Chuck Fitzer
Recent Stories
Sports
Trio of former CL teammates thriving on college hockey’s biggest stage
In 2021, senior Jenna Lawry and juniors Dani Burgen and Dani Brunette led the Wildcat girls’ hockey team to its highest finish ever. The Wildcats beat Mound-Westonka 4-3 in the opening round of the state tournament and lost 6-0 to Gentry Academy in the semifinals. The third-place game was not played that year due to pandemic-related restrictions. Lawry graduated and went to Division 1 University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) in the fall of 2021. The three players were reunited when Burgen and Brunette followed Lawry to UMD the next year.
NEWS
Franconia Township notes...
The Franconia town meeting was held at the Franconia Town Hall March 11. Highlights included updates on several road projects to take place over the next three years, including the roundabout at Highways 243 and 95, the road rebuild on 240th Street (the border between Franconia Township and the City of Scandia), the replacement of the bridge between Franconia Township and Osceola, and the relocation of the intersection of Highway 95 and Pleasant Valley Road (CR 26).
Sports
Logan Bender crowned heavyweight champ again
Senior Logan Bender had a scary medical incident near the end of the first period of his championship match at last Saturday’s state championship match against senior Samuel Winkels of Austin but recovered and went on to beat Winkels 5-1 to claim the Class AA state title at 285 pounds for the second year in a row. Bender is only the third Wildcat wrestler to win a state title, and he is the first one to win two state titles. Seniors Connor Frederixon and Conner Aspenson both lost the two matches they wrestled in the tournament and did not place.
Sports
Chisago Lakes wins instant classic over Princeton; earns top seed in section
Junior Jacob Kletti’s laser beam from 40 feet out into the top right corner of the net with 1:09 left in overtime gave the Wildcats a 5-4 win over the Princeton Tigers in the Wildcats’ final home game of the 2024-2025 season. An aside –this reporter has watched hundreds of high school hockey games over the past 20-plus years, and this is one of the most exciting and most entertaining games I have ever seen. There was end-to-end action the entire game, nearly 100 combined shots on goal, great saves by both goalies. For Wildcat fans who were lucky enough to be there, a fantastic way to end the home season with a comeback win as the Wildcats head for the section playoffs.
Sports
Wildcats hang with top seed early, run out of gas late
The Wildcats scored first in their Section 4A semifinal matchup against the fourth-ranked Holy Angels Stars and trailed just 2-1 late in the third period. But the Stars added an insurance goal with just over five minutes remaining and went on to beat the Wildcats 4-1, ending the Wildcats’ season. The game was played Tuesday, February 11 at Richfield Ice Arena.
Sports
CL wins one before bowing out to Simley
The eighth-seeded Wildcat wrestling team defeated the ninth-seeded St. Paul Humboldt-Open World Learning 39-30 in the opening round of the Section 4AA Team tournament on Saturday, February 15 at Mahtomedi High School.
Sports
Wildcats draw fifth seed in section play; take on Mpls.
Lauren Schmidt notched her second hat trick of the season to lead the Wildcat girls’ hockey team to a 5-1 win over the River Lakes Stars Tuesday, January 28 at Chisago Lakes Arena. The Wildcats jumped out to an early lead, scoring three goals in a two-minute stretch in the first period, and never looked back. The Wildcats outshot the Stars 30-27 for the game. Wildcat goalie Evi Reedy came up big in this one, stopping 26 of the 27 shots she faced.
Sports
‘Cats establish themselves in sectional games with three wins
Jacob Kletti scored two power play goals in the third period to give the Wildcats a thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Mahtomedi Zephyrs at the St. Croix Rec Center in Mahtomedi Tuesday, January 28. Wildcat special teams were key to this win, as the Wildcats killed off all four penalties they incurred while scoring on three of their six power play opportunities.
Sports
Chisago Lakes loses both home wrestling triangulars; Osceola next
The Wildcats hosted two triangulars last week, on Tuesday, January 28 and Thursday, January 30. The Wildcats lost all four of their duals in the two triangulars by remarkably similar scores.
Sports