News

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.

"We’re fierce competitors in the field, but their kids will stop every one of ours in the hallway and say hi, and it's just like it really truly represents the spirit of competition and adapted sports.”

The Cardinals boarded Cromwell-Wright school bus Number 7 at 10:30 a.m. and drove south for three and a half hours – with a lunch stop in Hinckley -- before arriving in Janesville to meet the Bulldogs of Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton. By the time they arrived home, they had been gone for more than 12 hours.

Rock Ridge is a new school district bringing together students from Virginia and Eveleth-Gilbert. Voters in those communities approved consolidating the two school districts into one as well as building a new high school and two new elementary schools. It’s the first newly consolidated school district in Minnesota in 15 years.

For about as long as anyone can remember, the Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels have been playing football on a spectacular throwback field tucked into a neighborhood on the edge of Willow River, surrounded by pine trees and bathed in tradition and success.

Here are five John's Journal stories that just missed out on Top 10 status for 2022-23 but are worthy of being named Honorable Mention.

A question came to mind as I began putting together this year's Top 10 John's Journal stories: How long have I been doing this? Well, it turns out that we are nearing the 10-year anniversary of this endeavor.

In a spring sports season that was delayed and delayed and delayed again by snow and cold and generally rotten weather, the last baseball teams standing in Class A (Fosston) and Class 2A (Esko) hail from up north.

Neither Claire Kodama nor Mac Harmer saw exactly where their golf ball ended up after bouncing onto the green on par-3 holes during the Class 2A state tournament this week. But the reaction of others was clear: Both had a hole-in-one.

Paul Twenge has coached more games than many coaches have played, coached or seen. Twenge brought a career coaching record of 977-956-11 into the state tournament; that’s 1,945 baseball games.

By the time Jared Delich and Jake Bradach returned home Saturday, they were worn out, and deservedly so. The two seniors from Rock Ridge High School had a memorable week competing at the state tournament. Make that two state tournaments. Or three, depending on how you look at it