Minnewaska surges forward, MACA ponders future

The Minnewaska Area girls are staying right in sync with the kind of standards they have established season-long. Quite the winter of success over in Laker country, quite close to our Morris. 'Waska hired our activities director away from us and look how they're doing. The word on the street is that he left here for salary considerations. That's the All-American reason for a move, right? 

In terms of girls basketball at 'Waska, standards have been set optimally high. Congrats to our neighbors over by Lake Minnewaska. I have family connections to Glenwood. 

Those Lakers really punched down the accelerator in their recent game versus our MACA Tigers. Holy cow, a halftime lead of 58-4! I have seen this kind of struggling in Tiger girls basketball before. And I do think it is unfortunate. I talked to an old friend just this past week whose memory is as good as mine. And we both experienced the stress of trying to speak out about it. He recalled for me the coach of his daughter, a coach who he said was known to just tell the girls to "go out and have some fun." 

Could you imagine a boys coach being guided by that impetus? "Go out and have fun?" 

Well that particular coach had the position for three years and it was like pulling teeth to effect any sort of change back in those days. My recollection tells me that his third year was when the C-A kids first came over. That infusion of talent could not help his performance. Because, I don't think anything could. 

It would be nice if that coach were just a transitory bump in the road in our GBB program. But we should not countenance any mediocrity for any length of time. I would try suggesting as much and be totally beaten down by the town's "intelligentsia." They'd scold me for being such an alleged Neanderthal for thinking that a well-disciplined program seeking wins was to be cultivated. 

So it as a philosophical clash. Conflicts based on philosophy or ideology are always very intense and unpleasant. I treaded rough water. 

 

Explain this

Here's the irony: the progressive women's liberation advocates of the town, who by nature disliked me with great intensity, should have been on board with me. Odd, because while those people insisted on equal funding and resources for girls sports, they were indifferent about real competitive standards. So, "just go out and have fun." 

There's no reason I can't share the name of the coach I'm talking about: Steve Harter. Oh and there was another coach in the program's history that I could almost write a book about, or at least a chapter. That individual formed a very effective circle of friends/advocates from the "intelligentsia" that I reference - this was good for getting her a third year as coach. And then wouldn't you know that group got energized for an attempted fourth year. 

Keep in mind that the program's performance was mediocre - and without a doubt we had kids with athletic talent and potential. I should have been complimented for being the positive and optimistic one. But oh no, not in Morris MN. 

The community can be toxic in some ways. This other coach who was a woman forced the school board to go on record with a vote before it was all over, and I had a board friend who absolutely hated that. It was a divided vote. But it was in fact a thumbs-down. Oftentimes these changes are like pulling teeth. 

And now in 2025 we have a girls team that trailed Minnewaska 58-4 at halftime. Not 58-14 but 58-4. No typo there. And I don't think this should ever happen against a comparable-size school. I'm suggesting there is no excuse. 

How will my critics attack me now? Because certainly they'll find a way, all these people who form their networks of personal friendships which might be based in a church. They'd say you're being negative toward the players, embarrassing them. Well I'm trying to stick up for the players actually. But hardly anyone ever sees it that way. 

My birthday is this coming Tuesday, Jan. 28, and I'm trying to build up my own self-esteem some. Hope you understand that. 

The Minnewaska Area girls haven't paused to look back. Instead "the future is now" in Laker country unlike in Morris. So the Lakers - I don't even know who their coach is - won on both Thursday and Friday. They beat Montevideo on Thursday 66-45. Then on Friday they dispatched Wadena-Deer Creek 62-34. They'll play our Tigers again on Feb. 18 at Morris. I do hope we do better. But I wouldn't want to set the pointspread for that game.

Lakers 62, WDC 34

The Lakers are ranked eighth in Minnesota in AA. They plugged away against the Wolverines, assuming a 31-14 halftime lead. They had three big guns on this night: Megan Thorfinnson 19 points, Sydney Dahl 14 and Lauryn Ankeny 13. These three were complemented by: Addyson Kath 8, Olivia Danielson 4, Kendall Danielson 2 and Jayda Kolstoe 2. 

Thorfinnson was quite the shooter from long range: five 3-pointers. Kath had the other '3'. Alia Randt with her five rebounds led there. Kath led in assists with four while Ankeny set the pace in steals with four. Ankeny so often seems all over the court to get steals. On this night she also blocked two shots.

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