Sports & Outdoors
Giants Ridge brings together record number of Nordic Ski teams
Saturday, January 7 brought nearly perfect skiing conditions to Giants Ridge for one of the biggest Nordic ski meets in the Midwest. 57 teams arrived for a full day of classic skiing in the morning and freestyle or “skate” skiing in the afternoons.
Winter Sports Schedule
12:00pm- Basketball: Boys Junior High Tournament vs. Multiple Schools..
Agate Boys Basketball update
The Rock Ridge Wolverines handed Two Harbors their 1st loss on the season Monday night in Rock Ridge. The Agates ran out to a fast start in taking an early 17-9 lead, but some stellar 3-point shooting by Rock Ridge rallied the Wolverines to a 46-37 halftime lead. The Agates were playing their 1st game without senior captain Ethan Bopp who is out indefinitely with a foot injury. In his place, several Agates stepped up including Deacon Bark, Cash Williams & Trevor Kleive who tallied a quick 10 rebounds. The Agates rallied to cut the lead to 70-66 but Rock Ridge held on and hit some clutch free-throws in the end.
NS PeeWee B1 wins Hermantown championship
The North Shore Storm PeeWee B1 team brought home the Championship trophy from their most recent tournament in Hermantown last week. The Storm fought hard to defeat Chisago Lakes, Stillwater, Mahtomedi and ultimately defeated Hermantown to take the Championship with a 6-1 victory. The boys played very well over the weekend. Their hard work so far this year has given them the confidence and ability to play against and defeat some of the best teams in the state.
Curling Activities abound in Two Harbors
Curling is a sport that thrives through generations, as demonstrated by Laura Goutermont, whose parents, Jim and Valerie Osbakken, were lifelong curlers and promoters. She too curled in Two Harbors at a very young age. Goutermont is now helping to carry on both the tradition and the enthusiasm as Vice President of the Two Harbors Curling Club which is in full winter swing. Leagues play four nights a week, with “open” leagues Mondays and Tuesdays, Men’s League Wednesday night and Women’s League Thursday nights. They also host numerous “learn to curl” opportunities for people to try it out, and provide physical education classes for local youth.
Ski Meet under a Lit Loop at Pine Valley
The Nordic Ski team had its first meet in the dark under a lit loop at Pine Valley, Cloquet on Tuesday January 3, with races beginning at 5:00 p.m. Falling snow added a muffled ambience to the meet. Teams and supporters coming from the west or south encountered some whiteout conditions. It’s all part of the fun, though, and seven teams came together and had a good race, though most mentioned the “mashed potatoes” condition of the track because of the falling snow. “Part skiing, part plowing” was the word out on the track. It was the first meet that combined both Two Harbors and Cook County skiers for the North Shore Storm team, with 24 skiers competing overall. Those who finished in the Top 20 of their race are noted below: Girls Junior High 2.5 k: Maddie Linn finished 4th with 12:06 and Naomi Tracy-Hegg finished 14th in 13:31.
Boys Basketball Report
Monday January 2nd: Two Harbors 86 Floodwood 41 Trent Gomez led the Agates with 29 points, Ethan Bopp added 15 & Isaiah Hietala totaled 13 points as the Agates beat a depleted Floodwood team on the road.
