The one win came on Tuesday: a 43-29 score over Melrose.
Is the "Minnesota Scores" website correct in showing that the first five games of the season are here in Morris? That's what it says. A part of me wants to be skeptical. Just watch me go by that and end up erring in my blog post: my old critics would be out in force. But maybe it's true: maybe our first five games really are at home.
Nice to have such a nice stretch of home action. But later on we'll probably see a series of away contests, don't you think?
Right now the abundant home action is like a Christmas gift.
Things started out very bleak for the MACA girls this winter. My, a 60-28 loss to Breckenridge in which the Tigers must have put up bricks in the first half. Our Game 2 was a 41-29 loss at the hands of Sauk Centre. Game 3 was the quite therapeutic win over Melrose, and then came the Thursday contest vs. New London-Spicer.
You might know that NL-Spicer has quite the tradition in girls hoops. So NL-Spicer would have to be the betting choice. The Wildcats indeed did not disappoint. So they handed our Tigers a 56-38 defeat. All of this being here in Motown.
Tonight in Motown too? That's what the "Minnesota Scores" site says. The schedule there does not go beyond tonight's game (as of this morning). "Minnesota Scores" is starting to get cluttered with ads, notice that? Well, money makes the world go 'round.
Ava Carlson was a force for the visiting Wildcats. She scored the game-best 23 points. The other double figures scorers: Dakota Rich 14 and Delaney Hanson 10. Rich pumped in two 3-pointers. Hanson had their other '3'. Here's the rest of the Wildcats' scoring: Ayla Caskey 4, Piper Barney 2, Roxanne Klein 2 and Taylor Munsch 1.
The rebounding charge was led by Carlson 13, Hanson 8 and Katelyn Delzere 7. Carlson and Caskey led in assists with seven and six respectively. Here's a look at the steal producers: Carlson 8, Rich 6, Hanson 4, Caskey 3 and Barney 3. Hanson blocked a shot.
NL-Spicer led at halftime 34-23.
And for the Tigers
Kaylee Harstad paced the Tigers' scoring with 15 points. Catherine Kehoe put in nine, then we see Maddie Fehr with six, Morgan Harstad four and Hana Schutz three. Three Tigers each made a 3-point shot: Kehoe, Schutz and Kaylee Harstad.
Unfortunately the remaining stat categories have "N/A" (for not available) in the WC Trib's coverage. Couldn't someone have supplied that info to the WC Trib? It's good public relations for the school to have visibility in any available media.
Here's
an old bugaboo: the individual totals from the West Central Tribune add
up to 37 points whereas we scored 38. Some things never change,
n'est-ce pas?
We're looking at a won-lost of 1-3 in the early season, not where the Tigers wanted to be. So much of the season lies ahead. Take advantage of the home games at present, because I think a stretch of road contests is lying ahead. What about winter? Will that finally arrive with its snow? The snow will probably catch up to us too.
We often hear about "matching contributions" like your employer might make. Hey, I'm issuing a holidaytime challenge today, to all who might want to match my own personal donation to the MAHS band activity fund.
What better way to feel the Christmas spirit? Absolutely none better. This gives me the richest sense of holiday joy and celebration. I feel like Scrooge after his transformation on Christmas morning!
Music has enriched my life. So I'm giving just a little back. I visited Natalie at the Morris Area district office recently to present a check for $2000. I'm told this will really help with the musicians' exciting plans for the trip to New Orleans. I am publicly announcing my challenge through this blog site to see if any other individual or business might want to contribute a matching amount. Or even more.
A couple years ago the MAHS musicians made a trip to Texas. It was my pleasure to post a photo from that trip on my "Morris of Course" blog. The band was preforming at the San Antonio River Walk.
New Orleans was probably the second choice for destination this time around. I'm told that Washington D.C. would probably be No. 1. But, this had to be scrubbed due to the possibility of a government shutdown. Our reliable U.S. government, eh? But surely New Orleans would be boffo exciting as well.
I visited the band room to discuss my donation with Wanda Dagen before I stopped in to see Natalie. Donations would help reduce stress for the music directors and the kids themselves. Otherwise the kids are ready to do their fundraising things. We can reduce that work with more private benefactors coming forward. At least give it some thought.
OK, so I'm doing it partly because music has meant a lot to me. Secondarily, I have no family any more, so by helping MAHS music I'm able to have that void filled for the holiday season! I really truly feel lifted up.
Zero family? Maybe not literally zero but it is negligible to be sure. I can think of three cousins with whom I might exchange holidaytime emails. My cousin Debbie in Hawaii hasn't even answered me the last two years. I am assured she survived the terrible fires there. She is on a different island.
A brother of hers is retired in Idaho. Best I can hope for there is a token email exchange, and it's ditto with my cousin (on Dad's side) Robert Williams in the Twin Cities. Robert lost his wife Marilyn to breast cancer in the last couple years. I didn't attend the funeral because I just don't want to drive in the Cities any more. So my family ties are certainly not any source for the kind of cheer we associate with the Christmas holidays.
My check to the MAHS band activity fund gives me a huge sense of the genuine cheer. And that's so important for everyone. It makes me feel like an even better friend of director Dagen too. That is a huge thrill.
Again, please y'all consider a matching donation of funds for me. Natalie can give you a receipt that will benefit you in your taxes. Which reminds me, I'm still confused about the difference if any between the Morris Area School Foundation and West Central Initiative. I have brought this up with 2-3 people who would seem in position to know but I get muddled responses.
Last year I wrote a check for $1000 to WCI which I understood would benefit the School Foundation. Maybe Santa knows.
Sports and winter
I invite you to read my current post on my companion blog "Morris of Course," headline of which is: "The joy of prep sports through our winter." Thanks and God bless.
I will be having lunch at home by myself on Christmas Day. My diet is limited by the medication I take for diabetes. Probably a meal consisting of one small can of Campbell's Soup, which I put in a coffee mug and microwave; unsweetened applesauce; and 2-4 slices of dry whole wheat toast. And of course coffee! Maybe throw in a banana. And I'll thank the Lord for my blessings.
I do not have a new original Christmas song to share this year. Am too scared about the prospect of Donald Trump getting back in power, what that would mean for this whole country. My fear of Fascism seems not to be shared by so many others around me. Especially men.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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