Warroad vs Roseau, Hockey, Game 1

By Rob Crowe

The Warriors scored first and outshot the visiting Roseau Rams hockey team en route to a 5-2 victory on a cold Thursday night in Warroad on January 15th.

        The meetings between these two teams are usually exciting and this game was no exception. Coach Hasbargen had hoped for a fast start for Warroad and the  team came through. Dane Shaugabay (0:39) and Brock Nelson (1:14) scored for Warroad before the game was a minute and a quarter old, but the Rams pulled to within a goal by the end of the period when Adam Knochenmus (16:47) scored. Roseau could have tied it at one point but for a shot that clanged up from the top pipe instead of down. 

Warroad dominated the start of the second period as Andy Stoskopf (PP, 3:11) and Mickey Knox (5:04) scored again for Warroad. Roseau later answered with a goal by Kevin Erickson (PP, 8:45).  Play was up and down the ice throughout the period.

The third period was played fairly evenly.  While Roseau’s speed on the breakout was evident, the Warrior defense was up to the challenge. Brett Hebel (PP, 11:23) racked up another goal for Warroad to end the scoring. Shots on goal for the game were 20-14 in favor of Warroad.

The teams will play again on February 3rd at the Roseau Memorial Arena. Expect another exciting game.

Roseau on offense in the third period

Southwest Angle  

by Rob Crowe

As usual, another interesting week here in the Southwest Angle.  First, a little business to clear up. I visited Veterans Services Officer Jeff (B-52 Park) Parker  in his office last week (just before he jokingly threatened to file charges against the Southwest Angle News and Views over the matter of some nose art on a B-52). He wanted me to tell you that he faithfully maintains the office hours posted on the door of his office at the courthouse. I’m guessing that he does, but if you can’t find him at the Courthouse, go to a Warroad hockey game. You will find him there.

Due to the spate of cold weather last week, Pancake Logging Company is a bit behind schedule. When the mercury in the thermometer shrinks below –30 F, Earl calls up Trapper and tells him he'll be a day late getting to work. He was 5 days late last week. Trapper figures he made a couple of thousand dollars last week anyway by not having any repairs to make.

I enjoyed watching the Warroad/Roseau boy’s hockey game last Thursday night. It was pretty much a full house and I was able to stand next to Tim McKinnon to learn some of the finer points of the contest. For perspective on the crowd size, the 50/50 winner netted $957.50. The predominant jacket logo was Polaris for some reason or other. It probably would have been Marvin  if that company had a clothes division, which it does not.  I’d like to attend the next game at Roseau, but it’s likely I won’t be able to get the night off...

I had a bunch of fun on Sunday covering the Red Lake I-500. As usual, with any event in the Grygla area, I drove to see Orlin Ostby, the crusty old Norwegian, to get his perspective. Not surprisingly, he put me to work before I could get anything out of him. He had a frozen hydrant in the barn to thaw out. After we got the thing apart, then, and only then, could we go.

We headed out and found the station broadcasting the race on the radio of the Aerostar. We listened and found out the sleds were already past Goodridge on their way to Grygla. As we stopped on the highway near Orlin’s son’s place, I saw a snowmobile coming down the ditch. I turned on the old Sony Mavica, slid out of the van and tried to take a picture as the Ski Doo of Bryan Dyrdahl rocketed past. I got a good picture...of the ditch. I missed the next one also. Orlin then took me to a place in Grygla where I could get some pictures of the racers going around a corner.

After getting some good shots, I dropped him off and headed to race headquarters at the 7 Clans Casino.  As I was going in, a nice sled grabbed my attention and I stopped to take a picture. The owner came by and commented on his crash, but I was off to other things and didn’t answer.

My interest piqued by his comment, I went back later and looked again at the sled, a Yamaha. The left footrest was crumpled up almost into the tunnel. I introduced myself to the owner, Seth Thorson, and he told me a little bit about his week of racing.

He lives in Shoreview and, on his way up to TRF, the motor of his Chevy pickup blew at St. Cloud. Yes, you Chevy guys, 350 Chevys do blow up. He had the pickup towed back to the cities, borrowed another truck and did make it up to start the race on Friday. He runs in the Yamaha Sport 85 class, a class for 4-stroke machines. He ran well for two days and was in 5th place in class on Sunday morning as he started the course. He’d just passed up into 4th place when he went off a jump, landed on a rock, crumpled up the left foot rest and trapped his boot. There was some other damage to the bulkhead as well and race officials had to bend the metal away from his boot to free him. He was out of the race. 

He was a bit despondent, but I expect will be back on the track ASAP. While much attention is often paid to the winners, it isn’t much of a race without all those other competitors.  Thanks, Seth, and all the rest of you who compete. Best of Luck to you all.

2009 USCC Red Lake I-500 in Thief River Falls           

by Rob Crowe

Brian Dick rounds the corner in Grygla. He finished 4th in both 600 Pro Casses

        While the format has changed drastically since riders like Leroy Lindblad, Greg Grahn, and Bob Eastman would hammer the ditches between Winnipeg and St. Paul, this race is still 500 miles of trail and ditch running over several days.  This year, Bryan Dyrdahl notched his 5th win in the event, driving his Ski-Doo over the 500 miles in 6 hours, 19 minutes and 44 seconds in the three day event.. B. J. Ekre was second, 1:40 behind on an Arctic Cat. Polaris rider Corey Davidson was 2:10 behind Dyrdahl in third.       

        The race started and ended at the 7 Clans Casino in Thief River Falls who was the main sponsor. The course for the first day was Southeast of there, largely river running on the Red Lake River and the Clearwater River as well as some trails near Red Lake. The second and third day consisted of running a course that ran on the Red Lake River to Thief River Falls, north on the Thief River a ways before heading east along the ditches to Goodridge for a fueling stop. The sleds next looped north and east to Grygla in the ditches and back to Goodridge for fuel again. The last leg was to the east and south, dropping down on the Red Lake River to run west back to the Casino.

There were numerous classes of snowmobiles and  many of the riders were entered in more than one. All the brands were represented, however Arctic Cat green was the dominant color. 

Brad Dyrdahl won both the Pro 600 and Pro Open classes. Sam Vandeputte won the 600 Semi-Pro and the Semi-Pro Improved classes on his Ski-Doo. Corey Davidson won the Vet 30+ class, Jon Arneson won the Masters 40+ on his Arctic Cat and Paul Dick won the Legend 50+ Class on an Arctic Cat. Brian Carey Sr. won the 440 Class on an Arctic Cat and Brett Lessman won the Sport 85 (Four Stroke) class on a Yamaha. Jolene Bute won the women’s class with her Arctic Cat and Marty Fiel won the 600 Fan Class on an Arctic Cat. Adam Brandt won the Trophy 600 class on an Arctic Cat. Team Sobeck won the Myers racing Team class and Sara Larson won both 120 classes. The 120 classes are for youngsters, run on a course next to the casino.

Spectators stationed themselves along the 150 mile course in their vehicles to watch the snowmobiles flash past. There were also law enforcement personnel helping at the various road crossings. As the racers  finished the race, the official lined them up in order in several rows by the timing trailer. The top finishers in the pro and semi-pro classes had their snowmobiles taken for a tech inspection before the results became official.

The sanctioning organization for the I-500 is the United States Cross Country Snowmobile Racing Association and the I-500 is a part of a 9 race series over the course of the season. The next race is a 100 miler in Ada, MN on Jan. 31 followed by a 100 mile race in Grand Forks, ND on Valentines Day. A 100 mile race will be held at Garrison, MN on Feb. 21st followed the next weekend by a 300 miler in Munising, MI. Polaris will sponsor a 125 mile race in Warroad on March 15th. The season ends at Greenville, Maine on the last weekend of March. More information is available on the website: usccracing.com.

Arctic Cat Racer Dan Ebert leaves his sled after finishing 5th in the Pro 600 class

Chad Ingebrettson gets ready to dismount his Polaris after finishing 7th in the  Vet 30+ class.

Brad Dyrdahl’s Ski-Doo heads the winning lineup at the 7 Clans Casino in Thief River Falls after finishing the race on Sunday.

Mystery picture: Maybe not much of a mystery, taken on a snowy, frosty morning, this old elevator is a familiar sight to many  in Roseau County …

Last week’s picture was taken on Roseau County 31, looking north at the intersection with 270th Street.

More Southwest Angle Columns

Warroad Winter Sports Schedules and Rosters

Warroad Fall Sports Schedules and Rosters