Tom’s Notes: UMD Football Stays at Number 2 and More

Wow, I’m sure you saw the end of the Packers game, or listened to it on the radio. Seattle 14 Packers 12 - That’s what the box score say, but Packers M.D. Jennings appeared to intercept a Seattle pass at the end of the game, but NFL replacement officials ruled a Seattle T.D. to Golden Tate, his 2^nd one of the game.  After a video review, they still ruled a TD.  You make the call.  Packers are now 1-2 on the year.  After the Packers left the field, 11 players from Green Bay had to return to the field as Seattle kicked the extra point to officially end the game.

The UMD Football team still ranked #2 in the D2 in the latest poll. They won 42-34 over Augustana College and are now 4-0 overall and 4-0 in the conference.  UMD’s Aaron Roth named the NSIC Special Teams player of the week, for his 92 yards return for a score.

Aaron Roth returned two kickoffs for 112 yards, including one for 92 yards and a second quarter touchdown, in UMD’s 42-34 win over Augustana College Saturday night. Through four games this fall, Roth has compiled the second best kick return average (39.0 yards) in NCAA II football. Roth is the first Bulldog in 12 years to bring back two kickoffs for touchdowns in one season. Cash Langeness was the last individual to do that for UMD.  The Bulldogs head on the road to St. Cloud State this Saturday.  They have now won 36 straight conference home games after Saturday at Malosky Stadium. He wasn’t the only UMD Athlete to be honored by the NSIC over the weekend.

The UMD Soccer Team's Marissa Rosa, making the first two home starts of her collegiate career, made 9 saves on her way to back-to-back shutouts as the Bulldogs picked up a pair of NSIC wins at Malosky Stadium over the weekend. Rosa made four stops in Saturday’s 1-0 blanking of Southwest Minnesota State before coming up with five saves in Sunday’s 6-0 rout of Sioux Falls. Rosa is 2-1-0 in 2012 with an .870 save percentage and carries a goals against average of 0.90 on the season.  The Bulldogs are 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the NSIC.

The local hockey season is here, the Duluth Clydesdales fell to Dryden Ice Dogs on Friday by a 6-3 over the Duluth Clydesdales. Duluth lost again on Saturday by a 4-3 score and then were home on Sunday night against the Minnesota Iron Rangers and the Iron Rangers won on Sunday by a score of  4-3 in overtime. Former Superior Spartan Nolan Holcomb is playing for the Iron Rangers.  The Clydesdales with 36 minutes of penalties in the game.

The Northland has a third local team in the league, the Minnesota Wilderness moved into Cloquet for this year.

The college hockey season is here for the UMD Womens hockey team.  They hit the ice for the first official practice on Monday. This is Shannon Miller’s 13^th season as the Head Coach for the Bulldogs and has 334 wins and a record 5 NCAA Championships.  UMD is ranked 8^th in the country in the preseason poll, and we will have more on the womens hockey team tomorrow as we profile their 2012-13 season.  The Bulldogs open the season this weekend already, when they host the Minnesota Whitecaps in an exhibition series.

UWS Women's Soccer team back at home for a game on Tuesday vs Bethany Lutheran.  The Jackets lost to UW-Stout on Saturday 3-0.  Three local players involved in the game for Stout, Alix Hyduke from Duluth East is a junior, with a goal and assist in that game. Former Superior Spartan Ally Gotelaere also played for the Bluedevils and Jamie Whitlinger is a freshman for Stout as well.