Friday, December 28, 2012

All-Americans

Congratulations to Central Lakes College sophomores Jordan Bialke of Foley (top) and Jared Hoemberg of Bertha, who have been named to the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American second team defense for 2012. The pair led a defensive unit that was among the best in the nation during a 10-1, state championship season that featured a 10-game win streak and No. 10 national ranking at the end of an outstanding season. Both were two-year starters for Coach Greg Medeck’s Raiders and integral leaders who helped CLC win 17 of 21 games in that span. They were chosen for their leadership qualities to be captains of the 2012 team. Bialke, a middle linebacker, was a first-team All-Region pick as well as first team All-Southern Division selection in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. He had 98 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three interceptions during the 2012 campaign. Jordan concluded studies at the Brainerd campus with the fall semester and earned his Associate in Arts degree. He will transfer this spring to St. Cloud State University, where he will receive a football scholarship to play for the Division 2 Huskies. Jared, a safety, was also named to the first team of Region 13 and the MCAC Southern Division. He finished second in the NJCAA with eight interceptions and had 64 tackles. Jared will graduate from CLC this spring and holds a 3.56 grade-point average. He intends to play baseball for the Raiders this spring before making a decision about next season.

Monday, December 17, 2012

300th Win for Coach Russell

CLC Raider men's basketball coach Jim Russell earned his 300th victory on Saturday as his team beat MnState-Fergus Falls 79-75 at the CLC Invitational Tournament in Brainerd.

Russell, who began coaching at Central Lakes College in 1997 entered the 2012-13 campaign with a record of 295-120 over his career.

The CLC men's team won the Friday evening tournament match over Ridgewater-Willmar 76-70 for win number 299.

The Raiders men's team improved their record to 5-5 with the tournament victories over the weekend.

Women's Basketball
The Raider women's team lost both games in the CLC Invitational Tournament over the weekend. On Friday evening the women's team lost to Ridgewater 70-56.  They fell to MNState on Saturday by a score of 77-73. The Raider are now 1-9 on the season.

Both teams will be in action on January 4-5 for the CLC Winter Classic Tournament at the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Tough weekend


The Central Lakes College men's and women's basketball teams lost at Ridgewater and Minnesota West over the weekend. Men -- At Worthington Sunday  Andre Thomas (shown) scored 21 points but the Raider men (3-5) lost to Mn West, 79-74 . Kevin Kueffler added 19 points and Nathan Holm  9.  John Jedneak hit three three-pointers and scored 21, with eight rebounds in Saturday's 70-69 loss to Ridgewater at Willmar in a game in which the winners went to the free throw line much more than CLC. Brandon Davis has 13 and Tyler Flugum 11. Women -- Lindsay Monson scored 18 points and hit the Raiders' only three pointer in a 75-59 loss Sunday to Minnesota West.  Ashley Arenson, Sierra Benning and Jaylnn Lamb each had 10 points . CLC (1-7) made 8 of 8 from the free throw line. Taalyr Egeness hit 16 points and had two three-pointers in the Saturday loss to Ridgewater, 77-53, Saturday. Lindsay added 13 points.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Football team ranked 10th

The Central Lakes College Raiders state championship football team was ranked No. 10 in the last National Junior College Athletic Association poll announced Dec. 3. CLC had a record of 10 wins and 1 loss and had been ranked as high as eighth in the poll this season. The only loss was in the first game of the year at Thief River Falls, 30-28, on Aug. 23. The Raiders avenged that in the state semi-final, 39-7. The final victory was a 33-23 triumph over defending state champion Rochester, on Nov. 4. CLC also earned a state title in 2009, going 10-2, captured the 2010 Southern Division title of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference in a 10-2 season, and in 2011 went 7-3.Under Head Coach and CLC alumnus Greg Medeck, Raider football has a record of 51-15. In his six years, Medeck has led the Raiders to four state championship games. According to Mike Bialka, sports editor of the Brainerd Dispatch, CLC "has become one of the state's destination community college programs."

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Vs. Riverland


Women win
The CLC women's basketball notched its first win of the season, 63-57, today (Sat., Dec. 1) over Riverland. Lindsay Monson (shown) with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals led the way, while Taalyr Egeness put up 19 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Sierra Benning pushed the ball for the aggressive Raiders and had 8 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. CLC overcame a 31-24 halftime deficit with 44% shooting in the second half to outscore Riverland, 39-26, over the last 20 minutes. The biggest lead was 59-45. CLC shot 66.7% from the free throw line (14-21). CLC is now 1-5 on the year.

Men win
Tyler Flugum (24 pts.) and Andre Thomas (22) fueled the CLC men, 83-77, over Riverland after the Raiders lost a 14-point halftime lead. Thomas put up five three-pointers, including the deadliest with under a minute to play. Fugum was even hotter, making 7 of 11 from beyond the arc. The team shot 59% from three-point land 13-22) and 54% for the game (31-57). Flugu, had 7 assists and Brandon Davis 5.  Thomas had 6 steals. Kevin Kuefler scored 15 and had 9 rebounds.The Raiders are now 3-3.

Vs. Anoka-Ramsey


Men win
The CLC men's basketball team edged Anoka-Ramsey, 81-79, Friday, Nov. 30, for their second straight win, using nearly every athlete on the team. Sophs Brandon Davis (shown, 18 pts.) and Kevin Kuefler (15) led the scoring. CLC Coach Jim Russell called it a team effort, as 10 players got into the scoring column before halftime. The Raiders have had their troubles in the past meetings with A-R but found the winning combination to run their record to 2-3 on the strength of 52 % shooting and handed the Rams their first loss in five games.
Women lose
The CLC women's team lost its  fifth straight to always-tough A-R, 83-47.  Jalynn Lamb led the Raiders with 13 points.  She added three rebounds and a steal.  Lindsay Monson scored 9 and Sierra Benning 8. The Raiders were held to 34% shooting. The winners shot 45% and held a 40-25 rebounding edge. CLC teams host Riverland today (Sat., Dec. 1) with the women playing at 1 and the men at 3 in the Brainerd campus gym.

Friday, November 30, 2012

All-American

Sarah Miller of Crosslake, a freshman libero at Central Lakes College in the 2012 volleyball season, has earned All-American status in both the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III and American Volleyball Coaches Association individual honors. She is one of 12 first-team NJCAA picks and 18 players in all to be nationally recognized. For more go to http://www.njcaa.org/sports_awards.cfm?sid=47&divid=3&slid=17. The AVCA named 18 players in various divisions of two-year colleges. Sarah was the ONLY player from the NJAA Div. III to earn first team All-American in this organization. AVCA is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

First win for men

Kevin Kuefler (shown) scored 20 points and nabbed nine rebounds in a Central Lakes College men's basketball win, 86-82,  over the Concordia  junior varsity Wednesday in Brainerd. The effort earned his Northern Division Player of the Week honors for Week 3 of the MCAC. Tyler Flugum added 16 points and seven boards and John Jedneak had 17 points and five rebounds for the Raiders, who won their first game in four starts. CLC held a 47-42 advantage at the half and shot 50 percent (8-16) from 3-point range compared to the Cobbers’ 31 percent. The Raiders held a 44-27 rebounding edge. The CLC bench outscored the Cobbers 36-20, led by Nathan Holm’s 10 points.
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

No bowl game

Central Lakes College will not be sending its football team to the 2012 Valley of the Sun Bowl in Arizona. CLC, which won the Minnesota College Athletic Conference championship Nov. 4, was to have played Glendale Community College on Dec. 1. It would have been the fourth bowl game in as many years for the Raiders. “It appears as though we may have had a relatively small, but still significant eligibility issue with a one or more football players,” said Kelly McCalla, interim vice president of academic affairs. He said the issue has to do with when a student is considered fulltime. “It appears to have been a student misunderstanding” as opposed to willful wrong-doing, McCalla said. “It was a simple mistake, but one with real consequences.”

Women lose to Cobber JV

The Central Lakes College women's basketball team lost to the Concordia Cobbers junior varsity, 86-56, Monday. Lindsay Monson led the Raider scoring with 17 points and had 10 rebounds, Taalyr Egeness added 13 points and Sierra Benning 10. FG 24-63 (38 percent). FT 5-9 (55 percent). Overall: 0-4. Next: host Anoka-Ramsey 6 p.m. Nov. 30.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Raider teams lose

The Central Lakes College men's and women's basketball teams are still looking for their first wins of the 2012-13 season. The Raider women (0-3) lost 70-35 to Minnesota State Community and Technical College (MSCTC) at Fergus Falls Saturday, Nov. 17, and the CLC men (0-3) fell to the Spartans, 75-70. For the Raider women, Lindsay Monson scored 10 points and Taalyr Egeness grabbed eight rebounds. CLC scored just 12 points in the second half. For the men, Kevin Kuefler scored 19 points and had 13 rebounds. Brandon Davis added 13 points and nine rebounds. The Raiders shot 44 percent (29-66) from the field and converted 3 of 17 threes and 9 of 22 free throws. The Raider women play host to Concordia (Moorhead) College's junior varsity Monday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m., and the men will do likewise Wednesday, Nov. 21 vs.the Concordia JV.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Football team moves up

Despite not playing a game last weekend, the Central Lakes College football team moved up to No. 8 from No. 10 in the latest NJCAA poll. The Raiders are awaiting word  regarding a possible post-season bowl game, with several bowl game hosts reportedly showing interest. More should be know sometime today. The Raiders ran their 2012 record to 10-1 by defeating Rochester, 33-23, in the MCAC championship Nov. 4. CLC has played in post-season bowl games three straight years and came closest to winning two years ago in Arizona. Two decisives losses came at the hands of Iowa teams in bowl games played in the UNI Dome at Cedar Falls.

Player of the Year

Sarah Miller, a freshman from Crosslake, was named Northern Division Player of the Year by the Minnesota College Athletic Conference in 2012. The Brainerd High School graduate played in the libero position, which is a defensive or service-receiving specialist. Her role isn't one that tallies a lot of statistics, said Coach Jane Peterson, but someone with Sarah's athleticism and instincts can and did make a difference in the Raiders' 22-7 season. CLC won the Regional, regular-season championship with a 13-1 record, losing only to the eventual regional champ, Northland, which took third place in the NJCAA Division III tournament Nov. 10 in Rochester. Other Raiders receiving MCAC honors: Alanna Hansen, sophomore from Brainerd, first team All-State and All-Region; Lindsay Monson, freshman from Pierz, second team All-Region. The Brainerd Dispatch featured Sarah Miller in  the Nov. 13 edition. http://brainerddispatch.com/sports/2012-11-12/college-volleyball-bhs-grad-becoming-reluctant-raiders-leader

Monday, November 12, 2012

CLC Fall Classic

Women close the gap
The Central Lakes College women continued the growing process Saturday afternoon with a 74-67 loss to Bismarck State at the Brainerd campus in the CLC Fall Classic basketball invitational. Freshman guard Sierra Benning (shown) of Clarissa led the Raiders with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Lindsay Monson and Jalynn Lamb each added 15 points for the Raiders. Other scoring: Mariya Pierskalla 3, Ashley Arenson 9, Taalyr Egeness 4, Carlie Sweet 4. Team FG 26-67 (39 %), FT 14-22 (64 %). 3-point 1-9 (11 %). Overall: 0-2. 
Men lose another close one
The Central Lakes College Raiders find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they fell to Bismarck State Saturday 84-81 to drop to 0-2. Tyler Flugum totaled 15 points and Marcus Brown and Kevin Kuefler each tallied 13 for CLC. The Raiders built a 48-30 halftime lead, but were outscored 54-33 in the second half. Other scorers: Benji Subah 4, Andre Thomas 11, Nathan Holm 3,  Bryan Gichaba 7, Brandon Davis 7, Kahreem Horsley 5, John Jedneak 9, Herbert Tarpeh 2, Brent Koehler 2. FG 35-71 (49 %), FT 7-13 (54 %). 

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Raiders lose openers

The Central Lakes College men's and women's basketball teams dropped their season openers Friday in the CLC Fall Classic on the Brainerd campus. The women lost to Bismarck State (N.D.), 78-50, and the men lost a last-second heart-breaker to United Tribes (Bismarck, N.D.), 73-71. Taaylr Egeness led the Raider women in scoring with 14 points, followed by Lindsay Monson with 12, and Jalynn Lamb with 10. The Raiders suffered from poor shooting but, after trailing 46-26 at the half, improved their effort to hold the Mystics to 32 in the last half. The teams meet again today at 2. The men also had a tough shooting night against the Thunderbirds 23 of  73 (32%), and 14 of 25 from the free throw line. The winners emerged with 2.3 seconds left, making a basket with .9 of a second left to escape. CLC scoring: leaders: Andre Thomas 17,  Kevin Kuefler 16, Brandon Davis 11. The Raiders face unbeaten Division I Bismarck State today at 4.
Photo: Carlie Sweet of CLC is fouled as she shoots vs. Bismarck State.  (Courtesy of Kelly Humphrey, Brainerd Dispatch)

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Raiders finish at No. 10

The Central Lakes College Raiders football team, which on Nov. 4 won the Minnesota College Athletic Conference championship, 33-23, over Rochester, is ranked 10th in the NJCAA football poll released Nov. 6. This is the highest ranking for CLC during the season, which brought 10 straight wins after the opening 30-28 loss at Northland. The rankings: 1. Iowa Western (10-0), 2. Butler, Kansas (10-0), 3. Nassau, N.Y. (9-0), 4. Northeastern Oklahoma A & M (9-1), 5. ASA, N.Y. (8-0), 6. Mississippi Gulf Coast, Miss. (9-1), 7. Snow, Utah (9-1), 8. Arizona Western (7-1), 9. Navarro, Texas (8-2), 10. Central Lakes College (10-1). Rochester (9-2) is ranked 18th (last week 14th).

Monday, November 5, 2012

Honors

Central Lakes College student athletes have earned post-season honors for their effort during the recently completed Minnesota College Athletic Conference football season. The Raiders captured the 2012 MCAC championship on Nov. 4 with a 33-23 win over defending champion Rochester. The CLC team earned a No. 12 national ranking on the strength of its 10-1 season record.

State champs!

The Central Lakes College Raider football team captrued the Minnesota College Athletic Conference championship Sunday at St. Cloud State's Husky Stadium by defeating Rochester Community & Technical College, 33-23. It is the second title in four years for CLC, which improved to 10-1 on the year with a second 2012 triumph over the Yellowjackets (31-23 in September). The defining moment: A 75-yard kickoff return by Anthony Shelman that put the Raiders back in front, 26-23, following a fumble that produced RCTC's 23-19 lead in the third quarter. The MCAC top-seeded and nationally 12th-ranked Raiders then put the game away in the fourth quarter when QB Andrew Johnson hoofed it 3 yards and Andrew Leonhardt kicked the PAT for a 33-23 lead with 5:51 to go. Johnson threw three TD passes, completing 9 of 22 attempts for 167 yards, and he added 64 rushing for 231 yards of offense. Beau Bellmore rushed 30 times for 126 yards to lead the attack behind some outstanding blocks. TD receptions were by Bellmore, Brandon Kiel, and Michael Sparish. The Raiders picked off six passes -- Matt Mogere had 3, Jared Hoemberg, Calvin Belfrey, and Jordan Bialke each had 1, according to CLC defensive stats. Bialke was in on 12 tackles. Erik Chouinard had a pair of QB sacks. CLC outgained the MCAC's previously top-producing offense, 355-306.
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Friday, November 2, 2012

Hall of Fame

Jane Peterson, Central Lakes College head women’s volleyball coach, on Thursday, Nov. 8 will be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association. She holds the distinction as having coached the most wins among active coaches in the National Junior College Athletic Association. Peterson, who this season surpassed 500 wins, will accept the honor at the national tournament banquet at the Kahler Grand Hotel in Rochester. The Division III championship event is held in Rochester, where three Raider teams coached by Peterson have earned national titles and made nine appearances as the regional champion. Peterson’s volleyball coaching record at CLC is 507-226 through 22 seasons. She reached 500 wins on Oct. 3, a milestone equally as significant as the 2007 award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association: Coach of the Year.

Fall Classic

The 2012-13 men's and women's basketball season at Central Lakes College starts Friday, Nov. 9 in the first day of the CLC Fall Classic event on the Brainerd campus. The Raider women play Bismarck State (ND) at 5 p.m., followed by the 7 p.m. men's opener pitting CLC against United Tribes (ND). The first game of the day is at 3 p.m., with the Quakerdale (Iowa) Prep men playing Bismarck State. On Saturday, Nov. 10, the venue starts at noon with the United Tribes men taking on Quakerdale. At 2 p.m., the CLC women play Bismarck State. At 4 p.m. the CLC men will square off against Bismarck State.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Raider football team wins

The Central Lakes College football team advanced to the Sunday, Nov. 4 MCAC championship, 39-7, over Northland Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Findorff Athletic Complex, avenging the Raiders' lone loss of the 2012 season (30-28 in the season opener in August at Thief River Falls). All five Raider touchdowns were on pass plays, with Anthony Shelman (shown) scoring three. Other receptions for TDs were by Matthew Scott and Brandon Kiel. Andrew Johnson threw four and Skyler Shearer one. The passing attack totaled 257 yards and there were nine different receivers. Shelman finished with 119 yards on 7 catches. CLC outgained the Pioneers, 376-236. Sean Nokken rushed 16 times for 69 hard-earned yards to lead the ground game. Beau Bellmore carried 10 times for 37 yards. CLC intercepted four Pioneer passes. Calvin Belfrey returned his theft 36 yards. Other interceptors were Austin Manzey, Tre Deadwiler, and Joshua Orr. Celestino White led the defense with 2.5 quarterback sacks. Nathaniel Rutz had 8 tackles, Erik Chouinard and Manzey each had 7, and Marion Lambright and Jordan Bialke were in on five tackles apiece. CLC led, 19-7, at halftime. CLC is now 9-1 and will play Rochester (9-1), which defeated Fond du Lac, 31-24, in the other semifinal. The game is at Husky Stadium on the campus of St. Cloud State University at 1 p.m. CLC moved up from No. 14 to No. 12 and RCTC rose from 16th to 14th in this week's NJCAA football ranking.
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Saturday, October 27, 2012

CLC volleyball season ends

The great season for Central Lakes College volleyball ended today in the Region 13B tournament on the Brainerd campus. Northland defeated CLC, 14-25, 19-25, 15-25 to earn the national championship berth (The Elite Eight) for 2012. It is the second straight season that Northland has been the regional champion. One of the many things the Pioneers did was keep the ball away from CLC’s big boppers, Lindsay Monson (shown) and Alanna Hansen, as much as possible. The two combined for just 11 kills. Combined, they were averaging 5.55 per game. The Raiders did not play nearly as well as they had most of the season while building a Northern Division mark of 13 wins, 1 loss, said Coach Jane Peterson, who credited the Pioneers with showing why they deserve the regional trophy, “It’s too bad it has to end like this because people will forget we were almost 14-0,” she said. “We lost to (Northland) 15-13 (in the fifth game Oct. 17). We played good volleyball a lot of the season.” “It was an awesome season,” sophomore Carlie Sweet said. “I’m so glad that I got to be part of it. We all worked hard, we became a team.” The Raiders finish with a record of 22 wins, 7 losses. Northland is 24-7. CLC’s Sarah Miller and Lindsay Monson made the 6-player all-tournament team along with Ashley Lindgren and Bailee Walker of Northland, Morgan Hanson of Mesabi and Gabriella Feldt of Itasca.
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Raiders in championship

The Central Lakes College Raiders volleyball team escaped a strong challenge from Mesabi Range to advance to the Region 13B championship. Fourth-ranked CLC defeated the Lady Norse, 25-17, 25-20, 16-25, 20-25, 15-4 Friday in the Brainerd campus gym. Lindsay Monson led the power game at the net with 19 kills and Tiffany Hartung was a tipping machine with 44 total set assists. Sarah Miller scooped 26 digs. Hornick and Crysta Christensen also finished in double figures in digs with 14 each. Monson led the way with four ace serves. Crysta Christensen, Carlie Sweet, Tiffany Hartung and Tatum Hall each collected three. The Raiders take a 22-6 record into today's title match vs. Northland (23-7) that sarts at noon. The Pioneers needed four games to dispatch Itasa in the other semifinal match Friday. The regional champion moves on to the national tournament in Rochester Nov.  and 10.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

NJCAA football poll Oct. 23

1. Iowa Western 8-0, 2. Butler (KS) 8-0, 3. East Mississippi 8-0, 4. Arizona Western 6-0, 5. Nassau (NY) 8-0, 6. ASA College (NY) 8-0, 7. Navarro College (TX) 7-1, 8. Northeastern Oklahoma A & M 7-1, 9. Mississippi Gulf Coast 7-1, 10. Snow College (UT) 7-1, 11. Northwestern Mississippi 6-1, 12. Kilgore College (TX) 7-1, 13. Hutchinson (KS) 7-1, 14. Central Lakes College (8-1), 15. Louisberg (NC) 6-1, 16. Rochester (MN) 8-1, 17. Copiah-Lincoln (MS) 6-2, 18. Jones County (MS) 6-2, 19. College of DuPage (IL) 6-2, 20. Ellsworth (IA) 5-2.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Ex-Raider returns

Central Lakes College men's basketball has a new coaching assistant: He is 6-6 Scott Savor, a Deerwood native,  former Crosby-Ironton High School standout, and former Raider during Coach Jim Russell's first season at CLC. Scott created Secrets in Sports, a sports training business in Brainerd dedicated to personal development of athletes on and off the court or field. After 2 years at CLC, Scott played basketball at Moorhead State University and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee in Sports Psychology. While a graduate student at Tennessee, he was the strength coach for all sports. Scott has read over 4,000 books in the last nine years, all about sports performance and coaching. Savor also has an extensive video collection; he claims that he has seen almost everything on the topic of sports performance. Younger sister Krista was a 1999 All-American volleyball standout at CLC. Photo courtesy The Concordian

Regional volleyball

The Central Lakes College Raiders (21-6), winners of the MCAC Northern Division during the regular season, will play fourth-place finisher Mesabi Range (15-11, with regular-season match to play Oct. 24 vs. Hibbing), in the first of two Region 13B volleyball matches Friday, Oct. 26 at CLC in Brainerd. The match starts at 6 p.m. and will be followed by the match between Northland (22-7) and Itasca (17-4) at 8 p.m. The winners of Friday's matches will play in the Brainerd campus gymnasium Saturday, Oct. 27 at noon for the right to advance to the 2012 NJCAA Division III championship tournament in Rochester Nov. 9 and 10.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Raiders defeat Mn West

The 15th-ranked Central Lakes College football team won its first-round playoff game, 21-0, Saturday at Findorff Athletic Complex by dominating Minnesota West. The Raiders advance to the semifinals of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference championship run with an 8-1 record. QB Andrew Johnson threw 2 touchdown passes to Anthony Shelman (15 and 43 yards) and Matt Mogere scored the other TD on a 45-yard pick six from his defensive backfield domain.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Raiders ready for post-season

The Central Lakes College volleyball team on Wednesday night prepared to host the region tournament (Oct. 26-27) by splitting its final two regular-season matches on the home court. The Raiders now have a record of 21-6. CLC lost to a formidable Northland unit in five games to finish at 13-1 as champions of  the Northern Division. Sami Knott collected 16 kills and Lindsay Monson knocked down 14. Tiffany Hartung tallied 45 set assists and CLC's outstanding liberos, sophomore Hayley Hornick (shown) and freshman Sarah Miller each had 17 digs. The Raiders put the loss behind them vs. Division II independent Dakota County Technical College in the nightcap to win, 3-2.  “We came out strong in the second match and played well,” said Coach Jane Peterson. “We had to start using more shots and going to more hitters and it took a while for us to adjust. It was a good time to play good teams and we may be able to use a loss to our advantage.” The Region 13B tournament schedule has not been announced. Division: CLC 13-1. Overall: CLC 21-6. CLC hosts Region 13B championship Oct. 26-27.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Raiders fourth in nation

The Central Lakes College volleyball team has risen to No. 4 in the Division III poll released today by the National Junior College Athletic Association. The 20-5 Raiders had been ranked fifth last week. Ridgewater (18-5) is still No. 1 as has been the case all season. Rochester (16-8) is ninth. Northland (20-7) is among Others Receiving Votes.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Raiders up to 15th

The CLC football team has moved up from 17th to No. 15 in the Oct. 16 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll. The 7-1 Raiders play host to Minnesota West (5-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference playoffs. Rochester (7-1), which moved up from 18th to 17th this week, hosts Ridgewater (5-4) Saturday in another playoff. The winner of Thursday's playoff between Itasca (2-6) at Northland (5-3), plays the winner of the Mn West-CLC game on Oct. 27. The winner of the Vermilion (1-8) at Fond du Lac (5-3) game on Friday plays the Ridgewater-Rochester winner Oct. 27. A Raider win this Saturday would ensure home field advantage on Oct. 27. As the higher seed, a Fond du Lac win this week would give the Thunder home field at Cloquet vs. either Ridgewater or Rochester Oct. 27.

Two matches Wednesday

The Central Lakes College volleyball team plays two teams Wednesday, Oct. 17 in the Brainerd campus gymnasium. At 4 p.m., the Raiders (20-5, 13-0) host Northern Division foe Northland (20-7, 11-2). CLC defeated Northland, 3-2, at Thief River Falls Sept. 19, when the Pioneers were ranked sixth in the NJCAA Division III poll. CLC has since replaced Northland in the Top 10 and last week climbed to No. 5. The Raiders will play Dakota County Technical College, a NJCAA DII team, at 7 p.m., after the DCTC Blue Knights square off vs. the Pioneers at 5:30 p.m. DCTC is 14-5 this season and has won 10 of its last 11 matches. CLC has two players who earned Division honors for their play last week (see VB page). http://www.clcmn.edu/athletics/volleyball.html

Raiders host Bluejays

Central Lakes College (7-1) will host Minnesota West (5-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 in the quarterfinal round of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference football playoffs. CLC defeated Mn West at Worthington, 21-20, on Sept. 29. The Bluejays average 269.5 yards of offense per game (through 8) and yield 219 per game. CLC is averaging 332 yards offensively, 171 on defense (second to Rochester in both stats). Mn West QB Logan Massop has completed 38 of 70 passes (54.3%) for 582 yards, throwing for 5 TDs and getting picked 6 times during his four games of action. Teammate Greag Gainey has played in six games at QB, completing 38 of 106 passes (35.8%) for 422 yards and 4 TDs while being intercepted 9 times. Raider QB Andrew Johnson (shown) leads the Southern Division with 1,294 passing yards, 11 TDs. He is the Division Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 15 (see FB page).
http://www.clcmn.edu/athletics/football.html

Monday, October 15, 2012

'On a mission'

The Central Lakes College volleyball team ran its record to 20-5 in a sweep of Hibbing Saturday. Coach jane Peterson said her team showed offensive power and "looked like a team on a mssion." The fifth-ranked Raiders got 13 kills from Brainerd sophomore Alanna Hansen (shown) and 31 set assists from Little Falls freshman Tiffany Hartung, while CLC annexed the Northern Division regular-season crown in Minnesota College Athletic Conference play, unbeaten ahead of a showdown with once nationally ranked Northland at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Sarah Miller had 15 digs and two ace serves in another steady effort for the Crosslake freshman. Lindsay Monson, a Pierz freshman, nailed nine kills.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Raiders clinch

The Central Lakes College football team clinched the Minnesota College Athletic Conference outright Southern Division championship Saturday at Willmar, defeating Ridgewater, 27-7. "It was one of our better, more complete games," said Coach Greg Medeck. "We really played well on offense and defense." The win secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs, which begin this Saturday, Oct. 20 vs. Minnesota West at 1 p.m. at CLC's Findorff Athletic Complex in Brainerd. Beau Bellmore rushed for 62 yards and one TD, and Andrew Johnson passed to Matthew Scott (49 yds), Paul Lake (28 yds), and Anthony Shelman (15 yds) for TDs. Johnson hit Scott for a two-point conversion, and Andrew Leonhardt kicked another.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Raiders sweep Rainy River

The fifth-ranked Central Lakes College volleyball team swept Rainy River Friday night for the 12th Northern Division win of the season and 19th conquest in 24 matches. Scores were 25-14, 25-13, 25-20. Keinna Wurtinger made her first start and shared the team win. Lindsay Monson slapped 15 kills. Alanna Hansen punched out 9. Hayley Hornick and Sarah Miller totaled 13 and 12 digs respectively. Tiffany Hartung set the table 37 times. The Raiders hosted Hibbing today and take on two teams next Wednesday night in a triangular affair.

Friday, October 12, 2012

National Player of Week

NJCAA Football Defensive Player of Week - Week ending Oct. 6, 2012
Matt Mogere – Central Lakes College, Minn.
Strong Safety – Monticello, Minn. – Monticello High School
In a 53-7 thumping of Vermilion, Mogere personally scored more points than the Raiders defense gave up. Intercepting two passes, the sophomore took them back – 45 and 80 yards respectively – for touchdowns. Mogere also recorded three tackles and deflected a pass. The No. 17 Raiders and Mogere close out their regular season Saturday at Ridgewater.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Win No. 18

The Central Lakes College volleyball team scored its second win over MCAC Northern Division rival Itasca, 3-1, Wednesday, for win No. 18 in 23 matches this season. Pine River sophomore Crysta Christensen's (shown) early spikes and overall hustle provided some notable punch to the attack. Alanna Hansen pounded out 17 kills and Lindsay Monson collected 15, while Tiffany Hartung collected 48 set assists. CLC, ranked fifth in the nation, was also very strong on defense with a blocking presence at the net. Sarah Miller also scooped 30 digs and Haley Hornick collected nine to provide solid play from the back row. The Raiders won the first game 25-23, but then let Itasca go on a seven point run and take game two by a 25-22 score. CLC rebounded with a 25-18 win in game three and a 25-19 clinching score in the fourth game. Next: Friday, 6:30 p.m., Rainy River at CLC.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Nationally ranked

The Central Lakes College women's volleyball team is ranked fifth in this week's NJCAA Division III poll, up from last week's No. 6 spot. CLC takes a 17-5 record into tonight's home match vs. Itasca, which had been nationally ranked as high as No. 3 when the Raiders defeated the Vikings on Sept. 26. Defending champion Ridgewater remains No. 1, and other regional competitors are in the Top 10: Madison No. 6 and Rochester No. 9. Itasca is among others recceiving votes. In football, the Raiders of CLC remain ranked 17th in the NJCAA poll as they had been last week. CLC takes a 6-1 record to Ridgewater Saturday for a showdown with playoff implications. Rochester (6-1) is ranked 18th.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Volleyball tradition

When Jane Peterson reached the 500-win milestone as Central Lakes College volleyball coach this season, she celebrated the success of a women’s athletic program that stands high among the nation’s best. Helping to commemorate 43 years of collegiate women’s sports in Brainerd recently were retired Raider coaches Nancy Smith (center) and Darlene Palmer. Smith followed Palmer in 1987 and handed off her duties four years later to the rookie Peterson. Twenty-two seasons later, with three national championships and 17 All-Americans in the legacy, Raider volleyball rallies community pride.

Players of Week

Central Lakes College freshmen volleyball players Lindsay Monson of Pierz (shown), Tiffany Hartung of Little Falls, and Sarah Miller of Crosslake are Northern Division honorees this week in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. Lindsay, a six-foot middle hitter, had 13 kills vs. Fond du Lac and a stellar .452 attack percentage for the week. She collected 37 kills during an outstanding, 3-win week (3.7 per game). Lindsay also had 12 blocks and 5 ace serves. One of the Setters of the Week was Tiffany, who handedout 90 assists, including a high of 43 vs. Mesabi Range. Sarah was Libero of the Week for 42 digs (4.66 per game), including 22 in the win over Mesabi. She served 94 percent for the week.

Player of Week

Sophomore defensive back Matt Mogere of Central Lakes College was named the MCAC Southern Division Defensive Player of Week. Mogere, a sophomore from Monticello, had two interceptions and returned both for touchdowns of 45 and 80 yards for the Raiders, who are ranked No. 1 in the state and 17th in the NJCAA (as of Oct. 2). Image by Jeff Collins, Collins Photography

Sunday, October 7, 2012

CLC coasts to 53-7 win

The Central Lakes College football team, ranked 17th in the nation, jumped to a 46-7 halftime lead over Vermilion Saturday and coasted to a 53-7 win, their sixth in seven starts and fourth Southern Division win in Minnesota College Athletic Conference competition. Monticello sophomore defensive back Matt Mogere (shown) started the scoring with a pick six of 44 yards, and he went 82 yards near the end of the half with another interception.  DePere, Wis. sophomore running back Beau Bellmore sprinted 53 yards for the second TD. After a long pass from St. Paul freshman Andrew Johnson to Indianapolis freshman Anthony Shelman, Johnson flipped an 8-yard strike to Staples freshman Blake Petrich for the third TD six minues into the game. Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

CLC sweeps Vermilion

The Raiders continued their volleyball success at Ely Saturday, sweeping Vermilion, 3-0, behind strong team blocking that had been evident the night before at Virginia. Coach Jane Peterson reported that the team compiled 12 ace serves in a good effort. Brainerd sophomore Alanna Hansen and Pierz freshman Lindsay Monson each pounded seven kills in a match dominated by the Division leaders., who ran their record to 17-5 and are ready for a homestand that should attract lots of fans to see the sixth-ranked unit from CLC. One of the biggest matches of the season is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at home vs. nationally-ranked Itasca, whom CLC narrowly defeated at Grand Rapids on Sept. 26.
CLC        25 25 25
Vermilion 13 14 14

CLC over Mesabi

VIRGINIA — Lindsey Monson pounded 17 kills and Tiffany Hartung notched 43 set assists as Central Lakes College defeated Mesabi Range, 3-1, in Northern Northern Division Minnesota College Athletic Conference volleyball Friday. “For the first time in a long time we struggled offensively,” said Raider Head Coach Jane Peterson. “It wasn’t a beautiful win, but by the end our energy came through.” Carlie Sweet led the team in blocks with 10, while Sarah Miller contributed 22 digs for the Raiders. The Raiders are ranked sixth in NJCAA Division III.
Mesabi Range 22 25 24 18
Central Lakes 25 14 26 25

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Win No. 500

Jane Peterson, Central Lakes College volleyball coach, won her 500th match last night, as the sixth-ranked Raiders swept Fond du Lac, 25-8, 25-11, 25-14 in the Brainerd campus gymnasium. It took CLC less than one hour to notch win No. 15 in 20 starts and solidify Jane's stature as the winningest collegiate volleyball coach in the state and one of the most successful in the National Junior College Athletic Association. She was presented a plaque by CLC President LarryLundblad and an autographed ball from volleyball alumni and her 2012 team that currently has the Northern Division lead with an 8-0 record in Minnesota College Athletic Conference play. Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Raiders jump to sixth

Central Lakes College moved up from 10th to sixth in this week's NJCAA Division III volleyball poll. CLC is one of four Minnesota College Athletic Conference teams in the Top 10. Ridgewater (15-5) continues to hold the top spot it has held from the start as defending national champion. Itasca (12-2), which had been third until losing to CLC (14-5), is now ranked fifth, and Rochester (13-5) has held its No. 9 ranking. Itasca and CLC are in the Northern Division of the MCAC. Ridgewater and Rochester are in the Southern Division. All are in Region 13 of the national distribution for post-season play. Madison (Wis.) College (14-4) is another Region 13 competitor in the Top 10 at No. 8.

Zach Rickers to national

Zach Rickers of Bemidji (shown), Central Lakes College golfer, finished in a tie for second place among men's competitors at the state/regional tournament Oct. 2 to earn a berth in the national individual tournament next spring in New York. Zach's two-day, 36-hole stroke count was 158 (77 and 81). Earning alternate designation for national golf were Raiders Chris Thielen of Moorhead (82, 89=171) and Jake Hoffman of Bemidji (84, 91=175). CLC finished in a tie for fifth with Hibbing in the eight-team tournament. M State of Fergus Falls was the state and regional champion. The fourth player in the CLC unit was Alec Larson of Nisswa (103, 90= 193).

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Coach one win from 500

Jane Peterson, Central Lakes College volleyball head coach, is one win away from achieving a milestone: 500 wins. She now has a career record of 499-224. She said of approaching milestone: "People ask me all the time, 'How much longer are you going to coach?' because so many other women stop coaching when their families are young or when they get tired. But I feel like I am at the peak of curiosity in my craft - not just the coaching of volleyball skills, but of sports psychology, motivation, group dynamics, motor learning, how teenage brains work, how talent is developed. All these things I am still very curious about." Jane will be honored following the home match Wednesday vs. Fond Du Lac in a ceremony to include a plaque presentation, volleyball alumni, and reception. The match starts at 6:30 p.m.

Win streak ends

The win streak ends a 13 with two losses by the Central Lakes College volleyball team on Saturday at Wahpeton, N.D., where the Raiders droppeda pair of contests to Division II scholarship teams from Bismarck State, N.D. (3-0) and Williston, N.D. (3-1). The opponents are much better units than those CLC had been facing in recent outings, according to Coach Jane Peterson. Nevertheless, there were some good efforts. Sami Knott (shown)had eight kills and seven digs against Bismarck State. Sarah Miller totaled 16 digs. Tiffany Hartung had 23 set assists, and Lindsay Monson provided six kills. Against Williston, the Raiders won the first game, 25-21, before losing the next three. Alanna Hansen had 12 kills and two blocks. Tiffany added 32 set assists and 12 digs in a strong effort. Lindsay had 10 kills, five aces serves, five digs, and four blocks to her credit. The Raiders (14-5) were tougher against Williston than Bismarck, losing by 23-25, 18-25, 21-25. Against Bismarck they lost, 14-25, 19-25, 16-25.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Raiders win 2 more

WAHPETON, N.D. — The Central Lakes Raiders pushed head coach Jane Peterson’s win total closer to the 500 mark as they swept a pair of matches from Dakota Bottineau and Dawson in Wahpeton, N. D., reports the Brainerd Dispatch. Alanna Hansen finished with 10 kills and Tiffany Hartung (shown) recorded 18 set assists in a win over Dakota Bottineau, 25-9, 25-12, 25-13. In game one the Raiders finished with a hitting percentage of .380. CLC, ranked in 10th in NJCAA Division III last week, knocked off Dawson, Mont., 25-10, 25-12, 25-16. The Raiders (12-3) increased their hitting percentage to .406 in that game.

Raiders win a squeaker

The NJCAA Division III 17th-ranked Cental Lakes College football team edged Minnesota West, 21-20, on Saturday at Worthington. It was CLC's fifth straight win against a single loss (at Northland). The difference: a failed extra point attempt by the hosts after their final TD of a mistake-filled contest. CLC scored 21 straight points to claim a 21-7 lead in the third quarter. But Mn West’s Michael Knight returned a kickoff 78 yards to make it 21-14. In the fourth quarter, Mn West's Kevin Harris scored on a 3-yard burst to set up what could have been a game-tying extra point. Tyler Smith's kick failed and the Raiders made the long trip home with their third Division win while previously unbeaten and 20th-ranked Ridgewater was losing, 20-12, to the surprising Fond du Lac unit out of Cloquet, now the Northern Division favorite. Other MCAC scores: Rochester 40, M State 0; Northland 41, Vermilion 14; Mesabi Range 35, Itasca 15.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Raiders defeat Itasca

Perfect division records clashed Wednesday night with the Central Lakes College Raiders capturing a crucial 12th win of the year against nationally third-ranked Itasca. Alanna Hansen led attack with 17 kills with Sami Knott and Lindsay Monson each totaling 11. Tiffany Hartung talled 43 set assists while Monson also knocked back five blocks. CLC dropped the first game 25-20, then prevailed 27-25, 25-15 and 25-19 to hand the Vikings their first Northern Division loss. “There was just one time in the first game where we had a lapse,” said CLC Coach Jane Peterson. “Other than that we were aggressive, upbeat and encouraging each other. It was a good team effort tonight.” CLC entered the game ranked 10th in the NJCAA Division III poll and with a 10-game winning streak on the line. The Vikings entered the showdown at 12-1 overall and 6-0. “It was good volleyball. Itasca played really good defense,” said Peterson. Division: CLC 7-0. Overall: CLC 12-3. Next: Raiders vs. Dakota-Bottineau at Wahpeton, N.D., 5 p.m. Friday, CLC vs. Dawson  (Mont.) at Wahpeton 8 p.m. Friday.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Players of the Week

Central Lakes College football players Sean Nokken and Anthony Moss are Southern Division of the MCAC Players of the Week, and Raider volleyball players Lindsay Monson and Sarah Miller are Players of the Week in the Southern Division of MCAC, announced yesterday by the conference. Sean was named Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 124 yards on nine carries for a 13.8 averaged and three touchdowns in the Raiders' 39-6 win over Minnesota State Community and Technical College. Sean is a sophomore from Pillager. Anthony Moss (shown) was named Special Teams Player of the Week. He was 3-4 on extra points vs. the Spartans. Anthony is a freshman from Big Lake. Lindsay earned Hitter of the Week honors. She came up big for the nation's 10th-ranked Raiders (11-3, 6-0) in 3 recent wins. She had 33 kills (3.0/gm) including 15 in a 3-2 win vs. #16 Northland, where she also had a .483 attack %. Lindsay hit .466 for the week while adding 8 blocks and 6 digs. She is a freshman from Pierz. Sarah was Libero of the Week. She led CLC to 3 Division wins with 48 digs (4.82/gm). Sarah had a 27-dig effort in the win over Northland. She is a freshman from Crosslake.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Tenth straight win

Sarah Miller’s 14 digs helped the Central Lakes College volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Rainy River in a Northern Division match Saturday. The win was the 10th straight for CLC, which is ranked 10th in NJCAA Division III. Crysta Christensen had 11 digs for the Raiders, who are undefeated in Division play. Tiffany Hartung supported the attack with 27 set assists. Carlie Sweet (shown) poked eight kills and had a good defensive day with six digs. Sami Knott with nine kills and Lindsay Monson with eight rounded out the offensive stats. Coach Jane Peterson said next match on Wednesday at Itasca will be the big challenge to date. The Vikings are also 6-0 in the division, and they're ranked third in the national poll.
Rainy River 11 14 7
Central Lakes 25 25 25

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Raiders defeat M State

The Central Lakes College football team ran its record to 4-1 with a 39-6 win over Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Fergus Falls) today at Findorff Field. The Raiders jumped out to an 12-0 halftime lead before increasing the margin with some high-powered offense aginst the Spartans (1-4). QB Andrew Johnson, who took some big hits as he was sacked on several occasions, managed to scored the first three TDs for CLC, which outgained the visitors, 336-132. Defensive leaders were Jared Hoemberg (shown) with two interceptions, Celestino White, Dacotah Thompson, Pete Stenger, Matt Mogere, and Marion Lambright. Beau Bellmore (19 rushes, 84 yards) and Sean Nokken (2 TDs, 124 yards) carried the mail, and shifty Anthony Shelman with his Velcro hands made some outstanding catches (five for 49 yards) over the course of a cold, windy, but sunny afternoon before a spirited crowd. About the only area of weakness for the Raiders was in the placekicking department, where several PAT attempts failed. On the other hand, the defense for CLC helped the offense by blocking punts. Next: at Mn West (3-2, lost to Ridgewater last Saturday 28-9 at Willmar), Worthington, 2:30 p.m. Sat., Sept. 29.
Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Raiders escape Cardinals

The Raider volleyball team of Central Lakes College had to fight for a 3-0 win, No. 10 in 13 matches this season, at Hibbing Friday. CLC is ranked 10th in the nation and seemed to be a target for upset by the inspired home team coached by a former CLC mentor, Mike Turnbull. The scores were 25-18, 25-20, 25-23, giving the Raiders their ninth straight victory on their way to International Falls for today's clash with Rainy River. Alanna Hansen masterfully ruled the net with five blocks and 10 kills. Lindsay Monson likewise used her height advantage for 10 kills and 3 blocks. Tiffany Hartung amassed 31 key set assists to keep the offense on the attack. The Raiders, undefeated in Northern Division play a 5-0, also got seven kills, 3 blocks, and 2 digs from sophomore stalwart Carlie Sweet. Sami Knott produced seven kills as the team once again spread the workload. Coach Jane Peterson said the Raiders played admirably to avoid the letdown following last Wednesday's big, 5-game match at Northland, which CLC won 3-2.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Raiders defeat Northland

The nation's 10th-ranked (NJCAA Division III) Central Lakes College Raiders (9-3) pulled out their fourth Northern Division volleyball win and eighth straight trumph of the season, 3-2, over Northland at Thief River Falls on Wednesday night. Crysta Christensen and Lindsay Monson each pounded down 15 kills and Tiffany Hartung collected 33 set assists for CLC. Sarah Miller (shown) scooped out 27 digs and Carlie Sweet and Alanna Hansen each collected five blocks. Next: Friday at Hibbing, 6:30 p.m.
Northland 16 28 25 22 5
Central Lakes 25 26 23 25 15

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Players of the Week

Central Lakes College athletes have been recognized for their performances in recent competition among Minnesota College Athletic Conference teams. In football the accolades are listed in the Southern Division of the MCAC. In volleyball, CLC is in the Northern Division. Three football players -- Paul Lake (shown), Jordan Bialke, and Anthony Shelman -- were chosen for Player of the Week honors. Paul is Special Teams Player of the Week. The sophomore from Lake Havasu City, AZ. amassed 107 yards with 58 return yards and a 49-yard pass completion on a fake punt attempt against Rochester (31-23 CLC win, record to 3-1). He averaged 38.3 yards per punt return. Jordan is defensive Player of the Week for his 12 tackles and two pass interceptions. The soph from Foley returned one interception 56 yards to give the Raider offense a head start. Anthony is Offensive Player of the Week. The freshman wide receiver from Inadianapolis hauled in five throws from QB Andrew Johnson to net 161 yards and 3 TDs. In volleyball, Lindsay Monson, a freshman from Pierz, had 28 kills in three games, a 2.55 average. She had a .397 attack percentage and totaled 14 blocks (1.27 per game) to earn Hitter of the Week honors. She helped the Raiders win 3 battles and improve to 8-3 going into tonight's showdown at Northland.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Raiders upset Rochester

Video footage: http://youtu.be/9Ij9MwJYj-U
The Central Lakes College football team on Saturday, Sept. 15 pulled off a 31-23 upset of previously undefeated and 16th-ranked Rochester (NJCAA Division III poll)  at Findorff Field in Brainerd. Bertha sophomore defensive back Jared Hoemberg intercepted Rochester quarterback Earl Young on the first play of the game. St. Paul freshman Andrew Johnson, the CLC starting quarterback, threw for 337 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those scoring passes went to Indiananpolis freshnman wide receiver Anthony Shelman, who finished with five catches for 161 yards.

Golf begins

The Central Lakes College men's and women's golf season began Sept. 13 in the Jewel Invite. Team scores for men: NIACC 300, M State 304, Mesabi Range 306, Rochester 317, Southwest tech 333, CLC 339. On Sept. 14, CLC competed in the RCTC Invite, Mt. Frontenac course, where CLC's Kodi Craft shot 71 to earn medalist. Chris Thielen was fourth at 77. Team scores: RCTC 311, Mesabi Range 316, CLC 330, SW Tech 331. On Sept. 16 CLC hosted an invitational at The Preserve. Men: M State 315, Mesabi 322, Hibbing 351. Individual CLc: Zach Rickers 84, Jane Hoffman and Chris Thielen 87.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Volleyball team to 8-3

Defeating nationally-ranked Mesabi Range (No. 6 as of 9-5-12) and conference stalwart Anoka -Ramsey 3-1 in a triangular meet Saturday, Sept. 15, the Central Lakes College volleyball team pushed its record to 8-3 on the year. Pine River sophomore Crysta Christensen knocked down 12 kills vs. Anoka-Ramsey and Brainerd sophomore Alanna Hansen did likewise in the win over Mesabi. Christensen added 11 digs and four blocks in the victory over Anoka-Ramsey. Hansen knocked down nine kills to go with three ace serves and three digs. Crosslake freshman Sarah Miller led CLC with 15 digs and Monticello freshman Keiana Wurtinger added 14 set assists. Against Mesabi, Pierz freshman Lindsay Monson (shown) added 10 kills, five digs and seven blocks.

Raiders sweep Vermilion

Lindsay Monson’s 10 kills helped the Central Lakes College volleyball team notch its fifth consecutive match win as the Raiders swept Vermilion 3-0 Friday, Sept. 14 in the CLC gym. Tiffany Hartung had 30 set assists for the Raiders, who ran their record to 6-3 ahead of the home triangular Sept, 15 vs. Mesabi Range and Anoka-Ramsey..

Vermilion 11 8 6
Central Lakes 25 25 25

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Raiders win

Central Lakes College defeated Itasca, 18-9, in MCAC football Saturday at Grand Rapids, giving the Raiders a 2-1 record going into the Sept. 15 home game vs. undefeated Rochester. Andrew Johnson threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns (14-29), and Beau Bellmore rushed for 127 yards in 28 carries for the offense, scoring on a four-yard run. The passing game clicked with Anthony Shelman (shown) catching five for 106 yards and 40-yard score to lead the way. Matthew Scott hauled in two passes for 71 yards and a 63-yard TD. Paul Lake caught five for 70 yards and kicked five punts for 170 yards. Calvin Belfrey intercepted a Viking pass. CLC lost the ball on fumbles twice. The Raiders outgained the home team, 377 yards to 180.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Raiders defeat Fond du Lac

The Central Lakes College volleyball team chalked up its fourth straight win Wednesday with a 3-1 triumph at Fond du Lac in Cloquet. Scores were 20-25, 25-10, 25-11, 25-10. Alanna Hansen notched 12 kills. Lindsay Monson slapped 10 kills. Tiffany Hartung has 32 set assists. Hayley Hornick and Sarah Miller defended with11 digs each, and Carlie Sweet did her job at the net with four blocks. Sophomore Crysta Christensen of Pine River (shown) nailed 9 service aces in her usual focused effort. The team totaled 19 ace serves, which pleased Coach Jane Peterson. CLC, 5-3, next hosts Vermilion on Friday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Raiders defeat Mesabi

BULLETIN: Beau Bellmore  of CLC (shown) was named Southern Division Player of the Week. Why? See below.
The Central Lakes College football team gave up a touchdown on the opening kickoff, but scored four straight TDs after that for a 28-14 Minnesota College Athletic Conference inter-division win over Mesabi Range Sat., Sept. 1 at Findorff Field in Brainerd. The win evens the CLC season record at 1-1 with a game at Itasca next Saturday before returning home Sept. 15. Without the services of two injured sophomores -- running back Taz Seibert and linebacker Brandon Tulenchik from season-ending broken arm and hand respectively, the Raiders still managed to move the football well in the first half to take a 28-7 lead. Also absent due to injury was Beau Stough, a 270-pound freshman running back. Freshman QB Andrew Johnson scored on a pair of short runs after the offense marched to the goal line. Freshman running back Beau Bellmore, who had 200 yards in 30 carries, scored on a short run and a nifty 25-yard scamper. Andrew Leonhardt kicked four PATs. In the second half CLC and Mesabi traded miscues and wore each other down under the warm September sun. In the middle of the last quarter, Johnson threw an interception that produced Mesabi's other TD, an 80-yard return of the errant toss. But the Raider defense held firm, stopping the Norse inside the 10 with under four minutes to play and giving the offense a chance to grind and move the ball to within the Mesabi 15, where time ran out. Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04/

Raiders win 2

The Central Lakes College women's volleyball team won 2 matches Friday at the St. Cloud Triangular to raise their record to 4-3. CLC defeated Minnesota West, 3-1, and St. Cloud Technical, 3-0. Vs. Mn West: 20-25, 25-11, 25-21, 25-20. Vs. St. Cld: 25-14, 25-13, 25-18. Alanna Hansen (shown) had 22 kills and five blocks. Carlie Sweet had four ace serves. Tammy Hartung had 38 assists for the Raiders. Hayley Hornick and Sarah Miller each had 19 digs. Tatum Hall had 16 assists. Crysta Christensen had 11 kills and 17 digs. Keianna Wurlinger had 12 assists. Lindsay Monson had 12 kills. Sami Knott had 14 kills. CLC plays at Fond du Lac Wednesday, Sept. 5, a 6:30 p.m. match in Cloquet.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Comeback win

The Central Lakes College Raiders defeated North Dakota State College of Science in volleyball Wednesday, coming from behind to avenge last week's loss to the Wildcats. Losing the first two games, 21-25 and 19-25, CLC was on the ropes and refused to give the Division II visitors a shutout. CLC won the third game, 25-23, then gained momentum for a 25-19 triumph to set up the deciding 15-point game, which went for the fired-up Raiders, 15-6. Freshman Lindsay Monson poked 15 kills and put up 3 blocks while assisting on numerous other means to thwart the NDSCS attack. Another force in the middle was sophomore Alanna Hansen, who slammed 11 kills. The balanced CLC unit showed its defensive savvy with digs and blocks spread across the squad. Sophomore Hayley Hornick led with 10 digs, while soph Crysta Christensen and frosh Tiffany Hartung and Amanda Larson each had 7. Tiffany showed her setting skills with a game-high 16.  Rookie setter Keinna Wurtinger dished out 9 set assists. First-year standout Sami Knott continued to play solid ball with 8 kills, 6 set assists and 3 digs. Numerous ace serves punctuated the strong CLC attack, which awaits  Minnesota West and St. Cloud Tech on Friday in the triangular at St. Cloud. The Raiders are 2-3 and hungry for more exciting, enjoyable team volleyball.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Tough competition

The Central Lakes College volleyball team opened its 2012 season against some very good teams at the Ridgewater showcase of powerhouses from Iowa, North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota. The Raiders defeated Dawson Community College of Glendive (3-0) but lost to North Dakota State College of Science (1-3) on Friday. They suffered two losses on Saturday -- to Ellsworth, Iowa (2-3) and the defending national champs and No. 1-ranked Ridgewater team (0-3). On the last day Tiffany Hartung (shown) notched 56 assists, seven aces, four digs, and a block for CLC. Against Ellsworth Sami Knott racked up 15 kills. Alanna Hansen added 12 kills. Crysta Christensen contributed 17 digs vs. Ridgewater. On Friday vs. Dawson Tiffany notched six aces and 25 set assists and against NDSCS she amassed 20 kills plus one ace serve. Hayley Hornick had 18 digs on the day. Next: Vs. NDSCS here, Wed., Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Raiders lose

All-Division sophomore Jerry Guerrero’s 40-yard field goal glanced off the upright and through the goal post as time expired to clinch the win as the Northland Pioneers edged our Central Lakes College Raiders, 30-28, in the season opener for both teams Thursday night at Thief River Falls. A 35-yard completion from Northland quarterback Edin Kovak to Aaron Doriat had put the Pioneers on the CLC 23-yard line. The little guy (5-3, 135) from Thief River Falls showed why he is one of the league's best placekickers by winning the game for his team with 0:00 on the clock. Raiders quarterback Andrew Johnson (shown) scored three touchdowns, all on one-yard sneaks. Northland’s Darian Nelson scored three of his team’s touchdowns, notching two touchdown runs and a 35-yard TD reception.  Beau Bellmore scored for CLC in the third quarter on a six-yard run, and Andrew Leonhardt kicked two PATs. Johnson tossed a PAT pass to Blake Petrich in the fourth quarer, which saw the teams score a total of 38 points. The Raiders had three touchdowns called back due to penalties. Next: Saturday Mesabi Range at CLC, 1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Great leadership

The 2012 Central Lakes College volleyball season begins Aug. 24 and 25 at the impressive Ridgewater College event that brings together top teams from Iowa, Montana, and North Dakota as well as perennial powers from Minnesota. Coach Jane Peterson said her Raiders are blessed with leadership and a strong sense of "team" among five retruning athletes fro 2011 -- Carlie Sweet, Hayley Hornick, Alanna Hansen, Alice Widmark, and Crysta Christensen. She said the Raiders should be "more powerful" and offer a variety of offensive options with a strong blocking game and tenacious back row. This is a well-rounded team, and thekey to success may be how well the seven new recruits adjust to the faster pace of collegiate volleyball.