North Dakota

North Dakota’s fun, little, hazing ritual

Published

2 years ago

January 15, 2024

North Dakota’s fun, little, hazing ritual

Ok, Mother Nature … hahaha … I get it … very funny.

So, as we were on the glidepath towards this past weekend, I had a few people come to me with the, “Say, buddy, you’re getting ready to see a REAL North Dakota blast of arctic cold,” and, “Just wait’ll you see THIS,” type of deal. I reminded them that I actually got here in early February of last year, but, to-no-avail. The “wintercast warnings” were ON!

So, having gotten out of the shower and insufficiently dried my beard before traipsing outside on Saturday, Florida-Man was not prepared for the immediate freezing sensation and the brittleness of my facial hair in-light of the minus-29 degree temperatures between The Studio and my garage.

Sometimes, “WOW!” just doesn’t quite cover it.

In any event, I weathered the weekend and am better for it, but it made me realize just how tough people up here are (again) and — in so many ways — now I’m better-prepared for the next one. Y’all warned me, and I didn’t necessarily listen (otherwise I would have dried my beard better), so yes the joke’s on me.

Down home, we just stay inside when it’s miserably hot and I suppose everybody does the same thing here but in reverse; it’s literally the “polar opposite.” The difference is that being outside during inclement weather up here actually HURTS, and even though the little freezing-cold-emoji guy on my phone has made numerous appearances the last 72 hours from friends down South it’s not necessarily that comical when you’re in the middle of it.

Truth-be-told, I was impressed. I think last February it got down into the negative-teens, but negative-50s with the wind-chill factor was a special kind of breeze and a different breed of cat. What’s also funny is how it seems to help y’all bond with one-another and you don’t understand or appreciate it (as an outsider) until you go through it. Don’t get me wrong, we do the same things down home and until a northerner experiences their first 95/95 day (95 degrees, 95% humidity), they don’t truly understand, either.

I was reminded of a joke they told back in the late-1980s down in Miami after we got My Beloved Marlins franchise and they were trying to decide on a name. One radio station had this bit where they said the team should be called “The Humidity,” because then — in June — people could say, “Yeah it’s not the (Miami) Heat that’s so bad …” you get the rest.

So, this weekend was just another event that is bringing me closer into compliance with my new neighbors, and I’m happy to have gone through it. There will certainly be many more where that came from, and I look forward to the future challenge(s).

It also got me to thinking: It really just briefly slows you people down, doesn’t it? I must have heard the word “hunker” about 15 times between last Thursday and yesterday, so everybody kinda gets into that mindset. I have to admit it threw a spanner into the sports-works for me — and I never appreciate that — and my sports-world stopped turning for a bit. But, hey, we’re back at it now and there’s a ton of stuff that has to be accomplished as a result.

Keep your heads on swivels, folks, because the next month is gonna be busy and we’re doing our best to touch all the bases on the way through it. Also, I wanna thank the athletic directors, players, coaches and fans who have been sending us photos of the scorebooks from games over the last few weeks; it really helps us and ensures the athletes get their names in the paper and they receive the credit they deserve for all their hard work and efforts. Teamwork is dreamwork, as far as I’m concerned, and y’all are great teammates.

With a slight hiccup over the weekend, we will have even more to get caught up on so bear with us and we will get it all done as best we can.

In any event, it was an interesting experience and North Dakota’s little hazing ritual was enlightening to say the least. If you saw my calendar on the fridge you’d understand just how many events we’re looking at for the next month and a half, so I would appreciate it if Mother Nature would give it a rest for a little while. Scheduling is half the battle for us in sports and (driving) distance does NOT make the heart grow fonder, I can assure you that.

Gaylon is a sportswriter originally from Florida, and his columns generally appear on Mondays. He can be reached at

gparker@thedickinsonpress.com

and/or 701-456-1213.

Opinion by
Gaylon Wm. Parker

Gaylon is a sportswriter from Jensen Beach, Fla., but has lived all over the world. Growing up with an athletic background gave him a love of sports that led to a journalism career in such places as Enid, Okla., Alamogordo, N.M., Pascagoula, Miss. and Viera, Fla. since 1998. His main passion is small-town community sports, particularly baseball and soccer.

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

13 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”