ECHO JOURNAL | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022
PINEANDLAKES.COM
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SPORTS PREVIEW
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ECHO JOURNAL’S 2022-23 WINTER
BOYS BASKETBALL
Dan Determan / Echo Journal
The 2022-23 Pequot Lakes Boys Basketball Team. Front row, from left: Alex Kriesel, Landen Walsten, Bryar Nordby, Brayden Spiczka, Clay Erickson, Riggs Magnuson and Conner Quale. Back row: Dalton Anderson, River Sommerness, Leo Bolz-Andolshek, Eli Laposky, Gavin Kennen, Grant Loge, Conner Wolkenhour and Maveric Ackerman.
4 starters return for Patriots’ state tourney team By Pete Mohs Echo Journal
advanced to the state tournament when they upset topPEQUOT LAKES — The Pequot ranked Esko 58-50 in the Section Lakes Patriots boys basketball 7-2A title game. Pequot Lakes then lost to Annandale 55-40 team returns four starters from before downing Perham 58-38 in a squad that advanced to the the consolation semifinals. The Class 2-A state tournament and Patriots then finished sixth after finished 25-8 overall last season. losing to Minnehaha Academy “I’m looking forward to grow- 79-56 in the consolation final. ing as a team as the season Sam Rysavy and Eli Laposky moves along,” said Pequot Lakes were Brainerd Dispatch firstcoach Rich Spiczka, who is start- team all-area picks for Pequot ing his 17th season as a head Lakes. Laposky returns as a letbasketball coach. terwinner along with Brayden Grant Loge and Last season, the Patriots Spiczka,
Gavin Kennen. Others who could contribute for the Patriots are Conner Quale, Harrison Kennen, Clay Erickson, Bryer Nordby, River Sommerness, Leo Bolz-Andolshek, Maverick Ackerman and Riggs Magnuson. Gregg Martig and Luke Friedrich are assistant coaches for Pequot Lakes, which finished 9-1 against Mid-State Conference opponents. The Patriots are scheduled to open the season at Pillager Tuesday, Dec. 6.
SCHEDULE December 6 - Pequot Lakes at Pillager 7:15 p.m. 8 - Pine River-Backus at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 9 - Grand Rapids at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 13 - Pierz at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 16 - Pequot Lakes at St. Cloud Cathedral 7:15 p.m. 20 - Pequot Lakes at Nevis 7:15 p.m. 28 - Mora, Virginia, Warroad at Pequot Lakes tournament 6 p.m. 29 - Mora, Virginia, Warroad at Pequot Lakes tournament 6 p.m. January 3 - Pequot Lakes at Albany 7:15 p.m. 10 - Little Falls at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 13 - Thief River Falls at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 17 - Pequot Lakes at Detroit Lakes 7:15 p.m.
19 - Crosby-Ironton at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 28 - Pequot Lakes at Staples-Motley 7:15 p.m. February 2 - Proctor at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 3 - Aitkin at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 7 - Pequot Lakes at Esko 7:15 p.m. 9 - Pequot Lakes at Park Rapids 7:15 p.m. 14 - Detroit Lakes at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 16 - Pequot Lakes at Grand Rapids 7:15 p.m. 17 - Pequot Lakes at Crosby-Ironton 7:15 p.m. 21 - Bemidji at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 23 - Staples-Motley at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 24 - Moose Lake-Willow River at Pequot Lakes 5:45 p.m. 28 - Pequot Lakes at Aitkin 7:15 p.m. March 3 - Park Rapids at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Tiger boys return 5 starters By Pete Mohs Echo Journal PINE RIVER — The Pine River-Backus boys basketball team is looking to improve this season with five returning starters from a squad that finished 13-14 overall last winter. “This year’s team is poised to have a strong showing, relying on a strong senior leadership with a few underclassmen joining the mix as well,” said Jordan Ackerman, who will be starting his third season as head coach when PR-B opens against visiting Menahga Friday, Dec. 2. “They have put in a quality offseason as a team, and many players have taken big steps forward skill wise. I believe we have the pieces to be competitive with every
SCHEDULE December 2 - Menahga at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 6 - Pine River-Backus at Crosby-Ironton 7:15 p.m. 8 - Pine River-Backus at Pequot Lakes 7:15 p.m. 12 - Ogilvie at Pine River-Backus 6 p.m. 15 - Northome-Kelliher at Pine RiverBackus 7:30 p.m. 20 - Pine River-Backus at StaplesMotley 7:30 p.m. 22 - Pine River-Backus at Park Rapids 7:30 p.m. January 5 - Pine River-Backus at Laporte 7:30 p.m. 6 - Verndale at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 10 - Cass Lake-Bena at Pine RiverBackus 7:30 p.m. 13 - Pine River-Backus at Blackduck 7:30 p.m. 17 - Pine River-Backus at Bertha-Hewitt 7:30 p.m. 19 - Pine River-Backus at Walker-
Hackensack-Akeley 7:30 p.m. 20 - Sebeka at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 24 - Red Lake at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 27 - Nevis at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 30 - Browerville-Eagle Valley at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. February 2 - Pine River-Backus at NorthomeKelliher 7:30 p.m. 4 - Pine River-Backus at Upsala 3 p.m. 7 - Laporte at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 10 - Pine River-Backus at Cass LakeBena 7:30 p.m. 14 - Blackduck at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 16 - Walker-Hackensack-Akeley at Pine River-Backus 7:30 p.m. 24 - Pine River-Backus at Red Lake 7:30 p.m. 28 - Pine River-Backus at Nevis 7:30 p.m. March 2 - Pine River-Backus at Swanville 7:15 p.m.
Ashley Smith / Echo Journal Correspondent
The 2022-23 PR-B Boys Basketball Team. Front row, from left: Jared Hamilton, team we play, and we vis and Andrew BueckBurke Netland, Irvin Tulenchik and Ethan Rugroden. Back row: Rian Struss, are working to be play- ers. Hamilton and Struss Barron Milham, Carson Travis, Andrew Bueckers, Deven Wheeler, Ethan Burns ing our best basketball were Brainerd Dispatch and Kayden Witt. towards playoff time in March.” Returning starters include Jared Hamilton, Irvin Tulenchik, Rian Struss, Carson Tra-
second team all-area picks for the Tigers. Others who could contribute are Barron Milham, Burke Netland, Deven Wheeler, Tate
Norman, Ethan Burns and Ethan Rugroden. Last season, the thirdseeded Tigers were upset by No. 6 Swanville 75-61
in the Section 5A quarterfinals. Graduate Brady Bristow had 15 points for PR-B, which finished 13-14 overall.
Mike Dinnel is an assistant coach for the Tigers, who finished 8-5 in the Northland Conference last season.
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