North Dakota
TJ Semptimphelter’s cross-country journey to North Dakota
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Like most hockey players, TJ Semptimphelter’s love for the game started with Learn to Skate lessons, and early on, he found out the crease was his home.
“I would go and sit in the crease, and I would tug on the instructor’s pants and say ‘Hey, can you let me put the pads on? I don’t want to skate around in circles. I want to go in the crease and move around,’” Semptimphelter said. “I think, ever since then, I just had a love for the position.
“It’s been a perfect marriage ever since, and I’m glad I made that decision.”
Semptimphelter is playing his final season of college hockey at North Dakota, but his journey to Grand Forks is a unique, cross-country venture.
His college hockey career began at Northeastern in the 2021-22 season, where he backed up Devon Levi, who is now a goalie for the Buffalo Sabres.
“It was just great to have that ability to watch him and continue to implement little things in my game,” Semptimphelter said. “We’re kind of a similar stature, we like to play similar games, and it was great to just pick apart what he’s doing that allows him to have success, and then trying my best to implement that in my game.”
Then, he picked up his stride at Arizona St., where much heavier playing time helped TJ become one of the best goalies in Sun Devil history.
“It was great for me to just develop that endurance, I think, and that was a huge piece that I really gained from ASU, just really being ready for those back-to-back games, those long series when you’re on the road, and you’re not sure when you’re coming back home,” Semptimphelter said.
Now, the transfer goalie is embarking on his final collegiate campaign with North Dakota, a program that caught his attention two years ago, when UND faced TJ and Arizona State in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Las Vegas.
“I remember coming out, T-Mobile Arena, looking around, and there was just a sea of green, everywhere I looked,” Semptimphelter said. “I think just feeling that level of support really drew me to this program, and I think fans, they might not always realize this, but how powerful it is to have that kind of support and that kind of energy behind you.”
And TJ is enjoying every moment.
“There’s nothing better than when they’re calling out the starting lineups, and just hearing the whole section going crazy for you and everybody else that’s joining you on the lines,” Semptimphelter said. “We want to do everything we can to bring a national championship home, not only for us and the staff, but for this amazing fanbase.”
North Dakota begins conference play this weekend when UND heads east to face off with Minnesota-Duluth starting Friday at 7:07 p.m.
Copyright 2024 KVLY. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
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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