Tigers score all 28 points in fourth, beat YME

MACA downed Yellow Medicine East in an incredible high school football game Friday in Granite Falls.

The host looked like granite for the first three quarters, preventing the Tigers from scoring a single point. But what a turnaround the MACA fans were treated to in the fourth.

The Tigers are making a habit of winning in dramatic fashion as road warriors. They did this against Paynesville, and summoned the winning magic again Friday.

They scored all of their game-total 28 points in the fourth quarter! They downed the stunned Sting in the 28-25 final.

The Sting led 12-0 going into the fourth quarter. It might have been a somewhat dull game up until then, but the fourth quarter truly became "showtime."
Coach Jerry Witt mapped out the winning formula and his players executed.

At one point in the fourth the Tigers actually trailed by 18 points. The Sting's Jacob Peterson scored on a 62-yard run in the fourth to give YME that promising bulge on the scoreboard.

Could the Tigers possibly turn things around? They most surely could, and the momentum got started with a Tim Ostby five-yard touchdown carry. The conversion pass try failed.

Next it was Chandler Erickson scoring for the never-say-die Tigers. Erickson charged through openings on a kickoff return, really turned on the jets and scored - a 79-yard return. The Tigers tried a kick on the conversion and were unsuccessful. (Conversion plays have been a bugaboo for MACA this fall.)

The Tigers used the big-play pass for their next score: quarterback Jake Torgerson passed 28 yards to Logan Manska for a TD. This time the Tigers clicked for the conversion as Torgerson found Ostby for two.

The Sting struck back as Peterson found daylight to score on a 25-yard run. Cody Bossman kicked the point-after.

Then it was the Tigers getting back to work scoring again. Erickson got open for a 28-yard catch from Torgerson and the refs signalled "touchdown."
Tom Holland ran for two points on the conversion.
What a game!

The scoreboard read Tigers 28, Sting 25, and the orange and black could savor their third conference win of the season, fourth overall.

Morris Area Chokio Alberta had nine first downs. Ostby led in rushing yards with 60, in 15 carries, and Jordan Staples picked up 25 yards in five carries.

Torgerson completed ten of his 18 pass attempts with no interceptions, and his passing yardage was 174. Erickson eclipsed 100 receiving yards with his five catches. Tanner Picht had two catches for 18 yards, Ostby two for 19 and Logan Manska one for 28.

Staples had a fumble recovery.

YME's Peterson was a nemesis for the Tigers and he finished with 139 rushing yards in 16 carries.

YME's first two touchdowns on the night were scored by Adam Koepke and Brandon Grund. YME's passing was done by Jake Sharkey and Elliott Carmany.

Next for the Tigers: the annual mid-week game that signals we're coming down the home stretch. Wednesday, Oct. 19, will find coach Witt's crew hosting BOLD at Big Cat Stadium. BOLD has carved out lots of success so the challenge should be substantial.

Let's defy the late-fall chill in the air and all turn out for the 7 p.m. kickoff!

Volleyball: a week of sweep wins!

The MACA volleyball Tigers rolled past all opponents this past week.

What a week! Not only did the orange and black prevail in all three of its matches, it did so via sweep.

On Monday the opponent was Minnewaska Area. On Tuesday: Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City. And after the day off on Wednesday, the Tigers discovered plenty more fuel in the tank and swept Lac qui Parle Thursday.

The success really invigorated the squad although it still finds itself two games below .500 at 10-12. In conference the numbers are 4-7.

If the Tigers can parlay the kind of form they exhibited this past week, you might say it's a whole new season. Prior to the week, the Tigers had been somewhat snakebit losing some games by scores like 24-26.

There was a reversal in the match against Minnewaska Area. Here's a review of the scores on the night: 27-25, 27-25, 25-16. It's a pleasure typing the higher number first.

Katie Holzheimer and Terianne Itzen set the ball in typically proficient fashion. Itzen also came to the fore hitting. She posted the team-best kill total of eight. She also served for an ace.

Jaimie Bergerson was second best in kills with her six. Four each were pounded down by Nicole Strobel, Paige Schieler and Sydney Engebretson.

Bergerson led the ace blocks list with five. Schieler and Engebretson were right behind with four and three respectively. Mikaela Henrichs with her 17 digs was tops in that department. Itzen and Engebretson were a force in digs with 16 and 15, respectively.

Courtney Ehleringer served for 15 good in as many attempts and had one ace.

Minnewaska's Lexi Amundson had eleven kills.

The Tuesday story was a sweep again, this time in Atwater over the Falcons of ACGC. Again, two of the three games were as close as you can get. MACA fans are delighted to see their team on the winning end of those squeakers.

MACA disposed of the Falcons 28-26, 25-16 and 25-23.

Holzheimer and Itzen raced around the court, executing in the setting department flawlessly. Together they put up 28 assists.

Jaimie Bergerson and Sydney Engebretson were determined at the net and together they pushed down five ace blocks.

The vital kills department had Paige Schieler setting the pace on this night. She pounded down ten, followed by Engebretson with eight, Bergerson with six, Strobel with four and Itzen and Courtney Gades each with three.

Henrichs was at the fore in digs with 14. Itzen racked up three ace serves.

ACGC's Katie Knisley was proficient at the net with 12 kills.

On Thursday the Morris Area Chokio Alberta fans had reason to anticipate more success. Lac qui Parle entered the night with no wins in conference or overall. Things weren't going to get better for the Eagles Thursday.

MACA bore down to make it a sweep for the week - a truly memorable week in Tiger volleyball. The Eagles got stronger as the night went along but they couldn't eke out a win. MACA prevailed 25-11, 25-20 and 25-23.

Nicole Strobel was aggressive at the serving line and she served for five aces.

Holzheimer and Itzen were steady as always in setting. Bergerson and Engebretson found lots of those sets to their liking as they each pounded down eight kills. Itzen was right behind with seven.

Engebretson went up for two ace blocks. Itzen had the team-high eleven digs.

LQPV's Jordan Halvorson had five kills.

Coming out of Thursday, BOLD was the conference leader with a 10-1 record followed by Benson at 9-2.

Cross country: Smith first to the chute

Makenzie Smith continued her hard-charging ways in cross country races this fall, taking No. 1 in the Benson Invitational held on Monday, Oct. 10. Smith was greeted at the finish chute with her time of 15:49.52.

The Morris Area Chokio Alberta girls as a team took third. Benson-KMS had the top team.

Joining Smith in the orange and black cause were Rachel Rausch (15th, 17:45.27), Julia Sauder (17th, 18:25.14), Becca Holland (26th, 19:34.89) and Adrianela Mendez (28th, 19:38.78).

The MACA boys took third like the girls. Sauk Centre had the top boys team.

Two Tigers finished in the top five: Aaron Goulet in third with his time of 18:03.88, and Roy Reese in fourth with his 18:34.51 performance.

Caleb Sanderson finished 15th (19:28.40), Brody Bahr 25th (20:18.61) and Ben Jerke 27th (20:26.83).

The boys race was won by Jacob Gerhartz of Sauk Centre who arrived at the chute at 16:35.06.

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