Area notebook: Blakeslee to represent U.S. in Tobago

Kyle Blakeslee of Cannon Falls has been selected to represent the United States in the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Mt. Irvine, Tobago, on March 6. Blakeslee, who is a freshman at Augustana College, qualified for the event after an 11th place finish in the USA Junior Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash., on Feb. 13.

She will compete in the junior women’s 4K event where the athletes must be under 20 years old.

“The Augustana track and cross country program is extremely proud of Kyle Blakeslee’s selection to represent the United States at the NACAC event in Tobago,” coach Tracey Hellman said on the team’s Web site.

“To have an athlete represent Augustana College and the USA in an international competition is a huge accomplishment. This experience will be extremely valuable in her future cross country and track and field career.”

• Red Wing’s Ryan Kesti has committed to play Division I college hockey at Northern Michigan next season. The Wildcats play in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Kesti is in his second season in the United States Hockey League. He plays defense for the Sioux City Musketeers and has one goal and two assists in 43 games.

• Reid Cashman is seeing significant playing time for the Milwaukee Admirals, who play in the American Hockey League.

Cashman is a defenseman for the Admirals and has two goals and six assists in 27 games played.

Milwaukee (32-20-1-5) plays host to Red Wing’s Johnny Pohl and the Chicago Wolves today. The Wolves enter the game on an eight-game winning streak with a record of 37-17-0-4.

Pohl scored in Chicago’s last game and now has 14 goals and 22 assists in 44 games played.

• Blake Schammel of Red Wing has three goals and five assists in 34 games played for the Owatonna Express. The Express play in the North American Hockey League and are 27-18-4 on the season.

• Cannon Falls graduate Cory Montgomery was mentioned in a recent issue of Sports Illustrated as part of a story about the Nebraska women’s basketball program. Montgomery, one of six seniors on the team, is second on the squad in scoring (13.2 points per game) and rebounding (4.9 rebounds per game) this season.

She scored a season-high 24 points Wednesday as the Huskers beat Oklahoma and clinched the Big 12 Conference Championship. Nebraska is now 26-0 on the season.

Montgomery is the second local athlete to be named in the magazine in recent months. Zumbrota’s Maggie McNamara was a Face in the Crowd in the Sept. 14, 2009, issue.

• Lake City’s Whitney Fick helped the Rochester Community and Technical College women’s basketball team finish with a 18-6 regular season. Fick scored 12 points and had five rebounds against Fergus Falls last weekend. She had a team-high 20 points and six rebounds when the Yellowjackets played Riverland Community College on Feb. 13.

RCTC plays in the MCAT Tournament this weekend.

Tags: kyle blakeslee, cannon falls, ryan kesti, red wing, reid cashman, johnny pohl, blake schammel, cory montgomery, whitney fick, lake city, sports notebook, sports, proam, bombers, wingers, tigers