Sports

by Tom Coombe
Brielle Kallberg climbed three spots in the standings but did not make the medal round at last weekend’s state track meet.
The Ely long-jumper, a junior, was eighth in her heat and 15th overall at the event held June 7 in sweltering conditions at Hamline University in St. Paul.
Competing in 90-degree heat, Kallberg had a leap of 15 feet, 10 inches.
That was about three-and-a-half inches shy of her leap at the Section 7A meet, where Kallberg took second, and well off her career-best of 16-9 during the 2018 season.
The top-nine jumpers moved on to the final round and Kallberg would have needed of at least 16-5.5 to move on.
“I was glad she was able to get one pretty good jump and no scratches,” said Ely Head Coach Jayne Dusich. “Unfortunately at state you need to have great jumps to move into finals.”

by Tom Coombe
South Ridge had its ace in the hole and the Ely Timberwolves ran out of aces.
That was the story late in the evening of June 6 at Duluth’s Wade Stadium, where the Panthers repeated as Section 7A high school baseball champions, riding the pitching of Mason Lane to a 9-0 victory in section finals.
Ely, which had won five straight elimination games, including a 9-8 win over the Panthers earlier in the day to force the winner-take-all showdown, went deep into its pitching staff in the finale.
South Ridge (20-6), meanwhile, had Lane rested and ready to go and the junior delivered, holding the Wolves to just two hits and recording nine strikeouts.
The Panthers put the game away early, scoring five times in the second inning against freshman starter Harry Simons and putting the game away.
The loss ended a stellar run through the playoffs for the Wolves, who finished 19-7.

by Kurt Soderberg
Photos by Barb Soderberg
At noon on Sunday, June 9, 2019, 39 enthusiastic golfers headed out under darkening skies to participate in the First Annual Polish Delight Par Three Tournament, sponsored by Zup’s as a fundraiser for the Ely Golf Club.
After a gloomy start the conditions turned to full rain and wind, but not one team failed to complete the 18 holes. The eventual winners of the event were Team Youngman, followed by Team Curtiss, and with Team Casey in third place. Most teams were mixed men and women, with ages from the 20s to the 70s. Many additional prizes were awarded for accomplishments on various holes.
Course Superintendent Jacob Curtiss shortened each of the nine holes to a Par Three length – mostly 100 yards or less – so that the emphasis was on skill and not power. The most notable change was hitting from near the top of the hill near Morse Town Hall over the trees to the number three green in the valley below.

by Tom Coombe
The state champion in the 800 meter run came right out of centerfield.
Instead of chasing fly balls, Luke Olson was being chased by his opponents in track all spring long - all the way up to last weekend’s state meet in St. Paul.
But nobody ever caught the Ely junior, who won the Class A title late Saturday afternoon with a blazing time of 1:55.48.
Olson, an all-state cross country runner who converted from baseball to track this spring, made history in many ways.
Not only did he win a state title in his first year of action, but he is believed to be Ely’s first-ever boys state track champion. Larry Berkner was the closest, finishing second in the 1,600 run in 1975.
Olson, who won the Section 7A title a week earlier, had the top seed entering the state meet and was first after the June 7 preliminaries.
In Saturday’s final, he was bound and determined and didn’t let up.

Connecting for a key hit - Ely’s Tyler Hoousey has been swinging a hot bat for the Wolves. Photo by Joe Bianco

by Tom Coombe -

One baseball season in Ely is winding down while another is set to start.
As the high school baseball playoffs (see related story) continue, the summer baseball season in Ely is moving forward on several fronts.
The Ely Baseball Association will hold its annual parent and volunteer sign-up session Monday, with team practices soon to follow and the first summer baseball tournament of the year on tap next weekend.
Ely’s Junior Legion team will host the ’Zup North Realty Classic, a seven-team, three-day event that opens Friday, June 7, at Veterans Memorial Field.
With the summer season fast approaching, registration continues and culminates Monday.
That’s when summer sign-up wraps up at the EBA session, slated for 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field. All parents are invited to come to return registration forms and sign up for volunteer shifts in the concession stand and ticket booth.

by Tom Coombe -

HURDLING toward the finish line was Kjetil Midttun. Photo by Mark Sauer

by Tom Coombe -

RELAY ANCHOR Luke Olson focused on the finish line as part of a winning Timberwolf relay.

by Tom Coombe -

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school softball team may be peaking at exactly the right time.
The Timberwolves have rattled off six straight victories and are heading into this week’s section playoffs with a full head of steam.
Seeding won’t be determined until the weekend, but it’s likely that Ely will be seeded second or third in the north half of Section 7A and host a playoff game at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the high school softball field.
Little more than a week ago, the Wolves were at the .500 mark and had given up runs in bunches, but their pitching settled in and the bats have warmed, leading a streak that has resulted in an 11-5 record.
The biggest win in the stretch was probably the first: a 5-2 upset at Class AA power Eveleth-Gilbert on May 9.
Junior pitching ace Erika Mattson had pinpoint control.
She didn’t walk a batter while going the distance and scattered seven hits, while getting the benefit of solid defense.