MACA boys get fifth win, 27-20 over ACGC

Corey Storck turns on the jets on key punt return. (B.W. photos)

The MACA defense makes a stop in 27-20 win over ACGC.

Noah Grove kicks a point-after for the winning Tigers.

Blessed by summer-like conditions, the fan turnout at our Big Cat Stadium got to celebrate another Morris Area Chokio Alberta football success Friday (9/28).

The game was considered an important test for our Tigers. It was a West Central Conference challenge and it had Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City as the opponent. The Falcons came here with a winning record. The Tigers were undefeated.

The Tigers are undefeated as I write this, having disposed of the Falcons 27-20 on this beautiful night. I imagine that today's (Saturday) issue of the Morris newspaper has no coverage of this game. I'm delighted to try to make a journalistic contribution here.

Click on the permalink below to read about the three straight wins MACA volleyball achieved in recent play, over Montevideo, LQPV and BOLD. This post is on my companion website, "Morris of Course." Thanks for reading. - B.W.

http://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2012/09/maca-girls-turn-back-monte-lac-qui.html

 

It's a delight for me to report that for the second straight week, Jordan Staples was attracted to the end zone as if it were a magnet. Staples scored two of the Tigers' touchdowns (on the ground). He was really part of a nicely balanced offensive showing by coach Jerry Witt's orange and black crew. Staples actually received just eight handoffs but he bulled forward for 55 yards and showed that flair for finding the end zone.

There was a feeling of drama as this game wound down. The Falcons, who entered the night 3-1 in both conference and overall, made a bid to come from behind when Dylan Hoerchler broke loose on a kickoff return. Hoerchler raced for 84 yards, not scoring but setting up a score when Maverick Whitcomb plunged in from the one. The time remaining now: three minutes and 45 seconds. Time was working against the Falcons. This became most clear when the Tigers achieved a first down at midfield. The remaining time evaporated and the MACA fans were able to celebrate jubilantly.

Now the Tigers are 5-0 in conference and overall.

The evening's scoring began when MACA struck in big play fashion using the pass. It was a 52-yard play that had the seasoned quarterback, Jacob Torgerson, throwing the football. On the receiving end was the reliable Logan Manska. The kicking game, which has been sort of experimental for MACA in the early stages, came through as Noah Grove, who is being steadily groomed, came through on the PAT. It's very encouraging to see every positive step with this phase of the game.

So the Tigers are up 7-0 and this is how the score stood at the end of the first quarter.

Each team scored a touchdown in the second quarter. ACGC got on the board with a one-yard run by Hoerchler. The PAT kick try was no good.

Staples scored from his fullback post on a run from the 12. Grove again kicked the ball through the uprights on the PAT, making the score 14-6 which is where it stood for halftime.

Each team scored a touchdown in the third quarter. ACGC struck with a 24-yard pass from Hoerchler to Taylor Larson. Hoerchler ran for two on the conversion play, so now the score is knotted up at 14-all. The Tigers were going to have to bear down to re-establish an edge.

Corey Storck did a lot toward this end, returning a punt 33 yards to the vocal acclamation of fans. This return set up the eventual scoring run which was a hefty 27-yarder by Tanner Picht. Again Grove succeeded on the PAT.

Staples took over again for the Tigers' fourth TD of the night, finding daylight on a 32-yard run. This time the PAT kick was a no-go.

ACGC's Whitcomb scored the final TD, after which the Tigers were able to run out the clock.

Looking at the night's numbers, the Tigers were actually outdone by ACGC in first downs, 12-8. Quarterback Torgerson manned a minimal but explosive (when needed) passing game. His three completions were good for 90 yards gained and he had no interceptions.
The always-reliable Tom Holland ran for 69 yards on 14 carries, and the often-explosive Tanner Picht ran for 45 yards on six carries. We've already acknowledged Staples whose determined approach resulted in eight carries for 55 yards.

Picht hauled in two of the passes for 38 yards, and Manska got 52 yards on that one big catch. Picht handled punting duties. Nic Vipond had a fumble recovery.

Standouts on the tackle chart included Connor Metzger, Chandler Erickson, Staples and Jon Tiernan. Vipond came through with a quarterback sack.

Talented athlete Hoerchler completed nine passes for 111 yards and no interceptions for the visitor. Jordan Nelson rushed for 107 yards for the Falcons.

The Tigers will host Montevideo for Homecoming 2012. Viva the winning Tigers!

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

Refrain from intense running when older

It has been said your average professional athlete, within five years after his retirement, swears he could return to the game if he wanted and play at a decent level.

This discussion arose in connection to Magic Johnson once. Johnson was planning his return to basketball after he famously retired due to his health predicament. How well could he play?

The ability of athletes to sustain their skills is an interesting topic. We're watching Peyton Manning now. Manning is showing the rust from a year's absence. He's throwing some "floaters." We shouldn't be that concerned about whether he can again be a top-tier quarterback. The guy has neck issues. His basic health is the issue.

Guys who have had a fling in athletics have a hard time putting aside thoughts that they can "do it again."

There was a time when I ran 10Ks. Right now is the most agreeable time of year to be a distance runner. The Twin Cities Marathon was scheduled in the fall. It became a sister to Grandma's Marathon in Duluth which sprang to the forefront when running was a fad.

But Grandma's is in the spring. So to prepare, you have to plow through the rigors of winter. To each their own.

I ponder all this as I realize my running shoes are still in the basement. So often I figure that if I just wanted to, I could establish a regimen and "do it again." I visualize this. I grasp it in theory. Last spring I jogged out to the WCROC and back.

But the dedication just doesn't seem to come naturally. I'll find better things to do the next day. The shoes remain in the basement. So hold off on hearing that "Rocky" song in your head as you see me out on the shoulders of area roads.

That image was very much a reality in the 1980s. For some reason I could find contentment weighing around 170 pounds (light for my frame). And I was working full-time.

Why are the ravages of age so unforgiving? Those age divisions in 5K and 10K runs are there for a reason.

Recently I got an email from a physician/researcher who wanted to know more about the death of a well-known senior runner in the 1980s. He had become aware I was a close acquaintance of that individual. I was a little puzzled he would reach out to me. But he seemed legitimate so I responded.

I was interested in how he felt the need to study the deaths of dedicated senior runners. I remember the most famous one in the 1980s here in the Upper Midwest was a fellow named Dr. Alex Ratelle. My acquaintance was Carlyle Sherstad, a Donnelly native who established a men's clothing store in western Wisconsin. He was a terrific person.

Could it be that extreme dedication to distance running when up in years is not healthy? It might stand to reason. Common sense tells us running takes a toll on the body.

We're resilient when young, so "paying dues" as a runner might have the effect of building our bodies up. We recover from the negative stuff.

I'm age 57 now and I'm experiencing revelations about age. We cannot pretend we're young. Running many miles could have the effect of wearing our bodies down. Look at NFL players who played into their 30s. The physical rigors of their activity certainly did them no favors. The consequences might not be felt immediately.

A guy over age 50 probably has no justification planning a marathon.

I'll share my opinion in the most naked way here: I don't believe in marathon running. I'm reminded of the former mountain climber who said after you get past a certain altitude on Mount Everest, you are only hurting yourself. He said the human body wasn't meant to do such things. This is a perfect analogy to running beyond the 20-mile mark in a marathon. Your body begins to break down.

As a young person you can recover over the long run (so to speak). When older we must be so much gentler with our bodies.

The boomer generation became captivated by running after Frank Shorter won the Olympic Marathon. Soon there was that book with the red cover by James Fixx, who ended up dying from a sudden heart attack. Boomers have a history of doing things to excess.

Over the years I had the privilege of writing several articles for the print media on area marathoners. We were spellbound by people who would want to run 26.2 miles. Finally I had to probe the activity myself. I ran the 1984 Twin Cities Marathon in three hours, one minute and eleven seconds.

I'm puzzled why Paul Ryan has such a hard time remembering his marathon time. I shouldn't be cynical and suggest he's exaggerating, should I? Why do we expect so little of our politicians? People would scoff at me if they knew I was lying about my marathon time. But we allow politicians to blather in all sorts of crazy ways and it just becomes background noise.

Believe me, when you have run one or two marathons in your lifetime - and that's enough - you absolutely do remember your time. I was age 29 in 1984. I suppose that's the prime of one's physical life. I found it exhilarating and thrilling. But it would be folly for me to consider such a thing today.

The media are often attracted to those "senior" runners. This sort of glorification should be discouraged. It's a young person's activity. After a certain age you're better served jogging relatively short distances, or better yet setting up a diversified exercise routine. Never push yourself to where you're panting.

I can't say enough about how much can be accomplished just eating a sensible diet. At present I eat at McDonald's too often. But I'm at least aware of what I should do. Just like my running shoes are still in the basement.

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

Defense, fourth quarter offense stuff Benson

MACA football continues with its undefeated status for 2012. The latest obstacle to get past was Benson.

The Tigers wore their white tops again just as they had in the previous week's home game. The color white - it's neutral actually - accompanied victory again, this time with a decisive 24-7 score. The score suggests a suffocating defense and that suggestion would be right on.
Fourth quarter offense helped ensure this win. Jordan Staples was a hero in the fourth, running for two touchdowns. Staples runs from the fullback post.
There was concern Benson quarterback Matt Ahrndt might be a headache. But Ahrndt failed to propel the Benson offense much on this night. Experienced as he is, he couldn't escape being sacked five times. The Tiger defense limited Benson to 113 total yards. It had a disconcerting effect shown in the five turnovers the Braves committed.
The stifling Tiger 'D' kept the home Benson fans from cheering a whole lot. This kind of success for coach Witt's Tigers is becoming the norm for them, whether home or away. They're 4-0 in both conference and overall.
They still don't have cushion in the conference race. Keep an eye on those BOLD Warriors who are also 4-0. BOLD buried Sauk Centre 48-7 Friday.
One of those Benson turnovers was the ticket for the first Tiger touchdown. It happened deep in Benson territory. Quarterback Jacob Torgerson put MACA on the board with a one-yard run. The PAT kick try failed.
Coach Witt has been trying to groom a kicking game but on this night anyway, there was no progress. The Tigers tried for two on subsequent conversion plays and came up shy on those too. Fortunately their TD production was quite ample enough.
The Tigers upped their lead to 12-0 shortly before halftime when Torgerson passed to Tom Holland. It was a two-yard hookup.
Ahrndt connected with Colin Ose for a seven-yard scoring pass for Benson in the third quarter, so the Braves are still very much in this one.
Benson faded as this game wound down thanks largely to Staples' hard-charging running. His two fourth quarter scores finally opened up that cushion. The Braves came out of the game at 2-2.
The game's stats show Morris Area Chokio Alberta with 12 first downs compared to nine by the host. Holland had a 100-yard rushing night, 108 to be exact, and he achieved this on 16 carries. Staples accumulated 54 yards in his workmanlike fashion, on 14 carries. Connor Metzger and Torgerson each ran for 12 yards.
Passing was fairly conservative. Torgerson put up five of ten numbers for 71 yards and he had one picked off. Ahrndt, considered an all-purpose threat, had seven completions in 18 attempts for 67 yards but three of his aerials were picked off.
Lincoln Berget had just one pass reception but it was good for a whopping 42 yards. Logan Manska had two catches for 18 yards, and Holland and Chandler Erickson each had one catch for modest yardage.
Tanner Picht did the punting and he averaged 31.8 yards. Austin Dierks picked off two of Ahrndt's passes. Erickson picked off one pass. Metzger and Nick Vipond each recovered a fumble. Metzger got to the quarterback for two sacks. Other Tigers in on the sacking party were Staples, Dierks, Vipond and Joel Harrison.
Ahrndt was Benson's leading rusher with 74 yards. Morgan Staton had nine carries for 23 yards.
Ahrndt had the Benson interception. Jacob Goff had two fumble recoveries for Benson.
The Tigers have a homestand now. They'll host ACGC on 9/28 and Montevideo for Homecoming on 10/5

 

Tennis: 6-1 victory

Tuesday, Sept. 18, was a day for Tiger tennis to play with a winning flair at the expense of LQPV-DB. The Tigers prevailed over the Eagles 6-1.
The first doubles team of Kjersa Anderson and Carly Gullickson prevailed over Anna Dvorak and Mary Savoy 7-5 and 6-2.
At second doubles it was Kaitlin Vogel and Katie Cannon wielding the winning rackets. They downed the Eagle duo of Kristina Frank and Krissa Jans 6-1 and 6-3.
At third doubles the winning flair was shown by Emily Moser and Liz Schneider, who downed Molly Hacker and Courtney Hanson 6-3, 6-7 (4-7) and 6-3.
The only Tiger setback was at first singles and here, Darcey Aronson was stopped by Kylie Jans 4-6 and 0-6. Abby Olson at second singles downed Amber Borstad 6-1 and 6-1. Megan Wagner wielded the winning racket at third singles and she got the upper hand over Kamryn Siedschlag, 6-0 and 6-3.
Shelbie Marthaler of the Tigers beat Marisa Gearman 7-5 and 6-1.

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

Mitt Romney "secret video" prompts catharsis



"Scrooge McDuck"

Being rich is fine. It's the ideal in America where we supposedly get our incentive each day from trying to be like Mitt Romney. 

Most of us aren't born with the kind of advantages he had. We know life isn't fair and that we don't all start even in the race. Most rich people know this themselves. That's why when many of them get involved in politics, it's almost as if they're trying to salve an underlying guilt. 

They don't just go around cheerleading for the rich. If that were their outlook, why would they be interested in politics at all? Politics by its very nature is redistributionist - the term that cockeyed Republicans are trying to tar President Obama with. People are taxed so government can do things and build things we all use and benefit from. Like our library. 

These days our Morris Public Library is asking patrons to fill out a survey slip on library hours. Hint hint: the library is studying where it might reduce hours. I'm tired of the "cutting" craze which has been felt through both public and private institutions. It promotes a mindset where we're all watching our back. 

People who run institutions are fixated on "efficiencies." To some extent this is unavoidable because of technology. But it seems to have gone beyond that to where it's sort of a fashion. That's encouraging in a sense because fashions by definition flame out.

What? It isn't necessary to push maximum efficiency? Well, the Greatest Generation didn't seem like this, with the world it created in America after World War Two. David Brooks has written about "the redundancies in the World War Two type of organization." I recall he was writing about the Iraq war and how we could have moved in with a more overwhelming hand.

Instead it was fashionable to talk about being "lean and mean" with our resources. What a throwaway expression. It's as if anything less than total efficiency is some sort of sin. We have been guided in our thinking this way.

The Bain Capital master epitomizes all that. Mitt Romney is rich but he's not benevolent rich like the Kennedys.

We have to ask: Why would this kind of man want to be in politics? Even if he truly wanted to shape America to favor his class, wouldn't he realize the pushback could be enormous? Don't the ultra wealthy people operate in sort of a stealth world lest their crass attitudes bubble to the surface and foment revolt?

The "secret video" on Romney has come out. I won't call him "Governor Romney" because he seems to be running from his track record as governor; at least he did in the primaries.

How did you react to the secret video? I had a flashback to a summer many years ago when I was employed at a resort. It was a resort that catered to very well-off people and doted on them. I was polite but also a little revulsed at times. At first I thought these people surely had a more gentle and understanding side that would come out sometimes. It just had to be there. But the people continually grated on me.

They were shallow, self-absorbed and entitled-feeling people. They even had a sense of humor that was alien to me. I even heard a member of resort management - the highest ranking person outside of the ownership family - making a disparaging remark once. "Yeah, these slobs. . ."

I watched the Romney secret video and felt I was back there again. These were the ugly rich. They cocoon themselves. They make John McCain look like a leader of the masses. McCain is a statesman. He knew how to put on the brakes when that woman talked about Obama being an "Arab" in that defining scene of four years ago.

McCain did that because he had a basic sensitivity about people. It's the least we can expect from our politicians.

We can feel certain Romney, a.k.a. "Scrooge McDuck" would make no such gesture. He'd let it pass and then say later "people have the right of free expression."

Sarah Palin promoted the more coarse and indifferent air. The tea party bubbled up and has polluted our political discourse. Has that "fashion" run its course? Will the callousness of that movement now begin to dawn on people, what with the revelations coming with the Romney "secret video?"

Will people start saying "wait a minute?" Will they start taking a closer look at the whole Wall Street model of cutting and efficiencies? Will they begin to see that their elders who created the great American middle class after WWII had a better idea?

It has taken a while. The Romney secret video might be the catalyst. Eventually people do find the truth. We're at the catharsis point.

Why couldn't our library keep its current hours even if it costs people something?

Maybe we will all be shaken awake if the stock market shows its unstable nature a little more. October is a time when that frequently happens. That's next month! It's the month before the big election. Perhaps our political leaders will pull all strings to make sure things stay reasonably stable through then. Incumbents can get re-elected. The sky could fall after that.

Even Obama has been called a "corporatist" by Ron Paul. Obama is benevolent but he's no enemy of the cabal that runs things - the likes of Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner etc.

We should all assume now Romney won't be elected. Heaven help us if he is, or heaven help us if he's elected and surrounds himself with the neocons.

Obama will guide the ship of state well enough. The stock market could still collapse. We could see a dramatic devaluation of our currency due to monetary policy.

We thought the private sector had all the answers. Boomers who in their youth bled altruism and were radicals from the left, morphed into the tea party. That's my generation, the generation that thought it was just fine to ingest drugs when young. We do indeed spring from one fashion to another.

Maybe the "lean and mean" ethos of the past few years will fade. Maybe we'll start to see "the redundancies in the typical WWII type of organization" as having merit. Maybe we can indulge a little on the edges. Maybe government won't just automatically be stamped "the enemy."

Maybe working people can have a basic sense of security and be allowed to have a "slow" day now and then. Our elders would wink and say it's just fine to seek an excuse to slow down sometimes. It used to be an ideal to "knock off early" on Fridays. If you were in college and wanted to see your adviser on a Friday, good luck. People worked as hard as they had to, but looked forward to spending free time with family and friends. Today that's hard, what with websites like "rate my professor." The teachers I had couldn't have dreamt of such a thing.

Today I imagine a typical college employee stays at the grindstone until 5 p.m. Friday. And to what end? Public colleges seem to be in retrenchment. My alma mater, St. Cloud State University, certainly is.

Maybe the biggest clue that a new "fashion" is being ushered in, is the re-emergence of Rick Nolan as a politician. He's the anti-tea party. He was liberal almost to annoyance in the 1970s. He's certainly the anti-Mitt Romney.

Poor Mitt. Maybe he's running just to fulfill some sort of destiny in his mind, mindful that his father George came up short (proclaiming he was "brainwashed" about Viet Nam).

How pathetic if this is the only call "Scrooge McDuck" is heeding. But we really have to wonder, now that the secret tapes have come out. He sounds like those arrogant and unfeeling people I remember from that resort, those "slobs."

The Romney campaign is the Titanic having hit an iceberg and is now listing. Tim Pawlenty sprang into a lifeboat yesterday (Thursday). He'll be a Wall Street lobbyist, having found those environs more attractive for him than our Minnesota.

Remember the "snob" character in the TV series "Hazel?" Boy, I'm dating myself mentioning that. A character was put forth as the typical snob, who talked about "breeding." It was the most unsavory type of rich person. It was the type we'd never expect to enter politics. But it appears one has, in the person of Mitt Romney a.k.a. Scrooge McDuck.

We need to re-think our fashions. Perhaps a return to the Greatest Generation's model for living will come. We could get a leader like Hubert Humphrey again.

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

Cougars own 2-1 record entering Homecoming

The UMM defense swarms a Martin Luther ballcarrier. (B.W. photos)

Senior quarterback Derrick Foss from Hancock prepares to throw.

Homecoming with all its gala trappings is coming up this weekend (Sept. 22-23) at UMM. The bleachers at Big Cat Field will surely be filled or close to it, if past experience is an indicator. Kickoff time is 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Greenville.

This year's Cougars have shown they can play a crowd-pleasing style. They own a 2-1 record. Even in the loss they showed a crowd-pleasing flair as they put up 31 points. The loss was in the opener vs. Hamline on 9/1. UMM was dealt a 37-31 loss by the Pipers (of St. Paul).
Our Cougars have picked up steam since. Their defense brought cheers from the Big Cat Stadium crowd on September 8 when the Cougars shut out Martin Luther 10-0. That game was the UMAC opener.
Most recently the Cougars got the offensive engines humming again in a 24-21 win. That success was in Jacksonville, IL on September 15 over MacMurray. Dan Garrigan threw two touchdown passes as UMM improved to 2-0 in league.
Garrigan found Danny Kernan open for a 53-yard hookup that brought a score in the fourth quarter, essentially wrapping up the win. MacMurray was no pushover as they outgained the UMM crew 316 yards to 256. The Cougars offset that edge in a most decisive way, forcing four turnovers including three fumbles which UMM recovered. Zeke Miller forced a fumble and executed eleven tackles.
MacMurray scored first when Cody Hussey threw a touchdown pass. The Cougars answered with a one-yard run that had Dustin Spohn with the football. Spohn was UMM's top ballcarrier on the day. Hussey threw another TD pass in the second quarter to put MacMurray back in front.
Garrigan completed a 22-yard scoring pass to Roumy Desir as halftime approached. Cameron Adel kicked the PAT so the score is now tied 14-14.
Adel was later tested on a fairly long field goal try and he succeeded, putting UMM up by three. It was a 41-yarder so congrats to this kicker, who is now three-for-three in field goals.
Garrigan completed that timely pass to Kernan with 3:55 left that put UMM in the driver's seat. That TD gave needed cushion as MacMurray had one touchdown left in them. It came on a three-yard run. MacMurray tried an onside kick that was no-go, and UMM was the 24-21 winner.
  

Cougars 10, Martin Luther 0 (on 9/8)

A glance at the score suggests "defensive battle." That's exactly what it was. The Cougars won the battle in the trenches vs. the Knights.
The only touchdown of the afternoon came on the opening kickoff and with Dalton DeGraffenreid sprinting to daylight with the ball. He covered 88 yards as a crescendo of cheers grew from the Big Cat bleachers. DeGraffenreid is a freshman. The referees signaled "touchdown" just 13 seconds into the game.
Cam Adel put his capable toe to work for a 25-yard field goal that completed UMM's scoring work. The field goal came in the second quarter. So the score is 10-0 and the UMM defense rolled up its sleeves to preserve the advantage the rest of the way.
An interception by Luke Evans, sophomore cornerback, caused frustration to mount among the Knights in the second quarter. The pickoff was the fourth turnover caused by the UMM defense in the first half.
Martin Luther threatened late in the third quarter but had their bubble burst with another turnover: a fumble at the UMM five. Martin Luther had gone 80 yards in 14 plays, consuming six minutes and 16 seconds. It was all for naught.
Leandro Dower was UMM's top ballcarrier on the day with 21 carries for 76 yards. Zach Kroells forced a fumble and recovered it in the second half. Zeke Miller, senior linebacker, sacked the quarterback twice, forcing a fumble on one of these. Zeke had 16 tackles total. Cornerback Luke Evans had seven tackles, one and a half sacks and an interception.
  

Hamline 37, Cougars 31 (on 9/1)

The Cougars scored first in the season opener when Derrick Foss passed six yards to brother Brendon.
Hamline got going with a 73-yard scoring run.
Leandro Dower found the end zone on a run from the five to put UMM up by a touchdown. Hamline succeeded with a field goal from the 25. The Pipers looked smooth with their triple option offense in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns. It was a balanced attack. Cameron Adel, a freshman, kicked a field goal for UMM early in the fourth quarter.
Hamline's Kevin Ackerly continued as a headache for UMM as he scored his third touchdown of the game with a 54-yard run.
A UMM fumble was exploited by Hamline who plunged into the end zone on the next play (from the one).
The Cougars continued to show resilience with scoring as Derrick Foss passed to Dalton DeGraffenreid for a score from the seven. The score is now 37-24 with UMM down. Hopes grew as UMM recovered an onside kick - no routine accomplishment. Hopes were quickly dashed as Garrigan had his pass picked off.
The Cougars did score with 12 seconds left when Derrick Foss passed to DeGraffenreid for 17 yards. Another onside kick was tried - no good.
Sophomore linebacker Cody Hickman had 13 tackles in the opener. Matt Zdrazil contributed eight. Offensively Dower covered 98 yards on 18 carries and scored a touchdown.
Derrick Foss completed 15 of 27 passes for 217 yards and three scores. Garrigan's throwing numbers were ten of 24 and 145 yards. DeGraffenreid had 85 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Viva University of Minnesota-Morris football for the 2012 fall. Good luck to the Cougars for Homecoming. And don't forget the Sunday afternoon band/choir concert!

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

MACA boys dominate (truly) for third win

Aaron Nelson (#9) is a junior defensive end. (B.W. photos)

Gage Backman (#51), junior linebacker, makes direct contact.

Tigers 41, Sauk Centre 8

I generally never arrive at a Tiger home game until halftime. On Friday, 9/14, this meant I was deprived of seeing an onslaught by the MACA offense vs. Sauk Centre.

Usually when I hear "Sauk Centre" I envision a pretty competitive team. Morris played them often when I was in high school. I had no reason to expect the Streeters would be virtually manhandled by the Tigers.

The scoreboard was no prank at halftime; it revealed the Tigers up 34-0. Wow! It was win No. 3 on the season in as many games. Opponents down the road are naturally going to be scouting us hard to see how we might be attacked. If there are any chinks in the Tigers' armor, I don't see them.

The Streeters were without fullback Roosevelt Austin who was injured the previous week. The knee injury sidelines him for the season. He's a frequent scorer. I'm not sure how much his presence would have helped Friday.

This game was originally scheduled for the Sauk Centre field. It was moved here apparently because of issues with that Sauk field. We'll happily take an extra home game for our Big Cat Stadium.

Because MACA was originally slated as the road team, we wore our white visitors uniforms. Because I'm a photographer, I was elated to see this and would encourage AD Mark Ekren to give the nod for white anytime!

This game had important conference and section ramifications.

The Tigers took charge from the get-go and seem now to be infused with the maximum momentum. It's almost sad how one-sided this game was. Sauk Centre has a senior quarterback with a rangy physique - he's 6'2" - but this was no attribute for them. The Tigers owned this game, winning 41-8.

The hefty point total was built with just one completed pass. Quarterback Jacob Torgerson completed that pass for a touchdown (to Tanner Picht).

The first sign that MACA was going to own this game was a 64-yard punt return by Chandler Erickson to the Sauk 23. Tom Holland then carried for six yards. Torgerson sneaked to the three, after which Holland polished things off, running the ball into the end zone standing up.

Can the Tigers develop a kicking game? Noah Grove tested his toe for the point-after and he succeeded! A reliable kicking toe could prove to be a big additional asset for the orange and black crew.

The Streeters had a three-and-out. Erickson caught the punt but couldn't break away this time. The Tigers took over at midfield and wasted no time advancing. Picht broke loose for 36 yards, springing into the secondary and reaching the 18 yard line. Holland ran for two yards, then Connor Metzger got the pigskin to the ten. A false start penalty interrupted the momentum. But MACA overcame that and more as Torgerson found Picht for that 14-yard touchdown pass. This time the PAT kick try went wide.

The Tigers' third touchdown came on a four-yard carry by Picht. The conversion kick try was off again.

Holland took over to score the Tigers' fourth touchdown with a run from the five. Holland also carried successfully on the conversion.

Touchdown No. 5 came in quick-strike fashion as Nick Vipond recovered a fumble and was off to the races, covering 45 yards to the end zone. Grove drove the ball between the uprights on the conversion.

Grove kicked successfully again after the Tigers' final TD of the evening. This TD was scored by Picht on a run from the 18. What a night of offensive highlights for coach Witt's crew.

Sauk Centre scored late with Trent Berscheit carrying the ball in from the 28. Patrick Knoblauch ran for two on the conversion.

Please click on the permalink below to read about the MACA volleyball Tigers' 3-0 win over Paynesville Tuesday (9/11). This post is on my companion website, "Morris of Course." Also included are some paragraphs about Tiger cross country and tennis. Thanks for reading. - B.W.

http://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2012/09/engebretson-pounds-down-nine-as-girls.html

 

Football: the numbers

The Tigers rushed for 353 yards Friday. Holland had a 100-yard rushing night on his eleven carries (actually 101 yards). Quarterback Torgerson ran for 50. Picht's output was 88 yards in nine carries. Jordan Staples bulled forward for 49 yards in six carries. Metzger had 26 yards in three carries, and Arron Nelson contributed 17 yards in four carries.

Trent Wulf punted once for 31 yards. Erickson had a pass interception. Vipond had that thrilling fumble recovery.

Quarterback sacks were achieved by Vipond, Dillan Johnson and Tyler Henrichs. Metzger tallied two solo tackles and eight assists. Staples had 3-4 stats in these categories, and Vipond 2-2.

Knoblauch did Sauk Centre's passing and he had 14 completions in 27 attempts for 110 yards and one interception. Josh Buschette had ten receptions for 76 yards.

Viva Morris Area Chokio Alberta football for 2012!

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

The days of shopping "downtown," its aura

I remember needing a new tennis racket in a hurry when I was taking a class in St. Cloud. The racket I was using at the start of the class bit the dust.

So where did I go? Well, I thought in terms of a "sporting goods store." I raced over to the only one I was aware of, and was informed by a sign on the door that the store was "closed for inventory." I had about 50 bucks that was burning a hole in my pocket. I thought the sign was strange. Certainly they had a lot of goods there.

Things were slower moving in the 1970s. Today businesses are hungry for every penny they can wrangle. My class was at St. Cloud State University.

I bring all this up to remind how we once looked for specialty stores for so many things. "Big box" with all its efficiency and economy hadn't taken hold yet. Instead there was a sea of smaller stores dealing in a narrow range of goods.

Was the "big box" not yet practical? Where the innovators just not on the scene yet? Or were they in too few places, metropolitan certainly, to capture the imagination of the broad American public?

I do recall some stores that seemed headed in the right direction. I also recall that they had a reputation of selling too much "junk."

In my youth we did most of our shopping at the mom and pop businesses. We can feel nostalgia about that now. But we wouldn't trade the current convenience and advantages we feel with the big stores, for that Norman Rockwell-esque past. It was a past with "main street" having a special allure.

One night each week the stores in Morris would be open. It would be a social event as we made our rounds that night, maybe pausing to dine at the old Del Monico Cafe. It was the days of parking meters and the pool hall. It's amazing to think parking meters once seemed justified downtown.

The city hesitated with the Columbia Avenue extension because of fear traffic might be siphoned off from main street. (It's the road that comes onto the highway by the present-day Pizza Hut.) I had better chalk that up to a theory or legend rather than undisputed fact. The theory would carry weight.

No one would have dreamt main street would go through a fundamental change. If you had told people shoppers would go elsewhere, they'd figure main street would die. They would panic. They might figure some extraordinary measure from the government would be needed.

Actually that's sort of what happened. We got the "Main Street" program administered by Ron Meiss. No doubt its intentions were good. We heard lectures from experts on how those mom and pop businesses could make cosmetic adjustments to stay viable. There was emphasis on making your rear entrance as inviting as your front entrance.

City Center Mall was on the drawing board, I remember, and it was assailed as being too plain aesthetically. I'm not sure any changes were made. City Center Mall reflected the best of intentions. It would combine the fashionable concept of mall shopping with the main street atmosphere.

I'm not a businessman so I can't render a verdict on how City Center Mall has turned out. From the standpoint of being bustling vs. non-bustling, it certainly seems to be the latter. I think it was envisioned as a more bustling place. I think it would be a good idea for Thrifty White Drug to just take over the whole main floor and leave that place on the west side of Atlantic Avenue. I scratch my head over their two separate locations. Actually I thought it was just fine for Stevens County government offices to be on the main floor. My they were accessible and convenient. I scratch my head over whey they couldn't just stay there.

Maybe we didn't need that new Taj Mahal of a courthouse.

Our main street adjusted as the years went by. The normal market forces seemed to take over. The government "Main Street" program was good for dispensing a few lofty thoughts. We seemed to look to government more in those days.

We have plenty of activity on main street these days. The personality is different but it's vibrant in its own way.

We see businesses that don't necessarily have a lot of people traffic. You can walk along the sidewalk anytime without having to dodge people or say "excuse me." People don't walk along with shopping bags full of stuff.

Is there any place in Morris today where a clerk will assist you trying on shoes? That seems quaint to reflect on now. Oh, I certainly don't miss it.

I think the purchase of clothes and shoes should be left as a private activity. And this isn't even to mention underwear. We had a J.C. Penney store on main street where you could buy underwear. If you mentioned to a clerk that you were looking for underwear (assuming you'd want to divulge that), that clerk would escort you to where they were. And then, most likely, stand there silent as your companion in this quest for necessary clothing.

I never cared for this arrangement at all. Apparently I wasn't alone. A TV commercial for PayLess Shoes many years ago poked fun at how clerks would accost you in the old days. "Can I help you?"

The actor/customer retorted with a sharp "no!"

If you expressed interest in a pair of shoes, the clerk would go behind that curtain and return moments later, perhaps saying "we don't have your size." After about two tries, you might say to the clerk, "well, what shoes do you have that are my size?"

The clerk would personally tie on one of those shoes for you. You were then expected to walk a few steps to get a feel, as if wearing only one shoe would really give you this opportunity. The clerk stared, just like when you were taken to where the underwear was.

It was no setting in which to make a relaxed, reasoned shopping decision. I might say "I'll take this" just to get the heck out of there.

There were two men's clothing specialty stores on main street. We had Palmer's on the west side of main and Wayne's on the east. Good ol' Wayne Morrissey always sponsored "Wayne's Mets" in the Morris Little League. I wonder if that was because of Jerry Koosman playing with the Mets. At Palmer's you might run into Myron Syverson.

These were well-intentioned businesses, no doubt, but they felt they had to smother customers with attention. Maybe in a previous time customers expected or wanted this. And I'm wondering: Why couldn't these stores sell shoes too? Why the separate clothing and shoe stores? Sometimes when you buy clothes you seek an ensemble that is coordinated. Shoes must blend in.

Instead we had all these goods separated off into the small main street businesses. You paid separately at each store, not with the convenience of writing one check as we do today at a Wal-Mart, whereupon we wheel a whole big basket of stuff out to our cars - hardware, clothing, groceries and basically everything.

You still see your friends at Wal-Mart just like you did in the old days traipsing along the length of our beloved Atlantic Avenue. Times change and the marketplace adjusts. Atlantic Avenue isn't the same as in the Norman Rockwell days, but it isn't blighted. It's just different.

The old model began to break down, I feel, when the store known today as Shopko opened. Here's a trivia question: What was it called then? Yes, "Gibson's." That name is getting buried more in time which is why I posed the "trivia" question.

Gibson's presented an array of goods under one roof and on the edge of town and with free parking. Surely this was the new wave.

Eventually the main street men's clothing stores became dinosaurs. I'm told that in their heyday, before I came along, hats were a prime stock in trade of such stores. Have you ever noticed that in old newsreel footage of Yankee Stadium, where they show the fans, all the men wear hats? It seemed most of them smoked too.

How times change. And how hard it might be to foresee.

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

Tigers score four touchdowns, beat Paynesville

MACA athletics are off to a lively start for 2012. The football Tigers have shone both at home and on the road. They're 2-0 now.

Click on the permalink below to read about the volleyball Tigers' 1-2 start in the new autumn. That win came 3-1 over Benson. This post is on my companion website, "Morris of Course." Thanks for reading - B.W.
http://www.morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2012/09/maca-girls-looking-to-get-into-groove.html 

 

Football: Tigers 26, Paynesville 24

The football Tigers headed east for their second challenge. They were coming off an offense-filled win over Minnewaska Area at Big Cat Stadium. Challenge No. 2 would have the Tigers on the road tangling with the Bulldogs of Paynesville.

Again the offense looked mighty healthy. It was explosive when Chandler Erickson scored on an 82-yard pass reception, having caught this pass from Jacob Torgerson. This was the Tigers' final score in their most savory 26-24 win on Friday, Sept. 7.

The Tigers scored in all four quarters. They overcame a Paynesville team that had crushed Montevideo 42-0 in the opener. Monte managed just two first downs vs. a vaunted Bulldog defense.

Paynesville made state last season. They had Josh Bungum in their ranks then. Player of note Bungum is now a freshman starter at St. John's University.

The Tigers took the field Friday without Darion Helberg who had a practice injury.

The Bulldogs in their striking green uniforms took the field striving to move the ball with an option attack that has the quarterback in the shotgun mode. How potent would it be? Would the Bulldogs be able to pick up where they left off from the Monte game?

Things didn't start out well for MACA. Their first possession was a three-and-out: two modest Tom Holland carries and a dropped pass.

The Bulldogs took over after a punt and brought cheers from their fan gallery instantly with a 36-yard run by the quarterback on an option play. The Tigers were going to have to buckle down on this.

With time the Tigers found their stride. They had the capable and seasoned Jacob Torgerson running the show. Torgerson would pass for just over 200 yards on this night. He was somewhat erratic with eleven completions in 28 attempts but his yardage was nothing to sneeze at. That big hookup with Erickson was highlight reel stuff.

Paynesville may have powered forward on its fist play from scrimmage but it was the Tigers scoring first. Tanner Picht penetrated into the end zone from the two. He also carried successfully on the conversion. There would be no other scoring in the first quarter.

Each team put up six points in the second quarter. Paynesville struck with a 35-yard run by Nathan Meyer. The Tigers kept the lead due to a failed conversion play.

It was Picht scoring again for the Tigers on a run from the four. The conversion try went awry so now the score is 14-6. The horn sounds for halftime.

The third quarter story was a 12-6 advantage for the host Bulldogs. The green crew struck with an eight-yard run that had Anthony Johnson carrying the football. The conversion pass try was no good.

The Tigers answered when Torgerson kept the ball himself and found the end zone from the one. The conversion was no-go on a pass.

Then the green crew struck suddenly with a kickoff return good for six. Caleb Burris sprinted 85 yards with the football. The Bulldogs came up empty on the conversion. The Tigers now cling precariously to the lead, 20-18.

The stage is set for the biggest play of the night: that 82-yard pass hookup from Torgerson to Erickson. Erickson broke loose down the sideline. The situation was somewhat grim when the Tigers came to the line to execute this play. They were looking at third down and eight yards to go from their 18 yard line. The Tigers found the magic to escape that seeming hole and get the refs to signal "touchdown," putting a sudden pall over the home crowd. The conversion pass try was unsuccessful. So the score is now 26-18.

This game would be put away had MACA found the formula to do better on conversions. As things stood, Paynesville was within a touchdown and a two-point conversion. They got that touchdown on a 52-yard pass from Matthew Quade to Caleb Burris.

Now the Tigers were going to have to bear down to thwart the conversion. They did! Paynesville tried a pass that didn't work. The final horn would sound with Morris Area Chokio Alberta up 26-24 and savoring their 2-0 start to the season.

The Tigers had 17 first downs compared to Paynesville's eleven. Three Tigers were at the fore of a balanced rushing attack. Tom Holland carried the football 17 times for 89 yards. Tanner Picht charged forward for 48 yards on 11 carries. And Jordan Staples bulled forward for 43 yards on ten carries.

Torgerson passed for 204 yards and had no interceptions. Erickson's big catch was part of his 136 receiving yards for the night, on six catches. Logan Manska hauled in five passes good for 68 yards.

Nathan Meyer surpassed 100 rushing yards for the green crew. Quarterback Quade struggled in passing with but three completions in eleven attempts, plus he was picked off once. That big completion from Quade to Burris constituted almost the whole passing game for Paynesville. They learned they will need a more diversified offense.

Both teams were penalized five times.

The Tigers next play the Streeters of Sauk Centre. I hear this game has been shifted from Sauk Centre to here. Sharon Martin told me and that makes it authoritative.

Click on the link below to view the MACA football Maxpreps page:

http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/morris-area-chokio-alberta-tigers-(chokio,mn)/football/home.htm

  

Click on the link below to view the MACA football schedule page on Pheasant Country Sports:

http://www.pheasantcountrysports.com/teamschedule.php?yid=1213&sid=1230274&tid=1157

  

Click on the link below to view my coverage of the Tigers' season opener win over Minnewaska Area. Thanks for reading. - B.W.

http://ilovemorris73.blogspot.com/2012/09/tigers-own-second-half-win-opener-34-7.html

 

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

Stay focused through cable news cacophony

Charles Krauthammer intones from the political right.

  

Cable TV news reminds me a lot of the old soap operas. I say "old" because they've been phased out, right? The Guiding Light isn't there to guide us anymore.

An uncanny thing about soap operas is that they gave the impression pivotal things were happening every day. It was an illusion. Fact is, you could turn off a given soap for a time, resume watching a couple weeks later - or heck, a month later - and realize you didn't really miss anything.

It seems ditto with the cable TV news world of today. It's "news" so there's a suggestion you benefit by staying transfixed. But news is available in such abundance, from myriad sources today, it's hardly necessary to tune in for that. If it were, CNN might be the ratings leader.

CNN is treading water. Its heyday of the first Gulf War seems buried in time.

People tune in to cable news to cheerlead for one of the two partisan sides. MSNBC seems the more thoughtful, mature and fact-based channel. Then we have Fox News which is an extension of what Rush Limbaugh does in his radio empire.

It is profoundly depressing watching Fox News. Let's assume each political party has the loyalty of roughly half of America. There is a thick premise on Fox News that Democrats are ignorant, self-absorbed, atheistic, misguided and (continue with like descriptions). It's as if there's a good vs. evil dichotomy in America and the Republicans are good.

Where else on TV do we see such a clear delineation? Well, in professional wrestling of course. Which makes me wonder if the Fox News talking heads have simply assumed personalities. They are actors representing what to them is "good" and assailing the political "progressives" who are of course evil.

We have learned through history that a right wing tide can be dangerous. It was the right wing industrialists that led Japan into disaster in the mid-20th Century. General Douglas MacArthur saw the political aspect in his machinations toward reforming Japan. He spoke directly on the need for left of center positions to soften Japan's population, making them more inclined toward a passive, cooperative stance with the rest of the world.

MacArthur wanted women to vote. He wanted a sense of trade unionism.

The right wing industrialists were wiped out by the conflagration of war, just like the planter aristocrats were wiped out by the U.S. Civil War. The planter aristocrats weren't exactly enlightened on social issues, were they?

History has a way of stomping down the regressive forces and paving the way for the more humane and civilized elements. Fox News scares me in that it assumes everything right wing is good. Todd Akin has kept a good number of allies (like Mike Huckabee) even after revealing himself the most regressive and ignorant of political figures. He now flails away at Claire McCaskill using the most boilerplate right wing rhetoric.

"Let big business flourish. Let the 'marketplace' dictate everything."

The rhetoric works so well with a large percentage of the American population. Limbaugh figured that out a long time ago.

Americans do want to feel free and unfettered. Isn't that how we settled the Old West? In reality the Old West was a very harsh place in which to live. There's a reason these places had territorial governments before they became states. They couldn't quite handle civilization. Civilization means government has a monopoly on the use of force. It means government can impose itself for the sake of order, harmony and even a certain degree of happiness.

Government ought to promote an even keel that minimizes the need for conflict of all kinds including conflicts with other countries. We hear Mitt Romney now practically rattling sabers in how he talks about not only Iran but Russia.

In all likelihood this isn't the real Mitt Romney. It's posturing to get some cheers from the hard-right section of the Republican bleachers. He probably has to curry favor with the neocons.

We have to wonder: In the unlikely event Clint Eastwood, I mean Mitt Romney, gets elected, will it be George W. Bush redux? Who would Romney surround himself with? The likes of John Bolton and Karl Rove again?

Grover Norquist indicates he really couldn't care less who Romney is or what his inner feelings are, just so he has enough "digits" (fingers) to sign legislation from the conservative tent.

Conservatives have a legitimate role in putting the brakes on government from time to time. It was healthy in 1980 when Ronald Reagan got elected. But today with the likes of Limbaugh screaming through all the new media channels, and with the likes of Akin staying afloat, and with Fox News haranguing reasonable progressives around every corner, you really have to wonder about danger signs.

My main worry is how such talk erupts when a new recessionary turn develops in the economy. The specter of hyper-inflation can never be denied. My old associate Jim Morrison shakes his head about that and cites "deflation."

Heaven help us if in the throes of economic crisis, we listen to the political voices of the far right. If you think Glenn Beck is a potential despot now, well. . .

In November we'll see if a decent balance can be maintained. I pray that the hard righties can be humbled some between now and then, those who harp on social issues and intone the mantra of tax cuts (for the already well-off). I pray voting can stay open the way our Founders envisioned.

Cable news brays for anyone who will listen. We need to sift through that cacophony and stay sober.

Remember that the "Fox and Friends" cast are professional wrestlers in effect. Imagine Charles Krauthammer in the wrestling ring. They're trained seals, these people, especially Rush Limbaugh, and doing quite well financially at it.

Us voters are in the real world. Shut out the cacophony and be careful. In one corner we'll have President Barack Obama. In the other, Clint Eastwood, or rather Mitt Romney.

Let's remember what we really expect government to do for us.

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

Tigers own second half, win opener 34-7

Logan Manska advances the ball for Morris Area Chokio Alberta. (B.W. photos)

Corey Storck makes an interception return in the opener win.

The weather was summer-like for the start of a new prep football season Friday (8/31). Big Cat Stadium was abuzz with anticipation.
Our MACA Tigers were taking the field to play the Minnewaska Area Lakers. It was a Labor Day weekend highlight event. Minnewaska Area is close enough that we can count on a good number of opposing team fans.
It would be the orange and black-clad fans of MACA having more to cheer about. The Tigers scored with regularity in their opener win.
Touchdown No. 1 came in the first quarter when quarterback Jacob Torgerson connected with Lincoln Berget on a seven-yard scoring pass. Berget deftly ran a "waggle" route. Torgerson, the returning starter at QB, did his part and would finish the night seven of 16 in passing for 85 yards (an average of 12.1 yards per completion). The passing game wasn't overwhelming but it filled its niche in this 34-7 triumph.
Berget's TD catch capped a six-play drive. Tom Holland had a 17-yard run along the way. The play preceding the TD was an eleven-yard run by Tanner Picht that got MACA to the seven. The point-after kick try was blocked. The first quarter ended with the score 6-0.
A Minnewaska fan was heard commenting on Holland's way of slipping past would-be tacklers, like he's "slippery, covered with WD-40!"
Minnewaska scored a touchdown in the second quarter on an 18-yard pass from Jake Amundson to Austin Ostrander. The Lakers succeeded on the conversion to take the temporary lead.
The Lakers may have outperformed the Tigers on offense in the first half. Reflecting, coach Jerry Witt saw some lapses with "missed assignments." But all that would be forgotten at game's end.
Minnewaska would do no more scoring after the second quarter. The Tigers picked up the pace considerably. Torgerson commanded an offense that scored 14 points each in the third and fourth quarters. They used a punishing ground attack to drive 62 yards in eight plays to re-take the lead. The "slippery" Holland, Jordan Staples and Tanner Picht did most of the ballcarrying. Fullback Staples broke loose for a 24-yard run.
It was Holland scoring the TD on a 13-yard scamper. A toss-power play enabled Holland to find the daylight for that score. The conversion play failed on a pass.
The Tiger 'D' took the field and held 'Waska, forcing a punt that set the stage for the next MACA touchdown.
Beginning at their own 36, the Tigers went to work on a 64-yard scoring thrust. Nine plays were executed along the way. Determined running was shown by Connor Metzger, Tanner Picht, Holland and Staples. Picht broke loose for a 19-yarder. Holland had an 18-yard gain along with the scoring run which covered eleven yards. Holland ran a toss-power play in for six. This time the conversion was good on a pass from Torgerson to Chandler Erickson.
Corey Storck set up the Tigers' fourth touchdown by intercepting a pass.
"He read it nice from his 'D' back spot and made a great break on the ball," coach Witt commented.
Storck made a return to the Minnewaska 14 yard line. The Tigers were a stone's throw from scoring and weren't to be denied. Play No. 1 had Holland running for eleven yards. At this point the third quarter ends. Play resumed with Staples covering those last three yards to the end zone and getting the zebras to signal "score!" The Tigers tried a kick on the conversion and were unsuccessful.
Torgerson had given way to understudy Bryce Jergenson when MACA scored its fifth and final touchdown. It was Jergenson achieving this score on a sneak from the one. It capped an eight-play, 45-yard drive that was set up by a fumble recovery. Staples, Metzger and Bo Olson covered much of the real estate with their ballcarrying.
The initial conversion try was flagged by the refs (holding) so the ball was moved back to the 13, whereupon Jergenson, undaunted, passed to Austin Dierks (running a slant) and two points were added on. The night's scoring was done with Morris Area Chokio Alberta savoring the 34-7 outcome.
Is it a prelude of things to come? A long season lies ahead with obstacles to be sure.
The Tigers had 20 first downs compared to eight by 'Waska. The Lakers had 12 pass completions in 21 attempts for 143 yards but got picked off three times. Turnovers were a woe for the visitor as there were also three fumble recoveries by the opportunistic Tigers.
The Lakers were a negative one yard in rushing but this is misleading as there was an errant snap from the shotgun formation that pushed them back. Gage Backman of the Tigers pounced on the ball on that play.
The Tigers had 268 rushing yards on 48 carries. Looking at the penalty stats, I can imagine coach Witt saying "Yeah, we led there too." The Tigers were whistled eight times for 98 yards, and the Lakers three times for 30.
Holland crept over 100 rushing yards by night's end. He did this on 14 carries. Staples was second high in rushing yards, accumulating 86 in ten carries. Picht had 42 net rushing yards, Metzger 20 and Torgerson ten. Olson and Aaron Nelson contributed a few rushing yards.
Five Tigers were on the receiving end of passes. Logan Manska had two catches for 36 yards. Holland had one for 16, Picht one for 20, Chandler Erickson two for six and Berget one for seven.
Let's roll up our sleeves for the defensive numbers. I'll report this list with numbers in this sequence: unassisted tackles, assists and total points. Here we go: Picht 1-4-16, Storck 2-2-11, Erickson 0-5-10, Holland 3-2-8, Metzger 1-4-8, John Tiernan 1-3-6, Manska 1-3-5, Gage Backman 0-0-5, Jergenson 0-0-5, Joel Harrison 1-1-4, Nick Vipond 1-2-4, Staples 0-4-4, Dierks 0-3-3, Mac Beyer 0-3-3, Darion Helberg 0-3-3, Brady Wulf 1-0-3, Olson 1-1-3, Marcus Cannon 0-1-1, Riley Biesterfeld 1-0-2, Nate Vipond 0-1-1, Vaughn Dieter 0-1-1, Tyler Henrichs 0-1-3 and Dillan Johnson 0-1-1.
Tackles for loss were performed by Tiernan, Harrison and Wulf. Recovered fumbles were by Picht, Erickson and Backman. Storck was joined on the interception list by Picht and Jergenson. Pass knockdowns were by Metzger and Henrichs.
Bring on the rest of the schedule!
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com