Raiders lose in Oklahoma

WARNER, Okla. — Connors State College swept a doubleheader from the Central Lakes College Raiders on Saturday as the Brainerd squad began its Spring Break Roadtrip of daily contests through the end of this week in Oklahoma and Texas. Five errors hurt the Raiders against a team that played errorless ball. In the first game, a five-inning 11-0 loss to Connors, Raiders Jaron Hanson, Tyler Lenz, and Trevor Woodruff had the only CLC hits. Connors won the second game 9-1 in seven innings. CLC's Bryan Yackley doubled and Cory Tumberg had an RBI single. Jared Hoemberg pitched 4 innings in relief and allowed one unearned run. CLC was rained out Sunday against Northeast Texas Community College. The doubleheader was scheduled to be made up Monday.

Raiders ranked No. 2 in nation

The National Junior College Athletic Association Division III men's basketball poll this week ranks Central Lakes College as the No. 2 team in the country. The Raiders (27-3) moved up from last week's fifth-place ranking. Brookdale Community College (27-2) of Lincroft, N.J. is the top-rated team going into next week's championship tournament in New York, moving up from fourth after the top three ranked teams in the poll lost playoff games and were eliminated from national tourney berths. The Jersey Blues of Brookdale received four first-place votes, the Raiders of CLC two. The first opponent of the Elite Eight for CLC is SUNY-Delhi, N.Y (28-5), which is tied for fourth in the latest national poll.

CLC 65, Anoka-Ramsey 51

The Raider men advanced to the championship of the MCAC/Region 13 basketball tournament with a 65-51 win over Anoka-Ramsey today. The Raiders led 34-20 at the half and never relinquished the lead from the early moments. Ronnie Kornbaum had a stellar game, making several driving lay-ups as well as some fine outside shots and free throws. Cody Hofmann saw lots of action off the bench, and Michael Farrington was again the field general down the stretch. Great defense and quickness prevailed against the taller, slower Rams. This was the second win in three tries over the Rams, who won the last meeting between the teams, 67-65, in Brainerd. M State (Fergus Falls) upset Rochester, 71-69, in the other semi-final today. The championship game vs. M State starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at A-R, Coon Rapids. The champion advances to the NJCAA tournament in New York March 15-17.

Go Raiders!

Raiders advance

From report on MCAC website and in Brainerd Dispatch 3-3-12
The Central Lakes College Raiders defeated Mesabi Range, 72-57, in the quarterfinal round of the MCAC/Region 13 men's basketball tournament Friday, the first of three required wins to earn a trip to New York for the NJCAA DIII championship tournament. Maurice Hernandez (shown) scored 30 points, hauled in 11 rebounds, and credited his teammates and superior defense for a positive outcome. Mo scored 17 points in the first half as CLC took a 38-27 lead over the fourth-seeded Northern Division foe. The Raiders, No. 1 in the Northern Division, face Anoka-Ramsey, the host of the meet, at 4 p.m. today and hope to avenge a 67-65 loss to the Rams incurred the last time the teams met. A-R got past Hibbing, 73-61, in the first round. Other winners: Rochester (84-74 vs. Vermilion) and M State (63-56 vs. Northland) collide in the other semifinal today at 2 p.m. for the right to play in the tourney title game Sunday at 2 p.m. in Coon Rapids. Ronnie Kornbaum and Kwamaine Johnson each scored 13 points for the Raiders (25-3, ranked fifth in the NJCAA poll).

Camps, clinics and league

Central Lakes College Raider Volleyball Camps, Clinics, and Summer League 2012 are scheduled for the Brainerd campus gymnasium, announced Jan Peterson, head coach and camp director. Camps: June 11-14, Setter/Hitter, 9 a.m.-noon for jr. high, $75; June 13-16, Elite, 1-4 p.m. for high school, $85; Clinics: June 6 & 7, Setter, 9:30-11:30 a.m., $20/day; June 6, Hitter, 11:30-1:30, $20; June 7, Passing, 11:30-1:30, $20; Summer league June 4-July 16, Mondays, 5-9 p.m., 6 on 6 officiated, $240/ team of at least 8 players, varsity candidates. Information: (218) 855-8210 or jpeterso@clcmn.edu

Softball season to start

Central Lakes College softball opens March 23 with a 12-player roster at the Irish Dome vs. Hibbing, Itasca, and Mesabi starting at 7:15 a.m., followed by a March 24 outing at the Husky Dome vs. St. Cloud Technical and Community College, an 8 a.m. start. The first home double header will be at 3 p.m., Tuesday, April 3 vs. Itasca, followed by 3 p.m. home stands April 5 vs. Northland and April 9 vs. Hibbing. Coach Medeck has 3 sophomores to lead the team -- Rebecca Anderson of Cherry, Samantha Harting of Pillager, and Heather Hejhal of Verndale. Freshmen are Haley Hornick, New Ulm; Samantha Heagerty, LaPorte; Jenni Smolke, Carlie Sweet, and Alanna Hansen, Brainerd; Lena Montano, Aitkin; Desirae Guscete, Belle Plaine; and Kaylie Hanson and Nicole Marcy, Pillager. Ali LeBlanc is assistant coach.

Players, coach honored

Sophomore Maurice Hernandez of Central Lakes College was named Most Valuable Player in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference for 2011-12, reported Raider Coach Jim Russell. Maurice was named Player of the Week three times during the season. Maurice, fellow sophomore Kwamaine Johnson and freshman Michael Farrington were named to the All-State team. The trio was also named to the All-Southern Division team. Maurice led the South Division and the NJCAA Division III’s fifth-ranked Raiders with 17.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He also made the top 10 for 3-point field goal percentage and field goal percentage. Michael led the division in assists (7.4) and steals (3.2) per game. Johnson was third in steals (2.2) and seventh in assists (3.1) per game. The three helped the Raiders to a 24-3 regular-season record and the division’s No. 1 seed in the MCAC-Region 13 playoffs this weekend at Anoka-Ramsey. (Results of which will be reported here as soon as available. The tournament is also being shown live via webcast - See earlier Blog item.) They also helped Raiders head coach Jim Russell earn tri-coach of the year honors along with Jason Retzlaff of Fergus Falls and Justin Heckenlaible of Minnesota West.
PEARSON HONORED
Sophomore Nikki Pearson of the Central Lakes College Raiders was named to the 2011-12 MCAC All-State and All-Division second teams.  She shot 73% from the free throw line and averaged 3.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game this season. She was named the Southern Division Player of the Week ending Feb. 25. Nikki played guard for the Raiders as a two-year starter from Staples-Motley. For the final week of her CLC career she averaged 21 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the field. She connected on 11-of-12 free throws during the week.