Boys succumb to Benson in South semis

Many are called, few are chosen. That might be the theme for this time of year in prep basketball. The ranks of the teams "still going" have been cut way down.

The MACA boys had hoped to get this far. They made the trip to Collegeville Saturday, March 10, hoping to take that next step through the Section 6AA South tournament. It was sub-section semis day.

It's not as high on the ladder as you might think. To get there, the Tigers won one game, and this was over Eden Valley-Watkins. Yes, it was hard getting past EV-W. It required overtime and had a final scoreboard margin of a mere one point.

So it didn't really bode all that well. But there were other background facts promoting optimism. The Tigers were seeded No. 2. They in fact won on a pretty regular basis through the regular season.

Their Saturday foe at St. John's University, Collegeville, would be Benson, the team with the No. 3 seed.

The Tigers certainly showed they could handle the Braves during the regular season. The Tigers won by a comfortable margin at Benson. Our orange and black squad was second in conference behind only Montevideo (in the WCC-South). In all the Tigers had won 16 times going into Saturday.

So, could we prepare a winning script? Alas, no.

The teams all begin 0-0 in the post-season. You could wipe away the on-paper credentials. Benson certainly demonstrated it was a new season. Those rival Braves beat us when it hurt. They handed our Tigers a 68-53 defeat.

Thus the curtain comes down on the 2011-12 campaign for coach Mark Torgerson's squad. The final won-lost numbers: 16-11. Benson came out of the weekend at 18-9.

Benson won the right to face Litchfield in continuing tourney play. The Litchfield Dragons are 22-5 as I write this. They're breathing fire.

The score for the Morris-Benson game doesn't appear in the portion of the article that appears on page B1 in the March 12 Willmar newspaper. You have to follow the "jump" (to B3). This is something I would have been reprimanded for in my newspaper days.

Someone once complained to Lou Gelfand, then-ombudsman at the Star Tribune, about a Gophers basketball score not appearing on the front of sports. The suggestion was made that the score should appear real early-on. Lou's reaction? "Amen and Hallelujah."

MACA fans don't like looking at the score. But, there it is on B3 of the Willmar paper: 68-53. Not even that close. The Tigers had lost some of their luster (or roar).

Their reputation was as a more defensive-oriented team. Benson likes to accent offense. It was Benson's day to rule Saturday, led by Logan Connelly and his 23 points.

Matt Ahrndt - remember him as the football quarterback? - put in 16 points, and Sam Peterson added 14. Connelly and Ahrndt each made three 3-point shots. Peterson made one from that range, and Benson as a team was a superb eight of 14.

Benson punched down on the accelerator in the first half and outscored the Tigers 41-21. The orange and black fans must have felt stunned. The Tigers managed a 32-27 scoring advantage the rest of the way.

The Tigers were five of 20 in three-point shooting and 21 of 57 in total field goals. Logan Manska made two of the 3's while Brody Bahr, Riley Arndt and Jacob Torgerson each made one.

The Tigers were six of 13 at the freethrow line.

Austin Dierks led in rebounds with seven. Chandler Erickson was tops in assists with six. Arndt stole the ball three times.

Manska topped the scoring list with the rather modest total of eleven points. Bahr broke into double figures with his ten. Then we have Arndt 9, Lincoln Berget 9, Dierks 7, Erickson 4 and Jacob Torgerson 3.

Tigers 70, Eden Valley-Watkins 69

It wasn't much of a boost of confidence for the Tigers and their fans to have to sweat so much to get past the No. 7 seed in sub-section.

The Tigers took the court to play Eden Valley-Watkins on Thursday, March 8. The Tigers did win the game. That was the one essential accomplishment.

But it wasn't very heartening to weigh this against what Benson was doing to its first-round foe. Benson manhandled its foe that same night, and Benson would go on to end our Tigers' season two days later.

The March 8 story had coach Torgerson's squad prevailing 70-69 in overtime. Jacob Torgerson provided clutch heroics at the very end from the freethrow line, bringing vocal approval from the fans assembled at our Morris Area gym.

The Tigers outscored EV-W 7-6 in overtime.

This game was close the whole way with Morris Area Chokio Alberta having just a one-point edge at halftime, 37-36.

Riley Arndt was a key player with a team-best 17 points on the night, plus he led in rebounds with five. Actually he co-led in rebounds as Austin Dierks also picked up five. Chandler Erickson and Logan Manska each provided four assists. Manska with his five steals led there.

Manska made two 3-point shots but these were the only MACA successes from that range, in ten attempts. In total field goals the Tigers were 27 of 56. In freethrows: 14 of 21.

Manska had a memorable night with 20 points scored. Riley Arndt put in 17 followed by Austin Dierks with 13. Then we have three Tigers each with six points - Jacob Torgerson, Chandler Erickson and John Tiernan - followed by Brody Bahr and Nic Vipond each with one.

Eden Valley-Watkins ended its season with a 6-19 record. The Tigers would bow to Benson who kept their buzz saw going.

It has been a pleasure for yours truly to cover the Tigers this past season. And now we're obviously ushering in spring. I invite you to read my thoughts on the new Vikings stadium proposal which is on my companion website, called "Morris of course."
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http://www.morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-vikings-stadium-revives-allure-of.html

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