Packers and Vikings Border Battle Part One + More – Tom Hansen’s Sports Notes

You ready for the Border Battle?

Vikings vs. Packers.

Lambeau Field.

Sunday. Noon.  Where will you be watching?  Home? At the game? Local establishment?

And with who?  Packers fans, Vikings fans…

If you are like me, it’s always a mixed crowd.  Some are Vikes fans, some are backers of the Pack.

Both teams need the win this year, that’s for sure.  Green Bay is 7-4 overall and the Vikings not far back at 6-5 and both need a win. Bad.

Both have been hit by the injury bug, and may or may not be getting some of these players back on Sunday.  No matter who wins on Sunday the rematch is not far off already.  December 30^th again a Noon start at Mall of America Field.

Please, please I’m asking you.  It’s just a game.  One team will win, one will lose. Or tie could happen too.  Let’s just not hear of fans doing crazy things following the game, either very unhappy or very sad.  Too often, we hear how fans take the loss in dramatic style.  Let’s go with no drama, and just a win or a loss. Please.  Don’t need to hear about arrests or anybody getting hurt following the game cause their team did or didn’t win.

In other college football news, three members of the UMD football team were honored. Garth Heikkinen, Cam Harper, were named to the Daktronics All-Region first team today. Linebacker Colby Ring was named to the 2^nd team.  The Bulldogs were 10-2 overall this year and reached the NCAA Division Two tournament again this season.

And in high school football you can call him All-State Jake.

The All-State high school football players in the state have been announced and the Rebels senior running back was the only area player named to the first-team.

Jake Disterhaupt led the Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels to the Prep Bowl title game for the past two years.

He rushed for over 1,500 yards this year and scored 19 touchdowns.  The Rebels went undefeated for the past two years with their only losses coming in the state championship game against Caladonia.

For his career he has rushed for over 4,500 yards and rushed for over 70 career touchdowns.  He is also a finalist for the Mr. Football Award in Minnesota that will be announced next month.

And a busy prep sports night on Thursday.  #1 ranked Hopkins came to Esko for a girl’s basketball game, marking the home and season openers for Esko.  Each team has a Division one recruit.  Savanna Trapp of Esko heading to UCLA next year. And she warmed up with 23 points, 11 rebounds in the loss to the Royals, the defending state 4A champions.  She also added five more blocks, and could set the record for blocks in a career yet this season.  Claudia Turner had 8 points for Esko, and Marissa Shady added 5 in the loss.  The Royals had two players in double figures, Northwestern bound Nia Coffey had 11 points, while T’Aire Starks also scored 11.  Hopkins led 39-18 at the half.

In other girl’s basketball, Cloquet topped Two Harbors by a 67-29 in a home game in Cloquet.

And in girl’s hockey, a non-conference game between Silver Bay and Superior….Well it’s actually Silver Bay, Two Harbors, Cook County, Ely, and Babbit Mariners.  The Mariners took a 2-0 in the first period and held on for the 4-3 road victory at the Superior Ice rink.  Anna Carman, one of the Silver Bay captains had the first two goals on the power-play.  Mariners getting their first win, Spartans still searching for theirs.

And in college volleyball, the UMD Bulldogs are playing in their biggest tournament of the year.  UMD faced Central Missouri in the opening game of the NCAA Regional tournament in St. Paul on Thursday with the Bulldogs posting a dramatic 3 games to 2 win.  The Bulldogs lost the opening game, and game three, but the Bulldogs are now 29-4 and will play a conference opponent in the semifinals. UMD Head Coach Jim Boos said after the game that he had a lot of respect for Central Missouri and knew that some of the younger Bulldogs might need some time to get their feet wet in the NCAA tournament.  He was pleased with how they improved over the course of the match to win and advance.  Kate Lange, a Hibbing native had 27 kills to lead the Bulldogs in the win.

All they have to do on Friday is beat the five-time defending D2 national champions, Concordia-St.Paul on their own home court.  That’s all.

The Golden Bears won on Thursday 3-0 over Wayne State.

But the Bulldogs have beaten the Golden Bears already this year.  That’s why they play the games.  Just like this Sunday.  Somebody will win. Somebody won’t.