The conference meet may have suggested "summer" but you know how it
is in Minnesota. We cross our fingers that the mild weather can persist
but it never does.
A rather chilly day greeted the MACA running Tigers and their
fellow harriers from around Section 6A Thursday (10/25). This was the
big day for determining who'd get the nod for state. Maybe it didn't
feel like winter but the 35-degree state of affairs suggested it's on
our doorstep. At least we don't have a hurricane moving in like out
east. "Hurricane Sandy" might wreak havoc. ("Sandy" is the name of our
family dog, age 16 and holding his own nicely.)
Runners dealt with a piercing north wind in addition to the
temperature that flirted with freezing. The site for this mass affair:
New London (Little Crow Country Club). Runners took off from the
starting line in late afternoon.
What a spectacle the Section 6A meet was, following tradition.
It doesn't take long for a runner to forget the effects of the
cold. MaKenzie Smith was a runner to watch on this day. It was a smart
bet Smith would make state. The big question for this MACA Tiger harrier
was if she could be first to the finish line. Senior Smith is a
two-time conference champion runner.
Smith had to settle for second place on this day. Ahead of her was a
Dragon of Litchfield: Savannah Ramirez. Ramirez has had an up-and-down
cross country career, making state in her eighth and ninth grade years
only to falter as a sophomore when she finished a modest 14th in
section. She demonstrated Thursday that her 2011 performance might just have been an aberration.
On Thursday Ramirez was on top of her game, turning in her
season-best running and getting clocked at 15:01 over the 4000 meters.
The Dragon junior carved out a 19-second advantage over second place
Smith who arrived at the finish chute with a 15:20 time. Smith is
obviously in for state with Ramirez.
Ramirez has won just two races this season but she's excelling when it counts. Smith is an MACA senior.
Ramirez was quoted saying she really just wanted to keep up with
Smith. But she found she was totally on her game and just accelerated.
She gives much praise to her coach Julie Dengerud. Dengerud has the boys
and girls running together in practice a lot. So the girls often test
and push themselves vs. the boys. Ramirez felt she had incentive to work
harder.
Smith and her Tiger mates are coached by Dale Henrich. Henrich will
be getting Smith ready for the climactic state meet which is set for
November 3 in Northfield.
Smith was joined in the MACA girls effort by Rachel Rausch (24th,
16:43), Savannah Aanerud (29th, 17:12), Becca Holland (47th, 17:50),
Tahni Jungst (70th, 18:56) and Miranda Day (101st, 22:41). The Tigers as
a team placed sixth. The champion was Holdingford.
The boys race saw Seth Hare of Albany run like a hare and he took first, helping lift his team to No. 1.
Aaron Goulet paced the Tigers. Goulet was clocked at 18:18 which
put him in 21st. Beau Keimig was clocked at 18:59 which put him in 40th.
Ryan Gray's time of 19:18 put him in 53rd. Roy Reese covered the 5000
meters in 18:42, good for 66th. Jon Jerke placed 81st (20:12) and Eric
Staebler 90th (20:51). The MACA boys placed ninth as a team.
Volleyball: Montevideo 3, Tigers 1
Boy, we didn't see this coming. The MACA volleyball team which had
fashioned so much success in the second half of the schedule, and which
had the No. 3 seed plus home court, got stunned by the No. 6 seed
Friday (10/26).
About the only criticism yours truly has of MACA Tiger athletics in
2012, is that our teams have trouble surpassing expectations in the
post-season. The Friday match can be added as an exhibit supporting this
argument.
You might think the home crowd if nothing else could help lift Morris Area Chokio Alberta to success.
What happened to all those ingredients that spelled abundant
success for our Tigers down the home stretch of the schedule? The
purple-themed Montevideo Thunder Hawks, seeded a modest sixth, came to
MACA and quieted the home crowd, turning back our Tigers in four games.
This was a Section 3AA North quarter-finals match.
Here are the game scores (MACA numbers first): 28-30, 25-13, 21-25
and 13-25. Monte will strive to play giant-killer again on Tuesday at
Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop (No. 2 seed).
Setter Tori Kuhlman of the T-Hawks was a dynamic force in her role
Friday. Kuhlman had good/attempts numbers of 131-136 and picked up 45
assists. She was a cog helping facilitate the Monte hitting which had a
balanced look. Kayla Collins produced 15 kills and Nettie Duvall 11.
Several other T-Hawks had their moments at the net.
The Tigers had to be especially aware of Alyssa Stern at the net.
Stern was a determined blocking force, coming through with seven solo
blocks to frustrate MACA. An ace block in your face can give you the
blues to be sure. Psychologically this might have taken a toll for the
Tigers.
Paige Schieler of the Tigers came through with 14 kills while going
33-for-37 in good/attempts. Sydney Engebretson wasn't quite the force
she sometimes is, and on this night settled for ten kills and 41-for-45
in good/attempts. Nicole Strobel and MicKenley Nagel each had four
kills.
Schieler and Katie Holzheimer each had two ace blocks. Mikaela Henrichs performed 26 digs.
Beth Holland led in serve aces with three and went 18-for-22 in
good/attempts. Sadie Fischer had two serve aces and finished 12 of 14.
Tigers with one serving ace each were Strobel, Holzheimer and
Engebretson.
The Tigers close out 2012 on an anticlimactic note but with a still-impressive overall mark of 16-9.
Viva Morris Area Chokio Alberta cross country and volleyball!
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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