From left, Hibbing/Chisholm goalie Megan Frider (31) and the Broncos’ Morgan Rasmussen (5) battle in front of the net for the puck amid a pile of players in Thursday night’s game at Bronco Arena.
The Broncos’ John Cowman swims to a first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 18.74 seconds, during Tuesday’s home dual meet against Eveleth-Gilbert.
The Broncos’ Jared Hunter swims a leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay in Tuesday’s home dual meet against Eveleth-Gilbert.
John Cowman won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1 minute, 18.74 seconds, and Cole Tatsak had the top score of 140.9 points in the diving competition, but those were the only first-place finishes Tuesday for the International Falls boys swimming and diving team, which lost its home dual meet to Eveleth-Gilbert, 85-62.
“We haven’t had a lot of dual meets, so we put (the Bronco swimmers) in a bunch of different events (Tuesday),” said Falls coach Hailey Silvers. “They swam a lot of new events. They’re still learning a lot.”
The Golden Bears, who swam the final three varsity events for exhibition purposes only without scoring any points, jumped out to a big lead with first-place finishes in the first eight swimming events.
The Falls recorded runner-up finishes in the individual events from Jared Hunter in the 200 individual medley (2:45.01), Gary Harala in the 50 freestyle (27.46) and Alex Belanger in the 100 butterfly (1:08.81).
The Broncos also had a runner-up finish in one of the three relay events with Harala, Cowman, Hunter and Tatsak placing second in the 200 medley relay (2:10.85), four tenths of a second behind Eveleth-Gilbert’s winning time.
The Falls’ next varsity meet is set for Jan. 29 at Chisholm.
The 18-year-old Littlefork-Big Falls High School senior is a forward on the Vikings' boys basketball team.
From left, Eveleth-Gilbert’s Kyle Kvitek (24) dribbles along the perimeter while being guarded by the Broncos’ Allen Johnson (4) in Tuesday night’s game in the Falls High School gym.
Brady
Hjelle
After playing his final game in goal late last month for the Tulsa Oilers, Brady Hjelle has returned to Norway to play pro hockey.
Hjelle, who last week flew to Oslo to join the Manglerud Star Hockey Team in the GET League, made his debut in net for MS on Sunday in a 3-0 loss to Frisk Asker.
Hjelle was a goalie last season in Norway for the Rosenborg Elite Ice Hockey Club of Trondheim, where he played in 43 of 45 games and had a record of 12-29 with one shutout.
Rosenborg also was in the GET League, but didn't renew its professional license after last season and MS took its spot in the league.
After last season, Hjelle had a tryout for a pro team in Finland known as Tappara, but didn't make the team. He then joined Tulsa in the East Coast Hockey League for the start of the 2014-15 season and was released after his last game with the Oilers on Dec. 30.
Today’s games
Women’s/men’s basketball
RRCC at Fond du Lac, 1/3 p.m.
Girls hockey
I. Falls at Moose Lake, 2 p.m.
Women’s hockey
RRCC at Minot State, 8 p.m.
Sunday’s games
Women’s hockey
RRCC at Minot State, 11 a.m.
Monday’s games
Girls basketball
I. Falls at MI-B, 7:15 p.m.
L-BF at Blackduck, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
Boys hockey
Two Harbors at I. Falls, 6:15 p.m.
Boys basketball
I. Falls at Virginia, 7:15 p.m.
L-BF at Northome, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Deer River at I. Falls, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday’s games
Women’s/men’s basketball
RRCC at Mesabi Range, 6/8 p.m.
