ND Pride

Take it easy. It is contradictory to say that "anyone can say what they want on here" and then tell someone that they cannot offer an apology. It does show some concern for the Red River program to make an apology for some of these posts. I applaud the expression of civility in a world that has lost much of its civility. I'd rather see an apology than the statement to "get the hell off this site" that one of these posters has made. They are making Siouxsports.com a real friendly place. As for the issue of guessing the affiliation of those posting I would think that it does not take much of a guess to figure out where some of these people come from based on their emotional proclamations of who is going to win state.

X2theZ someone else addressed that issue a month or two ago and said that playing in the Ralph was a money loser. Add to the fact that there are few spectators relative to the number of seats and I suppose you can argue that the atmosphere is not the best for a tournament. I have to share the sentiments of a number of Grand Forks people, and others, who have expressed concern about the immature posts that have surfaced on this thread. I know a number of players and parents at Red River and it is disrespectful to them and their program to see some of these posts. I guess this is why high school threads are at risk for closure from website administrators who do not want to have to deal with this nonsense.

I double checked it and that is correct - he was a senior. That's what I get for trying to dig out all this info. I corrected it on my original post. Thanks.

For the record, in my post I was responding the the comment by South4life that stated, "Who were the great Seniors that played for South when Galt was a sophomore. I can't remember." In my trip down memory lane I did not restrict myself to the question and focus only on defensemen but simply listed the South players from that team, regardless of position and year in school, who were in the top 25 for scoring at the end of the season. Asssuming he is a South fan I figured that South4life would like to see all of those names and statistics and it would help to restore the memory of that season and create warm feelings of nostalgia. Mauch was a senior forward, Weisgarber a sophomore forward, Kankelfritz a senior forward, and Dalbey a junior forward. Only Brehmer (a senior) and Luecke (a junior) were defensemen. Other senior defensemen included: Eric Andersen (senior), John Macintosh (senior), Ross Miller (senior), and Joe Striegel (senior). This information was taken from "Center Ice: A Preview of Hockey in North Dakota 2003-2004" Ray Maloney editor. My role in this conversation is simply to provide the names of the players on the team when Galt was a sophomore and not share any opinions on how good he was at that time or any other evaluative activity.

I have been watching this recent conversation unfold. South4life is some character - some sort of imposter no doubt. I don't really care much about this line of conversation but just for the record when Galt was a sophomore the "great" players for south were Justin Mauch (52 pts - 3rd in state for scoring), Paul Weisgarber (43 pts 6th), Adam Kankelfritz (38 pts 11th), Luke Brehmer (36 pts 15th), Tyler Dalbey (30 pts 20th), Caleb Luecke (28 pts, 23rd). It is unusual that a so-called South "fan" would not remember any of these players.

South over West Fargo 8-2 and North over Shanley 6-3. Any other scores out there? Grafton/Minot? Central/Jamestown?

The percentage of North Dakota High School Seniors who will actually try to make a Junior team is, at best 5%. There are 18 high school varsity teams in the state and maybe 16 JV - let's rough the roster size out to about 17 on average per team (34 teams in total). If we multiply 34 teams times 17 players we get 578 players - lets just round it to 600 for this exercise. From the tryout rosters that I have seen from last year and the list of kids who made the teams, I estimate that about 10-12 seniors tried out - maybe an additional 3-4 juniors did so for the experience. If we use 80% that would be about 480 kids - my review of last years tryout rosters - most of which are all publically posted indicates about 10 or so - that is about 5% of the seniors (rough estimate - 600 players divided by 3 for soph/jun/senior classes = 200 seniors. Then divide 10 kids trying out by 200 = 5%). This is all rough but the point is that it is a very small percentage. Assuming that each class has 5% that want to try out then during any one season you have about 15% of the kids, in all classes, who may try out for a junior team. You might have a couple of kids who try to play club hockey in college or D-III who do not play juniors but that would only add a few more to the total. Now, if you mean will "play hockey after high school" - I assume you are talking about college or juniors and not men's league - which will still not reach near 80%, not even 50% in my speculation. Statistics on this issue are sometimes provided in the program for the North Dakota High School Hockey Tournament (a listing of kids and where they are playing hockey post-high school).

Maybe just a little bit of history here: Imagine a team today that has Paul Weisgarber, Adam Campbell, Grant Larson, Alan Spriggs, Nathan Stremick, Thomas Campbell, Nick Klenow, Ross Monson, Justin Connell, Clark Dingeman, Michael Hillman, Andrew Petersen, Justin Welk. A nice group of kids. Throw in Mario Lamoureux, Andrew Flurer, Trevor Anderson, Ian Grande, and Sam Wedin and you have the roster for a bantam team that lost 4-3 in the USA Hockey National Championship game in 2003. It would be great to see all of the seniors in that group -13 of the 17 listed - along with other top seniors (Marc Mihulka, Erick Galt, Andy Dittus, etc, etc - on Team North Dakota this year.

Magicman21 yes I was aware of Ross and his activity with the Bobcats. Clark Dingeman is apparently going to focus on baseball after high school and not pursue hockey. Never know, things can always change. I am just sharing information that is based on some evidence or communication from the player/parents, or publically available (with a lot of digging) Junior "A" information. All of the six I mentioned have actual evidence that they want to go on. Client137 Dittus played on the Elite I team which suggests he is serious about hockey and has the ability level to aspire to juniors. I don't have any info from them so I can't comment on it. I know Stremick, who is still a junior - although an 88 birth year, has the size and a couple of years ago a Canadian junior team was seeking information about him I think for the WHL bantam draft. Connell is a nice player and a very strong skater but I don't know what his plans might be. There has been some Canadian interest in Zach Welding of Jamestown and he has also done a USHL Junior "A" tryout so he is probably interested as well. Jamestown is having a tough season and some of the better players are not posting the numbers that they are capable of doing. Right now, it is easier to try and figure out which seniors will be throwing their hat in the "Junior Hockey" ring than to speculate on high school juniors. I also have had no confirmation that the Campbell's will continue after high school and I have tried to explore that topic. I just hope that a good group of kids try out for team North Dakota as there is a lot of potential if the top seniors from each team try out.

Among seniors I know of six players who apparently want to play juniors. As client 137 indicates, Junior "A" is the typical gateway for North Dakota high school players who aspire to Division I hockey. There may be more than these six but I know these six are interested because they have either already participated in a Junior "A" tryout, participated in a Junior "A" preseason camp, registered for the Midwest Exposure Elite Tournament (a scouting event for "Junior" teams and other levels), or have been contacted by a Junior "A" team and invited to a tryout - or done several of these activities. Of course, none of this guarantees that they will play Junior A or D-I hockey - it simply indicates an intention/desire, at this time, to try and make a Junior "A" team. The seniors include: Wesigarber (South), Galt (South), Petersen (Grafton), Monson (Bismarck), Klenow (North), and Mihulka (Red River). Just for background there are already four other North Dakota players who would still be in North Dakota high school hockey that are playing Junior "A" hockey - these include: Jordan Willert (Minot HS/Tri- City Storm). Elliot Okland (North HS/FM Jets), Mario Lamoureux (Central/Tri-City Storm) and PJ Lamoureux (Central/Red Deer). If anyone has data on other seniors who plan to tryout it would be great to add them to the list. I have not talked to any Minot people lately so there may be additions from their team as well as other teams. Last year's senior group (Class of 2005) had six or seven kids that made Junior "A" (Marto/Omaha, Vigen/Portage-LaPrairie, Selk F/M Jets, Bair Bismarck Bobcats, etc) or Junior "B" teams (Stadstad/Central/Dubuque Thunderbirds; Cusey/North/Minnesota Owls) as best as I can determine.

Wilbur, you have a good memory to remember the game details like that. Jamestown did have some good teams in the early 90s as you say. In 1990 at State they lost 5-4 to South for 5th place, in 1991 they beat Bismarck 5-4 (OT) for 3rd in the state, in 1992 the beat North 5-2 again for 3rd.

Joe Vannett won the Mr. Hockey award as a goalie for Jamestown in 1995. That season Jamestown had a record of 13-6-1. At that time Jamestown was playing in the West Region. North, with a record of 7-14-0 played them in the first game at state and won 5-4 in OT. Matt Stockert who currently coaches Jamestown won Mr. Hockey in 1991 while playing for Jamestown. Jamestown has had two Mr. Hockey award winners.

I have to complement you folks on the nice anlaysis that you have provided on the goalie discussion. It is not too often where you have a group of posters on a high school board sharing objective information in an honest effort to try and answer a question (what makes a good goalie). Oftentimes the discussion falls down into a conflict aobut - our goalie is better than your goalie sort of situation. Keep up the good work, analysis, and information.

I realize the differences in time zone. I simply think it is interesting that an undefeated team (in the West Region) is beaten on January 28th and on the morning of January 30th you cannot find any public record of the event - at least on the websites of any North Dakota newspapers. In my view it is a significant accomplishment and deserves some attention. That it has received no attention I find interesting - and too bad. Sometimes, on Bob Gillen's site you will find some sort of headline when a top team like Minot plays another team. I know Bob is busy and has been out of town so I am not faulting him - but you would think some sports writer somewhere would put it in as a late score. Whatever the nature of the game I just think a team deserves some exposure and credit with they pull off an upset like that. Maybe you have to fault the local media up there for not getting it out. I e-mailed the paper and asked them about the game and they gave me the score.

After surfing the North Dakota newspapers online, including the Hazen Star, I finally e-mailed the paper and they confirmed that Hazen-Beulah beat Minot 4-3 in overtime. Interesting that the story/score did not get out on the line for the other papers to pick up. Big win for H-B.

Here is the box score for the RR vs Jamestown game from the Grand Forks Herald. GF RED RIVER 4, JAMESTOWN 1 First period - 1. RR, Jarrett Galbreath 4:35; 2. RR, Jake Brown (Ryan LaDouceur, Galbreath) 14:23 Second period - 3. RR, Eric Meland (Brad Benke, Galbreath) 5:39 Third period - 4. Marc Mihulka (Galbreath, Meland) 1:17; 5, J, Brett Ritchie (Adam Silewski) 4:23 Goalie saves - RR: Eli Rosendahl 2-4-4 - 10; J: Corey Grothman 13-14-14 - 41

What kept the score close? I would have expected a bigger margin. I have heard a few complaints about refs from GF parents at both schools. I think we need more kids following through and becoming refs after high school and developing so there is a better pool to choose from. Any particular specifics on the problems with the refs? Anyone have any scores from the West or the Shanley/Kittson Central game?

The West Fargo/North game was an intense contest. Both teams kept a high intensity level throughout all three periods. West Fargo did have some good opportunities but Welk did shut them down. West Fargo did carry much of the action in the second period but North seemed to be able to provide enough defensive coverage to minimize West Fargo's chances. Welk was the big story, however, as he had an excellent game with his third shut out of the season. Good game for a North team that has struggled a lot this season. I am not sure if it is fair to say West Fargo dominated the third period - they put up some good pressure - especially on their power play opportunities and in the final minute but they had some significant pressure from North's first line as well.

Yeah, and that is the sad part of it. Not sure what the solution is to that rink issue. As I used to say, if a ball washer was not functioning properly at El Zagel they would have it fixed in a day - but hockey rinks - another issue

Of course, my comment - quoting the consulting architects saying the building was "structurally sound" was intended as a joke given the context of my comments about the Coliseum running on "firewood" and not electricity. I agree with your assessment of the Coliseum - the entire internal structure would need to be redone and to expand the ice you would have to literally take the place apart.

Well, everyone just has to get over to the Coliseum to see the new netting around the entire glass - very exciting stuff. The stuff is a little thick but does not impede the vision too bad. If you are trying to see who is on the other side of the arena it is tough as you have two layers of netting to look through - trust me - it is tough to see who the fans are on the other side. I think you are right about Grafton perhaps not being a contender along with South and Red River. Red River has beaten them 4-1 and now South really handled them solidly. Grafton has some very good players obviously in addition to Paul and Tom Campbell and Andy Peterson but they could not match the depth of South. Someone said before the third period that now we will see what Grafton is made of - well, they kept focused and deserve a lot of credit for playing hard to the end of the game - net result is they salvaged some pride with the two goals - one at 1:06 and the final one with 43 seconds left in the game. If I were giving out team awards I would say that Red River deserves the "best reload" award for the quality that they have shown this year after losing quite a few kids to graduation. A real credit to the Grand Forks kids and their feeder program. West Fargo deserves some credit too as they have out performed what they presented "on paper" before the season started. Some of the credit for that probably goes to former Grand Forks Central player Tim Capouch who is an assistant coach at West Fargo. One other comment on South/Grafton - I think the future Mr. Hockey was on the ice tonight at the Coliseum - in a home jersey.

South and Grafton game was 6-0 and run time in the third period with 1:06 to go and Grafton scored two late goals to close the gap. Weisgarber had two goals and I think the Campbell's were shut out although they played well.

Well, I did think that until I got to your use of the word "electric" - everything in the Coliseum runs on firewood and that was the tip off. Of course, as the consulting architects say, the building is structurally sound.

Given the closeness of some of the games between the teams in this group there could also realisticially be one or more ties. Shanley should beat Jamestown but Jamestown has been underperforming and could have a good game and surprise. Now actually, North lost to West Fargo 4-2 after trailing 3-0 at the end of the first. Playing at home should give West Fargo an edge but it could be an interesting contest. The end of the season finish for these 3 teams is critical because of the EDC seeding implications and the fact that there are 3 levels of quality for teams in the EDC with apparently meaningful gaps between each level (1 = South, Red River, and Grafton; 2 = Central, West Fargo, North and maybe Shanley; and 3 = Jamestown and Wahpeton.) You might argue that there currently are four groups with West Fargo and Central in group 2 and North and Shanley in group 3. It should be interesting to see who steps up in the final weeks and ultimately in EDC.

Top Shelf ---thanks for taking the time to set this up for us. Much appreciated.