The spring sports season and teams’ 20-20 visions of winning section or state titles have been halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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After making the state tournament in his 2018-19 junior season, Elks senior Seth Hopkins capped off his Elk River wrestling career by finishing in fifth place in the 285-weight division in the Class 3A state tournament on Feb. 29.
For the first time since 2002, the Elk River girls nordic ski team has advanced to the state tournament. The Elks finished in second place at the Section 5A tournament and will compete at the state tournament on Feb. 13 at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minnesota.
On Dec. 3, Carter McEachern broke a record once held by a beloved Elk River basketball player.
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Fireworks explode after every Thunder scoring play during Zimmerman home games. There weren’t many fireworks on Saturday night.
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While most of Minnesota paid attention to the Twins’ first postseason game in two years on Friday night, fans in Zimmerman focused on the Thunder's homecoming game. The mood was light, as fans danced to country music and the Backstreet Boys’ 1997 hit “Everybody."
Behind a balanced offensive attack and a dominate defensive performance, Zimmerman improved to 2-0 on the season with a 29-0 shutout victory over Foley in their home opener on Sept. 6.
The Rogers volleyball team is off to a strong start to the season, improving to 3-1 (1-0 NWSC) after a 3-0 victory over Buffalo on Sept. 3. The Royals took down the Bison in three straight sets, winning 25-19, 25-22, 25-21.
Thunder come up short in annual Sandbur Cup
Elk River tennis program opens up new home facility, couldn’t be more pleased with it by Jake AndersenSports ReporterGiven the success of the program, every Elk River tennis season is highly anticipated, but this year, that anticipation was taken to another level. After 55 years on their ol…
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Mike Rinowski leaves career to go on unexpected ride across Vietnam, then writes a book on the experience
Aikido clinic comes to Elk River this weekend
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Elk River vet Dr. Gallenberg set to answer questions, give out free advice at the “Ask the Vet” booth during all six days of the Game Fair
It’s time to celebrate the great outdoors once again at the 38th annual Game Fair with a multitude of fun events, outdoors exhibitors, dogs of all shapes and sizes, along with plenty of fair food. The six-day event takes place over two weekends on the grounds of the Armstrong Ranch Kennels i…
After watching his team put together a winning record and make another run in the postseason, Michael Lorden couldn’t be happier with the decision he made to return as head coach of the Post 560 Zimmerman Legion baseball team. And now he’s in it for the long haul.
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Bandow displays his reputation for being one of the country’s most aggressive drivers, a reputation he’s earned over a 19-year career
The Zimmerman Zebras Legion baseball team won their first game in the Division II Sub-State 13 playoffs by a score of 4-3 over Gopher Post Minneapolis on July 23, thanks to a walkoff single by Ian Carlin in the ninth inning.
The 20th annual Big Tooth Sweet Tooth race is set to take place on Saturday, July 27, at Woodland Trails Park in Elk River.
The Post 112 Elk River Legion baseball team made the top 10 in the Legion baseball rankings for the first time this year, coming in at No. 9 in the league’s most recent rankings on July 2.
The Zimmerman trap team advanced on to their third straight Minnesota State High School League state trap shooting tournament, which was set to take place on Friday, June 21, at Minneapolis Gun Club in Prior Lake.
Grimm’s career also comes to an end at state, while Elks 4x400 girls relay takes 14th
Thunder’s senior qualifies to first state track meet after first-place finish in 1600
The first-year Rogers girls lacrosse program hoped to build on a tremendous regular season and make a run in the Section 8 tournament, but instead saw their season come to an early end in the second round.
If they hadn’t already, Elk River/Zimmerman proved they are a force to be reckoned with in Section 8.
Softball teams cap strong seasons, falling just short of section championship games
The Elk River girls golf team battled through windy and cold weather conditions to claim another Northwest Suburban Conference title at the conference championship meet at Bunker Hills Golf Course in Coon Rapids on May 21. The Elks shot a 345, outshooting second-place finisher Maple Grove by…
Behind a standout pitching performance by Kenzie Olene and a couple of late runs, the No. 4-seeded Zimmerman Thunder overcame an early deficit to defeat No. 5 Willmar in the first round of the Section 5-3A tournament at Zimmerman High School on May 21 by a score of 3-2.
The Elk River tennis team won their side of the Northwest Suburban Conference following a 5-2 victory over Champlin Park on May 7. This year two NWSC teams were awarded conference titles for winning their seven-team division in the 14-team conference. In the past, one conference champion was…
King, Scherling and Bouley honored with Athena Award at annual luncheon
Girls take third, while Rogers, Zimmerman and Spectrum find success at true team meets
Zimmerman gets crucial Game 2 win over Foley, remain in hunt for conference title
Zimmerman’s Tre Wilkins can’t recall ever playing a better game.
The Elk River boys golf team placed ninth at the annual Preview Invitational on April 26-27, which consists of 16 of the top teams in the state. It wasn’t the Elks’ best day, but they battled difficult weather conditions to finish with a respectable two-day total of 631 strokes, which was wi…
Elk River, Rogers and Zimmerman represented well at all-star track meet
The Spectrum baseball team improved to 2-0 on the season, defeating defending Class A champion Heritage Christian Academy 4-3 in extra innings.
Evan Bartlett replaces former head coach Tom Kish, hopes to build on strong foundation
Zimmerman’s Cade Bondhus and Cheresa Bouley broke the school in the pole vault and 1600 meter run in their first meet of the season and have now bested those marks once again.
At first, the Elks looked to be cruising towards a season opening victory. As it turned out, they had to scratch and claw it out until the very end.
Tom Kish, Lance Dalbey resign after successful coaching tenures at Zimmerman
The Zimmerman softball team couldn’t have opened up the season any better.
The following high school spring sports previews are based on information submitted by coaches. Any other previews to come in will be included in next week’s edition of the Star News. Lacrosse and traps previews will be among those included in next week’s edition.
Elks QB Club starts flag football program in hopes of attracting more kids to the game
Former Elk Jonna Curtis and the Minnesota Whitecaps, a professional girls hockey team in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) were set to play in their first postseason game on March 15 against the Metropolitan Riveters, with a chance to secure a spot in the Isobel Cup finals on March 1…
Elks’ dismal second half leads to first-round exit
Elk River’s Zack Kopp places second in 100 free, third in 50 free in fourth and final state meet
Schmeidel, Reed compete at state tournament as well, falling just short of finals day
Gardas makes it to the second day of the state tournament in first trip down to the X
Elk River’s Joey Foss was named one of 16 finalists for the 2019 Reed Larson Award by Let’s Play Hockey on Feb. 28. The award is presented to the top senior boys high school hockey defenseman in Minnesota.
Other finalists for the award include Wayzata’s Tommy Bergsland, Minnetonka’s Grant Docter, Lakeville South’s Sam Elasky, Hermantown’s Darian Gotz, Blaine’s Nick Hauck, SW Christian/Richfield’s Jake Holmstrom, Chaska’s Mike Koster, Eden Prairie’s Keegan Langefels, Minnetonka’s Josh Luedtke, Cretin-Derham Hall’s Danny Magnuson, Buffalo’s Joe McNamara, Duluth East’s Frederick Paine, Duluth Denfeld’s Darren Shykes, Edina’s Mike Vorlicky and Bloomington Jefferson’s Gavin Wendorf.
According to Let’s Play Hockey, the 16 finalists have scored an average of seven goals and 20 assists, as of Feb. 27, and boast an average grade-point average of 3.60. The Reed Larson Award also factors in off-ice criteria, such as academics, community/extracurricular activities, citizenship and coachability.
Foss, whose season and career came to an end in an 8-0 loss to Andover in the Section 7AA semifinals on Feb. 23, was the team’s most reliable defenseman in an up-and-down season for the Elks, scoring five goals and 15 assists – a team-high among defensemen – in a 10-16-1 season.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenseman also led the Elk River blue line last season, scoring a career-high 34 points (11 g, 23 a). While the offensive numbers dropped this season, Foss was forced to be more disciplined on the back end, as the leader of a young, inexperienced defensive core that lost three of its top-six defensemen to injury during the season.
The winner of the Reed Larson Award will be announced at one of the State Tournament Banquets on March 5 or 6 at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.
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