AITKIN - Aitkin's Nathan Ehnstrom struck out 16 in a complete game while allowing only one earned run off of seven hits as the Gobblers downed Hinckley-Finlayson 9-2 in Great River Conference play Thursday.

PILLAGER - Carly Bell picked up her second win of the season as the Pillager Huskies split a Park Region Conference doubleheader Thursday winning the opener 9-4 and then dropping Game Two 6-3 to the Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale Raiders.

Tanner Lundberg improved to 8-1 with a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles and the Brainerd Warriors topped Sartell 5-2 in Thursday's Central Lakes Conference meet at Brainerd High School. Ryan Bell suffered his first loss of the season 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 at No.

CLEARWATER - Thomas Stoxen matched Wednesday's 77 with another Thursday to lead the Brainerd Warriors to fifth in a Central Lakes Conference meet at Eagle Trace Golf Course.

FERGUS FALLS - An eagle on the back nine helped Jenny Muesing to second place and the Brained Warriors to fourth in Thursday's Central Lakes Conference meet.

MOORHEAD - Maddie Franz pitched four hitless innings and the Brainerd Warriors pounded out 14 hits in Thursday's 14-3 non-conference victory over Moorhead.

STAPLES - Staples-Motley activities director Mike Schmidt announced Thursday the hiring of Michael Poncelet as the Cardinals' new head boys basketball coach.

For the second straight week, and the fourth time in her career, Concordia College senior Kaari Jensen has been named the MIAC Field Athlete of the Week. Jensen earned the award after winning the MIAC heptathlon for the second straight season.

Activities directors Charlie Campbell of Brainerd High School and Mike Schmidt of Staples-Motley High School have been recognized by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) as certified athletic administrators.

Hunter Shepard's fastball may never touch 80 mph on a radar gun. The Grand Rapids right-hander just relies on a repertoire of off-speed pitches that keeps opposing hitters off-stride.