A year ago running backs Lamonte Edwards, Donnell Kirkwood and Devron Wright were among the most anticipated recruits in the Gophers’ class of 2010. Last season Edwards redshirted, Krikwood played in four games gaining 127 yards, and Wright was a nonqualifier, not eligible even this spring to practice. Gophers’ offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover told Sports Headliners that Edwards and Kirkwood have a “tremendous amount of potential,” and he expects Wright to be eligible this fall.
“Everybody says he (Wright) could very well be the best of all of them,” Limegrover said.
The annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game will be played for the first time at TCF Bank Stadium. The June 25 7 p.m. game will use a North-South format for the first time since 1980 when teams were organized into Metro and Outstate squads. The North and South rosters will include players from the metro and outstate areas.
The North head coach will be Brainerd’s Ron Stolski, while Minnetonka’s Dave Nelson will coach the South. Each coaching staff will include a former high school head coach and member of the association’s Hall of Fame, Dave Nigon (Totino-Grace) for the North and Mal Scanlan (Cretin-Derham Hall) for the South.
Gophers’ fundraiser Bob McNamara said $4 million has been raised for the new baseball stadium, but another $3 million is needed.
New Ulm native and former major leaguer Terry Steinbach is coaching baseball at Wayzata High School.
Pat Williams, at about 320 pounds, clogged up the line of scrimmage six seasons for the Vikings, but at 38 he isn’t mobile enough to be an attacking nose guard if that’s what the team’s coaches want.
Ross Bernstein, local author of nearly 50 books including works on Herb Brooks and Brett Favre, will be the speaker at the C.O.R.E.S. luncheon in Bloomington on Thursday, May 12. C.O.R.E.S. members can make reservations by contacting Jim Dotseth, dotsethj@comcast.net. C.O.R.E.S. is an acronym for coaches, officials, educators, reporters and sports fans.
Zach Parise, who has only played in three games for New Jersey this season because of injury, would boost box office interest and on ice production for the slumping Wild franchise. The Minneapolis-born Parise, 26, scored 82 and 94 points in his previous two seasons with the Devils. He has yet to settle on a contract extension with New Jersey and will become a restricted free agent soon.
Minnesota’s Tobias Wernet is the Big Ten Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week after helping the No. 24 ranked Gophers to wins against No. 22 Michigan and No. 53 Michigan State last weekend.