With new voices out front but an ownership which made it clear they expect to compete in 2023, the organization was up against a wall that didn't allow for much more than a run-back. Perhaps they will be able to lead the team to more than a third straight garbage 7-win season, but skepticism is merited. Among the moves they made in the last week were locking up kicker Greg Joseph, adding DT Harrison Philips from Buffalo, linebacker Jordan Hicks from Arizona, tight-end Johnny Mundt from Los Angeles and interior offensive lineman Austin Schlottman from Denver. To make those moves they had to maneuver some contract details with Adam Thielen & Harrison Smith. The shuffling around just once again served as a reminder that contract details can be a circus unto themselves. With the weekend also brought the due date for Danielle Hunter's big number to take effect. The transactions came as several players who played a significant number of snaps in 2021 signed elsewhere. After being released Michael Pierce rejoined Baltimore. He will be joined on the coast by Xavier Woods who came to an agreement with Carolina and Mason Cole who chose Pittsburgh. KA-M's thought process with the draft a month away may be becoming clearer, but mocking it is still a guessing game - which may finally begin on this platform in the coming days!
The present & the future were significantly impacted this week between the lines & beyond them. Men's ⛳️ started the week in Phoenix but struggled to a 20th place finish. Their counterparts wrapped the week in Sedona, AZ with a better result but still were just inside the top 10 of the 19-team field. In between ⚾️ & softball continued their Southern States tours.
The guys began in Boca Raton with a 12 - 3 rout of Florida Atlantic while the women were in Virginia, they pulled off a 2 - 0 win over the Namesake U. The boys were back at it Wednesday against Gulf Coast, finishing behind 8 - 9 despite a late rally. With Thursday came national 🤼 in Detroit. Their representatives put together a good showing, with Jared Franek having the best outcomes. None of the four who advanced to the second day were able to continue to the third. They still managed enough success to finish in the top half of the team standings.
Back down South the diamond was good to both teams Friday, highlighted by softball's win over the Multi-Colored Turtles. The success continued Saturday as the teams mirrored each other in their double-header victories. The ladies got a second shot at Maryland but weren't able to overcome a four-run second inning. Now with some time to travel back to home territory they will begin conference competition next weekend.
But the Bison's main story this week was all that happened outside of competition. Maleeck Harden-Hayes, Jarius Cook, Willie Guy & Grayson Haman joined Rocky Kreuser, Sam Griesel & Tyree Eady as exits from the program. A certain guy who cheers for the broken down planes wants people to not make a deal out of it because transferring has become a common practice. To a degree he's right, but there are few successful operations that can have half their roster change in one offseason and not suffer as a result. The future member of the German National Team, Sam Griesel, was the first to announce where he would next be lacing up - for the other Corn team, in his home state. Kreuser won't be going anywhere else but he added a few more nuggets to his bio as he was voted an Academic All-American & an All-District.
The week also included a couple developments for former players in their professional pursuits.
Billy Turner's time with the other Green & Gold mercifully came to an end, he has yet to join a different organization.
Down on the Peninsula, ⚾️ great Bennett Hostetler has been taking a turn behind the plate after six years as a shortstop.
It was a tough week on the field for Moorhead State's softball, losing all six of their contests in Illinois & Missouri. The 🎾 court in Orlando was a very different story as their only blemish in four days of competition came Thursday. With the snow melting the Spring teams will begin to return home for the April & May stretch. Beyond the lines they will try to match the academic success that 41 of the Winter sports members achieved.
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Concordia's women had the first chance to take the court but were not able to put the first loss of the season on St. Kate's. They retook the court Sunday but could do no better versus St. Mary's. That came after the men had their only action of the week but they also could not get the win.
As the final 10 games of the regular season drew near Minnesota continued to hound Denver for the sixth spot in the standings. During their three games this week Karl-Anthony Towns set a new franchise high with 60 points against San Antonio, which was also the most points scored by any player in the League this season. 60 is tough enough but with 56 through 3 quarters in a game that was by no means decided he could have had a 70 spot. In the process of reaching 6-0 he had the fourth most points in a quarter in the last 25 years, behind Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love & Klay Thompson with 32 in the third! They're still very much on the cusp of the late-season gauntlet but are playing as well as any team in the Association so the general pessimism is not warranted. It will be key that they maintain the high level play because with Sunday's results Denver has been bumped out of the sixth spot in the standings! For the unaware, since the all-star break they have the best record, that's the level they need to maintain.
With the season going from 0 to lightspeed with the flick of the pens the roster construction could recommence. In a money-saving move to start the week Minnesota flipped Josh Donaldson & the recently acquired Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Evil Empire for catcher Gary Sanchez & infielder Gio Urshela. Part of the savings from the Donaldson deal went toward a three year deal for Carlos Correa which could be opted out of after this season. In addition to that big-time signing they added veteran reliever Joe Smith but still have the glaring hole in the starting rotation. For that to be filled they will have to make another trade but it remains to be seen how much of the future they are willing to mortgage for the upcoming season.
Through the first two of their three-game weekend it appeared to be a synopsis of their whole season. On Friday night they came back from 1 - 0 & 2 - 1 deficits to win 4 - 2 as Louden Hogg blocked 40 shots. Saturday they fell behind 2 - 0 and despite valiant efforts couldn't get closer than one score behind. A change of venue housed the rubber-match but Sioux Falls was unable to capitalize on their home ice as the Bolts went wire-to-wire for the win, 3 - 1. With seven of the last 11 games in Fargo plenty of chances remain to get ice-side but none of the outcomes will alter the length of the season.
It was a behind-the-scenes kind of week for the most part at the ballpark but the one move they made could pay all sorts of dividends. Manuel Boscan had one of the best hitting seasons in the Association last Summer and will be back in the Birds uniform to try & replicate the success during the upcoming season!
Reminder that scores are added daily plus there's a new home for recruiting news, so check back often!
Now for this week's highlights
Winter is (almost) over
The end brought a second Player of the Year award for Joe Hurlburt. In the final days before the lights went out in Minot Kindred advanced back to the championship game with a decisive win in the opening round and a closer shave against Bishop Ryan. Saturday night they faced Four Winds again but the undefeated Indians were not going to be stopped from completing an all-time season. For their run to the trophy game Paul Olson & Jaiden Peraza were named to the All-Tournament team. The final state-wide honor had a distinguished group but the Mr. 🏀 votes overwhelmingly went in favor of the Grand Forks bound Demon, Treysen Eaglestaff.
Minnesota is not quite done as Moorhead's boys made the state tournament for the first time in a decade by beating Brainerd 53 - 52. They will take on Wayzata Tuesday at approximately 4 pm in downtown Minneapolis. D/G/F had a chance to join them at the last tournament as Own Leach scored 27 but a 32 - 18 second half by Perham propelled them down to the Twin Cities where they will face Caledonia.
While Spring sports have barely begun practice the Summer season got a kick-start this week as Post 400 was in Vero Beach, FL. Their two teams played 12 games, winning a combined eight while finishing one as a tie. Plenty more which could be said & seen but much of it is available through the links!
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