Quote Me, Howie: Mandy Pearson, Brooke Olson

Bulldogs women’s basketball coach Mandy Pearson on this weekend’s home opponent, Bemidji State (6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday at historic Romano Gym ( Watch Online ): “They're tough, and (sixth-year Beavers head coach) Chelsea's (Deville) done a really good job. They're well-coached, pretty efficient with the things they're doing offensively. Defensively, I think they're going to pressure us a little bit and try to make us uncomfortable. They've got a good post player (Rachael Heittola) who is strong and aggressive, who looks to score, and another post player coming off the bench who’s very similar. And they’ve got some guards who can make plays. So, it should be a good series. I'm excited to get out there and play them, and hopefully we will play well.”
Pearson on the physical and mental challenges of a pandemic-ravaged season: “It's fun for our players to keep working and hopefully get into a flow that's going to make us better as a team. I think the biggest challenge this year has been that there's no flow to the season, but our players are handling it well. It’s been fun to go two straight weeks of games. So, our fingers are crossed that we're playing this weekend as well.”

Pearson on where the sixth-ranked Bulldogs (7-0 overall, 6-0 NSIC North) have shown the most maturity this season: “I think our leadership is fantastic. Our players have really come together, they’re communicating well and scheming behind the scenes what they need to be doing on the court. Their IQs are very high and while they're talking, they're also listening to each other. I'm really curious to see how it's going to go this weekend because we have not played our best basketball yet. And I don't think we're even close to that. So, I'm hoping that we can build off the two weeks of consistency this weekend and next week, and hopefully get into that NSIC tournament."
Bulldogs junior Brooke Olson on the Beavers (7-3, 6-2): “They're a force to be reckoned with in the NSIC. And I think a lot of people pushed them to the side in the preseason. They're proving people wrong and we're definitely not taking that lightly. I think we're all pretty fired up about just getting to play again this weekend and hopefully play our best, to prove that we are the better team.”

Olson on the Bulldogs' maturity: “Last year, I think coach was focusing us going up and down like a roller coaster -- and just keeping that consistency. And I think this year, if people are going on runs against us, we're fine with it because we have the confidence that we're going to come back, and no one person has to bear it all. It’s all 14 of us.”
Olson on the Bulldogs’ chase for an NCAA tourney berth: “So, we went to Missouri and had that NCAA game canceled last year, which has been in the back of our heads this entire year. I think that's also motivating us to stay within our pods and just really focus on each other, focus on the season right now and keeping each other accountable. We’re all super excited to hopefully play some basketball until March and hopefully make a run in the NCAA Tournament.”
SPORTS

Mythical Duluth Times High
School Boys Hockey League Standings
(As of Wednesday, Feb. 10)

1. Duluth East 2-2-1 (7 points). Results: T Denfeld 4-4; W Cloquet 2-1; L Grand Rapids 3-0; W Cloquet 5-1; L Hermantown 5-1. Remaining league games: host Grand Rapids (Mar. 2), at Hermantown (Mar. 9), at Denfeld (Mar. 11). Predicted finish: 3rd

2. Grand Rapids 2-0 (6). Results: W Cloquet 6-1; W Duluth East 3-0. Remaining league games: at Hermantown (Thursday), at Duluth East (Mar. 2), host Hermantown (Mar. 4), host Cloquet (Mar. 6), at Denfeld (Mar. 16), host Denfeld (TBA). Predicted finish: 2nd
3. Hermantown 2-0 (6). Results: W Cloquet 6-0; W Duluth East 5-1. Remaining league games: host Grand Rapids (Thursday), host Denfeld (Feb. 16), at Denfeld (Feb. 25), at Grand Rapids (Mar. 4), host Duluth East (Mar. 9), host Cloquet (Mar. 11). Predicted finish: 1st

4. Denfeld 1-0-1 (4). Results: T Duluth East 4-4; W Cloquet 7-4. Remaining league games: at Hermantown (Feb. 16), host Hermantown (Feb. 25), host Cloquet (Mar. 8), host Duluth East (Mar. 11), at Grand Rapids (Mar. 16), at Grand Rapids (TBA). Predicted finish: 4th

5. Cloquet 0-5 (0). Results: L Grand Rapids 6-1; L Duluth East 2-1; L Hermantown 6-0; L Duluth East 5-1; L Denfeld 7-4. Remaining league games: at Grand Rapids (Mar. 6), at Denfeld (Mar. 8), at Hermantown (Mar. 11). Predicted finish: 5th
Player on our Watch List: Hermantown sophomore defenseman Ty Hanson, an elite Division I prospect who has an unlimited upside. He has three goals and 13 points for the 9-0 Hawks. He was The Duluth Times' third star in Hermantown's 5-1 victory against Duluth East on Tuesday, behind Hawks sophomore forward Zam Plante, senior defenseman Joey Pierce (a Bulldogs' recruit). Hanson, an amazing talent with speed, size, strength and toughness might have the highest upside of the trio -- although Plante has a ridiculously-high ceiling.

Editor's Note: Mythical Duluth Times High School Boys Hockey League teams collect three points for a regulation victory, two points for an overtime victory, one point for an overtime loss, and one point apiece for an overtime tie. All teams will play each team in the league twice in home-and-home series.

DULUTH TIMES ARCHIVES FOR THIS WEEK