I walk by heading out east beyond the bypass and then back again as I go home. Lots of noise and enthusiasm connected to the sub-section softball tournament.
I expected the day to be pretty suspense-free for our MACA Tigers. Will this post-season follow standard form? We'll come out of the starting gate like gangbusters. Then we eventually run into a buzz saw from southern Minnesota. This pattern has been seen so often over the years.
Sharon Martin gave me an interpretation of it once. She said our Tigers "play in a weak conference."
So we just don't get tested enough during the regular season. A boffo won-lost record does not punch our ticket for state. We'll see what happens this year.
We got a reprieve from the wet and rather nasty weather of late. Thursday turned out fine. I saw a table set up over by left field for taking money from fans. However, it didn't really seem like fans were watching a game, seemed more like batting practice for the Tigers who teed off. No surprise. First we manhandled Montevideo with a 14-1 win. Next was an even more decisive outcome: 15-0 over Minnewaska Area.
'Waska is where our now-former athletic director Blake Karas has relocated. Kind of concerning. I hate to see these moves based nakedly on money. I hate to see it when someone relocates to a school close by. IMHO seems rather crass. Or maybe not, if you believe what people around Morris are reporting about how much more money Karas is allegedly making at Minnewaska. Heavens to Betsy, didn't 'Waska have two failed school referendums some time back? I remember those.
And now 'Waska appears to be swimming in money!
Reports around our town have it that Karas will be making $40 thou more a year. That's what the "shoeshine guy" says. And we've had a parade of school employees coming to our Morris Area school board meetings complaining pretty pointedly about pay, to the point of violating proper decorum IMHO. I was surprised at the football coach. His program might be endangered by the new MAHS boys soccer team. The sooner football dies the better.
Softball has obliterated two opponents in the post-season. Too bad we do not have a softball facility that serves the interests of fans better. You might say it does not serve the interests of fans at all. So very strange. You'd better bring your own chair. You might want to settle out by the outfield fence.
I saw fans seated outside of first and third bases but I have checked out those viewing positions and they are problematic. The length of the dugouts forces people to sit out a long ways so you look through the fence at an angle. I know it's tough. But people might not want to complain. Well, follow the example of our teachers! They surely complain publicly.
The amount of available space for seating behind home plate is tiny, at least if you want to see the entire playing field. Well, I stayed out along Prairie Lane where again I saw lots of cars parked along the shoulder. Is that going to be par for the course? I think there are safety issues with kids maybe darting out from between parked cars. But I am merely an observer.
Sharon and I enjoy walking along the biking/walking trail east of town. Sharon has "Goldy" with her. She is leaving teaching! Say it isn't so. But it's so.
The next MACA softball game will be on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Marshall. The opponent: Luverne. How did Marshall become such a hub for high-level section games? It's a long trip for MACA fans. Morris should try to get some of those games here. But for softball, our facility might be deemed mediocre for that. You have to think of the fans.
Where's the special section?
Morris Area graduation is tonight (Friday). I have not seen the annual supplement with the Morris newspaper that honors the graduates. A friend who subscribes tells me this hasn't appeared yet. That's a problem. The next Morris paper will come out four days after graduation. One of the purposes of the supplement is to make sure everyone knows the date and time of graduation, to promote it.
My, all the years I covered graduation for the Morris newspaper, then known as the Sun Tribune. I covered Hancock's graduation in many years also. All good things come to an end.
Now I'd like to see a bad thing come to an end: The Indiana Fever's losing streak. They play late tonight out West. Go Caitlin!
Let's take a look at the game highlights of MACA vs. Minnewaska, the 15-0 win. You'd never guess there was a big pay disparity between the Morris and 'Waska athletic directors, would you? The Tigers buried 'Waska with a 12-run third inning. Coach Mary Holmberg had to smile about the line score: 15 runs, ten hits, a mere one error. Now let's do that to the southern Minnesota teams!
Two Tigers 3-for-3
Lauren Hottovy was a perfect three-for-three in the boxscore. Two of her hits were doubles. She drove in four runs, scored two and drew a walk. Cate Kehoe's bat resonated with three-for-three numbers too. Her hits included a double. She scored three runs, drove in one and stole a base.
Brianna Marty walked, stole a base and scored a run. Amaya Raths went one-for-three with a ribbie. Nora Boyle walked twice and scored two runs. Haley Kill doubled, scored a run and drove in two. Samantha Konz had a hit, drew a walk and scored two runs.
Ryla Koehler crossed home plate three times. She walked and drove in a run. Kaylin Steen had a hit, walked and drove in a run.
Minnewaska's two hits were by Ella Roering and Avery Lewison.
Kill was our pitcher and she fanned seven batters and walked just one. Mataya Mix took the loss.
Minnewaska came down the home stretch of regular season play with a doubleheader sweep of Benson. My review of that action is on my "Morris of Course" companion blog. Writing about Benson was an opportunity to share further thoughts on their nickname/mascot controversy which is now suspended. I invite you to read my post:
So we're waiting: Will the Morris newspaper come out with the supplement for MAHS graduation this next Tuesday? It's still too late. People who supported this financially got shorted. It was essential for the publication to appear this week.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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