Is high school sports the No. 1 antidote for dealing with the besieged mentality we can have when dealing with the weather? Not only can winter deal serious blows this time of year, we are worn down by the sheer length of winter. But remember the old sign at the HHH Metrodome, Minneapolis: "We like it here."
So now as we plod through mid-February, we're contemplating the state wrestling tournament. I have been there a couple times. I was there when it was held at the old "St. Paul Civic Center."
People involved with wrestling can sometimes get too pumped up about their own sport. Don't argue with me on this. But we can still be justifiably excited about the state tournament when it arrives. The big question is this: will spring ever arrive? The temperature has plummeted down as I write this early Tuesday morning. Yesterday the wind howled.
Yesterday the word was we might not have school all week. More punches are about to be thrown, CW has it.
I enjoyed writing about BBE volleyball and its exciting ascent last fall. BBE has more headliners this winter. Let's take a look at wrestling where the ascent has been most dramatic and exciting. In BBE the teams are called "Jaguars."
The wrestling Jaguars are No. 1 in Section 5A. Their first sectional success was against ACGC, win by a 57-24 score. Then the action moved to Benson. February 18 saw the Jags get past Canby, score of 40-19. Then came the section climax with BBE pitted against KMS. Success this time by a score of 38-25. BBE wrestling is in the state spotlight for the third straight season.
I am lucky this morning as the West Central Tribune has the paywall down for its website. You never know about that.
The Tigers' loss is the Jags' gain. Let me explain: I was unable to find MACA boys basketball stats in the usual "Maxpreps" place for the last two games. Those games were on Thursday and Friday, both exciting wins. Were those stats to be posted, I'd be rolling up my sleeves this morning to try to provide quality coverage of the Tigers. As with the WC Trib paywall, there is a hit-and-miss quality to the MACA coaches' commitment with Maxpreps. I sure hope the relationship hasn't ended permanently.
Do you suppose someone got to the coaches and said: "Stop doing that because you're just helping Brian Williams show up the Morris newspaper." Well, I certainly have been able to do that. Of course, the best attitude by school administration would be to accept with open arms, anyone's efforts to put MACA athletic accomplishments in front of the public.
In the real world, people do not always function in the most idealistic way. Certain well-placed people might read this and laugh at me, because there are certainly people who would laugh at me for whatever I say about anything. But my money is still good: I contributed $1000 to the Morris Area School Foundation in December. Money can calm the seas in many situations.
Over the years I have had clashes with people who wanted to cover up certain deficiencies in both our school system (especially) and other areas. All I ever cared about was the truth, not who my "drinking buddies" were.
So if I'm not writing about MACA boys basketball this morning, I'm shining a light on the BBE Jaguars. On the wrestling mat. My goodness, the Jags were seeded a mere third in section! Joe Brown described the Saturday action at Benson as the Jaguars' "revenge tour." Hmmm, "revenge" is kind of an ugly word. I'll pass on that. I'll opt for "surprise."
BBE now has a string of 14 straight wins in duals. Their last loss was on January 27 to Canby. The BBE head coach is Jordan Fester. The win over KMS had a downbeat start for coach Fester's crew. KMS got the early 16-0 lead.
KMS sent Tanner Wilts onto the mat at 126 pounds. Wilts took command momentarily with a 10-1 lead. BBE had Louie Tensen on the mat. Tensen was in the down position for the start of the third period. This is the stuff of sports movies: Tensen gained a reversal and then pinned Wilts, time of 5:32! Incidentally the best high school wrestling movie is "Win Win." Check it out.
Tensen injected a sense of mo and the Jags found themselves leading 18-16 at the midway point. Tensen told the WC Tribune he sensed a rise in confidence.
The score became deadlocked at 22-22. Four bouts left. The BBE top weights were up to the task. BBE surged out front 28-22. But KMS had some spark remaining: the Saints won at 195 pounds with a 4-0 decision.
The decisive match for BBE proved to be 220, where Ethan Spanier pinned his foe in the first period. Section title assured for the Jags! The Jags took a victory lap at 285 where Harley Weber got a 10-7 decision win.
The little guys at 106 pounds were Colton Noble and Aiden Mueller. Noble of KMS won 12-4. Cole Froehlich (113) of KMS won by fall over Noah Welte in 5:52. Then at 120, Trey Gunderson of KMS kept the ball rolling for them: A fall in :14 over Elliot Spanier.
Bring on the Jags and their winning momentum! Louie Tensen got his fall win over Tanner Wilts, time of 5:32. Then it was Ryan Jensen at 132 pinning Taytan Nielsen in :54. Brett DeRoo won by a 3-2 decision over Noah Johnson. The 145-pound bout had Wyatt Engen beating Jett Olson in a 5-2 outcome.
KMS began answering as their Chase Magaard downed Tanner Viessman 4-3. Then at 160, Luke Froelich of KMS decisioned Hunter Lange 6-3. Bring on the Jaguars again: Maximus Hanson won by major decision 21-9 over Aaron Jones. Carson Gilbert of BBE won by fall in :44 over Collin Johnson.
At 195 it was Masyn Olson of KMS prevailing 4-0 over Talen Kampsen 4-0. BBE 220-pounder Ethan Spanier pinned Owen Kidrowski in 1:27. The big guys were Harley Weber and Jason Jones at 285 pounds. BBE's Weber won 10-7.
What a day of thrills for the BBE fans at Benson! Does Benson still use the Native American nickname for its teams? Strange.
Words to inspire in this prolonged winter, eh? The sign was at the Metrodome. Baseball stat genius Bill James commented on it once: "It's like you're saying 'we don't care what everyone else thinks.' "
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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