Eighth-grade phenom Vinny Udd got the pitching start for Denfeld tonight against Cloquet. Unarguably, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthander is the best young pitching prospect in northeastern Minnesota since Jerry Udjur starred for the Gophers and pitched in the majors with Detroit and Cleveland in the early 1980's.
Player to Watch: Vinny Udd
Related
Huskies' Surowiec’s breakout summer puts him on the fast track to the bigs
His stat line towered over the league: a .383 batting average, 17 home runs, 68 RBIs, 23 doubles, three triples, 48 runs scored, 28 walks, and 15 stolen bases over 52 games. His OPS landed at 1.252, powered by a .471 on-base percentage and a .781 slugging percentage.
Howie: We're expanding our sports coverage this fall
This isn’t corporate sports media. This isn’t fluff. Howie Sports is Independent. Local. Unfiltered. Fifty years in the game — telling you who’s hot, who’s not, and who needs a swift kick in the butt.
Latest
Howie: My AF1 Dream Team
Player of the Year frontrunner Malik Henry of Michigan tops my 2026 AF1 Dream Team, as teams battle for six playoff spots. Offense QB — Malik Henry, Michigan League leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. Nashville's Tyler Kulka and Albany's Sam Castronova are close, but Henry
My Final Top 50 Prospects for the 2026 NHL Draft
The first five names on this list will generate most of the headlines. That's how the draft works. The real story, however, often emerges years later. Somewhere between picks 25 and 50 sits a future NHL star. Every draft has one.
Hawks have the look of a team ready to chase down Grand Rapids in Section 7-4A football
The rankings begin this way: Hermantown, Grand Rapids, North Branch, Cloquet, Duluth Denfeld, Duluth East and Rock Ridge.
Duluth Marshall standout among nation's top young prospects
Recruiting services rank Duluth Marshall's Chloe Johnson among the top players nationally in the Class of 2028, and ESPN has rated her among the elite prospects in her class.