit to the Huskies. Now, he gets to prep Miettinen to play at his own alma mater next season.

The wait is nearly over for former North Dakota State All-American offensive lineman Cody Mauch . He'll find out over the next couple of days where he'll begin his professional football career. For his hometown of Hankinson; the buildup to this weekend's NFL Draft has been a slow and steady burn. But they're ready for primetime and the exposure that comes with it.

The offensive line lineage that comes from North Dakota State University football is strong as the Bison look to go three for three on names called in recent NFL drafts. “They don't plan on going to the NFL, they just show up, put in the work and the rest of it takes care of itself," said former Bison and current Cincinnati Bengal offensive guard Cordell Volson. It might not be the plan, but NDSU offensive lineman are becoming common sights in the NFL.

North Dakota State fullback Hunter Luepke's time in Fargo may seem like it went by in a flash. But Luepke packed in a lot in a short amount of time. A three-time first-team All-American. FCS title game MVP. Eight straight games with a touchdown. He's a fullback in name only. When asked about the moniker that head football coach Matt Entz gave him during the year as "football player"; Luepke just smiles and nods his head.

Roughly 135 miles down I-29, you'll find a small town made up of 191 people in South Dakota called South Shore. One of those people is former NDSU defensive end, Spencer Waege, and one of those places is his family's farm where he grew up.

We expect this time of year to be filled with sunshine and ball games. But, as we can all see, this weather is holding up all the fun, especially for spring sports teams. After a quarter of a century with MSUM, Kyle Kopacek has never experienced an April quite like this one.  

North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch is predicted as a second-day selection for the upcoming NFL Draft, according to an ESPN analyst. North Dakota State forward Grant Nelson announced Tuesday, April 18, he has declared for the NBA Draft via social media.

West Fargo Sheyenne golfer Andrew Wilhelm was the individual winner as teammate and defending state champ Nate Peyerl and Moorhead's Matt Gramer had a playoff for second on Tuesday. Plus, other local sports updates.

Pilgrim will be the first Warroad player since Nelson and Oshie — both of whom are now in the midst of lengthy NHL careers — to play at UND. The 5-foot-10 center, who piled up 52 goals and 92 points as a high school junior, verbally committed to UND on Sunday afternoon.

With less than two weeks until the NFL draft, Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy talks to Dom Izzo about where the Bison could be on the big board.

Sheyenne baseball is chasing its third-straight state championship and, in the process, saying goodbye to its head coach. Mustangs skipper Ryan Bodell will coach his fifth and final season with the team after accepting the assistant principal job at Sheyenne High School. Bodell along with his senior class have a chance to go out on quite the high note.

The news of Kindred standout Riley Sunram committing to the University of Minnesota Tuesday night is the latest standout high school football player in North Dakota heading to the Gophers. Last summer, West Fargo Sheyenne defensive end Karter Menz committed to the U; he was joined by Detroit Lakes junior lineacker Mason Carrier who decided to Row The Boat with head coach PJ Fleck. Any time a player gets an offer from a Big Ten or other Power Five school they shouldn't think twice about accepting those. For North Dakota State football fans, it's time for a mental adjustment.

The most sought after North Dakota prep football recruit for the class of 2024 announced his decision Tuesday, April 11, and he's headed to the Big Ten Conference. Kindred High School's Riley Sunram committed to the Minnesota Golden Gophers and is projected to play on the defensive line.

Grant Nelson, a 6'11 junior forward, went from averaging 17 points per game, to getting over 2 million views on social media, thanks to one viral video. Grant quickly became one of the hottest names in college basketball.

Britta is not the only "Curl" to blossom from Bismarck. Younger sister, Brenna, is sharing the same experiences: same head coach, same arena, same number on their jerseys, and you even see some similarity in their "cellies." Only now, Brenna was a part of the split from the co-op and captained the newly-minted Bismarck Century team to a state consolation championship this season. Brenna was able to step into a bigger role for this new Patriots team.

The recruitment of Hunter Zenzen stopped when the former Barnesville High School standout committed to Iowa State, but the invite was never sealed. His younger brother, Kaden Zenzen, always had a feeling they would eventually end up playing college football together. He was right.