On the Bench with Byron Higgin
By the time you read this paper there will be just two or three days until practice begins for the fall sports season. Football will come fast with Parents Night / Media Night: from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 18.
Junior High Pictures are at 5 p.m., Varsity Pictures at 5:30 p.m. and Youth Pictures at 6 p.m. Varsity Practice will be behind the school.
Practice Starts on Monday, August 14. Times are: 12:30 p.m.- 4:30p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Minneotans are wondering if the Vikings can re-build their line behind a very talented group of skill players, including runner Isaac Hennen and quarterback Alex Pohlen. The highlight of the season is always when Minneota plays Dawson-Boyd. This year, they will do it on Boxelder Bug Days weekend, September 8 in Minneota. And it’s only the second game of the season. There should be a lot of excitement surrounding that game.
The Southwest District this year will be different. Two teams have gone to pursue nine-man football. They include Russell-Tyler-Ruthton and Red Rock Central.
As a result, each team will play two games instead of one with teams from the other half of the conference. Minneota got Sleepy Eye and Springfield and will open the season at home against Sleepy Eye on August 31.
They will travel to Springfield on October 6. On the volleyball side — well, everything will be new with new head coach Hayley Fruin taking over along with assistant Kaley Buysse. This team led by hitter Lydia Sussner will need to find some pieces for the puzzle from up and coming players.
But watching this team under a new coach should be fun. Chances are things will be different, they always are when a new coach takes over.
The team will open the season at the Breakdown Side Out Classic at Hopkins Lindbergh Center on Saturday, August 26. The Vikings will play Underwood. Just before that the team will hold a scrimmage at Minneota with Canby, Central Minnesota Christian, Luverne, Pipestone and Worthington on hand.
They will once again play Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at Ridgewater College in Willmar in a 5:30 p.m. game on the college floor. This has become a tradition between the two teams.
Cross country runners will continue to go to Canby to join the Lancers and it looks like the boys and girls both will have promising teams.
The Canby-Minneota team will open the season at home with the “Night Classic,” beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Canby Golf Course. Teams include: Adrian, Community Christian School of Willmar; Deuel of Clear Lake, SD; Heron-Lake Okabena; Lakeview; MACCRAY/RCW; Marshall; Murray County Central; Ortonville; Pipestone Area; Redwood Valley; Russell-Tyler Ruthton; Sioux Falls Roosevelt; Sioux Falls Washington; Tracy-Milroy-Balaton; Worthington and Yellow Medicine East.
The night meet has become a popular event and is a good way to kick off the season and see what teams will be contending in the coming year. Good Luck teams!