Dean Morrill
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Articles by Dean Morrill
WHA soccer team opens playoffs with 3-1 home win
A brilliant fall day led to a brilliant game of soccer by Walker-Hackensack-Akeley as they bested Crookston 3-1 in the opening round of the Section 8A playoffs Oct. 10 on Ostlund Field. The Wolves now travel to face top seed East Grand Forks Oct. 13. Elizabeth Cairns scored twice and added an assist. Zoe Cox had one goal and assisted on another, with Lynnea White also having an assist. Cairns scored the first goal on White’s pass to give WHA a 1-0 lead at the break.
WHA gets first win, keeps Highway 371 trophy; defense forces 5 turnovers in 42-8 victory
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley scored five touchdowns in the first half on their way to a 48-8 home win over Cass Lake-Bena Oct. 9. It was the Wolves’ first win of the season with two more winnable games remaining. WHA travels to 0-6 Red Lake Oct. 13, and closes the regular season at 3-3 Nevis Oct. 22. The Wolves finished with 298 yards of offense, with 236 coming in the first half as they built a 35-8 lead. Tristan Yeats ran 77 yards on five runs and also completed 2-10 passes for 31 yards.
WHA volleyball splits two matches last week; beat Blackduck at home
The Wolves played one of their best matches of the season and celebrated with a big home win over conference rival Blackduck Oct. 8. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley served at 95 percent and finished with 43 kills, while also cutting down on their errors. The Wolves took a close first set 25-23 but dropped the second 17-25. They quickly regained the momentum to take the next two 26-24 and 25-21. The team’s top servers were Evelyn Wood (16-16) with five aces and Kylea Ludwig (15-15) with one ace.
Laporte volleyball closes out regular season with 3 winnable matches
Laporte heads into the final week of the volleyball season with only four matches remaining, but all of them are on the road. The Wildcats, sitting at 10-11, travel to Verndale and Blackduck this week, and next week are at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley and Clearbrook-Gonvick. Last week Laporte only had one match on the schedule and fell in three sets to Pine River-Backus (no stats available from this match). Laporte falls in 4 sets The Wildcats fell in four sets to visiting Lake of the Woods Sept. 29.
Nevis falls to undefeated Park Christian 58-8
There was no second-half comeback for Nevis in their home game with Park Christian Oct. 10. The Falcons jumped out to a big halftime lead and cruised to a 53-8 win. Nevis’ lone touchdown came by Peyton Benson in the second half. He finished with 106 yards on 24 carries, while Lincoln Ogundeji ran in the two-point conversion. Ogundeji completed 7-12 passes for 59 yards and did not throw an interception.
Nevis volleyball beats Cass Lake-Bena, rally to nip Browerville
Nevis volleyball had a busy few days last week. They beat both Browerville-Eagle Valley and Cass Lake-Bena, and then traveled to St. Michael Albertville to compete in a tournament. Facing off against Browerville Oct. 5, the Tigers rallied to win the final two sets in a five-set thriller. After winning the first set 25-22, Nevis dropped the next two 9-25 and 21-25. They regained the momentum and won the next two 25-23 and 15-12. Nevis served at 93 percent with eight aces and had nine total blocks.
WHA soccer rallies in second half for a 4-1 Homecoming win
The Wolves soccer team gave the home fans a lot to applaud about as they scored four times in the second half and rallied for a 4-1 win Oct. 1. Walker-Hackensack-Akeley controlled most of the action in the first half of their Homecoming match with Melrose, but had nothing to show for it. Despite have several shots on goal and some that were just wide of the frame, the Dutchman led 1-0 because of a defensive lapse.
Laporte holds of Clearbrook-Gonvick to win in 5 sets
The Wildcats overcame a slow start to beat Clearbrook-Gonvick in five sets Sept. 24. After dropping the first set 20-25, Laporte won the next two 25-14 and 26-24. A 21-25 loss in the fourth set-up a winner-take-all fifth set that Laporte won 15-10. Laporte only served at 87 percent with 10 aces, but did have 37 kills and 69 digs. Leading in attacks was Mylee Zubke with 19 kills, with Ruby Nelson adding 11. Breelie Becker recorded 32 of the team’s 35 assists.
Wolves drop Homecoming game 28-14 to rival Pine River-Backus
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley finished with 361 yards of offense in their Homecoming game against Pine River-Backus Oct. 2. That was nearly 100 yards more than their opponents, but it was the four turnovers that plagued the Wolves in a 28-14 loss. The Tigers, who finished with 269 yards, picked off three passes, including returning one for a pick-six, and recovered a backwards pass as a fumble. Two of those turnovers the Tigers turned into touchdowns.
WHA volleyball falls at Pine River-Backus, Kelliher-Northome
Conference rivals Walker-Hackensack-Akeley and Pine River-Backus have played many epic matches over the years, but this time the Wolves were no match for the Tigers. The host Tigers swept the Wolves 25-11, 25-22 and 25-17 Sept. 29 behind strong serving and play. WHA had its worst serving performance of the season at 79 percent with only three aces, while the Tigers were at 86 percent with seven aces. The Wolves’ top performers were Claire Arnold, Kylea Ludwig and Evelyn Wood.
Nevis volleyball edges host Laporte in four sets
Wildcat Arena was packed Oct. 1 as Laporte faced off against rival Nevis in volleyball action. Each set was close with the Tigers prevailing in four: 25-20, 21-25, 25-18 and 26-24. Nevis had the edge in kills with 35 while Laporte had 28. Laporte did serve better at 93 percent compared to 89 percent for Nevis, with each team having 12 aces. The difference was Nevis had 13 fewer total errors. The top performers for Nevis were Ariana Hamblin, Mackenzie Lindow and Azariah Ogundeji.
Nevis rallies from scoreless first half to stun Bagley 26-21
Peyton Benson rushed for four second-half touchdowns as host Nevis rallied past a stunned Bagley squad 26-21 in their Homecoming game Oct. 2. Benson, a senior captain, finished with 163 yards on 27 carries, and also ran in one two-point conversion. Three of his touchdowns came in the fourth quarter as Nevis outscored the visitors 20-0. “Peyton hammering the play after play gave the boys confidence, and when that happened our line took over,” said Coach Kevin Longtin.
WHA soccer rallies in second half for a 4-1 Homecoming win
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Submit The Source 2027 cover photo and win prizes
Do you have a photo that captures life in the Leech Lake area? The photo chosen will be on The Source 2027 cover, a magazine The Pilot-Independent publishes every year. The photo will receive a one-year subscription to The Pilot plus $50 in cash. The photo can be of wildlife, landscape, or a community or town event. The only requirement is that it be high resolution and taken in Cass or Hubbard counties.
Nevis beats WHA in straight sets, tops Verndale in 4
Nevis got off to a great start at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley thanks to strong serving and net play. The Tigers served at 91 percent with 14 aces, compared to only 80 percent and six aces for the Wolves. Nevis also put away 34 kills, which was 18 more than WHA. Leading the Tigers in serving were Mackenzie Lindow (23-24) with seven aces and Sage Chase (17-18) with two aces. Mya Durgin and Ariana Hamblin both had two aces. Lindow and Azariah Ogundeji led Nevis with nine and eight kills, respectively.
Polk County West hands WHA its fourth straight loss, 30-6
The Wolves forced the game’s first turnover on Walter Reese’s interception on the opening drive, but were unable to turn the miscue into points. Host Polk County West took their second possession 85 yards, capping the nine-play drive into six points. The home team added a touchdown in the second quarter and another in the third before Walker-Hackensack-Akeley scored, cutting the lead to 21-6.
Nevis bows to Mahnomen-Waubun 49-6 in gridiron action
Tyler York’s 90-yard kick-off return for a touchdown was Nevis’ only score in their 49-6 loss at Mahnomen-Waubun Sept. 25. The loss drops the Tigers to 2-2 overall, while the Thunderbirds improve to 4-0. The return was the only bright spot for Nevis, who was held to 21 yards rushing and 21 yards passing. Quarterback Lincoln Ogundeji did not play. Alex Norton completed two passes for 12 yards and Peyton Benson connected on two passes for nine yards.
WHA soccer has four games remaining in regular season
The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley soccer team won a home game last week and lost another, moving their season record to 3-6-1, with four games left in the regular season. This week they travel to Pelican Rapids and host Melrose, two teams they’ve already beaten this season. They close at St. John’s Prep and Crookston next week. In their home game with Crookston Sept.
Laporte volleyball team moves to 9-8 after two wins last week
Wins over Clearbrook-Gonvick and McGregor last week improves Laporte’s record to 9-8 overall. The Wildcats edged the Bears in five sets at home Sept. 24 (no match stats were available at press time), while they swept the Mercs in straight sets Sept. 21. In their home win over McGregor, Laporte served at 96 percent with 16 aces, and put down 24 kills.
Hackensack’s 22nd annual Chainsaw Event — watch as 12 carvers turn logs into art
Sept. 25: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Chainsaw Artists sculpting 2 p.m., All-American Lumberjack Show 3 p.m., Quick Carves Sept. 26: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Chainsaw Artists sculpting 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., All-American Lumberjack Show 2 p.m., Carvings Auction (registration opens one hour before auction) Sept.
WHA gives up touchdown in final seconds; falls 14-8 to Bagley
Twelve minutes is all that stood between Walker-Hackensack-Akeley getting their first win of the football season at Ostlund Field Sept. 18. Leading 8-6 over undefeated Bagley at the half, the 0-2 Wolves were unable to generate any offense, and the Flyers scored in the closing seconds to win 14-8 and improve to 3-0 on the season. WHA only managed to pick-up two first downs in the second half, and they both came on their opening possession in the third period.
Nevis moves to 2-1, trounces Cass Lake-Bena 51-8 in first home game
Nevis improved their season record to 2-1 with a convincing 51-8 win over Cass Lake-Bena Sept. 18. It was the Tigers’ first home game of the season, with six players scoring touchdowns. Peyton Benson ran for two touchdowns and two conversions, with Lincoln Ogundeji and Hunter Brandenburg each running for one. Lincoln Ogundeji tossed touchdown passes to Robert Lindow and Tyler York. Thomas Lindow and Robert Lindow each scored a conversion, and Elijah Benson kicked an extra point.
WHA volleyball topple conference foes; drop two road matches
The Wolves may have been a little road weary last week, but were able to pull out a win in four sets at Clearbrook-Gonvick Sept. 15. Despite serving at only 85 percent, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley did have 15 aces as they won 25-23, 25-18, 21-25 and 25-20. Serving at 100 percent were Keira Frizzell (7-7) and Kylea Ludwig (3-3). Elayna Freeman (11-12) and Claire Arnold (9-10) only had one error and Alivia Haagensen (14-16) two.
Laporte volleyball improves to 5-5, pick up two conference wins
The Wildcats rallied for a five-set victory over visiting Kelliher-Northome in a hotly contested match Sept. 10. Laporte, which currently has a 5-5 mark, swept host Cass Lake-Bena in straight sets Sept. 17 (no stats available at press time for the latter). In their home match with the Mustangs, Laporte dropped the first and third sets 21-25 and 10-25, but took the second 25-12, and the final two 25-20 and 15-11.
Nevis sweeps Blackduck, Red Lake in conference showdown
The Tigers got off to a great start and beat visiting Blackduck in three set by scores of 25-17, 25-18 and 25-19 Sept. 15. Strong serving and attacking carried Nevis to the conference win. The Tigers served at 87 percent with 14 aces and averaged nine kills per set. They also recorded four blocks and had 20 fewer errors than the Drakes. Of the 27 kills Nevis put away, Ariana Hamblin led with nine.
Enrollment numbers at WHA School are up
After just a couple of weeks into the new school year at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School, enrollment numbers are up in both the elementary and high school. In reports given by elementary Principal Jill McGowan and high school Principal Julie Granberg at the Sept. 14 school board meeting, the elementary had 21 new students with nine leaving the district. Enrollment in grades 6-12, which started school a week before, has 32 new students and 17 that left for other school districts or online schooling.
Paws and Claws Pets of the Week
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WHA volleyball team beats Cass Lake-Ben, hosts annual Wolfpack Invite
A week into the new school year and the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley volleyball team has already played two matches and hosted the annual Wolfpack Invite. In a conference match with Cass Lake-Bena Sept. 10 in Walker, the Wolves won in three sets (no stats available by press time). Two days later WHA played four matches in the 11-team home invite. WHA opened facing Park Rapids, narrowly losing 19-25 and 21-25.
Nevis volleyball squad wins their first road match
Early in the 2026 volleyball season, Nevis is improving with each game they play, and last week they beat host Clearbrook-Gonvick in three sets. The Tigers opened with a 25-15 win, and followed by taking the next two 25-19 and 25-21. Nevis served at 85 percent with 11 aces, and only had 44 errors compared to 59 for the Bears. Serving at 100 percent were Mckenna Stacey (11-11) with three aces, Sage Chase (9-9) and Mackenzie Lindow (8-8) with two aces.
WHA’s football offense stymied for second time; fall 25-0 to Park Christian
For the second straight week Walker-Hackensack-Akeley was shut out as host Park Christian Academy took advantage of a couple of turnovers to win 25-0 on a warm and blustery night Sept. 11. The Wolves’ defense was solid for most of the game, pitching a shut out until two touchdowns late in the second quarter. Both were set up by interceptions on back-to-back possessions by the Wolves. Of WHA’s seven possessions in the first half, three ended with turnovers and the other with punts.
Pine River-Backus scores in 4th quarter to edge Nevis 14-12
The Tigers led host Pine River-Backus 12-6 entering the fourth quarter, and despite rolling up nearly 300 yards of offense, were unable to hold the lead and fell 14-12. The difference was Nevis going 0-2 on two-point conversions, a week after they scored three against Crookston, while Pine River-Backus scored just one, which broke a 12-12 tie in the final quarter. Lincoln Ogundeji scored one rushing touchdown while Robert Lindow caught a seven-yard pass from Whyatt Ford for the second.
Nevis opens gridiron season shutting out Crookston 38-0
Nevis opened the football season shutting out host Crookston 38-0 Sept. 3, with the defense forcing four turnovers, including scoring a safety. Peyton Benson, Weston Bessler and Robert Lindow each intercepted a pass, and Hunter Brandenburg recovered a fumble. The offense finished with 230 yards of rushing and another 68 yards through the air. Lincoln Ogundeji ran for 88 yards on nine carries and scored two touchdowns.
WHA soccer starts season off playing the competition tough
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley dominated most of the action in the first half of the home game Sept. 10 with Two Harbors, and were rewarded when Zoe Cox scored at the 26:58 mark. Elizabeth Cairns set up the goal, and Natalie Stine made a handful of stops as the Wolves led 1-0 at the break. WHA scored again in the second half with Emma Landreville putting the ball away. However, Agates scored six times for a 6-2 win.
Walker Council approves preliminary tax levy at 5 percent; approves garage sale days
The Walker City Council approved the preliminary tax levy for 2027 and also decided to hold two city-wide garage sales next year at the Sept. 8 council meeting. The preliminary budget and tax levy was increased by 5 percent from the 2026 levy, which is $1,289,448. The $61,375 increase in spending will be finalized at the Dec. 7 Truth in Taxing meeting. Last year the Walker tax levy was increased by 6 percent. The council also passed a motion to hold a city-wide garage sale day in Walker in 2027.
Nevis opens volleyball season beating Park Rapids
After dropping the first set to visiting Park Rapids, Nevis rallied by taking the next three to open the volleyball season with a home win Aug. 31. The Panthers took the opener 25-21, only for the Tigers to win three straight 25-22, 25-19 and 25-21. Nevis finished with 11 aces but only served at 84 percent. Mckenna Stacey was the only Tiger to serve at 100 percent, going 11-11 with one ace. Cassandra Bolster and Arianna Hamblin both had three aces, and Sage Chase and Mya Durgin recorded two each.
Laporte volleyball take third at Hill City-Northland Tourney
The Wildcats beat both Littlefork-Big Falls and East Central to finish in third place at the Hill City-Northland Tournament Aug. 29. In their first match, they beat the Vikings 25-16 and 25-10 behind 15 kills and 84 percent serving with 10 aces. Ruby Nelson and Mylee Zubke led with five kills each and Haylee Jacobson had four. Breelie Becker led with 15 assists. Anabelle Fell led serving at 92 percent (12-13) and Tatiyana Weikle was at 87 percent with six aces.
Strong serving carries Sebeka to three-set win over host WHA in season-opener
Sebeka recorded 14 aces and served at nearly 90 percent to open the season in a straight-set win over host Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Sept. 1. Each set was close with the Trojans coming out on top 25-21, 25-19 and 25-19. WHA only served at 80 percent with four aces and finished with 52 errors, 18 more than Sebeka. Kylea Ludwig led the Wolves with seven kills and nine digs, with Alivia Haagensen adding five kills, and both Elayna Freeman and Calli Watson had four kills.
WHA falls 41-0 at home to Mahnomen-Waubun in football season opener
A turnover on Walker-Hackensack-Akeley’s first offensive series ended a drive near midfield in their season-opening game at Ostlund Field Sept. 3. The next time WHA touched the ball they once again crossed midfield, only to turn the ball over on downs. WHA coughed the ball up on their third possession, but the defense came up with a stop as Peyton Richter recovered a fumble inside the five-year line.
WHA School operating referendum highlights board meeting
The 2026 operating levy for Walker-Hackensack-Akeley was one of the first items the school board discussed during the Aug. 10 school board meeting. A power point presentation on a voter-approved referendum where a new state aid program will bring seasonal tax base replacement aid to the school district was reviewed. If the district passes the operating levy, the state will provide up to a 50 percent match in aid to the district.
Walker Council discuss WHA Scholl parking lot variance, vets memorial in city park
A variance to increase the parking lot at Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School and a veterans memorial in the city park were just two items the city council discussed at the regular meeting Aug. 3. The veterans memorial would be located near the turn-around area in the upper city park, contingent upon measurement of and agreement on the size.
WHA School operating referendum will be on fall ballot
There will be two questions on the ballot for a special election Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School will hold this fall on a proposed operating referendum. At the July 13 meeting, the board approved both questions and also discussed an agreement with a public relations firm. Question 1 will not raises taxes and allows the district to receive $637,274 in new revenue that has already been paid by seasonal recreation property owners.
Walker Council discusses pickleball use on tennis courts
The Walker City Council discussed the one-month trial period for pickleball use on the tennis court in the city park and a library landscaping project at the July 6 meeting that lasted 35 minutes. The pickleball use on the tennis court occurred from June 1-30, at the request by the Pickleball Club Councilor Gene Granberg said the city received no calls over the 30 days, and his recommendation is to keep the tennis court and look at making the present signage permanent.
Construction of new Super One Liquor Store to begin after July 4
Construction of the new Super One Liquor Store is expected to start the week of July 6 with an opening date in late October. Last week, elected officials, community leaders, employees of Miner’s Inc. and vendors were on hand for a ground-breaking ceremony that was held in the rain. Dave Vadnais, director of operations for Miner’s Inc., said during the ground breaking that all the bids for $4.2 million project have come in and most have been accepted.
WHA baseball team sweeps Northland Conference awards
The Walker-Hackensack-Akeley baseball team went 9-0 in the Northland Conference, and in the process swept all the top conference awards. The Wolves took home 11 conference awards and another eight team awards. Selected all-conference were seniors Gavin Swanson, Cole Rutten, Brad Hasse and TJ Orton, while seniors Karch Frazier and Justin Honer, and junior Levi Meschke were honorable mention. Swanson was also named the conference MVP and Orton the Cy Young Award winner.
WHA Board to move forward with operating levy that won’t raise taxes
An operating referendum that will keep seasonal recreation property taxes in the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District and not be paid to the state will be on the ballot this fall. The referendum, which will not raise property taxes, was discussed during the June 8 board meeting. If the referendum passes, it could bring in an additional $500,000 a year into the district without raising taxes and help balance the budget.
WHA girls’s golf team finish sixth at State; Reed, Pedersen both finish tied for 19th place in boys meet
Making their second straight trip to the Class A State Golf Championship, the Walker-Hackensck-Akeley girls started the tournament on a positive note. Behind personal bests by four of the six golfers, the Wolves - with one ninth grader, four eighth graders, and one seventh - posted a personal-best 370, which put them in fifth place. Haylie Brock shot an 84, Addisyn Lissick had an 88, Olivia Koch a 102 and Maddie Knowles carded a 126.
WHA, Nevis track athletes compete at State
Walker-Hackensack-Akeley and Nevis both sent a handful of athletes to the state Class A Track and Field Meet at St. Michael-Albertville School June 4-5. The Wolves’ best finish was senior Hayden Rettke in the pole vault, who tied for 10th place at 12-6 feet. The 800 relay team of Karch Frazier, Ethan Whitaker, Vinny Perucho and Rettke took 12th at 1:31.87. Whitaker, a junior, also finished 16th in the triple jump at 38-07.5 feet. Azariah Ogundeji of Nevis finished sixth in the 100 at 12.43.
Walleyes and Wheelchairs organization to put in handicapped ramp, lift in Walker City Park
A new handicapped-accessible ramp and lift will be installed in the grassy area on the right side of the boat landing area in the lower Walker City Park. Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription. Your support keeps the good stuff coming. Subscribe now for full access to local reporting, breaking news, and more. Love Funny Wow Sad Angry
Walker city street road work nearing completion
Road construction along Michigan Avenue near Green Scene and Super One Foods is expected to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription. Your support keeps the good stuff coming. Subscribe now for full access to local reporting, breaking news, and more. Love Funny Wow Sad Angry
Leech Lake Walleye Tourney top payout teams
Finish Team captain Total weight Payout Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription. Your support keeps the good stuff coming. Subscribe now for full access to local reporting, breaking news, and more. Love Funny Wow Sad Angry
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