Sports

Blooming Prairie senior quarterback Drew Kittelson announces via Twitter that he has committed to Minnesota State University, Mankato to continue his academic and athletic careers.

Kittelson commits to MSU Mavericks

Blooming Prairie senior quarterback Drew Kittelson has made his college decision a bit earlier than the average high schooler, committing to Minnesota State University, Mankato to continue his academic and athletic careers. Kittelson’s commitment is a verbal one and allows him to withdraw his...

Sophomore starting quarterback Connor Ginskey sends senior tight end Luke Wottreng in motion across the formation in the team’s 41-0 win against John Marshall. Ginskey, only in his third start of the season, has acquired a perfect 3-0 record since stepping in for injured senior quarterback Taylor Bogen. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Ginskey steps into starting role

With senior quarterback Taylor Bogen out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, the Huskies turned to sophomore quarterback Jacob Ginskey to fill the starting role. Making his first appearance late in the Huskies’ 42-0 loss against Mankato West in Week No. 3, head coach Jeff Williams said...

Referee Kurtis Retterath monitors the action during the Blooming Prairies game against WEM on Friday, Sept. 24. Retterath has been a referee in southern Minnesota for six years and hopes to see the younger generations give back to their communities by becoming referees. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Ref shortage

Blooming Prairie, Medford, NRHEG and Owatonna have each had at least one football game rescheduled from Friday to Saturday this fall because of a statewide shortage of referees. According to referee Kurtis Retterath, the shortage isn’t just a result of the pandemic. Demographics also play a factor...

Medford coach Nick Trapp watches as Dr. Timothy Van Gelder wraps junior running back Garron Hoffman’s wrist after an injury in Medford’s 44-6 homecoming loss against Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop. Van Gelder’s experience and vast knowledge of sports medicine allows him to help injured athletes quickly and get them back on the field if he deems them fit. Staff photo by Rick Bussler

Keeping Athletes Safe

Dr. Timothy Van Gelder is a family practitioner with the Mayo Clinic in Owatonna who spends his Friday nights practicing his passion for medicine in a place one might not expect: a football field. For six years now, Van Gelder has patrolled Medford’s sidelines offering his services to injured...

STEELE SPORTS

With the fall season in full swing and high school athletes back to competing in front of packed crowds, sports look and feel somewhat normal around here. In Steele County, masks are not required in schools or at athletic events. But that’s not the case everywhere. Rochester, Austin, Northfield and...

Emma Herzog follows through on a shot during a serve return drill at practice.

Double Trouble

Huskies tennis athletes and sisters Emma and Olivia Herzog have been a force to be reckoned with in the Big Nine conference this year, currently boasting a combined record of 35-6 on the season. Senior Olivia Herzog currently stands at an overall record of 12-4 in the regular season in the Huskies...

Blooming Prairie senior running back Tyler Archer finds space during his touchdown run in the first quarter. Archer scored a touchdown on offense, defense and special teams in the game. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Blooming Prairie batters Buccaneers, 47-0

The Awesome Blossoms got off to a hot start against WEM on Friday, cruising to a 47-0 victory. The Blossoms tallied 41 of their 47 points in the first half alone, posting 20 points in the first quarter and 21 in the second. The game began with a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown scored by senior...

Blooming Prairie junior Abby Hefling tips the ball over the net at practice. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Carlson, Hefling fill in for injured Larson

The Blooming Prairie volleyball team sported a new look in the middle of the frontcourt last week as juniors Haven Carlson and Abby Hefling look to fill the role of injured junior captain Sierra Larson. Larson, the team’s regular middle hitter and an experienced varsity athlete, broke her finger in...

Head Coach Marc Kruger hoists the Golden Brick trophies in celebration with his team, after defeating JWP 42-0 on Friday. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Golden Brick returns to NRHEG

The NRHEG Panthers reclaimed the Golden Brick trophy with a 42-0 win over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (JWP) Friday, bringing the trophy home for the first time since the two teams last met in 2019. The rivalry game victory is Marc Kruger's first as head coach of the Panthers. "It feels really...

Quarterback Drew Kittelson plants hard on a cut to evade a defender. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips

Kittelson picks up where he left off

Blooming Prairie quarterback Drew Kittelson shows no signs of slowing down this season. He finished his first game of the season completing 10 of 12 passes for 242 yards, six touchdowns and an interception in a 57-6 victory against Hayfield. And in last week’s game against Lester Prairie, Kittelson...