Monthly Archives: September 2010

New football polls released

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Minneapolis (AP) — The Associated Press state high school football polls for the week of September 29, first-place votes in parentheses, record and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 5A
School Total Points Prv
1. Eden Prairie (7) (5-0) 88 1
2. Cretin-Derham Hall (2) (4-0) 82 2
3. Wayzata (4-0) 72 3
4. Mounds View (4-0) 62 4
5. Blaine (4-0) 49 5
6. Rosemount (4-0) 48 6
7. Andover (4-0) 33 7
8. Minnetonka (3-1) 24 8
9. Brainerd (4-0) 18 9
10. Rochester Century (4-0) 9 NR

Others receiving votes: Hopkins 4, Champlin Park 2, Stillwater 2, Shakopee 1, Moorhead 1.

Class 4A
School Total Points Prv
1. St. Thomas Academy (7) (4-0) 88 2
2. Mankato West (1) (4-0) 77 3
3. Mahtomedi (1) (3-1) 68 6
4. Rogers (4-0) 66 4
5. Becker (4-0) 53 5
6. Totino-Grace (3-1) 47 1
7. South St. Paul (4-0) 30 7
8. Waconia (4-0) 25 8
9. Alexandria (4-0) 15 10
10. Sartell (3-1) 12 9

Others receiving votes: St. Paul Central 5, Chisago Lakes 5, Delano 2, Bemidji 1, St. Michael-Albertville 1.

Class 3A
School Total Points Prv
1. Albany (11) (4-0) 120 2
2. Pequot Lakes (4-0) 107 3
3. Rochester Lourdes (4-0) 92 5
4. Glencoe-Silver Lake (3-1) 76 6
5. Norwood-Young America (4-0) 63 7
6. New London-Spicer (3-1) 50 1
7. Milaca (4-0) 44 9
8. Holy Family Catholic (4-0) 37 10
9. Dassel-Cokato (3-1) 34 4
10. Virginia (4-0) 12 NR

Others receiving votes: De La Salle 5, Breck 5, Staples-Motley 4, Pine City 3, Thief River Falls 2, Sibley East 2, Minneapolis Washburn 2, Waseca 2.

Class 2A
School Total Points Prv
1. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (9) (4-0) 100 1
2. Eden Valley-Watkins (4-0) 88 T2
3. Luverne (4-0) 72 T2
4. Moose Lake Willow River (4-0) 65 4
5. Caledonia (4-0) 58 7
6. Lewiston-Altura (4-0) 51 9
7. Breckenridge (4-0) 44 10
8. Pierz (3-1) 19 5
(tie)Triton (4-0) 19 NR
10. Ottertail Central (4-0) 10 NR

Others receiving votes: Southland 5, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva 5, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 4, Jackson County Central 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Windom 3, Braham 1.

Class A
School Total Points Prv
1. Minneota (8) (4-0) 80 1
2. Barnesville (4-0) 68 3
3. Springfield (4-0) 63 4
4. Mahnomen (4-0) 59 5
5. Browerville (4-0) 49 6
6. New Ulm Cathedral (3-1) 34 9
7. Fosston (3-1) 29 2
8. Royalton (3-1) 25 T10
9. Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (3-1) 18 T10
T10. Adrian (3-1) 4 NR
T10. Canby (2-2) 4 NR

Others receiving votes: Blooming Prairie 3, Le Center 1, East Central 1, Fillmore Central 1, Barnum 1.

Class 9-MAN
School Total Points Prv
1. Stephen-Argyle (8) (4-0) 89 1
2. Nicollet (4-0) 77 2
3. Grand Meadow (4-0) 70 3
4. Edgerton Ellsworth (1) (4-0) 65 4
5. Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley (4-0) 56 5
6. Goodridge Grygla-Gatzke (4-0) 43 6
7. McGregor (4-0) 37 7
8. Underwood (4-0) 22 8
9. Hills-Beaver Creek (4-0) 17 9
10. Wheaton (4-0) 11 10

Others receiving votes: Floodwood 6, Littlefork-Big Falls 1, Ada-Borup 1, <

Introducing new sports reporter Daniel Kerwin

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Here I am now in Worthington, stop number seven in the Grand Tour of my life.

It would take the rest of this column to fill you in on my life’s story, so to keep things a little more interesting for you I’ll introduce myself instead by telling you about my greatest sports passion — Australian rules football.

Some background on my life is needed for this to make sense. I was born in Melbourne, Australia, back in 1988, and since then have lived in five other countries — New Zealand, Hong Kong, England, Japan and now here in the U.S. I have been a U.S. citizen my entire life — both my parents are American, and my mom and her side of the family are from Minnesota — but I’ve always considered myself equally an Aussie.

I graduated from Macalester College in May, and since then have been playing for Minnesota’s Australian Football team, the Minnesota Freeze.

I’m sure I can safely assume not many of you reading this are familiar with Australian football. If you were to learn only one thing about it, it would be to never try to compare it to rugby. That’s a mistake that will make any Australian cringe. Besides the shape of the ball, it bears hardly any similarity to rugby.

The ball is moved by kicking the ball from the hands from one player to the next, the same style kick as a punt in American football (it is no surprise that every Australian in the NFL is a punter). Throwing is strictly against the rules, penalized by a free kick against you. There is tackling, but there are strict rules to keep players from getting hurt — there is no padding of any kind. The aim of the game is to kick a goal, which is scored by kicking the ball between the two tallest of a total of four vertical posts on each end of the oval. That’s right; the game is played on an oval-shaped field.

If I kept going I’m sure I might lose you, so instead I’ll suggest you come and talk to me or look on Wikipedia if you want the full run-down.

Another question some of you might have — how the heck did we get an Australian football team in Minnesota?

There is actually an Australian football league in the U.S., with teams in most major cities throughout the country. Our nearest competitors are in Des Moines, Milwaukee and Kansas City. I will be playing for the Freeze in the National Championships in Louisville Oct. 9.

So how then does a description of Australian football and my career playing for the Freeze work as a self introduction?

Playing for the Freeze is pretty much an embodiment of two of my defining characteristics — Australian culture and Minnesota roots. I bring to this new job a wide reach of sporting interests from around the world — from Australian football to English soccer and Japanese baseball — but I’ve always known that Minnesota is home, and I’m looking forward to getting to know more about Minnesota sporting culture, particularly in this corner of the state.

Aaron Hagen has been a great sports editor for this publication, and he will be a great person to learn the trade from. I look forward to being under his tutelage and keeping the Daily Globe sports section the best that we can possibly make it.

Where did the summer go?

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As I sit here staring at the blank computer screen, I can’t help but have a sense of sadness come over me.

It isn’t because I had a horrible week in Pigskin Pick ‘em (which I did).

It also isn’t because former co-worker Michael Brauer gave me a quartet of shellackings in NCAA football (which he did).
 

But instead, this sadness comes from the Twins.

Of course, they are on a roll. A big series with the White Sox will greatly determine how the rest of the season plays out.

I believe a sweep, or at least a series win, all but seals another American League Central crown.

This sadness comes from Target Field. While I was there in March — when it was freezing outside — to watch the first-ever game, it wasn’t the same.

That day, the Minnesota Gophers were playing baseball, not the Twins.

This year, I have attended a total of nine baseball games.

I went to four in Kansas City on two different occasions, two in Washington, D.C. and three at Wrigley Field.

All four games in KC were against the Twins, so I have seen them live.

But I haven’t seen them at Target Field.

The cold temperatures of fall are starting to creep up, meaning the baseball season is winding down.

With a full prep schedule and a pair of college football games on the horizon, I fear my chances are dwindling.

Minnesota does have 10 home games remaining — not counting the potential playoff games — so all hope is not lost.

As a pure optimist (I have to be as a Cubs fan), I know it’s just a matter of time before I sit with the sun shining down on a warm summer day, enjoying a hot dog and Twins baseball.

It might not be this year, but someday very soon, I will be another paying customer at Target Field.