Two homers catapult NB over Red Knights in opener
The North Branch softball team opened its 2026 season in impressive fashion Monday, March 30, rallying past Class 3A sixth-ranked Benilde-St. Margaret’s for an 8-2 victory in a game that showcased early-season power from the young Vikes.
Easter time is near!
It’s Easter weekend, and it’s time to rejoice and celebrate everything that is great about this world!
Wildcat Academy expansion going well, and district settles with teachers
The Chisago Lakes School Board held their monthly meeting on Thursday, March 19 and although the agenda was light on time, there were a few important topics discussed at the meeting.
Giese named North Branch’s Athena Award winner
Brooke Giese has built an outstanding high school career marked by excellence in athletics, academics, and community involvement.
Easter time is near!
Easter is nearly upon us with just a week and a half to go until the glorious holiday. I’ll begin sharing some of my favorite recipes for the holiday this week!
Let’s get mad for all day hoops
I’ve had some people ask this week why I didn’t share St. Patrick’s Day recipes last week, and I think it’s just that as much as I love Ireland and love Irish traditions and the fun that goes along with it, and I’ve shared about enough of my Americanized St. Patty’s Day recipes over the years, I feel like I’d just be repeating myself at this point.
Both NB and CL see their season end at the hands of Grand Rapids
The fourth-seeded Chisago Lakes boys basketball team opened the Section 7AAA tournament with an impressive performance, rolling past fifth-seeded Hermantown 83-69 before seeing its postseason run end against top-seeded Grand Rapids in the semifinals on Friday, March 6.
Spicing up our lives
It’s not a secret that I love spicy food, and Aly made some amazing jerk pork loin earlier this week that just really put spice on my mind when I started to think about this week’s recipe column. So these recipes may not be for the faint of stomach! Just remember if you’re sensitive to spicy food, make sure to have some milk handy!
Divers both make finals, swimmers earn valuable experience at state
Chisago Lakes sent a large contingent of competitors to the 2026 Minnesota Class A Boys Swim and Dive State Meet last week at the University of Minnesota Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center, with multiple individuals and relays qualifying.
Using up your winter stockpile
Of course, there could still be some big snowstorms and deep freezes, but I see some near 60 degree temps coming up this weekend and early next week. Of course it goes back down a bit, but I’m itching to empty the pantry of all the soups and canned goods stocked over the winter.
Featured fish entrees for Lent
We are officially in the season of Lent and fish! The fish fry meals are always great at the local churches, but here are a few recipes you can make at home this year while observing Lent.
CL School Board gives green light to expanding online learning next year
The Chisago Lakes Wildcat Academy, the district’s online school, is expanding to offer middle school classes for next year.
‘Cats split two with section teams
Chisago Lakes closed out a busy week on the hardwood with a split, overwhelming Hermantown at home before running into a hot-shooting Grand Rapids squad on the road.
CL comes in eighth at state
Chisago Lakes closed out its season with a strong eighth-place finish at the 2026 Minnesota State Alpine Ski Meet on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, scoring 72 points in a deep and competitive field of some of the biggest and most prestigious schools in the state. Hill-Murray claimed the team championship with 169 points.
Thorsen and Dick heading to state for NB; CL seventh grader joins
Chisago Lakes seventh grader Lila Leadholm had herself a meet on Saturday, turning in a pair of steady, confident routines to earn her first trip to the MSHSL State gymnastics meet at the Section 7A meet in Princeton.
Roatan was a blast, except for the bad chicken!
Aly and I took our current exchange student, Maceo, our first exchange student Guglielmo and joined up with her parents and took a trip to Roatan, Honduras last week for our spring break trip.
Wildcats stretch state run to half a decade
The Chisago Lakes Jazz and High Kick teams both qualified for the state meet for the fifth year in a row
The Chisago Lakes dance team is going to state again in both Jazz and High Kick competitions after earning matching third place finishes in the Section 2AA meet on Saturday, January 31 at Totino-Grace High School.
Vikings down Wildcats in spirited gymnastics affair
North Branch posted a 136.925–130.75 win over Chisago Lakes in a dual gymnastics meet Thursday, January 29, using steady scoring across all four events to secure the victory over the Wildcats.
CL squashes Rock Ridge before dropping two tough M8C games
The Chisago Lakes boys basketball team put up a fight in some Mississippi 8 Conference contests after rolling past Rock Ridge at home. Unfortunately, the ‘Cats came up short against a streaking Monticello team on the road and then suffering a heart-breaking two-point loss to Big Lake at home.
Super Bowl snacks for a group
It’s Super Bowl week, and one of the top times of the year to have people over and really go wild on appetizers! They are among some of the best, and sometimes easiest, things to make, and man they are all soooo good. Here’s a couple of my favorite appetizers for this year’s Super Bowl matchup between the Seahawks and Patriots.
Going crazy for cauliflower
I get that cauliflower is a polarizing vegetable. Some people love it, a lot of people hate it, and there isn’t much in between. I’m here to be your liaison and connect the cauliflower haters with some recipes that I think even they’ll like. Give them a try!
Cardiac ‘Cats pull out two late Mississippi 8 victories
Chisago Lakes put together a pair of gritty conference wins last week, edging Zimmerman by two points before outlasting St. Francis in a double-overtime thriller on the road.
County grads play key role in national championship
CL’s Nick Wasko had a pick-six in the playoffs, and NB’s Adam Johnstone had a career high in catches and yards in the title game
When the University of Wisconsin–River Falls football team broke through and claimed the NCAA Division III national championship, the moment reached far beyond the Falcons’ sideline at the Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Sunday, January 4. It carried back across Lake Erie and Lake Michigan and the St. Croix River and into Chisago County, where familiar names — Nick Wasko of Lindstrom and Adam Johnstone and Tyler Schneidewind of North Branch — stood as hometown representatives on college football’s biggest Division III stage.
AREA HOOPS ROUND UP
Chisago Lakes built a big first-half cushion and then held on late to edge Princeton 74-71 in a Mississippi 8 Conference boys basketball game at Chisago Lakes High School last week.
Let’s keep trying some new things
In this column before me, Alice always pushed me to try new things. Some of her recipes are just things I frankly wouldn’t typically try to make, but she would come in each week and she’d always ask me if I made a recipe or which one I would make, and when I told her I didn’t like something or might not like to do one of them, she would always scold me and say I didn’t know unless I tried it. So today’s column isn’t so much about foods that I dislike, just about some stuff that I would typically read and just pass over it and not give it a try. But this week, I stopped at them and we’re going to give them a try!
Wildcats rebound from holiday tourney sweep to pound on Pioneers
The Chisago Lakes boys basketball team spent their holiday break going against strong competition, and the Wildcats came away with just one win in three contests.
Wildcats anchored by Leadholm in prestigous statewide gymnastics meet
The Chisago Lakes gymnastics team turned in a solid performance Saturday, January 3 in Park Center at the 2026 Classic Invitational, competing against one of the deeper fields the meet has assembled in recent years at Park Center High School.
Comfort foods galore!
We are past Christmas now and past New Years. Which means it’s time for hibernation and comfort foods for the winter! Weekend crockpots, sweets for breakfast, everything you need to stay warm in the cold months of Minnesota!
Vikes lose two at holiday tourney
The North Branch boys hoops squad failed to grab a win at the Granite City Classic in the two days after Christmas.
Wildcats pounce on Vikings, don’t relent in 51-point win
Chisago Lakes wasted little time asserting dominance on Thursday, December 18, rolling to a 75-24 win over North Branch in a Highway 95 rivalry matchup on December 18. The Wildcats used nasty defensive pressure and balanced scoring to put the game away early and cruise to the decisive victory.
Couwenhoeven & Underhill team up to dominate 2nd half
Chisago Lakes pulled away in the second half Thursday night to earn a 67-53 boys basketball win over North Branch in a county rivalry on December 18.
Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas to all! It’s a beautiful time of year in a beautiful life! Make sure that you stop, think about all the good in your life and appreciate it. Make time for your family and enjoy it. You just never know what the future brings, so enjoy the days we have with them and always keep fond memories!
Vikings and ‘Cats compete in White Bear to open the season
Chisago Lakes and North Branch both tested themselves against some of the state’s top gymnastics programs at the My Ribbon My Reason White Bear Lake Invitational on Dec. 6, using the large, competitive meet as an early-season measuring stick.
CL comes up short in two tough Mississippi 8 games
Chisago Lakes ran into a pair of tough tests last week, coming up short against Becker and Zimmerman in Mississippi 8 Conference action as the Wildcats slipped to 1-4 on the season.
‘Cats win two, have taken three of their last four to move to .500
Chisago Lakes put together one of its most complete performances of the young season, rolling past Spectrum 79-47 behind balanced scoring, relentless defense and a fast start that set the tone early.
It really is a wonderful life this time of year
This is the last column you’ll likely read before your Christmas meal plans are done. We do have an issue that comes out Christmas Eve, but if you’re still looking for recipes and ideas that night, you might be in some trouble when it comes to food prep!
Turning the page to Christmas tastes
Now that turkey day is over, it’s time to start focusing on Christmas recipes, and we’ll have plenty in this space over the next couple weeks leading up to the big holiday!
Wolves hunt down ‘Cats in first game
The Chisago Lakes girls basketball team opened its season with a hard-fought effort on Thursday, November 20, but ultimately fell 56-43 to Milaca.
One of my favorite columns of the year
Of course we all love Thanksgiving, and I’ve given a few of my good recipes for it over the last few weeks, but one of the best columns and best eating days of the year are related to Thanksgiving leftovers! Some things just feel better “left over” and that’s kind of my attitude towards this holiday. I absolutely love the fresh stuff on Thanksgiving Day as well, but the rest of the weekend it’s just as good!
Arntson medals at state
Chisago Lakes sophomore Eloise Arntson made the most of her first trip to the Minnesota state swim meet on Saturday, November 15, turning in two steady races that showed she belongs in the thick of the Class A distance field.
Oh, deer! It’s venison season in our house
I had a request this week for some venison recipes, and it reminded me that my brother took down a large buck this hunting season and I have a bunch of venison coming my way since he doesn’t really like it.
Arntson heading to state swim meet in two events
The Chisago Lakes girls swim and dive team had plenty to cheer about at the Section 5A Championships last week, held November 6-8 at Becker High School.
Time to test some foods for Thanksgiving
I may be in the minority here, but I like to have test runs of new stuff I am going to try to make when I’m making it for a group.
Zephyrs prove too much for ‘Cats again, end CL’s season
The Chisago Lakes volleyball team saw its postseason run come to an end Friday night in Mahtomedi, as the Wildcats fell to the top-seeded Zephyrs 25-12, 24-26, 25-12, 25-20 in the Section 4AAA championship match. The loss capped a successful season for the Wildcats.
Time to get comfortable in this space
Halloween is over, which means it’s time for the holiday season. But, as most of us are aware if we peek at the forecast for the next week, we are also in the comfort food season. Warm, comfortable, easy and filling is what’s on the menu this week. The days are shorter, the temps are colder and there’s snow flurries in the forecast!
District looks to community for $55 million vote in February
The Chisago Lakes School Board revealed the date and questions to be asked for their next referendum at their regular school board meeting on Thursday, October 23.
Girls narrowly miss out on section title, but still going to state
The Chisago Lakes cross country teams made a statement at the Section 7AA Championships on Thursday, October 23, at the Hibbing Municipal Golf Course, with the girls team advancing to the state meet and the boys narrowly missing out despite several standout performances.
NB hangs with Hermantown for half, but Hawks pull away
North Branch’s football season came to a hard-fought end Saturday, October 25, as the Vikings got out to an early lead, but then struggled to contain star Hermantown running back Martin Sleen in the middle quarters and eventually fell short with an extremely late comeback bid.
Girls grow at state tennis meet
The Chisago Lakes girls tennis team capped a remarkable fall by sending three players to the MSHSL Class AA State Tournament last week at the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center. Freshman Claire Mickelson qualified in singles, while junior Anna Hageman and sophomore Claire Beaver represented the Wildcats in doubles play.
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