My, sweeping has been quite the habit. On this night the scores were 25-20, 25-20 and 25-18.
The fan noise/enthusiasm was substantial considering this was a neutral site match. Coach Fehr has actually gotten her Tigers conditioned to noise. This has been done by practicing in an atmosphere with loud music. I wonder what kind of music. Probably not the kind my generation liked. The Tigers have become savvy in communicating in the music-filled atmosphere.
Litchfield gave MACA a decent challenge at times. MACA's passing was a little flawed early-on, according to coach Fehr. But we obviously summoned the tools to win in a convincing way. Now it's on to play the crown holder from 3AA-South. Jackson County Central is the team coming out of the South. Usually I only type the name of that school in the softball post-season. Southern Minnesota teams show a strange kind of dominance in softball. I have never been able to figure it out. But I have heard of no such thing in volleyball.
The Huskies of JCC sport a 23-8 record. Like the Tigers they won in three on Thursday. They swept Pipestone. The Tigers and Huskies have done nothing but sweep in the post-season. Something will have to give in the next phase. The big day will be Saturday and the site will be Southwest State. Match-time is 7:30 p.m.
The stat report from the Litchfield match shows Brooke Gillespie with three serving aces, Karly Fehr with two and Cassidy Fehr with one. Karly was the cog in setting like always, on this night getting 33 assists. Jenna Larsen contributed two set assists, and Ashley Solvie and Riley Decker each had one.
Gillespie had the primary role in hitting as she collected 16 kills. Ashley Solvie came through with eight kills while Jenna Howden and Nicole Solvie each had seven. On to ace blocks: here it was Ashley Solvie at the fore of a balanced effort, with four. Two each were performed by Karly Fehr and Nicole Solvie, and Gillespie and Howden each had one.
Here's the digs list: Gillespie (11), Karly Fehr (6), Riley Decker (10) and Cassidy Fehr (9).
Coach Fehr was quoted saying: "If we pass well and play that quick offense like we did tonight, then we'll do well." Get ready for the trip to SSU. Our basketball teams have been having trouble getting there.
Good luck to the fleet Carrington sisters, Maddie and Meredith, in the state cross country meet which will be run at its traditional location: St. Olaf College, Northfield. Maddie and Meredith excelled in the 6A race, making the grade for the elite state affair. Maddie took sixth in 6A with her time of 19:53.60. Meredith took eighth in 6A, timed at 19:55.00.
Is it possible that little sister Meredith might overtake her sister one of these days? Whatever happens, family members are most proud, and surely Laura is smiling down from heaven. Anna is having memories of her own running exploits come back, I'm sure. I covered Anna in the 1980s along with Matthew who is the proud father of Maddie and Meredith.
The rest of the MACA lineup at section consisted of: Madelyn Siegel (42nd, 21:31.50), Malory Anderson (43rd, 21:34.40) and Midori Soderberg (61st, 22:05.70). Anna Donnay of Eden Valley-Watkins won the 6A girls race, time of 18:37.00, and her team was No. 1.
Solomon Johnson was the highest achieving boy for MACA: 13th place, 21:41.70. He was joined in the MACA effort by Noah Stewart (25th, 22:07.40), Tate Nelson (29th, 22:15.80), Tyler Reimers (66th, 22:57.30) and Jake Anderson (104th, 24:08.90). Ryley Nelson of West Central Area was the No. 1 boys runner, timed at 20:23.50), and his Knights were the top boys team. Jake Bright of WCA was runner-up with his time of 20:41.30.
Who will be president?
I have a feeling that when Monday rolls around, I will start feeling a hangover of sorts from the media coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign. I will begin to wonder why I was so fascinated with all the extraneous stuff, the daily gossip about the candidates, the nit-picking etc. We even had to pay attention to the re-emergence of the name and notoriety of Anthony Weiner.
We will realize come next week that Hillary Clinton is going to be our new president. And then we'll all feel fine about it. Not because she's a woman, but because she's an obvious patriot and leader. Who knows about all of Donald Trump's connections with Russia!
The World Series is done
I decided to write a song inspired by the World Series of 2016 involving the Cubs and Indians. America got quite attracted to the Fall Classic, involving as it did a couple Cinderella-type teams. My song evokes nostalgia from when these teams weren't doing so well, like during my youth. I wrote my song last night. The lyrics include references to Leon "Daddy Wags" Wagner and "Sudden Sam" McDowell. Here are the lyrics:
"Cubs and Indians"
by Brian Williams
Cubs and Indians in the World Series
I forgot how much I loved the game
Cleveland and Chicago were darlings
Leave it to those teams to light the flame
Could the Cubs accomplish what they wished for?
Could their fans be lifted to the heights?
Would they see the ghost of Steve Bartman?
Could the good Lord save them from that fright?
Could the Indians let out one big war whoop?
With their name that seems so obsolete?
Watch that smiling Indian inspire them
With their roster talented and deep
Baseball really needed an infusion
Ratings for the Classic were not high
Somehow fans were wedded to football
Could they come on back to balls and strikes?
In my youth the World Series flourished
Games were played in afternoon air
Then the black of night brought its cover
Bowie Kuhn put on long underwear
Cubs were not bereft of gifted players
In the '60s they could wow the fans
Ernie Banks inspired our rev-rence
Billy Williams played the game so grand
We remember home runs by Ron Santo
Kessinger at shortstop made the plays
Fergie on the mound was just awesome
Would that all those guys could win the day
Indians had some players worth admiring
"Daddy Wags" was boffo at the plate
"Sudden Sam" just loomed on the rubber
Alvis with his glove was at third base
Let's dismiss those memories and focus
On those teams as they exist today
With the watchful eye of Obama
Taking special interest in the play
Indians got a 3 to 1 advantage
But it's only done when it is done
Cubs were lying prone on the canvas
But they rose in time to keep it fun
They exploited quite the outfield miscue
Indians were disjointed in the field
They allowed a ball to just drop in
Now their fans suspect their fate is sealed
Nothing in the world is like Game 7
Say it and a sparkle fills the eyes
Pandemonium there by Lake Erie
As the boys of summer sought the prize
Cubs and Indians in the World Series
Two bad either one would have to fall
Was the ghost of Leo Durocher
There to help his Cubbies take it all
Cubs and Indians in the World Series. . .
Cubs and Indians in the World Series. . .
(fade)
© 2016 Brian R. Williams
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