Sports, Local Schools

Led by a Sam Sherwood home run, the Falls High Broncos softball team improved to 10-3 on the season with a 6-1 victory over the Mesabi East Giants Thursday afternoon at the newly dedicated Falls High Softball Field.
District Superintendent Don Langan was on hand to throw out the first pitch to dedicate the field in a pregame ceremony.
“We played a smart game,” Gordon said. “We didn’t make too many defensive mistakes.”
Ariel Lagen got the start for the Broncos on the mound and went all seven innings for the victory.

By ROGER JEROME, Sports Correspondent

The Roseau Rams handed the Bronco baseball team there second one run loss in as many nights with a double play in the seventh inning to thwart a late rally and hold on for a 5-4 win in a game played at Gilbertson Field in Roseau Thursday afternoon.

By JOE KRAUSE, Sports Editor

Falls High freshman Alicia Hendrickson can now add the title of Conference Champion to her resume as she took first place in the pole vault at the Iron Range Conference Girls’ Track and Field Meet here on Wednesday afternoon.
Hendrickson finished with a height of eight feet, six inches which earned her a spot on the All-Conference Team and was the lone Broncos champion.

By JOE KRAUSE, Sports Editor

The Falls High track played host to the 2008 Iron Range Conference Boys’ Track and Field Meet Wednesday afternoon.
The meet was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but inclement weather forced school officials to move the meet to Wednesday.
The Broncos boys finished in third place behind AA powers Grand Rapids and Hibbing in the event.
Senior Raphy Gelo won the pole vault title with a height of 13 feet, six inches while fellow senior Eric Solo took the discus title with a toss of 158 feet, 10 inches.

By ROGER JEROME, Sports Correspondent

VIRGINIA — The Virginia Blue Devils used a fourteen strikeout performance from Courtney Anderson and three hits from Alexis Podpeskar to defeat the Falls Broncos 3-0 in a key girls softball matchup Wednesday evening in Virginia.

The Littlefork-Big Falls Vikings softball team had one section loss going into a big game against the Mesabi East Giants Wednesday afternoon in Hoyt Lakes.
The Giants had not lost a section game turning the contest into a battle for the top seed in the Section 7A playoffs that start next week.
The Vikings came from behind in an extra innings game to defeat the Giants 9-8 and take the first place playoff seed.
L-BF played a solid game, but trailed 8-3 going into the top of the seventh inning.

The International Falls JV Baseball team defeated Cook-Orr 6-0 on Tuesday in Cook.
Michael Misner, Nick Lagen and Billy Bright were the leading hitters while Chris Steinbach was the winning pitcher.
The Falls JV is now 5-5 on theseason.
Reminder: Future Champs is a compilation of stories, summaries, photos and stats of recreation sports that is published every Thursday in the Sports Section.

COOK — With occasional drizzle and standing water on the field, the Cook Little Gophers entertained the Falls High Broncos baseball team Tuesday afternoon at the newly renamed Dan Swanson Field in Cook.
The Broncos came away with a 15-8 victory, but trailed for most of the game due to mental errors.
“Our kids didn’t think the field was playable and our play reflected that,” Broncos head coach Vic Heinlen said. “The field conditions effected us in the first part of the game both offensively and defensively.”

FHS Staff Report

The Falls High Broncos boys’ and girls’ golf teams competed in the Hibbing Invitational on Friday at the Mesaba Country Club in Hibbing.
The boys finished in second place, one shot behind the Virginia Bluedevils with a team score of 325. The Bluedevils finished with a team score of 324. Third place went to the Grand Rapids Thunderhawks with a score of 337, the Cloquet Lumberjacks fourth at 340 and fifth went to the Duluth East Greyhounds at 341.

LITTLEFORK — After a disappointing week last week when the Littlefork-Big Falls Vikings baseball team went 1-5, the team opened play this week with an 8-1 home loss to the Cherry Tigers.
“We have to come ready to play whether it is Monday or not and we didn’t do that today,” Vikings head coach Todd Sether said.
Rain forced school officials to change the location of the game from the new ball field behind the high school to the old ball field at Lofgren Park.