It was a busy Tuesday in prep sports!

Boys basketball: MA-CA 57, LQPV 43
The holiday break has arrived with the MA-CA boys having a definite feeling of "mo." The squad has been a little streaky thus far, with two wins to open the season, then two losses and now three straight wins. They went 2-0 in the Wahpeton Invite and resumed action Tuesday (Dec. 21) at Lac qui Parle Valley.
There was never any doubt about the outcome Tuesday. Coach Mark Torgerson's boys built a 20-point lead at halftime. Morris Area Chokio Alberta cruised in the second half and ended up winning 57-43. They now have a 1-1 conference record to go with their 5-2 overall numbers. Lac qui Parle is having a sub-.500 campaign.
The Tigers were led in scoring by Mac Kampmeier and Cole Riley each with eleven points. Alex Erickson, who had both of the Tigers' successful three-pointers, scored ten. The Tigers were two of ten in the long-range shooting department.
In total field goals they were 23 of 48, and in freethrows the stats were eleven of 18.
Riley Ahrndt and Travis Rinkenberger each put in six points in the winning effort. Other scorers were Eric Riley (5), Ethan Bruer (4), Cody Cannon (2), Brody Bahr (1) and Dan Tiernan (1).
Ahrndt and Cole Riley led in rebounds with eight and seven respectively. Erickson delivered six assists, and Cannon had two steals.
Eric Paulson stood out for the losing team with a very sharp shooting eye, as this Eagle sank five three-point shots. Paulson finished the night with 21 points.
In other boys basketball action of interest locally, Benson beat YME, Montevideo thumped Paynesville and ACGC got past BOLD.
Morris Area Chokio Alberta boys basketball is on Maxpreps:

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/IdZz3zpLQEmFULYqjJwnSg/morris-tigers/basketball/home.htm

Girls basketball: MA-CA 52, LQPV 51
Tuesday was exciting on the home court for the MA-CA girls, who beat Lac qui Parle Valley with a dramatic flourish. Erin Schieler made the most memorable shot. This Tiger drained a shot with eleven seconds showing on the clock, giving coach Dale Henrich's squad the lead by one. All they had to do was survive the last few seconds, and this was accomplished as the Eagles misfired on their last two shot tries (from the lane).
The final buzzer sounded with the Tigers triumphant 52-51.
Coach Henrich might have been wringing his hands a little over his team's turnover problem in this game. But the winning outcome negated much or all of that disappointment. The turnover stat was 25.
Ball-handling might get a little more focus now, but in the meantime the Tigers can enjoy the holidays with a .500 record both in conference and overall (2-2 and 3-3). The season had begun on a more downbeat note.
Schieler's dramatic last shot capped a night in which she poured in 19 points. Let's continue down the scoring list: Hannah Sayles (9), Sarah Kuhn (8), Beth Holland (6), Erica Domnick (3), Shadow Olson (3), Holly Amundson (2) and Katie Holzheimer (2).
The Tigers made three shots from three-point range, in five tries, and Olson had two of those successes. Sayles had the other.
Kuhn attacked the boards for ten rebounds and she was followed in that department by Domnick with eight and Schieler with six. Olson set the pace in assists with three.
Three Tigers had two steals each: Natalie Johnston, Amundson and Kuhn. Schieler complemented her 19 points with five blocked shots.
The Tigers made 20 of 60 field goal tries and were ten of 21 in freethrows.
Jen Kack led the Eagles in scoring with 12 points.
Another WCC-South game played Tuesday had Paynesville defeating Minnewaska Area 46-38.
Check out the Morris Area Chokio Alberta girls basketball page on Pheasant Country Sports:

http://www.pheasantcountrysports.com/teamschedule.php?yid=1011&tid=1159&sid=1230274

Girls hockey: MBA Storm 7, LDC 2
Tuesday night was hockey night as both the MBA girls and boys teams glided onto the ice. The girls highlighted the action with their 7-2 win over Litchfield-Dassel-Cokato at Benson.
After a 1-1 stalemate in the first period, the MBA girls took over. They outscored LDC 4-0 in the second period and 2-1 in the third.
The Storm girls can enjoy the holiday break with a shimmering 8-2 record.
The LDC Dragons scored the first goal Tuesday after which the MBA scoring got going, first with a goal by Sam Falk with Kelly Mahoney and Monica Lindblad assisting.
The four MBA goals in the second period were scored by Sara Rajewsky (Sam Falk assisting), Sam Falk (S. Rajewsky and Dani Schultz assisting), Sam Falk again (Lindblad and S. Rajewsky assisting) and Schultz (S. Rajewsky and Mahoney assisting).
MBA polished things off in the third period with goals by Sam Falk (power play, Mahoney and S. Rajewsky assisting) and Kelsey Rajewsky (Schultz assisting).
The dueling goaltenders were Brooke Falk for Morris Benson Area and Kati Hanson for the Dragons. Falk's save total was 28 while Hanson posted 36 saves.
Check out the official website for MBA Storm hockey. It's new:
http://www.mbastorm.com/

Boys hockey: Little Falls 5, MBA Storm 1
There was a turnaround in the boys hockey game played Tuesday night. Things looked upbeat for the Storm boys after one period of play as they led 1-0. But the visiting Little Falls Flyers seized the momentum after that.
The Flyers quieted the home crowd at Lee Center by outscoring the Storm 1-0 in the second period and 4-0 in the third.
All that adds up to a final 5-1 score with the Flyers prevailing (flying).
Luke Schwarz scored that first period goal at 6:08 with an assist from Kelly Enquist. Little Falls' Luke Majerle struck with a second period goal to tie the score.
Which way would the momentum swing now? The Flyers' way, as Mitch Gregory, Sam Rydeen, Mike Holthaus and Joey Hanowski sent the puck into the net to humble the Storm, who nevertheless came out of the night with a season record over .500.
Andrew Fath had 38 saves as the Storm goalie. Mike Stumpf had 12 saves as the Little Falls goalie.
The Flyers' win was their fifth total. They outshot MBA 43-13 in getting win No. 5.
The MBA Storm have some business to complete before January dawns. There's anything but a hiatus for the holiday period as the Storm boys have a three-day commitment for the Northern Lakes Tournament. Dates for this action are December 27-29.
Viva Morris Benson hockey for 2010-2011!

Wrestling: MAHACA 51, YME 27
The MAHACA wrestlers wrapped up the pre-holidays phase with a satisfying 51-27 win over Yellow Medicine East in the Paynesville Triangular.
There was a string of MAHACA wins beginning at 152 pounds. That string began without drama as it was a forfeit that had Tiger Tim Ostby getting his arm raised.
Connor Metzger fought to a 4-3 decision triumph at 160 pounds. Wade Ehlers got his arm raised via forfeit at 171 pounds.
The rest of the dual had the Tigers taking command with wins by fall. Ryan Beyer at 189 pounds pinned his foe in 5:10. Joel Harrison got his opponent's shoulders pinned to the mat in 1:26. Big Zach Gibson crunched his foe, getting a fall win in 1:26 which reflected the way he exceled in the Cass Lake Invite.
Travis Ostby won by forfeit at 103 pounds. Evan Nelson lost by fall at 112 pounds. Dillon Johnson was decisioned by his foe at 119. Myles Smith won by fall at 125 pounds.
Seth Nelson and Jerid Berning were dealt losses by fall at 130 and 135 pounds. Jordan Thooft won by disqualification at 140.
The Tigers forfeited at 145 pounds, and then the skein of success begun by Tim Ostby unfolded, delighting the MAHACA fans who made the trip. Nothing can beat a pin at the top of the weight ladder.
Morris Area Hancock Chokio Alberta wrestling is doing well keeping nearly all of the weight classes filled with well-prepared competitors.

The Minnesota Vikings beat:
It's starting to feel like "Groundhog Day"- remember the movie with Bill Murray? - where each week we hear about Brett Favre being physically challenged and apparently unable to play. After all this dire news, we hear at game-time that this fossil of a quarterback is ready to play again.
But here's the question now: "why?"
The Vikings are out of playoff contention. There is no logic whatsoever behind playing him. It isn't in the Vikings' interests at all.
But. . .
It's in the interests of the NFL to keep Favre high-profile, because the Vikings were booked for several prime-time games and Favre remains good box office compared to the alternative. Also, by keeping the Vikings marketable (for the present), the league feels it has a better chance of selling a new stadium to the lemmings here (i.e. the Vikings faithful).
Rookie quarterback Joe Webb would only be interesting if he plays well and wins. It's possible, but it's too risky (from the league's standpoint) to allow that.
Favre is "box office" and he must play even if he's semi-handicapped or needs to be loaded with painkillers or steroids to perform.
I understand the league's thinking on this. But I certainly don't endorse it.
I'm waiting for the morning when we don't wake up to Sonny and Cher singing "I've Got You Babe" on the radio.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com