Class AA power survives an A challenge

My Bonanza Valley newspaper friend Randy Olson can't celebrate this one: the Tuesday night girls basketball game between his BBE Jaguars and Minnewaska Area Lakers. It was a defeat for BBE and another win for our friends to the east Minnewaska Area. 

'Waska often wins in a rout but this was not another of those games. The game had a competitive look and ended in a score of 72-61. No surprise that BBE put up a strong challenge - those Jaguars entered with a five-game win skein. Both teams are getting attention in the state ranking system. Note that they are in different divisions, 'Waska in AA and BBE in A. 

The Lakers own an 11-2 record as we head into the second half of January. BBE is likewise flying high at 10-3, so Randy has plenty of opportunities to write upbeat articles. The Jags led at halftime Tuesday, score of 30-28. The Lakers had the second half scoring edge, 44-31. 

Lauren Ankeny led the scoring charge for 'Waska with 16 points. She made two 3-pointers. Alia Randt was No. 2 with an output of 13 and this Laker made three 3-pointers. Berlynn Green broke into double figures also with 12 points. Then we see Kendall Danielson 9, Nori Song 8, Olivia Danielson 8 and Allie Mrnak 6. 

Kendall Danielson like Randt connected for three 3-pointers. Ankeny and Mrnak each made two 3's. 

The Danielson girls led in attacking the boards, Kendall and Olivia both with five rebounds. Randt topped assists with three. She also led in steals with five. Ankeny blocked two shots and was complemented by Randt, Green and Olivia Danielson each with one. 

Kacey Fischer of BBE

Randy can report that Kacey Fischer of his Jags was an offensive force with 23 points. Teagan Dingmann scored 15, Mya Worms 13 and Macey Roering 10. Dingmann had the only 3-pointer. Fischer topped rebounds with 12. 

Click on link below to read my summary of the 'Waska girls' 68-42 win over West Central Area, and the boys' 51-40 win over WCA. This post is on my companion Blog "Morris of Course." Thanks for reading.

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2026/01/ankeny-and-randt-pace-lakers-scoring-at.html 

 

U of M women impress

A huge game is set for the Gophers of women's basketball tonight (Wednesday). There is basis for optimism. Our Gophers are coming off a win over #23-ranked USC. The test tonight would appear more formidable based on rankings. "Coach Dawn" will have her team taking the court to play the third-ranked UCLA Bruins. Game-time is 7 p.m. and it'll be at our home court. 

Me? I'll be taking in the home women's basketball action for our UMM Cougars, 5:30 p.m. Looks like it's a women's/men's doubleheader at the P.E. Center. 

Grace Grocholski

The Gophers had to escape a hole to defeat the Trojans of USC on Sunday. That hole was to the tune of 13 points. "Coach Dawn" got her team fired up and apparently made a few adjustments, much to the delight of our home crowd. 

Our big star was Grace Grocholski with 25 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Sophie Hart was another cog and this was with 15 points, six rebounds and two steals. Mara Braun's contributions: six points, ten rebounds and two blocked shots.

 

Troubling times for our state

A top headline from the "Mediaite" site: "Trump warns 'the day of reckoning and retribution is coming in Minnesota.' " 

What right does Donald Trump have to threaten our wonderful state of Minnesota like this? We are proud of the life we have here. Our standard of living is impressive. Would we want to trade with a red state like Alabama or Mississippi? Well of course not. Being a blue state has evidently gotten us far. 

But Trump appears ready to use the power of his lofty office to knock us down. The "Mediaite" article began "President Donald Trump erupted at the people of Minnesota in a truly unhinged Truth Social post on Tuesday morning." 

You would think that our congressperson out here in western Minnesota would be outraged that Trump would threaten our state this way. But of course I would never look for that, as I would expect the exact opposite. So sure enough, her most recent email release simply states that she "supports law enforcement." 

That statement is fine as far as it goes, but the current question revolves around FEDERAL law enforcement. That's a different animal from what we are used to living with, which is state and local law enforcement. When we think of law enforcement, we think of state and local. We think of the state patrol and our county sheriff's department, those guys in uniform who come to the Willie's deli in the morning. In big cities it's the donut shops. 

Federal law enforcement is really a very scary specter. It can supersede everything. The public will have to rise up en masse to try to stop it, to stop this equivalent of the Gestapo of Nazi Germany. We have in fact seen an uprising. We've seen protest efforts right here in Morris. We need more than just the "Indivisible" people joining in. We need a whole lot of patriots. 

We cannot count on our local churches at all, certainly not the "conservative" churches. The conservative ones if anything are on the other side. If you have any MAGA family members, it is time to CUT THEM OFF. Do not humor them anymore. It is time to disown these people. 

Jesus Christ

Attention ministers: it is time to stop being scared of quoting Jesus from his Sermon on the Mount. Yes Jesus could sound a little "liberal" at times. So what? Be proud of what Jesus Christ stood for. And if certain Trump supporters in your congregation want to stand up and walk out, SO BE IT! Let them go. 

Oh, I suppose you need their money. Well then what is your true god? 

The Catholic Church has been hanging in there so far.

Maybe Michalle Fischbach actually wants us to be like Alabama or Mississippi. 

 

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