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Joe Voss tripled in a run, then scored on a sacrifice fly to tie Thunder Bay 3-3, but the Huskies lost 4-3 in stretch drive. (Photos by John Gilbert)

It’s been a long, hot summer for a lot of us in Duluth this year, but nowhere near as long and hot as it’s been for Kyle Walljasper, who has been frustrated by recovering from shoulder surgery, which has prevented him from starting UMD football practice in his desired peak condition.

Walljasper is beginning his red-shirt junior season as the actual and spiritual leader of the Bulldogs, but while he wanted to show up in perfect shape, he has been relegated to limited workouts after having surgery on the labrum of his right shoulder — his throwing shoulder.

“It’s been a long spring and a long summer,” Walljasper said, as the Bulldogs began official football practice at Malosky Stadium on Monday. “I had surgery for a torn labrum in December, which meant I had to take it easy for a while because of the pain. It’s been a process I’ve had to follow. It still nags me a little once in a while, but I’ll be fine by the time the season starts.”

Walljasper has been a unique player in UMD lore already. He made the team as fourth quarterback at first, and coach Curt Wiese used him on specific running plays to take advantage of his forceful running style and his dominating physical capability. Incredibly, the top three quarterbacks went down like dominos from injuries, and Walljasper took over out of necessity. He not only took over, he thrived.

Last year, the Bulldogs finished just outside the group of teams invited to the NCAA regional playoffs, although Walljasper was the team’s leading passer and leading rusher, and Wiese tried to figure out ways to prevent his bulldozing quarterback from running into trouble. Literally. He should have felt sympathy for opposing defensive players, instead.

Walljasper, who is from Fond du Lac, Wis., is built more like a fullback or linebacker than a quarterback, but at 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, he seems to come alive whenever the situation calls for a quarterback run. His weight is based in huge legs, and while he hits like a pile-driver, he can outsprint defensive backs and turn first downs into touchdowns.

“I think we’re going to have a really good team,” Walljasper said. “I don’t think we have any holes, and where we lost some guys, we’ve got a lot of new guys who look really good. I couldn’t take part in spring drills, so I spent that time on the sidelines, getting to know the new guys and making sure we’ve got the team cohesiveness. We have three quarterbacks behind me, altogether this year.”

At the media day group interviews, coach Wiese was off to one side, telling some reporters he was trying to think of ways to limit Walljasper from getting worn out, while Walljasper faced several TV cameras. Someone asked him if he planned to keep playing with the same reckless abandon, and Walljasper paused, stealing a quick glance to his left to make sure Coach Wiese was out of earshot. Then he looked back into the cameras and said, “Yes. I’l play the same way.”

Wiese said Walljasper has earned the right to be the team leader, and when someone suggested the newfound depth on this team might allow the players to forget the disappointment of how last season ended. “We don’t want to forget last year,” Wiese interrupted. “It’s no fun to be the first, second or third team just outside the playoffs. We’ve got to realize that we have to get back to where our expectations are, with a lot of hard work driven by character.”

Huskies in stretch: The Duluth Huskies took their time, but finally have found some winning rhythm — and it might not be too late. While playing wild and crazy unpredictable baseball in the Northwoods League, the Huskies have gotten hot enough to gain first place in a three-way race for the second half pennant in the Great Plains East, where they return to Wade Stadium tied with Eau Claire, with both teams facing six closing games.

The Huskies finish at Wade Stadium facing the Waterloo Bucks Wednesday and Thursday, and the Rochester Honkers Friday and Saturday to end the regular season with first place on the line. Whoever wins the East title advances to the playoffs for the league, which is made up of college players from all over the country.

The Duluth Harbor Monsters whipped the Ozark Lunkers 50-18 last Saturday in the first-year arena football league’s playoff opener. That sends the Harbor Monsters into the DECC’s Arena Mania final against the Iowa Wu — a team the Harbor Monsters have hammered repeatedly all season. But Iowa also had to spring an upset to reach this Saturday night’s 7:30 pm championship game at the DECC, and will come into the game with the incentive to make up for the whole season.

The Canadian Armed Services Snowbirds put on a stirring display of aerial artistry with their jet trainers last Wednesday, flying their precision routines over Canal Park at the Aerial Bridge. 

While it was the perfect setting in the near-90-degree heat, suddenly, the nine planes veered away from the bridge, maintaining formation but disappearing over the hill toward the airport. 

Moments later, a strange black cloud came over the hill, dropping the temperature — and the available light — and, with the assist of a wind the swirled up toward 60 miles per hour, it effectively ended the Snowbirds entertaining afternoon.