I will declare that the odds are good for the Lake Minnewaska group to take home the very top hardware.
I have had the pleasure of blogging pretty regularly about the Lakers. My home base team is the MACA Tigers of course. But we play the Lakers at least twice a season. MACA fans probably don't wish to remember our matchups with the Lakers. Ahem, especially the first. Not only were our Tigers routed, we trailed at halftime by the eye-popping score of 58-4!
I guess that should be a wakeup call for our Morris program. We had a first-year coach. I've never met him although I knew his father well over many years.
The Tigers were dealt two quite humbling losses at the hands of Mayer Lutheran and Minnewaska Area. Were those devastating final scores avoidable? Were our opponents that much more talent-blessed? I take nothing away from the talent of Minnewaska Area. Nothing. But I think MACA ought to be able to put a group of players on the floor who can fare better.
Our second time around vs. Minnewaska Area actually went somewhat better. However, I have to believe the odds were good that Minnewaska's coach was feeling some pressure to have his team play not the most intense game that night. The individual would probably deny it. I know how these things go, don't worry.
Really I'd love to see our Motown team rise to a level where we could be competitive vs. this year's Lakers. And is it unreasonable to hope for such a thing?
This year's Lakers got past long-time powerhouse New London-Spicer before winning in the section title game. Mike Dreier will have to go back to the drawing board. Let's name-drop with the 'Waska coach: it's Nick Danielson. Great job Nick.
I know Minnewaska can open its pocketbook for paying administration. Our Morris activities director left for Minnewaska, reportedly for a pay difference of $40,000. That's according to word on the street. Does the salary incentive give a push for greater success?
Does the AD's salary mean that much? I would resolutely say "no!" Let's have a coach like Gene Hackman in "Hoosiers" take over practice here in Morris! We are reminded of the movie "Hoosiers" by Mr. Hackman's recent passing. My, the guy had a long history of heart disease? And he made it to age 95? That's incredible. What a resilient soul.
And what an acting history he had. He was a natural. In "Hoosiers" he made us believe he could be an outstanding coach. Just like Robert Mitchum made us believe he could be an outstanding military commander like in "The Longest Day." "Next stop Omaha Beach!"
But how would Mitchum really have performed in combat? And how would Hackman have handled being the real coach of a basketball team? Makes us wonder.
I wonder most of all if Hackman as "coach Dale" really "got the girl" (Barbara Hershey) at the end of "Hoosiers." I am perplexed. Actually I had the same feeling at the end of "Mississippi burning" so maybe this was a "thing" with Hackman's characters. There was chemistry with the females but who knows?
And why didn't we get to know the cheerleaders in "Hoosiers?" The basketball movie was set in 1952. Not a hint of girls basketball even starting at that time. And isn't that unbelievable? How could America exist without girls basketball? Today it's "showtime" with girls and women's basketball. And it's important that we keep "trans" kids out of it, in my opinion.
The setting was Southwest State
Last night (Thursday) saw the vaunted Lakers live up to their sterling aspirations with the 53-38 win over the Fairmont Cardinals from way down in southern Minnesota. We're talking close to the Iowa border. The Lakers and Cardinals played at Southwest State University. The Lakers previously qualified for state in 1995, '96, '97 and '99. So there's been a bit of a drought. State action gets going on Wednesday.
The section title game had a nerve-wracking start for the 'Waska fans. Their team fell into a 15-3 hole. Fairmont's Brylee Miller gave her team the initial spark. 'Waska standout Sydney Dahl was whistled for two early fouls.
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| Addy Kath is a Gustavus commit |
BTW I wish the state universities would go back to being "colleges." That's really what they are. No loss of prestige.
Three 3's by Ankeny
On to the stats: Here we see three Lakers scoring in double figures led by Dahl with her 13 points. Lauryn Ankeny put in 11 points and Megan Thorfinnson 10. Others who scored: Addy Kath 7, Olivia Danielson 6, Jayda Kolstoe 4 and Alia Randt 2. Ankeny made three 3-pointers followed by Thorfinnson with two and Kath with one.
Kath topped rebounds with seven and she was followed by three teammates each with five: Randt, Thorfinnson and Kolstoe. Thorfinnson was top assist contributor with three. Dahl had five steals and Ankeny four. Kath blocked two shots. Fairmont's top scorer was Miller with 16 points. Kennedy Becker made a 3-pointer.
Addendum: I had thought our former Morris AD Karas would be AD at 'Waska too, but a quick check just now shows he is not. A fellow last name of Johnsrud is activities director. As for Karas he's "middle school principal" and doesn't that sound like a daunting job! I suppose a guy in that spot really earns his $.
Sad day today, Friday, as we mark the passing of Chuck Spohr. I just got home from Faith Lutheran where I was pleased to sign the guestbook and get a program. I'll keep the program along with others as "souvenirs" and reminders of special people.
The church was really filling up with people as I was there. We're talking Faith Lutheran of course. While the day is sad, we should emphasize that it's happy too as we're reminded of what Chuck's life meant to us.
Chuck served on the Morris school board as part of how he enriched us. We can tell stories that put smiles on our faces. I was reminded of one when I got word he had died. When on the board he said once "if you give us the money, we'll just spend it." Not that he wanted to stand in the way of the school getting resources, but as a person with measured judgment he knew how "largesse" can develop. So we need to weigh such things. And Chuck knew full well that to keep the faith of the public, the school needed to take the best advantage of resources to maximize the beneficial effect of education.
My main means of getting to know Chuck, though, was from the informal Wednesday night church gatherings that involved his Faith Lutheran and my First Lutheran. And my, do we really need two ELCA churches just a few blocks apart? I suggest that as a rhetorical question.
Anyway we have two and Faith sure got full this afternoon for Chuck's last rites. Maybe at this stage of my life, big crowds in limited spaces make me nervous. Maybe Chuck's funeral could have been at the armory like Willie Martin's.
When I reflect on the Wednesday night church events, I should emphasize that I attended these with my mother who was in fading health at the time. Chuck greatly enjoyed getting to know my mother Martha better. Martha left us in 2018. Now Chuck joins her in heaven.
The Wednesday night events were held mainly at the Met Lounge side room, now called The Fireside.
In the years that followed I got to know Chuck better through seeing him at mid-afternoon at McDonald's where a group of familiar faces were often seen, like Gary Uphoff, Dale Peterson and David Thedin.
I hardly ever go to McDonald's now because I sense they do not like taking orders at the counter. You sort of have to be in your car. I'd know Chuck was there because his golf cart would be parked outside! Small town life: you know people's means of transportation. Howard Mohr wrote about this in "How to Speak Minnesotan." And when you get a new car, people won't even wave to you for a while!
I'm sure Chuck's funeral was terrific. But I think funerals are fundamentally sad. I'd prefer thinking of Chuck with his warm smile and greeting when Mom and I would show up. He was a unique and unforgettable person.
Mom would say "he's in a better place now."
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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