The Minnesota State High School League's board of directors Monday approved a recommendation from an executive committee to keep the high school golf season in the spring, but move the sport's state tournament back one week.
The topic has been debated for more than a year. Ideas about moving the golf season to the summer or fall were presented in an effort to combat limited course availability, which in part, was forcing participants to miss a great deal of school.
The season is still 13 weeks long, but the state tournament will be the same week as the state baseball tournament, which typically wraps up the school year's competition.
-- In another major move, the board approved changes in scrimmaging and travel. No more than two scrimmage dates and one jamboree, or three scrimmage dates, will be allowed. There will no longer be any out-of-state travel, other than to bordering states and provinces. Roundtrips of more than 600 miles will not be allowed unless approved by the league.
The travel does include team trips over spring break. The measure goes into effect this fall.
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In other board moves:
-- A recommendation to have home sites used for all but the championship games in section play was approved. The wording of the recommendation allows for flexibility for section quarterfinals and semifinals if a neutral site will better accommodate anticipated attendance or will reduce travel for the participating teams.
-- Double-elimination section formats in team sports will change to single-elimination for the early rounds. In softball and baseball for example, single elimination will be used until the final four teams are alive when the double elimination format is implemented. Individual sports such as wrestling and tennis won't be affected.
SOFTBALL
Hermantown's Mullen named to All-State team
Hermantown junior pitcher Megan Mullen, who led her team to the Class AA high school softball state title with three shutouts last week, has been named to the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association All-State first team.
Mullen posted a 22-2 record with a 0.28 ERA and 283 strikeouts, including 42 in the state tournament.
Hawks teammate Julia Gilbert, a junior third baseman, was named to the second team. Esko senior catcher Erin Emanuel and Duluth Marshall senior pitcher Stephanie Carlson were chosen honorable mention.
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Duluth Denfeld senior pitcher Duluth Denfeld Laura Bellamy was named to the Class AAA honorable mention team. Bellamy, who is headed to Harvard University as a hockey goalie, was the winning pitcher and hit a home run as the Ice won 2-0 in the finale of their three games at the Coaches Association All-Star Series on Sunday in North Mankato, Minn.
TRACK AND FIELD
Ashland's Wiebe wins title
Ashland senior Lindsay Wiebe won the high jump title at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 track and field meet Saturday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Wiebe leaped 5 feet, 6 inches to edge Bloomer's Kayla Ashland by one inch.
Wiebe's teammate, junior Caitie Zepcyzk, was third in the discus (118-9) and seventh in the shot put (38-1¼). Hayward senior Hannah Turnbull was second in the shot put (40-9) and sixth in the discus (113-11).
Superior's 1,600-meter relay team of sisters Taylor and Raya Kosey, Caitlin Vaughan and Christa Diedrich placed seventh in 4 minutes, 3.85 seconds.
In boys Division 2 action, Northwestern junior Ryan Miesbauer finished second in the shot put with a toss of 52-11½, an inch ahead of Hayward senior Bucky Dixon. Dixon captured the discus title by throwing 166-5 on his final throw.
