I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Jan. 14, 2000
By Devlyn Brooks
CASS LAKE -- The Bemidji Lumberjack wrestling team won 9 of 13 matches to post a 38-15 surprise blowout of the Class 2A-ranked Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena Bears Thursday.
Historically, Lumberjack-Bear matchups have been barnburners, and many believed Thursday's contest would add another chapter to the recent, storied rivalry. But the Jacks -- ranked No. 4 in Class 3A -- picked up momentum with some big wins in the lower weights and kept rolling, sweeping the final four weights.
"I thought it would be closer. I thought it might come down to the heavyweight," Lumberjacks coach Jim Carlson said. "The kids were focused, and they probably wrestled the best they have all year."
The Lumberjacks jumped out to a quick 11-0 lead after the two lower weights, but the Bears -- ranked No. 8 in Class 2A -- battled back to within 22-15 before losing the last four matches to make it a blowout.
Joe Miller (14-4) gave the Lumberjacks their first jumpstart with a pin in 3:18 over the Bears' Cody Nord (3-5) in the 103 pound match, and Bemidji never looked back.
Caleb Thunem (12-5) put the Jacks up 11-0 with a technical fall in 5:48 over Brett Pater (10-3) at 112, but the Bears weren't done.
BCLB's Tony Nord (10-1) and Tim Klein (11-1) scored back-to-back wins to pull the Bears to within two at 11-9. Nord beat Bemidji's Dave Gable (7-11) with a 15-5 major decision, and Klein recorded a 5:07 technical fall over Joe Lory (3-12).
The Lumberjacks had penned in Lory to start at 130, but Carlson said he switched Ryan Cronemiller and Lory to give Bemidji the chance for at least one win in the weights. Had Cronemiller wrestled 125, he would have been matched with Klein, a state tournament veteran.
"We wanted to get the best possible matchups there," Carlson said. "We felt moving Cronemiller up to 130 gave us one win for sure."
The decision paid off, as Cronemiller (14-5) scored an 8-2 decision over Dominic Alvorado (5-10) to offset the lose at 125.
Bemidji's Dan Brower (17-1) and Mitch Mistic (16-2) next posted back-to-back wins at 135 and 140 to push the score to 22-9, and seemingly to start the Jacks' rout.
The Bears, however, put together one last run with Allen Nelson (13-2) and Brad Lueck (11-5) recording consecutive decisions over Dustin Puffe (9-8) and Bob Mack (11-7) at 145 and 152.
The Lumberjacks swept the remaining four weights, highlighted by Mike Littler (6-9) posting a close 6-2 decision over Lars Johnson (9-2) and Bemidji's Barrett Willard (13-6) sticking Adam Theison (4-9) at 275 in 2:59.
"Littler has really come around. It hasn't shown true in his record," Carlson said of the 171-pounder's decision which guaranteed the Jacks' victory, "but he put it together and wrestled his best match this year."
Carlson said a key momentum swing was giving up only nine points to the Bears at 119 and 125 -- two of BCLB's best weights with Tony Nord and Tim Klein both having been to state.
"I don't think there were any surprises. There was some close matches where they came out on the top. They out wrestled us," BCLB co-coach Jack Thompson said. "Historically, it's been a closer match, but they got on a role and wrestled well."
The win upped the Jacks' duals record to 8-1 and marred the Bears' perfect record, dropping them to 9-1.
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