John's Journal
On The Air, On The Web: The Horn Of White Bear Lake10/30/2012
The broadcaster set the scene before the Class 2A girls soccer state semifinals on Tuesday: “We are ready to go here at the Metrodome, the Bears in their black jerseys and Lakeville North in white.”

The broadcaster was Zach Halverson and his analyst was Chad Olson. They were sitting in the booth that is normally home to the Vikings Radio Network. They are professional broadcasters … and seniors at White Bear Lake High School.

Halverson and Olson are not wannabes; they call many White Bear Lake sporting events via their website The Horn, found at http://www.thehornwbl.com. (The Horn is short for the Halverson Olson Radio Network.) They did test broadcasts during the lacrosse season last spring, went full-tilt with football games this fall and will continue throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons.

During home football games their broadcast position was in front of the Bears student section. Their perch in the upper reaches of the Metrodome on Tuesday – where White Bear Lake defeated Lakeville North 1-0 in overtime -- was much different, as well as much quieter, but the job was the same.

“The Panthers are pressing very, very hard now after it looked like the Bears had some momentum,” Halvorson said during the first half. “We are still scoreless here as we reach the halfway point of the first half.”

To an unknowing listener Halvorson sounds like a seasoned pro. He has wanted to be a sports broadcaster since he was little, and now he is. He and Olson also do a regular podcast called “The CHalvey Show” (that’s a combination of Chad and Halverson).

The Horn is not technically affiliated with White Bear Lake High School, although administrators and staff have given some assistance. Advertisers have signed on to the website, where this message to potential advertisers is posted:

“For just $100, your business will receive a guaranteed 60-seconds of commercial airtime on EVERY broadcast we do through June of 2013. Your time can be split into (1) 60-second commercial, (2) 30-second commercials, or (4) 15-second commercials. You will also have your logo and contact information on our sponsor page, and it will be included in our sidebar rotation.”

The on-air talent stays connected to listeners via Twitter and Facebook, and Halvorson and Olson enjoy responding on the air:

--“Shout out to Dylan’s basement.”

--“Mr. Pittman’s fourth-hour class is listening, so shout out to them,” Halvorson said. “That is kind of cool, to have people back in the school listening to us.”

--He also mentioned “Mr. Sorensen’s fifth-hour media and film class.” To which Olson replied, “Hey, that’s MY class.”

BY THE NUMBERS
*Schools/teams John has visited: 240
*Miles John has driven: 3,735
(*During the 2012-13 school year)

--Join the MSHSL on Facebook by clicking on the Facebook button on the right side of www.mshsl.org. John Millea is on Twitter @MSHSLjohn
Soccer Champs: Eastview, Wayzata, Benilde, Rochester Lourdes10/30/2012
Thursday’s Soccer Games at the Metrodome…

2A girls third-place game: Lakeville North 6, Blaine 2
1A girls championship: Benilde-St. Margaret’s 3, Blake 2 (overtime)
1A boys championship: Rochester Lourdes 2, St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1 (4-3 shootout)
2A girls championship: Wayzata 2, White Bear Lake 0
2A boys championship: Eastview 3, Blaine 2

--2A boys: Eastview 3, Blaine 2
The No. 3-seeded Lightning of Eastview (15-2-5) won their first state title in their second consecutive and overall appearance with a 3-2 victory over the unseeded Bengals of Blaine (16-4-1), who had advanced to the title tilt with a quarterfinal victory over top-seeded Champlin Park and semifinal win over fifth-seeded Bloomington Jefferson. The score was 2-1 in favor of Eastview with just less than 20 minutes to play in the first half. And the score remained that way for nearly 40 more minutes. The game-winner was scored by senior midfielder Jacob Opheim on a pass from junior midfielder Pierce Erickson at 63:44. About three minutes earlier Blaine had evened the score when a blocked shot by Zach Brunko fell right to the feet of senior midfielder Zachary Wright, who put it in. Senior defender Michael Stockton opened the scoring for Eastview by heading in a pass from junior defender Sam Fluegge just two minutes and 12 seconds into the game. Exactly four minutes later, Blaine senior midfielder Ian Durbin rattled a shot off the post that senior forward Mitch Boege scored on the rebound. At 19:59 Eastview went back on top when Opheim headed a ball into an empty net on a long ball into the box from Fluegge.

--2A girls: Wayzata 2, White Bear Lake 0:
In their fifth consecutive appearance, the Trojans of Wayzata (17-2-2) succeeded in defending their title, which is their sixth overall in 24 appearances. Wayzata, seeded No. 2, defeated White Bear Lake Area, the fourth seed, 2-0. The Bears were making their sixth tournament appearance. Wayzata led White Bear Lake Area 5-1 in both shots on goal and corner kicks. Senior defender Katie Schulz launched a long ball down field that left senior midfielder Kylie Schwarz one-on-one with Bears senior goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs and Schwarz won the confrontation at 38:27. Late in the second half, at 78:48, ninth-grade forward Ruby Stauber headed in a crisp crossing pass from senior midfielder Olivia Musser. Senior goalkeeper Mara Dougherty earned the win and made just one save.

--1A boys: Rochester Lourdes 2, St. Paul Academy 1 (4-3 shootout)
The Eagles of Rochester Lourdes (22-1-0) earned their third state title with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Spartans of St. Paul Academy and Summit School (19-1-2). The Eagles, seeded No. 3, finished third in 2011 and were making their third consecutive and 11th overall appearance. This championship trophy will be proudly displayed next to those the Eagles won in 1998 and 1999. The Spartans, who were fourth in 2011 and also were making their third consecutive appearance, scored first, late in the first half, when senior forward Lorenzo Pavoloni received a free kick from senior forward Cameron Causey and drove it into the net. Sophomore midfielder Issac Forsgren was awarded a second assist. Slightly more than a minute later the Eagles knotted the score when senior forward Gabe Salerno dribbled around the keeper and scored after receiving a pass from senior midfielder Alan Schembri-Wismayer. There was no more scoring, either through regulation or two 10-minute overtime periods. Both teams had five players shoot penalty kicks in the shootout. Senior Rochester Lourdes goalkeeper Will Elder made saves on the Spartans’ second and fifth attempts. After the first Eagles attempt was denied, the following four players succeeded to finish the shootout with a 4-3 advantage.

--1A girls: Benilde-St. Margaret's 3, Blake 2 (OT)
Could The Blake School (17-3-2) repeat? Could Benilde-St. Margaret’s (21-0-1) triumph to win its first state title? The Knights of Benilde-St. Margaret’s had earned the top seed and the Bears of The Blake School were seeded second. The match was their second meeting this season. The first ended in a scoreless tie on Aug. 28. The match didn’t disappoint as both teams played tight defense and sent the game into overtime before senior forward Dana Buckhorn scored on a deflected direct free kick 8 minutes and 54 seconds into the extra period, giving the Knights their first state championship. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw. The Bears tallied first at 10:51. Senior forward Hannah Randolph launched a long shot that caromed off the cross bar but right to the foot of junior midfielder Lydia Sutton who tapped it in easily. Roughly 15 minutes later Knights junior midfielder Kelly Pannek was in the right position to punch in a deflection off a defender to even the score. Pannek scored again early in the second half and the Knights protected that lead until Bears ninth-grader Maggie Warner, a defender, took a shot from outside the penalty box into the top corner to tie the game at 2-2. Buckhorn’s game-winner was credited to her even though the last player to touch it was a defender. Because that defender was not trying to clear the ball or pass it to a teammate, the momentum of the shot that carried the ball into the goal came from Buckhorn.

Wells Fargo All-Tournament Teams
--2A boys: Carter McCauley, Owatonna; Esteban Arias, Champlin Park; Noah McGurran, Minneapolis South; Carl Walker, Moorhead; Christopher Kirihara, Timothy Larson, Bloomington Jefferson; Jared Allen, Roma Devine, Stillwater; Jason Scheeler, Ian Durbin, Colton Nelson, Mitch Boege, Blaine; Sam Fluegge, Jonathan Lenz, Pierce Erickson, Jacob Opheim, Eastview.

--2A girls: Kendal Jacobus, Eden Prairie; Paige Wilberding, Eastview; Jenna Roering, Centennial; Maddie Barr, St. Michael Albertville; Ashley Pafko, Britney Monteon, Blaine; Hahhah Cade, Simone Kolander, Lauren Brownrigg, Lakeville North; Tarah Hobbs, Rachel DeGardner, Anna Morrison, White Bear Lake; Summer Johnson, Katie Schulz, Kylie Schwarz, Kiana Nickel, Wayzata.

--1A girls: Laurel Ramer, Kasson-Mantorville; Maria Siebels, St. Peter; Emily Rikkola, Cloquet; Sarah Bruzek, Alexandria; Annmarie Umland, Grave Pouliot, Totino-Grace; Alicia Sethre, Anna Barlow, Tori Poole, South St. Paul; Ali Leslie, Natalie Sill, Lydia Sutton, Blake; Maria Michels, Dana Buckhorn, Kelly Pannek, Anne Arnason, Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

--1A boys: Albert Podshivaylov, Mankato East; Abdurazak Omar, St. Paul Como Park; Brandon Gonzalez, Waconia; Joshua Robak, Myles Hagen, Hayden Speaks, St. Cloud Cathedral; Joe Fairbanks, Thomas Welinski, Duluth Marshall; Ben Braman, Lorenzo Pavolini, Josh Gray, Isaac Forgren, St. Paul Academy and Summit School; Jack Convery, Alan Schembri-Wismayer, Gabe Salerno, Karl Krecke, Rochester Lourdes.

--Photo galleries from all four championship games can be seen on the MSHSL Facebook page.
Updates From State Soccer Semifinals...10/29/2012
--Class 2A boys: Eastview 3, Stillwater 1

The No. 3-seeded Lightning of Eastview defeated the No. 2-seeded Ponies of Stillwater Area 3-1. Eastview (14-2-5) led 2-0 at the half and sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Lamott made just three saves in the half and for the match. Senior midfielder Jacob Opheim opened the scoring at 25:20 after taking a long throw-in from junior defender Sam Fluegge and heading it past Stillwater Area goalkeeper Ben Wilhelm. Junior forward Pierce Erickson was credited with the second goal, unassisted, with his shot from just inside the penalty box at 38:53. Erickson scored his second goal of the game at 46:55, another header from a long cross from senior defender Jonathan Lenz. Stillwater Area (15-2-4) avoided the shutout when senior midfielder Roma Devine drilled a penalty kick following a foul in the box. The Lightning, in just their second consecutive and overall appearance, will play in the title tilt for the second straight year and try to improve on their 2011 runner-up finish to Eden Prairie, but this year against Blaine.

--Class 2A boys: Blaine 3, Bloomington Jefferson 1

The unseeded Blaine Bengals earned a trip to the state championship game with a 3-1 victory over the No. 5-seeded Jaguars of Bloomington Jefferson (16-4-1). Senior forward Nicholas Mhiripiri opened the scoring for the Jaguars at 14:43 of the first half scoring on a penalty kick. Just over a minute later, senior Colton Nelson of Blaine tied the score with a penalty kick of his own. Blaine (16-3-1) scored with just 21 seconds to play in the first half on a cross from junior Jeremiah Strand to senior Mitch Boege for the game-winning goal. Sophomore T.J. Soehn added an insurance goal for the Bengals, who advance to their first state championship game in boys’ soccer.

--Class 1A boys: Rochester Lourdes 5, Duluth Marshall 0

The Eagles of Rochester Lourdes (21-1-0) took an early lead and methodically kept adding goals until time expired and they had defeated the Hilltoppers of Marshall School, Duluth, 5-0. The Eagles were seeded No. 3. Marshall School (11-6-4) was unseeded. Senior midfielder Alan Schembri-Wismayer opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 4:18 and he added another unassisted goal at 15:17. Junior midfielder Johnny Lawson completed Rochester Lourdes’ first-half scoring with his shot that came off a crossing pass from senior forward Gabe Salerno. Salerno scored the fourth goal 14 seconds into the second half and at 62:15 senior forward Tim Wente scored the final goal. Senior forward Jack Convery assisted on both of the last two goals. Senior goalkeeper Will Elder earned the win and made three saves.

--Class 1A boys: St. Paul Academy and Summit School 2, St. Cloud Cathedral 1

In a closely played match that wasn’t decided until the 71st minute, the top-seeded Spartans of St. Paul Academy and Summit School (19-0-2) advanced to the championship game with a 2-1 win over the No. 5-seeded Crusaders of St. Cloud Cathedral (18-1-2). Senior defender James Hargens opened the scoring at 33:16, putting the Spartans up 1-0 with an elusive advance toward the net, evading two defenders before making his shot. Sophomore forward Tyler Seplak got an assist. The Crusaders tied the match at 63:01 when senior midfielder Myles Hagen took a drop pass from the corner by senior forward Patrick Krebsbach and shot it for the goal. Senior forward Peter Wood scored the game-winner at 70:23 after receiving the pass from senior midfielder Josh Gray who had dribbled his way up the field. Senior goalkeeper Ben Braman earned the win and made three saves.

--Class 1A girls: Blake 2, Totino-Grace 0

The defending champion and No. 2-seeded Bears of The Blake School (17-2-2) established a comfortable 2-0 lead at the half and went on to defeat the Eagles of Totino-Grace (16-3-2) 2-0 to advance to the title match once again against Benilde-St. Margaret’s. Last year the Bears defeated the Knights 1-0 for the title and this year the two teams played to a scoreless tie on Aug. 28. Junior midfielder Lydia Sutton opened the scoring at 16:23, assisted by sophomore midfielder Maddy Moe. Sutton assisted on the second goal at 27:53 with her corner kick that deflected off a defender to the foot of senior forward Natalie Sill, who scored. Senior goalkeeper Maddy Crawford earned the shutout and had to make just a single save. The Bears dominated in all statistical categories—14-2 in shots, 7-1 in corner kicks, and even 6-4 in fouls.

--Class 1A girls: Benilde-St. Margaret's 3, South St. Paul 2 (OT)

A foul by sophomore Anna Barlow just outside the box in overtime led to a direct free kick that senior forward Dana Buckhorn shot high into the left side of the net to seal the victory for top-seeded Benilde-St. Margaret’s (20-0-1). The Knights advance to the championship game for the second consecutive year, having finished second in 2011 to The Blake School. The South St. Paul Packers (14-5-2) scored first at 27:12 on a through ball from sophomore forward Anna Barlow that junior forward Tori Poole drilled low into the corner from inside the box. Ninth-grade midfielder Aleksa Tataryn took a pass from senior midfielder Haley Jerabek and scored with a shot from the six-yard line to even the score for the Knights at 21:41. The Knights’ 2-1 halftime lead was established at 35:54 when senior forward Maria Michels took advantage of a rebound off a shot from Jerabek and scored. Junior midfielder Kelly Pannek preceded Jerabek’s shot by bringing the ball swiftly up the left side to feed Jerabek. Poole scored an unassisted goal at 55:32 to even the score and ultimately send the game into extra time. Michels drilled a shot off the left post with 55 seconds left in regulation that would have ended the game in regulation if not for a few inches.

--Summaries by Howard Voigt
Here's The Soccer Lineup At The Metrodome10/29/2012
Tuesday’s Soccer Schedule at the Metrodome…

Duluth Marshall defeated St. Cloud Cathedral 2-1 in 1A boys third-place game
South St. Paul defeated Totino-Grace 2-1 in 1A girls third-place game
White Bear Lake defeated Lakeville North 1-0 in overtime in 2A girls semifinal
Wayzata defeated Blaine 4-1 in 2A girls semifinal
4 p.m./ Bloomington Jefferson vs. Stillwater in 2A boys third-place game

Thursday’s Soccer Schedule at the Metrodome…

8 a.m./ Lakeville North vs. Wayzata or Blaine in 2A girls third-place game
10 a.m./ Benilde-St. Margaret’s vs. Blake in 1A girls championship game
12:30 p.m./ St. Paul Academy and Summit School vs. Rochester Lourdes in 1A boys championship game
3 p.m./ White Bear Lake vs. Wayzata or Blaine in 2A girls championship game
5:30 p.m./ Blaine vs. Eastview in 2A boys championship game
A Full Day Of State Soccer Semifinals At The Metrodome10/28/2012
The Metrodome is Soccer Central on Monday as the girls and boys state semifinals are played. The games start early in the day and continue into the evening. Here is Monday’s schedule…

8 a.m./ Benilde-St. Margaret’s vs. South St. Paul in Class 1A girls
10 a.m./ Blake vs.Totino-Grace in 1A girls
Noon/ St. Paul Academy and Summit School vs. St. Cloud Cathedral in Class 1A boys
2 p.m./ Duluth Marshall vs. Rochester Lourdes in 1A boys
4 p.m./ Blaine vs. Bloomington Jefferson in Class 2A boys
6 p.m./ Stillwater vs. Eastview in 2A boys.

The semifinals will be completed Tuesday with these games…

Noon/ Lakeville North vs. White Bear Lake in Class 2A girls
2 p.m./ Wayzata vs. Blaine in 2A girls

Third-place games will be played Tuesday at the Dome in Class 2A boys, 1A boys and 1A girls. The 2A girls third-place game will be played Thursday, along with all four state championship games.