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Articles by Andrew Burger
Dragon Football battles but falls to Esko, 20-6
The Pine City Dragons battled with the Esko football team on Wednesday, October 14, but a pair of second half touchdowns helped the visitors pull away for a 20-6 victory. Pine City found itself trailing early after Esko connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the Eskomos with a 6-0 lead. The Dragons answered in the second quarter when Asa Shwarzbauer broke free for a 22 yard touchdown run.
Dragons Fall to Mora, despite strong run game
The Pine City Dragon Football team traveled to Mora on Friday night to take on the Mustangs, falling 45-16 despite a productive performance from the ground game. Pine City found success running the football, led by #2 Grant Skluzacek, who carried the ball 15 times for 148 yards. His longest run covered 48 yards, providing the Dragons with a consistent offensive threat. Asa Schwarzbauer added six carries for 21 yards, while Mitchell Norton contributed three carries for 22 yards.
Pine City Dragon Football falls to Two Harbors
The Pine City Dragon Varsity Football team hosted Two Harbors on Friday night, looking to pick up their first win of the season, but the visiting Agates controlled the game from the opening whistle and came away with a 37-0 victory. Two Harbors jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the opening quarter and continued to build its advantage throughout the night. The Agates added another touchdown in each of the next two quarters before putting the game away with two fourth quarter scores.
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The Pine City Dragon Varsity Football team traveled north to Eveleth on Friday night to take on Rock Ridge, and while the Dragons came up on the short end of
Dragons come up short against Braham
The Pine City Dragons football team battled Braham for four quarters Friday night, but a pair of third quarter scores proved to be the difference as the Bombers handed Pine City a 14 - 6 loss. The two teams played to a scoreless first half, with both defenses keeping the opposing offenses from finding the end zone. Pine City moved the ball at times, but struggled to turn drives into points. Braham finally broke through in the third quarter when the Bombers broke loose for a 48 yard touchdown run.
Dragon Baseball gives end of the year awards
The Pine City baseball team enjoyed a successful spring season, finishing with a 15-8 record. The Dragons jumped out to a strong start at 14-3 before closing the regular season in a difficult stretch, dropping five of their final six games. That skid included a first-round playoff exit against a tough International Falls team that upset the home-standing Dragons. Pine City was led by standout senior pitcher Ethan Aagaard, who anchored the staff and led the team in nearly every pitching category.
Softball celebrates season with end of year awards
The Pine City Fastpitch Softball season concluded in May, but the team came together one final time to celebrate at the Berglund Farm team picnic. While the Dragons may not have experienced significant success on the field this season, the true story of their year was defined by their growth, connection, and enjoyment of one another. Throughout the season, the team worked through highs and lows while continuing to support and encourage each other through a challenging schedule.
Baseball exits first round
The Pine City Dragon Baseball team saw their postseason journey come to an abrupt end last week as they were knocked out in the opening round of the Section playoffs. As the No. 4 seed and host team, the Dragons hoped to use home field advantage to make a deep run, but International Falls had other plans. Pine City wasn’t alone in its disappointment, Esko was also sent home unexpectedly early in another first round upset by Proctor.
Dragons wrap up regular season, eye up playoffs
The Pine City Dragons Baseball team wrap up a loaded week before playoffs begin this week. The Dragons ended the week being shut out in back to back games, after holding off an East Central team eager for the big upset and against the Carlton/Wreshall Raptors. Carlton/Wrenshall 9, Pine City 8 Pine City could not hold onto an early lead against the Carlton/Wrenshall Raptors on Tuesday, falling 9-8 after leading by four runs at one point.
Baseball team sweeps Rangers, defeat the Tigers
The Pine City Dragons Baseball team stayed hot last week, picking up three more wins against conference opponents to improve to 11-2 on the season. The Dragons hosted a doubleheader against the Crosby-Ironton Rangers before welcoming the Rush City Tigers later in the week. Pine City 3, Crosby-Ironton 1 Both teams battled on the mound Tuesday, but the Dragons came out on top behind another dominant performance from senior Ethan Aagaard.
Dragons honor seniors, pick up second win of the season
The Pine City Dragon Softball team completed the season sweep of the Crosby-Ironton Rangers with a 14-4 home victory on Tuesday night. Pine City 14, Crosby-Ironton 4 The Dragons got on the board in the first inning after Karly Dahlberg grounded out to score a run. Crosby-Ironton answered in the top of the second, taking a 3-1 lead. Pine City quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning, erupting for four runs to regain control at 5-3.
Dragons battle, fall to Mora and Hinckley-Finlayson
The Pine City Softball team ran into a tough stretch this past week, dropping games to Mora and Hinckley-Finlayson despite flashes of strong play. Against Mora, the Dragons had opportunities but couldn’t quite cash in, stranding six runners on the bases. The Mustangs broke things open with a four-run third inning and kept the pressure on, adding three more to stretch the lead to 10-1.
Dragons sweep Mora, split at Pine City Classic
The Pine City Dragon Baseball team opened the week with a doubleheader sweep of Mora on Tuesday, winning 9-3 and 11-5 behind strong pitching and timely hitting. In the opener, senior Ethan Aagaard set the tone on the mound, allowing five hits while striking out 11 and walking two. He consistently attacked the strike zone, throwing first pitch strikes to 25 of the 34 batters he faced. The Dragons broke open a 3-3 game in the top of the seventh, scoring six runs to secure the win.
Dragon Softball sees first win of the season
The Pine City Varsity Fastpitch Softball team picked up its first win of the season on the road at Crosby-Ironton. The Dragons followed the victory with back-to-back losses in five innings against the Aitkin Gobblers and the Ogilvie Lions. Pine City 9, Crosby-Ironton 4 The Dragons captured the win behind a strong performance from a group of underclassmen. Eighth graders Melia Babolik, along with Evelyn Schwarzbauer and Charlie Bauers, combined for seven of the team’s 14 hits to lead the way.
Dragon Baseball continues hot start
The Pine City Boys Baseball team improved to 5-1 on the season with a pair of big wins this past week. The Dragons also suffered their first defeat of the year, falling to the Aitkin Gobblers by a wide margin but quickly bounced back to defeat the previously unbeaten Ogilvie Lions to close out the week. Pine City 8, Hinckley-Finlayson 7 Senior Jacob Staber drove in four runs on one hit to lead the Pine City Dragons past the Hinckley-Finlayson Jaguars, 8-7.
Dragon Baseball gets two wins
The Dragon Baseball team wrapped up week one with back-to-back wins to start the season. The Dragons opened with a shutout victory over the Mille Lacs Raiders on Thursday, then followed it up by defeating the Two Harbors Agates 5-2 on Saturday. Pine City relied on just two pitchers in the two wins. Senior strongarm Ethan Aagaard went the distance in the season opener, pitching all seven innings while striking out nine batters and walking just one.
Dragon Softball making progress on the field
The Pine City Dragons fastpitch softball team is making progress with each game. The Dragons hosted three contests this past week. While all three games did not go in their favor on the scoreboard, you wouldn’t know it from conversations about their positive attitude, grit and determination. This is a group that simply won’t quit. There has been plenty to cheer about and be excited for. With each game, the team is gaining confidence and building on small successes from inning to inning.
Spring Sports Preview: Baseball team looks to turn corner in 2026 season
As the new baseball season approaches, varsity head coach Cory Schmidt is focused on growth, competitiveness and taking the next step as a program. Entering the year, Schmidt and his squad are embracing both the opportunities and challenges that come with a demanding schedule and a hungry, experienced roster. Schmidt has set a clear tone for the season. “Our expectations this season are to be competitive in every game we play,” he said.
Dragon Softball sets sights on growth and grit
As I step into my first season leading the Dragons softball program, I’m excited about the opportunity to build something meaningful, not just for this year, but for the future. While I’m new to the program, I’ve previously spent seven seasons as a head coach in Hawaii, and I’m grateful to bring that experience into a group that’s eager to grow. From day one, our focus has been less about wins and losses and more about building a strong foundation.
Dragon Girls Hockey ends season with All-Conference awards
Despite a challenging schedule, this year’s girls hockey team showed resilience, growth, and a commitment to competing at a high level every night. Finishing with a 7-19 record, the group faced one of the toughest slates in the area, competing against five top 10 teams and three additional top 20 opponents. The team also matched up three times with Chisago Lakes and took on two AA programs, consistently rising to the level of competition.
Girls Hockey ends season with All-Conference awards
Despite a challenging schedule, this year’s girls hockey team showed resilience, growth, and a commitment to competing at a high level every night. Finishing with a 7-19 record, the group faced one of the toughest slates in the area, competing against five top ten teams and three additional top twenty opponents. The team also matched up three times with Chisago Lakes and took on two AA programs, consistently rising to the level of competition.
Dragon Boys Hockey wraps up season with year-end awards
The Dragon Area Boys Hockey team finished the season with an impressive 17-9-1 record and secured second place in the Mississippi 8 Conference, marking a successful year both on the field and in the classroom. The team was recognized for its academic excellence by earning the Team Academic Silver Award, highlighting the commitment of the players to their studies as well as their athletic performance.
Dragons advance to second round, fall to Monticello in close matchup
The Pine City Area Dragon Boys Hockey team wrapped up their season Saturday night in Monticello in the second round of the section playoffs, battling their longtime rivals in yet another classic showdown. But before that, the Dragons gave fans a playoff game they’ll never forget. After a double-overtime thriller in Pine City, the Dragons punched their ticket to the second round in dramatic fashion.
Dragon Boys Hockey heating up at the right time
The Pine City Area boys hockey team is heating up at exactly the right time, and the rest of Section 5A has officially been put on notice. After a strong stretch of home games, the Dragons found their rhythm, tightened up their lines, and built the kind of confidence that makes playoff runs possible. They closed the regular season with statement wins at Chisago Lakes and at home against Northern Edge and longtime rivals Mora.
Dragons roar back with back to back wins
The Pine City Area Boys Hockey team bounced back in a big way after last week’s overtime heartbreak against the Bluejackets. The Dragons dominated the Princeton Tigers and followed it up with a statement win over River Lakes on Saturday at home. Pine City Area will look to carry that momentum into the final stretch of the season when they host their heated rivals, the Mora Mustangs, on Thursday night.
Goalie Sanftner eclipses 2,000 saves!
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team wrapped up its season in the first round of the Section 5A playoffs, traveling to face Westonka/Southwest Christian. While the Dragons’ season ended there, the White Hawks continued their run by knocking off second-seeded Orono and advancing to face Breck in the section finals.
Girls hockey looks forward to post season play
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team will close out its regular season this week with a road matchup against Westonka/Southwest Christian. Before heading into the final stretch, the Dragons squared off Thursday with their Mississippi Eight Conference rivals, the Chisago Lakes Wildcats, in Chisago, and will welcome the Wildcats back this week to wrap up the home schedule.
Dragon Girls Hockey, final test before playoffs
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team will close out its regular season this week with a road matchup against Westonka/Southwest Christian. Before heading into the final stretch, the Dragons squared off Thursday with their Mississippi Eight Conference rivals, the Chisago Lakes Wildcats, in Chisago, and will welcome the Wildcats back this week to wrap up the home schedule.
Dragons dominate storm, lose in overtime with Jackets
The Pine City Area Dragons Boys Hockey team is looking to set the tone for the last two weeks of the season; the road warriors wrapped up their regular season away games and look forward to two weeks of home ice. Pine City Area 5, North Shore 1 The Dragons wasted no time setting the tone, coming out flying and rolling to a convincing 5-1 win over the Storm. Luciano Schisano put on a show, burying two goals for his first multi-goal performance of the season.
Girls hockey takes an overtime win
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team got a boost in morale last week with a week of solid workouts and limited pressure. The Dragons also rallied in overtime against the Princeton Tigers to get the victory in overtime. Pine City Area 2, Princeton 1 OT It was an entertaining back-and-forth battle for the fans, with both teams firing 30 shots on goal in a game that felt eerily similar to their first matchup, another hard-fought 2-1 victory for the Dragons.
Dragons soar past Rebels, face uphill battle against Hilltoppers
The Pine City Area Boys Varsity Hockey team had an interesting week. The Dragons put on a dominating performance against Moose Lake/Willow River Rebels but were pounced by Duluth Marshall, ranked 9th in Class A with a 15-2-2 record. Pine City Area 12, Moose Lake/Willow River 3 The Dragons wasted no time turning up the heat, unleashing a relentless offensive attack right from the opening faceoff.
Dragon Area Girls Hockey takes an overtime win against Princeton
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team got a boost in morale last week with a week of solid workouts and limited pressure. The Dragons also rallied in overtime against the Princeton Tigers to get the victory in overtime. Pine City Area 2, Princeton 1 OT It was an entertaining back-and-forth battle for the fans, with both teams firing 30 shots on goal in a game that felt eerily similar to their first matchup, another hard-fought 2-1 victory for the Dragons.
Season winds down for girls hockey
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Pine City Area Girls Hockey team faced a challenging stretch, squaring off against Delano/Rockford and Gentry Academy as the postseason picture continues to take shape. Delano/Rockford 7, Pine City Area 1 The Dragons ran into a tough sectional opponent in Delano/Rockford, struggling to match their speed and special teams efficiency.
Dragons bounce back against the Eagles
The Dragons entered the week riding a two game winning streak, a stretch defined by disciplined defense and a rediscovered offensive spark. Senior captain McCall Leger continued to etch his name into program history, moving into the top three all-time scorers in Pine City hockey. Head coach Seth Sauter reflected on the milestone, saying, “McCall eclipsed 161 points last week.
Peetz takes first at East Ridge Ruckes
The Pine City/Hinckley-Finlayson Girls Wrestling team capped off their week at the East Ridge Ruckus with a series of impressive performances and podium finishes. Junior Zoey Peetz and senior Addison Blaiser both battled their way into championship matches, showcasing the continued growth and competitiveness of the program.
Dragons bounce back against the Eagles
The Dragons entered the week riding a two game winning streak, a stretch defined by disciplined defense and a rediscovered offensive spark. Senior captain McCall Leger continued to etch his name into program history, moving into the top three all-time scorers in Pine City hockey. Head coach Seth Sauter reflected on the milestone, saying, “McCall eclipsed 161 points last week.
Dragon Area Girls hockey nearing postseason
With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Pine City Area Girls Hockey team faced a challenging stretch, squaring off against Delano/Rockford and Gentry Academy as the postseason picture continues to take shape. Delano/Rockford 7, Pine City Area 1 The Dragons ran into a tough sectional opponent in Delano/Rockford, struggling to match their speed and special teams efficiency.
Wrestling team overpowers opponents
On Tuesday night, the Pine City Area Boys Varsity Wrestling team hosted Senior Night, treating a packed home crowd to an evening filled with high-energy matches and a dramatic finish. PCHF 42, Proctor/Hermantown 10 The Dragons set the tone early against Proctor/Hermantown, led by senior Jaxon Karas and freshman Matthew Mead, who each recorded falls. Pine City also capitalized on five forfeits, steadily building their lead and cruising to a convincing win over the Mirage.
Dragons come up just short
The Dragons Area Girls Hockey team faced a daunting back to back road stretch against tough Section 7A competition, and the weekend tested their resilience in every way. Friday night in Proctor was a rough one, as the Dragons ran into a red hot Proctor/Hermantown squad sitting at 11-4-2 on the season. The Mirage came out flying, and despite the Dragons’ best efforts, the game snowballed into an 11-goal barrage that sent Pine City back home searching for answers.
Boys Hockey get key win over Sauk Rapids
The Dragons picked up a crucial section win Saturday afternoon in Sauk Rapids, jumping out early and never letting the Storm find their footing. The victory came at the perfect time, as Pine City entered the matchup riding the momentum of a tight win over Northern Tier, while also looking to rebound from a tough home loss to conference leading Chisago Lakes. Pine City Area 5, Sauk Rapids-Rice 1 The Dragons took care of business in a Saturday matinee, silencing the home crowd almost immediately.
Dragons come up just short
The Dragons Area Girls Hockey team faced a daunting back to back road stretch against tough Section 7A competition, and the weekend tested their resilience in every way. Friday night in Proctor was a rough one, as the Dragons ran into a red hot Proctor/Hermantown squad sitting at 11-4-2 on the season. The Mirage came out flying, and despite the Dragons’ best efforts, the game snowballed into an 11-goal barrage that sent Pine City back home searching for answers.
Girls hockey team wins with seconds to go
The Pine City Area Dragon girls hockey team took on Visitation Blazers on Saturday, Jan. 3 defeating them 5-4. The Dragons stormed through the first two periods behind strong offensive play from their top lines. Sophomore Madison Perreault led the charge with two goals, while linemates Abby Donahue and Taliah Peterson each added a goal of their own. After two periods, Pine City appeared firmly in control, carrying a confident 4-1 lead into the third. However, the home team wasn’t finished.
Schwarzbauer, Peetz, Blaiser all reach championship matches
The Lady grappers finished with impressive weekend. Super star Addison Blaiser continues put her marks on strong finishes in the female brackets. Blaiser wrapped up her weekend with a first place finish. Blaiser would win four matches by fall only reaching the third period in her final match. Evelyn Schwarzbauer and Zoey Peetz both finished in second place. Peetz would wrap up the weekend with four wins, three by fall and one on a decision.
Karas, Mead finish third at Hopkins
The Dragons carried fight into the Rock Ridge Duals, facing a demanding slate of opponents and delivering several nail-biting team battles. Little Falls defeated Pine City-Hinckley-Finlayson 71-6; Zimmerman defeated PCHF 49-22; North Branch defeated PCHF 42-34; Hibbing edged PCHF 42-36; PCHF dominated Ashland 54-6; and PCHF edged Rock Ridge 36-35.
Girls hockey shows grit
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team hit a tough stretch heading into the holiday break. After back to back wins and a heartbreaking loss to Northern Tier, the Dragons dropped two straight games to close out the first half of the season and sit at 4-10. Pine City fell to North Shore and Sauk Rapids/Sartell in a challenging finish before the break. North Shore 4, Pine City Area 1 The Storm and Dragons met in Mora for their second matchup of the season on Saturday, Dec.
Dragons win back to back at home
The Pine City Area Boys Hockey team stormed into the winter break with back to back home victories, building momentum and confidence as the season reaches its midpoint. The Dragons combined relentless offensive pressure with disciplined defense, putting together two exciting wins in front of the home crowd. Pine City Area 5, Amery 2 Pine City wasted no time setting the pace, jumping on Amery with speed and intensity from the opening faceoff.
Girls hockey shows grit
The Pine City Area Girls Hockey team hit a tough stretch heading into the holiday break. After back to back wins and a heartbreaking loss to Northern Tier, the Dragons dropped two straight games to close out the first half of the season and sit at 4-10. Pine City fell to North Shore and Sauk Rapids/Sartell in a challenging finish before the break. North Shore 4, Pine City Area 1 The Storm and Dragons met in Mora for their second matchup of the season, and the game followed a familiar script.
Pine City Area girls hockey loses in OT
The Pine City Area Girls team came up short in their lone contest this week losing 4-3 to Northern Tier. The team held a late lead before surrendering the tying goal in the final minutes and seeing the game pushed to overtime. Fans were treated to a thrilling night of extra girls hockey as the Dragons and Stars battled in a fast-paced, back and forth contest.
Mead, Albrecht start season strong
The Pine City-Hinckley-Finlayson Dragons Wrestling squad has had a busy start to the season. The Dragons opened the year in Grand Rapids with a team dual, followed by an early-season invitational where numerous wrestlers picked up their first victories of the year. The team has since competed in duals against South St. Paul, Minnetonka, and Rochester Mayo in a quad meet, as well as at the St. Agnes Duals.
Dragon hockey teams come so close
The boys and girls Pine City Area Hockey teams both came up short in their lone contests this week. The Pine City Area Girls team held a late lead before surrendering the tying goal in the final minutes and seeing the game pushed to overtime, while the boys narrowly fell in a hard-fought matchup against the Bluejackets in Isanti. Northern Tier 4, Pine City 3 Fans were treated to a thrilling night of extra girls hockey as the Dragons and Stars battled in a fast-paced, back and forth contest.
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