Will round #2 leave MACA smiling as well? The basketball post-season builds a unique type of anticipation. Now we're against the top seed.
And let's remember the boys are about to embark on post-season play. The boys are seeded #3 in Section 3AA-North. The curtain opens for the boys post-season on Saturday, March 2. Coach Mark Torgerson's orange and black unit will take the floor to play #6 ACGC, the Falcons. On paper this really ought to be a no-sweat game for the Tigers.
Fortunately, considering the lousy (harrowing) weather of late, the boys game will be here in Motown! Whew. The boys own a 16-8 record and closed out the regular season with a win over Paynesville. The team to beat in the boys sub-section is New London-Spicer.
Girls: Tigers 60, Minnewaska 44
The female Tigers took care of business with their success at home vs. Minnewaska Area. The higher-seeded Tigers survived a rough first half that saw both teams committing turnovers. Coach Henrich thought there was a wear-down effect on the Lakers, evident in the second half. MACA depth became evident as a deciding factor. Henrich tapped the bench some and with good results.
Will the depth be a substantial plus for MACA against their quality EV-W opponent tonight? EV-W is coming off a 65-23 thumping over Montevideo.
In our win over Minnewaska Area, we shot up 27-19 by halftime. Then we outscored the Lakers 33-25 in the second half. So, task accomplished and now it's on to face the top seed. I wonder how fan Tom Carrington is placing the odds on this game. Tom usually thinks the team has more potential than what it shows! That's really glass-half-full thinking. I get Tom's updated assessment from the counter at DeToy's Restaurant when it's still dark in the morning. These days it's sometimes a challenge to even get to the downtown restaurant considering the weather. Holy mackerel when will spring come?
A Maddie Carrington three-pointer always puts a smile on Tom's face. Maddie made two of these in the win over Minnewaska Area. Emma Bowman made two 3-pointers and Riley Decker made one. It was Malory Anderson leading the scoring list with 16 points, then came Maddie C. with 15 and and Bowman with 12. Continuing: Kylie Swanson (8), Decker (3), Meredith Carrington (2), Sophia Carlsen (2) and Kendra Wevley (2).
Anderson from her post spot got 14 rebounds. Decker and Swanson each dished out two assists. And the steal leaders were Maddie C. and Anderson each with six.
The Lakers ended their season with the Thorfinnson girls on top in the scoring department: Emma with 14 points, Maddie with 12. Other Laker scorers: Alexis Piekarski 6, Addy Randt 5, Hannah Hoffman 3, Avery Hoeper 3 and Elizabeth Murken 1. Emma T. connected for three 3-pointers while these Lakers each succeeded once from long-range: Maddie T., Hoffman and Randt. The rebound leader was Emma T. with ten. Piekarski stole the ball twice.
Harsh winter and school days
When in doubt, call off school. There is considerable hair-pulling these days about how to fulfill school obligations with the relentlessly bad weather. I feel sorry for people in these contortions because they are dealing with certain requirements. In an ideal world, we would just allow people in a position of authority to call off school when prudent, period, to ensure safety of the kids. There is no consideration that can come ahead of the safety and welfare of the kids. You need me to lecture you on that?
Sometimes when the shroud of weather hovers and I hear that school is "two hours late" or some such thing, it's a little exasperating. We move mountains to try to get kids to school for an abbreviated, stressed school day. As if these kids would be harmed if they just spent the day in their safe warm homes, going online, reading, typing etc. So their knowledge and literacy does in fact expand even when home.
The roads are in bad shape even if the weather becomes mild or even sunny. Have you tried to walk along sidewalks downtown? There are huge banks of snow on both sides. It's hard to find places where to push the snow. The surface for walking on is slippery all over the place. The adversity isn't so bad for me because I live on the edge of town, in the city limits, and I'm in decent physical condition even though I'm 64. I am set to just leave the car in the garage until the spring thaw and walk to and from town, as I have done for my afternoon lunch the last two days. I don't have to concern myself with getting the driveway cleared of snow all the time.
If only our state system would allow school superintendents to relax and just cancel school when prudence dictates. Oh, we all know the basis for the problem: money. I suppose a certain amount of tax dollars is allocated for every day of school, therefore those days cannot just be wiped out. I know it's unfortunate if money has to be wasted, but maybe this is the only course to follow.
Back in the '60s, I heard talk that "state aid money" was at the basis of the school bus crisis to the west of here, not the Morris school, in which some kids could have died. What a story that was. In its wake I heard schools adjusted their philosophy or system to make school closures easier. It looks now like we need to take further steps.
It's not as if kids can't learn at home today. Quite the opposite is true. Maybe school leaders are AFRAID that families will discover that it isn't so essential for kids to travel to and from bricks and mortar school every day. Those long trips to and from the Lac qui Parle school in the midst of the barren, cold landscape. Shudder.
Someday we'll be smarter, and taxpayers will actually save money. Maybe this year, with school so futile so often, taxpayers could just get a refund, just like in the days of Gov. Jesse Ventura and the "Jesse checks."
Moment to feel envy
I emailed a neighbor of mine a couple days ago to share on the challenges of dealing with snow in the neighborhood. He answered, from his iphone and from Arizona! Sigh. The guy was Lyle Rambow. Congratulations Lyle and Londa. Unfortunately we on Northridge Drive in Morris will be saying goodbye to the Rambows soon, probably in about four months. I guess they're headed to Lake Minnewaska country. I didn't see that coming. They live in the old Ahern house.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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