Strange tale of ass't Stevens County attorney

Timothy Rundquist, RIP

What was up with that assistant Stevens County attorney? I wasn't aware of that incident until I glanced at the front page of the Morris newspaper on the front of a vending machine.

That story was definitely an "above the fold" kind, not that I was induced to push five quarters into the machine. Who has five quarters on him/her to buy a paper that way? Five quarters? Upon buying it, you'd grab that pile of advertising inserts and heave them into the nearest waste receptacle. Then you'd get into your vehicle and breathlessly read that sensational article.
An assistant Stevens County attorney was killed while fleeing police. That's definitely man-bites-dog.
I wrote about the Stevens County attorney's office last year for a different reason. We had that little scandal of serious criminal charges filed against a local school administrator. Those charges were dropped with a disturbing lack of clarity over why they were dropped. Were they dropped because the accuser's story was false or made up? Did the county attorney's office just want us to assume that? Or not? They could have just made things clear with the facts. They had no problem making big public pronouncements when they were aggressive and trying to nail that administrator.
Now we have an assistant county attorney killed while trying to flee police.
I wasn't happy seeing a police car's flashing lights when I got pulled over for no seat belt a couple years ago. I was pulled over for seat belt as a primary offense. I was transporting my parents home from the senior center, so I would like to think I didn't conform to any criminal profile.
When Jesse Ventura was governor, he said peace officers should be "courteous to the public" in these situations. I suppose there's a contrary theory that asserts that if police officers are terse and stern, that's part of the punishment for what you did, like going to a website to try to pay your fine and finding it's not user-friendly, or finding there's a "convenience fee" for paying online. I wrote an email to State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen about the latter and got no response. Why should I be assessed extra simply for taking advantage of "convenience?" Isn't "convenience" something we all seek? Is it not an ideal?
The police officer who came up to me could have scored points by just saying "How are you all doing today?" Takes two seconds. But no, there was a terse request for license and proof of insurance. He came back and said "do you realize that when you don't wear your seat belt, you can become a projectile?" And I felt like saying: "Do you realize that when you pull over someone like this, you can become an 'asshole?' "
I talked to someone who actually served on some kind of law enforcement commission locally, who told me that even he doesn't wear his seat belt all the time. He said if it was a short routine jaunt, he might not bother. I told him he damn well better buckle up at all times, because all it takes is being spotted for a split second, and then you're toast.
If seat belts are absolutely essential, why then wasn't there such vigorous enforcement, say, 30 years ago? Were we hopeless Neanderthals then?
Today if you experience sex with an unmarried partner, you have the risk of that person going to law enforcement (over feeling under-appreciated, maybe?) and having the rest of your life tarred.
 
Theory re. the fleeing attorney
So, what was up with the assistant Stevens County attorney? My theory is that he had been consuming alcohol. Continuing with this theory, I think he was perfectly capable of driving safely, but had had some alcohol and realized that legal charges could be life-changing for him.
Many people have a perfectly sound mind and can drive safely after doing a little social drinking. But, all that matters when you get pulled over, is what that testing machine shows. If it's over a certain level, my, the consequences are oh so drastic. Maybe they are too drastic, except for cases where the consumption was obviously reckless and excessive.
Oh, but even minor impairment can endanger people, right? Well, I suppose that's true, but human beings can have all sorts of limitations. Let's consider people over the age of 80 who continue to drive. You might bristle and say "My dad is 85 and I know he can drive safely." I'd respond by saying that "by the same token, many people I know can have a couple alcohol drinks with supper and drive safely." They'd retort: "Oh no, you're impaired." And by the same token I'd say "people over age 80 are going to be impaired."
In the world of pro baseball, it is a known fact that at the age of 33, you begin losing your reflexes. I'd say that age 80 is quite a bit further down the road.
What about sleep-deprived people at the wheel? What about people on certain kinds of medication? What about people driving vehicles that aren't optimally maintained, as with tires not properly inflated? If we are going to be this severe with DWIs, then I would quote Mike McFeely of KFGO Radio, Fargo: "Maybe it's time we made alcohol illegal."

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

Boys defeat Lac qui Parle, fall to Melrose

Tigers 54, LQPV 44
The Tigers worked to a 24-19 halftime lead and went on to defeat the visiting Eagles of Lac qui Parle Valley on Thursday, 12/18. Fans at the MAHS gym enjoyed this 54-44 boys hoops triumph over the Eagles.
MACA drew up to .500 but would lose that standing on the following night at Melrose.
Against the Eagles we made 22 of 46 field goal tries and were seven of 15 in freethrows. Noah Grove made a pair of three-point shots. Grove scored 12 points and was edged on the scoring list by Eric Staebler who scored 13. Andrew Goulet added nine points to the winning mix.
Sean Amundson scored seven followed by Jacob Zosel (5), Riley Biesterfeld (4) and Jordan Arbach (2). I realize these individual totals add up to 52 points, not 54. I got 52 from the West Central Tribune and then just now got the same on the Morris newspaper website. Maybe I'll get coach Torgerson to clarify this.
Sorry to be so pesky adding up the totals all the time. Math isn't even my forte, it's coach Torgerson's forte.
Staebler completed a double-double with his 13 rebounds. He and Zosel each performed three assists, and Goulet stole the ball twice.
LQPV's field goal shooting numbers were 17 of 47. In freethrows: three of six. One Eagle scored in double figures: Lucas Strand with 16 points. Noah Jensen scored seven followed by Garrett Olson (6), Brandon Hill (5), Austin Hass (4), Kellen Kessler (3) and Jon Nielsen (3).
Strand was a deadeye from beyond the 3-point stripe, making four long-rangers for LQPV. Jensen was Lac qui Parle's top rebounnder with seven. Olson and Nielsen each had three assists, and Olson performed two steals.
The Tigers' defense earned kudos. Take a look at the cool 36 percent shooting performance by the Eagles.
 

Melrose 68, Tigers 59

Melrose kept its unbeaten record intact with a win over the MACA boys on Friday (12/19). The Tigers slipped to under .500 with this 68-59 loss at the Melrose gym.
Melrose built a 36-27 advantage by halftime. The Dutchmen enter the new week with a 6-0 overall record, 5-0 in conference. Our Tigers sit at 4-5 with a disappointing 1-5 conference showing. The squad will strive to regroup to show a more competitive stance for the new year.
The Dutchmen had eight more field goals than the Tigers. They were awarded just eight freethrow attempts but made all eight. We had 20 field goals and were 16 of 26 in freethrows.
Three Tigers scored in double figures led by Noah Grove and his 15 points. Eric Staebler put in 13 points and Jacob Zosel had ten. Sean Amundson and Andrew Goulet each scored five. The list continues with Riley Biesterfeld (4), Austin Hills (3), Nic Solvie (2) and Ian Howden (2).
Grove made a pair of 3's while Hills made one. Staebler topped the rebound list with his seven. Zosel had five assists and Grove had two steals.
Dillon Haider made a pair of 3's for the winning Dutchmen. Cesar Cervantes and Drake Meyer each made one. Meyer collected the team-best seven rebounds. Cervantes dished out five assists.
Tyler Braegelmann was the game's scoring standout with 24 points. The balanced Melrose scoring list included Isaac Herkenhoff with eleven points. Meyer scored eight followed by three Dutchmen each with six: Dillon Haider, Zak Luetmer and Blake Gerads. Colton Meyer scored four points and Cesar Cervantes three.
When I was in high school, Melrose had one of the best basketball players in the nation in Mark Olberding. He went on to NCAA Division I and then the pros.
 

The cemetery chimes

Years ago we saw a skirmish in the Morris newspaper's letters section over the cemetery bells or chimes. Apparently we gained no resolution. The matter is erupting again.
Does anyone think it will go away, minus some drastic action to quiet the public? The conflict is unsettling. So is the sheer stupidity. I am angered.
The issue here isn't the merits of the music or whether the U.S. is a Christian nation and must be affirmed as such. There is a fundamental American principle at stake here: "A man's home is his castle." There is something sacred about a person's personal property and personal residence.
Simply put: We are all entitled to peace and quiet around our residence if we want it. It's that simple. Once again, I'm starting to feel like the only sane person in an insane asylum. Maybe I'm in a "Twilight Zone" episode.

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

Girls apply clamps in first half, beat Monte

Tigers 79, Monte 63
Once again the MACA girls and boys basketball teams played on the same night. The girls supplied the main highlight on Tuesday, Dec. 16: a 79-63 win over Montevideo in another high-scoring game.
Coach Dale Henrich's squad sealed the deal in the first half. The 51-18 score at the halfway point showed MACA well on its way to its third win of the season.
The MACA offense was a share-the-wealth system. Lauren Reimers topped the scoring list with 19 points and was closely followed by Becca Holland and Correy Hickman each with 17. The fourth Tiger in double figures was Tracy Meichsner with eleven. Lacee Maanum contributed seven points, Kayla Pring five and Piper Gibson three.
Holland zeroed in from three-point range, making three long-rangers. Hickman sank two from beyond that arc, and Reimers did it once. Meichsner led in rebounds with nine. Holland was the top assist producer with seven. Reimers stole the ball five times.
The orange and black made 25 of 56 field goal tries. We were 23 of 40 in freethrows. Monte was 20 of 53 in field goals and was quite good in freethrows where their numbers were 21 of 28. MACA had substantially more freethrow attempts.
Three Thunder Hawks were proficient in scoring, each with 12 points: Lexi Quigley, Natalie Feldhake and Morgan Reidinger. Abby Olson put in eleven. The list continues with Nikki Erickson (6), Eric Nalken (4), Alexis Schmitz (4) and Kalley Maroney (2). Olson and Erickson each made a 3-point shot. Quigley and Reidinger each had five rebounds.
Our next assignment is to play at Melrose on Friday.
 

Boys hoops: Benson 65, MACA 57

The Tuesday story wasn't so rosy for the Morris Area Chokio Alberta boys: a 65-57 loss at the hands of Benson. The orange and black slipped below .500 with this setback. Benson is having a .500 campaign. Benson got up on the Tigers by a score of 30-21 at halftime.
Aaron Ahrndt helped pace the Benson victory with his 16 points and five assists. Layton Connelly was right behind with his 15 points, and this Brave used three-pointers in a big way, making three. Ahrndt led in a variety of categories as he grabbed six rebounds, dished out five assists and stole the ball four times.
There are two Lindahls on the scoring list but the Willmar newspaper doesn't provide us with first names.
Eric Staebler topped the MACA scoring list with 14 points. Sean Amundson and Andrew Goulet joined Eric in double figures with 12 and 10 respectively. Noah Grove added nine points to the mix. Jacob Zosel came through with nine and Riley Biesterfeld added three.
Amundson found the range to make two 3-point shots. Staebler swept the boards to collect 17 rebounds. He led in steals with three. Zosel dished out five assists. The orange and black made 19 of 47 field goal attempts. We were pinpoint in freethrow shooting where the numbers were 17 of 22.
Our won-lost numbers coming out of Tuesday were 3-4 overall and 1-4 in conference.
 

Girls hockey: Marshall 5, MBA 4

The skaters of Morris Benson Area flirted with victory Tuesday night. It was a heartbreaking affair as we went up 3-0 only to get edged in the end in OT.
Marshall like MAHS has the "Tigers" nickname, but in hockey there's little potential for confusion as we're the "Storm."
The score was 1-0 after one period. Kelsey Rajewsky scored that initial MBA goal, assisted by Kamri Kalthoff and Hanna Lindblad. MBA went up 2-0 with a goal by Kayla Benson in the second period. Assists came from Kalthoff and Nicole Berens. Then it was Abby Daly scoring unassisted for the Storm, making the score 3-0.
Marshall began clawing back with a goal by Allie Bladholm, assisted by Tessa Coudron and Mikenna Radke. Miranda Fischer injected more "mo" for Marshall in period #3. Fischer's goal was assisted by Sara Antony and Hanna Peterson. So now the score is 3-2.
It was Marshall's Peterson scoring at 6:40 of the third, assisted by Radke and Alysia Rupp. Bladholm put the puck in the net at 4:12 assisted by Fischer.
Berens got things tied up for the Storm at :56, setting the stage for overtime. An air of drama prevailed as the Storm and Tigers assembled on the ice again. Fischer scored for Marshall to end this contest with a score of 5-4. Courtney Mauch assisted.
Abbey Hoffman was the goalie for MBA and had 27 saves. Her goalie rival was Morgan Morrill whose save total was 27.
 

Girls hockey: Windom 5, MBA 4

In another recent close and heartbreaking loss, MBA was on the short end vs. Windom at Windom. The score was the same as versus Marshall: 5-4.
The Storm came on strong in the game's early stages. Holli Christians put the puck in the net with an assist by Hanna Lindblad. Then it was Kelsey Rajewsky scoring for the Storm assisted by Hallie Watzke. So the score is 2-0.
Windom got on the board with a goal by Molly Boyum. Windom outscored the Storm 3-2 in a wild second period. Kaylee Jansen scored for Windom assisted by Addison Beaty. Jolyssa Higley-Purrington kept Windom surging with a goal assisted by Boyum. Boyum scored at 11:55 of the second. MBA scored the last two goals of the period. Watzke scored both of these, assisted each time by Emily Walz.
Beaty of Windom scored the game-winner at 16:51 of the third period. It was an unassisted goal with nine seconds remaining. Heartbreak for the Storm!
Abbey Hoffman had 16 saves as the MBA goalie. Emily Steen saved 39 for Windom.
 

Wrestling: Grant County Invite

Travis Ostby highlighted MAHACA's appearance in the Grant County Invite. Ostby took champion honors at 138 pounds. MAHACA had a modest seventh place showing among the 12 teams. The "United" team took No. 1. Ostby had a 3-0 day to pace the Tigers. Dalton Rose was 0-2 at 106 pounds. Matt Munsterman had a 1-2 showing at 120 pounds. Jared Rohloff took fourth place at 126 pounds, going 2-2. Trenton Nelson went 2-2 at 132 pounds to place fifth.
Dakota Luepke won two bouts and dropped two at 145 pounds. Levin Strand had an 0-2 day at 152. Trent Ostby went 0-2 at 160. Steven Koehl manned the 170-pound category and placed third with his 3-1 showing.
Toby Sayles went 0-2 at 182. Jacob Sperr had a 2-2 showing good for fourth place at 220 pounds. Alec Gausman went 3-1 for second place at 285.
The Grant County Invite was wrestled on Saturday, 12/13, at Barrett.

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

"You'll Know It's Christmas Time" w/ music

Debra Gordon sings my song.

The photo at right shows your blog host, Brian Williams, meeting Santa Claus at Dayton's Department Store, Minneapolis, in about 1958. I remember being scared of ol' Saint Nick. See that in my eyes? I'm sure the character was played by a real nice gentleman.

 

Every songwriter should try to ply his craft with a Christmas theme. I have done so with a song called "You'll Know It's Christmas Time." I invite you to listen to this song from YouTube. Get in your frame of mind with Christmas cheer and click on the link below. Thanks to Gulsvig Productions of Starbuck for getting my music online.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEuxg0dL9SQ

 
Nothing is more personal than Christmas. It inspires memories that can make you misty. "I'll be Home for Christmas" makes me misty.
Last year I wrote a post about my favorite Christmas song: "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." That song conjures up an image of stillness and of contented contemplation.
In my song, there is the repeated line: "Look around and you'll know it's Christmas Time." Originally I planned this line as the full title for the song. In my last email communications with the demo recording producer, he had a notation at the bottom referring to the song as "You'll Know It's Christmas Time." I don't know if he did that for brevity or if he thought this would be a better (more compact) title.
One other twist: All through my creative process I had "Christmas Time" as one word: "Christmastime." Mr. Michels in Nashville TN had "Christmas Time" in his notation. Hey, I think I like that better! Whether he really intended to modify my song title, or was just engaging in hurried communication, he influenced me to make the changes.
A songwriter can get so involved in his song through development, you can't see the forest for the trees sometimes.
It is very common for musical works to go through an assortment of "tweaks." When Paul McCartney was developing "Eleanor Rigby," he used the name "Miss Daisy Hawkins" for a time. "Eleanor Rigby" sings better. Paul saw the name "Rigby" on a storefront, legend has it.
The Lennon/McCartney collaboration was so terrific because the two could iron out each other's flaws or tamp down each other's excesses. Some of those flaws came out after the two went their separate ways. McCartney in particular could get careless and loose at times.
I have learned to greatly respect the music talent in Nashville TN. It covers the spectrum today, not confined to what might be called the "twangy" country of days gone by. There is nothing wrong with the "twangy" genre if the songs are composed tastefully. A steady diet of any kind of music can get to be too much.
 
"You'll Know It's Christmas Time"

My song begins with a reference to tinsel, those silver-colored adornments on the Christmas tree. My late father was fond of that decoration. We opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning. In my adult years, my father began a practice of making sure I got a 12-pack of Mello Yello soft drink every Christmas. Peanut brittle was another staple for us. 

I move on to the subject of Santa Claus. Look at the photo accompanying this post. Enough said.

"There are presents lying on the floor," my song continues. Yes, we placed the gifts at the base of our Christmas tree. You could find the jigsaw puzzle by shaking them! "Carolers at the door." The neighborhood kids of Northridge Drive made the rounds in the 1960s. We'd sing "We wish you a merry Christmas. . .We won't go until we get some!"

I'm pleased to include a direct reference to the Christ child in my song. My favorite Christmas video is "The Little Drummer Boy" with narrator Greer Garson. It gets at the essence of Christmas. BTW the drummer boy story isn't in the Bible.

"In the eyes of the little ones. . ." Yes, Christmas is for children, which I make clear in my chorus. "Say it loud, say it all around." Yes, openly share the spirit of Christmas.
The last verse begins with a reference to "oyster stew." I wouldn't be familiar with this Christmas staple were it not for the late Delmar Holdgrafer, the cartoonist/artist of Donnelly.

"It's a sentimental journey every year." Remember the song "Sentimental Journey" sung by Doris Day? It was a rather somber WWII-era song.

"Watch the spirit of the season come to every man and beast." Our family pets added to our tapestry of Christmas immensely: Sandy, Heidi and Misty.

The Christmas spirit envelops us, as you will note if you pay a visit to Northridge Drive, out by the soils laboratory. We're counting down the days.

 
The timing for Christmas music
How soon is too soon to start enjoying Christmas music? Certainly you shouldn't play any of this before Thanksgiving. I used to think any time after Thanksgiving was OK. This is all very subjective of course. A daughter of a co-worker once admonished me for playing some pure Christmas carols at a time she thought was a little premature, perhaps the first week of December. I was playing a Garth Brooks CD.
I can see where these carols are best enjoyed in the days leading up to Christmas. I used to play Christmas CDs late at night at the old Sun Tribune building in the time leading up to Christmas. Today I'd be told I'm crazy to consider working such late hours. I would be prohibited from even doing it. I'm an "old school" journalist who feels our craft needs to be plied at odd hours sometimes. Such a disposition is quaint. The public doesn't want its journalism provided by sleep-deprived or manic people.
I used to produce two full pages of sports for the Hancock Record every week - a task that (among other tasks) kept me working until about 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning. I remember once riding home on bike on that dirt road in the field in front of ShopKo, and a police car took chase. Today, given the behavior of police officers, there's a chance I could be shot and killed.
Of course, I no longer work for the newspaper. Today the paper's top priority is to see we get our Elden's advertising circular every week. And Fleet Farm, and Target, and Trumm Drug, and Running's, and Sears, and Menards et. al. Where are all these stores in Morris? (Who shops at Sears anymore?)
 
A monotone memory (charming)
We all have unique Christmas memories. I'll never forget a classmate whose initials were S.S. being a complete clueless monotone singing as part of an elementary Christmas concert. I had to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing during "Silver Bells." Close your eyes and imagine a monotone singing "Silver Bells." Priceless.
Nevertheless, the Christmas spirit is all that matters.
Merry Christmas, and "look around and you'll know it's Christmas Time." God bless all those who make music. The singer of my song is Debra Gordon. I can tell she's a vivacious individual.

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

Grove and Staebler stoke offense in road win

Tigers 68, 'Waska 57

The Tigers came on strong to turn back the Lakers of Minnewaska Area Tuesday night (12/9).
The orange and black built a 26-18 advantage by halftime. The scoring pace quickened in the second half. MACA surged to score 42 second half points, putting their game total at 68. We won this conference contest by a score of 68-57 at 'Waska. We put in 24 field goals and made 17 of 27 freethrow attempts.
MACA takes a 2-2 record into tomorrow's (Thursday) home game against Montevideo. The Lakers of 'Waska have a 1-3 record in conference and overall.
Noah Grove had a hot hand for the Tigers Tuesday. Noah made three shots from beyond the 3-point arc. He finished with a team-best 28 points. Right on his heels on the scoring list was the always-productive Eric Staebler. Grove and Staebler were quite the 1-2 punch with 28 and 27 points respectively. These two were complemented by: Sean Amundson (five points), C.J. Nagel (4), Ian Howden (3) and Jacob Zosel (1).
Minnewaska made 19 of 68 field goal tries and was a proficient 10/12 in freethrows. Austin VerSteeg led 'Waska in rebounds with 12 and assists with three. Michael Gruber stole the ball five times. Matt McIver was an imposing presence on the court with his 27 points.
The remainder of the 'Waska scoring list includes: Riley Thompson (8), Michael Gruber (7), VerSteeg (5), Jackson Hendrickson (3), Thorin Erickson (3), Justin Amundson (2) and Greg Helander (2).
 

Hancock boys 87, RCW 75

This game had a complexion of potent offense. Hancock's proved to be superior. Their foe was Renville County West. Noah Kannegiesser had the hot hand for Hancock, scoring 35 points in this 87-75 triumph. It was Hancock's second triumph of the young season.
Kannegiesser also contributed nine assists. Collin Brown paced the Owls in rebounds with ten and in steals with six. The Owls made 34 of 57 field goal tries and were sharp at the freethrow line with their 10 of 12 numbers.
Long-range shooting was a forte shown by Kannegiesser: five 3-pointers made. Let's review the whole scoring list: Kannegiesser (35), Logan Kisgen (19), Brown (17), Chandler Gramm (6), Tyler Reese (4), Andrew Shaw (2), Brandon Shaw (2) and Bryce Schmidgall (2).
The Owls outscored RCW 40-36 in the first half and 47-39 in the second.
Three RCW players scored in double figures: Ian Engstrom (25), Colin Thompson (18) and Brady Holwerda (16). Four RCW players each made one '3'.
 

Boys hockey: River Lakes 4, MBA 3

MBA took the ice on Tuesday to vie with River Lakes on the River Lakes ice. The ice is on neither a river or lake, of course. This puck action was in Paynesville and required overtime.
Regulation ended with the score deadlocked three-all. MBA had a 1-0 lead after one period. Brennden DeHaan scored that initial MBA goal. Assists came from Colden Helberg and Corey Goff. Alas, River Lakes owned the second period. Grant Thompson scored with an assist from Cody Pulsifer; and Hunter Sjoberg put the puck in the net assisted by Ethan Parsons and Jake Jenson. The Sjoberg goal came on a power play.
MBA fought back, scoring the first two goals of the third period. First it was Kevin Meixel with an unassisted job. Then came a goal by Tyler Bergman with assists from Helberg and DeHaan. River Lakes answered with a goal by Matt Prozinski, assisted by Connor Beltz and Jake Kuhlman.
The OT story had Grant Thompson scoring at 6:43, bringing jubilation among the home team fans. Beltz and Prozinski supplied assists on the game-winner. River Lakes could savor their 4-3 win.
Tony Bruns worked in goal for MBA and had 48 saves. Nick Skluzacek had 23 saves as the River Lakes goaltender.
 

A thank you

Thanks to Wanda Dagen, MAHS band director, for sending me a personal email saying the upcoming Monday (12/15) band concert had been changed from 8 p.m. to 7:30. The school calendar had 8 p.m.
In recent weeks I have expressed consternation at so many events in Morris having details changed from what was originally announced (starting time and even the date in one instance).
A couple months ago there was an event at Federated Church where the posters around town said "coffee and rolls in the morning," so, we show up at about 8:30 a.m. and were told the serving wouldn't begin until 9. In fact, we found the tone of the clarification to be a little rude. One person said "that door is supposed to be locked," as if I were personally responsible for the door being locked. The posters around town should have made clear the serving would begin at 9 a.m.
Thanks to Wanda I know the upcoming concert at MAHS will be at 7:30, so I won't have steam coming out of my ears that night if we arrive at the wrong time.
The worst part of being corrected in this situation is sometimes being scolded as follows: "Don't you listen to the Morris radio station?" Well, I only rarely listen to the radio. If I were to state this, I'd be scolded: "Well, then it's your problem."
Sometimes as when bad weather is approaching, I'll turn on the Morris radio and within a couple minutes, I'm forced to listen to a rock 'n' roll song from the 1950s. I'm irritated by that, blaring as it does from a cheap radio's speakers. "Well, get a better radio." Sorry.
I have a better idea: Maybe the school calendar should be online-only, then any changes can get typed immediately onto the calendar and the calendar will be correct and accurate at all times. How about that?

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

Tigers and Owls win in girls basketball

Tigers 62, ACGC 25

MACA evened up its record at 1-1 with a most impressive win over the ACGC Falcons. Coach Dale Henrich's squad began like gangbusters, outscoring the Falcons 40-17 in the first half of this game played Thursday (12/4) at ACGC.
Nothing much changed in the second half. The Tigers had a 22-8 advantage to finish things up. The 62-25 win left MACA fans in an especially upbeat mood with the holiday season building.
The Tigers made 24 of their 56 field goal tries. They were eight of 12 at the freethrow line. Lauren Reimers found the groove from beyond the 3-point line. Lauren made three long-rangers followed by these three Tigers each with one: Liz Tiernan, Becca Holland and Correy Hickman.
Hickman was all over the court, leading the team in rebounds (5), assists (5) and steals (5).
Reimers' three-point shooting helped put her on top of the scoring list with 12 points. Let's continue with that list: Holland (11), Hickman (9), Kayla Pring (6), Piper Gibson (5), Liz Tiernan (5), Ashley Solvie (4), Moira McNally (4), Tracy Meichsner (2), Nicole Solvie (1) and Madi Wevley (1).
These totals add up to 60 points, not 62, but this is how it was reported in the Saturday Willmar newspaper. The same kind of discrepancy happened after the Tigers' previous game. I contacted coach Henrich about that, to see if he could clear it up for me, but he did not answer my email. So I won't try again. I'm just trying to report accurately on MACA girls basketball. That's a laudable aim, is it not? I invite your feedback. 
The ACGC Falcons made just eight field goals on the night. They were eight of 21 at the freethrow line. Maree Lee and Kendra Miller each scored six points. Payton Wilner and Madison Whitcomb each scored four. Katie Moore completes the list with five points. These totals do add up to 25.
 
Hancock 62, Ortonville 28

Season opener night finally arrived for the Hancock girls on Friday (12/5). It was no contest as the Owls showed a winning flourish. The opponent was Ortonville. The final score was 62-28.
Lexi Steege was a cog in the Owls' smoothly operating offense. Lexi put in 19 points and stole the ball ten times. Kassandra Algarate came through with 12 points and nine steals.
The Owls led 25-15 at the half and really came on strong in the second half, outscoring the stunned Trojans 36-13.
Algarate was the rebound leader with nine and topped the assists list with seven. Steege put in three 3-point shots to build her team-leading point total. Sabrina Mattson also connected three times from 3-point range, and her point total was eleven.
In all there were four Owls scoring in double figures. Claire Hanson put in ten points. The scoring list continues with Tess Steiner (6), Kayla Crowell (2) and Ashlyn Mattson (2).
The Owls' dominance was despite not making any freethrows. They were 0-2 in that department. In total field goals the squad was 28 of 70.
Rachel Hoerneman led Ortonville's scoring with eleven points. Madison Stegnar scored eight, Kristen Erickson and Alisha Ross four each, and Stephanie Rausch one.
The Owls' next foe will be Wheaton-Herman-Norcross.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tigers pounce on NL-Spicer in home BBB

Tigers 73, NL-Spicer 51

A win over New London-Spicer is a plum in the world of Morris Area Chokio Alberta sports. Let's accentuate that, if it were to happen in the post-season. We're a long way from the post-season now. We're not even to Christmas.
How will these teams develop through the course of the season? There will be a lot to digest and observe. Right now the fans of the orange and black can feel most exhilarated. That's because our boys defeated the NL-Spicer Wildcats Tuesday night (12/3) at home. It wasn't even close. Led by Eric Staebler and his 33 points, the Tigers downed the Wildcats 73-51.
The MACA lead was modest at halftime - eight points - with the score standing 33-25. Coach Mark Torgerson's squad revved up its engines in the second half. We outscored the Wildcats 40-26.
The game was the NL-Spicer season opener. MACA had one previous game which was a loss.
Staebler vacuumed the boards for 19 rebounds. Look at the freethrow stats! The Tigers were an absolutely sizzling 25 of 29 at the line! Six of Staebler's points came on his two 3-pointers. Noah Grove sank four 3-point shots to lead in that department. Jacob Zosel led in assists with seven, and Andrew Goulet was tops in steals with four.
Staebler and Grove were the Tigers' double figures scorers, Eric with his 33 points and Noah with 19. Goulet and C.J. Nagel each put in six points. Zosel had five points, and Robert Rohloff and Sean Amundson two each.
A look at the NL-Spicer scoring totals shows balance but no real standout. Here's the list: Shane Zylstra (11 points), Devin Fostervold (9), Ethan Bohlsen (7), Jacob Klavetter (5), Alex Goff (4), Derrick Laudenbach (4), Tanner Walstrom (4), Jaden Hansen (3), Brandon Meyer (2) and James Magnuson (2).
Zylstra made two 3-pointers and Hanson had one. Klavetter led the squad in rebounds with seven and in steals with two. Zylstra dished out three assists.
The Wildcats made 20 field goals in 47 attempts. In freethrows their stats lagged markedly behind MACA - they were eight of 22.
Will the Tigers reach the holiday break with sizzling momentum? It will be fun to see.
 
Girls basketball: Sauk Centre 94, Tigers 81

There was no shortage of points in this hoops affair. Unfortunately it was Sauk Centre with the superior number of points. The Streeters sizzled with 94 points in this offense-dominated game, played Tuesday.
This was the MACA girls' season opener. Playing on the Sauk Centre court, the Tigers fell in the 94-81 final. But they sure had no problem scoring points.
Lauren Reimers was in the groove to score 17 points. Lacee Maanum and Kayla Pring each contributed 14 points, and Becca Holland had 12. The list continues with Correy Hickman (8), Tracy Meichsner (5), Sam Henrichs (4), Nicole Solvie (4) and Elizabeth Tiernan (2). I think there's a point missing there, but this is how the Willmar newspaper reported it.
The orange and black will resume action Thursday at ACGC.
 

Wrestling: ACGC 57, Tigers 21

Wrestling came back to the Hancock gym on Tuesday evening. Hancock once had a storied wrestling program all by itself. Coach Spencer Yohe was one of the most colorful sports personalities in the history of West Central Minnesota. He lives in southeastern Minnesota now.
Those old glory days of Hancock Owl wrestling belong in the history books now. Today we have the MAHACA wrestling program that includes the Hancock student athletes. I have hated the "MAHACA" name. But that's just me.
On Tuesday night the Tigers were defeated by Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at the Hancock gym. The score: 57-21.
At 106 pounds, Dalton Rose lost by fall to Brennan Arndt in :38. At 113 pounds, Gideon Joos lost by fall to Aaron Long in :35. At 120 pounds, Matt Munsterman lost by fall to Ryan Molinaro in 1:42.
At 126 pounds, Jared Rohloff dropped a 6-0 decision to Brennan Holien. At 132 pounds, Brady Cardwell lost by fall to AJ Schmidt in :47. Yes, it's a tough slog on this night.
Trenton Nelson at 138 pounds showed winning form vs. his ACGC adversary, Tyler Mortenson: a fall outcome in :39. Travis Ostby at 145 pounds was a victor by fall over Jacob Whitcomb in :33. Philip Messner at 152 pounds got his arm raised in victory via his 7-5 decision over Cullen Hoffman.
Trent Ostby at 160 pounds was on the short end by fall, in 1:41 vs. Jase Peterson. Steven Koehl lost by fall in 1:01 to Derek Dengerud. Matt McNeill was the fall loser at the hands of Tanner Fester, in :57. Gage Wevley lost by fall in :51 at the hands of Sheldon Rasmussen. Jacob Sperr was the fall loser to Cody Berghuis in :54.
Alec Gausman, the 285-pounder, pinned Ty Soine in 4:33.
I think coach Yohe would work his squad extra hard in the week after a match like this!
I remember when coach George Graff talked about "the ghosts of the old Hancock wrestlers up in the rafters" at Hancock. I ran that by his successor, Paul Court, who tersely said he never noticed any such ghosts. For my part, I think they're there!
We're in a time of year when we're supposed to believe in Santa Claus!

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