Jaguars come at the Tigers with five pins

MAHACA had a nice start vs. highly-touted BBE, the No. 2-ranked team in 'A'. The Tigers assumed a 15-6 lead but succumbed to the Jaguars. This was triangular action hosted by the Tigers. The Jaguars prevailed 49-20. The victor came on strong with five pins. 

We got a win at 106 pounds where it was Tyce Anderson vying on the mat. Anderson decisioned Brett DeRoo 6-4 in overtime. Our Andrew Marty lost by fall in the 113-pound position. Marty was pinned by Jaguar Tanner Viessman in 3:17. 

Dallas Walton was on the winning end 3-1 over Ryan Jensen. Ethan Lebrija was another victor for the Tigers: a 4-3 decision over Walker Bents at 126 pounds. Davin Rose likewise worked to victory: a fall in 1:58 over Wyatt Engen. Forfeit woes took over for the Tigers at 138 and 145. Tyler Jensen had his arm raised unopposed at 138, while Ben Waller was the 145 winner. 

Dain Schroeder lost by fall in 5:16 to Blaine Fischer. Our Hunter Massner was on the short end of a 5-1 decision versus Maximus Hanson. (That's a neat name: "Maximus.") 

Asher Malek - that's a new name for me to type - was the Tigers' 170-pounder. Asher lost by fall to Dylan Kampsen in :54. Toby Messner at 182 was pinned by Cooper Wold in 1:58. We got a win at 195 where Hunter Gibson pinned Mark Jenniges in :43. Brock Marty at 220 lost by major decision to Ethan Spanier, 16-3. Carter Gibson was on the short end by fall versus Bryce Feuerhake (1:55). 

A footnote: MAHACA lost one point due to unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

A novel pep band approach

We all feel distress over how school life cannot be 100 percent normal. So unfortunate that our youth are deprived of some of the fulfillment we'd like to take for granted for them. Schools are doing all they can to try to achieve some semblance of normalcy (normality?) or some echo of it. It's a virtuous cause. 

Let's salute the KMS school for what it's doing with music, specifically pep band! Music is handicapped these days by the basic needs of performing: singers standing side by side, band musicians blowing air through instruments in tight quarters. 

Del Sarlette informs me that "most games this winter have crowd size limits that don't allow for a pep band, but the KMS band director did something neat." We're talking the Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg school. 

Let's let Del continue explaining: "She had the band record the school song, 'run in' music and the national anthem. Then they set up photos of the pep band kids in the bleachers and played the recorded songs at the appropriate times over the P.A. I heard that it went over very well." 

Del shared a photo, seen below. The kids shown in color photos are the seniors. Kudos to: Pam Diem, KMS band director and UMM alum!

Girls hoops: Tigers 51, Melrose 34

Well, Thursday night was big for the MACA girls basketball Tigers. Our three-game losing skid came to a stop. This was to the tune of a 51-34 win over the Melrose Dutchmen. 

Is there some sort of dispute going on between our girls basketball program and the West Central Tribune newspaper? Just asking. If you're paying for an online subscription, you're getting ripped off. A reminder: check out the "incognito" system for getting past online newspaper paywalls. I use it often. You'll still be asked to "register" but you'll get past the subscription. 

Our KMRS-KKOK site reports that LaRae Kram led our scoring in Thursday's win, putting in eleven points. She also collected eight rebounds. Then we see Sydney Dietz with nine points and eight rebounds. Cate Kehoe came through with eight points/eight rebounds. Maddy Grove scored seven as did Emma Bowman. The win was our fourth against eight losses.

 

Redwood Valley 75, Tigers 46

I report on the Friday girls basketball game on my podcast, "Morris Mojo." I'm also happy to report in this episode that I got my vaccination shot Friday! Here's the permalink:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/MACA-girls-fall-to-Redwood-er5tr4

 

Other news from KMS country

Not all of the news coming out of the KMS community is so rosy. We learned not long ago that the city council of Murdock voted to allow a whites-only religious organization to use a vacant church. I immediately communicated with Murdock native Mary Holmberg about this, and as you would expect, she was as opposed as anyone could be. 

You never know what kind of bizarre news item is going to come at you, like the South Dakota attorney general thing. I guess it's the strange stuff that keeps me involved in journalism, my lifelong passion. "The news media don't go out to the airport to cover all the successful takeoffs and landings." 

But when a state AG wipes out and kills a pedestrian at night? Or a small and (usually) peaceful small outstate town opens the door for a whites-only group? Well, that's novelty. Murdock is a town of fewer than 300 people, yes rather Mayberry-like. Their council passed a conditional permit to allow use of a church building bought by the "Asatru Folk Assembly." 

Well, it takes all kinds I guess. In Morris we have a gay-bashing church (just outside of town). That seems almost like small potatoes compared to the Murdock phenomenon. Murdock! Fasten your seat belt, coach Holmberg. I wonder if Mary still allows her student-athletes to address her just as "Holmberg." The late Rick Lucken and I once wondered how Ron Masanz, the old drill sergeant P.E. teacher, would have reacted if a kid had walked up to him and said "hey Masanz." Hoo boy.

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

"We Love Morris" and the Tigers!

Stardate February 24, 2021. We continue navigating through our new world of the pandemic with its limitations. Surely we can be thankful we aren't experiencing anything like in Texas. Isn't Texas "the energy state?" Rick Perry has said the people there would rather continue risking adversity than to have the nosy federal government come around and regulate stuff. 

There is a clear solution to so much of this: vote out Republicans. Period. Don't listen to them anymore. Don't put them in a position of being quoted in the media, as if what they have to say has legitimacy. Is this so hard? Employ some logic like Mr. Spock. Let responsible engineers like "Scotty" take over. Let them take over with employing renewable energy in the proper way. "Live long and prosper." 

Well, we aren't in Texas, we are in Morris MN, "Motown." This blog is called "I Love Morris" and the fondness is probably based mainly on what this town was in a previous time. We were once a town that celebrated people more. Especially kids, like when the boomer youth were among us in such a teeming way. Heaven knows our systems weren't perfect then. But life with its ups and downs seemed more relaxed, more of a joy. 

Look what we have lost in Morris. The Coborn's/McDonald's spot was once so bustling: a 24-hour grocery store. Main street retained some decent activity with the two Thrifty White stores where you could buy an assortment of stuff and see your friends/neighbors. 

Main street is not now blighted but it is not such a people-traffic place. The old cafe where Riverwood Bank is now located lifted the spirit of community. I remember the way Wally McCollar would "dust off" his booth seat before sitting down. You could catch Fritz Schmidt there on Monday afternoon to discuss the most recent Vikings game. Remember the chocolate frosted cookies there? 

I remember Fritz handing me a gag Vikings schedule after an especially disappointing game. It had the Vikings playing playing the Girl Scouts and WWI veterans. (This was in the 1980s.) "Minnesota Vikings will not be allowed to steal the Girl Scouts' cookies." 

The Coborn's spot does have businesses now. But it's not the same at all. 

 

Symptoms of apathy, yes

The state of Morris in 2021? Well, it's our Sesquicentennial year and I have heard precious little about it. The yawning attitude seems par for the course. 

The City of Morris operation is a disaster. The Chamber of Commerce seems almost nonexistent. The police department is mediocre. We have a "town leadership" of people taking advantage of the relative affluence of today, by having escape places "at the lake" where they gravitate. Right now they might actually want to go to Cancun (rimshot). 

Money was not so plentiful when the boomers were young. We seemed more content just sticking around Morris. Yes there were negatives because there will always be negatives. But I look at the photos of high school band musicians playing for our Centennial in 1971, and I doubt such scenes will repeat themselves. We played just off main street. The community had a huge replica "alfalfa arch" constructed. 

I was in an ensemble which poked into the Met Lounge before I was legal. People smoked tobacco products everywhere, and seat belt use was optional. Young kids played unsupervised and they learned to be self-starters.

Would I want to return to those times? Sometimes I think "yes." 

At present, I must say our school system seems to be run well. It does not appear there is any horrifying stink of politics, paranoia or defensiveness that I once associated with the system. I think a new management theory has taken over. "Conflict resolution" is a buzzword. It does not mean there is no conflict, from what I can surmise - it just means there is an orderly and swift system for managing conflict before it gets in the way of things. In the '80s pure conflict got in the way of lots of things like basic sanity. 

How can we celebrate the statement "I Love Morris" in 2021? There is always potential for things to get better. Keep the faith. Let the Democrats have a super majority at least for a while. With time we can allow the Republicans back in, after the cult of Donald Trump has been allowed to dissolve. If it does not dissolve, then heaven help all of us. 

I'm wondering if the whole basis for Trump's rise and continuing strong position is sheer homophobia. Such a shame that such a narrow issue has come to possibly imperil this very nation. It's simple: just acknowledge basic gay rights and then move on. Just move on. 

Certainly we can love how our MACA boys basketball team did Tuesday! I have never endorsed Mark Torgerson as coach but let's feel good about when things are going well. "We Love Morris" and the Tigers!

 

Tigers 75, Minnewaska 35

The MACA boys showed no mercy in their Tuesday game as they outplayed the 'Waska Lakers at Tiger Center. Jackson Loge scored 35 points. 'Waska as a team scored 35 points. We were up 30-16 at halftime. Our won-lost record now is 11-1. 'Waska is 6-5. 

The final score was 75-35. 

Loge topped our three-point shooting with three makes. Thomas Tiernan made two from beyond the 3-point line, and Cole Wente made one. Brandon Jergenson finished with ten points and Tiernan with nine. Others who scored: Durgin Decker (4), Toby Gonnerman (4), Sam Kleinwolterink (4), Wente (3), Riley Reimers (2), Tyler Berlinger (2) and Mason Lesmeister (2). 

Loge topped rebounds with eleven. Gonnerman showed a deft passing touch to accumulate seven assists. Tiernan had two steals, and Loge blocked eight shots. 

'Waska had two double figures scorers: Peyton Johnsrud with 12 points and Aaron VerSteeg with ten. Johnsrud and Mitchell Gruber each made a '3'. VerSteeg collected six rebounds. Hunter Kostelecky had an assist. Sam Hested stole the ball twice. VerSteeg blocked two shots.

 

Hockey and wrestling excitement too

My update on MBA Storm hockey and MAHACA wrestling is on my companion blog "Morris of Course." I invite you to visit and read, and thanks so much:

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2021/02/zach-bruns-hat-trick-helps-dispose-of.html

 

My podcast for February 24

My "Morris Mojo" podcast for today expands on the Ravnsborg matter out of South Dakota. So unpleasant: the state's attorney general was in a traffic incident where a pedestrian was killed. I have written before about this. Today I react to the newly-released video of the interrogation that was performed in late October.

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/The-Ravnsborg-matter-er0dm6 

  

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

Ravnsborg, the cloak of night, inattention

Jason Ravnsborg

It might seem too easy to beat up on Jason Ravnsborg now. How many of us have had lapses with inattentive driving? We under-value the skill of driving. We tempt fate. We push our luck especially when out at night. And especially when crossing the endless non-descript countryside of the Upper Midwest. 

Even with the emphasis on proper concentration, fewer distractions, we have inflated risk with those distractions. Keeping your eye on the road ought to be a simple axiom. Maybe it's too simple. We rationalize as we try to accommodate our multi-tasking ways in the year 2021. 

I remember as a kid, a car might be promoted on TV with "AM/FM radio." Quaint. 

Ravnsborg has been charged with operating a vehicle while using a mobile electronic device. There are three charges total. Let's also consider illegal lane change and careless driving. Remember what happened to Sandra Bland when she did not signal a lane change? That incident came off as law enforcement harassment of a woman of color. 

None of the charges are connected to Ravnsborg having struck and killed a pedestrian who was on the shoulder. That's what happened. They are mere driving offenses. 

Think of how humiliated you have felt when pulled over by law enforcement for seat belt. The flashing lights, the stern demeanor of the cop. And in my case, confusion over how to pay the fine. After jumping through hoops I did it. So, humiliation over merely being spotted by a cop when I wasn't belted. No one hurt.

In Ravnsborg's case, his inattentive driving led to the death of a person. You probably know the whole story. He called 9-1-1 claiming not to have known what he hit. He did claim to know that whatever it was, it was in the "middle of the road." It was not. A 9-1-1 dispatcher coaxed him to consider the possibility of a deer. This was not volunteered initially by Ravnsborg. 

This young man must know that he will never live this down. He has not missed a beat in serving as South Dakota attorney general. The governor could not remove him even if she wanted to. Kristi Noem claimed not long ago that she had no contact with the AG since the incident. 

Each of the three charges now levied against Ravnsborg has a maximum penalty of 30 days jail and $500 fine. Vehicular homicide was out. That's because the driver would have to be found to be intoxicated. 

Ravnsborg was coming home from the kind of superfluous event where one might strongly suspect a little imbibing. It was a Republican Party fundraiser in South Dakota, a state known to be quite attached to the GOP. Governor Noem has floated the possibility of Donald Trump's face added to Mount Rushmore. What if Ravnsborg were a Democrat? Or, what if he was a Native American just driving along? I'm just asking. 

Ravnsborg was not tested for possible DUI at the time of the incident. The gravity of the incident - a dead body in the ditch nearby - was not known. Neither Ravnsborg nor the neighborly Mayberry-type sheriff went the extra mile to determine what Ravnsborg's vehicle struck. They knew the impact was substantial, as the vehicle was rendered un-driveable. Were there sensors that caused it to be shut down? You can find photos to view the substantially damaged Ford Taurus. 

A DUI test at the scene would have at least answered a most central question. A "clean" result would have verified Mr. Ravnsborg's denial that he had any drinks. He was known to be an occasional social drinker, not to suggest it was excessive. The accident happened at 9:20 in the evening on September 12. So, lots of time elapsed between the incident and the announcement of charges. 

We can sometimes moan when we hear on the news that there will be an "investigation." The word should be a candidate for the list of annoying "buzzwords" in the media, compiled annually. These are words that are over-used or have been watered-down in meaning, entering cliche territory in some cases. "Investigation" can mean slipping into a black hole or rabbit trail, and even the term "rabbit trail" has come to be overused. A particular argument "goes down a rabbit trail." 

In the same vein, court decisions can aggravate us because of the frequency with which big shots "appeal" them. No matter the decision, it gets "appealed" and then ends up down a rabbit trail or wherever. 

We heard the term "investigation" so long in connection with Ravnsborg. Governor Noem reported feeling aggravated by it all. She said the victim's family deserved answers. 

Ravnsborg in the final analysis must be a pretty sharp attorney, given his position, and you know what happens when such minds start fighting back on something. We hear the expression "lawyering up." And of course, in terms of principle it's good we have a legal system that prevents unfair persecution. The issue is whether the system gives greater favor to those with resources to enlist the best legal advocacy. If that's a question I'm posing, it's a rhetorical one. 

Ravnsborg will be punished because he'll never be able to put this incident behind him. I wonder how his workday goes when there are bound to be people thrusting the issue in his face, the question of whether he has really been made to answer for what happened. Even if a negative DUI test had happened, it hardly would have relieved him of a general image of culpability. 

Ravnsborg and the Mayberry sheriff walked near the body of Joe Boever in the immediate aftermath. For the record, the AG had been driving 67 MPH, slightly over the limit. 

I do believe Gov. Noem, who I have nicknamed "Governor Tight-Fittin' Jeans" - remember Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty? - when she said "my heart goes out to Joseph Boever's family." 

I had been expecting the charges to be on the light side. I had read a background article about how South Dakota law gives the benefit of the doubt to motorists. I guess it's the sort of law I'd associate with a Republican-led state. 

 

Wisdom of the young

The news tells us that the millennial generation isn't fired up about car use. Quite to the contrary. Is it cost consideration? Maybe to an extent, but one analysis I read is that the young people see cars as dangerous. Well, more so than previous generations I guess. It was the immediate post-WWII generation (like my late parents) that saluted unfettered car travel as a USA symbol. 

We must always respect the attitude of the young. They seem agreeable to a lifestyle that does not accent the great American automobile. The attitude runs counter to the notion of life in the Dakotas, windswept states that nevertheless have their attributes. But, consider the scenes outside of Highmore SD and they don't differ at all, I'm sure, with scenes that dominate this part of the country. The incident happened just outside Highmore. 

The monotony can wear on you or tempt you to seek distractions as you motor along. I took I-29 on the east end of North Dakota many times in the 1970s. That was back when the worst distraction might be your radio - Garner Ted Armstrong's commentary - or an 8-track tape player. 

I personally have not gravitated to all the possible distractions of today. I cannot relate to using a "mobile electronic device." These days I really just drive to town and back, almost 100 percent in daytime. On the rare occasion when I drive at night, I'm reminded of the more dangerous situation. 

Oh, for Jason Ravnsborg to have just stayed at home on the night of 9/12. Stay home, stay warm, stay safe. And now think of the considerable and expensive efforts by law enforcement to analyze the whole thing for charges, the pressure felt by individuals who knew something terrible happened, but charges were not likely to be commensurate with that. The governor has been through a distraction. Maybe she has had less time to be a cheerleader for the Trump crowd. 

Of course, the biggest tragedy is what happened to poor Mr. Boever. He could have been more careful as a pedestrian. When hearing an oncoming car, why not turn your head and employ peripheral vision to make sure it's scooting around you? A motor vehicle at 67 MPH can be an instant deadly weapon. We seem to not appreciate this fact enough. Millennials apparently do. 

Let's also consider the inherent danger of nighttime itself. Remember the Willie Nelson song "Night Life?" "The Night Life ain't no good life but it's my life." (Why would you want to proclaim that your lifestyle is lousy?)

Remember the expression "nothing good happens after (insert late time here)?" Looks like "midnight" is the most often inserted time. There are variants like 2 a.m. We used to hear the term "sundown town" in connection with race relations. It was an extension of Jim Crow. Black people had to be inside after dark.

But maybe we're all better off in the safety and security of our homes after it gets dark. Don't venture outside unless you have to. And certainly not for something as silly as a Republican Party fundraiser at a bar, for crying out loud. 

Jason Ravnsborg will be answering for this incident the rest of his life. It will be like a scarlet letter.

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

Cartoon by Jo Johnson of Gregory County SD, for "Dakota Free Press"

 

Koenen and her T-Hawks edge MACA

A basketball game with maximum drama ended with MACA on the short end by one. The Tigers were in Montevideo during this period of duress: extreme weather and mask-time. The temperature is inching up some. Amazing how we're relieved to discover the temperature at ten degrees, as if that spells relief. But it does. 

Times will get better. We are just having our patience tested, supremely really. 

And the pandemic: talk about "inching along!" That would describe the vaccination process. I personally am on the waiting list at SCMC. Hopefully my senior status will help. I'm 66. 

Amidst our current challenges we have the satisfaction of following high school sports. The Tigers took the trip south to Thunder Hawk country on Thursday. They were a hair's breadth from victory. They led by one point with eight seconds left. But the home team summoned the focus to wrest the advantage back. 

It was Avery Koenen coming to the fore for Monte. Koenen drove to the basket. She succeeded with a shot as time expired. Monte prevailed 55-54. It was a night of coming from behind for the Thunder Hawks. The halftime situation had Monte down by seven, 28-21. Koenen executed sharply throughout the game as she posted the game-best 28 points. 

The MACA scoring was topped by LaRae Kram: 19 points. She stood out on the scoring list. She had our only three-pointer. She was complemented by: Maddy Grove (8), Cate Kehoe (7), Sydney Dietz (6), Shannon Dougherty (6), Kaylie Raths (5) and Emma Bowman (3). 

Our won-lost record coming out of this game: 3-8. Monte's 8-2. 

Koenen clearly stood out on Monte's scoring list. Other T-Hawks who scored: Tenley Epema (9), Hailey Dirksen (9), Teagan Epema (7) and Kassey Pauling (2). Teagan Epema made the only '3' for Monte. Koenen had the team-best seven rebounds.

 

 'Waska 53, Benson 24

Annika Randt showed a hot hand shooting for Minnewaska Area Thursday. This Laker's hot hand produced four 3-pointers in a 53-24 win over Benson at 'Waska. Randt's four 3's pushed her point total to 14. 

A great many Lakers contributed points. This share-the-wealth proposition included Maddie Thorfinnson with nine points and Isabella Ortendahl with eight. Brecklyn Beyer put in six points. Then we see Addy Randt and Avery Hoeper each with five, Makena Panitzke with three, Olivia Richards 2 and Madalynn Meulebroeck with one. 

Annika Randt's four 3-pointers were complemented by one each from Panitzke and Addy Randt. Meulebroeck led the rebounding effort with five. Thorfinnson topped assists with five. Panitzke and Thorfinnson each had four steals. Thorfinnson and Ortendahl each blocked a shot. 

This was a matchup of sub-.500 teams: 'Waska has a 3-7 record, Benson 1-9. 

Benson had no double figures scorers. Here's the list of the Braves: Mya Kurkosky (7), Marley Rush (4), Madi Wrobleski (4), Susan Knutson (3) and Kimmy Pagel (3). The individual totals from the Willmar paper add up to 21 points, not 24.

These three Lakers each made a '3': Knutson, Kurkosky and Pagel. Marissa Connelly wasn't in the scoring list but she co-led in rebounds with her four. She co-led with Rush. The Lakers were on their way to victory at halftime, up 29-11.

 

Football in harsh spotlight

We continually get reminders that we ought not cut slack for the sport of football. Warnings have become amplified over several years. 

It seems harsh to express skepticism about a sport that is such a fixture in high school life. You feel like you're raining on someone's parade, like you're a stick in the mud, like you're sort of a Grinch (from Christmas). 

I remember seeing large posters of MACA football players at the entry at Big Cat Stadium. Very slickly done. Not only does this build enthusiasm for football, it makes the players rather like celebrities on the local level. Even without the serious health concerns connected to the sport, the puffing up of the athletes is questionable. 

It has been hard to take a long look at ourselves with our devotion to football. It took time for yours truly to acknowledge the facts in the proper way and to develop an aversion to the sport on the tube. Football has been so imbued in us. Listen to WDAY radio on any given morning and the guys are probably hashing over football. 

The players themselves? They probably know full well the dangers of their activity. But the sport showers them with adulation of the kind they'd be hard-pressed to find any other way. They were endowed by the Lord with strength, speed and dexterity. They receive showers of cheers from admiring fans. How could any of us not be influenced by this kind of attention, by society putting such a solid imprimatur on the sport? 

Of course, any player's active days come to an end. And then the sobering realization arrives: society is basically done with me unless I can find a new talent to fill the void. Hey, no cheers anymore - I'm no longer the subject on sports talk shows. New names come along, new guys ready to risk their bodies. They risk their bodies and brains, the latter spelling special concern. When your mind is affected, your whole existence is affected. 

The death days ago of Vincent Jackson reminds us of all this. Jackson played receiver for the NFL's Chargers and Buccaneers. Just 38 years old, he was found dead in a Florida hotel room. "My NFL brothers continue to die," retired player Ryan Leaf said. 

Now we learn Jackson's family has donated his brain to science. The brain is in the hands of Boston University's CTE Center. 

What will it take for our high schools to simply find a substitute like soccer for the dangerous game? I advised our Morris Area school board several years ago to "do something." I suggested that at least one brave board member could say something. It appears the climate of thinking is now changing to where most of us can at least listen to these suggestions. 

That's how change happens: too slow most of the time. Many people would have sneered at me years ago. I guess I don't care. Fortunately I never had the talent to play football. 

I guarantee you, if I had shared my concerns and suggestion with any school board member ten years ago, the immediate response would have been a condescending smile. The smile would be to say "oh how cute, you just don't like football. Well, the rest of us are excited about it!" 

Better look out or you'll get run over by the train of progress. That wouldn't look good, considering we're the home to UMM.

 

My podcast for Feb. 19

Ash Wednesday was two days ago. We think a lot about spirituality this time of year, or ought to. My "Morris Mojo" podcast for today, Friday, puts emphasis on the ELCA synod, its shaky present and how it might stay viable in future - not an easy task. We must be hopeful! Here is the permalink:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/ELCA-strives-for-stability-eqlc05

 

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

Storm streaks up the ice for 10-1 win

High school sports is giving some semblance to normal life, with the backdrop of so much adversity. The weather wreaks havoc all over the U.S. In Minnesota we have greater readiness than in Texas. 

There was a brief power outage in my home. Otherwise the situation is pretty stable. I applied the battery charger once for my car. Are we now past the 20-below stuff? But maybe there's snow accumulation to deal with now. I see snow falling out the picture window facing to the north. 

My late father insisted on picture windows facing both the north and south. So I got a good view of a red fox meandering on by a couple of days ago. 

My late mother and I would say the rabbits are staying warm with their fur! Following her passing, the first project I undertook was to have the south-facing picture windows replaced. The contemporary windows are so much more energy-wise. I had been using some caulk on the previous windows. Not cool. (Caulking seems rather a red-necky thing, n'est-ce pas?) 

So, high school sports is serving to project some normality. We hope priorities are not off-kilter and that the learning aspect of school is optimized. A friend jokes that schools exist for the sports aspect. Easy for me to nod at that a little, as I once had pretty close contact through writing for the local commercial media. All through the years I saw people get overly emotionally invested in high school sports. 

It's a healthy activity when kept within reasonable boundaries. So let's feel good about the big 10-1 win by the MBA Storm boys hockey team. The Storm extended its win skein to four with this success vs. Prairie Centre. Our won-lost record improved to 5-3. We showed an onslaught of nine unanswered goals. Quite a bit of enjoyment for fans at the Benson arena. 

The scoring was a share-the-wealth proposition: seven players scoring goals! Zach Bruns notched a hat trick. The score stood 2-1 after one period. Bruns got things going with a goal assisted by Kaleb Breuer. Brady Cline answered with Prairie Centre's only goal of the night. This was a power play goal that had Ethan Hoffman and Zach Deters assisting. Brady Goff put the Storm up 2-1 with a goal that had Will Breuer assisting. 

MBA owned the second period. A succession of goals had the Storm fans cheering lustily. Tim Blume got it started with assists from Ryan Tolifson and Will Breuer. Bruns got the puck in the net with an assist from Brady DeHaan. Bruns turned the trick again with a goal at 10:16. Assists were from Sam Thompson and DeHaan. 

Tolifson struck at the 11:10 mark assisted by Will Breuer. Will stepped forward for a goal of his own that had a Hunter Blume assist. Then it was Tolifson showing a flourish to score unassisted at 16:46. 

MBA polished off the win with a 2-0 third period advantage. Trevor Buss scored unassisted. Then it was Cole Blume scoring with a Buss assist at 14:16. Lots of offense and high-quality skating to be savored on this night. 

Defensively we had Brady Backman as the goalie. He had 25 saves in 26 attempts. Joe Nedoroscik worked in goal for Prairie Centre. 

"Hockey night" is always a pleasure for Morris and Benson. Remember the announcer who always proclaimed "it's hockey night in Minnesota?" Remember Gump Worsley in goal, no mask? "The Gumper." Ted Schmidt was a fan. I remember Bobby Rousseau.

Boys basketball: Tigers 69, Monte 46

MACA boys basketball was up for a trip to Montevideo, in the midst of this ungodly winter weather period. Our spirits are lifted as we follow the Tigers. The trip south resulted in our eighth win of the campaign. There is just one blemish on our record. The Tigers won 69-46 but were not dominant the whole way. 

Would you believe we trailed at halftime? The halftime score was 27-24 with the Thunder Hawks up. The orange and black was sensational in second half play. The advantage was by 45 to 19! Our coaching staff must have spotted some Monte weaknesses. The Tigers came out on fire for second half play, going on a 33-7 run. 

Let's sift through the game's stats. "Maxpreps" tells us that Jackson Loge was a force with his 24 points. He made 11 of 18 shots. Toby Gonnerman was sharp with his 4-of-4 shooting, and this Tiger scored 13. Thomas Tiernan made five of eight shots and finished with 12 points. Riley Reimers made four of six for his total of eight. 

Durgin Decker added seven points to the mix on 3/6 shooting. Brandon Jergenson struggled some with 1/7 shooting but his one success was a three-pointer. Sam Kleinwolterink scored two points. Tiernan made two 3-pointers in five tries. Jergenson had our other '3'. Gonnerman appeared at the freethrow line seven times, making five. Loge was two of five in freethrows while Decker was 1/3. 

Post player Loge, six feet-eight, accumulated 15 rebounds to lead. Nine of his boards were offensive, six defensive. Decker attacked the defensive boards for six rebounds. Gonnerman was No. 3 on the list with his four total rebounds. The team rebound total was 34. In assists we had 18 total with Jergenson's five as team-best. Decker and Loge each had four assists. Two Tigers each had two steals of our nine total: Decker and Jergenson. 

Loge created headaches for the T-Hawks with ten blocked shots. Gonnerman had our other two blocked shots. Monte coach Derek Webb was quoted saying "my gosh that Loge is tough." I recall typing such comments in a previous era, when a Loge had a different first name. Happened to be Jackson's father. 

Monte's top scorer was Bradyn Schultz with 13 points. Schultz made three 3-pointers. Hunter Strand succeeded twice from beyond the 3-point arc, and Landon Stock made one '3'. Schultz collected eight rebounds to lead, followed by Kaden Boike with seven. Andrew Vanbinsbergen dished out three assists. Schultz and Boike each had three steals.

 

Girls: BOLD 65, MACA 57

The girls hoops team made the trip to Olivia Tuesday to play BOLD. Emma Bowman scored 17 points but it wasn't enough to help MACA turn back BOLD. We were defeated in the 65-57 outcome. Bowman also grabbed five rebounds. 

Maddy Grove came through with 12 points and Cate Kehoe had eleven. I'm sure Cate's granddad Tom Carrington was a little disconsolate early Wednesday morning at the DeToy's counter. Normally I'd be there at the same time, but during this extreme cold I have elected to stay in the house until the sun comes up. We will never forget this winter. 

The MACA W/L record is now 3-7. The BOLD Warriors sit at 5-4. 

I used to be a counter customer at DeToy's but no more. I need a nice soft booth seat! Karrie takes care of Tom and I in the morning. I sit across the partition from all the rabid Trump supporters who sit in the middle section. I suppose they're still in mourning over their guy's loss, although they'd probably say he didn't really lose.

 

Addendum: I swear that when the weather gets agreeable, I will savor each and every day, to get outside and bathe in the fresh air. I will not take for granted one single day!

 

My podcast for Feb. 17

We're inaugurating Lenton season today (Wednesday). I invite everyone to check out First Lutheran's representation online, on YouTube. We have improved with this. My podcast episode reflects on the nature of being Lutheran. It's not without warts or confusion. The permalink:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/On-being-a-Lutheran-eqi039

  

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

Times that ought to try men's souls

I cannot drive to town during this incredible cold snap unless I leave the car running while I do whatever business is needed. The business usually involves picking up breakfast bagels at Caribou Coffee (at Willie's). Caribou has been a great resource during this time when restaurants can be ordered shut down for in-person. 

I see other cars left running at the Willie's lot with the same logic employed. How much confidence could we feel getting cars to start with such an incredible plunge in temperatures? The horrific lows have hung on for so long, almost seems unprecedented. I theorized with a fellow church member this morning that maybe this episode is another example of "extreme weather" from climate change. 

I noticed both at church and at Willie's that people are keeping their spirits up through all this. "All this" includes of course the continuing pandemic circumstances. We're frozen and we're isolated. But people aren't hanging heads too much. 

I wasn't sure about leaving my car running at Willie's. Technically speaking, isn't this a violation of the law? Isn't it a violation to even leave your keys in the ignition? Carl Moser can tell you what can happen when you leave your keys in the car. I earned a rimshot one day when I spoke to a gathering of Carl and family: "They're making a movie about Carl. It's called 'Dude Where's My Car.' " 

Shall I assume the Morris police wouldn't act on such a strict basis when the temperature is around 20 below? This morning, Sunday, my plan was to have a sit-down breakfast and attend church, so using the car was not an option. I have pretty intensive outerwear left over from my days driving the Morris newspaper van. Long underwear made for hunters etc. I walked into town at about 8 a.m. and found it was no hassle. 

I took the shortcut across the field in front of where I live. A non-maintained road is available there, usable in winter for walking if snow isn't too deep. With deep snow, one could use snowshoes although I've never bothered to do that. Walking this route forces me to go past the Trump campaign sign in between the service road and highway. 

Could someone please press the issue of why this sign is still allowed to be out? I'm sure if I had a sign like that out so late - mine would be "Biden" - I'd be approached by people questioning the size of my brainpan. Probably it's some local big shots who have the Trump-Pence sign out. Countless motorists notice it regularly I'm sure. But what's the point? "Trump-Pence." Pence came close to being assassinated on January 6. Pence's family was endangered. 

What if there had actually been beheadings? What if the beheadings had been filmed? We did see the shooting of poor Ashli Babbitt. Maybe someone could write a song: "Ballad of Ashli Babbitt." 

These people had been fed propaganda and lies by Trump and his people. And now Babbitt is dead. Pence could have been killed for not "stopping the steal," to use Trump's language. What bizarre times we are in. How can we extricate ourselves? A notorious pro-Trump residence in Morris next to East Side Park now has an "impeach Biden" sign. 

 

We're persevering

I walked past the Trump sign and continued to the west. I wasn't sure if DeToy's would even be open or if everything would be at a standstill. Oh joy it was open. Then it was on to First Lutheran Church, a church that might be called "communist" by the Trump crowd. Church was held and it was quite satisfying, no political suggestion at all. 

I worry if the several pro-Trump churches in the Morris area made assertions consistent with Trump this morning. Those people would not say they were being political, they'd  just say they want to "keep America great." OK. 

After church I walked home quite comfortably. I re-traced my steps past the (back of) the Trump sign. 

During the campaign I read about an incident somewhere where a city worker noticed a sign too close to the road - a Trump sign - and went to move it, to keep it in accordance with rules. There were razor blades on the bottom. The guy needed medical attention. 

Then there's the town in the news where a rift opened between the council and law enforcement. Law enforcement was refusing to enforce an ordinance calling for removal of campaign signs by a certain date. I'll bet the Trump people were the ones being stubborn about this, and the local police/sheriff simply agreed with this. A councilman wondered, if law enforcement only enforced laws they agreed with, why does the council pass ordinances? 

The Trump people are so fierce in asserting themselves. When you try disputing them, they'll point fingers and say "you're just Trump haters." I've never seen anything like it. 

I got home and then wondered if my car would start. I consider my car pretty resilient, but on this arctic day it did not! I attached a battery charger, engaged a space heater for a while and then it started right up! I made a run to Willie's to get a little extra sustenance. Then I parked my rear end at home for the rest of the day. 

On to sports:

 

Tiger boys basketball

Toby Gonnerman had the hot hand in the Tigers' 66-49 win over Benson. Gonnerman made nine of his ten shots to put up 18 points. Sam Kleinwolterink made four of five shots to record 11 points. Durgin Decker made both of our three-pointers and finished with ten points. Jackson Loge added to the mix with ten. 

A nice balanced attack as the orange and black upped its record to 7-1. Benson is having a below-.500 campaign. 

The Tigers led by four at halftime, 30-26, and surged to outscore Benson in second half play, 36-23. 

Brandon Jergenson supplied fuel with eight points. These three Tigers each scored two: Andrew Olson, Thomas Tiernan and Riley Reimers. (The point totals from the Willmar paper add up to 63, not 66, sorry.)

Loge was tops in rebounds with eight. He and Decker led in assists with seven and five, respectively. Tiernan and Loge each blocked a shot. Action was Thursday at the Benson court.

 

Tigers 77, Breckenridge 54

A pair of highly-touted teams took the court at Cowboy country of Breckenridge Friday. The game was on the heels of the MACA Tigers' road win Thursday. Yes, a demanding stint in the schedule. We won on Thursday and duplicated the success Friday. The Friday story was a 77-54 win over Breckenridge in non-conference play. 

I remember a time when success was pretty hard to come by vs. the green-clad Cowboys. That was when I was in high school in the "District 21" days. I recall a Breckenridge coach with the last name of Lipp. He guided plenty of success. The year 2021 is a different story. The orange and black worked to a ten-point lead by halftime, 27-17. 

The game took on a high-scoring complexion in the second half and this worked for the Tigers. We put in 50 points in the half compared to 37 by the Cowboys. The success upped our won-lost mark to 8-1. Breck came out of the night at 6-2. 

Both teams entered the game with high standing in the state picture: Breck had the No. 12 ranking (Class AA) while MACA was positioned No. 16. 

Who powered our Friday success? While it was Toby Gonnerman leading the charge Thursday (9 of 10 shooting, 18 points), on Friday Jackson Loge wore the mantle with 32 points as he powered from close to the hoop (reminding us of another Loge from the Tigers' past). Loge made 15 of 20 shots. 

Gonnerman was a force with his 11 points, and 11 were also scored by Brandon Jergenson who made our only 3-pointer. Sam Kleinwolterink was nifty with his shooting: nine points. Then we see Riley Reimers with five, Durgin Decker with four, Thomas Tiernan and Andrew Olson each with two, and Mason Lesmeister with one. 

Loge vacuumed the boards for 14 rebounds. Reimers led in assists with five and steals with two. Loge swatted aside eight shots. 

The radio station website reported that Breckenridge entered the game with the No. 7 ranking. My No. 12 reporting is from the West Central Tribune. Why do these discrepancies happen? Why such a big difference? I always just interviewed the coach and went by everything he said.

 

Girls: Monte 81, Tigers 68

The MACA girls remain bogged down below .500. Victory eluded the squad on Friday despite five Tigers scoring in double figures. Maddy Grove led the charge with 17 points. Sydney Dietz put in 14. Eleven each came from Cate Kehoe, LaRae Kram and Emma Bowman. Bowman topped rebounds with seven while Grove had six. Kram stole the ball four times. 

Monte improved to 6-2 on the strength of this 81-68 win win for them. Action was at Monte. 

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

Let us not forget the Minneapolis Millers

My late father was in the arts and culture scene in Minneapolis. He directed the Apollo Male Chorus in the 1950s. He was really a Minneapolis kind of guy, even though he grew up near Glenwood and graduated from Glenwood High School in 1934. He went on to graduate from the University of Minnesota. 

His Minneapolis background meant he shared with me about the Minneapolis Millers when I was a kid. The Millers? The baseball team has sort of faded into the dustbin of history. I find that sad. 

It is understood that when the Twins were created in 1961, euphoria took over. Yes, big league ball at last! A long-held goal requiring considerable patience. You might say excruciating patience. Metropolitan Stadium (on the Bloomington prairie) opened for play in 1956. Yet the Twins did not take the field until 1961. Before that, rumors swirled about when "the bigs" would come and if so, what team? Would it be an expansion team? 

Expansion teams in that era had to take lumps at the start, the best example being the 1962 New York Mets. Would Minnesotans have the patience to hang in there with a bunch of misfits? Good question. When we got the Timberwolves, you remember, our philosophy was to eschew the expansion team model and just try to "win, baby." We did OK on that count with Bill Musselman, RIP, but we failed to get the kind of premium draft picks that would have yielded big. We drafted Felton Spencer. A friend of mine described the center as "Herman Munster." 

The Minneapolis Millers made Metropolitan Stadium their home from 1956 through 1960. In '60 the feeling must have been overwhelming that the door was about to be closed on Millers history. Such is the lot of the minor league baseball fan: they appreciate the game for its most basic qualities, knowing full well their team cannot hold a candle to the majors. 

It's bittersweet to remember those Millers, a team that caught my father's admiring eye. The Millers have never escaped the orbit of my baseball thoughts. The old revered TV anchor Dave Moore did not dismiss the Millers as the years went by. In particular he expressed nostalgia about the Millers' pre-1956 home: Nicollet Park.

Whereas the Twins strained to be neutral when it came to Minneapolis vs. St. Paul, in a manner that seems quaint now, the Millers were Minneapolis. A downtown ballpark. I'm sure it had the kind of intimacy we'd associate with minor league parks. 

The Twin Cities were indeed at the top of the minor league firmament. But alas, little real satisfaction to be taken from that in the big picture. "The bigs" are what mattered. 

I doubt that the old Nicollet baseball park was much more than a typical Triple-A facility. It's really hard to believe that the Twin Cities weren't big league in the 1950s. Gophers football was the big-time attraction with the likes of Paul Giel. I wonder what it was like being at Nicollet ball park. The game of baseball has beauty wherever it is played at a high level. 

The Millers were high enough to attract some pretty big names. Although players hardly ever say anything positive about the minors, they must know it exists to further their careers. Ted Williams as a Minneapolis Miller? Wow, that was the case in 1938, so we can only conclude that Williams (no relation to your blog host) was deemed not quite ready to take the field with the Red Sox. And yet Williams hit the cover off the ball when playing for Minneapolis. He was age 19.

What thrills fans received in that summer of 1938! Winds of war were building around the globe. But Miller fans, perhaps with my Dad in the ranks sometimes, got to enjoy seeing Williams bat .366. So then what happens? You know the script: a stellar talent in minor league ball isn't around long. Williams packed his bags and headed to Boston. He did build affinity here in Minnesota: he established his off-season home, enjoyed hunting and even met his future wife! 

My father took the reins of the Apollo Male Chorus in 1951. That's quite the distinctive year from Millers annals: none other than Willie Mays donned the Millers uniform. Willie Mays! He knocked the cover off the ball to an ever greater extent than Williams. His stay here was shorter. Twin Cities sports media icon Halsey Hall vented frustration about how the better Millers would be plucked by the parent club. It had to be frustrating but it was a fact of life for the minors. Today we take for granted we're in the "big time." 

What would the Miller fans say if they traveled by time machine to see Target Field of today? Or the previous Metrodome? It would be jaw-dropping, and yet I'm reminded of how Dave Moore drifted into dreamy nostalgia when talking about Nicollet Park. 

Maybe all the bells and whistles don't mean everything. They might in fact be secondary as one considers the beauty of a summer night downtown in the '50s, the captivating sound of bat meeting ball, the bursts of cheers, the camaraderie of all the fans, the opportunity for young people to engage in some dating behavior. 

Willie Mays, 1951

Cheap concessions! I'd say amen and hallelujah to that. I'd love to step into a time machine and go back to spend some time downtown and maybe catch a meal at the old Forum Cafeteria, to stroll through Dayton's Department Store (and others) and then take in a Millers game. 

I'm sure smoke from tobacco products wafted about. I'm sure there was some excess alcohol consumption. I witnessed fans availing themselves of this vice at Metropolitan Stadium. I remember the "dollar size" beer: the "large" size! Excuse me if that made you faint. 

Target Field today seems almost like Emerald City. How much further can we go with opulence? Is this always where happiness lies? I'm sure a summer afternoon at Nicollet Park could be abundantly pleasant. 

My father talked with fondness about the Millers. I hope some of the fans also availed themselves to hear the Apollo Male Chorus. 

My family resided in the Twin Cities through 1960. I was born in the east metro suburb of Ramsey. I was baptized at Central Lutheran of Minneapolis in 1955. My father taught at the U of M-St. Paul School of Agriculture in the '50s. 

My life might have developed in the urban environment. Instead Dad came back out to pastoral western Minnesota. His mission: to help start the University of Minnesota-Morris. The memories of our Twin Cities life have always stayed close to us. The Minneapolis Millers are most definitely part of that.

 

My podcast for February 10

I have recorded today's "Morris Mojo" podcast in the ice cold of the 2021 winter. Below zero, yes. So it's therapeutic to call up memories of Twins baseball. I'm reflecting back to 1962. I was seven years old. On my podcast I share my original lyrics/poetry inspired by the Twins' MVP of '62: Vic Power. What an unforgettable player! Please click on permalink:

https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Vic-Power--Minnesota-Twin-eqah9k 

Fans of the Millers arrive at Nicollet Park, Minneapolis. (Stew Thornley image)

 

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

Girls surge in second half, beat Benson 61-47

Great to follow high school basketball as our overall conditions for living aren't that great. It's Wednesday morning as I write this, temperature below zero yet again, with no relief in sight over the next few days. 

I could quote "Yukon Cornelius" from the Christmas "Rudolph" TV special: "The weather isn't fit for man or beast." I do see some hardy rabbits in the back yard. 

It's great to see high school sports proceeding, provided of course we can all heed safety precautions. How's it going with the vaccine(s)? Well, Tuesday night saw our MACA girls hoops squad win. The Tigers bounced back from their recent losses to Minnewaska Area and West Central Area. The 'Waska loss was especially humbling, score of 53-23. We had beaten the Lakers prior to that (51-45 in OT). 

Coach Dale Henrich and his Tigers started turning things around Tuesday. More of that to come? The orange and black prevailed over the Benson Braves 61-47. 

The West Central Tribune reported the game was played in Benson, and I confirmed that through the excellent "Minnesota Scores" site. The Willmar paper can be rather spotty and unreliable at times. Be sure you're familiar with the "Incognito" system for getting past the barriers they sometimes put up. I wonder if people complain after they've paid to "subscribe" and then find deficiencies in the paper's performance: games missing or sketchy/unreliable information. 

Personally I'd like to suggest that the school sports programs themselves take the lead with the outreach, just like small colleges have done for a long time. Sorry, I'm a broken record on this. 

The orange and black came on strong in the second half Tuesday. We outscored Benson 27-17 in the half to improve on the four-point lead we had at halftime. Our won-lost record is now 3-5. Benson languishes at 1-6. 

Emma Bowman made two 3-pointers and topped our scoring with 21 points. Maddy Grove made one 3-point shot. Bowman was joined in double figures scoring by Cate Kehoe (13) and Sydney Dietz (11). Grove's output was eight points, then we see Kaylie Raths (6) and Shannon Dougherty (2). Kehoe topped rebounds with eight. LaRae Kram had two assists. Bowman had four steals. Dietz blocked a shot. 

Beth Cain with her 12 points was Benson's only player in double figures. Cain was complemented by: Marissa Connelly (9), Marley Rush (8), Adysen Himley (7), Susan Knutson (5), Kimmy Pagel (4) and Madi Wrobleski (2). Himley and Connelly each made two 3's. Rush grabbed 13 rebounds. Himley had five steals. 

 

Welcome to Cate

Thanks to the KMRS-KKOK site for providing Kehoe's first name. The West Central Tribune did not. I was momentarily thrown off by the paper's lapse. I knew last year's Tigers had MacKenna Kehoe. I confirmed online that MacKenna was a 2020 graduate. So it's a case of a sibling coming on up. Yes, that's the deal. 

Well, I'm pleased to continue typing the Kehoe name, to be sure. Looks like Janet can continue getting fun entertainment from MACA hoops, and yours truly will too. As for MacKenna, I think I have her name spelled right but there are inconsistencies out there like "McKenna" or "Mackenna" (with a small "k"). It appears the smart money is on "MacKenna." I'm open to being corrected.

 

Boys hockey: Storm wins

Let's celebrate the MBA Storm's success on the ice: a 7-0 win. The Storm improved to 4-3 with the Tuesday success over Breckenridge/Wahpeton. 

Our skaters showed a pretty steady onslaught. We scored three goals in the first period and two each in the second and third. 

Tim Blume began the scoring with a goal at 2:03 of the first. Ryan Tolifson assisted. Then it was Brady DeHaan getting the puck in the net, assisted by Zach Bruns and Brady Loge (at 9:15). Bruns put MBA up 3-0 with his goal at 14:52, assists by Hunter Blume and DeHaan. 

Our lead swelled. Tolifson scored unassisted at 2:13 of the second. Ian Rajewsky scored at 3:49 with an assist from Will Breuer. 

Blake Bruns scored the first of our two third period goals. Rajewsky assisted. Bruns applied a final flourish with his unassisted job at 9;38. Our goalie was Peyton LeClair: five saves on five shots. The B/W goalie was Jared Aamold (55-62).

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

Tigers turn back Hancock with timely late '3'

A check of the West Central Tribune website this morning (Saturday) had the game played "at Morris." But a check of the KMRS-KKOK website shows a photo from the game clearly taken in Hancock! My original posting here had the game played in Morris. I'm glad to correct. - BW

 

Stardate February 6, 2021. We continue to navigate through this strange galaxy of the pandemic. We haven't completely departed the orbit of Trump-ism. How would Kirk and Spock get us completely extricated? It's like there's a mysterious tractor beam at work. Look at the Trump campaign sign that remains out by the highway near Greeley Plumbing. In such a conspicuous spot. 

It's like a welcome sign to Morris in the sense that it seems to say something about our collective attitude. We're in the outstate hinterlands. This is a part of the country that can still stay stuck on Trump. I just wish we wouldn't have to broadcast it. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks to this crowd. And wouldn't you know, she got in front of TV cameras on Friday and made a big deal out of her Christian faith. 

So being a Christian appears to send a strong message that you buy in to so much of what MTG represents or exudes. How the Jews have lasers from space causing fires in California. 

Don't you all realize the kind of road we may be heading down? Do you study history? Trump is going to be acquitted on impeachment. Democrats will be sent on their heels by the propagandistic rhetoric from the other side. At least Lou Dobbs got canceled. A tiny baby step. Now, on to basketball:

 

Boys: Tigers 43, Hancock 39

The rivalry stays close between these two schools. It's too close. Isn't Morris a substantially larger community? I do realize Hancock is doing better with school enrollment than might be expected. Is it still true that many Starbuck area families are inclined to strongly consider Hancock? 

A parent/source told me 4-5 years ago that this situation existed because of problems they saw with Minnewaska Area. As my source put it: a "rep" problem (for reputation). I have no idea if this continues to be the case, but it's good for Stevens County if any school can pick up steam. 

Remember the Hancock coach who ended up in prison? Looks like this untidy little matter has been tucked into the past. For the record, that coach was able to fill the UMM P.E. Center with fans for post-season games. I'll never forget it, I'll never forget the Hancock pep band electric guitar player who'd play the "Batman" theme as the Owl mascot raced out to mid-court in a break. Wow! 

The P.E. Center was once such a springtime mecca for this stuff. Pandemonium, pounding sounds of pep bands! (Much cheaper pizza slices than today.) 

Our MACA boys basketball team defeated Hancock Friday in Hancock 43-39. When I was growing up, any game against a town the size of Hancock would be treated like a scrimmage. Any rivalry is fun, of course. Let's put aside any disparity in population. (I can't quite do that.) 

We needed a late three-pointer by Brandon Jergenson to feel confident of victory. Jergenson's '3' opened up a lead of four points. The Owls were a stubborn opponent. The orange and black benefited from an 11-0 run in first half play. MACA led the rest of the way but had to stay focused to be sure. Our 12-point lead during the second half proved not that secure. Indeed, it was down to one point just before Jergenson's clutch shot. 

Yes, it was a low-scoring game. So the defense certainly seemed to be accented. MACA shot just 37 percent. And the Owls: 26 percent. The win was the sixth for the orange and black. Hancock was left with a 5-2 mark. 

Let's roll up our sleeves for the stats. We see Thomas Tiernan with a modest stat of ten leading the MACA scoring. Jergenson had two 3-pointers and his total for the night was nine. Cole Wente put in seven points, Jackson Loge and Toby Gonnerman each had six, and Durgin Decker five. Tiernan made two 3's to match Jergenson. Wente made our other '3'. 

Loge snared eleven rebounds to lead. He also led in assists (4) and blocked shots (8). Gonnerman and Decker each had three assists. Decker stole the ball twice. 

Kody Berget was a big reason why Hancock put up such a strong challenge: four 3-pointers. His point total was the team-best 14. Matt Thompson came through with ten points and 20 boards. Brandon Kellenberger contributed eight points, ten rebounds and four steals.

 

Girls: West Central Area 63, MACA 50

Action was at the Tiger Center Thursday for the GBB matchup of the Tigers and West Central Area Knights. Lexi Bright of the Knights was a major force as they worked to victory, 63-50. 

The Knights applied a full-court press with great success in the first half. This led to the Knights' 38-22 halftime lead. MACA committed turnovers in the face of the press. MACA adjusted to get close on the scoreboard in the second half. But it was never enough. 

Bright was a factor in multiple departments. This Knight had five rebounds, five steals and three assists. Liz Rustan put in ten points. West Central Area's win was their third, meanwhile the Tigers slipped to 2-5. Our three top scorers were Maddy Grove (15, plus five rebounds), Sydney Dietz (11) and Emma Bowman (10). 

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