Sports, Local Schools

The Falls High boys’ track and field team recently handed out its post-season awards.
The team awards two post-season awards each season. The awards are the Dick Ostroot Award which goes to the senior athlete that excels in the classroom and on the track. The other award is the Bruce Schmidt Contribution to Broncos Track and Field Award. The Bruce Schmidt Award goes to a person that has done something to help the boys’ track and field team on or off the track.
This season’s Dick Ostroot award went to senior Rocky LaBlanc. LaBlanc was a captain on this season’s squad and

The opening tipoff of the 2008-2009 high school basketball season may be four months away, but the Falls High Broncos boys’ varsity and junior varsity basketball teams have played over 20 games each this summer.
Both teams have been on the road a lot competing in tournaments in Grand Rapids, Saint Cloud, Fargo and Bemidji. With tournaments in Lakeville and Saint Cloud coming up.

Falls High junior Jacob Casareto has been named to the Duluth News Tribune All-Area Baseball team.
Casareto was a captain on the Broncos team and finished the 2008 campaign with a .453 batting average and had 20 RBIs.
Casareto was also a dominant pitcher for the Broncos posting a 4-1 mark with a 1.40 ERA and 43 strike outs in 29 innings of work.

Maria Porter takes 27th; Travis Phillipe takes 55th place

Travis Phillipe and Maria Porter completed their play at the State Boys and Girls Golf Tournament on Thursday and Friday at the Ridges at Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan.
Both Bronco golfers were playing as individuals in the tournament.
Porter fired a 87 and 95 for a 182 two-round total, which put her in 27th place overall in the field of 88 golfers.

An International Falls player will be a part of the annual Kernz & Kompany High School All-Star Baseball Game.
No. 8 on the Iron Range roster is Kyle Potter, International Falls, who will play outfield. Potter is 6-feet tall and weighs 165 pounds.
Players take to the field at Wade Stadium in Duluth at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
The event, which matches the best high school baseball players in Duluth against the best of the Iron Range and northern Minnesota, will mark the tenth meeting between the two teams.

Defending champ Gelo misses first place by inches

Defending champion Falls High senior Raphy Gelo took second Friday in the boys pole vault at the Class A State Track and Field Championships at Hamline University in St. Paul.
Gelo took second with a jump of 14 feet, 6 inches. First place went to Erick Romsdahl, of St. James, with a jump of 15 feet.
Senior Eric Solo took ninth in the boys discus throw Saturday with a throw of 145 feet, 5 inches and Bronco freshman Alicia Hendrickson took 14th place in the girls pole vault with a jump of 8 feet, 6 inches.

Kelly Hams named to All Tournament Team

By ROGER JEROME, Sports Correspondent

The Littlefork-Big Falls softball team had its bid to play for the Class A State Title end Friday morning when Maple Lake scored runs in the fifth and sixth innings to edge the Vikings 3-1 in the semifinal game. In the third place game, the Vikings trailed Wabasso 7-0 in the seventh inning. The Vikings put together a rally but fell short losing 7-5 with the tying runs on base.

Medecke’s ground rule double provides winning margin

By ROGER JEROME, Sports Correspondent

For the first time in its state tournament history, the Littlefork-Big Falls softball team won an opening round game, doing so in dramatic fashion when Caitlyn Medecke hit a ground rule double to bring home Kelly Hams in a 1-0 Viking win over Verndale Thursday afternoon at Caswell Park in North Mankato.

When the State Track Meet starts on Friday in St. Paul, Falls High senior Raphy Gelo will be back to defend his state title in the pole vault while fellow senior Eric Solo competes in the discus.
The pair will enter the meet as Section Champions with Gelo winning the pole vault with a jump of 14 feet 7 inches and Solo winning the discus with a toss of 159 feet, 2 inches.
First-year head coach Paul Hjelle is excited about sending the pair to the meet.

In high school sports, it is not very often that the words freshman and champion can be used in the same sentence. But for the Falls High girls’ track and field team, there is one such athlete that the sentence applies.
Freshman Alicia Hendrickson is the Section 7A pole vault champion and will be making her first trip to the State Track and Field Meet later this week.
“I didn’t really expect to be champion. I thought I would do good, but not that good,” Hendrickson said.