Well, this could have been scripted: the MACA boys breezed through round #1 of the post-season. We all have to keep fingers crossed through this, because a single positive Covid test, either among our own players or a recent opponent, can send you to the sidelines. The 'Waska and Paynesville girls teams experienced this scenario last week.
Is it a case of over-reaction? No one wants to risk the spreading of the bug, but sometimes we have to wonder. We do not live in a perfect or risk-free world. We never have.
OK, so the Tigers surely took care of business Thursday night. Action was here at Tiger Center. The Tigers met the ACGC Falcons in the 3AA-North quarter-finals. We worked to a 39-27 halftime advantage, then things got even better. We charged out for second half play, like on a mission. Hey, we had a 20-2 run.
We "never looked back," the West Central Tribune coverage noted. But the West Central Trib's coverage did not include stats for ACGC. ACGC is well within the Willmar newspaper's coverage radius. What about ACGC fans who are paying for an online "subscription" to the paper? Might they feel slighted? A ripoff? I refuse to pay for any information online. Eventually it will all be there for free online, although a lot will have advertising $ support.
Right now, papers are trying to have their cake and eat it too: they do in fact seek ad money for online but then they try to squeeze readers too. Ah, the pursuit of money!
I'll remind: check out the "incognito" system for trying to get around newspaper paywalls. Just do a basic online search. I have found the system works with the Willmar paper's site. You might still be asked to "register" but you will get access.
The MACA boys breezed to an 85-57 win over the outmanned Falcons. The Tigers were 32 of 54 in shooting for 59 percent.
Jackson Loge took a back seat on this night to Thomas Tiernan. Tiernan shone with his 8 of 15 shooting stats, 53 percent. His team-best point total was 22. Loge took no back seat when it came to shooting percentage which was 100 percent. He made all four attempts and scored 12 points. But it was Toby Gonnerman who was second high in scoring with his 13 achieved on four of five.
Indeed the Tigers were sharp-shooting: Durgin Decker made five of six shots and scored ten points. Cole Wente made four of five for ten also. Brandon Jergenson scored eight points, Riley Reimers seven and Sam Kleinwolterink three.
So, was Tiernan tops in 3-point shooting? That's what I would have guessed, but Loge led with his three long-rangers followed by Tiernan with two. Three Tigers each made one '3': Wente, Jergenson and Reimers. As a team we were 8 of 19 in 3's, 42 percent. We were 13 of 21 in freethrows led by Gonnerman and his five makes. Tiernan made four.
The rebound department saw Loge on top with his ten, two offensive. Decker was second-high with eight, four offensive. We snared 31 rebounds, eleven offensive. Jergenson and Tiernan led in assists, each with five. Decker and Loge each dished out four. Tiernan stole the ball four times. Loge blocked three shots.
The Tigers own the No. 1 seed in sub-section. ACGC fell to 3-14 with Thursday's outcome. Next for the MACA boys: another game at Tiger Center, this one against New London-Spicer, the No. 5 seed. Action is set for 7 p.m. Saturday. NL-Spicer advanced with a 60-58 win over 'Waska. Paynesville beat Benson 80-56. Redwood Valley advanced with a 75-53 win over Montevideo.
Can all these teams keep steering clear of Covid?
Our KMRS site informs us that Brandon Pickle led ACGC in scoring with 22 points.
Doings in Hancock
What's up with this? An email from a friend this morning is curious:
You’re the investigative reporter, you should look into this: There are 7 (I think) Hancock teachers resigning effective the end of the school year. That’s 20% of their teaching staff. I’ve heard rumors as to why, but of course unsubstantiated, so I won’t bore you with that. You must still have contacts down there from your glory days at the Fishwrap, you should call in a few favors. Anyway, that sure is peculiar.
And, from another friend, the following interesting background about the strange and discouraging "double forfeit" in girls hoops, affecting Minnewaska and Paynesville:
To explain the double forfeit.
In the last regular season game when Minnewaska and Paynesville met one another in rural Starbuck, on March 11...they played a full game, and all was fine.
Then the next day, the Department of Health notified Minnewaska Area schools that one player on the MAHS Lakers team had a COVID test returned with a "positive" result. The girl was not sick, and her family was surprised to hear she was "positive" ...but protocols then fall into place that deem the Lakers team in an official "two week quarantine" and...as the playoffs began this week, that meant they were done for the year.
Because Paynesville played them, and the player was considered "COVID positive" ...then Paynesville's team was also put into that "two week quarantine" mode. This, too, erased the rest of their season. The Sub-Section 3AA-North tournament remained an official 8 team bracket, with that double forfeit included - and NLS then receiving a bye in the semifinal round.
And, now your MA/CA Tigers have landed a semifinal berth, so that side of the bracket will hold a game, the other side - no game.
Trumpian forces mounting locally?
Now that we have a U.S. congressman building up the idea of vigilante justice and lynching, we must wonder about the very real threats we might face everywhere. Have you seen the new sign on display at the very pro-Trump residence next to East Side Park in Morris, where kids play? It uses "blank" for an improper word but of course we can all fill in the blank. It is derisive toward Joe Biden.
The local pro-Trump sentiment is so strong, will they take the congressman's words to heart - he's Chip Roy - and launch some really dangerous things?
It seems to be all men who are programmed this way. As for the women, I think even the Apostolic women might be inclined to secretly be thankful they are getting a stimulus check from the government, thanks to the Democratic Party and Biden. The Republicans allowed the nation's deficit to explode under Trump. Wasteful spending? How about the new "space force," a big expensive new bureaucracy? Heaven help us if nation-states around the world find they have to start using weapons from space.
Men tend to think like this. Women are passive and peace lovers, I would wager even the Apostolic women. Yes, I'm quite certain.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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