Serving Aces: Staples-Motley Captures Triangular

You might as well have called it target practice.

Staples-Motley hit all of its shots in winning 7-0 over both Crosby-Ironton and Wadena-Deer Creek at Tuesday’s triangular in Staples.

Mikayla Wing, Emily Israelson and Kaliegh Hosier picked up straight set wins in the singles competition of each match.

In all, The Cardinals won 28 of 31 sets.

Paige Hartman played well for Wadena-Deer Creek.

At No. 2 singles, she defeated C-I’s Abbu Gindorff 6-0, 6-3 and pushed S-M’s Grace Wolhowe to the brink before losing in a tiebreaker.

Sister Macy Hartman defeated the Ranger’s Gabrelle Hudrlik 6-4, 6-4 in WDC’s lone other victory.

Staples-Motley moves to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in conference, while Wadena-Deer Creek slides to 2-7 and 0-4.

Staples def. Crosby 7-0

Singles

1. Mikayla Wing (SM) def. Gabrelle Hudrlik 6-1, 6-2
2. Grace Wolhowe (SM) def. Abby Gindorff 6-0, 6-1
3. Emily Israelson (SM) def. Kari Watson 6-3, 6-2
4. Kaleigh Hosier (SM) def. Karrina Myhre 6-0, 6-2

Doubles

1. Maggie O'Keefe/Kelsey Zetah (SM) def. Meridith Silgen/Shannon Lundgren 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-5
2. Annie Kautto/Brooke Wolhowe (SM) def. Maria Oren/Vanessa Hudrlik 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
3. Linsey Johnson/Nikki Edin (SM) def. Jessica Dauer/Rachel Norwood 6-1, 6-3

Staples def. Wadena 7-0

Singles

1. Mikayla Wing def. Mary Hartman 6-0, 6-3
2. Grace Wolhowe def. Paige Hartman 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-2), (7-3)

3. Emily Israelson def. Sarah Najjar 6-1, 6-1
4. Kaleigh Hosier def. Abby Wegscheid 6-1, 6-1

Doubles

1. Maggie O'Keefe/Kelsey Zetah def. Ashley Carlson/Elise Kallevig 6-0, 6-0
2. Brooke Wolhowe/Ann Kautto def. Molly Kraemer/Anna Kraemer 6-0, 6-1
3. Linsey Johnson/Nikki Edin def. Erin Johnson/Maddy Hinojos 6-0, 6-0

C-I def. WDC 5-2

Singles

1. Macy Hartman (WDC) over Gabrelle Hudrlik (CI) 6-4, 6-4

2. Paige Hartman (WDC) over Abbu Gindorff (CI) 6-0, 6-3

3. Kari Watson (CI) over Sarah Najjar (WDC) 6-2, 6-4

4. Karrina Myhre (CI) over Abby Wegscheid (WDC) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

1. Meredith Silgen/Shannen Lundgen (CI) over Ashley Carlson/Elise Kallevig (WDC) 6-0, 6-0

2. Vanessa Hudrlik/Mariah Oren (CI) over Molly Kraemer/Anna Kraemer (WDC) 6-0, 6-0

3. Rachel Norwood/Jessica Dauer (CI) over Erin Johnson/Maddy Hinojos (WDC) 6-4, 6-2

Cardinals Improve, Still Lose

Progress is a process. It takes time.

Staples-Motley displayed by far its best effort this season and possibly since 2010, scoring first in the first, second and fourth quarters before faltering late in a 27-18 loss to state-ranked Warroad Friday.

In the end, Warriors running back Keedon Sweetney single-handedly rattled and broke the Cardinals ranks, rushing for 158 yards and three touchdowns, including two decisive scores in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Sweetney scored from 4, 5 and 60 yards out and added a 70-yard kickoff return touchdown.

“Give Warroad credit.  They made big plays at critical times to pull out the win,” Staples-Motley co-head coach Paul Mithun said in an email.

Mike Beach toted the ball 16 times for 75 yards and a score for Staples-Motley (0-3), which rushed for a season-high 169 yards.

Snatching the lead early and admiring it at numerous junctures throughout, the Cardinals were able to successfully open up their passing attack, as well.

Kyle Jansson threw for 132 yards and two scores.

The effort was particularly positive considering Warroad (2-1) was ranked No. 9 in Class 2A and S-M was coming off losses of 51-0, most recently, and 38-6 to start the season.

The Cardinals outgained Warroad 301 to 214 in total yards.

Lack of experience, though, especially in competitive fourth quarter situations drove Staples-Motley to its 14^th consecutive loss.

S-M last played a game decided by one score or less nearly two years ago — before almost everyone on the current roster played varsity football.

While the team showed marked improvement in defeat, Mithun does not want to settle for moral victories moving forward.

Up next: Detroit Lakes (3-0) Friday at 7:00 pm. Listen live on KSKK 94.7 FM.

Cardinals Football Trounced by Hawley

The scoreboard at the Hawley Athletic Complex was off during the first half of Friday night’s football game between the Nuggets and Staples-Motley Cardinals.

Good thing, too, because S-M did not need another reminder of just how bad the first 24 minutes were.

The Cardinals were out of the game from the first play, a fumbled exchange.

Meanwhile, Hawley opened up its offense, remained disciplined on defense and celebrated a 51-0 victory on its home turf like it was a town street dance.

Losers of 13 straight, the Cardinals double wing offense couldn’t get in sync.

They almost had as many lost fumbles (three) as first downs (five) and were shutout for the first time since Oct. 10, 2008, a span of 30 games. At halftime, Staples-Motley trailed 41-0.

As has been customary during the losing streak, big plays ate up the defense like Joey Chestnut with hot dogs.

Hawley matched the seven plays of 20-plus yards Pequot Lakes recorded against the Cardinals last week.

It was a group effort.

Hawley’s quarterback tandem did the most damage, passing for, rushing and receiving at least one touchdown each.

Jordan Harms finished 4-of-5 for 65 yards and two touchdowns. He also hauled in deep pass and turned it into a 43-yard score and found the end zone from 7-yards out on a keeper in the third quarter.

Ben Ellefson caught four balls for 65 yards and two TDs, rushed for another touchdown to go with 36 ground yards and netted 64 yards through the air on 3-of-4 passing.  

Alex Ames rushed for two scores and 98 yards.  

Even the backups signed their names in support of the cause for the now 2-0 Nuggets, which have won all 10 regular season games since joining the Heart O’ Lakes Conference last year.

Hawley finished with 487 total yards; Staples-Motley had 77 on 40 plays.

Kyle Jansson completed zero passes on six attempts. He threw the ball well, but his receivers couldn’t hang on.

Mike Beach was one of the lone bright spots for Staples. The senior collected 50 yards — nearly two-thirds of the team’s total offense — but was limited to 10 touches.

Notes: Jacob Swensrud, Brady Becker and Tyler Winkels, among others, made their varsity debuts. Seeing the field this early in their careers should only help with their future development.

Up next: Staples-Motley plays Warroad in its home opener Friday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m.

Volleyball Scoreboard: Wednesday, Sept. 5

Bertha-Hewitt, Sebeka, WDC Perfect in Victory, Staples-Motley Drops to 0-2

VOLLEYBALL RESULTS

Sauk Rapids-Rice 1 Brainerd 3

at Brainerd         FINAL

 

Lake Park-Audubon 0 Bertha-Hewitt 3

at Bertha             FINAL

Bertha-Hewitt defeated Lake Park Audubon 3-0 Tuesday in Bertha. The Bears cruised to victory in each game, winning by scores of 25-13, 25-8 and 25-14.

Bertha-Hewitt is now 3-0 this year as it heads into its first conference matchup of the season, Thursday versus Sebeka.

 

Henning 3 Hancock 0

at Hancock         FINAL

 

Park Rapids Area 0 Frazee 3

at Frazee             FINAL

Perham 2 Detroit Lakes 3

at Detroit Lakes                 FINAL 

Menahga 0 Nevis 3

at Nevis              FINAL 

Battle Lake 2 Brandon/Evansville 3

at Evansville      FINAL 

Breckenridge 0 Wadena-Deer Creek 3

at Wadena         FINAL 

Melrose 3 Staples-Motley 0

at Staples           FINAL 

 

Staples-Motley dropped three straight games Tuesday to the Melrose Dutchmen.

The Cardinals (0-2) mustered just 30 total points in losing 25-8, 25-14 and 25-8. Theresa Odden and Kelly Pearson led the team with two kills apiece. Pearson added seven digs, Odden five and Kaitlin Spar contributed four.

Staples-Motley will next face Park Rapids Thursday at 7:00 pm. 

 

Walker-Hackensack-Akeley 0 Sebeka 3

at Sebeka            FINAL 

Jordan Lillquist served up five aces and added five kills as the Lady Trojans bounced back from a season-opening loss to sweep Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Tuesday. After dropping a match to Osakis, Sebeka (1-1) took three straight games from the Wolves, 25-14, 25-16 and 25-11.

Jasmine Titcomb dished out 15 assists and Brett Brockpahler and Heidi Olson whacked eight kills each.

The Lady Trojans will go against the Bears of Bertha-Hewitt Thursday.

 

Swanville 1 Verndale 3

at Verndale         FINAL

Pequot Lakes Races Past Cardinals

Speed kills.

The Staples-Motley Cardinals found that out Thursday night in a 38-6 season opening loss to Pequot Lakes.

Tyler Tappe scampered into the end zone four times and tallied 226 total yards on 14 touches, including four plays of 20-plus yards to send the Cardinals to their 12^th consecutive loss dating back to the end of the 2010 season.

The junior broke the game open early in the second half with game-breaking wheels.

Following a Staples-Motley fumble out of the gates in the third quarter with the score 14-6 Pequot Lakes, Tappe took a carry 35 yards for a touchdown. His next touch  went 78 yards to paydirt on the ensuing possession.

His 171 rushing yards were better than the 150 yards Staples-Motley gained on the ground.

Senior quarterback Jordan Redmond completed 7-of-17 passes for another 174 yards and two touchdowns against an interception.

Staples-Motley signal-caller Kyle Jansson threw for 50 yards on 2-of-7 passing with two picks.

The Cardinals’ lone score came in the second quarter on a 10-yard push from fullback Mike Beach, who finished with 84 yards on 18 carries.

Up next: Staples-Motley faces a stiff test against Hawley Friday night. Kickoff is set for 7:00 in the evening.