Playoff season has arrived for fall sports. Yes, already! The past couple of months have flown by, and along the way we’ve watched teams face challenges, find their footing, and celebrate victories both big and small. As these teams enter, or have already entered, postseason competition, one thing is clear: every one of them has grown tremendously throughout the season. We wish them all the best as they continue their playoff journeys.
FOOTBALL
COOK COUNTY
The Vikings head into postseason play with plenty of momentum after closing the regular season undefeated in conference play for the second year in a row and rolling past Littlefork-Big Falls 69-12 in their regular-season finale. Cook County finished 7-0 in conference action and enters the playoffs ranked No. 7 in Minnesota and No. 6 in the state’s 9-Man classification.
Senior Talon DeBoer led the Vikings with 100.7 rushing yards per game and 19 total touchdowns, while Macoy Fairbanks averaged 79.1 receiving yards per game. The Vikings have outscored opponents by a wide margin down the stretch, including wins of 57-0, 43-6 and 69-12 in their last three games.
Currently, Cook County’s October 31 opponent is TBD at the time of this writing but will take their opponent on at 2 PM at home.
TWO HARBORS
The Agates closed out the regular season with a 21-14 victory over Esko on Oct. 21. Junior Lucero rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, while quarterback Axel Morsette completed all six of his pass attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown. Ziggy Hietala caught four passes for 77 yards, including a 35-yard scoring reception, as Two Harbors earned the road win.
Ending their regular season with a 6-2 record, the No. 3-seeded Two Harbors Agates opened the Class 3A, Section 7 playoffs Oct. 27 against No. 6 seed Proctor. The teams met earlier this month at Terry Egerdahl Field, where the Agates posted a 47-0 shutout victory over the Rails.
SILVER BAY
The Mariners entered the Class 9-Man, Section 7 playoffs on a four-game winning streak after finishing the regular season with a 4-4 record. Silver Bay capped the regular season with a 12-6 victory over North Woods on Oct. 21, leading 12-0 before the Grizzlies scored in the fourth quarter.
The No. 6-seeded Mariners then faced No. 3 seed Littlefork-Big Falls in the Section 7 quarterfinals on Oct. 27. Silver Bay opened its winning streak with a 44-6 victory over the Vikings on Oct. 2.
VOLLEYBALL
COOK COUNTY
The Vikings closed the regular season with a 3-0 loss to Two Harbors on Oct. 20. Playing at home, the Vikings fell 25-16, 25-12 and 25-22, but showed their best resistance in the final set by pushing the Agates to a closer finish. Cook County now shifts its focus to the postseason after wrapping up its regular-season schedule with an 11-8 record.
Cook County took on Floodwood on October 26 for the Class 1A, Section 7 – South Subsection quarterfinal. They have split their previous matches with Floodwood so far this season.
TWO HARBORS
The Agates closed the regular season on a strong note Oct. 20, sweeping Cook County 3-0 on the road. Two Harbors controlled the opening two sets 25-16 and 25-12 before holding off a determined Vikings rally in the third set for a 25-22 win. The Agates finished the match in straight sets and carry momentum into the postseason with a 19-6 record.
They played Aitkin in the Class 2A, Section 7- North Subsection quarterfinal on October 26 at their home gym.
SILVER BAY
The Silver Bay Mariners closed their season on a high note Oct. 20, sweeping McGregor in straight sets on their home court.
The Mariners also recently celebrated Senior Night, recognizing manager Stella Lapointe and players Callie Ernest, Berkley Hoff, Lilly Ernest, Adison Velcheff and Mikaela Lindgren for their leadership and contributions to the program.
SWIM & DIVE
Two Harbors captured the team title at the North vs. South Invite on Oct. 20 with 656 points, helping the North squad extend its winning streak over the South to 16 consecutive years. Senior Lucy Lane paced the Agates with a victory in the 500-yard freestyle, a runner-up finish in the 200 freestyle and a leg on the winning 200 freestyle relay. Brynn von Goertz added a first-place finish in the 50 freestyle, while Harper Smith swept diving and the 100 backstroke.
The Agates also received a second-place finish from Rylee Schmitz in the 100 butterfly and closed the meet 118 points ahead of the runner-up team.
CROSS COUNTRY
The North Shore Storm closed out the regular season at the Proctor Lions Invitational and now turn their attention to the Section 7AA meet at Pequot Lakes Thursday, October 29. Coach April Wahlstrom said the varsity runners focused on pacing in their final tune-up before sections.
The Storm girls placed 10th in the AA field, led by Elizabeth Swartz, who finished 35th in 21:55.9. Sparrow Schmidt, Sophia Schut, Ezme Mundell and Grace Swartz rounded out the scoring lineup.
The boys took seventh, paced by Sam Swartz in 21st place and Atley Beckstrand in 22nd. Erik Gischia, Aiden Schlangen and Chance Jacobsen completed the scoring for the Storm. Wahlstrom also noted that Sierra Geatz will miss the remainder of the season due to injury.
