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www.presspubs.com NOVEMBER 2, 2021

Cougars nip Wayzata 1-0 in shootout at state

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

After one hundred scoreless minutes, Centennial’s fi rst-round state tournament duel with Wayzata went to a shootout Tuesday night.

Asked if anyone enjoys a shootout, Cougar coach Christa Carlson said: “Nobody. It’s not how you want to end a game.”

The No. 2 seeded Cougars (18-1) won that pressure cooker 3-2 and fended off the unseeded Trojans (12-4-2) at Eden Prairie. It goes into the books as a 1-0 win and the Cougars’ 11th shutout.

The Cougars face No. 3 Rosemount (19-1) in the Class 3A semifi nals Thursday at 10 a.m., at U.S. Bank Stadium. No. 1 Edina (19-0) faces No. 4 Stillwater (14-3-2) at 8 a.m. The championship will be Saturday at 8 a.m. The third-place game will be Friday at West St. Paul Athletics Center, 9 a.m.

Edina beat Mounds View 3-0, Stillwater beat Lakeville North 1-0, and Rosemount beat Elk River 4-1.

“The girls are very excited to

COUGAR SPORTS BRIEFS

JON NAMYST PHOTOGRAPHY | CONTRIBUTED JONNAMYSTPHOTOGRAPHY|CONTRIBUTED

Jordan Metz, Cougar goalkeeper, lunges to make a save against Wayzata.

go to the ‘Bank.’ That’s been their goal, their dream, all season,” Carlson said.

In the shootout, the Cougars made their fi rst two shots and Wayzata failed on their fi rst two. With that huge advantage, the Cougars settled the issue in the fi fth round on a shot into the top corner by Allyson Hamski.

Lauren Ahles and Brooklyn Bordson also found the net, while Sydney Kubes and Marisa Frost missed. Wayzata had one shot hit the post, one missed the net entirely, and one stopped by Cougar goalie Jordan Metz.

Centennial was playing with close to 20% of its regular lineup missing due to illness, injuries and players getting cramps, Carlson said.

Wayzata, which allowed just two goals in the last seven games, threw a defensive formation, including a sweeper, at the Cougars “that you usually don’t see in high school,” Carlson said. A cold wind whipped the fi eld from end to end, hampering each team for one half and one 10-minute overtime.

In regulation, the Cougars had two strong shots by Tatum Trettel and a breakaway by Sarah Strating, but each were rebuffed by Trojan goalie Becca Carroll. Meanwhile, the Cougars got a trio of “real good saves” by Metz, Carlson said.

Girls x-country: Cougars place 2nd at section, earn state berth

The Centennial girls cross country team qualifi ed for the state meet with a second-place fi nish in the Section 7AAA meet on Wednesday at Anoka High School.

“I’m gushing with pride in this team, in each of these runners,” said Ryan Evans, coach of both the boys and girls teams. “They've all worked hard and have pursued their goals with hunger, and they are not fi nished in that pursuit.”

The Cougars, who last qualifi ed as a team in 2016, will run in the state meet Nov. 6 at St. Olaf College.

Forest Lake edged the Cougars for the championship and had the individual winner, freshman Norah Hushagen, in 18:07.

Centennial freshman Kylie Nelson placed fourth in 19:48 and seventh-grader Abby Smith placed 10th in 20:20, leading the Cougars. The next three ran in a pack with senior Lauren Swanson 13th (20:27.47), junior Emma Magnuson 14th (20:28.43) and sophomore Julia Zalewski 15th (20:28.75).

Such is the team’s depth that one of their top runners, Abby Wood, was sixth at the section. “Our varsity group is very close in ability,” Evans said. “They have been swapping around in their order all season, and this was the outcome this week.”

Smith, the seventh-grader, “doesn't really know her limits” yet, said Evans, and had her best race. “It’s fun watching a kid like that race, because all of those things could suddenly click on any day. With each race she's learning more.”

Forest Lake had 49 points, Centennial 56, Duluth East 89, Andover 98, Anoka 130, Blaine 153, Coon Rapids 187, and Cambridge-Isanti 187.

Boys x-country: Centennial wins close sectional, heads for state

The Centennial Cougars edged two conference rivals to capture the Section 7AAA cross country championship on Wednesday at Anoka High School.

The Cougars, after notching their fi rst conference title since 2013, added their fi rst section title since 2015 — improving dramatically from 10th in conference and seventh in the section last year. They will run at state Nov. 6 at St. Olaf College.

Centennial scored 60, Anoka 62, Andover 66, Forest Lake 101, Blaine

Gi l t C K li N l l d f th F t L k h d 49 110, Duluth East 117, 110 D l th E t 117 Cambridge-Isanti 167 and Coon Rapids 184. Individual champion was Forest Lake’s Daniel Vanacker in 15:38. The Cougars were led by senior Jonathan Pattie, in third place with 16:08, and junior Charles Bolkcom, seventh in 16:32. Centennial had fi ve of the top 21, with junior Eli Berg 13th (16:56), senior PJ Marshall 16th (17:04), and senior Aiden Sherer 21st (17:19). “It was defi nitely a nail-biter,” said coach Ryan Evans, adding that host Anoka’s surprisingly strong performance made it even tighter than expected. “Defi nitely a gritty performance by our seven runners.” The champs’ 6-7 runners were sophomore Jacob Podratz in 26th (17:27) and junior Matt Washburn in 34th (17:47) among 55 runners. “We were expecting

Athlete of the Week* *Athletes ch osen by press staff 751 Cope Ave E | Maplewood S Strauss Skates & Bicycles On the cutting edge since 1887. Specializing in all things skating and cycling for over 130 years! Jonathan Pattie, in his fourth season as an allconference runner for Centennial, led the Cougars to conference and section cross country championships. Pattie placed fourth in the 14-team Northwest Suburban meet with 16:49 and third in the eightteam Section 7AA meet with 16:08. Pattie previously placed 7th twice and 15th in the section, qualifying for state all four seasons. “He is the spirit animal for our boys team, for sure,” coach Ryan Evans said. “He takes his craft very seriously, and wants the absolute best for his team and his teammates. He’s defi nitely in a groove right now in his racing, feeling strong and confi dent in himself.” Jonathan Pattie CENTENNIAL CROSS COUNTRY Andover to be our top competition, and our boys (knew) that any gold jerseys they saw in front of them, they needed to catch,” Evans said. Pattie was able to beat one of two Huskies who beat him at the conference meet. Marshall out-kicked an Andover runner at the fi nish. “We needed every place our guys were able to pick up,” Evans said. Berg trailed two Anoka runners with 400 meters left and was able to pass one of them. Scherer beat Anoka’s fi fth runner by two places. All for crucial points. shopstrauss.com | 651-770-1344 717965 Bruce Strand

COUGAR FOOTBALL: ‘Much improved’ on off ense

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JON NAMYST PHOTOGRAPHY | CONTRIBUTED JONNAMYSTPHOTOGRAPHY|CONTRIBUTED

Lance Liu, who rushed for 290 yards, had a long gainer here before Eastview’s Sam Weinhaus caught him.

The Cougars led 7-0 at halftime on Daylen Cummings’ eight-yard touchdown in the fi rst quarter. Liu busted 53 yards in the third quarter.

In the fourth, the Cougars were up 21-0 after Liu’s fi veyard score. Eastview (3-6) got on the board with Tyler Jerstad’s three-yard run. Centennial responded with touchdowns by Liu (three yards) and Collin Lee (fi ve yards). Eastview closed it out with Ibrahim Awada’s twoyard touchdown.

Cummings passed 4-for-7 for 20 yards and ran eight times for 31 yards. Lance Nielsen gained 27 yards in two carries. Nicky Eichelberger had one for 22. The Cougars had 382 yards rushing. Eli Nowacki was 5-for-5 on extra points.

“Our defense played well. We held them to about 140 yards and they have a pretty good offense,” said coach Mike Diggins. One key play was an interception by Will Quick, who out-leapt a receiver and wrestled the ball away at the six-yard line, stopping a drive. “Our offensive and defensive lines both played really well,” Diggins said.

The Cougars overcame seven 15-yard penalties to win handily.

“We can’t do that against St. Michael and have a chance to win,” said Diggins. About the Knights, he said, “They are always so well-coached and have a lot of talented kids. They had some injuries early (to running backs) but all those kids are back now.”

The Cougars lost to the Knights 19-16 in the second week of the season, scoring two defensive touchdowns while the offense was shut down. “We are much improved on offense,” said Liu.

Cougars advance in section, face No. 1 Blaine

The Centennial Cougars rolled past Cambridge-Isanti 25-13, 25-18, 25-23 in their Section 7AAAA opener Thursday evening.

Notching eight kills each were Elana Hoecke, Cassie Sosinski, and Andi Koslowski, with Linaya Swenson adding seven. Ashlyn McClellan made 26 saves. The Cougars aced 11 serves, led by McClellan and Koslowski with three each. Mattie Petersen led with 12 digs and 13 serve receptions.

The No. 4 seeded Cougars (16-11) face No. 1 Blaine (26-4) there on Wednesday, 7 p.m. The winner advances to the fi nals Saturday, 7 p.m., against Andover or Forest Lake. Bruce Strand

• Scott Robinson, president and co-owner of A&L Sod, hopes the City Council will consider recommending him as a candidate to fi ll an upcoming vacancy on the Rice Creek Watershed Board of Managers. Minnesota Statute 103D.311 dictates the watershed appointment process. Per subdivision 3, “If the district is wholly within the metropolitan area, the county commissioners shall appoint the managers from a list of persons nominated jointly or severally by the towns and municipalities within the district ...” The council will discuss the topic again at an upcoming workshop in November. City Administrator Sarah Cotton said the deadline for when cities need to submit their recommendations to the county is Nov. 18. There is an ongoing lawsuit in front of the Minnesota Supreme Court between Anoka County and the city of Circle Pines that could affect the appointment process going forward, depending on the ruling. • Each year, city staff brings forward a list of delinquent water and sewer utility charges to the council for certifi cation to the county auditor for collection with the following year’s property taxes. The total amount to be certifi ed to the county will be $63,712. • The council has authorized city staff to prepare plans and specifi cations for the reconditioning of water tower No. 2 located at 7001 Otter Lake Road. Public Services Director Rick DeGardner explained that the tower was constructed in 1996 and an inspection identifi ed several structural and coating issues that need to be addressed. In addition, the exterior and interior dry coatings are more than 24 years old and have surpassed their life expectancy. (Coatings on water towers are typically replaced every 20 years to protect the underlying steel surfaces from corrosion.) The project, which is expected to take 14-16 weeks, will commence by removing all wireless antennas and relocating them to a temporary structure. The tower will then be curtained off and sandblasted. Repairs will be made, and then the interior and exterior of the tower will be recoated. The goal is to have the project complete by early summer to avoid any disruption to the city’s water supply. WSB will prepare the plans and specifi cations for a not-to-exceed amount of $17,807. The city is expected to open bids for the project in January. • For 2022, the city will receive $79,736 in Select Committee on Recycling and the Environment (SCORE) grant funds from Anoka County. In 1989, SCORE recommended that the Legislature adopt a comprehensive set of laws. This act initiated a state funding source for recycling programs, waste reduction initiatives, management of household hazardous waste and problem materials. Locally, Anoka County distributes these funds to cities for use on residential recycling programs. These funds are available for specifi c program areas, such as drop-off events (Recycling Saturday), promotional materials, the organics drop-off program, labor and staffi ng. • Lennar, the developer of Watermark, will be assessed a surface water management fee of $822,276 on three large lots that have yet to be developed, per the development agreement. Lennar will also be assessed $460,765 for the 3rd Addition (Phase 3B) and $472,620 for the 4th Addition. • Five property owners will be assessed $56,843 for connections to city utilities. • Bald Eagle Builders Inc., the developer of Bald Eagle Addition, will be assessed $19,551 for trunk water, sanitary sewer and surface water fees per the development agreement. • The developer of Nadeau Acres 2nd Addition, BL Holdings LLC, will be assessed $198,563 for trunk water, sanitary sewer and surface water fees per the development agreement. • Jerome and Mona Poehling, owners of two lots on West Shadow Lake Drive, will be assessed $31,250 for trunk water, sanitary sewer, and surface water fees relating to the Poehling Addition, per the development agreement.

The next City Council meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8, at City Hall.

Shannon Granholm

New water tower in Lino Lakes wins 5th best in nation

Lino Lakes new water tower on the corner of Birch Street and Centerville Road has earned a spot in the top fi ve water towers in the nation.

Since 2006, Tnemec has celebrated the innovative and creative uses of its coatings on water tanks with the annual Tank of the Year contest. Each year, tanks of all varieties from across the U.S. and Canada are narrowed down to determine the most impressive coatings projects in the water tank industry.

This year, nearly 300 water tanks were nominated from across the U.S. and Canada, each one impressive in its own way. Other top fi nishers included: Brunswick, Georgia; Edmonton, Kentucky; Elmendorf, Texas; Lincoln, Illinois; Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; Redmond, Washington; the University of Texas at Dallas; Roswell, New Mexico; Zephyrhills, Florida; Rochester, Minnesota; and Moorhead, Minnesota.

Construction on Lino Lakes’ newest water tower was completed in July. WSB was the engineer on the project and Landmark Structures was the fabricator.

The offi cial Tank of the Year and all of the fi nalists will be featured in Tnemec's 2022 water tank calendar.

WSB | CONTRIBUTED WSB|CONTRIBUTED

Known for its natural beauty, Lino Lakes wanted to make sure the town’s elevated water tower matched its surrounds when they decided to adorn the tank with a custom logo. The resulting mural showcases one of the many large species of birds often found along the shores of the surrounding lakes, the great blue heron, and reminds visitors of all the splendor that the community has to off er.

Give and take of the hunt

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Every hunter knows the feeling of tunnel vision when the perfect deer steps into view. All focus is lasered in on a single point, watching how the animal steps, evaluating the angle of the shot, getting the trigger hand in place with just the right timing.

This moment is a highlight of the hunt, but it is so fl eeting in the grand scale of the season. Most of the hours spent in the tree stand or blind, we’re looking at things that aren’t deer. Birds, squirrels, maybe the occasional fox or coyote, and of course—the fi elds and trees.

In the last few years I’ve been hunting, I’ve made an effort to really get to know my patch of the forest. After all, the health of the forest affects the health of all the creatures within it. All it took was some photos and a nature ID app to learn that my hunting stand is surrounded by distinctive woodland fl ora such as gray dogwood, yellow birch, and witch hazel.

And then there’s the buckthorn.

An invasive species from Eurasia, this shrub has taken root in regions across the state. It chokes out native species and creates dense, thorny thickets. The roots of buckthorn emit a chemical substance that kills off competing plants, leading to poor soil quality and erosion. Deer don’t eat it. Instead, deer browse on more favorable native species, leaving the buckthorn unharmed to spread like wildfi re.

In the book “Braiding Sweetgrass,” botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer examines the relationship between the world of Western science and her perspective as a member of the Potawatomi Nation. One of the concepts she stresses the most is that of reciprocity—giving back in thanks for what was received, in an endless cycle. This applies to gift giving between humans, but also between humans and the elements of the natural world.

When I take a deer from our forest, I feel it is my responsibility to do what I can to care for that forest in return. On the land where I hunt, removing buckthorn is one of the ways I have chosen to improve the overall health of the forest.

Buckthorn is not easy to kill. It usually doesn’t grow very large, and can be removed with a variety of tools, but it can be a painstaking process that takes years. Cut stumps must be treated with herbicide, or prevented from growing back with coverings such as tin cans or buckthorn bags. It can be unsightly, and it is defi nitely a slog. But to me, the work is worth the price of keeping the woodland healthy, making room for groves of hazelnuts and gooseberries to thrive and create a healthier ecosystem.

I love the rush of that moment when the deer steps into the scope, but once the excitement is over, it is just as important to take a step back and look at the wider landscape. If you’re headed onto hunting grounds this season, I encourage you to take a close look at the land that supports you, and do what you can to support it back.

Jackie Bussjaeger is a contributing writer for Press Publications. She can be reached by emailing news@ presspubs.com or calling 651-407-1200.

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