Roseville High School’s football stadium bleachers and press box were built into the side of a hill adjacent to County Road B2 West. Just to the right of the stadium seating, ample grassy hillside still exists – a reminder of what existed before.

Within that hill are two well-defined, barren dirt columns – a reminder of the work that’s been done and, hopefully, the success that will follow.

“We’ll go attack that,” Roseville coach Andy Stephenson said. “That’s part of what will get us prepared.”

Roseville football coach Andy Stephenson closely watched a drill during practice on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Jace Frederick / Pioneer Press)

They’re products of foot traffic. Raiders football players are on that hill throughout camp, trudging up it five times or more per session. That number escalates if reminders are needed to increase effort and hustle.

“It’s dusty every time we run up, because we’ve wore the grass down so much,” senior lineman Owen King said.

“It shows everything that our program resembles,” senior linebacker Dylan Hageman said.

Or at least the image current players and coaches hope to portray.

Everyone can fondly recall Roseville’s run to the state semifinals in 2013, powered by a potent passing offense featuring the likes of quarterback Jacques Perra and receiver Jesper Horsted.

But the Raiders have had just one winning season since. They went winless in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

Stephenson took over in 2023, coming in from a program in Spring Lake Park that is entrenched in sustained success. This would not be that, certainly not right away. The coach knew as much.

He entered the job focused on building a successful culture based on three things: belief, accountability and resiliency. Shirts reading “Raise the BAR” are visible all over Raiders practice.

Belief and accountability are obvious traits of any successful team or organization.

But resiliency is an underrated facet of a fruitful rebuild. You are going to get knocked down many, many times on your trek from the bottom to the top.

Stephenson’s first game on the Roseville sidelines came in last fall’s season opener against Woodbury. The Royals returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown. Roseville responded, when Javon Minor did the same on the Raiders’ ensuing return.

But then Woodbury again housed the following kickoff en route to a 55-14 victory. Stephenson estimates Roseville produced maybe one defensive stop all night.

“Literally my head is spinning over there,” Stephenson recalled as he gazed at the Raiders’ sideline. “Like, ‘This is how it starts?’ ”

Roseville’s first four games of the season came with an average margin of defeat nearing 23 points. Stephenson’s wife was constantly reminding him to remain patient. He had to stay with it and continue preaching fundamentals and work ethic. Consistency was crucial.

It’s easier for adults to understand that philosophy than kids. But, luckily for the coach, Roseville players are nothing if not resilient. You’ve had to be in this program of late.

Get beat down, get back up, show up the next day and go to work. Playing football at Roseville is not like it is at perennial powers such as Eden Prairie or Lakeville North. There, King noted, you can join the team and be constantly celebrated and hyped up on Friday nights.

“We don’t really get much,” Minor said. “We walk around the halls and people are saying how bad our team is or ‘Oh, are we going to win a game this year?’”

Hageman, King and Minor all started on varsity as sophomores. That season, eight of Roseville’s nine losses came by 30-plus points. When the results are that bad, what keeps you coming back to the field?

“The love for my game,” Minor said, “and the love for my teammates.”

Roseville senior lineman Owen King pursues the ball carrier in a drill at practice on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Jace Frederick / Pioneer Press)

He noted he has played with many of his current teammates for six-plus years. He’s witnessed their daily struggles on the field and in the weight room, and they his. They’ve sacrificed and suffered by one another’s sides day after day, year after year.

“We’re not just teammates anymore. At this point, we’re brothers,” Minor said. “It’s like a different kind of love and bond. I felt like we could really turn this program around if we just worked toward one thing.”

Which was to make a name for themselves, and their program. Players get tired of hearing how bad they are. They aimed to change the narrative.

Stephenson’s arrival was the spark that ignited the flame.

Hageman noted when he joined varsity as a sophomore, the environment didn’t match his expectations. But Minor said when the new coach arrived in March of last year, players were intrigued by the energy in his voice and intensity in his demeanor. Eyes were opened. Maybe this could be something.

It wasn’t right away, obviously. That loss to Woodbury was rough, and a near replica of past results. But Stephenson continued to recognize and celebrate the small gains made from there. The following week against Eastview, Roseville got a stop on its opening defensive series. Progress.

Come Week 5, Roseville went toe to toe with Buffalo, the eventual subdistrict champion. The Raiders forced seven turnovers that game and were in it until the final minute before falling 21-12. After the game, Stephenson was beaming.

“I was like, ‘You guys are probably looking at me strange, but you finally lost the right way. You were able to compete to the end,’ ” he said. “ ‘Now, you’re ready to win.’ ”

Sure enough, the following week Roseville beat Hopkins 30-0 to snap the program’s 24-game losing streak. The game after that, the Raiders went down to the wire with White Bear Lake before falling 10-7.

The success produced affirmation and trust in the process, and the people delivering it.

“At the beginning of last summer, (coach) was talking about buying in and putting 100 percent into the program. And you can see the benefit of what you get from it,” Hageman said. “During the latter half of the season last year, I could definitely see us clicking, and it felt really rewarding seeing us get turnovers.

“It just felt successful, and I don’t know, I haven’t felt that way really yet in this program.”

Even just that smidge of success — one victory and a handful of competitive losses — created momentum that carried into the offseason, Stephenson’s first full one with the program. Perra and Horsted each separately visited the team this summer to deliver messages about what’s required to achieve success. Overall buy-in continues to build.

“You can see it in their eyes, their mindset,” Stephenson said. “They flipped a switch, as well, wanting and embracing that mindset.”

The ball is rolling in the proper direction.

But this is no time to let up. Stephenson was conducting a media interview this week while his players were breaking down at the conclusion of pre-practice warmups, when he stopped, mid-answer.

“No,” he said to himself, “hold on.”

The coach marched over to the field.

“Hey, do it again, set the tone! Set the tone! Let’s go!” he yelled before returning to the sidelines. “Reminders, sorry. Not enthusiastic enough.

”The dog days, if they don’t bring it, it carries over to everything else, too.”

Accountability. Players noted those such instances are weekly occurrences.

“He tries to make sure we’re following on the right path and nobody is slipping,” King said. “And if somebody is slipping, he will make sure everybody knows, so that everybody can be at the standard that is expected.”

“He always pushes for the most out of us,” Minor said. “He’s not only doing a good job coaching, but he’s doing a good job trying to train us into young men.”

That’s what Hageman feels this entire Roseville football experience — falling down repeatedly and having to get back up only to again face potential failure — is doing for he and his teammates.

“We’re not given anything. That’s one thing Coach Stephenson says a lot. You’ve got to earn things. Things aren’t given to you here. You should not be expecting anything,” King said. “That’s the mindset that we all have and need to have — you need to put in the work to get the results you want. And I feel like we’re really starting to get that as a team.”

Roseville has designs on a resurgence this fall. King feels the Raiders, who open the 2024 season Thursday in Woodbury, can be a .500-plus team this season. Hageman noted the issue at Roseville was always more about effort than talent.

The Raiders have put in plenty of the former this offseason. They have the hill to prove it.

“I feel like if we’re ever down in a game, we can look up there and remember, ‘We pushed through that, why can’t we push through this?’ ” Minor said. “It’s a good bar for yourself to reach the top and touch the fence.”

The climb continues.

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Trina Krug, MS, CDSP | Associated Press

As fall approaches and the air becomes crisp, it’s the perfect time to indulge in baking. The comforting aroma of freshly baked goods is a seasonal delight but many traditional recipes are laden with sugar, refined flour and unhealthy fats. Health-conscious bakers can enjoy their favorite fall treats without compromising on nutrition by making a few smart ingredient swaps.

Baking with healthier ingredients doesn’t just mean you’re cutting calories or reducing sugar. Swapping out traditional ingredients for healthier alternatives can also cater to various dietary needs. Whether you’re gluten free, lactose intolerant or simply looking to reduce your sugar intake, there are plenty of options that allow you to enjoy baking. Healthy baking can still be delicious and satisfying and it often brings out new and exciting flavors in your favorite recipes.

Nut flour instead of white flour

White flour, a staple in many baking recipes, is highly processed and stripped of most nutrients. Swapping it out for nut flours can significantly boost the nutritional profile and even the taste of your baked goods. Using nut flour not only makes your treats gluten-free but also adds a delightful nutty flavor. Most nut flours are best used with other flours to avoid the wrong texture.

Natural sweeteners over refined sugar

Refined sugar is a common ingredient in baking but offers no nutritional benefits. Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and even coconut sugar are excellent substitutes. Honey and maple syrup not only sweeten your baked goods but also add unique flavors.

When using honey or maple syrup, remember that they are liquid sweeteners. To maintain the right consistency, you may need to slightly reduce the amount of other liquids in your recipe. Generally, you can replace 1 cup of white sugar with 3/4 cup of honey or maple syrup. Coconut sugar, on the other hand, can be used in a 1:1 ratio with white sugar.

Fat alternatives

Butter and oil are essential for adding moisture and richness to baked goods, but sometimes it is fun to experiment with other fats. Healthy alternatives like avocado, Greek yogurt and applesauce can work like a charm.

Greek yogurt adds a tangy flavor, making it a great substitute for butter in cakes and muffins. Applesauce is another fantastic option, keeping baked goods moist and adding a hint of natural sweetness. When substituting fats, use a 1:1 ratio for avocado and Greek yogurt. For applesauce, you can replace half the amount of butter or oil stated in the recipe.

Flours

Instead of using all-purpose or whole wheat flour, consider incorporating gluten-free all-purpose flour or even homemade gluten-free flour made of almond flour, coconut flour, oat fiber and xanthan gum. Oat flour is another great choice, made by grinding oats into a fine powder, which adds a mild flavor and is excellent for cookies and quick bread. It’s best used with other flours to avoid a crumbly texture.

Egg substitutes

Eggs are crucial in baking for binding and leavening, but they can be replaced for those following a vegan diet or with egg allergies or sensitivities. Flaxseeds and chia seeds make excellent egg substitutes. To make a flax egg, mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken. Chia eggs are made the same way, using chia seeds instead.

Mashed bananas and applesauce are also effective egg substitutes, adding moisture and sweetness to baked goods. Use 1/4 cup of either mashed bananas or applesauce to replace one egg. Keep in mind that these substitutes work best in recipes where a little extra moisture is beneficial, such as in muffins and cakes.

Spices and flavorings

Enhancing the flavor of your fall baking can be as simple as adding the right spices and extracts. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger are quintessential fall spices that can elevate your baked goods. These spices add warmth and depth to all your treats.

Vanilla and almond extracts can also enhance the flavor of your treats. Opt for pure extracts rather than imitation for the best taste. Vanilla extract adds a sweet, floral note, while almond extract provides a distinct, nutty flavor. Using these flavorings can reduce the need for additional sugar.

Incorporating fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables can add natural sweetness, moisture and nutrients to your baked goods. Pumpkins, sweet potatoes and zucchini are fall favorites that work well in a variety of recipes. Pumpkin puree can replace some of the fat and sugar in recipes and sweet potato puree is similarly versatile and rich in nutrients.

Grated zucchini adds moisture without altering the flavor much, making it perfect for quick breads and muffins. Apples are another excellent choice, whether used as applesauce, chunks or slices. They add natural sweetness and fiber, making your treats healthier and more filling.

Healthy baking tips

In addition to swapping ingredients, adopting healthy baking practices can further enhance the nutritional value of your treats. Reducing sugar gradually can help your taste buds adjust without compromising too much on flavor. Start by cutting back 10-20% of the sugar stated in the recipe.

Portion control is another key aspect of healthy baking. Consider making smaller portions or mini versions of your favorite treats. This way, you can enjoy your baked goods without overindulging. Using smaller baking pans or muffin tins can help with this.

Finally, experiment with new recipes and ingredients. Baking is as much about creativity as it is about precision. Don’t be afraid to try new flour blends, sweeteners or flavor combinations. You might discover a new favorite recipe that’s both delicious and healthy.

Final thoughts

Healthy fall baking doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor or tradition. By making smart ingredient swaps, you can enjoy all the seasonal favorites while boosting the nutritional value of your treats. From nut flours and natural sweeteners to healthy fats and whole grains, these alternatives make it easy to bake healthier without compromising on taste. So, embrace the season and get baking with these nutritious ingredient swaps. Your body and taste buds will thank you.

Trina Krug, MS, CDSP, is a holistic nutritionist, recipe creator and advocate for human health. Her passion for low-carb lifestyles, gluten-free eating and real nutrition education has led to the creation of Trina Krug. She spends her time creating recipes, hanging out with her family on her farm and actively working on her Doctor of Science in Integrative Health specializing in Functional Nutrition.

Bu Robbie Sequeira, Stateline.org

When pandemic-era tenant protections expired, rents immediately soared, and eviction filings surged last year more than 50% over pre-pandemic levels in some U.S. cities.

These filings can cast long shadows. Simply being named in an eviction complaint, regardless of the outcome, can severely limit future housing options and prolong housing insecurity, according to a recent University of Michigan study.

The situation underscores a growing debate across the country: Should eviction records be shielded from public access to offer tenants a cleaner shot at finding another home?

In recent years, more states are saying, “yes — at least in some cases.”

Eviction filings are public court records. Landlords and property owners can buy databases of the records to screen potential tenants.

Property owners argue that sealing data on eviction filings — most of which are for nonpayment of rent — eliminates crucial insights into rental history. Housing advocates, however, warn that any filing can unfairly block renters from future housing because the outcome may not be an eviction.

An eviction filing doesn’t provide enough information to determine a tenant’s ability to honor their next lease, said Katie Fallon, a principal policy associate with the Urban Institute, a research and advocacy think tank focusing on urban policies.

“Given the low quality of this eviction filing data and the lack of outcomes in the filings themselves, it is a very open question of how accurate these filings are and what information they really provide to landlords,” she said.

This year, Idaho, Maryland and Massachusetts enacted laws to seal certain eviction records from public scrutiny and from tenant screening companies.

Last year, Connecticut and Rhode Island also enacted laws that allow for the sealing of certain eviction cases. Arizona, meanwhile, enacted a law in 2022 requiring courts to seal eviction records if cases are dismissed, dropped or adjudicated in the tenant’s favor.

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In total, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have measures sealing at least some eviction records, according to PolicyLink, a national research and advocacy group with a focus on housing.

Zafar Shah, assistant director of advocacy for Maryland Legal Aid, said lawmakers are starting to understand how eviction records can prevent tenants from finding another home.

“We have clients that know they will lose their eviction case, but they want us to shield the information so that the next potential housing provider is not going to use it against them,” said Shah.

“That has really been the impetus for shielding and sealing across the country. These filings don’t tell us a lot, but they carry so much weight in the search for housing.”

An eviction filing could be resolved in a number of ways: A case might be dismissed if the landlord and tenant reach an agreement. The judge might rule in favor of the tenant, allowing them to stay in their home. Or the judge could side with the landlord, evicting the tenant.

Regardless of the outcome, the records live on in online court databases.

Third-party tenant screening companies scan court records for eviction cases, then sell the data to landlords to use in their leasing decisions.

Housing advocates say the data is often inaccurate and misleading. In one state — Illinois — less than half of eviction filings led to actual evictions, according to a 2019 review by Housing Action Illinois, an advocacy group.

Alexandra Alvarado, director of education and marketing at the American Apartment Owners Association, a tenant screening provider, told Stateline that the group’s database only displays eviction records with a completed judgment that were filed within the past seven years, which is the time limit set by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

“It can be a monetary or non-monetary judgment, but there must be a judgment. So, if an eviction case is filed, but the parties settled outside of court or the tenant won, then it wouldn’t show up in our reports, even though technically it is public record,” Alvarado said. “Our members are getting evictions that have merit and weren’t erroneously filed.”

A scarlet ‘E’

According to researchers at the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, of the 3.6 million eviction court records in the 12 states they tracked from 2011 to 2015, more than 1 in 5 eviction cases contained little information on the resolution of a case. Ambiguous data can also falsely represent a tenant’s eviction history, affecting both renters and scholarly researchers, according to a 2020 study by the group.

“While many people think an eviction filing is evidence of late rent payment, nonpayment of rent or a violation of the lease terms, this is not necessarily true,” said Fallon, of the Urban Institute. “Filings can include inaccurate data, such as the parties named in the eviction filing and inaccurate name spellings.”

Alvarado, of the American Apartment Owners Association, said landlords have mixed views about laws that allow courts to seal cases that have been dismissed or ruled in a tenant’s favor. What’s more important to landlords, she said, is that their screening process can look back the full seven years for problem evictions.

Laws that limit the lookback period — such as in Oregon, where tenants can request an expungement after five years — affect the tenant screening process more, she said.

The system is problematic, Eviction Lab found in a 2020 study of eviction cases filed between 2012 and 2016 in 39 states. In addition to inaccurate information, Black households are overrepresented in eviction filings, Eviction Lab found, as are women — especially Black and Latina women.

“When landlords say they need to use eviction filings, which we know aren’t the most reliable information, to make housing decisions, we need to push back on that,” said Jasmine Rangel, senior housing associate for PolicyLink.

She and other advocates want eviction court records to be sealed as soon as a landlord files an eviction notice. Otherwise, she said, “third-party services can still scrape that eviction record from online databases and into their tenant screening algorithms.”

Advocates point out that eviction records could be made public later if a judge rules in the landlord’s favor.

But Shuntera Brown, who lost her home in Phoenix in 2021, said in an interview that any eviction record hurts single moms like herself.

Brown, who has three children, has struggled to pay rent even with a full-time job. In December 2020, a bout of COVID-19 caused her to miss work shifts, a paycheck disruption that eventually put her over the edge months later.

“It’s a Scarlet ‘E.’ You have this record, you have this thing on your file of an eviction, but there’s no understanding of the context or circumstances behind it,” Brown said. “I remember pleading with the judge that I’ve usually paid on time and that my kids need a home, but he sided with the landlord in, like, seven minutes, and the eviction immediately was on my credit.”

Sealing the records

State by state, the laws differ on the details: Many states allow for eviction records to be sealed almost immediately if the case was dismissed or dropped, or if the tenant won the case. Other states have a waiting period, often several years, during which the tenant must demonstrate good behavior before a record is sealed.

Under Maryland’s new law, which takes effect in October, courts must shield records within 60 days of a resolution that doesn’t end in a tenant losing possession of their home. The state also will increase the eviction filing fee from $8 to $43.

Maryland landlords filed roughly 400,000 “failure to pay rent” cases in the state’s 2023 fiscal year, according to housing advocates who testified in favor of the new law. In some cases, landlords would file monthly failure to pay rent cases against tenants prematurely and tack on illegal fees on top of the back rent, according to a report from the Maryland-based advocacy group Public Justice Center.

“The low cost and low barrier to entry have driven the massive quantity of filings, with many cases simply being leveraged to get rent money out of tenants quickly,” said Shah, of Maryland Legal Aid. “I think that the court overall has become more receptive to shielding these cases, recognizing that if a case was dismissed or settled, there’s no reason to hold it against the renter.

“This attitude has shifted significantly over the past decade,” he said.

In California and Colorado, as in Maryland, an eviction lawsuit can be automatically sealed as soon as it’s been filed unless the landlord wins the case within 60 days. Indiana and Minnesota require a tenant to formally petition for sealing once a court reaches judgment.

Idaho’s new law shields dismissed eviction cases after three years. And in Massachusetts, tenants can request their case be sealed for a variety of reasons, no matter the outcome, after a period of time ranging from a few months to several years.

In Rhode Island, a tenant can only make a request once every five years.

Researchers at Eviction Lab told Stateline that state laws should still allow data access for scientists. The 2022 eviction-sealing law in Washington, D.C., for example, specifies that records can be unsealed for scholarly, educational, journalistic or governmental purposes.

“There is an important public right to know what is going on in the housing market, and this is one of our data points into the eviction crisis,” said Carl Gershenson, lab director at Eviction Lab. “There is a balance that can be achieved that is in the best interest of tenants and how these filings can be used as datapoints to understand the housing crisis.”

©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.