Athletics

By Mike BialkaBrainerd Dispatch 6-15-12 After graduating from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and entering the working world, Blake Eller realized he wanted to be a baseball coach. The 2004 Brainerd High School graduate, a standout player for the Warriors and in college for the Saints, served the …

Cody Cederberg, Central Lakes College, finished 12th in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III golf tournament June 4-8 at Chautauqua Golf & Country Club, Chautauqua, N.Y. He is a sophomore from Hawley. Cody earned All-American honors. Cody was consistent throughout the event, said Coach Jim Russell. His scores …

Two members of the 2012 Class 4A state high school basketball championship team from Osseo will play for the Central Lakes College MCAC championship men’s team in 2012-13. Joining the roster of the defending Minnesota College Athletic Conference champs from 2012 will be 5-8 guard Benji Subah (left) and 6-5 …

Pat Held, who has had a 43-year coaching career in baseball — there as head coach of the Central Lakes College Raiders — has announced his retirement. Pat is 61. Wife Carolyn, also a baseball nut, is battling cancer. She was CLC’s official scorekeeper this spring when a new record …

Nathan Holm of Pine River-Backus is the school’s all-time scoring leader in basketball. The outstanding forward averaged 24.1 points per game last season while earning All-Northland Conference honors. Nathan broke a 45-year single-game scoring record by totaling 33 points in the Tigers’ big win over Laporte. He finished as the …

Maurice Hernandez of Central Lakes College scored five points in the NJCAA Men’s  Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game in Las Vegas last Saturday as the Division II and III all stars dropped a 121-103 contest to the D I all-stars. Maurice was selected as a result of his selection as …

Central Lakes College softball players have earned post-season honors for the 2012 season, reports Coach Greg Medeck. Jenni Smolke (shown) was named First Team All-State (Minnesota College Athletic Conference) and All-Northern Division. She is a freshman infielder from Brainerd who hit .523 for the season, third best in the Division. …

Jim Russell, Central Lakes College men’s basketball coach, welcomed two recruits for the 2012-13 season at the Brainerd school. Alex Stafford (left) from Henry Sibley High School, St. Paul, was an all-conference performer who averaged 10 points and seven rebounds. John Jedneak is a Princeton product with all-conference credentials and …

Derek Pihlaja of Central Lakes College was the Southern Division Pitcher of the Week in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference for the week of May 8. Derek, a sophomore right-hander from Menahga, threw a five-hit shutout vs. No. 2-ranked Riverland in the opening game of the conference play-offs to determine …

The Central Lakes College fast-pitch softball season ended at Grand Rapids Saturday, as the Raiders won one of three games in the Jennie Guyer tournament. The Raiders defeated Mesabi Range, 12-3 behind Nicole Marcy (shown) and Becca Anderson, who both belted home runs. Nicole drove in six runs. Sam Harting …