Morris Area High School's Kylen Running Hawk Honored At NFHS Convention

Kylen Running Hawk, a 2021 graduate of Morris Area High School, was recognized Tuesday as the national recipient of the Heart of the Arts Award from the National Federation of State High School Associations at its annual convention in Orlando, Florida.

Kylen was named the winner of the Minnesota Heart of the Arts Award in January and was notified of the national honor in March. The Heart of the Arts Award recognizes individuals who exemplify the positive ideals of performing arts that are the core mission of education-based participation in arts and activities.

Joined by his family, Kylen was a guest of honor at a breakfast Tuesday morning as well as an afternoon gathering of representatives from high school governing bodies in all 50 states. An NFHS-produced video told Kylen's story, and he received a standing ovation when the video ended.

To read about Kylen, click this link:

"I Had Tears In My Eyes" ... The Best Story From The State Track Meet

The following letter is posted here with permission of the author...

To Dr. Scott Thielman, Superintendent of Schools, Buffalo, Minnesota

Dear Dr. Thielman,

I would like to share some observations of your amazing track and field coaching staff, if I may. I am a 45-year state track meet official and, because of a background in special education, I have taken on the role of official for handicapped athletes at the Minnesota State High School League track and field championships.

The story begins on Saturday morning with a 100-meter wheelchair race between Blake Eaton of Duluth Denfeld and Macario Palomares of Buffalo during the state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School. Almost halfway into the race, Blake blew a tire on his chair. The tire flew off but Macario was able to avoid it. Blake finished the race on a tire and a rim. Because the tire blew a stem, Blake was convinced that he was done for the meet. (He was scheduled to wheel the 800m by himself and then to compete against Macario again in the 200m.)

This is when the Buffalo coaching staff became involved. Their first possible solution suggested was to offer Macario’s chair to Blake for use in the 800. They weren’t sure he would fit but at least he could compete once more. In the meantime, Blake’s father was on the phone trying to find a tire before the finish of the meet. I became busy with other non-handicapped athletes but when I came back I learned that Buffalo -- that’s right, the opponent school -- had a new tire at their school and a coach had been dispatched to bring it back … hopefully in time for the 200m if not the 800m.

About 10 minutes before the 800m race a new tire arrived and was placed on the chair and it fit, perfectly!! … except that there was no push rail; that’s the part that the racer’s hands touch to turn the wheels. Three or four old wheels were tried but none locked on. It had to be the new wheel. Once again Blake was resigned to being unable to race.

The 800m scheduled time came and went and Blake missed the race. From my position in the clerking area, I watched and listened as a Buffalo coach called the facilities manager to get a screwdriver with the intention of removing a push rail from the old wheel and installing it on the new wheel. This is a delicate process that involves removing numerous screws, removing a push rail from another wheel, lining it up on the new wheel, and carefully replacing the screws.

And then it was time to take the wheelers out on the track for the 200m race; Macario and I started out to the track. I told Blake that I would watch for him and try to get him into the race if he could make it. But my last look was about five adults; Denfeld and Buffalo coache and Blake’s dad struggling with the push rail and wheel. I wasn’t optimistic.

At race time, Macario was lined up in lane 5, with his axle on the line prepared to start, when he looked across the track and said, “There he is!” Miraculously, the support team had gotten the push rail installed and Blake was back on his wheels. The PA announcer said, “Mr. Starter, hold the race!” Blake was back in business.

The two wheelchair athletes raced again and the finish order wasn’t important. What was important is that the Buffalo High School track and field staff worked in harmony with the Denfeld coaches and Blake’s father to provide an opportunity to race for an opponent just because they could.

I had tears in my eyes several times during this process. I was very moved by the sportsmanship and the selflessness of the Buffalo coaches. If ever a life lesson was to be learned, the people who teach, guide and coach your young people as members of the track coaching staff taught it.

At the starting line of the 200m wheelchair race, as Blake Eaton of Duluth Denfeld lined up in lane 4 next to Buffalo’s Macario Palomares in lane 5, I commented to Blake: “I didn’t think that you were going to make it.” Blake replied: “Neither did I. The Buffalo coaches are BEASTS!”

Sincerely,

Tom Fischer

MSHSL Official

Anoka

John’s Journal: The Final Glorious Days Of A Memorable 2020-21

As we close the books on the 2020-21 school year, I have been thinking a lot about where we started. It was March 12, 2020, when Covid-19 sent our world into a tailspin. That was the day when section and state basketball tournaments were shut down, with no MSHSL sports or activities being held last spring.

We made our way back slowly and tentatively, with fall sports but no state tournaments, followed by winter sports that started late but ended on a strong statement with the crowning of state champions.

And here we are now, 15 months later. At the finish line. The spring season began somewhat later than normal, but state tournaments were held with no restriction on spectators and no required masking. It was absolutely glorious. It also was somewhat different from a scheduling standpoint, with five state tournaments being held last week; those things are normally spread out a bit more.

If I had to choose one word to describe these tournaments, it would be “gratitude.” With the knowledge that spring athletes and teams didn’t have a season last year, everyone has been so happy and gracious, enjoying every moment and taking nothing for granted. During this final stretch of the spring, I didn’t hear one discouraging word from a coach, athlete or official. And of course, anyone complaining about anything during the spring of 2021 is in the wrong business.

As a way to try and document this very busy week of tournaments, I have been jotting down things I saw and heard between Tuesday and Saturday, June 15 and 19, the home stretch of the year.

I filled the gas tank on the John’s Journal Toyota Camry on Monday evening, ready for a busy, fun week. I attended as many contests as I could in as many places as I could, and here is what happened…

TUESDAY/ BASEBALL IN ST. CLOUD

The drive from the Twin Cities on west-bound Interstate 94 past Maple Grove is -- as anyone who makes that trip regularly knows -- an adventure. A major construction project can make for an interesting journey, but I arrived in St. Cloud for the Class A and 2A baseball state quarterfinals with not too much trouble.

As I walked through the pass gate, a member of the security staff asked me, “What school are you from?” We got my identity figured out and I was cleared to enter.

Randolph starting pitcher Brandon Gerster, relieved in the seventh inning of the Rockets’ 9-5 Class A win over Fosston after striking out 15, tipped his cap to the cheering fans.  

As the starting lineups for the Aitkin Gobblers were introduced before their Class 2A game against Albany, the first name announced was student manager Craig Ashton. Craig walked from the dugout to the third-base line, barefoot and comfortable.

Watching streaming coverage of the state softball tournament in North Mankato via Prepspotlight.TV and my laptop, I peeked in on a game between Pipestone and Maple Lake. I was slightly confused about who’s who because the colors of both schools are green, white and black. I figured it out.

“Rockin’ in the Free World” and “YMCA” were played between innings on this beautiful summer day.

I chatted with Joe Brown, talented and hard-working young reporter from the West Central Tribune in Willmar. Joe talked about a rare situation: he had tested positive for Covid-19 between his two vaccine doses. It’s good to see Joe back on the job.

Food of the day: a high-quality cheeseburger from the concession stand at Dick Putz Field.

I visited with my good friend Jil Fiemeyer, who was in the stands cheering for her hometown Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines. Jil’s daughter Jane was 8 years old when she died after battling leukemia in 2012; I knew Jane and continue to be inspired by Jane and her mom.

Jil sent me a text earlier in the week that included a photo of a young man visiting Jane’s grave. Carson Kern, who plays second base for Wadena-Deer Creek, told Jane, “He thought he and Jane would have gone to prom together if she was still alive. A great kid! Going to support him and other classmates of hers.” Carson scored the Wolverines’ lone run in a 3-1 Class AA quarterfinal loss to Plainview-Elgin-Millville.

I left St. Cloud at 7:27 p.m. and arrived home at 9 p.m., listening to a .38 Special Pandora station while completing 194 miles driven for the day. Inside the house I tuned into Prepspotlight.TV again. The softball state tournament semifinal game between Randolph and Edgerton/Southwest Minnesota Christian, the last one of the day, started at 10:17 p.m.

At 10:55 p.m., the Twitter account of Randolph’s state tournament baseball team posted a brief video of the ballplayers, at their hotel in St. Cloud, gathered in one room, watching the softball game in North Mankato on TV and cheering for their classmates and friends.

The final baseball game of the day saw a combined 35 strikeouts; 18 by Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City’s Josh Kingery and 17 by Belle Plaine's Jackson Kruger in Belle Plaine’s 2-0 win. The state tournament record is 19 strikeouts by Springfield's Mike Davison in a victory over Austin … in 1963. Mike, who passed away in Glencoe in 2013, pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 1969 and 1970.

WEDNESDAY … SOFTBALL IN NORTH MANKATO

During the Class A state championship softball game between Browerville-Eagle Valley and Randolph, Rockets eighth-grader Carter Raymond and assistant coach Ashleigh Lindow shared an index finger bump (as opposed to a fist bump) before Carter stepped to the plate.

On the first pitch of the Class 2A title game, St. Charles’ Grace Buringa hit a home run. As Le Sueur-Henderson and St. Charles battled for the championship, a lady in the St. Charles crowd stood up between innings and hollered “Gimme an S! Gimme an A! Gimme an I! Gimme an N! Gimme a T! Gimme an S.” I didn’t notice anyone on the other side volunteering to spell out L-E-S-U-E-U-R or H-E-N-D-E-R-S-O-N.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, St. Charles had the based loaded with no outs, trailing the Giants 7-4. A foul pop-up between home and third base was caught by Olivia Fritz at third base before catcher Zoe Thompson and Olivia collided and both fell. Smart play by pitcher Chloe Brandt, who ran in to cover home and make sure the runner on third couldn’t tag up and score. The game’s final out came on the next play and the Giants won 7-4.

I chatted with Becker activities director Dave Niemi, who was carrying the Class 3A softball championship trophy following the Bulldogs’ 4-0 victory over Winona. Becker also won a girls basketball state title this year. That’s quite an accomplishment during a pandemic year, and Dave and I discussed what kids can accomplish when given the opportunity.

As I sat behind the wheel of the Camry before heading out, a grandma walked over to me and said, “My team just won a state championship. Can I pull that logo off your care and give it to them?” She was referring to a large MSHSL logo on the hood that is part of the car’s graphics package. I explained that it wasn’t a sticker and wouldn’t come off, but it sure would be cool if it did.

Departed Caswell Park at 2:49 p.m., drove through a detour or two, listened to postgame reports from the Biden-Putin summit and arrived home at 4:33, having driven 431 miles in two days. Fired up Prepspotlight.TV again and saw that the Class A baseball state semifinals between New York Mills and Randolph was tied 1-1 in the 10^th inning, then the 11^th.

Nathan Weckop hit a three-run homer for Randolph in the top of the 12^th inning and it appeared that the Rockets would beat New York Mills. But the Eagles tied it and the game went on. The scoreboard on Prepspotlight.TV said “3^rd inning” as the Randolph-New York Mills game moved to the 13^th. Turns out their graphics only go to 12 innings. In the 15^th inning, New York Mills won it 9-8 on an RBI single by No. 9 hitter Jace Rudolph.

I gassed up the car again late in the evening. Better safe than sorry.

THURSDAY … LACROSSE AND 3,200 METERS

Loaded up for the day with a cooler, my camera, my laptop and other necessities, I headed for Stillwater High School and the boys and girls lacrosse state semifinals. I sometimes use the Waze app when driving, which is good at alerting drivers to clogged roads and suggesting alternate routes. Waze offers voice alerts in many voices and languages; I have used Cookie Monster and British voices, but today I clicked on a Russian voice. I didn’t understand a word but I chuckled when it alerted me about turns that were coming up.

The Prior Lake and Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys and Lakeville South and Prior Lake girls lacrosse teams triumphed in the semifinals on a hot, sticky day. The Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys had two Kobalt battery-operated misting fans on their bench, sitting atop five-gallon buckets.

At halftime of one of the games, official Holly Souza of St. Paul reached a hand into a cooler, scooped up ice cubes, put them inside her hat and put her hat back on her head. She was asked, “Do you want a wet towel?” Holly smiled and said, “Nope. It melts!”

In the days to follow, the Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys and Prior Lake girls would win lacrosse state titles.

Leaving Stillwater and heading across the Twin Cities for the first session of the state track meet at St. Michael-Albertville, Waze predicted an arrival time of 5:22 p.m. The music I listened to – Head East, Rush, Electric Light Orchestra, etc. --- on satellite radio was interrupted by the Russian voice often as we made our way through traffic, arriving at 5:29.

Track meets are also social events, and I chatted with several folks who have worked as officials at our state track meet for years. Like the officials in all MSHSL activities, they are a great bunch of dedicated, knowledgeable professionals.

I also caught up with media friends who work so hard in chronicling kids and teams in their coverage areas. I saw Bill Bentsen, a onetime coach and administrator who went on to become a highly popular print and radio personality in southeast Minnesota. As we talked, Bill told me that Carol, his wife of 53 years, passed away in September. This was crushing news.

The evening was dedicated to 3,200-meter races for boys and girls in both classes. History was made when Emmet Anderson of Staples-Motley won the Class A boys race, becoming the first state track champion since June 2019.

One veteran coach asked where his 3,200 runner could pick up his race number (which was needed to compete). The time window for picking up numbers had already closed, but he was accommodated.

I talked with someone who had struck a deer while driving a day earlier. His car seemed to run OK afterwards, but it died a few miles from the track. He arrived in a taxi.

It was a glorious evening and a wonderful way to kick off the state track championships. Once the races were completed, stadium announcer Scott Stallman said, “Good evening and drive safely.” He could have added, “Watch out for deer.”

I arrived home at 9:26 p.m., having driven 499 miles over three days. I talked with my friend Steve Thompson on WCCO radio between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Steve understands the importance of high school activities and we talked about how great it was to have things back to normal.

FRIDAY/ TRACK AND FIELD AND SUNSHINE

The day began when I pulled out of my garage at 8:17 a.m. I live 56 miles from St. Michael-Albertville High School, and that famous stretch of Interstate 94 always seems to be an obstacle. It took me an hour and six minutes to make the trip this time (I had changed the Waze voice to French). The first track-related sign I saw was a school van. Written on the windows was, “Go Huskies! State track!” Indeed.

At 9:43 a.m., 16 minutes before the first event, “Eye of the Tiger” was played on the stadium sound system. Class A boys and girls events would be contested today.

Cameron Stocke of Rock Ridge won the Class A boys 1,600 title. What’s Rock Ridge, you ask? It’s a cooperative team with athletes from Virginia and Eveleth-Gilbert; in some sports the schools field separate teams. A new school building is being built, and the two school systems will officially become one when the facility opens in 2023. Cameron will be around to see it since he’s a sophomore.

As Perham senior Jacob McCleary crossed the finish line to win the Class A 800, he pumped a fist. Winning isn’t everything, but it’s sure something.  

The facilities at St. Michael-Albertville are first-class, with lots of spectator seating, a wonderful track, and great field event areas. Another improvement over past sites is a giant digital scoreboard, which is used to instantly display times in each running event. In addition, Wayzata Results, the official timer for MSHSL track and cross-country, has live results on its website. You can’t have a first-rate track and field meet without those two things.

A meet official, like everyone else new to the site, exclaimed, “We love this place! It’s amazing!”

In one of the most dramatic events of the day, Pine Island pole vaulter Jarod White cleared 15 feet, 9 inches to win the gold medal. He then had the bar set at 16-2 (knowing the all-time state record is 16-1 ¾). He narrowly missed on all three attempts, but he is a junior and the future is very bright.

The Class A boys throwing events were won by future Big 10 athletes: Stewartville’s Will Tschetter (basketball at Michigan) in the discus and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton’s Tony Nelson (football at Minnesota) in the shot put.

Mehlayna Straub, sophomore from Southwest Christian, crossed the finish line in the 100 meters, looked at the scoreboard and saw her time. She gasped upon seeing “12.52 seconds” – half a second faster than her seed time – and put her hands over her mouth. She finished fifth and was thrilled.

When senior Morgan Gehl of Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda placed third in the Class A 800, it ended a great chapter in the annals of Minnesota coaching. Her coach, Gary Hildebrandt, is as great a person as you’ll ever meet. He has coached track, cross-country, football, volleyball, wrestling and soccer at several schools in southwest Minnesota. He is now retired after a lengthy career that included induction into the Minnesota Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Blake junior Anisa Thompson, who won the Class girls 100 and 200 titles, was sitting in the shade of the awards tent on the infield as the medalists in the 100 awaited their turn at the podium. One of the medalists, looking ahead to competing with Anisa again in the 200, asked what time she was aiming for in that event. Anisa threw out a number and the other girl smiled and said, “Oh, I’m chasing you” … meaning she didn’t think she would be able to stay with Anisa. The Blake star smiled back and said, “Oh no, you’ve got this.” It was one of many examples of great sportsmanship throughout the week.

SATURDAY/ WRAPPING EVERYTHING UP

Interstate 94 really brought its ugly A game today, but more on that in a bit. By day’s end I had driven 611 miles over the five days; the slowest stretches were on I-94 (sigh).

Best concession item of the week: pulled pork sandwich with a spritz of barbecue sauce at the track meet.

This day was devoted to Class AA boys and girls competition, and it was stupendous … until that darn interstate highway joined the mix.

As the medals were awarded in the boys 1,600 meters, Stallman announced that the meet record in the event was set by Joe Klecker of Hopkins in 2015, and that the previous evening Klecker had qualified for the Olympics in the 10,000 meters at the U.S. trials in Eugene, Oregon. A cheer went up from the fans.

Becky Leuer, longtime coach, administrator and official from North Branch, helps hand out medals in the awards tent. Becky is always smiling, and that’s exactly what she was doing as she said, “Best job at the track meet!”

Baseball state championship games were played Friday at Target Field. In the Class 4A contest, Farmington had defeated Park. Saturday afternoon, Park activities director Phil Kuemmel Tweeted from the @ParkWolfpack account: “Last night officially ends our spring season. So many great accomplishments in all of our sports. But most importantly, these kids got to have a season after missing out last year. Thank you to all who made that happen. On to summer.” Couldn’t agree more.

Teamwork often involves more than one team. That was the case with a pair of wheelchair racers. In the 100-meter wheelchair race, Blake Eaton of Duluth Denfeld edged Macario Palomares of Buffalo; they were the only entrants. Blake’s racing chair had a mechanical issue after the race, with the 200-meter event coming up. Macario’s family drove home to Buffalo to find the proper part to fix Blake’s chair, and the repair was made seconds before the 200 started. Blake again nosed out his friend Macario, and everyone congratulated each other.

There was a tie for ninth place in the boys high jump, with medals going to the top nine finishers. One of the kids who tied for ninth, A.J. Graham of Henry Sibley, was sitting in the awards tent when he saw a friend in the stands. He yelled to his friend, “I made it, baby!” Yes you did. Congrats.

The final session of the 2020-21 school year, the Class AA girls portion of the state track meet, was scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. The start was moved back one hour when a traffic incident on – where else? -- Interstate 94 delayed the arrival of several teams and athletes.

But you know what they say about major construction projects on busy highways: It’s a mess now but once it’s finished we will love it. That’s exactly the situation today, as we look back on 15 months of shutdowns, delays, questions, uncertainties and worries.

It’s finished. We are back to normal. We earned it. And we love it.

Have a great summer.

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John at jmillea@mshsl.org

 

 

John’s Journal: “He’ll Always Be With Us”

MILROY – When the winning run was scored on a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday night, ending a grueling day of doubleheader baseball with an unlikely trip to the state tournament at stake, the Adrian/Ellsworth Dragons hooped and hollered and hugged. They received their Class A Section 3 championship trophy and gold medals and were heading to the outfield to pose for photos in front of the scoreboard.

Qualifying for state was big, but coach Joe Kruger knew what was even more important. He told the boys, “Get Carter’s jersey. He’s definitely with us.”

Carter Braun’s No. 8 jersey has been on the bench with the Dragons all along, ever since he was killed in a vehicle accident two years ago this month. There are six juniors on the team roster; that number is seven when you include Carter. And Carter is included in everything.

When the boys put their hands together and count off 1-2-3, they don’t end with “Dragons!” They holler “Carter!”

“He’s a big part of the team,” said Kruger, whose son Charles, 5, held Carter’s jersey, with a gold medal draped on it, as photos were taken.

The Dragons had a record of 9-11 in the regular season before embarking on a dream-worthy postseason. They were seeded sixth among seven teams in their portion of the 15-team section playoff bracket. But they rattled off four wins to secure a spot in Thursday’s championship round. They needed to beat second-seeded Yellow Medicine East once to go to state, while the YME Sting needed to beat the Dragons twice to do the same.

YME won the first game 3-2 before Adrian/Ellsworth won the deciding game 4-3. The Dragons will take a record of 14-12 to the Class A state tournament in St. Cloud on Tuesday. Outfielder Marshall Wagner is the only senior on the team; the lineup Thursday also included four juniors and four sophomores.

No one would argue that Thursday’s games were stellar examples of crisp baseball. The teams combined for 42 strikeouts, 23 walks and eight batters hit by pitches in the doubleheader.

“Those are not the two best games we’ve played but that doesn't matter at this point,” Kruger said as players and families mingled on the field.

Kim Braun, Carter’s mother, watched the team play Thursday for the first time since her son died. Carter spent time with the varsity late in his freshman season and there was no baseball last year when Covid-19 wiped out all high school spring sports.

"It would have been bittersweet last year watching them,” Kim said earlier this week. “This year I haven’t been able to watch a game because I was afraid I would cry the whole time.”

Last Saturday, before the Dragons boarded a bus for the trip to Milroy and a game against top-seeded MACCRAY, Carter’s family – Kim and Andy, son Easton and daughter Jacey -- met them with sports drinks and cinnamon rolls. Each player was given a hand-written note, telling the boys that Carter was still with them.

“I am so proud of the boys on the team for how far they have come,” Kim said. “Carter was best friends with a handful of the kids on the team, but more importantly he was friends with each and every one of them.  It is such an honor that they do things to keep his memory alive, and even though they probably don't know this, they are what keeps me going.”

Carter also played high school hockey with a cooperative team based in Luverne, as well as football. He was a prankster, always ready with a smile and a joke, and everybody liked him.

“He was just an all-around jokester,” said classmate and close friend Isaac Bullerman. “He'd always tell jokes, give us a good time. When somebody was down he'd come in and make a joke and kind of pick them up a little bit and get you back to where you're supposed to be.”

After Carter’s death two Junes ago, the visitation conflicted with a summer league baseball game. Some of the players wondered if they should cancel the game, but Carter’s family found time for them to come in privately before their game.

Struggles continue. Carter had used his mom’s email address as a contact for college recruiting sites, and she occasionally receives emails meant for her son. She can’t bear to respond with the news that Carter is gone.

“I could feel Carter's presence throughout the game, but I feel at the end, his presence was stronger than ever,” she wrote in a text the morning after the games against YME.

“No parent should ever have to lose a child. It's the hardest thing I have gone through and continue to go through in my life. When my Carter is remembered and included, it does soften the pain, and makes me realize how blessed my family is to have a community like Adrian, who supports us and keeps Carter's memory alive.”

After Thursday’s clinching win, Bullerman talked about the team having Carter’s jersey with them every step of the way.

“It means the world to me,” he said. “I lost my best friend a couple years ago. We didn't play the best tonight, I will admit that. But he was here, he was with us and that's what made us win the game. He was here.”

As for the trip to state, Isaac said, “It feels amazing. We're going to carry Carter's jersey with us and it'll always be with us. He'll always be with us.”

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John at jmillea@mshsl.org

John’s Journal: The Coach, The Baby And A Wild Delivery

Back in April, the Marshall Independent newspaper provided a preview of the Wabasso High School softball season. Rabbits head coach Tiffany Eichten told reporter Josh VanKlompenburg: “Softball has been a part of my life since I was little and has now become a part of my own growing family. …  I am looking forward to the lifelong lessons and memories that will be made this year.”

She had no idea.

The Rabbits played in the Class A Section 3 playoffs Tuesday in Cottonwood. Having already lost once in the tournament, another defeat would end their season. Wabasso stayed alive by defeating Lac qui Parle Valley 10-0 before losing to Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 10-7. The Rabbits finished the season with a record of 20-5.

Eichten was extremely pregnant and knew the baby would arrive soon; her due date had already come and gone. When daughter Elloray was born five years ago, she was delivered the day after the softball season ended. Brothers Elway, 4, and Jeter, 2, have arrived since.

“I didn’t think it would be that day,” Tiffany told me Wednesday. “I thought, this is kind of like (Elloray), we’ll play and have her the next day.”

Eichten and assistant coach Andrea Ellanson have been leading the Wabasso softball program for seven years and know each other well. As the day went along, Ellanson kept an eye on Eichten. Tiffany confirmed to her that contractions had begun.

“In the fourth or fifth inning of the second game I looked at her coaching third base and I knew something was not right over there,” Ellanson said. “She came into the dugout and I said, ‘How far apart are your contractions? Five, 10 minutes?’ She said, ‘Probably five.’ I asked her if she needed to go and she said, ‘No. I’m fine.’ ”

Tiffany didn’t want to leave her team on such a crucial day, worrying that the players might not be able to focus if she suddenly departed.

During the seventh inning Ellanson sent a text to Tiffany’s husband, Christopher, who was at the game. She told him his wife was in labor and he needed to be ready to get her to the hospital as soon as possible once the game ended.

Following the season-ending loss, Tiffany gathered the team and told them how proud she was of what they had done all season. She stopped in at the ballfield restroom, came out quickly and the race was on.

The original birth plan was a delivery at the hospital in New Ulm. But that was 70 miles from Cottonwood. They considered Redwood Falls, which was a 32-mile drive. They settled on Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center in Marshall, only 14 miles away.

Christopher drove in rapid fashion, with Tiffany and Andrea in the back. At about the halfway point between Cottonwood and Marshall, near the village of Green Valley on Minnesota Highway 23, Tiffany made an announcement: “I think the baby’s coming.”

In the driver's seat, Christopher kept the pedal to the metal. In the back, Andrea was ready.

“I was maybe driving a little above the speed limit,” Christopher admitted with a laugh. “All of a sudden Tiff was very quiet. I was speeding in and out of traffic and she said, ‘I’m having the baby.’ ”

She gave one strong push and their daughter was born. There happened to be a blanket in the vehicle and Andrea wrapped up the baby, who began to cry. A strong, healthy, wonderful cry.

“Within three seconds we could hear her crying and it was pretty cool,” Christopher said. “I was still trying to concentrate on the road.”

Christopher had dialed 9-1-1; the dispatcher asked him to pull off to the side of the road and wait for an ambulance. He did not follow that recommendation. In fact, the ambulance rolled in right behind them at the hospital.

Andrea knew the ambulance crew, who joked with her, “Oh, I guess you did our job for us.”

Mom and baby daughter were in excellent health and spirits afterwards. They expected to return to Wabasso on Wednesday, taking home a wild story that will be retold for decades to come.

The beautiful baby girl weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long. Her name is Andi Rose Eichten. The name Andi is a tribute to Andrea Ellanson, who coaches softball, yes, but whose “real” job is working as an obstetrics nurse in Redwood Falls.

“I’ve delivered a couple babies before,” she said. “But all of those were in the hospital.

“I told Tiff that I kind of forgot that we lost the game.”

On this day, everybody won.

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John at jmillea@mshsl.org

John’s Journal: After A Huge Loss, Bemidji Tennis Wins Big

This week, a boys tennis team from Bemidji High School will make the school’s first appearance at the state tournament since 1973, and ending that nearly half-century gap is surely reason to celebrate. The Lumberjacks’ history-making season, however, also has been tinged by sadness.

Mark Fodness, who coached the team for 33 years before stepping down a year ago, died suddenly in November at age 61. His son Kyle is now the coach.

Oh, if only Mark were here to cheer for the boys this week. His obituary included this statement: He coached 33 seasons of tennis at Bemidji High School, 7 years at Bemidji State, and also coached speech & debate, football, soccer, basketball, and baseball, including his son, Kyle, in all of those sports.

Indeed, Kyle grew up with his father as a coach, teacher and mentor, and he appreciates everything he learned from his dad.

“I saw a saying one time: ‘Great people are great because they really are great all the time, especially when no one’s looking,’ ” Kyle told me Sunday. “I look at the conversations he would have with kids, and he put so much into those conversations and those kids. He did those things all the time, relentlessly.”

The Lumberjacks will meet Edina in the Class AA quarterfinals at noon Tuesday at Prior Lake High School. When singles and doubles matches begins Thursday, Bemidji senior Filippo Buffo will compete in singles.

Bemidji activities director Troy Hendricks said Kyle “has done an amazing job. We’ve laughed together and cried together about Mark. What he has accomplished is just outstanding.

“Kyle is a classy individual, just like his dad. When I was dean of students at the middle school, I had to monitor Mark’s class and I came back and said that’s the best teacher I’ve ever witnessed in the classroom.”

Like his father, Kyle, 27, is a middle school social studies teacher. When he told his dad that he wanted to follow in his footsteps, Mark told him, “Make sure you want to do that not because I did, but because it’s what you want.”

After the Lumberjacks won the Section 8 team title with a victory over Alexandria, they were on their way home and learned they would face perennial power Edina in the state quarterfinals. One of the younger players sitting near the rear of the school van said to Kyle, “Coach, how’s Edina?”

Kyle told him, “Buddy, four of their singles players are ranked in top 10 in the state. It was quiet for a bit and then he said ‘OK.’ ”

The state tennis tournaments are normally held on indoor courts, with Class A at Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis and Class AA at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center. Covid-19 has thrown a wrench into that this year, with Class A at St. Cloud Tech and AA at Prior Lake. There also will be no consolation brackets this year, so those who are defeated in the state quarterfinals will be done. On top of everything else, the weather this week is expected to be unseasonably hot and humid.

But after 48 years of waiting, you won’t hear any whining from the Lumberjacks.

Kyle said, “How can we be a team that has a complaint? You have to play where you play. And in a perfect world you’d hope you could do consolation, but what do you do? Whatever’s in front of you, let’s go after it.  

Hendricks, along with many others who have firm Bemidji roots, will be thinking of Mark Fodness when the Lumberjacks take the court Tuesday. When he watches Kyle, he is often reminded of Mark.

“They’re fun, practice is enjoyable, they love strategy, they get athletes out for tennis,” he said. “They do it the right way, they coach the right way, they know how to motivate kids. It’s not about themselves, it’s about the kids, the players.

“It’s a great story. It really is.”

--MSHSL media specialist John Millea has been the leading voice of Minnesota high school activities for decades. Follow him on Twitter @MSHSLjohn and listen to "Preps Today with John Millea” wherever you get podcasts. Contact John at jmillea@mshsl.org