Bowman native Tyson Harding joins Blue Hawks

Posted on February 2, 2012 by monke

Tyson Harding is a basketball player who just seems to be getting better.

The 6-foot-4 forward, a Bowman County High School graduate, joined the Dickinson State men’s basketball in the spring semester after spending two successful seasons playing for Dakota College at Bottineau.

Harding said he moved to Denver for work after his two years at Dakota College, but wanted to get back on the court.

“I just missed playing,” said Harding, the son of long-time Bowman County boys and girls basketball coach Kent Harding.

Harding played on the Bowman County team that finished sixth in the 2009 Class B state tournament, but he was by no means the Bulldogs’ star player. Teammates Alex Wolf and Brock Boos, now a DSU sophomore, were the main focal points.

However, he averaged 10 points per game in his two-year career at Dakota College and was a starter.

He’s redshirting this semester and plans to join the Blue Hawks’ roster next fall with two years of eligibility remaining.

“I’m here to work hard,” Harding said.

Posted in Blue Hawks, College Basketball, Frontier Conference | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lechler: Choice between NDSU and DSU was difficult

Posted on January 31, 2012 by monke

Beach senior lineman Landon Lechler has made a verbal commitment to play football for FCS champion North Dakota State.

Landon Lechler’s choice to play football at North Dakota State over basketball and football at Dickinson State was a difficult decision for the Buccaneers’ senior.

“It was close,” Beach football coach Mike Zier said.

Lechler called it the “hardest decision,” to choose between playing two sports at the university closest to home and playing football for the FCS national champions.

While Lechler said it came down to academics, he had a tough time turning down Dickinson State football coach Hank Biesiot and men’s basketball coach Ty Orton.

“When I got eligible to be talked to junior year, they were there for me,” Lechler said. “They came to like every basketball game this year that they could make. That was really tough.”

Posted in Bison, College Football, High School Football, Preps, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heart River schools raise money for Hettinger-Scranton boys basketball team

Posted on January 27, 2012 by monke

Through bake sales at its JV tournament last week, the Heart River boys basketball team raised $450 for the Hettinger-Scranton boys basketball team that was involved in a bus crash on Jan. 13. Hettinger-Scranton was scheduled to play in the tournament, but didn’t because of the several injuries its players sustained in the accident.

Heart River head coach Greg Pruitt will present Hettinger-Scranton head coach Adam Hill with the money Saturday night when their teams play in Scranton. They were scheduled to play four days after the bus accident but the game was postponed.

Posted in High School Basketball, Preps | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dickinson State has lost a great athletic contributor with the passing of alumnus and volunteer Tyler Plummer

Posted on January 26, 2012 by monke

Tyler Plummer poses with his wife, Annika. Tyler died Wednesday of a massive heart attack. He was a tireless volunteer and supporter of Dickinson State athletics, particularly its wrestling and rodeo programs.

The Dickinson State wrestling team lost one of its biggest fans, supporters and volunteers Wednesday when Tyler Plummer, 33, passed away.

Though the Baker, Mont., native never wrestled for the Blue Hawks, he played an integral role in the program. DSU head coach Thadd O’Donnell said he did it all for free and for no other reason than he loved being a part of the team.

Plummer spent several years helping O’Donnell run his statistics programs, even designing a tournament program that DSU used for years, and keeping score at nearly every DSU wrestling event. He also played a role as a volunteer recruiter for the Blue Hawks. His biggest recruit? Three-time national champion and current DSU assistant coach Justin Schlecht.

Tyler also helped with DSU’s rodeo team. His wife, Annika, works in the school’s Ag Department and his sister, Jennifer Obrigewitch, is the rodeo team’s assistant coach.

One of Tyler’s greatest claims to fame was his stunt man role in the movie “Wooly Boys” that was filmed in the North Dakota Badlands. His job? Getting bucked off a horse in place of actor Joe Mazzello. O’Donnell said Tyler would love to tell people about his acting career and getting to hang out with the movie’s stars, Peter Fonda and Kris Kristofferson. You can catch a quick glimpse of Tyler’s work in the “Wooly Boys” trailer here. He gets bucked off at the 1:05 mark.

In Tyler Plummer, the southwest North Dakota community– not just DSU — lost a person who can not be replaced. Read more about him in his obituary.

Posted in Blue Hawks | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Lechler deciding between NDSU, UND and DSU

Posted on January 25, 2012 by monke

Landon Lechler hopes to make a decision about his future in the week.

The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Beach standout said he’s deciding between North Dakota State for football, the University of North Dakota for football and Dickinson State for football and basketball.

“I’m not entirely sure,” said Lechler, who added he intends to sign or commit to one of the three on or before national signing day on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

He makes his official visit to NDSU this weekend.

Lechler said UND wants to make him a tight end with the likelihood of turning him into an offensive tackle. NDSU wants him to play offensive tackle. The Blue Hawks, meanwhile, see him as a tight end.

Lechler said didn’t play tight end this year, but has in the past and enjoyed it.

Posted in Blue Hawks, College Basketball, College Football, High School Basketball, High School Football, Preps, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment