Minnesota Scene: Loons to play at Cincinnati in U.S. Open Cup

Minnesota United will play another game before it takes a break for the World Cup, and it will be a chance at U.S. Open Cup redemption.

But the match will not be at home, as had been initially reported.

The Loons will play FC Cincinnati, a United Soccer League (USL) team, in the fourth round of the tournament, which pits all levels of soccer in the U.S. against each other. When the matchup was announced Thursday, United, which U.S. Soccer had said applied for hosting rights, was awarded a home game set to take place either June 5 or 6 at TCF Bank Stadium.

U.S. Soccer made a clerical error, though, as the Loons never applied to host the game because a venue was unavailable. So the game will instead take place at 6:30 p.m. June 6 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.

MEGAN RYAN

Apple Valley's Gable Steveson was awarded the Junior Dan Hodge Trophy, presented annually to the nation's best high school wrestler by the AAU and Wrestling Insider News magazine.

Steveson, who has signed with the Gophers, completed his senior season by winning his fourth consecutive Class 3A championship and finishing his high school career with a 212-3 record. The heavyweight went 39-0 this season.

St. Cloud Cathedral baseball coach Bob Karn will be inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches' Association Hall of Fame during its national convention June 26 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Karn, in his 48th season as Crusaders coach, has won nine state championships and is the winningest high school baseball coach in state history.

Home-and-home series against defending national champion Minnesota Duluth and in-state rival Minnesota State Mankato and a trip to Las Vegas to face North Dakota highlight the Gophers' men's hockey schedule announced Thursday.

Minnesota's nonconference slate will begin against UMD. The Gophers visit the Bulldogs on Oct. 6, and UMD travels to 3M Arena at Mariucci the following day.

After a pair of exhibition games, the Gophers will travel to Las Vegas to face North Dakota on Oct. 27 in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Orleans Arena.

The Gophers also have three other nonconference home series: St. Lawrence, Nov. 16-17, Ferris State, Dec. 28-29 and Arizona State, March 1-2.

The Big Ten announced its 24-game conference schedule on Tuesday.

Game times and broadcast information will be announced later.

Randy Johnson

• Senior Felix Corwin of the Gophers lost to Giovanni Oradini of Mississippi State 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2 in the second round of the NCAA men's singles tournament in Winston-Salem, N.C.