Let's get ready to rumble Thursday!

Sure feels like March. Snow is receding, though not as much as we'd like. Ah, "snirt" develops. 

Seems like each year, March weather will be so welcome after the intense winter. However, it seems not quite like that. The cold can still bite. The wind can kill all enthusiasm for being outside. Still too many snowdrifts. Any thaw brings annoying "slush." Potholes get worse. 

But hey, we have prep tournament basketball! It seems almost addictive this time of year. The MACA boys will play for the section title on Thursday. The "Minnesota Scores" site has been announcing the start-time as 8 p.m. I'll assume that is correct. 

I'm very glad I'm not making the trip myself. Game is in Marshall, a considerable distance from here. Seems a long time ago when we could look forward to so many of these games being played at UMM. Hordes of people would stream in and out of there. Atmosphere could be pandemonium, almost to a jarring extent. Hey, these are just high school kids playing a game! Think of the pressure we put them under. Maybe we don't think about this enough. 

The Tigers will vie with Redwood Valley, no slouch to be sure. Redwood has already showed it is capable of challenging the Tigers. Another close game would leave fans feeling drained. I would not want to drive back to Morris at such a late hour. Too bad Interstate highway is not available. I drove to Mankato once for the state softball tournament and I was very annoyed about that. Had to keep my road map on the passenger seat. 

I have practically ruled out nighttime driving for the rest of my life. Stay safe and warm at home. 

The Tigers will have to keep an eye on Redwood's Alex Lang on Thursday. Lang was a key player for the Cardinals in their sub-section triumph over Pipestone. Score was 68-56. Lang showed capability with making long 3-pointers. Just like Dan Majerle, "Thunder Dan?" Remember him? 

Lang pumped up Redwood's fortunes with his 3's in Saturday's first half. Game was at Marshall. Score was tied with two minutes left. Lang by himself proceeded to outscore the Arrows 11-1. He lifted the Cards to a 22-7 record. They have won eleven of their last twelve games. 

The Redwood Valley logo

Lang is a 6-foot guard. Rather than send up 3's, he was driving to the basket in the game's late stages. He "drove to the hole" against man-to-man pressure. Lang observed post-game that he had a mismatch against one of Pipestone's 6-4 forwards. Thus he decided to start driving. 

The score was tied at halftime, 27-all. 

Lang's 22 points topped Redwood's scoring and he was followed by two mates each with 15: Charles LaChapelle and Carson Woodford. Drew Lundeen put in nine points, then we see Zack Reck 3, Bill Jahger 2 and Robert Halvorson 2. 

Pipestone had a dominating scorer: Kaden Musch with 25 points. Merrill Heidebrink put in ten, then we see Connor Zephier 8, Kellen Johnson 5, Rysley Borman 4, Caden Strasser 2 and Jaden Lorang 2. Musch was critical for the Arrows staying close, as he scored a flurry of points late in the first half. 

The Arrows finish their season 22-6.

 

Terrific band concert

An MAHS band concert is just as uplifting as tournament basketball in March. I am convinced! Nice to see a good turnout at the MAHS concert hall Monday for the grades 7-12 event. The musicians performed many of their contest pieces. 

What stood out for me? Well, "Midway March" to be sure. The title did not ring familiar for me, but I recognized the melody immediately. I remembered it from the close of the 1960s WWII movie "Midway" that had Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda in the cast. Such a rousing melody, a melody you'd associate with triumph. 

Yes the American forces won the Battle of Midway in the Pacific Ocean. Our "divebombers" did the job. We sank the carriers of the Empire of Japan. A story of U.S. success, definitely, but it's a tragedy that nations engage in war like this. We're seeing it now with Russia and Ukraine. 

I am highly disappointed that a top U.S. "evangelical" Christian leader, Pat Robertson, has suggested we should root for the Russians. He says Russia is fulfilling Biblical prophecy. I wish he'd shut up. He does not speak for me. 

Evangelicals go out of their way to support Israel for the same reason: "Biblical prophecy." This is the worst of Christianity, extrapolating judgments this way. It is alienating young people from the faith. 

The MAHS wind ensemble performed "Midway March." The concert began with seventh grade, then moved on to eighth grade, concert band and wind ensemble. So many delights. Directors Andrea and Wanda are so gifted and motivated. 

Oh, I also loved "West Side Story" performed by the concert band. It brought back memories of when the Buddy Rich big band performed its West Side Story Medley in the '60s and '70s. Buddy was the "world's greatest drummer." I had the pleasure of hearing his band at the old St. Paul Prom Ballroom and Orchestra Hall. The Prom has come under the wrecking ball, sadly. I've read that there is now an ABRA body shop there. Buddy Holly played at the Prom in his final ill-fated tour. 

Buddy Rich's fans would shout for him to play "West Side Story" along with "Channel One Suite." Also, maybe "Norwegian Wood." What special tunes. Morris music fans would go down in carloads. (I was driving my "legendary" 1967 Oldsmobile Toronado.) 

Congrats to the MAHS band program! Will the Tigers come home a winner on Thursday? Let me remind: the year 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the start of my writing about Tiger sports for the local media. I would be described as an "unattached" journalist now, writing online-only. It is a pleasure. You might say I have outlasted a great many!

From an email from a friend: Yes, Morris boys have done well this year. We shall see if their luck holds out to get to State. This Loge kid is a nice player. The NDSU coach (related to the Herman Viponds) said he didn’t recruit Jackson b/c he’s just another good 6/8” player and there are loads of them. Interesting view.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

 

This photo of Buddy Holly was taken at the St. Paul Prom Ballroom on January 28, 1959. It was my fourth birthday! We lived in St. Paul. Holly and fellow rock 'n' roll notables played at the Prom in the final ill-fated tour. It ended with the plane crash in Iowa. Buddy Holly RIP.