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The first game of any season in any sport is special. In Alden and Verndale, these games kicked off the high school football season in Minnesota; they were Zero Week contests in nine-player football, two of eight such games Thursday and Friday.

With a record of 91-20 since the beginning of the 2019 season, and with plenty of talented players back, the 2023 volleyball season could be another season to remember for Pequot Lakes.

A new banner hangs in a prominent spot on the wall inside the weight room at Mountain Iron-Buhl High School. Two team photos are prominent reminders of what the Rangers football and girls basketball teams accomplished last season: Minnesota State High School League state champions.

When the Alden-Conger/Glenville-Emmons football team went from 0-9 in 2021 to 5-4 in 2022, it opened some eyes. Coming back from an ofer season to win more than half your games is not an easy lift in football.

A handful of Minnesota high school football teams are on the practice field a week early as they begin preparations for the 2023 season. Sixteen teams will play Zero Week games on Aug. 24 or 25.

Mike Mahlen has been the head football coach at Verndale since 1969. That was the year when Neil Armstrong put a foot on the moon’s surface, the Woodstock music festival was held in upstate New York and Sesame Street made its television debut.

Despite fighting cancer, Luke Klassen never stopped running. He competed in every cross-country meet in 2022, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. That’s how important his teammates, his friends, his coaches and cross-country is to him.

“I didn't think it was going to get that big. But after I really thought about it as coming from a student, more people are going to think it's more of a problem, right? Everyone said they've been super proud, that they’re glad I did that or thankful I did that.”

Some female wrestling coaches are veteran teachers and coaches in other sports, some have children who wrestled, some are young women who have experience as wrestlers on the high school and college levels, and all are enthusiastic about this new opportunity for female athletes.

Tackle Cancer began 10 years ago, and by the time all the participating high schools and colleges in Minnesota send in the funds they have collected this fall, the 2022 total will exceed $400,000. In the decade that Tackle Cancer has existed, nearly $3 million has been raised to fight cancer.

It was a crazy, strange, head-spinning day for the Cardinals. Friday’s game was delayed at halftime because of lightning, then delayed again and again as the strikes continued. Finally, a decision was made to resume the game on Saturday morning. The second half began at 11 a.m. – 16 hours after the first-half kickoff.

As Hal Miller managed an MSHSL state tennis tournament for the 64th and final time before stepping away, he was grateful for all the friends he has made and all the fun he has had. And everyone who knows Hal Miller is beyond grateful to call him a friend.