Sports B Saturday, March 28, 2020 | SPORTS EDITOR: JASON FELDMAN, [email protected] Zmolek Brothers Back Under One Roof Scatter Again
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Sports B SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | SPORTS EDITOR: JASON FELDMAN, [email protected] Zmolek brothers back under one roof scatter again. Former Century ALL IN THE defenseman has six goals and 27 Riese will be a FAMILY points in his MSU career. senior at Minnesota • WILL ZMOLEK: The 2017 Cen- State University in standouts the fall, Will will be a Former Century boys hockey tury grad turns 21 on Thursday. R. Zmolek W. Zmolek B. Zmolek standouts Riese, Will and Bennett sophomore at Bemidji reunited … He was a freshman for Bemidji State, and Bennett will head play for the Austin Bruins that Zmolek all had strong seasons cut State this season, helping the spring, then moved on to Cedar short. They’re all back in Roches- back to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for Beavers to a second-place finish Rapids in the fall. for now ter now, working out and training his second full season of junior in the WCHA. He had seven hockey with the USHL’s Cedar “It’s still going to take some at their family’s home. A look at BY JASON FELDMAN assists in 37 games. Rapids Roughriders. time to process this all,” Riese [email protected] their 2019-20 seasons: “We’ve all been back home for said of MSU’s season coming • RIESE ZMOLEK: The 23-year- • BENNETT ZMOLEK: The (more than) a week,” Will said to an abrupt halt, with the Three Division I hockey old recently finished his junior 6-foot-2, 180-pounder recent- earlier this week. “It doesn’t Mavericks holding a legitimate players in one house, and there season at Minnesota State ly finished his first full season happen a lot anymore. We can’t belief they could win a national championship. “Even when I haven’t been any scuffles or University, where he helped the with the USHL’s Cedar Rapids really go anywhere right now, trash talking. Roughriders. He’ll play there but the next few months will be pulled up to our house (on March Mavericks hold the No. 1-rank- 17), it felt weird. I was hoping At least not yet. ing in the country for stretches again next season before heading fun. Our parents seem pretty So say brothers Riese, Will and happy to have us all back.” every day when I’d wake up that this season as well as a WCHA to Minnesota State in 2021-22 or Bennett Zmolek. The brothers haven’t been it was a bad dream.” “It’s awesome being home regular-season title. The standout 2022-23. all together for such a stretch While Bennett was unable together,” said Bennett, the of time since Century’s 2014-15 to watch most of his brothers youngest of Doug and Jenny have a full house. I really hadn’t coronavirus and the disease it season — the only time Riese games this season, Riese and Zmolek’s three boys. “I’m not seen them since we all left last causes, COVID-19, begin to fade and Will played together on a Will were reunited on the ice able to see any of their games summer.” and life begins to return to a new team; Riese as a senior, Will a during the season … now we When concerns about the normal, the Zmolek boys will sophomore — ended. Riese left to See ZMOLEK, Page B2 Time to vote for Play of Year Voting on 32- play bracket opens Monday BY ISAAC TROTTER [email protected] With no March Madness, we’re all in need of a bracket of some kind. The Post Bulletin sports team has you covered. We have created the ultimate bracket to decide the 2019-20 Play of the Year from schools in southeastern Minnesota. Thirty-two plays made the cut. But only one can be the winner, and it’s up to you to decide. There are four quadrants: boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, hockey and football/wrestling. The voting for the Round of 32 will begin on Monday, March 30, at 9 a.m. You’ll Photo courtesy of University of Pacific have three days to vote to see University of Pacific junior guard Broc who advances to the Sweet Finstuen, left, helped the Tigers to a 23-10 16. record this season. Finstuen is a 2017 Pine It won’t be easy to decide. ‘Do what it The No. 1 seeds are Island graduate. Caledonia boys basketball 311,000 and situated 80 player Eli King, Kasson- minutes east of San Mantorville girls basketball Francisco. player Mya Suess, Blooming While he was intrigued at Prairie football player Gabe takes to win’ being coached by a former Hagen and Dodge County “It’s easy to listen to (Stoudamire),” said NBA star like Stoudamire, boys hockey player Brody Pine Island’s Finstuen, a 6-feet-4, 200-pound junior guard the team he was joining Lamb. who spent his first two years out of high King, a sophomore, and was below average in 2018- school playing junior college basketball, 19, finishing 14-18 overall his brother Noah, a senior at Finstuen found his first at Central Wyoming College and Stoudamire Caledonia, also appear in the and 4-12 in the West Coast then Casper (Wyoming) College. “This is Conference. The Tigers football/wrestling region for a coach who played at the highest level way at Pacifiic owned the same 14-18 record the year a couple of outstanding plays and had to guard guys like Jason Kidd and before (9-9 in the WCC.) that helped the Warriors BY PAT RUFF Steve Nash. We can’t compare anything But after a 2-2 start this season, Pacific win the Class AA state [email protected] we’ve done to what he did. When he talks took off. It won 10 of its next 11 games en championship. about your game, you just say, ‘OK.’” route to its 23-10 record, including 11-5 in The voting will go amon Stoudamire has reeled in two When Stoudamire evaluates Finstuen’s the WCC. quickly, with the champion prestigious coaching awards this just-completed season, helping Pacific to It was that jump that earned determined by April 10. month. a 23-10 record, he’s much more than “OK” D Stoudamire a pair of prestigious post- Let’s get the fun started. On March 3, the former NBA star with what he provided. season coaching awards. point guard was named the West Coast Finstuen wasn’t a lavish scorer, But he considered the recognition Conference Coach the Year. Then Tuesday, averaging 5.1 points per game. But he VOTING misplaced. another biggie came his way, Stoudamire was a frequent starter who excelled at “Those awards don’t mean a thing SCHEDULE prized with the Ben Jobe National Coach so many of the things that Stoudamire to me,” Stoudamire said. “I wish they Round of 32: 9 a.m. March of the Year Award, given annually to the covets. top minority Division I coach. Among them is thefts. Finstuen had 20 were team awards, not coach of the year 30 - 10 a.m. April 2. A former NBA Rookie of the year steals this season, good for second on the awards. You can’t do it without players. Sweet 16: 2 p.m. April 2 - (1996), the 46-year-old Stoudamire team despite averaging just fewer than 15 I tell everyone, we were a team that got 10 a.m. April 4. draws special interest in southeastern minutes per game. better and better each and every game. That’s because guys bought in. You have Elite Eight: 2 p.m. April 4 - Minnesota. “Broc has great instincts with the That’s especially true in Pine Island, way he can get steals,” Stoudamire said. to have guys who play as hard as our guys 10 a.m. April 6. where one of its own is playing for “It’s crazy how he can anticipate and get did, that’s the No. 1 thing.” Final Four: 2 p.m. April 6 - Stoudamire at the University of Pacific. them.” Stoudamire points to Finstuen as one 10 a.m. April 8. That guy — 2017 Pine Island graduate Finstuen wasn’t sure what to anticipate of those workers. Broc Finstuen — relishes the hands he’s when he first arrived at Pacific. It’s Championship: 2 p.m. in. located in Stockton, Calif., population See FINSTUEN, Page B3 April 8 - Noon April 10. Activities directors faced with unique challenge BY GUY N. LIMBECK wiped out entirely. weather.” years of athletics, different,” Lourdes [email protected] “We’re used to Two years ago, approximately and you can’t activities director scrambling in the 75 percent of the scheduled predict something Steve Strickland This year’s spring is a different spring because of spring sporting events had to be like this.” said. “I’m going kind of crazy for high school weather, but now rescheduled due to the weather. The activities activities directors in Rochester it’s something “It’s usually one of your most directors are into work every and the entire state. else,” John hectic, crazy, unpredictable looking at a day and continue Usually the activities directors Marshall activities seasons and then you go here, number of to do my work as are gearing up for the sports Ihrke director Brian where you might end up Whitney scenarios that Strickland if things were season, which was set to begin Ihrke said. “We’re postponing an entire season,” could play out, still going. I haven’t changed next week. But because of just going to hope that we have Mayo activities directory Jeff and trying to stay positive in the COVID-19, the spring season is a nice sunny spring and then Whitney said.