Category Archives: Sports

Hockey

2022-2023 Minnesota Wild: The good, the bad and the ugly

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By: Dylan Moore

Note: this article was written before the Wild’s 12/1 game vs. the Edmonton Oilers 

The good: Kirill Kaprizov. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has paid attention to the Wild as of late. Coming off of a 47 goal, 108 point season (both franchise records), Kirill Kaprizov has started this season off hot. His 13 goals and 27 points in 21 games is an even better start than he got off to last season. He is currently on a 9 game point streak, and looks phenomenal in every game. 

Matt Boldy. Last season he played just over ½ of the regular season games (47), and registered a respectable 39 points. Now a staple on the top 6, and 1st power play unit, he already has 9 goals and 16 points in 21 games. While getting consistent power play time with Kaprizov helps, Wild fans are hoping the young winger can keep scoring at this pace. 

Calen Addison. Coming over in the Jason Zucker trade in 2019, Calen Addison was able to get a few games here and there in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 season, usually being the first guy to be called up in the event of an injured defenseman. This season, manager Bill Guerin decided to give Addison a full-time roster spot, and Addison has proved that it’s been deserved. Being the point man on the power play and getting 5-on-5 minutes with Kaprizov’s line, the 22-year-old defenseman has racked up the points. In 21 games he already has 10 assists and 11 points, and already looks to be one of the better passers on the team. His skills as a great 2-way defenseman will hopefully be exploited by the Wild for years to come. 

The bad: Marco Rossi. The other new full-time player is Marco Rossi. Our highest overall draft pick of the last decade (9th overall in 2020), the Austrian center has had a rough path to the NHL. I like to think he would have gotten more than 2 NHL games before this year if it wasn’t for the heart problems he had in late 2020 and early 2021. He got COVID in November, and shortly after captained the Austrians at the world juniors. During his physical at training camp, they found out he had a disease which resulted in an inflamed heart. After he battled through that, he spent the 2021-2022 season lighting up the AHL. In his first full season, he has only gotten 1 point in 18 games. While he is still only 21, many Wild fans are expecting big things from Rossi, and this certainly is not the best start to his career.  

Our record. As things stand, the Wild are 10-9-2, and 1 point off of a wild card spot in the Western Conference. Although we had a terrible start to the season (more on that later), we were 4-4-2 in our first 10, and 5-4-1 in our last 10. Given our record setting finish last season, more was expected from the team. Although we lost key pieces, we are still expected to be a playoff team, and a good one at that. Wild fans aren’t in a panicked state just yet, but it is in the team’s best interest to go on a hot streak sooner rather than later. 

The ugly: The start to the season. Following a summer of tough choices, the Wild went with the aging Marc-Andre Fleury, and traded for backup Filip Gustavsson. Gustavsson was the defined backup, not expected to play too many games, unless the 38-year-old Fleury needed a rest. Like most things, this did not initially go to plan. Through the first 3 games of the season, Marc-Andre Fleury gave up 20 (!!!) goals. Twenty. While the defense was utterly terrible, you can not blame them for this complete collapse right out of the gate. Of the 21 games we have played, Fleury has only started 13 (or roughly 60%) of games, less than expected. Although his record has certainly improved (now 7-5-1), Gustavsson (3-4-1) betters him in all statistical categories (probably because he didn’t let up 20 goals in 3 games). Regardless, the early-season struggles can be attributed to a less-than sound goaltending structure. 

Injuries. If our injury struggles had to be summarized, I would use Jordan Greenway as an example. The lanky power forward has already missed 3 different patches of games (16 of our 21 games) with injury. Other players that have missed more than 3 games include Ryan Hartman (11), Marcus Foligno (6), John Merrill (4), Brandon Duhaime (6), and Marc-Andre Fleury. So far this season, key contributors have missed a combined total of 48 games, which does not help with our consistency issues. With the forward lines getting mixed up countless times due to these injuries, one can only hope the issues slow down as this long season carries on. 

All in all, through the good, bad and ugly, I am still hopeful. And like a good Minnesota sports fan, I am eagerly awaiting my inevitable disappointment once April comes around. Good luck Wild! 

Nordic Skiing, Sports

What is Biathlon? A beginner’s guide

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By: Toby Martin-Kohls

Biathlon is a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Athletes compete on a circuit where they stop to shoot at a set of tiny targets on a shooting range. In addition, they ski with rifles carried on their backs, which adds another level of difficulty while skiing. 

Each race has a set distance, and the number of laps is determined by what race is going on. Every race has at least one trip into the range where athletes shoot at the targets in the prone position, which is lying down on their stomachs, and one where they stand and shoot. 

The tiny targets are 50m away from the shooting mat. That equates to 164ft and is about nine-tenths of The Leaning Tower of Pisa, half the height of the Statue of Liberty, or half the length of a soccer pitch.

The target size varies depending on the position the athlete is shooting from, prone or standing. Since standing is considered harder, the targets are 115mm wide, equaling 4.5in. That’s four and a half quarters wide for comparison. 

The size of the targets while shooting in the prone position is only 45mm wide, which equals 1.77in. That’s around the size of 2 quarters. The target would be just smaller.

Besides the target size and the range length, biathletes have other factors making it hard to hit the targets. Heart rate and muscle fatigue play a significant role in shooting accuracy. Imagine running as hard as you can while holding weights for, let’s say, 10 minutes straight and having to very precisely aim a rifle at a tiny target 50m away. Your arms are probably shaking, and you have to get your breathing under control.

Every time athletes come into the shooting range; they shoot at a set of 5 of those targets. If they miss, they usually have to ski a penalty loop for every target they miss. The loop is an extra 150m (490 ft) added to the original race distance. These usually take around 20 seconds for the athletes to complete.

The only times biathletes might not ski the penalty loop is the individual race, where if you miss, you get an added minute onto your time. And the relays, where biathletes get three spare rounds they must manually load into their rifle. If they use the extra rounds and still miss, then penalty loop(s) are required.

Good shooting times for women are around 30 seconds on the range, while good shooting times for men are around 20 seconds in total. You will see the biathletes take the most time until their first shot, getting their breathing under control and their rifle steady. Then men usually take around 2sec between shots and women around 3sec. 

Most biathletes shoot the targets from right to left, as it’s the easiest way to do so. However, some shoot left to right, and some start from the middle and go right or left after. There is no rule about which order you shoot the targets in.

Types of races

There are a few different disciplines in biathlon. The first is the sprint and the pursuit races. The Sprint race is 7.5km for women and 10km for men. Each shoot twice, one in the prone and then one standing. The sprint format is a time trial. The starting times for the pursuit are based on the sprint race results. The pursuit is 10 km for women and 12.5km for men. Both shoot four times total, two in the prone and two standing. They alternate, with the first time into the range in the prone position, the next in the standing position, and so on.

Then there is the mass start, which is self-explanatory. It is 12.5km for women and 15km for men. They shoot four times in total.

There is the individual race, the longest race for each gender. As I explained above, this race values shooting a bit more than the others. It is better to be accurate and take more time on the range than try and shoot fast, as you get a 1 min penalty for every target you miss. The race is 15km for women and 20km for men.

Lastly, there are the relays. The men’s relay is 4×7.5km, and the women’s relay is 4x6km. There is also the mixed relay, two men and two women, and the single mixed relay with one man and one woman. Teams are by country.

The person who wins the overall for each gender wins the trophy known as the Crystal Globe.

In addition, there are nine World Cups throughout the season, not including the World Championships in February.

The season starts this Tuesday, November 29, in Kontiolahti, Finland. After that, the World Cups will stop in Austria, France, Slovenia, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Sweden and end with Norway in mid-March.

How you can watch

You can watch all replays this season at: youtube.com/@BiathlonCentral1.

My opinion

I enjoy watching this sport because the shooting adds another aspect to the race, keeping it interesting. I’ve tried watching Nordic Skiing, and the distances are very long, and it only comes down to who is the fastest over a distance. Maybe there are some passes during the race, but the fastest person wins.

Biathlon keeps things varied during races; you can gain and lose positions because of the track or the range. The wax you use, your ski speed, your shooting accuracy, there are so many factors that make or break the racing. That is what makes it an exciting and fan-friendly sport.

Basketball, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Scoreboard/Schedule, Wrestling

Sports schedule for: 11/28-12/3

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ATHLETIC EVENTS SCHEDULE: NOVEMBER 28 – DECEMBER 3
MONDAYNOVEMBER 28 
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
    
TUESDAYNOVEMBER 29
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
5:00pm / 7:00pm Girls Hockey vs. VisitationWSP Ice Arena
WEDNESDAYNOVEMBER 30
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
3:45pm / 4:00pm2:10pm / 5:15pmNordic Ski MeetElm Creek Reserve
THURSDAYDECEMBER 1
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
    
FRIDAYDECEMBER 2
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
5:30pm / 7:00pm Girls Basketball vs. St. Croix PrepHOME
SATURDAYDECEMBER 3
TIMEBUS TIMESEVENTLOCATION
9:00am6:30am / 3:00pmWrestling InvitationalFridley High School
1:00pm / 3:00pm Boys Hockey vs. Rochester LourdesHOME
Sports

Highland Park MTB team

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By: Toby Martin-Kohls

The Highland Park Mountain Bike team ended its season at the State Championships at Redhead Mountain Bike Park in Chisholm, MN on October 16. It was the most significant and final race of the five-race 2022 season. Highland had 8 high schoolers racing across four different categories. Karl Haaland and Toby Martin-Kohls were the lone Varsity riders for Highland, while Josh Thompson raced JV3. Liam Hefferan, August Johnson, and Benji Brunner raced JV2, and Theo Miller and Trevor Kristjanson raced Freshman. Minnesota has a high school league for mountain biking, the Minnesota Cycling Association, that is not affiliated with MSHSL. 

There are a few differences between racing in the Minnesota Cycling Association and a typical MSHSL sport. There are still Varsity and Junior Varsity athletes, but there is no limit to how many can race in a category. For team scoring, high schools with a larger team are in Division 1, while smaller schools are in Division 2. 

Also, unlike some MSHSL sports, there are many more categories for athletes to race under. Everyone who wants to race gets to race, regardless of ability. Because of this, the Minnesota Cycling Association has seven categories of races. Races are also separated by gender. 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, Freshman, JV2, JV3, and Varsity. Racers are put into the appropriate category by age and racing experience.

Mountain Biking is a great way to get outside and improve your fitness. The Highland Park team officially practices 2-3 times a week, starting at the beginning of July and ending in mid-October. The first races are usually in late August and run until mid-October. Like other Highland teams, we practice with the Saint Paul Composite Mountain Biking team (SPY MTB). However, we race as different teams.

Practices are usually around 2hrs long. On Tuesdays, the team meets at Hidden Falls for a road ride. On Thursdays, we meet at various trails around the Twin Cities

There is no obligation to race, many people join the team just to have fun biking the outdoors with a great community. 

Below is an interview with Karl Haaland, who is a Junior, and races at the Varsity level.

Q: Why did you decide to join the Mountain Biking Team?

A: Because my dad had started coaching, and I wanted to try something new.

Q: What is your favorite part about being on the team?

A: Being able to bike with friends and be able to compete against others from all around the state.

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering joining the team?

A: You should join it, you don’t have to race if you don’t want to but it is not stressful at all.

Q: What is your favorite trail in the Twin Cities?

A: Lebanon Hills in Eagan. 

Q: If you had unlimited money what bike would you buy?

The Trek Supercaliber 9.9 XX1

Image taken from: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/mountain-bikes/cross-country-mountain-bikes/supercaliber/supercaliber-9-9-xx1-axs/p/35145/
Sports

UFC 281 recap: Better than 280?

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By: Dylan Moore

(*NOTE: prelims not included*)

Following the card of the year that was UFC 280, I was one of many people that had to remind myself that not every card could be that exciting top to bottom. In saying that, I was one of many people who was shocked to see the fights of 281 (which we’re overall less high-profile) matching and even surpassing the far more anticipated 280 card.

Dan Hooker vs Claudio Puelles: In this fight, an up and comer in Claudio Puelles (13-3) looked to prove himself against Dan Hooker (22-12). Throughout his respected career, Dan Hooker has had electrifying fights in which his toughness and ability to go to war with a fighter of any caliber has been put on display. Coming into this fight, Dan had lost 3 of his last 4, losing against very difficult opposition like Islam Makachev and Michael Chandler, and was looking to bounce back. He did just that. Puelles was dominated from start to finish, looking to go to the ground all throughout the fight against a lethal opponent. In the second round, Dan Hooker showed why he is so respected with a KO/TKO stoppage.

Frankie Edgar vs Chris Gutierrez: The storyline behind this fight was a young contender looking to prove himself against a legend of the sport in his final fight. Frankie Edgar, a former champion and 15 year veteran of his sport, announced that this would be his last fight. Gutierrez looked to use the notoriety of a fighter like Edgar to make himself more known as a contender in the Bantamweight division. In the first round, Gutierrez scored a highlight reel KO, which knocked Edgar out cold. A sad way to go out for sure, but a very very impressive display from Chris Gutierrez, slightly overshadowed by his opponent’s retirement. 

Michael Chandler vs Dustin Porier: 2 heavily respected and battle hardened lightweight contenders in Michael Chandler (23-8-0) and Dustin Porier (29-7-0, 1NC) duked it out. The first round of this fight was one of the best rounds of a fight seen in a long long time. It showed the versatility and toughness of both fighters. Following a second round that showed that they still had plenty of gas in the tank, Porier got in control of Chandler on the ground and didn’t look back. Porier submitted Chandler on the ground in round 3, and both fighters faces we’re bloodied up from this short-lived war of a fight. Me, along with many other fans, are very excited to see what comes next from both of these fighters. 

Carla Esparza vs Weili Zhang: In the co-main event, the women’s Strawweight title was on the line. Carla Esparza (20-7-0) fought Weili Zhang (23-3-0). While Zhang was seen as a scary contender with an outside shot to win the title, most had confidence in Esparza to keep this title. With that being said, Weili Zhang took it to Esparza and stripped her of her title via a submission early in round 2. This performance put Zhang on the map, giving her much deserved respect in the mainstream MMA world. 

Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira: The dominance of Israel Adesanya in the Middleweight dividsion cannot be understated. He defeated all of the contenders in his division in such convincing fashion, his next opponent was the relatively unproven Alex Pereira (6-1 coming into the fight). The reason the champ fought such an unproven fighter was because these 2 had some history. The last time Adesanya lost in his actual weight class was back when he did kickboxing, and guess who he lost to? Pereira. Twice. Once Pereira took up MMA, he beat his opposition in convincing enough fashion that the UFC fast-tracked him to a title shot, to test the seemingly invincible Adesanya. Throughout the first 4 rounds, it was a back and fourth fight, with Adesanya seemingly having the upper hand. Towards the very end of the round, Adesanya had a huge knockdown, in which Pereira was saved by the bell. In the fifth round, Pereira used his control of positioning to his advantage, backing Israel down before landing a series of punches that lead to a stoppage, shockingly giving Pereiera the title and third victory over Adesanya. Their is a lot of controversy over the nature of the stoppage, many fans thinking it came too early. 

Of the 5 events on the main 281 card, all of them lived up to expectations and then some, each fight bringing its own unique storyline and traits to the table. Full of controversies, battles, and shock victories of an all-time caliber, UFC 281 was a great card, and rivals 280 in the actual fights it produced, despite receiving far less media attention and hype then its predecessor.

Soccer

A dramatic 2022 MLS Cup might go down in history as the best!

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By: Aedon Evenson-McDermott

On the 5th of November, 2022, the eyes of America’s biggest soccer league turned their attention to the Banc of California Stadium. The teams were solid and quite evenly matched which made it to be an insightful affair between the squads.

LAFC came into the final as the Western Conference 1st seed, and champions, and likewise as Philadelphia Union was the Eastern Conference 1st spot, and champions. Bedoya for the Union was a big miss as he was one of their biggest leaders and a stud in the midfield.

For the first 25 minutes, both teams ran up and down the field as they searched for the early goal. Two minutes later, when the 27th minute came, LAFC’S Acosta struck the net with a thunderous hit which struck the back of the net. 1-0 LAFC and the supporters section went crazy!

The second half would be all a soccer fan would dream of. The Union’s Gazdag put the ball in the back of the net in the 59th minute. 1-1! The constant drama of the back and fourth would be a lead runner for the rest of the game.

LAFC would respond near the end of the 90 minutes in the 83rd minute with a goal from Murillo. When most thought it was over and LAFC would walk away with the Cup, Union’s Jack Elliot smashed the ball into the back of the net with his thunderous header two minutes later in the 85th minute. The very few Philadelphia Union faithful fans had a lifeline.

The end of the regular 90 minutes of regulation would end thus prompting the 30 minute layover of extra time. Both teams had chances and in the 116th minute a bad back pass from center back Murillo to LAFC’S goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau led to the horrific collision between Crepeau and the Union’s Cory Burke. Crepeau is Canada’s number 1 keeper but will unfournately miss the World Cup. Milan Borjan or Minnesota United’s Dayne St. Clair would get the start. Crepeau was carted off and unfortunately would break his leg. This would prompt substitute goalkeeper, and penalty specialist, John McCarthy to come in for the remaining extra time.

After the end of the additional 30 minutes, there would be an additional 9 minutes added on after the injury for stoppage time.
In the 124th minute, a second incredible goal from the Union’s Elliot went in and it was the first lead of the game for the Union. 3-2! Four minutes later, the storylines would be written as the almighty Welshman Gareth Bale bails them out with an incredible jump for the header. 3-3 in the 128th minute!

After both teams finished tied at 3 a piece, it would all come to a penalty shootout. John McCarthy who played before, for the Union, would be in goal as Crepeau’s replacement. Knowing a lot of where the guys put their shots on goal he would put his mind to the test. Andre Blake, one of the MLS’s best, would step up first as he would save the penalty. Philly would miss their second penalty as it skied over the bar. Bouanga converted for LAFC making it 1-0 on their second kick. Union would miss their second kick. Hollingshead for LAFC scored and made it 2-0 in the shootout. The Union would miss their third shot as well. IIie would step up and put the winning shot into the back of the net. No coming back for the Union as they missed their first three shots. McCarthy would be the hero of the game and go on to win MVP.

It couldn’t have been more of a Hollywood ending with a great effort put on by both teams! Congratulations to the champions LAFC and better times for the Union. It was a joy to experience such a great game and a nail biting ending. It should be an interesting offseason for both teams and it will be fun with the league resuming in later February and early March!

Football

Minnesota Vikings come out on top in the NFL’s game of the year 

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By: Abby Altman

*NOTE: This article was written prior to the game against the Cowboys

Last Sunday’s noon matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills will go down as one of the best regular season games that the NFL has ever seen. Kirk Cousins, also known as “The Noon Nightmare”, led the Vikings to yet another show stopping 4th quarter comeback this week, earning yet another 1 score win. 

“Frauds” and “Pretenders” are just some words that will not be following the Vikings name anymore. 

After a very sloppy 1st half, the Vikings found themselves down by 14 at halftime. 

In the 3rd quarter, the Vikings still did not appear to be playing their best football. Minnesota went almost the entire quarter scoring 0 points, and giving up 3. With 1:48 left in the 3rd quarter, Dalvin Cook rushed for an 81 yard touchdown up the side to make it a 10 point game. 

Going into the 4th quarter down by 10, Kirk Cousins is arguably the 1st QB you’d want on your team. This season, Cousins has led the team to 5 4th quarter comebacks, and is 7-0 in 1 score games. Last season, the Vikings finished 6-8 in 1 score games. 

The 4th quarter was one that will likely not be forgotten for a very long time. 

Minnesota’s defense stepped up big time for this 4th quarter comeback. 

Patrick Peterson showed up with an interception in the end zone on 4th and 2, running it back to the 35 yard line. 

Minnesota’s offense then responded with a long drive capped off with fullback CJ Ham’s first touchdown in 5 years. The touchdown put the Vikings down by 4 with 4:34 left in the game. Kicker Greg Joseph then missed the extra point, putting the Vikings in a position where a field goal would not suffice, and a TD would be necessary to win. 

The defense once again stepped up big, with Harrison Smith breaking up a pass to Stefon Diggs on 4th and 15. 

On the next drive, Cousins was sacked 2 plays in a row, setting up Minnesota with 4th and 18 with 2:14 on the clock. 

At their own 27 yard line, the Vikings were forced to go for it. Cousins sent a pass deep downfield, hitting Justin Jefferson at the Buffalo 40 yard line. 

Jefferson took that opportunity to make one of the best catches ever made. Jefferson jumped up in double coverage, grabbing the ball with 1 hand while fighting off Buffalo’s Cam Lewis, who had 2 hands wrapped around the ball. Jefferson managed to bring in the ball, and transfer it to his other hand without losing control. 

“One of the more remarkable catches I’ve ever seen,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, “He’s such a special, special player. I’m really proud of the way Justin has battled all season long against a lot of different looks and a lot of different coverages.”

This catch was the first of multiple miracles for the Vikings. 

The Vikings drove downfield, and had the ball at 1st and goal at the 3 yard line. Things then went south for Minnesota. 

On 1st down, Cousins was tripped up behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of 5 yards. On 3rd down, Cousins completed a catch to Jefferson, who appeared to break the goal line at first, but was later ruled down at the ½ yard line. 

On 4th and 1, Cousins passed to Cook on the side, who was unable to make the catch. However, offsides by the Bills gave the Vikings a repeat 4th down, where they opted for the QB sneak. 

Cousins was ruled short of the endzone, and the ball was turned over to Buffalo with 44 seconds left in the game. 

The Bills received the ball on the 1 yard line. Unwilling to take the safety and risk a Hail Mary, Buffalo decided to have QB Josh Allen run the ball out of the endzone. Allen, however, fumbled the ball on the snap. This was miracle #2 for Minnesota. 

Erik Kendricks recovered the fumble in the endzone, for a Vikings touchdown. Minnesota took a 3 point lead, with 37 seconds left in the game. 

Buffalo did not forget that they have one of the best offenses in the league. Allen connected with Gabe Davis downfield to set up a 29 yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining. 

The field goal tied the score and sent the game into overtime. 

Minnesota won the coin toss, and although they had an impressive drive downfield, they were unable to get the touchdown. The Vikings settled for a 33 yard field goal by Greg Joseph, and put the defense on the field to win the game. 

Josh Allen and the Bills offense drove downfield, and got into field goal range easily. Josh Allen threw 2 passes into the endzone from the 25 yard line. The first pass, intended for TE Dawson Knox was broken up by Duke Shelly, who joined the Vikings active roster the day before the game. 

The second pass was miracle #3. 

Patrick Peterson made his 2nd interception of the game, picking off Josh Allen in the endzone, and securing the win for Minnesota. 

Bills QB Josh Allen blamed himself for the loss, after multiple turnovers. 

“Losing sucks,” Allen told reporters. “Sucks this way even worse. Horrendous second half. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to be better … It’s on me. Can’t have that.”

Although coming into this game with a better record than Buffalo, Minnesota was seen as a heavy underdog. The win secured the Vikings as a legit threat in many eyes, and moved Minnesota way up in most rankings. 

Clearly, this win wasn’t an easy one for Minnesota, but not just because of the comeback. The refs were not making good calls, and several of them could have cost Minnesota the game. 

The most important missed call by the refs came late in the 4th quarter, just before Buffalo made the game tying field goal. On a 20 yard pass to Gabe Davis, the refs failed to call for a review on the completion. The catch then set up the field goal leading to overtime. 

The NFL later stated that the catch should have been reviewed, as it was within the final 2 minutes and couldn’t be challenged. The NFL also stated that had it been reviewed, the catch would have been overturned, as Davis did not keep control when he made contact with the ground. 

With 5:27 left in overtime, the refs missed another crucial call. With the Vikings in the red zone, Dalvin Cook rushed up the side, and was tackled for a 3 yard loss. On that play, Buffalo had 12 defensive men on the field. This should have resulted in 1st and 1 for Minnesota, but was instead 2nd and 5. The Vikings were later forced to make a FG. 

While it is unrealistic to expect the refs to notice everything, there were several other missed calls that impacted the game. Minnesota was able to overcome these odds and won the game.

This game extends Minnesota’s win streak to 7, and Buffalo’s losing streak to 2. The Vikings are sitting comfortably atop the NFC North with a significant lead over the 4-6 Packers. 

The Bills, however, fall into 3rd place in the AFC East, behind the Dolphins and the Jets. This comes as a surprise to many, as Buffalo was largely the expected winner of the division. 

Next week Minnesota heads home to host the Dallas Cowboys while Buffalo stays home to host the Browns. 

Soccer

2022 World Cup preview 

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By: Dylan Moore

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is only a couple of weeks away. The world’s biggest sporting event will go throughout the holiday season, lasting up until December 18th. This edition of the World Cup will be played in Qatar, which means most of the games will be at 7:00 or 10:00 AM CST. The prime time games will fortunately be a little later, with kickoff closer to 1:00 PM. 

Group A: Consisting of Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands, group A is quite exciting. Although Qatar did not qualify (the host nation doesn’t need to), the host nation has a historically good record in the opening match. Their quarter final appearance in the 2014 Cup seemed just as likely before that tournament, as a deep run does before this one, but anything can happen. Ecuador could prove to sneak into the knockouts, given their excellent showing at the recent Copa America. Senegal is one of the many exciting African nations of the tournament, with a core of superstars like Sadio Mane (may be injured) and Edouard Mendy expected to take them deep into the tournament. The Netherlands bring a fully fit team (unlike the Euros) to the World Cup, after missing out on the 2018 edition. With a captain like Virgil Van Dijk and midfield talent like Frenkie De Jong, the sky’s the limit for the Dutch. 

Group B: It doesn’t get more politically charged than group B. Consisting of England, Wales, The United States and Iran. Soccer ability aside, you could write up 2 articles worth of narratives between these countries. With that being said, it is an equally interesting group as far as soccer goes. The US and England play their first World Cup game against each other since 1950. While England are favorites to qualify, given their finals appearance in the Euros, the second spot is seemingly up for grabs. The US sees their first World Cup with their golden generation, led by talent such as Christian Pulisic, Weston Mckennie and Gio Reyna. Wales makes their first World Cup appearance in 64 years, given a masterclass from waning superstar Gareth Bale. Which leaves Iran, who have dominated Asian competition in the qualifiers and in friendlies leading up to this tournament. Safe to say the world will have its eyes on this group. 

Group C: Group C consists of some of the most in form players in the world. Argentina is a heavy favorite coming into the tournament. Messi’s team enters the tournament a few short games behind the record unbeaten run recently set by Italy. This will be Messi’s last World Cup. Poland’s Robert Lewandowski has acclimated to life in Barcelona quite well, setting LaLiga on fire. Lewandowski and goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny look to get revenge for their poor performance in the Euros. Similar to Iran, Saudi Arabia have torched their Asian competition, and are impossible to count out in this group. 

Group D: Just by looking at group D, there appears to be 2 clear favorites. The 2018 winners, France, will look to exact revenge for their early exit in the recent Euros. They enter the tournament as a favorite, given their deep squad, but will face the World Cup curse (no team who has won a World Cup has made it out of the group stage since 2006). The second team most think will qualify is Denmark, who recently made the semifinals of the Euros. Now that star man Christian Eriksen is back to form, most think they will continue to ride the momentum from the Euros to success in the knockouts. Australia and Tunisia, 2 teams who barely qualified in a weaker qualifying path, have a lot to prove in these group stage matches. 

Group E: Consisting of Spain, Costa Rica, Germany and Japan, group A will very quickly grab the attention of many. On paper, it should be very clear that Spain and Germany, 2 of the nations considered able to win the entire tournament, will be the 2 from the group to advance in the competition. That being said, it’s impossible to count Japan out. In the recent international break, they beat the US, considered to be a much better side, in dominating fashion. Expect Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo, both in flying form, to put on performances that will keep their nation in every game. As for Costa Rica, a team with a goalie like Keylor Navas can never be counted out, with his famous efforts in the 2014 World Cup getting him signed to the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. Their quarter final appearance seemed just as likely before that tournament as a deep run does before this one, but anything can happen. 

Group F: Similar to group B, group F is one of the more balanced groups in the competition, with no clear favorites and no team that is lacking compared to their competition. Belgium faces the end of their golden generation, with Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku among others looking to have more to show for their cumulative talent than a measly third place at the 2018 World cCup. Canada returns to the competition after qualifying in dominant fashion. Unlike Canadian teams of the past, they have household names, like striker Jonathan David and speedy defender Alphonso Davies to lead them in this competition. Croatia, runners-up in 2018, look to ageless wonder Luka Modric yet again to produce some magic in this competition, now knowing there are no limits to how far the red and white checkered team can go. Morocco, a surprise qualifier, brought Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi to the world’s biggest stage with the hope of shocking the globe in this surprisingly stacked group. Nothing is guaranteed in group F but steep competition. 

Group G: Group G has everything, from powerhouses to dark horses to new faces and perennial knockout stage qualifiers. To start, the hype behind Brazil is real. A nation still healing from their devastating 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi finals of the 2014 World Cup that they themselves hosted, Neymar has confirmed this is his last dance. If a nation could play 11 forwards, they certainly would. In my opinion, I believe that no one is more likely to qualify for the knockouts than Brazil. Switzerland, fresh off of eliminating France in the recent Euros, have a whole host of players in amazing form. With that being said, they will go as far as goalkeeper Yann Sommer takes them, as we saw in the Euros. If you asked someone even 5 years ago if Serbia were any good at soccer, they would laugh in your face. Nobody is laughing now, as they boast superstars like Filip Kostic, Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, the latter 2 being some of the most in-form strikers in the world. Whether or not Serbia performs is more or less entirely up to if Vlahovic and Mitrovic can score the way they have been in the Premier League and Serie A, respectively. Cameroon look to phenomenal goalkeeper André Onana, along with midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa to help them through this tough group. Although most are quite sure Brazil will qualify, who will claim the second spot is far less certain. 

Group H: The final group consists of Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea. The Cristiano Ronaldo effect can really be felt in Portugal. Always having been a nation carried by 1 or maybe 2 outstanding players at a time, Portugal comes into the 2022 World Cup with a load of young players at their first tournament, who all grew up idolizing Ronaldo, who will captain his nation in his fifth (yes, fifth) World Cup. Electrifying talents such as Nuno Mendes, Joao Felix and Rafael Leao enter their first World Cup hungry to win their hero his first World Cup in what will almost certainly be his last tournament. As for Ghana, the “Black Stars” enter the 2022 World Cup with the smell of revenge in the air. In the group stage, they will play Uruguay, and (more importantly) Luis Suarez. He is the man who hand balled a header off of the goal line, saving what would have surely been a goal in the last minute, after he got sent off, the penalty kick went off the crossbar, and Ghana wert on to lose in heartbreaking fashion, sending Uruguay instead into the semifinals. 12 years later, nobody has forgotten what Suarez did to them, and they will be hungry to win, at all costs. Speaking of Suarez, his Uruguayan side look to be the strongest since their 2010 semi finals appearance. New star striker Darwin Nunez looks to take some of the workload of off Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani’s shoulders in their collective old age. Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde finds the form of his life, seeming to become one of the best and most adaptable players in the world, seeing as he can play just about any position and thrive. As for South Korea, they look to the Tottenham sensation Son Heung-min, fresh off winning a golden boot in the Premier League, to lead them to upset this group full of powerhouses. 

Starting on November 20th, people around the world prepare for the endless entertainment the World Cup is sure to bring during the holiday season. As the stars of this generation like Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Lewandowsi and Suarez play in their last World Cup, look for an exciting team full of youngsters to stake their claim as the prominent figures of the future of this sport for many years to come. 

Swimming & Diving

Beginning of the season for the top women’s swim team in the country

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By: Mia David

A few weeks ago, the University of Virginia’s women’s swim team was ranked the top team in the nation. They have built up a strong team for the last few years and proved their speed in 2021 and 2022 when they won the NCAA championships.

The women’s team is stacked with Olympians and record-holders. However, Virginia is still one-step ahead and planning for the future. This fall, they have recruited five top-20 girls from the class of 2024—more recruits than their competitors, the University of Texas and Stanford.

Earlier this season, the Cavaliers took on the Florida Gators and shocked people with some insane times. The sophomore Gretchen Walsh was truly the star of the meet. She started the meet with a 21.91 50 fly in the medley relay, which out-splits her teammate Kate Douglas who had the fastest split in history.

Walsh wasn’t done there; she pulled out a 50.53 in the 100 fly, which became the fastest unsuited time in history. She whipped out some speedy 50 and 100 freestyles as well. Gretchen, Douglass, and their teammates Alex Walsh and Maxine Parker went a speedy 3:11.37 in the 400 free relay to finish off the meet.

On November 4th and 5th, the Cavaliers took on the second-ranked women’s team, the Texas Longhorns. Both women and men’s teams competed against each other down in Texas.

The Cavalier women won six events, according to Virginia Sports. Gretchen Walsh had a phenomenal meet, three times being the fastest in the country this season. Walsh also went the fastest time ever in 100-yard IM (the 100 IM is not an NCAA event, nor is it competed at any world championship meets, but it is sometimes added to meets as an extra fun event).

The meet was a fun showdown with music and a light show to add to the energy and excitement, according to Swim Swam News. This dual meet was unlike any other dual meet with the amount of technology and energy put into making it a fun and competitive environment.

Although the meet was exciting and full of great swims for the Cavaliers, they, unfortunately, lost to Texas with a final score of 95-91 for the women.

The team is not yet finished; they are heading to the Tennessee Invitational on November 17-19, and they still have an NCAA championship title to defend.

Basketball

Florida Gators basketball season preview

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By: Toby Martin-Kohls

The college basketball season kicked off on Monday, November 7th, and with that, a new era of Florida Gators basketball. Florida, picked to finish 8th in the SEC, by the media poll, is coming off a 20-14 season in which its head coach left the program for SEC rival Georgia. 

Kentucky is poised to win the SEC this year, placing No. 4 in the Preseason Top 25 rankings. The Wildcats return 2021’s Wooden Award winner, given to the nation’s best player, Oscar Tshiebwe. He is currently the favorite to take home the same award this year, and if he does, he would become only the second-ever player to win the award twice and in back-to-back seasons. Ralph Sampson in 1982 and 1983 for the Virginia Cavaliers is the only one to do so.

Even with the bluebloods like Kentucky favored atop the conference, Florida is still expected to do well and make the NCAA Tournament come March. The roster has been heavily overhauled following Mike White’s departure, as new coach Todd Golden takes over. Golden is coming off a head coaching gig for the San Francisco Don’s in which he took them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998. Golden is a young mind, and at 37 years old he is by far the youngest coach in the SEC.

His predecessor lasted 7 seasons in Gainesville, leading the Gators to four NCAA Tournament appearances and an Elite 8 appearance. However, fans were upset about the handling of the program after White failed to make the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and only advanced to the NIT. 

Golden has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, as Florida is still a solid program in the sport, having more wins than every SEC team, except for Kentucky, since 1990, and winning the most NCAA Tournament games this century, except for Kentucky. 

Golden has brought in one of the best transfer classes in the country. Kyle Lofton highlights the point guard position. Lofton comes to the Gators as a super senior from St. Bonaventure where he was a 4-year starter who led the Bonnies to the NCAA Tournament and earned All-Atlantic 10 honors on 2 occasions, including 1st-team honors in the 2020-21 campaign.

Golden has also brought in a former 4-star prospect from LSU, an All-Ohio Valley player in Will Richard of Belmont, and a dynamic scoring guard in Trey Bonham of Virginia Military Institute. 

The Gators are projected to be a very strong defensive team under Golden, with his new shiny transfers and a defensive-minded head coach. The Gators should be at least a top-40 defense this year. With that being said, this team’s ceiling very much depends on how well they shoot. Last year they shot just 30.3% from behind the arc which ranked 317th in the country. That year they attempted the 22nd most attempts, which is clearly an issue to address.

I think that the Gators project as a dark horse SEC team that should make the NCAA Tournament and will outperform their SEC Media Day projection. It will definitely be hard to unseat Kentucky, but in such a deep conference you never know what can happen.