The four of us
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a romantic holiday. By Maddie DeBilzan The four of us stride to the front of the line with our matching red White Bear Lake Recreation T-shirts and hand the beret-wearing Kodak photographer a couple of crumpled-up dollar bills. The eyelined girls who wore pink in line behind us giggle. “If you want a Valentine’s day photo with your friends,” the Central Middle School principal said the day before, “wear pink.” But we didn’t like pink. Pink was girly. Pink was for the sixth-grade girls who looked like miniature Bratz dolls, walking around with too much mascara snowballed on their eyelashes and over-straightened hair that looked like it was ready to fall off. When slept over in each other’s basements, we’d play Sardines and Wii Bowling and Truth or Dare. Then we’d make fun of girls who wore pink. “Mariah wears eyeliner, and mascara, and… Keep Reading
Defense helps Royals top Gusties
In a matchup of high-seeded MIAC teams, Bethel’s defense makes a statement in the win. By Sam Johnson Swarming hands. Moving feet. Pressuring each possession. On a typical, cold Wednesday night in February, the Bethel Royals had the Gustavus Gusties feeling the heat all game long. The ever-present defense led the charge to a convincing win for the Royals as they locked up the third seed in the MIAC playoffs, defeating the fourth-place Gusties 68-48. The home Royals began the game making their presence known on the defensive end of the floor. With starting guards Bella Williams and Haylee Barker disrupting passing lanes on the press, the Gusties scored a season-low seven first quarter points. But more shocking, they had more turnovers, nine, than total points scored. Second quarter action didn’t show much improvement for the visitors. They were held without a field goal until the four-minute mark and ended… Keep Reading
Naked and Unafraid
Go tell it on the mountain: sex shouldn’t be a whispered word. Keep Reading
50 Years in the Making
Built in 1968, Nelson Hall is set to undergo its first extensive renovation this coming summer. By Zach Walker The Bethel University freshmen currently residing in Nelson Hall are living like their parents. Sheltered by the same red and black brick walls, wandering around the same shack in the center of same lobby and peeling T-shirts away from sweat-covered skin caused by the same lack of air conditioning. These students are experiencing the Nelson of old, the Nelson of 1968. Come fall 2019, the decades-old dorm will feel like it was just built. Construction will begin the day after students leave for summer break. The idea is to create an open environment. Shack, which is currently placed in the center of the lobby, will be moved to the side of the building, creating more space for a community lounge. The closed-off kitchen will also be connected to this space.… Keep Reading
WBB: Royals hit triple digits, beat Knights
Bethel leads wire-to-wire to maintain the third spot in the MIAC standings. Next game is Saturday at home versus Macalester College. By Sam Johnson As the Bethel Royals women’s basketball team held tight to the third spot in the MIAC standings Wednesday night, their next challenge pitted them against Carleton Knights, who came into the game winless in the conference. The Royals won 100-52 in a game it led from start to finish. Bethel jumped out to an 11-1 lead within the first four minutes of the game. From the opening tip, the Royals sprinted down loose balls and trampolined for offensive rebounds. By the end of the quarter, Bethel had a 12-point lead, fueled by eight offensive rebounds in a game where they totaled 18. The second quarter played out like much of the first. Carleton’s turnovers ignited Bethel’s fast breaks. A 21-4 run helped the home team extend… Keep Reading
WBB: Royals torch Pipers
The Bethel Women’s Basketball team dominated Hamline 94-50. By Zach Walker and Josh Towner The Bethel University Royals stayed consistent and on top during this afternoon’s matchup against the Hamline University Pipers. With only one lead change between both teams, the Royals were able to take control and keep it throughout. Proving solid from inside the paint and behind the line, the Royals shot 55.6 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three. Makenna Pearson, Bethel’s leading scorer, shot five for seven from three, contributing 15 points to her total of 19. “The team having confidence in me,” Pearson said when speaking about what worked in her leading performance. “It gives me confidence.” Six players put up double-digit scoring numbers. Pearson (19), Hannah Johnson (18), Haylee Barker (12), and Elizabeth Schwarz (11) led for the Royals, while Reilly Geistfeld, the MIAC’s leading scorer at 17.1 points per game, and… Keep Reading
MBB: Royals fall to conference-leading Tommies
Bethel loses to rival St. Thomas 75-86 at home. By Abby Pautz and David Pirrie Last time these two teams faced off, the Tommies won 68-65. Wednesday at Robertson Center Gym, St. Thomas, undefeated in conference play, won again 86-75. In a game full of lead changes, the Tommies ended up shooting a 50 percent while Bethel finished at 45 percent. In the first matchup Dec. 5 at St. Thomas, the Royals led 33-22 at half. St. Thomas ended up coming back in that game. Saturday, the Royals were down 38-35 at half, but couldn’t come back as the Tommies shot 87 percent from the free throw line. The Tommies’ Anders Nelson and Connor Blair led the team with 21 points and 7 rebounds each. Nelson also went 8-for-8 on free throws. The Royals’ Granger Kingland scored 17 points and gathered 10 rebounds and Matt Ambriz also had 17. “I thought… Keep Reading
Royals fall to the Auggies
The Bethel Royals lose to the Augsburg Auggies 74-67 By Abby Pautz and David Pirrie Last time the No. 3 Augsburg Auggies and No. 4 Bethel Royals faced off in women’s basketball, Bethel blew 4 point lead with a 2 minutes remaining in the MIAC opener. In this hard fought game with over 5 lead changes in 3 minutes with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Royals didn’t get any luckier and were outplayed with the final score being 74-67. History repeated itself as the Royals were up 32-27 at half. However, being outscored 21-11 in the 3rd quarter put the Royals in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. There were bright spots on both teams as the Auggies’ Arianna Jones lead the team with 15 points, while Tamira McLemore scored 14 and led in rebounds with 6. The Royals’ Taite Anderson put up 15 with 7… Keep Reading
Late game heroics fall short
The Royals’ efforts late in the second half aren’t enough as they fall to Augsburg. By Joe Hiti and Taylor Fondie Coming off a screen at the top of the key, Derek Magnuson caught the ball. With no defender in sight, he shot and made his fourth 3-pointer of the game, cutting Augsburg’s lead to three. “They weren’t guarding me,” Magnuson said. “So, I shot it.” In his 24 point outing the Bethel big man went 4-4 from deep in a loss to Augsburg University Wednesday night. “Every game we play on runs,” Magnuson said in response to the Royals going down by 16 in the second half. “As a team we did a great job playing possession by possession until we were back in it.” The Royals went a on run of their own late in the second that saw Magnuson picking up 14 of his 24 points. They… Keep Reading
Royals take down Lumberjills in 2019 debut
Bethel opens their 2019 schedule with win over visiting Northland. By Sam Johnson As school resumed this past week for students at Bethel University, so too did the women’s hockey season. Absent for over a month, the team was welcomed back with hosts of Royals fans packing the stands at the Bethel University Arena in Blaine Friday night when they hosted the Northland Lumberjills. With standing-room-only spectators lining the upper deck, the Royals came out with an energy that looked like it was held in over the past month. The scoring began with sophomore forward Bri Stafne’s goal late in the first period, set up by an assist from sophomore defender Kennedi Mitchell. Bethel doubled up Northland in shots on goal in the period, 14-7. “It was nice to get ahead right away,” Stafne said postgame. “I think that got the energy going.” The second period was much of the… Keep Reading