by Tom Coombe
It may be too early to say how the Ely Timberwolves will stack up this winter in Section 7A, but Tuesday’s season-opener offered more than a few reasons for optimism.
The Wolves, despite an overall lack of height, a key injury-related absence, and several new faces in the lineup, ran away from visiting Two Harbors in the second half of a 76-41 high school boys basketball victory.
Senior Dylan Fenske had 31 points and 11 rebounds and classmate Evan Omerza dished out a game-high 11 assists as the Wolves warmed up after a slow start.
Fenske and Omerza are the only returning starters for an Ely team that, entering the 2019-20 season, is a question mark in 7A.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald, who began his 30th season at the helm. “Basically we have two returners and a whole bunch of young kids that didn’t play a lot. We struggled early and missed a lot of shots, but I thought we were a lot better in the second half. Our defense was better and we finished.”
Graduation took Patrick Vanderbeek, a three-point shooting sensation who finished as the third-leading scorer in school history, from the Ely lineup.
The Wolves knocked down just two triples, both by junior Will Davies, against the Class AA Agates, and scored in transition, on drives to the hoop and the offensive glass.
Ely had made its mark from beyond the three-point stripe in recent seasons, but Tuesday’s game may have signaled a different look for this winter.
“I think we have some kids who can shoot it, but I’m not sure how consistent we will be.”
Fenske, a six-foot forward, figures to pick up much of the scoring load and he stepped up in the opener.
Davies, fellow junior Brock LaTourell and Omerza all had nine points against Two Harbors, while sophomore Harry Simons came off the bench to add eight points.
“The balance we saw (against Two Harbors) is I think what we’ll get throughout the year,” said McDonald.
LaTourell added six steals for the Wolves and Ely figures to get a boost from 6-2 senior Bryce Longwell, who hauled down 12 rebounds and is the team’s tallest starter.
Freshman Joey Bianco saw time as a reserve for the Wolves and he is one of several players who honed up last season as part of an Ely junior varsity that finished unbeaten.
At least early in the season, the Wolves will be at less than full strength as they await the return of injured junior Emmett Faltesek.
A likely starter, Faltesek went down with an ankle injury and is expected to be out an additional two-to-four weeks.
“I think when Emmett comes back we will have more depth,” said McDonald.
McDonald said his team will have to make up for its lack of height inside by “getting after people defensively, because we’re not very big.”
Ely won 17 games last winter and nearly pulled off a 7A quarterfinal upset, falling to eventual runner-up Lakeview Christian Academy on a buzzer beater after leading for much of the game.
The Wolves join a host of teams chasing defending 7A champion and two-time state runner-up North Woods, which started its season this week with a 95-45 win over Bigfork
McDonald expects the Grizzlies and Nashwauk-Keewatin to contend for the 7A title
“North Woods is the favorite until somebody knocks them off, but I think Nashwauk has what they need to beat them,” said McDonald. “I hope we’re competitive with just about everybody we play.”
Ely met International Falls Friday night and travels to Hill City today and a Dec. 13 showdown with North Woods, at Cook, looms on the horizon.
The Wolves’ 26-game docket includes the annual holiday tournament, slated for Dec. 27-28. Isle, Bigfork and Cook County will join Ely in that event.

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school girls basketball team is a missed free throw away from a perfect start.
Other than a late collapse that resulted in an overtime defeat to Two Harbors last weekend, it has been smooth sailing for the Timberwolves, who improved to 4-1 Tuesday night with a 60-24 romp at Silver Bay.
The lopsided win eased some of the sting from Saturday, when a shorthanded Ely team ran out of gas in the second half as a 16-point lead went by the wayside and the visiting Agates rallied for a 51-47 win.
Ely missed several free throws late in regulation and a last-second basket forced overtime, where the Wolves again struggled at the free throw line.
Ely went 17-for-40 from the line, which set the stage for a tough finish.
“This was a heartbreaker game where our girls held a lead until the last second of regulation,” said Ely Head Coach Darren Visser. “We played this game short handed but our girls worked extremely hard all game and just weren’t able to hang on in the end.
“Poor free-throw shooting and a very aggressive Two Harbors defense just proved to be too much in the end.
“I do believe that this will be a game that will prove to be a great learning experience for our younger players.”
Senior standout Brielle Kallberg missed the Two Harbors game, but the Wolves built a commanding lead early on nonetheless.
Senior guard Erika Mattson scored 14 points to go with eight assists and five steals, and freshman Madeline Perry reached double figures with 10 points.
Ely also rebounded well, with freshman Rachel Coughlin grabbing 15 boards and senior Winter Sainio next with 11. They also combined for another 11 points, while eighth-grader Grace LaTourell scored five points and sophomore Ande Visser was next with four.
It was senior scoring night Tuesday at Silver Bay, as Mattson and Kallberg had 20 points each and Sainio added another 10.
Sainio had 11 rebounds to finish with the double-double and Mattson (64 percent) and Kallberg (56 percent) sizzled from the field.
• The Wolves also beat Int. Falls 65-44 in a Dec. 6 home tilt, with Mattson scoring 28 points to lead all scorers.
Kallberg contributed 16 points to the cause, with Sainio (eight) and Perry (six) net.
• Next up is a Monday night home game with Chisholm, followed by a Dec. 20 rematch at Two Harbors.

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school hockey team remains without a victory, but the Timberwolves’ fourth straight defeat was their most competitive yet.
The Wolves put up a season-high 31 shots on goal in a 1043 loss to Moose Lake Area, in a Dec. 13 contest at the Ely Arena.
Ely’s final game before a holiday break was very competitive for two periods, and came on the heels of a lopsided 12-0 defeat against section contender Eveleth-Gilbert just three days earlier.
Senior Luke Olson, who had all four goals for Ely, scored twice in the first 10 minutes of play to give the hosts an early 2-1 lead.
The Rebels, who had a size advantage against an Ely team that includes several freshmen and eighth-graders, were more physical and got to the Wolves as the contest progressed.
Rebels Jordan Fjosne and Henry Ribich both scored in the final five minutes of the opening period on the way to hat tricks of their own.
Moose Lake grabbed a 4-2 lead after one frame, and goals by Ribich and Fjosne, which came about a minute-and-a-half apart midway through the second period, gave the Rebels some cushion.
Shots on goal were nearly even after two periods, with Moose Lake holding a 28-26 edge, and the contest ended with the Rebels having a 37-31 margin.
Winning goalie Henry Dammer had 28 saves and the Rebels had to work off seven penalties, compared to just two for the Wolves.
Olson had all three Ely goals and the forward remains the Wolves’ only goal scorer this season.
Dalton Schreffler added two assists while Jimmy Zupancich and Seann Prigge had one apiece.
Ben Cavalier recorded 27 saves in goal.
Fjosne had a whopping seven points for Moose Lake, finishing with four goals and three assists. Ribich had an assist to go with his three goals and Adam Olson assisted on five Rebel tallies.
Ely takes on Mora at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, at Two Harbors, in the opening round of the three-day North Shore Holiday Tournament.

by Tom Coombe
Brielle Kallberg hit a milestone on Monday, and this week she and her teammates will take their next steps toward another one.
The Ely senior scored her 1,000th career point during the high school girls basketball team’s 72-50 home victory over Chisholm.
It was the final home game for the Wolves before this week’s Hoops for Hope Holiday Tournament.
Now in its sixth year, the fundraiser for the Spiritwood Foundation has generated well in excess of $15,000 and a successful tournament will bring the Ely program close to the $20,000 mark.
Ely Head Coach Darren Visser started Hoops for Hope in 2014, in part to incorporate community service as part of the program.
“The Hoops For Hope Tournament has helped our teams to see that they can have a positive impact on their community,” said Visser. “The community gives so much to our kids and this is a way to give back.”
Going into a Friday night game at Two Harbors, the Wolves are off to a 5-1 start and Kallberg - a fifth-year starter - has played an integral role.
The 5-11 forward has teamed with fellow senior Erika Mattson, also a 1,000-point scorer, to give the Wolves one of the most potent scoring combinations in Section 7A.
With Mattson in foul trouble for much of the first half, Kallberg picked up the slack and sparked Ely to a double-digit halftime deficit, with the Wolves going on a late run after Chisholm tied the game at 24.
Kallberg had 13 points in the first half, while a free throw and a drive to the basket early in the second stanza brought her to 1,000.
The game was stopped briefly, with Kallberg getting congratulations from teammates, members of Ely’s elementary and C-squad teams and her parents.
She kept right on scoring finishing with a game-high 30 for the night.
“The game against Chisholm was a milestone for Brielle as she needed 16 points to get to 1000 and ended up with 30,” said Visser. “It was nice for Brielle to get to the 1000 point mark at home in front of the home crowd.”
Kallberg added seven rebounds and four steals while shooting 13-for-23 from the floor, while Mattson added 12 points and four steals and freshman Madeline Perry hit double digits with 12 points.
Underneath, Ely got plenty of support form senior Winter Sainio and ninth-grader Rachel Coughlin, who combined to snare 21 rebounds. Coughlin added 10 points to notch her first career double-double.
“The first half we struggled some with Chisholm’s aggressive defense,” said Visser. “In the second half we were able to make some offensive adjustments that allowed us to pull away.”
The Wolves are favored in an expanded Hoops for Hope tourney, which has grown from four to six teams this sesason.
Action starts Thursday with Carlton taking on Northeast Range at 4 p.m., followed by South Ridge and Deer River at 5;30, and the Wolves taking on Wrenshall at 7 p.m.
Three more games are on the docket Friday afternoon, with Ely hosting Deer River at 4 p.m.to close out the tournament.
“This year is the biggest tournament we have had with six teams,” said Visser. “Adding Deer River and South Ridge adds a couple of teams who have traditionally been strong teams that are well coached.
Hoops for Hope was started to help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s Disease, and all proceeds from sponsorships and tournament-specific fundraisers go to the locally-based Spiritwood Foundation.
“The money goes directly back to our community to help families dealing with this terrible disease,” said Visser.
Those interested in sponsoring can still do so by either sending a check to Karla Visser (PO Box 315 Ely, MN 55731), with checks payable to ISD 696. Donations will also be collected at the tournament games.

by Tom Coombe
The styles changed but the results remained largely the same for Ely’s Nordic Wolves.
Both Ely ski teams took part in the Dec. 19 Cloquet Invitational, which featured classic rather than freestyle competition.
The switch did little to slow down the Wolves, who came home with second-place finishes in both the boys and girls competitions.
The Ely boys competed without all-state skier Jasper Johnston, who has been taking part in U.S. Junior National qualifying events, and fell five points shy of the host Lumberjacks in the seven-team boys event.
Senior Raif Olson was the individual runner-up and sophomore Gabriel Pointer was a spot behind in third.
A third-place showing by senior Brooke Pasmick helped lift the Wolves to second-place among the girls - eight points back of Mesabi East.
The Wolves also had a big showing in junior varsity competition, with freshman Sydney Durkin winning the JV girls race, topping a field of 64 athletes.
Full results were as follows:
Varsity Boys (5.5K)
2. Olson, 17:25;
3. Pointer, 17:34.5;
5. Nate Nettifee, 17:47.8;
15. Jon Hakala, 19:13.8;
16. Ethan Bremner, 19:18.2;
20. Micah Larson, 19:49.8;
38. Adam Williamson, 22:13.2;
Varsity Girls (5.5K)
3. Pasmick, 20:22.5;
7. Kalyssa Eilrich, 21:27.6;
11. Zoe Devine, 21:54.9;
15. Julia Schwinghamer, 22:15.3;
17. Ana Bercher, 22:21.6;
19. Phoebe Helms, 22:35.3;
23. Gracie Pointer, 23:38.6;
24. Cora Olson, 23:41.1;
35. Abigail Thompson, 28:24.7;
Junior Varsity Girls (5.5K)
1. Durkin, 22:41.8;
3. Cedar Ohlhauser, 22:56.8;
16. Morgan McClelland, 24:49.4;
25. Courntey Eilrich, 25:55.5;
28. Juliet Stouffer, 26:19.6;
32. Amelia Pluth, 26:39.8;
35. Sarah Isbell, 26:57.5;
38. Annikka Mattson, 27:26.6;
Junior High Boys (2.5K)
2. Liam Lacey, 9:41.2;
9. Leo Stalmer, 10:30.4;
11. Dylan Durkin, 10:36.6;
14. Silas Solum, 11:14.1;
15. Eli Olson, 11:32.1;
18. Henry Lowe, 11:50.6;
20. Sam Favet, 11:51.6;
32. Jimmy Li, 13:05.3;
34. Milo McClelland, 13:14.7;
42. Elijah Willschau, 14:04.7;
Junior High Girls (2.5K)
3. Ava Skustad, 10:55.3;
4. Claire Blauch, 10:55.9;
12. Anna Dunn, 11:46.4;
14. Anna Larson, 11:50.6;
24. Lily Dirks, 12:35.3;
27. Rena Johnston, 12:44.2;
28. Evelyn Cavalier, 12:50.1;
30. Ailie Petrzilka, 12:53.5;
37, Laura Holmstrom, 13:21.3;
53. Maggie Fetterer, 14:20.6;
59. Grace Fedders, 14:54.3;
60. Esther Anderson, 15:10.2;
68. Isabelle Kelley, 17:33.2

by Toni Zaverl
It was another good night in the Ely high school gym as the alumni players come together to play in the second annual Ely Hoop Club alumni basketball game.
We switch gears up this year and played the alumni game before Christmas and seem to have a good turnout.
This alumni game was put in place by Hoop Club board member Toni Zaverl to bring back old time fun and have an event that will bring the community together as well as serve for a fundraiser for the Hoop Club Scholarship fund.
The Ely Hoop Club would like to thank all the players who sign up and played in this year’s game. Also the family and fans that came to watch and make this special and annual event happen.
The players on the girls red team are Jen Zgonc, Mindy LaTourell, Megan Wognum, Jackie Zubke, Maggie Isbell, Jean Hutar, and Missy Mackenzie. The players on the white team are Kalley Fischer, Shayla Zaverl, Alison Zaverl, Marlee Muhvich, Natalie McDonald, Megan Dotts, and Adrianna Wittrup.
The boys white team consists of Pat Vanderbeek, Max Gantt, Izaak Nosbisch, Jay Soderberg, Reed Petersen, Collen Seliskar, Bob LaTourell, Adam McDonald, Jasiah Wigdahl, Alex Motes, and Michael Lah. For the red team Mark Heiman, Evan Omerza, Steve Milkovich, Charley Damman, Blaise Lah, Pat Heiman, Mike Heiman, Trevor Mattson, Nick Furnstahl, and Carter Gaulke.
Girls Game
Red Team 34 – White Team 24
Red Jen Zgnoc 2, Mindy MacKenzie 6, Megan Wognum 8, Jackie Zubke 2, Maggie Isbell 10, and Missy LaTourell 6.
White Shayla Zaverl 6, Marlee Muhvich 3, Natalie McDonald 17.
Boys Game Red Team 44- White Team 40
White team - Pat Vanderbeek 10, Max Gantt 3, Izaak Nosbisch 9, Reed Petersen 7, Adam McDonald 2, Alex Motes 7, and Michael Lah 7
Red team Mark Heiman 2, Evan Omerza 4, Steve Milkovich 1, Charley Damman 3, Blaise Lah 3, Pat Heiman 5, Mike Heiman 5, Trevor Mattson 6, Nick Furnstahl 13, and Carter Gualke 2.

Pictured: BIG TURNOUT at the high school gymnasium Monday night for the annual alumni games. More than 30 former Timberwolves girls and boys players took part. Front row: Marlee Muhvich, Kalley Fischer, Mindy LaTourell, Shayla Zaverl, Missy Mackenzie, Jen Zgonc, Maggie Isbell, Jean Hutar, Bob LaTourell, Jay Soderberg, Izaak Nosbisch, Nick Furnstahl, Charley Dammann. Back row: Alex Motes, Reed Petersen, Pat Vanderbeek, Collen Seliskar, Adam McDonald, Jasiah Wigdahl, Natalie McDonald, Adrianna Wittrup, Alison Zaverl, Megan Dotts, Megan Wognum, Michael Lah, Jackie Zubke, Blaise Lah, Max Gantt, Carter Gaulke, Trevor Mattson, Mike Heiman, Mark Heiman, Pat Heiman, Steve Milkovich and Evan Omerza. Photo by Nick Wognum.

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s holiday tournament opponents never really had a chance.
That’s what the Timberwolves did to back-to-back opponents in its home event last weekend, getting off to fast starts in back-to-back contests and rolling to a pair of lopsided wins and a first-place finish in the four-team high school boys basketball event.
Ely blew out Isle 84-44 in the opening round and jumped out to a 27-3 lead in the tournament final against Bigfork en route to a 74-48 romp.
The wins gave the Wolves - one of the early-season surprise teams in Section 7A - an 8-1 record for the winter.
At the Ely Hoops for Hope Tournament, the hosting Timberwolves used a strong 41-point first half to cruise to a 74-48 win over Bigfork Saturday.
In some respects, the home holiday tournament and some time off this week were the calm before the storm.
Tuesday’s home game against Class AA Greenway (5-2) opens a stretch that includes 10 games in 25 days, several against high-powered opponents.
The most notable may be Friday (Jan. 10) when Nashwauk-Keewatin comes to the high school gymnasium.
The Spartans (6-2) figure to be the top contender to end North Woods’ three-year reign atop the section, and they took the Grizzlies to overtime before losing a Dec. 10 contest.
But Ely also tested North Woods in a December defeat and the Wolves head into January with the best record in the section and ranked third in 7A, according to the QRF formula used to determine playoff seeding.
N-K downed Ely a year ago and Wolves Head Coach Tom McDonald is leery about the rematch - hailing the Spartans as a favorite in the section.
“Hopefully we can compete with their size,” said McDonald.
Size was a key difference in Ely’s only loss as North Woods center Trevor Morrison had 20 rebounds, and 26 points, in the Grizzlies’ 77-66 triumph over the Wolves.
Despite its relative lack of size, Ely has rebounded well and did a strong job of containing Bigfork’s 6-5 center - Liam Prato - during the holiday tournament.
The Wolves had a whopping 59 rebounds against Isle and seemed to get to every loose ball, especially during a 22-4 first-half run that put the game away.
“I thought we did work hard against Isle and took their athleticism away with our defense and hustle,” said McDonald. “We had good contributions from many players that night.”
Ely led 45-23 by halftime and the Huskies never threatened during the second half.
Five Ely players scored in double figures, with senior Dylan Fenskei scoring a game-high 22 points.
Senior Bryce Longwell had one of his best games of the year, scoring 12 points to go with a season-best 18 reboounds.
Eric Omerza added 14 points for the winners, followed by Emmett Faltesek (130 and Brock LaTourell (11), and Will Davies snared 10 rebounds.
Brandon Buehring had five three-pointers and 17 points overall to pace Isle, which rebounded Saturday to beat Cook County 87-78 for third palce.
In the finals, Ely had a 20-point lead before Bigfork could ever get on track.
It was 41-15 by halftime and the contest was essentially over.
Fenske again led all scorers with 25 points, with Omerza right behind with 23.
LaTourell notched 10 points while Longwell was credited with helping to contain Prato who scored most of his 14 points after the outcome was decided. Faltesek netted eight points.
After the home game with Nashwauk-Keewatin, the Wolves are on the road for three in a row (Jan. 11, at Cook County; Jan. 14, at Bigfork; Jan. 17 at Mt. Iron-Buhl) before returning home for a Jan. 18 date against Class AA Duluth Marshall, which won four of its first six games.

by Tom Coombe
Vermilion’s “Iron Five,” nearly came away with a win.
Ahead through three quarters, the Ironwomen ran out of gas in the final stanza Wednesday, as visiting Mesabi rallied for a 64-54 community college basketball victory.
The Lady Norse trailed after three quarters but outscored Vermilion 19-7 in the final quarter to pull out the Northern Division contest.
Vermilion, which fell to 0-7 for the winter, had the bare minimum of five available players as Shawna Butler, Alexis Hughes, Lauren Huchel, Alanna Sjoberg and Terri Sutton logged the entire 40 minutes without a break.
That may have taken its toll late in the contest as VCC’s shooting percentage fell from 38 percent in the opening half to just 19 in the second.
Vermilion went only seven-for-37 from the field in the second half, including one-for-14 from three-point distance.
Mesabi’s Haley Hansen led the winners with a double-double including 20 points and 14 rebounds. Hanna Sandberg added 13 points while Madisen Overbye finished with eight points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
Sutton, a sophomore, paced the Ironwomen with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
Butler had a 15-points, 11-rebound evening and Hughes also had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Huchel scored seven points with 12 rebounds.
The Ironwomen are idle until Wednesday, when they host Central Lakes at 5:30 p.m. in a division battle.

Ely Squirts won the consolation championship at the Two Harbors tournament last weekend. The lost their first game to Two Harbors 7-1, won their second game against Superior and won third game against MoundsView/Irondale 2-1. Pictured are: Coach Frank Udovich, coach Bill Forsberg, Coach Joe Majerus. Back row: Oscar Shock, Dakota Starkovich, Sean Merriman, Brady Forsberg, Ryland Sandy, Stig Majerus front: Luke Stalboerger, Cooper Mayranen, Violet Udovich, Owen Marolt, Brayden Aikens, Evan Leeson, Mason Spate, Nico Lenci, Goalie Lewey Powell.

TOWER— If you have a need for speed, then you’ll want to stop by Fortune Bay’s Marina next Saturday as the Battle at the Bay unfolds.
Over 150 snowmobile racers will do their best to shatter current Straight Line Speed Association (SLSA) records. There will be 47 different classes of races going on throughout the day. Races begin at 10 a.m. at the marina and there is no charge to watch the races.

“If the weather holds out, we might actually race until 5 p.m. due to the number of racers that will be on hand,” said SLSA President Kurt Mohawk, who has been with the company for 20 years. “We’ve had to cancel four other events due to poor weather, so racers are ready to go for this event.”

The Battle at the Bay brings in racers from all over the area and state, not to mention neighboring states as well. Anyone can enter and pre-registration takes place at the marina at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 18th.

“I spoke with one guy from Milwaukee who will be coming up to race and he is raring to go,” said Mohawk. “Our events bring in racers of all ages. We even had a 4-year-old racing in our 120 class, while there was a 74-year-old who also participated. These types of events amp everyone up.”

Fortune Bay Marina Manager Byron Greenwaldt has been prepping the track in anticipation of all of the racers and the fans that come out to watch the races.

Given the wild swings in weather, Greenwaldt has spent countless hours fine-tuning the track in preparation of the big weekend. It has been a constant struggle as he has dealt with poor ice conditions one day after the next.

In an effort to alleviate parking problems by the marina and on the ice, Greenwaldt said spectators coming by vehicle will use the overflow parking by the resort. Guests will then be shuttled to and from the marina.

“We’ll come in to put the finishing touches on the track next week,” said Mohawk. “We anticipate it will be a fast track and some of the racers will reach speed of 175 to 180 miles per hour. It’s what we like to call our Snow Field of Dreams—if you build it, they will come.”

Fortune Bay will once again be providing food and beverage, including hot chocolate, coffee, pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, porketta sandwiches, chips, candy and pop/water. There will also be a cash bar set up for adults wanting to have a beverage or two during the day.

“People love to compete in these races,” said Mohawk. “I talked to one guy who said he bought a sled for $30,000 with the hopes of winning a $10 trophy—it’s a pure adrenaline rush for guys like that and with this being the first race of the season—it’s going to be an amazing event.”

For more race details, visit SLSA’s Facebook page.

by Tom Coombe
Not much went right for the Ely Timberwolves on Tuesday night, but Erika Mattson’s clutch shot three days earlier had already given her team quite a highlight.
The senior nailed a free throw after time expired to give Ely a 50-49 high school girls basketball victory Saturday over Cook County.
It was the Wolves 10th win of the season, but Cherry made them wait for victory number 11 with a dominant 63-30 triumph Tuesday in Ely.
The Tigers forced 26 Ely turnovers and held the Wolves to an eight-for-47 shooting performance while improving to 10-3.
Ely, which has an identical 10-3 mark, never really got on track.
That made Saturday’s performance against the Vikings, in Grand Marais, all the more important.
Ely erased a 16-point deficit and won while playing without a full complement of players.
“This was a game that our team showed a lot of grit and determination,” said Ely Head Coach Darren Visser. “Playing short handed, due to injuries and people being gone, our team really stepped up and rose to the challenge.”
The Wolves cut into the Vikings’ opening half lead and trimmed the gap to 27-19 by halftime.
In the second half, the Wolves came on, gained a two-point lead, only to see Cook County respond.
It set the stage for Mattson’s last second heroics.
“The lead went back and forth for the last few minutes of the game,” said Visser. “At six seconds the score was tied and we had the ball and had to go the whole length of the floor. Cook County put on a lot of pressure and as time ran out Erika launched a half court shot on which she was fouled.”
Mattson, who like most of the Wolves has struggled this winter at the free throw line, missed the first two shots.
But the senior was fouled shooting a three-pointer and was granted three shots. She nailed the third to send the Wolves home victorious.
Mattson scored a team-high 19 points while fellow senior Brielle Kallberg was next with 15.
Grace LaTourell, only in eighth grade, reached double digits with 10 points for the Wolves.
Kallberg pulled down 12 rebounds for the Wolves and eighth-grade guard Sarah Visser had six steals.
The Wolves had no answer for Cherry’s Jessa Schroetter Tuesday night.
Schroetter scored 29 points as the Tigers jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
The Wolves, who only had eight field goals for the night, were held to just six points in the first 12 minutes and 12 points in the opening half.
Mattson poured in 17 points for the Wolves, with LaTourell (five points), Rachel Coughlin (four) and Kallberg (three) following.
Kallberg snared nine rebounds.
It gets no easier for the Wolves Saturday, when they host Duluth Marshall at 1 p.m. The Hilltoppers are ranked among the top-10 teams in the state in Class AA.

by Tom Coombe
Ely’s high school girls basketball team is a missed free throw away from a perfect start.
Other than a late collapse that resulted in an overtime defeat to Two Harbors last weekend, it has been smooth sailing for the Timberwolves, who improved to 4-1 Tuesday night with a 60-24 romp at Silver Bay.
The lopsided win eased some of the sting from Saturday, when a shorthanded Ely team ran out of gas in the second half as a 16-point lead went by the wayside and the visiting Agates rallied for a 51-47 win.
Ely missed several free throws late in regulation and a last-second basket forced overtime, where the Wolves again struggled at the free throw line.
Ely went 17-for-40 from the line, which set the stage for a tough finish.
“This was a heartbreaker game where our girls held a lead until the last second of regulation,” said Ely Head Coach Darren Visser. “We played this game short handed but our girls worked extremely hard all game and just weren’t able to hang on in the end.
“Poor free-throw shooting and a very aggressive Two Harbors defense just proved to be too much in the end.
“I do believe that this will be a game that will prove to be a great learning experience for our younger players.”
Senior standout Brielle Kallberg missed the Two Harbors game, but the Wolves built a commanding lead early on nonetheless.
Senior guard Erika Mattson scored 14 points to go with eight assists and five steals, and freshman Madeline Perry reached double figures with 10 points.
Ely also rebounded well, with freshman Rachel Coughlin grabbing 15 boards and senior Winter Sainio next with 11. They also combined for another 11 points, while eighth-grader Grace LaTourell scored five points and sophomore Ande Visser was next with four.
It was senior scoring night Tuesday at Silver Bay, as Mattson and Kallberg had 20 points each and Sainio added another 10.
Sainio had 11 rebounds to finish with the double-double and Mattson (64 percent) and Kallberg (56 percent) sizzled from the field.
• The Wolves also beat Int. Falls 65-44 in a Dec. 6 home tilt, with Mattson scoring 28 points to lead all scorers.
Kallberg contributed 16 points to the cause, with Sainio (eight) and Perry (six) net.
• Next up is a Monday night home game with Chisholm, followed by a Dec. 20 rematch at Two Harbors.

by Tom Coombe
Before two lopsided losses came one of the Vermilion Ironwomen’s best chances for victory this season.
Visiting Hibbing erased an early 10-point deficit and rallied to beat the community college basketball team Jan. 17 at Ely.
Vermilion, which remains in search of its first win, lost its next two games in more convincing fashion and fell both to Northland and Lake Superior.
But the home contest with Hibbing was a battle, with VCC struggling to contain the Cardinals’ Alexis Desjarlait, who scored a game-high 35 points.
The Ironwomen led 20-8 after one quarter and 28-26 at halftime, but the second half belonged to the Cardinials.
Shawna Butler of Ely had her biggest night of the season, pouring in 26 points to pace the Ironwomen.
Sophomore Teri Sutton added 21 points while Lauren Huchel pulled down 11 rebounds to go with four points.
Perennial power Northland had no problem with the Ironwomen Sunday, outscoring the host 30-5 in the third quarter on the way to an 87-41, Northern D ivision rout.
Six Pioneers scored in double figures and the team shot 47 percent from the floor.
VCC was plagued by 28 turnovers, with Sutton scoring a team-best 17 points and Butler finishing with 11.
Wednesday, the Ironwomen traveled to Superior, Wis., and fell 74-45 to Lake Superior.
Sutton scored the bulk of VCC’s points, finishing with 32 to go with seven steals.
Butler was next with nine points and seven rebounds.
The Ironwomen host Itasca at 1 p.m. Saturday.

by Tom Coombe
Progress can be measured in baby steps for the Ely Timberwolves.
The youngest high school hockey team in Minnesota lost twice in as many contests, but there were signs of improvement from a team that is now 1-10 for the winter.
Proctor downed the Wolves 10-1 Tuesday at the Ely Arena, but it was a 1-0 game through one period and just 3-0 at the midway mark of the second.
Four days earlier, the Wolves were competitive with Red Lake Falls for much of a 10-4 defeat.
Senior Luke Olson, who has a team-high 23 goals including an eight-goal outburst in the Wolves’ only win this winter, had the only goal against Proctor and tallied twice against Red Lake Falls.
Earlier this season, Proctor demolished the Wolves in a 14-3 holiday tournament rout.
The rematch in Ely was much more competitive.
The Rails (9-9) outshot the Wolves 11-5 in the frame and got the only goal at the six-and-a-half minute mark.
Jack Bartlam made it 2-0 two minutes into the second, and the Rails held that edge until exploding late in the frame, putting the game away with three more scores.
Proctor sent the game into running time in the final period, but Olson broke the shutout after a feed from fellow senior Seann Prigge, who leads Ely in assists.
Goaltender Cody Urie finished with 14 saves for the winners, while sophomore netminder Chase Sandberg of Ely was peppered for much of the night and wound up with 36 stops.
Reece Ward had two goals and two assists for Proctor while Dylan Haala had a three-point game with a goal and two assists.
The Wolves had no answer to Red Lake Falls’ top line in a Jan. 17 date at the Ely Arena, as high-scoring forward Ty Kennett had four goals and three assists in the Eagles’ win.
It was 3-1 in favor of the visitors after the opening period, with Kennett scoring twice - in a 47-second span - to put his team on top 2-0.
Dalton Schreffler’s goal closed the gap to 2-1, but the Eagles responded late in the period with a backbreaker.
It was 5-1 when the Wolves made a mini-run, closing the gap in half with second-period goals by both Olson and Schreffler.
That was as close as it would get and the Eagles, who had a 38-16 shot advantage, sent the game into running time midway through the third.
Prigge had two assists for the Wolves, while Olson, Jimmy Zupancich and Jackson Flom all had assists.
Winning goalie Brendan Larson made 12 saves and Sandberg had 28 for the Wolves.
Ely is in the midst of its longest road trip of the year, which started with Friday’s game at Bagley and continues today against May-Port (N.D.).
The Wolves host Bagley Jan. 31-Feb. 1 in a two-game set in town and close out the home docket Feb. 4, against North Shore.

WINTER FROLIC King Steven Kerntz and Queen Brielle Kallberg. Photo by Eric Sherman.

The Vermilion Community College Ironmen and Ironwomen basketball teams honored faculty and staff last Saturday prior to the start of each of their games. Each student-athlete chose one faculty/staff member that has helped make his/her life at Vermilion more extraordinary. The faculty/staff were acknowledged for their dedication and help and given certificates from the student-athletes. For the Ironwomen, from left to right are: Front: Alexis Hughes, Justin Burum; back row: Justin Kosik, Ellie Hintze, Shannan Harding, Shawna Butler, Alanna Sjoberg, Marja Nelson, Timothy Loney, Jade Evans. John Terwilliger, Lauren Huchel, Terri Sutton, Deb Morris. For the Ironmen: Front: Taray Graves; back row: Devarius Davis, Curtis Bell III, Marja Nelson, Tre Nins, Abbey Blake, Ty Edmond, Dachaun Davis, Justin Kosik, Terrence Ballom, Devonne Tramble, Kelly Klun, Will Helms, Austin Funk, Dylan Willis, Nicki Kosik.

by Tom Coombe
Ely will send not one, but two high school Nordic skiing teams to state.
Fueled by junior Jasper Johnston, the Ely boys easily won Thursday’s Section 7 meet at Giants Ridge.
But the state-ranked boys will be joined at state - back at Giants Ridge Feb. 13 - by the surprising Ely girls.
By the narrowest of margins, the girls squeezed past Mesabi East to take second in the section and earn their own state bid.
Freshman Zoe Devine took second in the girls meet and classmate Phoebe Helms was 11th, but the state berth was secure in part by senior Brooke Pasmick and freshman Cedar Ohlhauser, who both climbed four spots in the afternoon classic pursuit.
While the girls’ state ticket was assured only after a tiebreaker, there seemed to be little doubt about the boys.
Ely built up a 24-point lead after the morning 5.2-kilometer freestyle race, providing plenty of cushion going into the afternoon classic pursuit.
Johnston, a two-time all-stater, breezed to his first section title.
In the freestyle, Johnston was the only skier to crack the 14-minute mark, building a 27-second lead over runner-up Sam Stertz of Grand Rapids.
Johnston added to that advantage in the classic and won in a combined time of 28:31.2, about 30 seconds faster than Stertz.
The Wolves clinched the section crown with an impressive display of depth, with four skiers in the top-seven, five in the top-11, six among the first-16 and all seven Wolves in the top-20.
Senior Nate Nettifee was fifth (30:26.3), followed by sophomore Gabriel Pointer (sixth, 30:39.8) and senior Raif Olson (seventh, 30:44.9).
Next up was 11th-place senior Ethan Bremner (31:39.1), followed by sophomore Jon Hakala (16th, 32:28.1) and sophomore Micah Larson (20th, 32:37).
All seven Wolves will be on the course for the state meet, which opens at 10 a.m..
The Ely girls will also have a full complement of skiers at state, after erasing a five-point gap to claim second place.
Devine was just over a second behind Grand Rapids’ Elsie Viren after the freestyle, but both were passed by Duluth East’s Gretchen Hagenmiller, who claimed the section individual title.
But Devine held her second position, finishing in 33:48.9.
Helms was 11th (36:20.2), while Pasmick moved up from 16th after the freestyle to take 12th (36:25.6).
Ohlhauser also jumped four spots, going from 23rd to 19th (37:32.9).
The Ely girls also showed off their depth, with senior Kalyssa
Eilrich in 22nd (38:02.4), junior Julia Schwinghamer 26th (38:45.8) and senior Ana Bercher 28th (39:14.4).
Duluth East won the girls team title.

by Tom Coombe
Some hockey road trips spawned an idea.
The idea became reality and now Ely is home to another winter event that brings hundreds of people to town.
Now five years old, Ely’s Howler Jamboree brings youth hockey players of that age - and a few years older - to town for two days of fun.
Starting Saturday and using arenas both in Ely and Babbitt, the event includes 15 teams, about 200 skaters and coaches, and at least that many more family members and fans.
“It will be a packed house” said DeLana Forsberg, who helps coordinate the event for the Ely Blue Line Club.
The jamboree brings Mini-Mite and Mite teams together in a classic format, with 23 games in all - most at the Ely Arena.
Players range in age from Kindergarten to first grade for the Minis, and second and third grade for the Mites, and Ely will host multiple teams from the International Falls, Mesabi East and Virginia programs.
Forsberg was watching her own sons play hockey at similar events across the Iron Range when she and her husband Bill hatched a plan to hold a tournament here.
“We were going to all the other jamborees and we were driving home one day and said ‘we can do this in Ely,’” said Forsberg. “We can get together and promote this, and it’s a great way for our association to get some exposure and a great way for the town to get some benefits from tourism, with teams coming in and spending the weekend.”
Some local lodging establishments will fill because of the tournament, which has grown since its humble origins.
Just four teams were involved in the first year but that has grown to 15, requiring the addition of the rink in Babbitt.
“We can’t pull this off with one sheet of ice so on Saturday we’ll be utilizing the Babbitt Arena, which helps promote their arena,” said Forsberg.
Games begin at 8 a.m. Saturday and run until about 7 p.m., with Sunday’s slate starting at 9 a.m. and continuing until late afternoon.
Admission is free, but the Blue Line has several raffles and Ely’s Junior Rotarians will also be holding a fundraiser.
The event has become a staple on the Ely calendar and a boon to the community.
“There will be over 200 skaters and coaches, and that does not include families, and there are usually siblings, two parents, sometimes grandparents,” said Forsberg “It’s great for our association to have some income with the raffle and promote positivity.”

by Tom Coombe
Dylan Fenske wasn’t leaving any doubt.
Needing 28 points to get 1,000 for his high school boys basketball career, the Ely senior got all 28 in the first half of Tuesday’s 98-31 rout of overmatched Lakeview Christian Academy.
The 6-2 senior seemingly couldn’t miss early on, and his teammates fed him the ball inside- where he ate up the Lions and became another in a growing list of Ely 1,000-point scorers.
It was an improbable journey, but one that Fenske took on - showing improvement in each season in an Ely uniform and becoming one of the section’s top all-around players in his final campaign.
“Dylan has really made himself into a player over the years,” said Ely Head Coach Tom McDonald. “He has very good feet and a nice looking shot which and has become more and more aggressive. At a younger age there is no way we would be talking about him becoming a 1000 point scorer. ”
Yet that’s exactly what Fenske became, working the inside effectively Tuesday as the Wolves improved to 17-4.
Ely scored at will in the first half, racking up 58 points.
Fenske scored inside with under a minute left, getting to the 1,000-point milestone and drawing cheers from the Ely fans.
The game was stopped briefly to allow Fenske to present the game ball to his mother, Tracey, and to get congratulations from teammates and family members.
Fenske finished with a season-high 36 points with a sizzling 18-for-21 shooting performance and added 10 rebounds for good measure as the Wolves, rated fourth in Section 7A, improved to 17-4.
The Wolves have looked to Fenske to take on a bigger role this season and he has delivered, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds per night.
“He is our biggest player so as a team we are asking him to take on quite a bit and he has developed into a pretty good rebounder for us.” said McDonald. “I think our success this year can be attributed to the play of Dylan and Eric (Omerza) When they are playing well we are usually ok on the floor.
Omerza added 17 points and nine assists for the Wolves, just missing a double-double.
Junior Emmett Faltesek added 15 points, while junior WIll Davies had six points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals.
Joey Bianco contributed seven points and Brock LaTourell wound up with six for the Wolves, and Lance Puffer led LCA with 14 points.
It was the Wolves’ second lopsided win this season against the Lions.
• The Wolves did everything right down the home stretch while Mesabi East faltered, allowing Ely to escape Aurora Feb. 7 with a 65-56 Arrowhead Conference win.
The game was tied at 56 and Mesabi East had the ball when the Giants turned the ball over with under two minutes left.
Fenske was fouled underneath on the ensuing possession and he hit two free throws to put the Wolves in front to stay.
Ely canned seven more free throws in the last 90 seconds while the Giants could not buy a basket.
Fenske finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Wolves.
Omerza scored 11 points and Faltesek snared 10 rebounds. Bianco passed his way to six assists.
Ely overcame a 29-point night from the Giants’ Hunter Hannuksela.
• The Wolves were at Chisholm Friday and host Mt. Iron-Buhl Tuesday.
The Rangers are led by high-scoring Asher Zubich, who scored 61 points in a win over Mesabi East last month.