January 30, 2019
With both time and space short this week (press deadline was moved up from Tuesday morning to Monday afternoon), this week’s Bleacher Views will be extremely short.
Congratulations are in order for Fulda’s Erin Oakland and Adrian’s Leon Bullerman.
Both of those outstanding high school athletes had stellar careers at Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) in Marshall and will soon be inducted into the Mustangs’ Athletic Hall of Fame.
Oakland, who was an exceptional three-sport athlete (volleyball, basketball and golf) for the Raiders before graduating from FHS in 2003, excelled in golf at SMSU and also did very well in basketball. She was highlighted in an article in Fulda’s Free Press last week.
Bullerman graduated from AHS in 1986 and, after wrestling two years for Minnesota West in Worthington, became an NAIA National Champion at SMSU at 158 pounds in 1991. That was his third national championship as he had won two NJCAA titles while wrestling for the Bluejays. He was 65-5-1 in his two seasons at SMSU.
Bullerman and Oakland (Dauwalter) had remarkable athletic careers at SMSU and are among 12 new members who will be inducted at Saturday’s special ceremonies at SMSU, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 2.
A big “way to go” or “shout out” to Heron Lake-Okabena senior Anna Volk, who recently scored five goals in a high school hockey game. Scoring three goals in a game is quite an accomplishment, known as a “hat trick.” Well, Anna had a ‘hat trick’ plus two in helping her team to an impressive victory by scoring Windom’s first five goals. She later contributed a pair of assists, giving her an amazing seven-point game!
Anna has worked hard to become a great hockey player, as she doubled as a volleyball player and cross country runner the past two falls. She runs distances races and hurdles for the Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda track and field team in the spring. But, it’s hockey that she loves most and she certainly had a recent game to cherish and remember. Congratulations, Anna!
February 6, 2019
Congratulations to the Murray County Central varsity boys on their recent 73-59 victory over Westbrook-Walnut Grove in a key Red Rock Conference clash. The win by the Rebels caps a five-game winning streak and avenged an earlier (January 14) 67-56 loss to the high-powered Chargers.
Mountain Lake Area / Comfrey (15-2 overall) leads the Red Rock with a 9-1 conference record, but Southwest Minnesota Christiian (13-4, 9-2), W-WG (14-5, 9-2) and MCC (13-4, 8-2) are still contending in what was expected to be a four-team chase at the top for the title.
MCC hosts Mountain Lake on Valentine’s Day and plays at Southwest Christian on Monday, February 25 in the last game of the regular season.
W-WG hosts MLA / Comfrey this Friday (the 8th) and plays at SW Christian on Friday, the 22nd.
Mountain Lake and SW Christian do not play again.
Hills-Beaver Creek is ranked seventh in the state among Class A girls’ teams and the Patriots are still undefeated (20-0) and lead the Red Rock with their 13-0 league mark.
Southwest Christian (16-2, 12-1) is still challenging, while Mountain Lake Area / Comfrey (11-6, 8-4), Red Rock Central (12-8, 7-5), Murray County Central (10-9, 7-6) and Adrian (6-12, 6-6) all have won their share of conference games, too.
I saw RRC beat MLA / Comfrey in a dandy girls’ game at Lamberton last Thursday night (January 31), 62-49, and was very impressed with both teams.
Thursday’s (Feb. 7) game between the Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda and Westbrook-Walnut Grove girls (at Fulda) should be a great game. When the two squads played at Westbrook in December, the Chargers edged the Coyotes, 58-55.
As expected, the New England Patriots won another Super Bowl Championship, earning a 13-3 victory over the usually high-scoring Los Angeles Rams. The Patriots certainly shined in the playoffs, defeating the Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win their sixth Super Bowl title.
Major League Baseball teams begin spring training later this month and it’s staying light now until 6 p.m. — so winter is beginning to wind down, although there is still a strong chill in the air this week. There also may be more snow coming, so don’t put away your winter supplies yet.
Soon, the high school basketball tournaments will begin.
