Sports

The Vermilion Ironmen aren’t easing their way into the 2020 community college baseball season.
In advance of a Florida trip that includes three contests with nationally-rated opponents, Vermilion opened the 2020 season Feb. 27 - under the roof at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis- against perennial power Rochester.
A final-four team in the region last spring, the Yellowjackets used superior depth and strong pitching to score a 7-2, 6-0 sweep.
Rochester pitchers walked only two batters in the late-night, early-morning twinbill while Vermilion pitchers combined to issue 21 free passes.
That was the difference in the games.
“We just walked way too many people to have a chance to win,” said Vermilion Head Coach Tom Coombe. “What’s amazing is we were competitive in the first game until late in the game despite walking so many.”

Ely speech coach DonnaKari said the team “made a spectacular showing at the Mesabi East meet on February 22. Not only did the students all place, but they brought home the third place team trophy. Pictured are: (back l-r): Cora Olson, 1st in duo, Esther Anderson, 1st in extemp reading, Maggie Dammann, 2nd in extemp reading, Harry Dammann. 5th in creative, Tori Sawyer 2nd in creative and 3rd in poetry, Kaya Sawyer, 4th in extemp reading. Front: Sydney Marshall, 1st in duo and Laura Holmstrom, 2nd in extemp speaking.

by Tom Coombe
Mild temperatures made for near-perfect conditions for spectators and did little to slow down the dogs at last weekend’s WolfTrack Classic.
The 12th running of the sled dog race was a hit - with hundreds of people turning out for Sunday’s races held under sunny skies and near 40-degree conditions.
While some dogs cooled down by rolling in the snow at the finish area near Ely’s softball complex, they set a blazing pace on the course with a team led by Michael Bestgen claiming the eight-dog, 50-mile race with a time of four hours, 36 minutes, 26 seconds.
Bestgen was first among eight mushers.
The six-dog race went for 30 miles and included 23 mushers, with Jim Ward’s team holding off Nick Turman’s team by 16 seconds to take the title.
Weather was one of the big stories of this year’s event, with the warm temperatures in sharp contrast to a 2019 event marked by sub-zero temperatures and brutal winds.

Ely started the district playoffs with a 6-3 win against 7th seeded Grand Rapids B2, followed by an intense second game versus the 3rd seed, Virginia, which Ely came out victorious 9-6. After a tough loss 8-3 for the championship, to the #1 seed, Grand Rapids B1, the Ely Peewee B's fought back hard in their final game against Hibbing-Chisholm, to take the #2 seed in district 12, with an 8-3 win & advance to the region competition. The Ely Peewees, coached by Nicole Carlson, Bill Forsberg and Justin Zemke, will be going on to the regions tournament, being held in Moose Lake, February 28-29 and March 1. Ely’s first game is against the #1 seed from district 16, East Grand Forks, at 11:45 a.m. on the Feb. 28.

by Tom Coombe
Maybe good things really do come to those who wait.
The Ely Nordic Wolves had to wait a bit, but the results at last week’s state ski meet made it all worth it.
After cold weather pushed the meet back a full day and timing issues led to delays the day of the event, the Wolves emerged by meeting - and even exceeding - their high hopes.
Junior Jasper Johnston finished fourth overall and the Ely boys finished fourth as a team, while the girls got an all-state performance from freshman Zoe Devine and a ninth-place team showing at the single-class state event, held Feb. 14 at Giants Ridge near Biwabik.
Johnston, now a three-time all-stater, moved up after taking 11th as a sophomore and met his season-long goal of reaching the top-five at state.

by Tom Coombe
Can lightning strike for the second time in as many years?
Could the third time be the charm?
Those are the questions hovering over the Ely Timberwolves today, as they open the Section 7A hockey playoffs at Proctor.
It was 52 weeks ago today that the Wolves stunned the hockey world and heavily favored International Falls, beating the Broncos for the first time in school history and recording an improbable playoff win.
The odds may be even more daunting this year.
Ely, which finished the regular season 3-15, is seeded 10th in the 10-team section just as it was a year ago.
But this year, the Wolves have the youngest team in the state and haven’t been competitive against the seventh-seeded Rails.
Proctor (10-14) beat the Wolves 14-3 in a holiday tournament encounter on the North Shore and cruised to a 10-1 victory Jan. 21 in Ely.

by Tom Coombe
Dylan Fenske wasn’t leaving any doubt.
Needing 28 points to get 1,000 for his high school boys basketball career, the Ely senior got all 28 in the first half of Tuesday’s 98-31 rout of overmatched Lakeview Christian Academy.
The 6-2 senior seemingly couldn’t miss early on, and his teammates fed him the ball inside- where he ate up the Lions and became another in a growing list of Ely 1,000-point scorers.
It was an improbable journey, but one that Fenske took on - showing improvement in each season in an Ely uniform and becoming one of the section’s top all-around players in his final campaign.
“Dylan has really made himself into a player over the years,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “He has very good feet and a nice looking shot which and has become more and more aggressive. At a younger age there is no way we would be talking about him becoming a 1000 point scorer. ”

by Tom Coombe
Some hockey road trips spawned an idea.
The idea became reality and now Ely is home to another winter event that brings hundreds of people to town.
Now five years old, Ely’s Howler Jamboree brings youth hockey players of that age - and a few years older - to town for two days of fun.
Starting Saturday and using arenas both in Ely and Babbitt, the event includes 15 teams, about 200 skaters and coaches, and at least that many more family members and fans.
“It will be a packed house” said DeLana Forsberg, who helps coordinate the event for the Ely Blue Line Club.
The jamboree brings Mini-Mite and Mite teams together in a classic format, with 23 games in all - most at the Ely Arena.
Players range in age from Kindergarten to first grade for the Minis, and second and third grade for the Mites, and Ely will host multiple teams from the International Falls, Mesabi East and Virginia programs.

by Tom Coombe
Ely will send not one, but two high school Nordic skiing teams to state.
Fueled by junior Jasper Johnston, the Ely boys easily won Thursday’s Section 7 meet at Giants Ridge.
But the state-ranked boys will be joined at state - back at Giants Ridge Feb. 13 - by the surprising Ely girls.
By the narrowest of margins, the girls squeezed past Mesabi East to take second in the section and earn their own state bid.
Freshman Zoe Devine took second in the girls meet and classmate Phoebe Helms was 11th, but the state berth was secure in part by senior Brooke Pasmick and freshman Cedar Ohlhauser, who both climbed four spots in the afternoon classic pursuit.
While the girls’ state ticket was assured only after a tiebreaker, there seemed to be little doubt about the boys.
Ely built up a 24-point lead after the morning 5.2-kilometer freestyle race, providing plenty of cushion going into the afternoon classic pursuit.

The Vermilion Community College Ironmen and Ironwomen basketball teams honored faculty and staff last Saturday prior to the start of each of their games. Each student-athlete chose one faculty/staff member that has helped make his/her life at Vermilion more extraordinary. The faculty/staff were acknowledged for their dedication and help and given certificates from the student-athletes. For the Ironwomen, from left to right are: Front: Alexis Hughes, Justin Burum; back row: Justin Kosik, Ellie Hintze, Shannan Harding, Shawna Butler, Alanna Sjoberg, Marja Nelson, Timothy Loney, Jade Evans. John Terwilliger, Lauren Huchel, Terri Sutton, Deb Morris. For the Ironmen: Front: Taray Graves; back row: Devarius Davis, Curtis Bell III, Marja Nelson, Tre Nins, Abbey Blake, Ty Edmond, Dachaun Davis, Justin Kosik, Terrence Ballom, Devonne Tramble, Kelly Klun, Will Helms, Austin Funk, Dylan Willis, Nicki Kosik.