Those darn private schools, eh? I'm seeing quite a few one-sided scores out and around. A theory: The most ambitious programs have probably gained new motivation from the "CC" phenomenon. That's Caitlin Clark. So the less motivated programs are lagging? That might be a theory.
But while MACA got taken to the cleaners by Mayer - did the point disparity have to be that high? - the Tigers haven't been totally down of late. They defeated Eden Valley-Watkins 49-35. So congrats on that success.
Sports may continue high-profile through much of the holidays. But there appears to be a dropoff in the performance of local media for sports. Why do I have to write this? You know what I'd like to be doing on this Wednesday morning? I'd like to be writing detailed reviews of recent Tiger sports. At this stage of my life, I rely on other media sources for my info. I then wrap it all up in a package that I at least try to make better than my sources! It's all in the spirit of "being the best you can be." Isn't that admirable?
A limited service
I'm lucky if I can just find the scores now. The "Maxpreps" site has a few paragraphs on the MACA girls that appear to be robotically generated. It does give a snippet or two. I am not complaining. "Maxpreps" noted our Saturday loss but quickly moved on to Monday where the story was the win over EV-W. "The win was a breath of fresh air for the Tigers as it put an end to their four-game losing streak."
We learn further that our record improved to 3-5. The Tigers under new coach Justin Daly had a promising start to the season but then the road got bumpy. I read further on "Maxpreps" and noticed they were doing a "Forum Communications" trick. Remember when the Forum owned the Morris newspaper? It was strange to observe after I left the paper in 2006.
I left under a cloud of feeling considerable, stifling pressure in the sports department. I had been thrust pages of detailed directives which the management would have acted so innocent about. But the intent is clear in cases like this. Oh yes it is. Good grief, I had been casting a wide net for the coverage of Morris area sports. Upon reading my new directives, I could see I was going to have to do some uncomfortable things.
"Well then just do them," some people might say. Y'all don't understand. The message from management - and I'm not really thinking of Sue Dieter, I'm thinking of someone else - was "get out of our way, mosey on." If you don't understand, then maybe you have only worked on the management side of things.
When I say that "Maxpreps" pulled a "Forum Communications," what I mean is that they had a very brief recap of a game, like 2-3 sentences, with the last sentence merely announcing when the next game would be!
Not progress
The Morris radio station started doing the same thing after Brett Miller left. We'd see the score from I presume "DeeDee," and then "next up." I got irritated at one point and wrote "I don't want to read about 'next up,' I'd like to see some details of the most recent game." Brett Miller gave us that so often on the website. I was able to occasionally report about Tiger cross country because of him. I wrote nothing about cross country last fall.
I won't point fingers at "Maxpreps" because it isn't a local service. We should appreciate whatever their "robot" gives us. And how much current Tiger info do you find on the Stevens County Times website? Surely they have lots of Cougar sports news there. What gives? I feel offended by that. And to think that Morris newspaper management was offended by my work toward the end.
I walked out the door at the paper for the last time on June 2, 2006. The current MACA seniors were just coming into the world. Those kids know nothing about my media background. I remind them occasionally when I have the opportunity. It is the only role that has ever defined who I am.
Boys basketball has been going well for MACA. I cannot find details of the Tuesday night game. I was hoping the coach posted stats on Maxpreps as he has been known to do, but no. Maybe Jacob's routine is slowing down for the holidays. Can't blame him for that. I'm just sitting out here alone on Northridge Drive. I have no family or friends. Writing about high school sports gives me some sense of purpose. I write about myriad other things too.
Wow! What a winning outcome for the Lakers of girls basketball on Tuesday. The Lakers came on like gangbusters to defeat the Paynesville Bulldogs. It was a grim story for the Bulldog fans at their home gym. Paynesville managed just eight points in the first half and nine in the second. What did I say about the seeming number of lopsided scores in girls hoops?
The programs that are lagging had better step it up a little. Girls basketball has come out of whatever obscurity it had, thanks of course to Caitlin Clark and now some others.
"CC" is Time Magazine's "Athlete of the Year." I have commented to Yahoo! News that she should have been named "Person of the Year." So transformative.
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| Sydney Dahl is a Moorhead State commit |
So happy to be able to report the individual stats for the Minnewaska Lakers. I'd love to be able to do this for the MACA Tigers too. I just can't. Our fans will have to wait for the NEXT TUESDAY print edition of the Morris newspaper (fishwrap). I'd like to suggest that this community get into the 21st Century.
So, who led the Lakers in their rout of Paynesville? Well it was Megan Thorfinnson with 20 points. Sydney Dahl and Lauryn Ankeny each scored eight. Also contributing points were Kendall Danielson 3, Carly Jergenson 3, Haillie Schulz 3, Jayda Kolstoe 2, Alia Randt 2, Addyson Kath 2, Olivia Danielson 2 and Berlynn Green 2.
Thorfinnson built her total with three 3-pointers. These three Lakers each made one '3': Kendall Danielson, Jergenson and Schulz. Rebounds shows us four Lakers each getting four: Kath, Randt, Dahl and Kolstoe. Randt topped assists with three. Thorfinnson set the pace in steals with five. And Dahl blocked three shots.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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