Montevideo is the #1 seed. Monte climbed also. The Thunder Hawks survived a decent challenge from Minnewaska Area. Monte was the 56-49 winner at the T-Hawks' court. The stage is thus set: our Tigers will take on Monte Thursday at Willmar, 6 p.m. Yes, neutral court.
Remember the days when so much post-season basketball was here at UMM? Maybe you don't, it was a long time ago. Big and loud crowds and ear-splitting pep bands. Sometimes it almost seemed a bit much. I just smiled from my role as newspaper person. I'm glad I'm not now forced to drive as far as Southwest State, Marshall, especially for night games. My years are advancing.
Perhaps "decent challenge" is an understatement regarding Minnewaska. Indeed, those Lakers were leading Monte toward the end. Can that be deemed a big surprise? I mean, the Lakers finished their season with an abysmal 2-25 record. I might have expected a blow-out loss versus the top seed.
MACA fans can feel heartened, perhaps, going into Thursday. A win in the works? Ah, you have to take 'em one at a time. Monte has a 21-6 record.
The March tournament season arrives with the very discouraging development of intense conflict between MAHS teachers and the school board. Should we accept this system? Or should the state take over, decide what's fair for teachers and leave it at that? Teachers who don't like the situation can resign and explore other opportunities. But it's demoralizing for the whole school district and community to hear such pointed gripes from teachers like Kevin Pope.
I was really surprised at the invective.
If we did not have a local newspaper, I wouldn't even know about all this conflict. Would we be better off without a local paper? Seriously? It's not as if we need the paper to be a "watchdog" on government because it doesn't do that anyway. For one thing, the paper would be taking risks of alienating high-standing people who of course influence the amount of advertising dollars coming to the paper.
The Forum was set to close the Morris paper when it left town, a very well-placed source informed me. It did close the Hancock paper and it cut the Morris paper's product to one weekly issue, from two. It was twice a week through my whole career there.
Last week's paper really hung out to dry the intense conflict building up between the teachers and the board. Teachers can take the risk of asserting themselves in this manner, I suppose, because of their job security. They can "give lip" to those in charge.
My experience has taught me that a certain segment of the community will stay quiet or actually say they support the teachers, and I would put these people mostly in two categories: 1) current parents who are afraid of the wrath the teachers might exercise, and 2) people who make their salaries from government, thus they feel kin with the teachers.
As for those who want to offer a negative critique sometimes, they might find their business/professional lives threatened. We saw this in Morris in the 1980s. So I'll repeat: might there be a better way?
Here's a comment I received from my Bonanza Valley newspaper friend via email last night:
Hello again!
I find Kevin Pope's comments to be completely ridiculous. He says the teachers are disappointed that the district has only added 2 percent on top of the 6 percent that the state is adding to Morris's coffers.
Well, what the heck? They indeed SHOULD be glad that Morris is adding 2 percent! For crying out loud, Brian, where's your 8 percent increase to your retirement funds comparable to 2023? I doubt you're getting an 8 percent bump.
I will have to work extra hard just to keep "even" with 2023...no pay increase. I'm not complaining about it either, I just put my head down and get the work done that's necessary.
It will be interesting to see all that drama play out in Morris. Yikes!
(end of quoted item)
What gives?
I have never met this Kevin Pope. But he is coming off as a total, irredeemable jerk.
Montevideo had five players score in their Saturday win over the Lakers, led by Gannon Reidinger with 20 points. Then we see Carson Boike with 13 and Cooper Dack with eleven. To continue: Griffin Epema 8 and Devin Ashling 4. Noike connected for four 3-pointers. Dack had two long-range makes and Reidinger one.
Reidinger and Dack led in rebounds with eight and six respectively. Dack and Ashling each had two assists, Boike had two steals and Reidinger blocked two shots.
Our neighbors to the east, Minnewaska Area, had Alex Panitzke lead in scoring with 15 points. Tenzin Dahl joined him in double figures with ten. To continue: Marc Gruber 7, Connor Frey 6, Owen Meulebroeck 6 and Dylan Alexander 5. Panitzke made three 3-pointers followed by Frey with two and Gruber with one.
Rebound leaders were Dahl 8, Alexander 5 and Gruber 5. Alexander led in assists with five and steals with four. Dahl blocked a shot.
The Thunder Hawks actually trailed No. 8 Minnewaska in the closing minutes. Monte awakened to their emergency and went on an 11-1 run.
Our MACA Tigers are seeded No. 4. The West Central Tribune reports we're No. 5 but that is contradicted elsewhere. The WC Trib had our win over New London-Spicer reported as 70-59 but that too is contradicted. I've seen 70-58 in other places.
"Minnesota Scores" reports that MACA has an 18-9 record, 6-4 in section, 9-5 in conference and 7-5 at home.
Good luck to the Tigers! Good luck too to our school board as it deals with the hugely malcontent teachers. I've seen all this before.
BTW I think our girls basketball team could have gone further.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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