Pre-1st Day Information

Basketball begins on November 18th for all athletes in grades 9-12 AND for any 7th or 8th graders that are choosing to tryout before their official season begins on Jan. 2nd.

There will be a 7th and 8th grade tournament on December 15th (Duluth) for all 7th and 8th graders who participate in the early season.

If you are a 7th/8th grade athlete not participating in the optional first half, your first practice will be on Jan. 2nd.

The first events are on Monday: 6AM - 730AM and 3PM-5:30PM.

All ATHLETLETC PHYSICALS must be on file with the school to participate.

Other items that need to be turned in:

MSHSL State Form and Athletic Fee (To The School)

Basketball Acknolwedgment Form and Preseason Questionnaire (To Coach Allen)

Junior High Move Up Form, Meal Form, and Rideshare (For those who this applies to - To Coach Allen)

Please see Google Classroom for your updated checklist (0=Not turned in, 1=Turned in and/or not needed).

Grease

Over the weekend, Pine City Public Schools preformed the musical Grease!

Pictured here at boys basketball players Luke Mangan and James Mangan, girls basketball players Mallory Clepper and Brooke Boland, and boys basketball anagner Amber Norton.

7th + 8th Grade Tournament

For the 7th and 8th graders who are deciding to particiapte in the optional 1st half of the season with C-Squad starting November 18th, there will be a tournament that they will be invited to particiapte in.

Dec. 15th @ Duluth, MN

More information to come.

Want to play in the tournament?  It will be availabel to all 7th and 8th graders who play with the C-Squad before the Junior High season starts!

Preseason Parent/Player Meeting

The preseason parent/player meeting can be found using the following link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zMFYyzR5MfGdNMTD5vk2pJCV2UStUc_r/view?usp=sharing

Hoops And Halloween

Grant Skluzacek, Grant Haverhals, and Tanner Fix volunteered to hand out candy and give information about basketball (k-12) during the snowy Halloween trick or treater's time on Thursday!

Alumni Game 2024

 

Captain's Practice

Open for grades 7-12

3-5 PM

T: Oct. 29

TH: Oct. 31

T: Nov. 5

TH: Nov. 7

F: Nov. 8

Week of November 11-15: TBD

Preseason Player Only Basketball Meeting

 

Fan Gear: 2024-25

 Lee's Pro Shop: www.tinyurl.com/leesbasketball2024

Order in Person @ Lee's Pro Shop using card, check, or cash

Or

Order online with website above

BSN: www.bsnteamsports.com

Access Code: 1pinbbb24

Online ordering only

Team Shoes Option 2024-25

 

3rd Grade T-Shirts

On Thursday, as part of celebrating Homecoming Week, seniors Piper Mettling and Eli Fromm visited 3rd Grade classes and handed out T-shirts to each student!

Kindergarten Basketballs

On Tuesday, as part of celebrating Homecoming Week, seniors Piper Mettling and Sawyer McDaniel visited Kindergarten classes and handed out basketballs to each student!

Parade 2024

Calling ALL Pine City Boys Basketball Players!

Come walk in the parade with us!

Saturday August 3rd

We are in spot #24 (Pine Tech Parking Lot)

Walkers should plan to meet there by 3:30 PM

Just wear a PC basketball shirt or jersey and walking shoes!

Open Weight Room

The weight room will be open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning throughout August for ALL athletes (7th-12th) to continue their weight Room program.

Start Date: August 5th

End Date: September 2nd

Time: 7-8:15 AM

Summer League Hours Update

If there are any questions, please see Coach Allen

If a player works 10 hours, they do not pay for summer league. 

As of July 1:

InitialsGrade: Hours

GM8: 1 Hour

MM8: 0 Hours

MS8: 10+ Hours

GH9: 0 Hours

DR10: 0 Hours

DK10: 4 Hours

JM10: 2 Hours

LO10: 0 Hours

KM10: 0 Hours

GH10: 0 Hours

GS10: 10+ Hours

TF10: 1 Hour

GL10: 10+ Hours

NM11: 3 Hours

TJ11: 3 Hours

AM11: 0 Hours

SJ11: 10+ Hours

KW12: 4 Hours

CB12: 3 Hours

DM12: 4 Hours

EF12: 4 Hours

AO12: 3 Hours

AW12: 0 Hours

BW12: 8 Hours

CA12: 1 Hour

JP12: 0 Hours

SM12: 1 Hour

KJ7: 10+ Hours

ES7: 3 Hours

HM7: 6 Hours

BK7: 1 Hour

LM7: 5 Hours

MC7: 0 Hours

SL7: 10+ Hours

JF7: 3 Hours

GE8: 5 Hours

Mouse House Sign Up

Please consider signing up to volunteer/help run the Mouse House at the fair.

Two to Three people per slot.  Juniors/Seniors do not need a partent/guardian with them.   Younger athletes need a parent/guardian with them.

Mouse House Scheduling Link

2024 Boys Basketball Offseason Competitions

 

2024 Pine City Summer League Schedule

 

Offseason 2024

 

Weight Room Training/Onboarding

 

Free Summer Meals!

 

Basketball Booster Club Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to seniors Matt Blake and Summer Thieman; the recipients of the 2023-2024 Pine City Basketball Booster Club Scholarship! 

Youth Open Gyms

Youth Boys Basketball Open Gyms for grades Elementary age players

530-630pm @Elem

5/19
6/2
6/9
6/16
6/23
7/14
7/21
7/28

Fundraiser: Landon Wodash

Pine City student Ladon Wodash is having a fundraiser on his behalf on Wednesday May 15th @ the High School Auitorium.

Pine City Boys Basketball is going to collectivly support Ladon and this fundraiser.  If you would like to join us, please meet Charlie Ausmus at the flagpole outside of the school at 6:15 PM.  Wear a basketball shirt and/or attire.  We will walk in together and sit together.  Coach Allen will pay for all members who attend.

Contact Coach Allen or Charlie Ausmus with any questions.

Free Sports Physicals

 

Boys basketball players earn awards

 Boys basketball players earn awards

By Heidi Burger

The Dragon Boys Basketball season was a year to reflect on. Each season, coach Kyle Allen likes to reflect on and re-assess the past. This past season was a year of building and re-grouping, as Allen often commented on in his interviews. 

The boys went 6 and 21 in the season. “Not where our expectation is in terms of wins and losses, but we also knew that we were purposefully going to hit the reset button this year,” said coach Allen. “When we looked at the program as a whole at the end of the previous season, we looked at what we were doing was not aligned to what we thought we should be doing.” 

Last year was the first time in five years that the boys did not win the conference, and the coaches started to notice then that there was a glitch in the system which needed to be addressed. Although the record was not what people wanted to see, there were steps taken forward this season. In the beginning of the boys season, they played North Branch and lost by 40 points, then lost to East Central by 40 points. But as the season moved forward, that gap of points was brought to 30 … and then to 20. Then, the boys were starting to stick with the teams for the first half, showing that they were retaining what was being taught. 

“As the season went on,” reported Allen, “we were able to start getting some of those principles back in place.”

The Dragons had one lone senior this year: Matthew Blake. According to Allen, it is because of Blake that this reset was able to happen. “I cannot sing his praises enough; I can’t say enough positive things about what he did over the last calendar year for this program. He allowed us to take that step back,” said Allen. The process of rebuilding is not yet complete, but having a leader like Blake as a senior has set the process in motion. 

The upcoming seniors will now be given the opportunity to take the step forward in leadership, in maturity and in performance on the varsity court. Coach Allen has often stated that all other levels are preparing for varsity game play – this includes third grade Hoops all the way through JV. “The growth that we started seeing this past season will now be put to the test as the current juniors will be seniors and the leaders of next season,” noted Allen. 

The “basics,” as coach Allen calls them, need to be taken care of first. These are: effort, energy, and coachability; rebounds and defenses; and to not turn the ball over. Allen said, “Our hope is that these levels are taken care of by the time you touch the varsity floor.”

Now, reports Allen, is the time for off-season. He, along with the other coaches, wants and encourages their players to be three-sport athletes. Participating in three sports will work different muscles, allow for different coaching styles, and allow success in different seasons. “We want those things to happen,” said Allen. “We want to help band together all Dragon athletics.” 

Morning workouts will be offered in the morning for all athletes in grades 7-12. Athletes are encouraged to attend. “This is not a requirement,” commented Allen. “But we believe it will help enhance our kids as people and as athletes, as students of the game and of school.”

The JV team went 6 and 18 this season. The C squad went 15 and 8. The seventh and eighth grade teams did well; although, they had a hard time finding games to play as many of the teams around have low numbers.

Awards

The All-Conference earners were named and include: Charlie Ausmus (All-Conference) and Bryer Willert (Honorable Mention). 

Team Awards include the following: Matthew Blake (MVP); Charlie Ausmus and AJ Ostenson (Offensive Players of the Year); Bryer Willert (Defensive Player of the Year);  Grant Larson (Most Improved Player); Matt Blake and Charlie Ausmus (Dragon Award); Eli Fromm (Hustle Award); Matt Blake and Eli Fromm (Teammate Award); and Grant Larson (Eye Opener). 

2024 Offseason Information

 

Awards: 2023-24

• Letterwinners

• Matt Blake

• Sawyer McDaniel

• Jace Peterson

• Charlie Ausmus

• Austin Wiener

• Grant Skluzacek

• Grant Larson

• Bryer Willert

• AJ Ostenson

• Tanner Fix

• Sam Johnson

• Eli Fromm

• Daniel Milliman

• Daimien Lord

• Ashton Moore

• Colson Berglund

• Kaylie Christenson

• Brooklyn Shellito

• Ezra Overtoom

• Anthony Bergeron

• Gianni Johnson-Maldonado

• Amber Norton

• Shayla Johnson

• Allyson Hall

• Team Awards

• Noah Adams (MVP) Award

• Matt Blake

• Kole Jusczak (OPY) Award

• Charlie Ausmus

• AJ Ostenson

• Caleb Fromm (DPY) Award

• Bryer Willert

• Most Improved Player

• Grant Larson

• Dragon Award

• Matt Blake

• Charlie Ausmus

• Caleb Fromm (Hustle) Award 

• Eli Fromm

• Teammate Award

• Matt Blake

• Eli Fromm

• Eye Opener

• Grant Larson

• Conference Awards

• All Conference

• Charlie Ausmus

• All Conference Honorable Mention

• Bryer Willert

• All Conference All Defensive Team

• Bryer Willert

• Eli Fromm

• All Conference All Rookie Team

•  Grant Larson

• All Conference All Sportsmanship Team

• Matt Blake

• Academic All Conference

• Charlie Ausmus

• Matt Blake

• Anthony Bergeron

• Allison Hall

• Samuel Johnson

• Shayla Johnson

• Grant Larson

• Sawyer McDaniel

• Ashton Moore

• Brooklyn Shellito

• Grant Skluzacek

• All Section Awards

• Charlie Ausmus

Varsity: End of Season Banuqet

What: End of season awards banquet for Varsity

Date: April 1st

Time: 7:30PM

-We apologize for the last start, but with the snow on the ground, all of our spring sports will be doing early/late practices inside and we do not want to schedule during their times.

Location: Pizza Pub

Cost: $10/person (cash only)

-Coach Kringstad will collect cash when you arrive.

-ALL player and manager meals are covered by a donation!

Who: ALL players of the program and their fammilies are invited to join us at the Varsity Banquet.

Pine City Youth Hoops program gains steam

 Pine City Youth Hoops program gains steam

By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer

The Pine City Youth Hoops program has had another successful year. There were 114 boys and girls grades 3 through 6 who participated this past season. The teams could be seen practicing all days of the week in the evenings at the elementary school facilities. The teams also participated in many tournaments over the weekends.  

The Mora Developmental League was a big success, and if you went there you could see many green jerseys playing on the courts. Pine City had great representation at these leagues and tournaments.

The volunteer coaches this past season were as followers: Mike Johnson, Alysha Kwapick, Andrea Mangan, Padrick Judd, Ben Bloomquist, Mandie Mishler, Andrea Kuschel, Dylan Kringstad, Mike Anderson, Ross Haverhals, Kelley Lasiewicz, Forest Caughlin, Kyle Allen, Austin Newman, Heidi Burger, Chase Hancock, Jason Wiener, and Scott Milliman.

The program teaches both life skills and basketball skills, building kids character as well as ability. John Wooden once said, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

Coaches and parents alike had many positive things to say about the program. “It was rewarding to coach the fourth grade girls this season. It was fun to see their skills improve as the season went on, especially with shooting and defensive aggressiveness.,” reflected coach Andrea Mangan. “I enjoyed getting to know them.” 

Head Dragon Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Padrick Judd (and volunteer Hoops coach) said that it has been an honor to coach the group of student-athletes. “I have been blessed and fortunate to get to work with this group. We had a lot of great memories: milestone accomplishments, big wins, wild games that sometimes went our way and sometimes didn’t,” said Judd. “This season has been amazing, and I am so proud of the way our players have grown and developed in both the classroom and on the court. This season brought many accomplishments, but I am most proud of how much these girls truly care about each other. The life moments in practices, before and after games, I wouldn’t trade that for the world. Go Dragons!” 

Parent and coach, Ross Haverhals, said that as a parent and a coach he’s always appreciated the emphasis Hoops places on players developing as people as well as athletes. “It’s so much fun to watch players grow skill-wise and also in playing as a team, which basketball is such a great sport for that to happen,” he added. “I’d keep an eye on this current third grade boys team; the class of 2033 has a lot of potential.” 

“Starting the season, we had players who were barely able to dribble and walk,” noted coach Kelley Lasiewicz. “By the end, they were dribbling up and down the court, passing to their teammates and scoring baskets. It was amazing watching the boys take to the sport, work hard and develop not only in their skills, but in teamwork as well.” 

The Hoops program would like to thank their sponsors, as much of this would not be possible without them. A huge thank you to Atscott Manufacturing, Premier Sealcoating, Farmer’s Insurance, Village Bar and Grill, Joe and Tammy Plasek, Pine Area Lions, Pine City Lions, and Rock Creek Lions.

End of Season Interviews

1. This is mandatory for every basketball player grades 7-11 for the 2023-24 season.
2. Sign up for a spot to chat with Coach Allen in the attached sheet.
3. Fill out the "Player's Answer" collumn in the attached document before your interview.

All documents are on Google Classroom!

3/7/24: @Albany

Varsity: L (85-48)
Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/65eb3aa8688fda1700c10eba

Boys basketball wrap up season in play-offs

By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer

The Dragons Boys Varsity Basketball season came to a close last Thursday after their game against Albany. The game was the first section play-off game for the boys after their regular season. 

Albany is a team who has had many appearances at state tournaments in the past years, according to coach Kyle Allen. Albany is also ranked the number one seed this year. Although the score again didn’t result in a win for the Dragons, coach Allen was pleased with how the boys played. He said they did what they were hoping to do, and that was to compete. 

“We competed,” said Allen, “We competed on the scoreboard for the majority of the first half.  That’s really good against a team like Albany.”  

The game was not perfect, but the Dragons showed grit and determination in playing a good game. The team has grown immensely over the season. Allen commented, “Looking at this game compared to a game at the beginning of the season – big steps forward for us. This year needed to be about growth and about what we do as a program. Senior Matty Blake has been a huge part of this process.”

Sophomore Austin Wiener had a stand-out game grabbing 16 boards and putting up 23 points. “This is what I have believed he could do, night in and night out. If he can play this way against a team like Albany, he can do this any night,” added Allen. Freshman Grant Larson also was able to get 10 points and some big playing minutes. Allen also commented that he was pleased to see that Albany did not overlook them. “They still gave us their full effort, and they were ready for us.” 

The final score was 85-48, bringing the Dragons season to an end. 

3/7/24: 1st Round Playoffs Information (@Albany)

Section 6AA Boys Basketball First Round

Pine City at Albany
March 7th @ 7:00pm

●  Reminder of Region 5A Ticket Prices: Online - Adults $8, Students $5.
Online Link:  https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CIOC
Only Region 5A and MSHSL Tournament Passes are accepted.
●  The game will be streamed on the AHS HUDL TV Page: AHS HUDL TV

3/1/24: @St. Francis

Varsity: L (60-80)

Highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/2/421951/65e302fd3453c909e49e74bb

JV: L

C-Squad: L

Dragon Boys Basketball falls to St. Francis, heads into playoffs

By Heidi Burger Pine City Pioneer

The Dragon Boys Varsity Basketball team had one game this past week, before they head into play-offs this coming week. They traveled to AAA school St. Francis on Friday, March 1. Although the final score of the game was a fairly big score difference, the game itself was a good game for the Dragon Varsity boys.  

St. Francis 80, Pine City 60

For the majority of the game, they stuck with St. Francis, even pulling ahead by a few points. The first few minutes of the game the score was 3 to 5, Dragons were down. Then they pulled ahead 18-14. St. Francis then went on a run and the Dragons were down 36 to 21, with 3 minutes left of the first half.  

The Dragons then went on an excellent run themselves and brought the gap to 35 to 38 going into halftime. The Dragons showed real grit coming out the second half, and were up again at one point 43 to 41. Then, according to coach Kyle Allen, the boys just “ran out of gas.” The final score ended up being 80-60. 

Coach Allen was pleased with how the majority of the game went. He said, “We hung with them as long as possible and competed with them most of the game. I think we played one of our better games, not in terms of production, but in continuity – like, there was a definite ‘let’s try to play with the system’ feel out there.”

The boys will now head into play-off this week and will start by playing Albany on Thursday March 7 in Albany.

3/1/24: @St. Francis Game Information

Start Time:

• 5:30pm - Boys 9 - Back Gym

• 5:30pm - Boys JV - Main Gym

• 7:15pm - Boys Varsity - Main Gym

Tickets: $5 - Students & Senior Citizens, $7 - Adults

• Will be sold online HERE.  $5 - Students and Seniors (62+) and $7 - Adults.

Livestream:

Share this link below for a livestream of the game.