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.

Coach at Virgin Islands camp

Greg Medeck, CLC’s head football coach, has provided his services at two week-long football camps in the Virgin Islands. Coach Medeck was the only Minnesota coach invited to participate in the 2011 U.S. Virgin Islands High School Football Camp last March. Last year three of the Virgin Island campers followed Coach Medeck to Brainerd and were members of the 10-2 Raider team that earned a Valley of the Sun Bowl berth in Arizona and was ranked 18^th in the NJCAA Division III season-ending poll. The three expected to play larger roles in 2011 for CLC are quarterback Ryan Mills and defensive linemen Celestino White and Johnny Jean-Louis, all from St. Thomas.