CLC Winter Classic

The Central Lakes College Winter Classic basketball event will be Jan. 6 and 7 in the Brainerd campus gymnasium, with the Raiders hosting men's and women's teams from Vermilion (Ely), Hibbing, and Minnesota West (Worthington). The schedule: Friday, Jan. 6, 2 p.m. Women - Vermilion (2-8) vs. Mn West (9-4); 4 p.m. Men - Vermilion (8-5) vs. Mn West (4-6); 6p.m. Women - Hibbing (2-10) vs. CLC (5-6); 8 p.m. Men - Hibbing (6-6) vs. CLC (13-0). Saturday, Jan. 7, Noon Women - Mn West vs. Hibbing; 2 p.m. Men - Mn West vs. Hibbing; 4 p.m. Women - CLC vs. Vermilion; 6 p.m. Men - CLC vs. Vermilion. The concession stand will be open for the convenience of players and fans. Taylor Smaller of Vermilion leads the Northern Division with a 24.9 scoring average, 47.5% accuracy from the 3-point line, 4 steals per game and 6.5 assists per game. Teammate Kemp McCray tops the 2-point shot charts at 57.7% and rebounding with 13.5 per game. Hibbing's Handful Pour is averaging 17.3 points. Orie Brown of Mn West leads the Southern Division in scoring with 19.5 per game. CLC's Michael Farrington is No. 1 in steals (3.7 pg) and assists (8.5 pg) and second in field goal accuracy at 62.4%. Teammate Maurice Hernandez is third in scoring with a 16.5 average, and Ronnie Kornbaum is second in 3-pt. shooting at 46%.

Men roll to 13th win

Raiders keep streak alive

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team racked up win No. 13, 104-66, over Rainy River Dec. 17 in the finale of a two-day invitational on the Brainerd campus. Twelve players scored, led by Southern Division Player of the Week Michael Farrington (pictured) with 23 points. Kwamaine Johnson added 22, Maurice Hernandez 14, and Kahreem Horsley 11. The Raiders held a 49-28 rebounding edge and were led by Maurice with 8 and Kwamaine with 7. Michael led the assist department with six. Ronnie Kornbaum led in steals with three. CLC, which led 46-26 at the half, shot 51% from the field. The Raiders are on holiday break until Jan. 6 and 7 for the CLC Winter Classic with Vermilion, Hibbing, and Minnesota West.

Women fall

A late rally fell short vs. Rainy River for the Raider women, losing 61-58, to end a five-game win streak and fall to 5-6. The team shot just 33% from the field and 46% at the line and trailed at the midpoint, 25-22. They couldn't stop Lenae Rash, who scored 35 points for the Voyageurs. Jalynn Lamb had 15 points for CLC, Betsy Helmeke added 11, Nikki Pearson 8, and Elizabeth Mattson 7. Lindsey Roos had 8 rebounds and Betsy added 6. Nikki led in steals with 5 and she and Betsy each had 4 assists. With 4 seconds left, Kara Kotzer was at the free throw line for two shots as CLC trailed 60-58. She missed the first and then deliberately missed the second in hopes of a CLC rebound and put-back, but the deliberate miss didn't catch any iron and thus turned the ball over.

Raiders defeat FDL

Men win 12th

Maurice Hernandez scored 18 points as the NJCAA Division III’s top-ranked Central Lakes College Raiders (12-0) won, 97-52, over Fond Du Lac Friday night in the first round of the Central Lakes Invitational. Ronnie Kornbaum added 16, Kwamaine Johnson 13 and Brandon Davis 12. Michael Farrington contributed 11 assists, and Brandon Davis had nine rebounds. The Raiders shot 53% from the field, 31% from the line, and 42% from beyond the arc. They led 56-29 at the half.

Women win 5th straight

Jalynn Lamb led the Raider women with 18 points in a 80-64 win over Fond Du Lac, the fifth straight CLC victory after starting 0-5 this season. Nikki Pearson added 17 points and 3 steals and Elizabeth Mattson 12 (and 9 rebounds) and newcomer Hannah Lamberg 9 points. The Raiders made 39% of their shots from the field, 60% from the line, and 84% from the three-point arc. CLC held a 38-34 halftime lead.

Mays is All-American

Congratulations to sophomore defensive end Frank Mays of Central Lakes College, who is an All-American. Mays has received honorable mention on the Division III All-America team announced by the National Junior College Athletic Association. Frank had 47 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 2011 and 42 tackles and 6.5 sacks in 2010. The 6-foot-10, 255-pound standout from Bemidji earlier was named to the All-Southern Division first team of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, joined on that honor squad by sophomore teammates Dan Ngandali, Buffalo defensive back; Averey Duncan, Stillwater wide receiver; Greg Wright, Milaca linebacker; and Ryan Tri, Eden Valley wide receiver; and freshman Jared Hoemberg, Bertha defensive back. Five other Raiders were second team and five were honorable mention All-Division. CLC went 7-3 in the 2011 football season.

No. 1

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team moved up from No. 2 to the top spot in the Dec. 13 Division III rankings just released by the National Junior College Athletic Association. The 11-0 Raiders, who face to opponents this weekend which they have already defeated this season (Rainy River and Fond Du Lac), jumped past co-holders of the runner-up spot, Sullivan County (12-1, host site for the March national tournament) and Sandhills, and the previous leader, Herkimer County Community College, whose loss dropped it to No. 5. Roxbury is rated fourth. Rochester of Minnesota (8-2) is among those receiving votes after the Top 10.

Coaches, alums help conduct clinic

On Sat., Dec. 10, CLC volleyball coaches and alumni helped conduct the NCAA-AVCA Powerade kids clinic held at the University of Minnesota. CLC Head Coach Jane Peterson was the lead clinician who helped coordinate the clinic. Her assistant, Ken Miller, led a supporting cast that included ex-Raiders Lisa Litke Sorenson (coach of the Tartan High club in Oakdale), Melissa Otremba and Nate Altendahl (former student coach) of the Central Lakes Juniors, and Samantha Boyer (a coach for Club Liberty, Monticello). Ken Miller is the associate executive director for the North Country Region of USA Volleyball in which club teams compete throughout the winter and spring.

Teams win at Rainy River

Men win 11th

The Central Lakes College men's team built a 62-36 halftime lead and defeated Rainy River, 120-89, Saturday at International Falls -- win No. 11 for the second-ranked Raiders. Twelve Raiders scored and CLC made 47 of 98 shots (48 percent) from the field. The Raiders launched 38 from beyond the arc, converting 12 (32 percent). Maurice Hernandez led the scoring with 20 points, Brandon Davis added 17, Dylan Moorlag 15, Jesse Fleming 13, and Michael Farrington 11 plus 10 rebounds and 14 assists).

Women win 4th straight

The CLC women's basketball team downed Rainy River, 55-32, Saturday. Veteran Lindsey Roos (shown) scored 18 points and had five steals in one of her best games yet, and Elizabeth Mattson added 14 points, JaLynn Lamb 12 points and 9 rebounds, and Nikki Pearson hauled in 10 rebounds. The Raiders, who built a 30-13 halftime lead, have won four straight after losing their first five and are looking forward to going over .500 with games Friday vs. Fond Du Lac and Saturday vs. Rainy in the invitational at CLC.

Raiders defeat Hibbing

Men are 10-0

Balanced scoring with five players in double figures led the undefeated and NJCAA Division III second-ranked Central Lakes Raider men to a 83-59 win over Hibbing in a non-division game Friday night. It was their 10th straight against no losses. Ronnie Kornbaum led all scorers with 20 followed by Maurice Hernandez’s 14. Brandon Davis and Jesse Fleming added 13 each and Kwamaine Johnson scored 12 for CLC.

Women win third straight

Jalynn Lamb tallied 23 points and Kara Krotzer 15 as the Raider women won their third straight, 79-46, at Hibbing. Nikki Pearson added 11 points and seven assists and Emily Weber scored 11 in the non-division win. The Raiders held the Cardinals to 28 percent shooting. CLC converted 23 of 32 from the line. The CLC teams play Rainy River today at International Falls.

Raiders rout Concordia JV

Central Lakes College shot 61 percent from the field en route to a 115-59 win over the Concordia (Moorhead) JV Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Brainerd. Maurice Hernandez scored 22 points, Brandon Davis (pictured) added 16, and Cody Hoffman 15 for CLC. Five players scored from the three-point line for the Raiders, who are ranked second in the NJCAA Division III. The winners made 55 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.“The guards were looking out for me in the post so I was able to keep scoring,” said Maurice. “Everyone on the team has been so unselfish. We're finding each other and making good passes. Our defense has been unstoppable.”The Raiders built a 57-31 halftime lead on their way to a ninth straight season win against no losses. Next up is a road trip to Hibbing and International Falls for games vs. the Cardinals and Rainy River Voyageurs respectively Friday and Saturday.

Raiders ranked second in nation

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team (8-0) is ranked No. 2 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll this week, up one spot from the previous week. Herkimer County (8-0) of New York remains at the top. Sullivan County, N.Y., (10-1) dropped from No. 2 to No. 3. Rounding out the Top 10: 4. Sandhills, N.C. (10-0), 5. Roxbury, Mass. (6-0), 6, Brookhaven, Texas (14-1), 7. Mountain View, Texas (14-2), 7. Brookdale, N.J. (5-0), 9. Davidson County, N.C. (9-1), 10. Joliet JC, Ill. (6-2).

Raider teams defeat St. Cloud

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team ran its record to 8-0 on Sat., Dec.  with a 105-41 non-conference annihilation of St. Cloud Technical and Community College in the Raider gym. Ronnie Kornbaum with 19 and Kahreem Horsley led the scoring with 19 and 18 respectively. The Raiders shot 57 % from the field and hit 8 of 22 three-pointers. CLC takes its unblemished record against the Concordia JV in Brainerd Tuesday before going north this week, with a Friday battle at Hibbing and a Saturday test at the borderland of Rainy River in International Falls. CLC is ranked third in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll.

Women win 67-43
The CLC women picked up their second straight win, a 67-43 route of St. Cloud Technical and Community in the first game Sat., Dec. 3. Elizabeth Mattson and Emily Weber scored 14 points each and Lindsey Roos and Lena Montano each scored 11. The Raiders are now 2-5 with the rugged Southern Division slate just around the corner. The Raiders' upcoming opponents, Northern Division members Hibbing and Rainy River, are each coming off a lopsided loss to the powerful national defending champion Anoka-Ramsey Rams of the potent MCAC South. Both teams have losing records thus far in 2011-12.

Men win seventh

The Central Lakes College men, ranked third in National Junior College Athletic Association Division III, notched their seventh straight win of the season with a 113-60 victory over Fond du Lac in a non-division game Friday at CLC. Kwamaine Johnson leading the way with 20 points. Maurice Hernandez scored 19 followed by Ronnie Kornbaum’s 14. The Raiders shot 48 percent from the field, while holding Fon du Lac to 35 percent. “Thirteen guys played great and scored for us,” said Coach Jim Russell. “Kevin Kuefler led us with seven rebounds, but went down with a knee injury. Michael Farrington had a real nice game with 14 assists and no turnovers. Everyone was involved and we played good defense.”The winners also shot 58 percent from the floor, making 46 of 80 shots.

Women get first win

The Central Lakes women win their first game of the season Fri., Dec. 2 over Fond du Lac, 64-34, in Brainerd. Jalynn Lamb led all scorers with 20 points and also hauled in nine rebounds. Nine other Raiders scored led by Emily Weber’s eight points. “Everyone had a chance to play,” said  Coach Dennis Eastman. “We had 24 points off the bench. We just have to improve on our shooting.” The Raiders shot 37 percent (28-75) from the field, 50 percent from the line (7-14), and converted one of 13 three-point attempts. The win snapped a five-game losing streak.

Poor shooting hurts Raiders

Northland defeated the Central Lakes College women's basketball team, 58-44, Sat., Nov. 26 in Brainerd, the second time in 18 days that the Pioneers eluded the Raiders (61-51 Nov. 8). CLC’s Nikki Pearson led the 0-5 Raiders with 13 points in the non-division game. The Raiders’ Jalynn Lamb and Elizabeth Mattson each scored seven points. The Raiders shot just 26 percent from the field and 42 percent from the line, converting just 20 percent from the 3-point arc. Northern-Division Northland (4-2) hit just 29 percent from the floor but made 24 of 32 free throws (77 percent). CLC hosts Fond du Lac Friday at 6 p.m. and St. Cloud Technical Saturday at 1 p.m.

Raider men to 6-0

The NJCAA third-ranked Central Lakes College Raider men's basketball team defeated Northland, 63-42, with great defense and balanced scoring Sat., Nov. 26 to notch win No. 6 against no losses.  Eleven Raiders scored while converting 44 percent from the field and 55 percent from the line. CLC held the Pioneers to 34 percent shooting from the field and 10 percent from the arc. Leading the way for the Raiders was Kevin Kuefler with 10 points, Kwamaine Johnson and Michael Farrington (pictured) with 9 each. Ronnie Kornbaum led the rebounding stats with 6 and Farrington with 5 led in assists.  This was the second win vs. Northland (3-3), which CLC defeated 87-59 on Nov. 8. The Raiders will play Fond du Lac at CLC Friday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m., and host St. Cloud Tech Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m.

Game time change

The start time of the Saturday, Nov. 26 basketball games in the Brainerd gym at CLC between Northland and Central Lakes College have been changed to 3 p.m. for the women and 5 p.m. for the men.

Player of the Week

Central Lakes College's Maurice Hernandez, a 6-4 sophomore guard from St. Paul, is the Southern Division Player of the Week in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. He has been instrumental in the 5-0 start by the Raiders this basketball season. Last week Maurice averaged 24.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 6.5 steals, and 2.5 assists. Through five games he is averaging 18.4 points and fourth in Southern Division scoring, converting 53.5 percent of his shots. He is third in rebounding with 8.4 per game. Michael Farrington and Maurice are averaging 3 steals per game as leaders in that category among Southern Division players.

Game canceled

The Tuesday women's basketball game scheduled at Central Lakes College between the Raiders and the Concordia College (Moorhead) junior varsity has been canceled due to lack of Concordia players. It will not be re-scheduled. Next games for CLC basketball will be Saturday, Nov. 26 with the Northland Pioneers coming to Brainerd. The women play at 5 p.m. and the men will follow at 7 p.m.

Raiders lose bowl game

Central Lakes College fell, 42-12, to Iowa Central in the Graphic Edge Bowl today in Cedar Falls,Iowa. It was the third straight defeat in as many bowl game appearances for Coach Greg Medeck's Raiders, who finished the 2011 season with a 7-3 record. The Tritons (6-4) led, 28-0 at halftime, using a pair of fumbles by QB Carson Wessinger (12-27-1-137 yds.) and a number of defensive lapses to dominate play. In the second half the spread went to 42-0 before the Raiders got untracked and into Triton territory. Interceptions and a poor punt stymied CLC until the fourth quarter. The Raiders marched 66 yards in 8 plays to get their first TD on 26-yard Wessinger-John Ulrich pass but missed the point-after to trail 42-6 with 8 minutes to go. Jordan Hayes (11-28) ran one yard for the last TD with 2:34 left. CLC had five turnovers and just 33 yards of total offense through three quarters. The winners outgained CLC, 358-199. "We just ran into a very good football team," said Coach Medeck. ICCC has now won six straight bowl games, mainly in the "friendly" confines of the UNI-Dome.

Men win fifth, women lose fourth

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team defeated the Bismarck State College Mystics, 89-65, for their fifth straight win Sat., Nov. 19 in the Warren Arman Classic, Bismarck, N.D. They started slowly and sent the hosts to the free-throw line much of the first half before taking a 36-27 lead on the strength of steals by Cody Hofmann and Michael Farrington and inside rebounding. Kahreem Horsley's put-back and three-pointer near the end of the half gave the Raiders a 36-22 lead before the Mystics closed the gap with free throws. Ronnie Kornbaum's outside shooting and some timely free throws propelled a second-half burst as CLC led 65-46 at the 10-minute mark and 85-61 with 2:26 to go. The CLC women lost their fourth straight, 86-42, to the BSC team. Nikki Pearson scored 12 points, Jalynn Lamb had 9 rebounds, and Emily Weber had 7 rebounds for CLC.

Raiders win fourth

BISMARCK — The Central Lakes College men's basketball team created 31 turnovers en route to a 81-62 win over United Tribes in the first round of the Warren Arman Memorial Classic Friday, Nov. 18. Maurice Hernandez tallied 26 points, Kwamaine Johnson 17 points, six assists and five steals, and Ronnie Kornbaum pumped four 3-pointers to finish with 17 points. The Raiders out-rebounded the United Tribes 37-33. The Raiders (4-0) play Bismarck State today at 4 p.m., followed by the CLC women vs. Bismarck State at 6 p.m.

Women lose

The Central Lakes College women's basketball team lost to United Tribes Technical College of Bismarck, 73-62, Friday, Nov. 18 in the Warren Arman Classic at Bismarck State. It was an error-filled game as 35 Raider turnovers led to 27 points for the Thunderbirds. The winners took an early lead and remained a step ahead of CLC all the way. CLC's Jalynn Lamb led all scorers with 16 points. Betsy Helmeke added 10, followed by Lindsey Roos, Lena Montano and Nikki Pearson with nine each. Emily Weber had nine rebounds. The 0-3 Raiders next play the host Mystics of Bismarck State Saturday at 6 p.m. after the men's game at 4 p.m.

Basketball webcast

The Raider men's and women's basketball games at the Warren Arman Classic Invitational at Bismarck State in North Dakota will be LIVE VIDEO streamed on the Internet at the following website: http://www.ihigh.com/bismarckstatecollege/
Games are
Friday (today) 2 p.m., CLC women vs. United Tribes
4 p.m., CLC men vs. United Tribes
Saturday (tomorrow) 4 p.m., CLC women vs. Bismarck State
6 p.m., CLC men vs. Bismarck State

Bowl game on Internet

The Central Lakes College football team's 11 a.m. Sunday Graphic Edge Bowl game vs. Iowa Central in Cedar Falls, Iowa, will be available for viewing as live video at the following site:

www.ihigh.com/njcaatv and at www.ihigh.com/iccac

Basketball at Itasca

MEN
The undefeated (3-0) Central Lakes College men's basketball team upended Itasca, 81-52, Tuesday at Grand Rapids in a non-division triumph. Thirteen Raiders scored, led by Maurice Hernandez with 18 and Kevin Kuefler (pictured) with 15 (plus nine rebounds). CLC committed just 11 turnovers. The rest of the scoring: Alonzo Williams 2, Cody Hofmann 7, Michael Farrington 6, Ronnie Kornbaum 7, Roberto Lopez 3, Kwamaine Johnson 1, Brandon Davis 4, Matt Christenson 4, Michael Lindsay 8, Brent Koehler 4, Dylan Moorlag 2. CLC shot 47 percent from the field, 35 percent from beyond the arc (6-17), and 65 percent from the line. Next: at Bismarck, N.D., Friday, 4 p.m.
WOMEN
Lindsey Roos (pictured) scored 21 points for the Raider women, but the Itasca Vikings rallied for a 58-55 non-division win. Nikki Pearson had 10 points and eight rebounds for CLC, which led 26-25 at the half. The Raiders were 9-10 from the foul line. Elizabeth Mattson scored 10 points and Jalynn Lamb added six. Big Randa Glazier, one of the outstanding veterans in the MCAC, had 26 for the winners. The Raiders (0-2) next are at the Warren Arman Classic, Bismarck, N.D., for a 2 p.m. game Friday.

Raiders honored

Blaine sophomore Melissa Widman of Central Lakes College was named to the Minnesota College Athletic Conference All-State volleyball team. She was also First Team All-Northern Division. In the regular season, Melissa averaged 2.4 kills per game, helping CLC to an 11-3 record in the Northern Division of the MCAC, 16-11 overall. Freshmen Hayley Hornick of New Ulm and Carlie Sweet of Brainerd were named to the All-Northern Division Second Team. CLC finished its 2011 season at Thief River Falls Oct. 28, losing a first-round Region 13B battle to Itasca in three games. Itasca (19-11) lost to Northland (24-2) in the championship, 3-1, so Northland earned the national tournament berth from 13B. CLC athletes among the Northern Division statistical leaders -- the Top 10 -- this season were Carlie in attack percentage and kills, Alice Widmark in serving aces, Melissa in kills, Hayley in digs, and Abbi Knutson in set assists.

All-Division picks

Six Central Lakes College Raiders were named to the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Southern Division football first team. First-team elections were Frank Mays, DL, Bemidji; Dan Ngandali, DB, Buffalo; Averey Duncan, WR, St. Bernard’s; Greg Wright, LB, Milaca; Jared Hoemberg, DB, Bertha-Hewitt; and Ryan Tri, WR, Eden Valley-Watkins. Making the second team were Riley Kampsen, OL, Paynesville; Austin Manzey, LB, Watertown (S.D.); Jake Scherer, OL, Eden Valley-Watkins; Taz Seibert, RB, Norwood-Young America; and Aaron White, RB, Menomonie (Wis.). Receiving honorable mention were Dominique Murphy, DB, Sioux Falls (S.D.); Peter Stenger, DL, Eden Valley-Watkins; Jordan Bialke, LB, Foley; Dustin Yorek, OL, Little Falls; and Matt Mogere, DB, Monticello. Central Lakes College (7-2) plays Iowa Central Community College(5-4) in the Graphic Edge Bowl at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, 11 a.m. Nov. 20.

Raiders win close one

The Central Lakes College men's basketball team improved to 2-0 Saturday, Nov. 12 as the Raiders defeated the Quakerdale Promise Academy (New Providence, Iowa, record 3-5) Eagles, 59-57, in the CLC gym. Sophomore Maurice Hernandez hit the winning basket with 1 second to go, taking a perfect pass from Michael Farrington as he drove to the basket with 6 seconds left. The Raiders' leading scorer was sophomore Kwamaine Johnson with 12, followed by Maurice with 11. Leading rebounders were Kevin Kuefler with 7 and Maurice with 9, and assist leader was Michael with 6. This was the first meeting between CLC and Quakerdale, which last season (first year of basketball) won the National Invitational Prep/Post Grad Championship.

Bowl game

The 15th-ranked Central Lakes College football team (NJCAA Div. III, Nov. 8) has accepted an invitation to play in the 2011 Graphic Edge Bowl game Nov. 20 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Raiders will play unranked Iowa Central Community College of Fort Dodge at 11 a.m. in the UNI Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. The Raiders have a 7-2 record and ICCC is 5-4. The Tritons compete in the eight-team Midwest Football Conference, which includes Ellsworth and Iowa Western (No. 11 in NJCAA poll ) from the Hawkeye state, DuPage, Harper, and Joliet from Illinois, 11-0 champion Grand Rapids of Michigan (No. 4 in NJCAA poll), and North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D. Two years ago Ellsworth defeated CLC, 64-7. In the 3 p.m. Graphic Edge Bowl game, tenth-ranked 11-0 Rochester, the 2011 champion of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (45-14 vs. Northland) will play Iowa Western (8-2).

Basketball opener results

MEN
The Central Lakes College men's basketball team defeated Northland, 87-59, Tuesday night at Thief River Falls, led by Maurice Hernandez (16 points), Michael Farrington (15), and Roberto Lopez (15). "It was a great team effort," said CLC Coach Jim Russell, who noted that 50 of his team's 87 points were scored by non-starters. “We got a lot of fast break points and got Northland to turn the ball over 30 times. We took care of the basketball ourselves and only had 10 turnovers.” Brandon Davis added eight points and led with six rebounds. Michael turned in eight assists. Roberto was five of six from the field and the Raiders made 33 of 63 shots (52 percent) including eight of 16 from three-point range.
WOMEN
The CLC women dropped their first game to the Northland Pioneers, 61-51, after taking an early 10-point lead over the home team. Elizabeth Nelson scored 19 points and Nikki Pearson added another 18. “We were up 12-2 in the first five minutes,” said Raider Coach Dennis Eastman, “and then we let our guard down and let them back in the game.” Nikki and Lena Montano each pulled down seven rebounds for the Raiders who shot only 36 percent (21-59) from the field and 50% from the line.“Our biggest thing was turnovers” said Dennis. “We had 25 of them, 10 of them unforced. “Our freshmen got a taste for the speed of a college game and we now know what we have to work on. It was a good learning experience for the first game.”

First games tonight

The 2011-12 Central Lakes College basketball season starts at Thief River Falls tonight (Tues., Nov. 8), when the Raiders battle the Northland Pioneers. Gametime is 6 p.m. for the women and 8 p.m. for the men. The CLC women have more veterans than they had at this time last season, Five sophomores are on the 11-player roster announced by Coach Dennis Eastman. All are from the local area: Milaca to New York Mills. Nikki Pearson is the only returning CLC starter from a team that went 8-19. Northland has one returning starter from a team that was 15-13 last year. The CLC men are coming off a 26-3 record season -- most wins ever in a single season -- but they would like to go further than they did last season, when they lost to Anoka-Ramsey in the semi-finals of the state tournament. Coach Jim Russell has 17 players on the roster, which is the most ever. Their goal: the NJCAA tournament. Kwamaine Johnson (pictured) is the lone returning CLC starter. Northland returns 3 starters from a 19-9 season.

Young Raiders end season

The 2011 Central Lakes College volleyball season ended Friday at Thief River Falls, when the second-seeded Raiders lost in the Region 13B semifinal. Sophomore Melissa Widman (pictured) had 20 digs and Alanna Hansen added 10 kills against third-seeded Itasca, whom CLC had twice defeated during the regular campaign. The 3-0 loss was by identical game scores of 22-25. CLC finishes at 16-11. Itasca advanced to the championship against the host Northland Pioneers (23-2). Carlie Sweet contributed nine kills and four blocks. Alice Widmark added five kills and seven digs. Abbi Knutson finished with 31 set assists and eight digs and Hayley Hornick tallied 13 digs . “The other team was good,” said Coach Jane Peterson. “You have to give some credit. They played good defense and we were not our best. I think the pressure got to us. We were a young team and played like a young team.”

Season ends

The Ridgewater Warriors upset our 20th-ranked Central Lakes College Raiders, 26-14, in the final regular-season football game of the 2011 season. The CLC season ends with a 7-2 record while Ridgewater stays alive in the MCAC playoffs at 6-3. The difference: One Southern Division loss for the victors, 2 for CLC. The Raiders also relinquished "Paul Bunyan's Axe" as part of the friendly rivalry. It had been showcased on the Brainerd campus since the inception of the contest. The last two years, the Raiders went a combined 17-4, won the Division championship in 2010 and played in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in Phoenix last December. “It’s a special group of guys, who have made my life very enjoyable, and I value every minute that I have had with them and being able to work them," said Coach Greg Medeck. The Raiders played their typical style of stingy defense as they allowed just 124 total yards to the Warriors. CLC turned the ball over eight times and gave Ridgewater a short field on all four scoring drives.
Images by Mark Slupe for CLC http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

Raiders sweep Rainy River

The Central Lakes College volleyball team won its final regular-season match Wed., Oct. 19, 3-0, at International Falls. The Raiders defeated the host Rainy River Voyageurs, 25-21, 25-21, 25-21, to finish in second place in the Northern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference at 11-3. Next up is the Region 13B tournament. Contenders at this meet are Itasca (18-10) and Rainy River (18-12). On Friday, Oct. 28 No. 2 seed CLC plays No. 3 seed Itasca at 7 p.m. following the 5 p.m. No. 1 Northland (22-2) vs. No. 4 Rainy River match. The winners from those 2 matches play on Sat., Oct. 29 ay 1 p.m. in the Northland gym at Thief River Falls for the right to compete in the NJCAA Division III national championship tournament Nov. 11 and 12 in Rochester. Carli Sweet (pictured) of CLC was named All-Around Northern Division Player of the Week for Oct. 24, according to the MCAC report. She averaged 3.3 kills/game and 2.3 blocks/game and had an attack percentage of .500 with only one error and added a pair of digs. She is a freshman from Brainerd. Abbi Knutson was named Setter of the Week for having 36 assists (12.0/game) and averaged 8.48 set assists/game during the season. She is a freshman from Watkins.

Raiders shut out Ironmen

The Central Lakes College football team continued to roll in Minnesota College Athletic Conference play Saturday, shutting out Vermilion at Ely, 34-0. It was the seventh win in eight starts for the 19th-ranked Raiders, who play their final home game of 2011 this week, a 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 Battle for the Axe vs. Ridgewater at Findorff Field. The Raiders charged to a 20-0 halftime lead behind TD runs of 11 yards from Taz Seibert and 4 yards by Aaron White in the first quarter, with QB Carson Wessinger firing a 44-yard TD strike to Ryan Tri in the second stanza. Gabe Eppert kicked two of his four PATs in the first period. CLC put a couple more TDs up in the third, with QB Skyler Shearer tossing passes of 24 and 17 yards to wide receiver Averey Duncan to wrap up the scoring. The Raiders gained 161 yards on the ground, led by White's 85 in 20 carries and Seibert's 48 on 8 runs. Wessinger was 6-13 for 89 yards and Shearer 6-15 and 74 yards. Each QB threw one interception. Duncan's only catches of the day were scoring plays. Tri gained 56 yards on two receptions. Seibert caught 3 for 30 total yards. The teams each tried 74 plays from scrimmage, with CLC holding the home team to -22 yards on theground and 85 through the air. The total yardage edge: CLC 324, Vermilion 63. Greg Wright (pictured) recovered two Ironman fumbles, Dilan Gastecki had one. Go Raiders!

Raiders get 15th win

CLOQUET — Carlie Sweet’s 15 kills led Central Lakes College to a 3-0 Northern Division volleyball win Saturday, Oct. 15 over Fond du Lac in Minnesota College Athletic Conference action. It was the 15th match win in 25 starts for CLC. Abbi Knutson notched 30 set assists, eight digs and three ace serves for the Raiders, who are 10-3 in the division going into the next battle at Rainy River in International Falls. Melissa Widman recorded nine digs and seven kills. “We have had a lot of big games in a row," said Head Coach Jane Peterson. " We have kept showing up, so that is encouraging. Wednesday’s match against Rainy River will determine a lot.” Go Raiders!

Raiders sweep Itasca

GRAND RAPIDS — Carlie Sweet slammed 10 kills and fueled the defense with six blocks as the Central Lakes Raiders volleyball team defeated Itasca, 3-0, in a Northern Division of the a Minnesota College Athletic Conference match Friday. CLC and Itasca each entered contest with an 8-3 league record. CLC's win solidified a hold on second place in the North. Alanna Hansen and Emily Weber each had eight kills and Abbi Knutson launched 37 set assists. Libero Hayley Hornick had 16 digs. “This was pretty much a game for second place and we showed up,” said Head Coach Jane Peterson. Set scores were 25-21, 25-19, 25-15. CLC (14-10) is scheduled to play at Fond Du Lac today at noon. Go Raiders!

Northland edges Raiders

The division-leading Northland Pioneers (20-1), ranked fifth in the naton, won their second match of the season over Central Lakes College Wed., Oct. 12, 3-1, in the Brainerd campus gym. After dropping Game One, 13-25, the Raiders managed to win Game Two, 25-19, but errors plagued CLC’s momentum. The visitors won the final two games by the same score, 20-25. The Raiders finished with 14 attack errors and eight service errors. The Raiders were led offensively by Melissa Widman’s 10 kills. Emily Weber and Alanna Hansen each finished with nine. Widman added 12 digs followed by Hayley Hornick and Crysta Christensen with 11. “We just served tough and dominated the net in that second game,” said CLC Head Coach Jane Peterson. “They didn’t have big hits. They couldn’t get to the ball and we blocked some balls. They aren’t used to being blocked. They’re used to just pounding it repeatedly and no one touching it. I think our block did a pretty good job. Even when the block isn’t touching, it’s still doing the right thing a lot of the time.” Next: CLC at Itasca (Grand Rapids) Friday, 6:30 p.m. and at Fond du Lac (Cloquet) Saturday, noon. CLC record 13-10 overall, 8-3 Northern Division of MCAC.

Players of the Week

Two Central Lakes College football players have been honored as Players of the Week ending Oct. 8 in the Southern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference as nominated by Head Coach Greg Medeck. The awards come after the 49-14 win over Minnesota West last Saturday. It was the sixth win in seven games for the 2011 Raiders, who are ranked No. 19 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll as of Oct. 11. Sophomore defensive back Dan Ngandali from Buffalo was the Defensive Player of the Week. Against Minnesota West, Dan made five tackles and returned an interception for a 46-yard score. Special Teams Player of the Week was Freshman Sean Nokken from Pillager. He returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown against Minnesota West.

Raiders defeat Mn West

Sophomore wide receiver Averey Duncan of St. Paul (left) caught three touchdown passes from freshman quarterback Carson Wessinger of St. John, Virgin Islands as the Central Lakes College Raiders won their sixth football game of the season, 49-14, over Minnesota West Sat., Oct. 8 at Findorff Field in Brainerd. The 20th-ranked Raiders led 28-6 at halftime, with Jared Hoemberg's interception the last big play of the CLC-dominant period. The scoring began with 13:44 left in the first quarter as Dan Ngandali taking a pass interception 43 yards. Gabe Eppert booted the first of his five PATs for the lead CLC would never relinquish on a drizzly, slippery afternoon. Taz Seibert scooted two yards with 5:46 to go in the first for the next TD after passes to Taz and Averey paced the attack. At 3:19 the Blue Jays popped over from a yard to get their first TD, but the PAT kick was blocked and Matt Mogere took it 85 yards for two points and a 16-6 Raider lead. Averey's athleticism added two more TDs in the second quarter as he caught passes of 35 and 13 yards from Carson to give CLC a 28-6 edge. Averey finished with six catches for 122 yards. Along the way Jared had two interceptions and running back Aaron White had some good runs for gainers. Jordan Hayes employed great quickness and pass-catching finesse to extend the offensive threat. White's 23-yard sprint for a third quarter score was nullified by a personal foul on Duncan and holding on another CLC player. Carson did his Fran Tarkenten impersonation to scramble for big yardage, setting up a 10-yard scoring strike to Averey, and Gabe's kick made it 35-6. Jared showed a deceptive versatility as the third quarter ended, tossing a 30-yard fake punt pass to Ryan Tri. As the fourth quarter began, Logan Baker ran 4 yards and Eppert kicked for a 42-6 lead as reserves took the field. Sean Nokken, a freshman from Pillager, bolted for the longest score of the day, a 62-yard punt return with 11:07 left, and Gabe's kick made it 49-6. The visitors scored on a 4-yard run with 8:26 left and the PAT pass made it 49-14 against Raider reserves. The game was delayed with just over 5 minutes to go when Bluejay receiver Brett Doeder, who had several outstanding catches, went down with a leg injury that required a 15-minute wait for the ambulance. The last big play came at 4:30 when Taylor Hradsky blocked a Mn West field goal attempt. This was one of CLC's best defensive games, and one that provides a vison of good things ahead if CLC gets another shot at unbeaten Rochester. CLC plays at Vermilion Sat., Oct. 15 before the last home game Oct. 22 vs. Ridgewater. Then, it's playoff time.

Raiders return the favor

The Raider volleyball team on Sat., Oct. 8 returned the favor. The Raiders avenged a 3-1 loss by winning 3-1 vs. Mesabi Range. On Sept. 16 at Virginia, the Norse had taken 3 of 4 games. This time on the Brainerd court, CLC emerged as the winner by game scores of 25-22, 25-29, 21-25, 25-16. The triumph was the sixth straight match win for Coach Jane Peterson's chargers, who have climbed into the Northern Division hunt. Their next battle is with the Division leading Northland team which hasn't lost to any other division team and is ranked fifth in the national Division III poll. It's a home showdown for CLC on Wed., Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. Vs. Mesabi Range Carlie Sweet (pictured) had 16 kills, Alanna Hansen 11. Abbi Knutson had 44 set assists. While the Norse had their usual power punch with 6-3 outside hitter Morgan Hanson, a number of times the Raiders showed more overall strength throughout the line-up as each player continues to improve. From digs and blocks to serves, sets, and well-timed kills, the Raiders played more like a sophomore unit. The line-up in action Saturday included sophomore Melissa Widman and freshmen Hayley Hornick, Knutson, Crysta Christensen, Sweet, Emily Weber, Kaylie Hanson, Alice Widmark, and Hansen. CLC is now 12-9 overall, 8-2 in the division. The win secured CLC a spot in the post-season play-offs.

Raiders to 7-2 in division

The Central Lakes College volleyball team upped its record to 7-2 in the Northern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference by defeating Vermilion, 3-0, on Friday, Oct. 7 in Brainerd. Alanna Hansen slapped 10 kills and stuffed 3 blocks in the sweep, which was by scores of 25-22, 25-10, and 25-20. The overall record went to 12-9 going into today's revenge match vs. Mesabi Range at noon in the CLC gym. Abbi Knutson had 35 set assists, Crysta Christensen 7 kills, 2 ace serves, and 2 digs, and Emily Weber popped 8 kills to go with 1 dig.

Raiders sweep Hibbing

The Central Lakes College volleyball team has swept the season series against Hibbing. The Raiders swept the Cardinals Wed., Oct. 5 in Brainerd, 25-18, 25-11, and 25-21. Freshman Abbi Knutson (left) stroked 9 kills, 17 set assists and 4 digs in the win, the sixth in 8 Northern Division matches for the second-place Raiders. Northland is unbeaten in 8. Reserve Betsy Helmeke produced 7 digs in the later part of the match, and freshmen Crysta Christensen and Hayley Hornick each had 6. The Raiders lost to the University of Minnesota-Morris junior varsity, 14-25, 22-25, and 16-25 in the nightcap. Abbi had another 17-set assist match. Hayley and Crysta each had 7 digs. Jazmin Massie tallied 6 kills, Carlie Sweet 5, and Alice Widmark 4. All are freshmen. The Raiders next host Vermilion Friday night (6:30), Mesabi Range Saturday (noon), and Northland Wed., Oct. 12.

Cody Cederberg qualifies

EAST GULL LAKE — Sophomore Cody Cederberg of Hawley has qualified to represent Central Lakes College in the NJCAA Division III national tournament. On Tuesday, Oct. 4 Cody carded a 75 to total 152 over 36 holes and take runner-up medalist honors just one stroke shy of the top spot at the Region XIII and MCAC state golf tournament at the Cragun’s Legacy course. The national tournament starts June 5 in New York. Over the last 18 holes Cody (77-75=152) was two strokes better than eventual medalist Ross Winters of Rochester (74-77=151) . CLC’s John Sund came in at 168 followed by Nate Richards (174), Taylor Wilke (204) and Morgan Quinn (224). Katie Tast was the only female CLC golfer in the tournament. She shot a two-day 199. Images from the tournament may be found on the CLC Athletics-Golf web page and also at http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04
Photo by Mark Slupe

Cederberg 2nd, Tast 7th

Central Lakes College golfers Cody Cederberg and Katie Tast are second and seventh, respectively, after the first day of the Region XIII and MCAC golf tournament at The Legacy at Cragun's. Play concludes today, determining who advances to the NJCAA championship tournaments next spring. Cederberg fired a 77 to pace the Raider men's team, which is in fifth place after 18 holes. Nate Richards shot 83, John Sund 84, Taylor Wilke 106, and Morgan Quinn 110. The team total of 350 counts the best four scores. The team totals: M State 320, Rochester 334, SW Wisconsin Tech 340, Mesabi Range 348, CLC 350, Bismarck 351, Hibbing 392. On the women's side CLC's Tast, a freshman from Big Lake, shot a 98. First-day leader Melissa Hill of Mesabi Range carded a sensational 79 for an eight-stroke lead. Bismarck College is the lone school with a full team and thus will qualify for the national meet. Four Bismarck golfers shot 98 or better.

4-0 for the week

The Central Lakes College volleyball Raiders wrapped up their four-win week on Saturday, Oct. 1 with decisions over Fond du Lac (3-0) and Anoka-Ramsey (3-1) in the CLC gym. Earlier in the week CLC defeated Rainy River and Itasca, giving the Raiders a 4-0 record to start their homestand. Now 5-2 in the Division and 10-8 overall, the team awaits Hibbing (5 p.m.) and the University of Minnesota-Morris JV (8 p.m.) on Wed., Oct. 5 in home matches. Abbi Knuston (pictured) had 22 set assists, 3 digs, 1 block, 2 ace serves, and 4 kills in the win over FDL, and she followed with 42 sets, 8 digs, 2 blocks, 4 ace serves, and 1 kill in the win vs. A-R. Match scores were CLC vs. FDL: 25-8, 25-18, 16-15; vs. A-R: 24-26, 25-21, 25-19, 25-17. Among stats vs. FDL: Crysta Christensen 11 digs, 6 kills; vs. A-R: Melissa Widman 12 kills, 19 digs, 3 blocks; Alanna Hanssen 11 kills, Hayley Hornick 16 digs.

Big first half aids FB win

The Central Lakes College football team ran its record to 5-1 with a 26-6 win at Fergus Falls to spoil the Spartans' homecoming Sat., Oct. 1. All the scoring came in the first half. Taz Seibert was the first Raider to hit the endzone on a 9-yard scamper. Jordan Hayes did likewise, scoring on a 22-yard run for a 12-0 first-quarter lead. Hayes plunged a yard in the second period and QB Carson Wessinger fired the 2-point PAT pass to Ryan Tri (pictured). The last tally was a 15-yard pass TD from Wessinger to Averey Duncan. Seibert carried 18 times for 109 yards and Hayes 9 times for 49 yards as the Raiders managed 193 yards on the ground. Wessinger completed 15 of 17 passes for 128 yards. Skyler Shearer hooked up on 3 of 4 and 35 yards. CLC had 173 air yards as Ryan Mills added a 10-yard pass. Jared Hoemberg's only attempt was intercepted. Eleven Raiders were receivers for the diversified passing game. The hosts managed just 166 yards of offense against the tough-as-nails Raider defense. Nate Bigley had an interception and Pete Stenger and Nate Hofman each had fumble recoveries. CLC hosts Minnesota West on Sat., Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m.
Photo by Mike Welde, courtesy of Craig Olson Sports

Raiders knock off Itasca

Improving with each match, the Central Lakes College Raider volleyball team knocked off the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Northern Division leader, Itasca, in four games Friday, Sept. 30 on the CLC court. Itasca won the first set, 24-26, and then the Raiders mounted the decisive campaign, 25-15, 25-23, and 25-22. The Vikings came in tied for the top of the Division at 5-0, while CLC had been in the middle of the pack. Team play made the difference for the young Raiders, with the lone starting sophomore, Melissa Widman, in a leadership role. She had 18 kills, 2 ace serves, 17 digs, and a block. Crysta Christensen added 8 kills, one ace, 9 digs, and 2 blocks. Carlie Sweet slapped 11 kills, 3 ace serves and managed 2 blocks. Abbi Knutson delivered 45 set assists. Alanna Hansen nailed 9 kills and put up 3 blocks. Hayley Hornick popped 12 digs. Emily Weber produced 6 kills. Kaylie Hanson fired a pair of ace serves and scooped 8 digs. CLC plays Fond du Lac at noon and Aboka-Ramsey at 4 today in the Brainerd campus gym. The Raiders are 4-2 in the Division and 8-8 overall.

Good to be home

After nearly a month of volleyball matches away from home, the Central Lakes College Raiders returned to Brainerd Wed., Sept. 28 to open a nine-match homestand with a Northern Division win over Rainy River. CLC escaped with a 3-2 win over the International Falls team, giving the Raiders their third Division win against two losses thus far in the 2011 season. Scores were 25-15, 18-25, 18-25, 25-18, 15-10. It was the first match on the home court since Sept. 2, when the Raiders lost to Minnesota State Community and Technical College. Emily Weber and Melissa Widman both had 10 kills and Carlie Sweet nine. Abbi Knutson had 40 set assists. Sweet and Alanna Hansen put up five blockes apiece, Defensively, Crysta Christensen (pictured) dug out 17 and Hayley Hornick 15. CLC played 12 of the first 14 matches on the road and now has home-court competition through Oct. 12 with the visitors being Itasca Sept. 30 (6:30, Fond du Lac (noon) and Anoka Ramsey (4 p.m.) Oct. 1, Hibbing (5 p.m.) and the University of Minnesota-Morris JV (8 p.m.) Oct. 5, Vermilion Oct. 7 (6:30 p.m.), Mesabi Range Oct. 8 (noon), and Northland Oct. 12 (6:30 p.m.).

Rochester 12, CLC 2

In a showdown of unbeatens in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, the host Rochester Yellowjackets prevailed, 12-2, over the 17th-ranked Central Lakes College Raiders on Sat., Sept. 24 in Rochester Regional Sports Stadium. It was the first loss in five games for the Raiders. Austin Manzey's punt block in the first quarter gave CLC a 2-0 lead that held up until the third quarter, when Rochester scored 9 points. The Yellowjackets added a fourth-quarter field goal to notch their fifth straight win. Caleb Leichtnam tied a Rochester school record with four interceptions for the 20th-ranked Yellowjackets. Cornerback BJ Hendrix added 3 interceptions for the winners. CLC managed just 85 yards rushing, but QB Carson Wessinger passed 20 times (64 yards) and Skyler Shearer 14 times (84 yards) along with Jared Hoemberg's 18-yarder to total 166 yards with eight different receivers through the air. On the downside, Shearer was picked four times and Wessinger twice = 6 interceptions. Taz Seibert threw once, also an interception (that's 7 total interceptions). CLC's stats show Rochester netted just 128 yards of offense compared with the Raiders' 251. Jordan Bialke and Matt Mogere each had a fumble recovery for CLC. Rochester also scored on a blocked punt safety. Rochester scored the only TD on a 25-yard pass in the third quarter. A short fourth-quarter field goal sealed the win for the Yellowjackets.Next: CLC (4-1) at MSCTC (Fergus Falls, Homecoming), Sat., Oct. 1, 1:30 p.m.

Raiders lose

THIEF RIVER FALLS — The Central Lakes College Raiders volleyball team fell in three sets to Northland Wed., Sept. 21. Scores: 19-25, 24-26, 16-25. Alanna Hansen had 8 kills, Abbi Knutson 27 set assists and 7 digs, and Hayley Hornick 13 digs. Melissa Widman added 2 kills and 7 digs. Crysta Christensen provided 3 kills 4 digs, and 4 ace serves. Betsy Helmeke had 2 digs. Carlie Sweet had 7 kills, 2 digs, and 2 blocks. Emily Weber had 3 kills and 1 block. Kaylie Hanson had 3 digs. Alice Widmark had 5 kills, 2 ace serves, 4 digs, and 1 block. The Raiders are 2-2 in the Northern Division of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference, 6-8 overall, and next play Rainy River at 6 p.m. Wed., Sept. 28 in the CLC gym.

CLC, Cederberg second

The Central Lakes College men's golf team finished second a the Spartan Invitational played at Pebble Lake Golf Course, Fergus Falls, on Monday, Sept. 19. The Raiders totaled 335 strokes on the par 72 lay-out, following the host Minnesota State Community and Technical College Spartans at 296. Hibbing was third. Cody Cederberg of CLC fired a 73 and tied for runner-up honors among the best individuals. Mitch Thorsen of M State was medalist at 71. Other CLC scores: John Sund, 84 (seventh); Morgan Quinn, 88 (12th); Nate Richards, 90 (13th); and Taylor Wilke, 95 (15th).

Cederberg medalist again

Cody Cederberg of Central Lakes College captured medalist honors for the third time this golf season at the Sept. 17 tournament held on Bobby's Course at Cragun's. He carded a 75 to edge Lucas Gervais of M State (77). The Spartans took the men's team title with 324, followed by CLC at 348, Rochester 350, and Mesabi Range 371. John Sund shot an 85, Nate Richards 91, Tayloy White 97, and Morgan Quinn 100 for CLC. On the women's side, Katie Tast of CLC fired a 111.

Volleyball team wins

The Central Lakes College Raiders volleyball team defeated Vermilion, 3-1, at Ely on Saturday, Sept. 17. Game scores were 15-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-14. The win was the young team's second in three Northern Division matches on the road during the week. Alice Widmark (left) recorded 13 kills and six ace serves. Abbi Knutson put up 43 set assists, Melissa Widman nailed 15 kills, and Carlie Sweet supplied 11 kills. Haley Hornick was a defensive gem, digging the ball on 15 occasions, and Widman provided 12 digs of her own in the outstanding team effort. “We served well and that was encouraging,” said Coach Jane Peterson. “It’s a good thing Alice Widmark was there. She had a good game, and made a big difference." The Raiders, 6-7 overall, play at Northland Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Raiders remain unbeaten

The 19th-ranked Central Lakes College Raiders defeated Itasca, 25-6, Saturday, Sept. 17 at Findorff Field in Brainerd. It was their fourth straight win and sets the stage for the showdown at Rochester (4-0) next Saturday, Sept. 24. CLC scored its first TD on a three-yard plunge by Aaron White after the stage was set by Averey Duncan's 25-yard catch of a Carson Wessinger pass for a big first down. White added the PAT kick. Next came a 52-yard run by Taz Seibert to give the Raiders a 13-0 halftime lead. In the third quarter Wessenger found Maurice Baldwin on a short toss, and Baldwin got outside for a 56-yard scamper down the Itasca sideline. The Vikings answered with a one-yard pass from Brandon Welinski to Joe Bohaty to make it a 19-6 game. Duncan hauled in a short toss and broke loose for a 60-yard TD down the Raider sideline that ended the day's scoring in the third quarter. Penalties and a called-back fumble recovery score on a fumbled Itasca punt return kept the game closer than it might have been.

Volleyball team loses at Mesabi

The Central Lakes College volleyball Raiders lost a 3-1 Northern Division match to Mesabi Range at Virginia Friday, Sept. 16. Scores were 19-25, 24-26, 25-16, 19-25. Carlie Sweet finished with 10 kills and Melissa Widman tallied 25 digs but the Raiders couldn’t hold on to a lead in the second game and it cost them. CLC lost the first game but won the third before losing the final set. “The biggest thing in my mind is that we missed an opportunity to win the second game,” said Head Coach Jane Peterson. “We had a chance to win and we didn’t do it. It’s a learning process that we are still in. It’s hard to be patient but that’s what we have to do.” The Raiders took a 5-7 record into Saturday's match at Vermilion.

Raiders win at Hibbing

The Central Lakes College volleyball team defeated Hibbing in three straight sets Wednesday in North Division play. Freshman hitter-seter Abbi Knutson (left) of Watkins notched 37 set assists and freshman middle hitter Carlie Sweet of Brainerd knocked out 12 kills as the Raiders swept, 25-18, 25-21, and 25-19. Sophomore hitter-setter Melissa Widman of Blaine added 10 kills and 11 digs. CLC Coach Jane Peterson said: “We were confident and prepared for our first division match. We haven’t always been so confident and prepared. We had a good offensive game, which was not what I expected. Abbi did a good job of getting the ball to the right person." Other stats: Freshman outside hitter Crysta Christensen, Pine River, 6 kills, 2 ace serves, 8 digs; Carlie Sweet 5 ace serves, 2 blocks; Freshman outside hitter Kaylie Hanson, Pillager, 2 kills, 2 ace serves, 5 digs; Freshman outside hitter Alice Widmark, Brainerd, 1 ace serve; Freshman hitter-setter Alanna Hansen, Brainerd, 8 kills, 2 blocks. Division: CLC 1-0. Overall: CLC 5-6. Next: CLC vs. Mesabi Range at Virginia 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Men's team fourth

The Central Lakes College men's golf team finished fourth in a five-team, two-day Hibbing Invitational meet Sept. 11 and 12 at Giant's Ridge, Biwabik. Play occupied the Quarry and Legend courses, and the 36-hole team totals were 1. North Iowa Area Community College, Mason City, Iowa: 633; 2. Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls: 634; 3. Mesabi Range, 701; 4. CLC, 708; 5. Hibbing, no score. On the women's side, only NIACC fielded a full team. Raider men's individual scores: John Sund 79-85=164, Cody Cederberg 79-86=165, Nate Richards 83-87=170, and Morgan Quinn 103-106=209. Next up for CLC is a trip to Lake City Thursday to play the Jewel Golf Course in an event hosted by Rochester Community and Technical College with a tee time of 1 p.m.

Raiders ready for conference

The Central Lakes College volleyball Raiders have completed the "pre-season" tests against some strong opponents in preparation for the Northern Division campaign that starts Wednesday at Hibbing. Last Saturday the team challenged North Iowa Area Community College before narrowly losing, 25-20, 16-25, 10-15 at the Rochester Invitational. NIACC is a scholarship school, as are most of the other 14 teams in the event that drew competitors from five states. CLC had won one of three matches in the showcase on Friday and takes a 4-6 record into the 6:30 p.m. match vs. the Cardinals on Wednesday. Against NIACC, Melissa Widman stuffed nine kills, Crysta Christensen provided seven along with an ace serve and seven digs, Abbi Knutson had 11 digs and 20 set assists, and Hayley Hornick had 11 digs. CLC Head Coach Jane Peterson liked the energy. CLC's next home match is Sept. 28 vs. Rainy River.

Raiders win third

The Central Lakes College football team scored three second-half touchdowns to capture a 28-7 Minnesota College Athletic Conference win over Mesabi Range Saturday, Sept. 10 in Virginia. The Raiders are now 3-0 heading into a home game Saturday, Sept. 17 vs. surprising Itasca, (1:30 p.m., Findorff Field, Brainerd) which lost by only 20-10 on the road to powerful Rochester while CLC earned its victory. Carson Wessinger passed to Ryan Tri (left) for two of the scores (24 and 7 yards), and he tossed a third TD strike to Logan Baker (9 yards). Aaron White ran 2 yards for the other Raider score. Averey Duncan ran two conversions, but the kicking PAT came up empty. Wessinger ran the ball 13 times for 75 yards, and White finished with 74 on 22 carries. Taz Seibert averaged almost 6 yards per carry (35 yards, 6 carries). Jordan Hayes hauled in a pass worth 40 yards. The CLC defense held Mesabi to 139 yards and one third-quarter TD, according to Raider stat-keepers, while the winners amassed 312 yards. Austin Manzey had an interception.

Raiders improve

In the first day of the Rochester Volleyball Invitational Friday, Sept. 9, Central Lakes College showed improvement against tough competition. The Raiders dropped their first match to nationally-ranked Indian Hills of Iowa, 13-25, 11-25. They bounced back to defeat Minnesota West, 25-23 12-25, 15-13. In the third match of the day, CLC nearly upset powerful Madison College of Wisconsin, losing 25-27, 25-23, 14-16. Melissa Widman had 20 kills and 26 digs, Alanna Hanson had 16 kills and seven blocks, Carlie Sweet had 12 kills, and Abbi Knutson put up 62 set assists. "A lot of things came together," said Head Coach Jane Peterson, who hopes the improved play indicates a breakthrough for the young Raiders who are maturing with each outing. CLC owns a 4-5 record as the Rochester meet continues today.

Cederberg wins again

Central Lakes College sophomore golfer Cody Cederberg of Hawley on Wed., Sept. 7 carded an 18-hole score of 70 strokes to win medalist honors for the second straight meet, and the Raider men (341) took second place behind the hot-shooting Minnesota State (317) unit from Fergus Falls. Mesabi Range finished third at 343, and Hibbing was fourth (370) at the Mesaba Country Club course. Other CLC scores in the Hibbing Invitational: John Sund 83, Nate Richards 94, Leighton Griffith 94. On the women's side, CLC freshman Katie Tast from Big Lake finished second with a 93. CLC travels to Giant's Ridge at Biwabik Sunday, Sept. 11 (1 p.m.) and Monday, Sept. 12 (8 a.m.) for competition at the Legends and the Quarry respectively. Besides CLC and host Hibbing, competitors include Minnesota State, Mesabi Range, Rochester, and North Iowa Area (Mason City).

Raiders win second game

The Central Lakes College football team is 2-0 after a 40-12 win vs. Northland at Findorff Field Saturday. QB Carson Wessinger (left) from the U.S. Virgin Islands led the attack, throwing three TD passes in his 17 completions to amass 193 yards through the air. He attempted 30. The defense also held tight in a goal-line stand to flex some muscle with reserves. Aaron White rushed 21 times for 90 yards and a TD as part of the 367-yard team offensive effort. One nifty play surprised the Pioneers, as Jared Hoemberg threw a 22-yarder to Gabe Eppert after faking a punt. Matt Mogere returned an interception 44 yards for one of three second-quarter scores as CLC led 33-12 at the half. Next: Sat., Sept. 10 at Mesabi Range, Virginia, 1:30 p.m.

Spartans defeat Raiders

Minnesota State Community and Technical College defeated the Central Lakes College volleyball team Friday, Sept. 2, 3-1. CLC started slowly, losing the first set, 17-25, before getting a 25-18 win. Then the Spartans captured the match with wins of 21-25 and 23-25 over the home team. Abbi Knutson managed 34 set assists, while Emily Weber served a pair of aces and produced 7 kills and one block. Carlie Sweet had 11 kills and 3 blocks, and Melissa Widman slapped 14 kills across the net. Hayley Hornick was the top digger with 12. The Raiders played better than they had in last Wednesday's win over St. Cloud, and improvement means the team has better das ahead, based on the assessment from Coach Jane Peterson. CLC has a 3-3 record.

Raiders win home opener

The Raiders escaped St. Cloud Technical College in the home volleyball opener Wednesday, Aug. 31, winning 3 of 4 games. Second-year veteran Melissa Widman (left) led the way with 13 digs, 10 kills, 2 ace serves and 2 blocks for the Raiders, who take a 3-2 record into their second straight home match on Friday, Sept. 2 vs. Minnesota State Community and Technical College of Fergus Falls. The three games the Raiders won featured multiple score changes, with the scored tied frequently, and neither team able to build more than a four-point lead, particularly because of service errors. CLC prevailed, 26-24, 14-25, 26-24, and 25-22 against the third-year STC Cyclones. Other CLC efforts: Abbi Knutson, 26 set assists and 11 digs; Haley Hornick with 12 digs; Crysta Christensen 7 kills, 3 ace serves, 9 digs.

CLC Photo by Mark Slupe. More images http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Golfers open season

The Central Lakes College men's and women's golf teams opened the 2011 season on Tuesday, Aug. 30 in a dual meet with M State of Fergus Falls at the Ruttger's Resort course, Bay Lake. It was a late addition to the season schedule. The CLC men lost to the Spartans, 318-319, with Raider Cody Cederberg taking medalist honors as he carded a 73, followed by John Sund at 75, Nate Richards at 79, Morgan Quinn at 92, and Jared Steen at 97. Taylor Wilke and Leighton Griffith rounded out the CLC contingent. On the women's side, CLC's Katie Tast shot a 93 for medalist honors and no other scores were kept. The originally scheduled meet at Mesabi (Virginia) Sept. 1 was canceled. The Raiders next are scheduled to play at Hibbing on Sept. 7.

Football team wins opener

Led by a big-play defense and several individual gems, the Raider football team overcame key injuries and untimely penalties for a 29-26 season-opening win vs. the Fond du Lac Thunder in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference Kick-Off Classic at St. Cloud tonight. In the first half, the Raiders lost two of their three quarterbacks to injuries. Skyler Shearer went down with an apparent torn ACL and Andrew Johnson left with a shoulder injury, leaving freshman Carson Wessinger with the QB load. He responded with a big play late in the game as he threw a TD pass. Other scores included Averey Duncan's 75-yard kick-off return, Logan Baker's one-yard plunge, and Johnson's 10-yard scramble out of the pocket on the play that ended with his injury. Aaron White ran for a late, two-point conversion. He carried the ball 34 times for 123 yards. Greg Wright provided PAT kicks. Jordan Bialke led the defense with nine tackles. Jared Hoemberg and Matt Mogere each had an interception for the Raiders. The CLC home opener is Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Northland at 1:30 p.m.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

Volleyball team starts season

The Raider volleyball season for 2011 opened at the Ridgewater Classic in Willmar Friday and Saturday. CLC defeated Dawson Community College of Glendive, Montana in the first match, coming from behind. Dawson had won the first two games of the match by the same score, 25-20. Then the young Raiders got it together to take the next three games, 25-23, 25-21, and 15-7. "Everyone had those first-game jitters," said Coach Jane Peterson, "but they made a good comeback. It was nice to see." In the second match of the day for CLC, Ellsworth of Iowa Falls, Iowa escaped with a three-game win, 17-25, 24-26, 22-25. On Saturday morning, CLC battled the defending national champs from Ridgewater, losing 19-25, 18-25, and 10-25. The Warriors are ranked third in the NJCAA poll. Coach Peterson told her team afterward that while much work needs to be done, the potential is there as former high school athletes seek the next level to succeed in college competition. "We can play with good teams like Ridgewater, so in the next two months we will work hard to get there." CLC defeated Dakota County Technical in three games (25-21, 25-18, 25-21) to win the last match of the two-day venue and come home with a 2-2 record. Stats: Melissa Widman 25 kills, 34 set assists, 10 digs, 5 blocks, one ace serve; Hayley Hornick 24 digs, Abbi Knuston 30 set assists, Alanna Hanson 24 set assists, 10 kill, 5 ace serves. The first home match for the Raiders is Wednesday vs. St. Cloud Technical, 6:30 p.m.
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

First games this weekend

The 2011 season for Central Lakes College Raider football and volleyball start this weekend on the road. The volleyball team opens at the Ridgewater College Classic in Willmar Friday vs. Dawson Community College of Glendive, Mont., at 2 p.m., and vs. Ellsworth of Iowa Falls, Iowa, at 8 p.m., followed by Saturday matches vs. nationally-ranked Ridgewater at 11 a.m. and Dakota County Technical College of Rosemount at 5 p.m. The 2011 football Raiders begin their campaign in the annual Minnesota College Athletic Conference Kick-Off Classic vs. Fond du Lac at 8 p.m. in Husky Stadium at St. Cloud State University. The CLC men's and women's golf teams are scheduled for their first competition Sept. 1 at Mesaba Country Club, Virginia in a meet hosted by Mesabi Range Community and Technical College.

Fall try-outs, alumni game

Pat Held, head coach of the Raiders baseball team, announces that try-outs and the first practice for the fall are at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1 at Findorff Field. The organizational meeting for prospects is Wed., Aug. 24. The annual Alumni Game will be played Sunday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. at Findorff Field.

Practice starts

The volleyball season at Central Lakes College has begun, with 12 student athletes joining Head Coach Jane Peterson and Assistant Ken Miller for drills as of Aug. 12. The team hosts an eight-team scrimmage on Thursday, Aug. 18 before its official opener in a two-day intensive at Ridgewater (Willmar) vs. teams from Iowa, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. The returning sophomores from last year are Melissa Widman, Betsy Helmeke, and Samantha Heagerty. The scrimmage competition this week includes Minnesota State, Anoka-Ramsey, Hibbing, Rainy River, Northland, Itasca, and Mesabi Range. For images of football and volleyball practices, plus a team building workshop, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04

Fall sports season begins

The Fall Athletics Season has arrived, and Central Lakes College football and volleyball teams are preparing for a full schedule of competition, including battles with Minnesota College Athletic Conference teams. Practices for the football team take place adjacent to the nicely grassed Findorff Field across from campus, while the volleyball team is training in the updated Raider gymnasium, where all home matches are played. First home games: Volleyball, Aug. 31 vs. St. Cloud Technical, 6:30 p.m.; Football, Sept. 3 vs. Northland, 1:30 p.m.