John’s Journal:

John’s Journal: After 641 Games, Annandale’s Dolan Has A State Title

March 26, 2022 |

John's Journal

Skip Dolan has been coaching Annandale for 26 years and the Cardinals’ 60-49 win over Minneapolis North was the first boys basketball title for the school.

John’s Journal: Trip To State Is A Cherry On Top

March 25, 2022 |

John's Journal

This basketball season has been special, with the Cherry Tigers reaching the state tournament for the first time in 25 years.

John’s Journal: A Gopher-Islander Tradition At Williams Arena

March 24, 2022 |

John's Journal

To call the boys state basketball tournament a DeLaSalle reunion might be pushing it, but there was a clear Islanders air to the proceedings.

John's Journal: When A U.S. Senator Came To The Aid Of A Cherry High School Athlete

March 24, 2022 |

John's Journal

In 2007 an athlete from Cherry High School had a serious health problem. Thanks to a former U.S. senator and future governor of Minnesota, everything was taken care of.

John’s Journal: Cherry Tigers Surprise Everyone But Themselves

March 23, 2022 |

John's Journal

The Cherry boys basketball team turned the tables by defeating Nevis in the Class 1A state quarterfinals.

John’s Journal: One Final Trip for Austin’s Fadness

March 22, 2022 |

John's Journal

Kris Fadness announced recently that this would be his 25th and final year at Austin.

John’s Journal: The Assistant Coach With The Championship Background

March 19, 2022 |

John's Journal

Providence Academy assistant girls basketball coach Brian Cosgriff is one of the most successful head coaches in the history of Minnesota high school basketball.

John’s Journal: Remembering A Teammate Taken Too Soon

March 18, 2022 |

John's Journal

The pink t-shirts were a bit striking when the girls basketball team from Hayfield High School took the court. The words on the front of the shirts read, “In memory of Macy,” with wings attached to the M and Y. On the back was one word in all caps: HOLTAN.

John’s Journal: Hayfield’s Two-Sport Winning Streak Reaches 58 Games

March 17, 2022 |

John's Journal

Kasey Krekling, a 2007 Hayfield graduate who teaches second grade in his hometown, has a combined record of 58-0 as baseball and girls basketball coach since the start of the 2021 baseball season.

John’s Journal: History Is Made By St. Paul Como Park

March 16, 2022 |

John's Journal

The girls basketball team from St. Paul Como Park made history, winning a game at the state tournament for the first time.

John's Journal: Remembering Two Years Ago, When Everything Stopped

March 13, 2022 |

John's Journal

Revisiting mid-March 2020, when Coronavirus concerns forced an early halt to winter tournaments.

John’s Journal: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Memories

March 12, 2022 |

John's Journal

The photo of two people shaking hands, an 88-yard-old man and a teenage boy, encompasses both the history of high school hockey in Minnesota and the reverence for the game’s stars.

John’s Journal: Redemption Is One Win Away For Hermantown

March 11, 2022 |

John's Journal

The circle is almost complete for the Hermantown boys hockey team. The Hawks are one win away from a Class A state championship, which would help with the healing after last season ended at the ugly hands of Covid-19.

The Boots Buried Under The Ice At Xcel Energy Center

March 10, 2022 |

John's Journal

A grandpa's final job before retiring as a pipefitter was at Xcel Energy Center, where he buried his boots in concrete under center ice. He was thrilled when his grandson played there a few years later.

John’s Journal: A Dream First Season For Girls Wrestling

March 6, 2022 |

John's Journal

Maddie Gallant grew up around wrestling. Her father is a former long-time wrestling coach and Maddie was a wrestling scorekeeper at Wadena-Deer Creek when she was in junior high. This season was different, because Maddie became a wrestler for the first time

John’s Journal: Good News, Good Deeds Are Everywhere

March 3, 2022 |

John's Journal

People share their appreciation after experiencing positivity in high school activities.

John’s Journal: The Pioneer Of Minnesota Girls Wrestling

March 2, 2022 |

John's Journal

As a team member at Fulda/Murray County Central in 2009, Elissa Reinsma became the first female to qualify for the state wrestling tournament.

John’s Journal: Fifty Years Ago, St. James Reigned Supreme

February 28, 2022 |

John's Journal

1971-72 was the most memorable year in St. James High School history, which was highlighted by state championships in wrestling and boys basketball. This year marks the 50th anniversary of those titles.

John’s Journal: The Payoff From 50 Years Of Title IX

February 25, 2022 |

John's Journal

“I feel like my generation was kind of the first wave for people to take very seriously; before that were the pioneers. They paved the way, they showed what women can do.”

John’s Journal: Searching For The Owner Of A 1967 MSHSL Medal

February 23, 2022 |

John's Journal

A medal from the 1967 MSHSL state speech tournament was found on a golf course in Colorado.