A team that still has "Witts" about them!

Mason Witt ("Voice of Alexandria" image)

Alexandria is up with the "big dogs" now. By that I mean they're in with the state's largest schools in Minnesota's four-class system. 

We're really in prime basketball season now. Many teams have been forced to step aside like our Tigers here in Morris. An undefeated regular season was not enough to get our orange and black to the big show of state. You might say "many are called, few are chosen." 

The MACA boys and girls are done and now they're fans like the rest of us. The boys were stopped by Jackson County Central on Thursday. A stunning outcome for the MACA fan faithful to accept, to be sure. Adding insult to injury, the fans had to make the long trip back from Marshall after the 8 p.m. contest. This with the taste of having lost so fresh. 

Alexandria was the state champion last year in the AAA world. Those schools are relatively big. It must say something about the booming development of Alex that the prepsters are in AAAA. And they are doing quite fine competitively speaking. 

 

Morris ties 

There's a big reason for Morris area fans to show an interest in Alexandria. The "Witt" name remains prominent over there in Cardinal country. Don't y'all remember Jerry Witt as coach of our football team? And his sons as such athletically gifted kids? How can we forget the names Zachary, Forrest and Taylor from years gone by? I remember them as little kids too. 

My, today there's a new generation of Witts turning heads in sports! And yes my hair has turned white. But I'm still doing sportswriting just like I did when the Witts were in Morris. You've heard the lyrics "rock 'n roll is here to stay, it will never die?" You can substitute my name for "rock 'n roll." I think Jerry would laugh about this thought. Jerry played with the UMM football team during that program's 1970s heyday. 

Last year I wrote quite a bit about the Alexandria Cardinals in post-season. I wrote about both the boys and girls. The girls team had Morris connections too. 

 

Touching all bases 

I have been advised that when I write about the athletic genes in the Witt family, I should not overlook the genes provided by Jerry's wife Holly! Actually I never did know her birth/maiden name. Well no problem, fair request. 

Alexandria "Cardinals"

Here's what's going on right now: The Alex boys are in the state tournament thanks to their win at the home gym over Elk River. Yes, not a neutral location. Alex had the top seed, Elk River was No. 3. The Thursday action ended with the Cardinal red triumphant, score of 64-58. So the Cards took the 8-4A title. 

I'm old enough to remember covering some games at the "old" Alex High School. I remember going there to cover the Chokio-Alberta boys. Today C-A has joined in with Morris Area. I think the partnership started when Jerry was still football coach. 

We could have used the C-A boys all through the years. Getting the partnership cemented was a long and pretty arduous process with fits and starts. I remember when C-A tried to set up their own junior varsity basketball schedule when they were not entitled to do that! Oh, and I even remember the short-term pairing of C-A with Clinton-Graceville. The "CACG Thunder." Yes, that registers. 

We have now gotten past small town politics. I got too close to that at times, alas. Could be pretty ugly. I think the state should have moved in and taken charge more often, frankly. Remember how Dawson-Boyd came close to joining the new Lac qui Parle venture? And then they bowed out and ended up being thankful for that? 

Today I am of the view that the MACA programs should just be changed to "Morris" for everyone's convenience. No one should be offended by that. Do you think anyone cares anymore if Cyrus has "town identity?" No. It's a small community that is quiet and safe, just the way people want it. I'm old enough that I covered graduations at Cyrus High School along with some "Panthers" sports events. Oh yes I did. 

There was a period of time when Cyrus was competitive with Morris in basketball! Oh yes it was. And I scratched my head quite a bit. 

 

Distant but striking memory 

I remember publishing a photo of one of the Cyrus Solvie boys with a banner recognizing a career scoring milestone. He was joined in the photo by cheerleaders, everyone all happy, and I thought: "This photo represents a set of wholesome traditional values that the Morris school does not really like." And I assure you, my judgment on this was totally on the nose. 

Eventually we got more accountability for the Morris school. A struggle had to happen first. We had to overcome the avant garde "academic" crowd of Morris. The positive forces eventually won. And who would be against that? Well, mostly a group of teachers/employees within the system that were self-interested and entitled-feeling. They had bought into the avant garde stuff when it was in vogue in the 1970s. The crazy 1970s. 

 

Mason Witt's hot hand 

Mason Witt and Talan Witt play for the Alexandria Cardinals. Not brothers, rather they're cousins. Mason hit a deep 3-pointer to start Alex's scoring on Thursday. This was the first of four straight 3's that he hit. Talan made a layup as part of a 10-2 run by the Cards. 

Elk River kept the game close. Alexandria was triumphant in the end.  More headlines coming for the Alex boys now. Their luster remains bright in the Class AAAA firmament. Our MACA boys are AA. 

A check of the Alex roster shows the name "Scholl" as in Blake Scholl, another Morris connection. Blake is the son of Heather (nee) Lucken and grandson of Bev Kieffer who was known as Bev Lucken when in Morris. Bev was on the school board. She had to deal with some of the unpleasantness as Morris got certain things straightened out. We're talking approximately the year 1988. Our high school principal took over as chief sportswriter for the Morris newspaper. If that sounds strange to you, well it was strange. The school needed a real PR person. And I've never been a PR person. I am a Watergate era writer. 

 

Mason Witt is a captain of the Cards. He became the school's all-time leading scorer midway through this season. Is the "Witt" name German? Those people are competitive by nature as we saw in World War Two.

 

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

Crowded restaurant shows things going well

More new snow on the ground this morning (Wednesday). It's biscuits and gravy morning at DeToy's Restaurant and I had mine. It was also a day for the Missouri Synod Lutherans to gather there in the dining room. Seems like a weekly thing. 

Wow, I was impressed by the land office business being done at DeToy's this morning. It would appear quite the positive indication for the Morris economy. Are we really a refuge from all the "Gotham City" problems of the big city now? Well it would appear so. And we have chosen Republican politicians to lead us including the guy at the top. The guy elected to keep us out of new Mideast wars. 

Now that he has gone totally against that credo, and just kept America up to the norm, are his followers having second thoughts about him? Frankly I wouldn't want to bring up the subject with the morning male patrons of DeToy's. Man, if our friend Dean Monson was still alive, I'm quite certain we'd hear no skeptical word from him. Not about Trump or the Republicans. 

And we have a real full-fledger on the Republican side of the ledger with our congressperson. That's Michelle Fischbach. So loyal, even though Trump has shown a pattern of disrespecting women. Well, he was found responsible in a legitimate legal proceeding for committing sexual assault. And Judge Kaplan has suggested that Trump escaped the most serious judgment of "rape" only on a technicality in New York state law. It was rape. Now it only seems like a "process" story in the news - the term that journos and pols use to describe a passing story, one that blows over. Rape. 

The killing of so many by a U.S. Tomahawk missile in Iran that struck a girls school. Looks like another "process" story. Let DJT try to minimize it or mislead us by saying it was the work of Iran. It obviously was not. And we just sit out here in West Central Minnesota and take it. 

 

Changed impressions

So many things are going well for us compared to the situation in the big cities like our Twin Cities. When I was young the big cities were "cool" and the small towns were backward and shallow. It is certainly nice that our small communities have been lifted up - a real blessing. But why can't more of us be enlightened on the big picture stuff? 

Why do we file into church pews on Sunday with determination to affirm Trump and Republicans as our nation's leaders and example-setters? Historically speaking, the guy who was really responsible for this was Jerry Falwell. 

 

Ahem. . .

At this point in this post I shall change the subject. In saying that I expect people to applaud like when Ed McMahon used to say "I hold in my hand the last envelope." You do remember "Carnac the Magnificent" maybe? I'm age 71 and such memories remain well-ensconced in my head. Like of Bob Uecker saying "I must be in the front row." A Miller Lite commercial of course from the days when social drinking was quite accepted. 

 

Basketball euphoria here 

As I write this it is mid-March. A blend of good and sad news is the backdrop as it always is. Right now we have the local "mania" of a fantastic high school basketball team. Many of us are pretty consumed by this. 

For many of us it really has no connection to our lives. I remember when I was with the Morris paper and we had a consultant visit us. I saw part of his final report and he cautioned us on paying so much attention to high school sports. He cautioned "the interest is limited." You know, I suspected that all along. Seems like it's just part of small community culture to have a local newspaper that amplifies youth sports out of proportion. 

The people who are relatively uninterested do not assert themselves to the newspaper. But, the ones who are hugely interested? Emotionally interested? My God these people assert themselves until hell won't have it. The papers cannot ignore the loudest voices. Let's just make that our little secret. 

Nevertheless, we really truly want the MACA boys basketball team to do well on Thursday. I should emphasize "Thursday night." Indeed, it's a night game set to start at 8 p.m. My God, and the folks are going to have to drive home from Marshall after the game. Please consider checking into a motel instead. 

The fans don't even have the ease of using an Interstate highway. I remember driving to Mankato one year for the state softball tournament and I had to have a road map on the seat next to me. 

Seriously, be careful everyone. Don't rely on "No-Doz" if that product still exists. Steve Sack the great Star Tribune cartoonist liked to work in "No-Doz" with some of his panels. I got to meet Steve when he was a student at the U of M-Twin Cities. 

Our Tigers are going to play Jackson County Central. Having researched the JCC Huskies, looks like they are a team capable of doing damage. 

 

Chris Juergensen

Chris Juergensen RIP 

A note of sadness for fans of the Tigers and Cougars now: the passing of Chris Juergensen. "Juergs." Man, I talked with him 2-3 times in the recent past at the concourse level of the P.E. Center during Cougar basketball. Was stunned to learn he had left us. He was always a reliable fan of youth sports in Morris. 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had the thought that it would be nice if Cougar basketball players could be present for his final rites. 

It's hard to feel cheer about the kind of weather that marks St. Patrick's Day. Nature has not yet awoken. Everything is brown. I was discussing this with Sharon Martin out along the biking/talking trail a couple days ago. Sharon was babysitting the Rambows' dog and the dog accompanied her. She let him loose to come and greet yours truly. I was already acquainted with the dog. The Rambows used to be my neighbors up on Northridge Drive. We're out by the soils lab. "Semi-rural." 

Sharon runs the bakery at Willie's these days. The Iran war will have the effect of rising grocery prices and actually prices of everything. But can I get the Trump supporters to back off on their devotion to Trump? No way. 

Blasphemy IMHO

On Easter all the "Christians" will be flocking to their churches not only out of devotion to Christ and the gospel, but to Donald Trump. It's the way it is. I will condemn the USA for what we have done in Iran. Jesus would condemn us too. You all are lemmings.

 

Addendum: Re. the Missouri Synod Lutherans, is it true that they can only take communion in a Missouri Synod church and in no others? And you wonder why young people get alienated by organized religion? 

 

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

News and weather on day of big Tiger game

Still standing after all these years: the Drudge Report. Maybe you don't remember how this journalistic enterprise really found its footing because of Clinton/Lewinsky. 

Clinton/Lewinsky? You remember, right? Ah how time passes by. 

I have read recently that young people just want to moan when the Clintons surface in the news for any reason. It's all "old news" in their minds. So Hillary testified just recently. And for the record, she (and her fellow attorneys) performed masterfully to obliterate what the Jim Jordan types wanted to do. Or I guess James Comer, the wind-up toy that seeks to attack the Dems as his raison d'etre. That's "raison" with an "o." It is not a breakfast cereal. 

People in media have to be fascinated by the sheer staying power of the Drudge Report. Adding to this fascination is how the site's appearance has not changed through the years and is so beautifully simple. That's because really solid journalism can "sell itself." 

We are used to seeing media websites go through cosmetic changes - what they'd call upgrades - in a shallow effort. Or with newspapers the godawful "re-design" as we saw touted here in Morris when the newspaper was under Forum Communications ownership. The Forum is a very shallow company that will chase any "trend" that pops up. They chased after this stuff until they pulled up stakes and left Morris. Hey, wasn't the "re-design" good enough? 

Very well-grounded legend has it that the Forum was going to close the Morris paper. I got that background from a very well-placed source or friend. A new owner did come upon the scene. Wearing a hero's mantle I guess. Perhaps wearing a cape. Small towns are  notable for how they can anoint heroes (and proclaim villains). 

The Forum would have been proclaimed a villain but they weren't even around anymore. You knaves, they are just a typical Machiavellian enterprise. They shed yours truly at one time. It was in 2006. But of course we learn about the decline spasms of print media all the time. Maybe not disappearing but certainly consolidating. And is it toward true betterment? 

 

News on the Tigers 

How up-to-date is the Morris paper's coverage of our boys basketball team right now? It is Saturday as we deal with a new onslaught of weather that has no redeeming qualities. I'll bet the highways have an uneven surface - not pleasant to deal with. 

And on this day the Tiger faithful will have to travel to Marshall, quite far to the south of here. And we're playing Minnewaska Area. It's a fur piece for the 'Waska fans to travel too. Oh, my kingdom to see this game played at the UMM P.E. Center in Morris! A win-win for everyone. But, the setup is arranged long in advance, and high-level tournament games have been set for Southwest State of Marshall for a long time now. 

Sorry, I cannot claim to have ever attended a sports event at SSU. I did attend a music concert there once: Maynard Ferguson in the early 1980s, packed house, super night. 

 

Query 

I have wondered how many Morris fans actually attend the games at SSU this time of year. I doubt that we see the kind of mass turnout that I remember so well from when our UMM was a hub for this. 

Oh, I remember so well during the Kevin Loge days when the Concordia Fieldhouse was really jammed with fans. And I loved the Polish sausage served at the place! Sorry but I don't really know the level of fan turnout today for the same events. 

A friend of mine did offer something on this: he said that parents nowadays are divided into so many activities, we're less likely to see the mass turnout. That sounds very valid. 

Do I miss the "old days?" Let me say that I do miss the greater number of tournament games played right here in Morris at UMM. The big change happened, as I recall, when the big shift was made to the 4-class system for basketball. At that time, we saw the introduction of the terms "sub-section" and "section" to replace "district" and "region." 

 

Some hazard? 

I am concerned about the long trips fans have to make, especially when the games are at night. Really, someone could get in an accident because of getting drowsy at the wheel. I shudder as I worry about this. But today (Saturday) the starting time is in the afternoon for the Tigers' tournament game against Minnewaska Area. 

Frankly the Tigers look like the prohibitive favorite. Sometimes I think the travel is a dubious thing when the outcome of a game would appear obvious. This can happen when No. 1 seed plays No. 8. In hockey this can actually get sad. I remember when MACA basketball was the No. 1 seed hosting Paynesville the No. 8 and we lost! As the great Chris Berman of ESPN is known to say, "that's why they play the game." Coach Mark Torgerson survived that embarrassment as coach. 

Today there is a different Torgerson with the reins as coach. And my goodness, the Tigers are undefeated! Well, have a good time at the game today you all. You had better drive carefully. 

 

O captain, my captain

Now, let's take a look at the Drudge Report on this dreary yucky Saturday. Here's a link to an article that starts out: "Donald Trump is alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman while she was a minor." 

The legal record already shows that Trump engaged in sexual assault vs. E. Jean Carroll. We have chosen this man as our president.

Remember when we were supposed to have some concern about Ronald Reagan because he had been divorced? Many of us should now wonder if Trump is the biggest douchebag of a human being we've ever seen. But so many "Christians" hold him up like he's deity.

 

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

Tigers take it up to eleven vs. New London-Spicer

Here we are in the heart of basketball mania season. My, how we can get consumed by this for several weeks! It doesn't take such a big toll on me because I do not attend many games. Give me credit, please, for attending some of the UMM Cougar games. Unfortunately these teams had no post-season run. 

I will be redundant here and say I wish our UMM teams could play Northern Sun again. A lot of us are probably forgetting about those days. It got unpleasant toward the end as we could not be competitive. We took our pill of falling down to the UMAC. I resisted showing interest for years and then I finally capitulated. 

I found it quite enjoyable attending the games although I walked away from the last one - the men's playoff game - because the ticket price for seniors had doubled. Well, isn't that the way everything is going these days? When will we start acting like we are getting fed up with it? The new war with Iran is only going to increase the cost of living more. 

God is going to punish the U.S. for what it is doing. And I think of all the Trump supporters filling the pews of certain local churches, a majority of them really. The ones who are not in line with that are fading fast like our local First Lutheran and Federated churches. Sad to see but it's reality. 

There are parts of the New Testament that the "conservative" pastors do not quote from. If they do, the hardened MAGA types will stand up and walk out immediately. There were times when Jesus Christ could sound like Bernie Sanders. I can just hear Trump insulting Sanders with his usual language. Find a personal angle and rub it in: that's what Trump does. I personally think we should all just start laughing at him. 

I don't go to any church now - it is counterproductive. But I do pay attention to basketball. Basketball ought to be considered America's prime sport. So many advantages: highly entertaining to watch, all played indoors away from the vagaries of weather, and less injury risk compared to other sports (certainly football). 

 

Expected outcome 

So right now early in March it is prime hoops season and we are appropriately mesmerized. I opened my laptop early this morning fully expecting to learn that the MACA boys had dismantled, dismembered as it were, New London-Spicer in 3AA play. Well of course that's what happened! 

I looked immediately to an online source that I figured would tell me something about the game. Any suggestions? I knew the West Central Tribune website could fill in some blanks. But the WC Trib is not prepared, yet, to start getting quotes from our coach Torgerson. I thought they would have turned the page by now. But no. We are still being treated as second-class by this newspaper. 

The article this morning does quote the NL-Spicer coach. No quotes from our coach Torgerson, despite the fact Torgerson's team virtually walloped the Wildcats of NL-Spicer. 69-37. Wow, look at that margin of victory! 

There is one sign of progress from the Willmar newspaper. For this game, for the first time all season I believe, it has the thorough stat summary for MACA in the boxscore. Up to now we've seen one of two things: "stats not available" for MACA, or just the individual scoring totals and 3-point shooting. Our opponents get the thorough treatment. 

How good do we have to be to get the WC Trib's attention? In the old days the paper was pretty nice to us. And then, thud! Meanwhile our own Morris newspaper went from publishing twice a week to once. And Brett Miller left the radio station.

 

Tigers 69, NL-Spicer 37

Fans made the trip to Willmar for this 3AA-North playoff game. Obviously the Tigers were seeded No. 1. We have yet to lose all season. The Wildcats of NL-Spicer were in the No. 4 position. Not much chance for a close ballgame. 

We're now in the 3AA-North finals. And we'll face Minnewaska Area next. 'Waska has the No. 3 seed. We might moan as we realize we now have to make the fairly long trip to Marshall. So we'll play the Lakers at SSU's R/A Facility on Saturday at 2:30. At least the game is not at night. I get concerned about fans having to make the long drive home late at night. 

I remember the days when many games at this level were played here in Morris at the P.E. Center. Fading memories I guess. 

The West Central Tribune article this morning quotes NL-S coach Jeff Paffrath. He makes the rather bizarre comment: "This game didn't show it, but Morris/CA is obviously very good." Holy mackerel, guy, your team lost by 32 points. And the paper can't get a quote out of coach Torgerson? 

The WC Trib also quotes Wildcat player Griffin Thompson. 

The game began with Wildcat Zachary Lageson making a 3-pointer. Then the hammer came down on the Wildcats. MACA went on a 14-point run! OK so we see Alex Asmus finishing the game with 19 points. Riley Asmus put in 13 and Jack Kehoe 12. Here's the others: Tyson Grove 8, Ben Tiernan 6, Tanner Friesen 4, Jonah Huebner 4 and Bryce Hardy 3. 

Five different Tigers made 3-point shots led by Alex Asmus with three. Grove and Tiernan each made two while Riley Asmus and Kehoe each made one. Kehoe was tops in rebounds with seven. Riley Asmus contributed two assists. He also stole the ball five times. Kehoe and Huebner each blocked a shot. 

So thanks to the WC Trib, I guess, for having all stat categories included, probably for the first time all season. Winning brings attention I guess. I think Schweiter Chevrolet would like to see Morris getting a little more attention there.

 

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

NL-Spicer overcomes injury-burdened Minnewaska

They keep the NL-Spicer tradition going!

Morris was a hub for important post-season basketball play on Thursday. The prepsters took to the court at our U of M-Morris. I still call it the P.E. Center but I guess it's "Cougar Sports Center." The court is named for James Gremmels. Ah, the memories that yours truly has of covering important high school sports at the place. 

Sorry, I did not attend Thursday night. I would have rooted for the Minnwaska Area Lakers. Their foe was the dynastic New London-Spicer Wildcats. Year after year the NL-S girls program excels. The coach at the center of this: Mike Dreier. 

'Waska entered this game with a very competitive reputation. Those Lakers were fourth in state last season. They were bound to show poise. Poise or no, they could not come up with winning form vs. coach Dreier's juggernaut. So in the end it was the Wildcats of New London-Spicer on top in this 3AA-North finals game. The score: 59-45. 

So it's on to the section title game for the NL-Spicer crew. There they will face Fairmont from down by the Iowa border. The site will be Southwest State University in Marshall, the "R/A Facility." Fairmont is known as the "Cardinals." They defeated St. James convincingly 71-47 to reach the next rung. 

NL-Spicer is zeroing in on trying to make "The big dance" of state. What a glittering W/L mark the Wildcats have: 28-1! Game-time next Thursday is 8 p.m. Wow, that's pretty late. I hate to see such a late time when many of the fans might have a long drive home at night. Why can't the game be played earlier? 

 

Lakers made a bid

Fans at our UMM gym saw the 'Waska Lakers keep things interesting even if the lead was elusive. The score stood 39-37 with 'Waska just a hair's breadth away. The time remaining was 8:37. This was the high water mark for the Lakers. 

Oh my, the Lakers were without the services of senior Alia Randt, whose name I have typed often this season. This had to hurt. Randt was out with a knee injury. An additional burden fell on star Lauryn Ankeny. Lauryn played throughout. Perhaps a fatigue factor held back the Lakers in the end. But give credit to the Wildcats, that's for sure. 

The situation was grim for 'Waska at halftime as they trailed 34-15. The Lakers outscored the Wildcats the rest of the way, 30-25. The hole was too deep. 

I wasn't at the game so I don't know if the bleachers were pulled out on both sides. Only one side is used for UMM games, a situation I don't really like. I covered sports there for years when both sides was the assumed norm. UMM played in the Northern Sun Conference. Perhaps there's no way that the Cougars will ever make it back to that level. 

I argue that the U of M is a powerful institution that ought to be able to lift up its Morris branch. In fact, I always used to hear that the MIAC did not want us because that league feared the U's assets vs. the private schools. Today there is angst about UMM's ability to even survive. We saw the abrupt announcement of the change in chancellors midway through the school year. The U would not have done this if there were not some alarm bells ringing. 

 

MN versus Feds 

Right now my angst is increased by what is happening with Minnesota vs. the Federal government. First it was the ICE crackdown that disrupted the state so badly. And right at the present, it's the punitive withholding of Medicaid funds. This is primarily about politics, the fact that our state will not bend the knee to Donald Trump. We continue having Democrats in key leadership positions. 

Can we count on our own congressperson to be an advocate for us now? I mean to appeal to the Feds or even issue a protest or dissent? We need this now. But our congressperson Michelle Fischbach is totally "MAGA." If anything she will just join the piling-on versus Minnesota. Just watch her "bash" Tim Walz. That's more important to her than acting on Minnesota's behalf. 

Lost Medicaid funding will harm people's lives. I wonder if Fischbach would prefer that Mike Lindell be our governor. We elected Fischbach so we have to answer for this. What if the U of M suffers? The knees might get taken out from under our Morris campus. We are frail and groping now. The recent jazz concert at the HFA featured an entire trumpet section brought here from NDSU. IMHO this is not a good look. Might this be "fraud" in its own way? Just asking. 

What's next in the retribution campaign by the Trump administration vs. Minnesota? Our state's governor was on the presidential ticket that opposed Trump and Vance. Have we dug a deep hole for ourselves? Trump leads like a mob boss. He does not forget those who he feels have wronged him. It is my opinion that we need to push MAGA out of power. Elections are the only real answer. 

Who can come forward to run against Fischbach? We had Collin Peterson before her - no one knew the Farm Bill better. He lost because he posed for a photo with Nancy Pelosi. What's so terrible about Nancy Pelosi? All Republicans care about is giving more tax breaks to the very wealthy. How is that working out for you? Enjoy paying your property taxes? It's a regressive tax. So are the tariffs. So is the sales tax. All of this makes life harder for the common people. 

But so many churchgoers are told "vote Republican." You're lemmings. I can think of less generous terms. Meanwhile, "Mongo just pawn in game of life" - that's me. 

 

Numbers from the game

Lauryn Ankeny and Berlynn Green each scored 11 points Thursday. Kendall Danielson and Eliana Marthaler each scored six. Allie Mrnak put in four, Nori Song three and Olivia Danielson and Londyn Dahl two each. 

'Waska did OK with three-point shooting as Green sank three of these, and Kendall Danielson and Marthaler two each. Song made one long-ranger. Ankeny and Green co-led in rebounds, each with five. Olivia Danielson was tops in assists with four. You can always look to Ankeny as a leader in steals and on this night she had three. Kendall Danielson blocked a shot. 

The top New London-Spicer scorers were Korbin Tanner and Ayla Caskey with 16 and 13 points respectively. Taylor Munsch and Paycen Rutgers each scored seven. Katelyn Delzer and Roxanne Klein matched each other with six points. Kyla Vick scored three and Ezri Boelter one. Vick and Rutgers each made a 3-pointer. 

The rebounds category saw Munsch and Tanner lead with ten each followed by Delzer with nine. Caskey was the leader in assists with four and steals with seven. Munsch and Tanner each blocked a shot.

 

The bigger picture

Minnewaska may have legitimate needs with the referendums that are put out there, referendums that fail. My hope is that the state looks closely and realizes that an alternative way might be found to beef up the school's assets. Looks like referendums are too heavy of a lift, maybe because the school district is not homogeneous or unified enough. Towns are a little too far apart. 

But the school might be improved. I remember when the school was first built. It came across as very impressive even though I had reservations about Glenwood no longer having a high school that was basically in town. 

So at the present, what might the answer be? This happens in school issues: when too much futility looms, to the rescue comes the state! Remember the "Minnesota Miracle?" Maybe you don't. That's where the state decided to just take over and remove an undue burden from local property taxpayers. Maybe the state will notice 'Waska's strain and decide to map out some formula for state funding for 'Waska's legitimate goals for improvement and enhancement. Maybe this would be done in a finesse sort of way. Under the table? Well, I wouldn't use those words.

 

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

It's a breeze for 'Waska girls in 3AA debut

The Minnewaska girls basketball team is positioned with a 21-6 record. They are aiming to climb higher in post-season. Yes, that time of year has arrived. Hoops madness! It takes our mind off the re-emergence of harsh winter weather on this Sunday. Isn't this day a perfect example of how winter can "drag?" 

The Lakers of GBB made their 3AA tourney debut on Friday. It was "no sweat" for the surging Lakers: a 67-24 win over Paynesville at the 'Waska gym. 

The next step will be to play KMS at Willmar. The Lakers are seeded No. 2. They overwhelmed seventh seed Paynesville with a 40-7 first half advantage. The second half superiority was 27-17.

Eliana Marthaler scored all nine of her points on her three 3-pointers. But it was the always high-profile Lauryn Ankeny who topped the team's scoring in this romp. Ankeny scored 18 points. Berlynn Green was second-best with her 14. Other totals: Marthaler 9, Olivia Danielson 6, Allie Mrnak 6, Nori Song 5, Kendall Danielson 3, Jayda Kolstoe 2, Phemie Oeltjen 2 and Aubrey Stark 2. 

Marthaler's 3-pointers were  complemented by one each from Song and Kendall Danielson.

Lauryn Ankeny

Ankeny and Green co-led in rebounds with seven each. These three Lakers each contributed two assists: Ankeny, Green and Carly Jergenson. Ankeny as she so often does excelled in steals, eight on this night. Green and Kolstoe each had three steals. 

Here's the first time I have typed Londyn Dahl's name: she blocked three shots. I certainly have experience typing the "Dahl" name with Waska! Ankeny and Olivia Danielson each blocked two shots. I don't think I have ever seen the name "Londyn" before. I's nice.

 

Boys: Lakers 75, BOLD 58

This was the last game of the regular season for the Laker boys. Like the girls they are comfortably above .500. The numbers: 16-9. Saturday action saw the Lakers dispose of BOLD 75-58 at the 'Waska gym.

 

Lakers 63, KMS 48

Previous to the success vs. BOLD, the Laker boys took care of business in a home game versus KMS. The Lakers downed the Saints 63-48. 'Waska led 32-25 at halftime. 'Waska cruised through second half play with a 31-23 advantage. 

Marc Gruber was an offensive standout for the victor as he put in the team-best 28 points. He made five 3-pointers. Definitely "in the zone." Luke Danielson was a prime force with his 21-point output. Gruber and Danielson were the standout pair. They were complemented by Caleb Kath with five points, Tristan O'Neil 4, Cavin Thorfinnson 3 and Connor Erickson 2. 

Cavin scored his three points on a 3-pointer. Danielson topped rebounds with 11 and he was followed by Kath with nine. The assist category saw Thorfinnson with three and Gruber with two. These three Lakers each had two steals: O'Neil, Danielson and Drew Blieck.

 

Glenwood Lutheran Church

So it's Sunday

Hope everyone has a fulfilling experience at Glenwood Lutheran, a church where I have a family background. Glenwood Lutheran Church sustains itself fine, it appears, while my church of First Lutheran in Morris has basically faded away. Don't take anything for granted, you Glenwood Lutheran members. 

Glenwood does have an advantage. Glenwood does not have a significant number of people belonging to the Apostolic Church (or churches). The Apostolics are a phenomenon in Morris. And this makes it much harder for the mainstream Protestant churches to survive. 

My Fist Lutheran Church has folded in terms of having the standard Sunday service at its own building. We're supposed to now attend the local Methodist Church every other Sunday. That's 1/2 of our church commitment. The retreat or capitulation was announced after I wrote out my annual check to First Lutheran in November of 2024. I feel deceived. 

The Methodist Church might be quite fine. It is not my family's denomination and not my family's building. The Methodist Church is across from the public school. And yes the Methodists' building is superior to the First Lutheran building, as it is all on one level. So is Faith Lutheran of Morris. Faith Lutheran is the "last survivor" of the ELCA Morris churches. 

First Lutheran should have just dissolved, its members told to just go wherever they waned. Our building looks worse with each passing year, rapidly, as it is not recommended for handicapped/elderly. But it's where my family belonged for years and years. It isn't easy to withdraw from that. 

I have formally withdrawn as a member of First Lutheran. What choice was there, really? I no longer receive their correspondence. 

You'll notice in my post of today that I still talk as if I'm a member, i.e. "my" church. Suppose that will continue to be my language indefinitely. 

Glenwood Lutheran was the church of my grandparents and my aunt and uncle. My uncle was Howard Williams the banker. Next to his stature I'm pretty insignificant. 

A friend teased me on how I still speak as if I'm involved with First Lutheran Church of Morris. I might say "we" in referring to the congregation. What kind of future do we have? Am I ready to go down with the ship? That's a poser. Are "we" prepared to face this? 

 

"We" must look ahead! 

My friend teased me by sending the image you see at bottom of this post. 

A great thing about the ELCA is that you can feel welcome even if you do not support Donald Trump, Michelle Fischbach and the Republicans. You can even profess to vote for a few Democrats as I'm sure Jesus Christ would. 

On the subject of Jesus Christ, I'm not prepared to acknowledge that he was even a real person. I think he was a composite. I think he was the product of mythology that served political purposes. Political? That wouldn't be any different than what we see with the Trump/Jesus movement now. 

I love my church family. But I do not love Trump and MAGA. The Jesus story is uplifting. It serves a purpose. And I think Jesus Christ if he were real would be hand-in-hand with Bernie Sanders. And bless the congregation at Glenwood Lutheran Church on this Sunday morning as winter has returned.

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

UMN-Morris gets another splash in Star Tribune

(B.W. photo)

Another day with "adventures in anti-lock brakes." A very familiar phenomenon in Minnesota. I am writing this on Thursday morning. Oh, the little challenges of living in Minnesota like with anti-lock brakes and discovering that your mailbox is frozen shut. I took a little hot water to remedy the mailbox situation, then fixed the little door so it's not quite shut. 

Snow this time of winter can have a wet quality. It can disappear fast once the temperature goes above 32 degrees. Add in the sun and we'll get "slush city." 

How can we keep our lives interesting? Well it looks like a nice slate of UMN-Morris activities is beginning. I attended one on Tuesday: the "Mardi Gras singalong" at the dance studio in the "old Assembly of God building" a block north of the old Budig's store. Heh heh, my description is just what you'd expect from a "lifer" in Morris. 

I'm a lifer with an asterisk - my family didn't come here until I was five years old. Before that I was a "city mouse." I was baptized in the Lutheran faith at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Minneapolis! The big city of Minnesota was once thriving with all the traits of metropolitan advantages. Small town life was at the other end of the scale. It was charming in the Mayberry fashion. 

Academic people rather looked down their noses at the small towns. Morris got an influx of academic people due to UMM. UMM is why Morris is getting attention from the big city newspaper again. A friend emailed me the current article that tries to lay out what is going on with our "jewel in the crown." 

Has the jewel lost some luster? Well it would appear so, based on the previous spread on UMM in the state's flagship newspaper. Some of us refer to it as the "Strib." It's the Star Tribune of course. I have lost more interest in that paper since their re-design brought a smaller type size. My eyesight at age 71 struggles. l turned age 71 in late January. Thanks to the U of M Foundation I get birthday cards. A morale-builder. 

I have no family. Do I have friends? I may have lost the few church friends (or at least acquaintances) I had because I chose to leave First Lutheran. It is astonishing how that church fell into decline and went through one stage of decline after another. But I really did not think it would get this bad. Now thanks to credible You Tube-based research, I learn that small town Protestant churches are fading fast everywhere. 

 

Catalyst for fading 

We have dug our grave by allowing the Upper Midwest Christian church to become so closely aligned with Republican politics. With MAGA. Not sure if a reversal will ever happen. People will find substitutes for the spiritual enrichment they once sought in their denominational church buildings. 

Never thought I'd say this but the Cathlolic Church might be a bastion against what has been happening. 

Lutheranism at its inception was a departure from the strictures of Catholicism. Today I am warmed as I consider the Catholic church. The Pope is a true leader of what is good, moral and reverential. The Protestant church? The Trump-supporting ones are doing fine for now, I guess. But the ones that have tried to be progressive? Look what has happened to First Lutheran in Morris of the ELCA. The notorious ELCA that thought it was being courageous with its moves to be generous with the gay folks, to be accepting. 

First Lutheran might be headed for dissolution. Dissolution might have been better than what the church has opted for: the partnership with the Methodist folks. Methodist folks are quite fine, make no mistake. That church nationally has been riven by the gay rights wedge. Can't we all find common ground with a generous and compromising attitude? 

 

Closures quickening?

The obstinance against compromise is literally driving pastors out of their profession. They find their congregations are unwilling to accept middle ground. And so, are we willing to accept more waves of church buildings closing their doors? 

First Lutheran in Morris has issues beyond progressivism or gay rights - the building design is frankly a disaster. Split-level! Steps and stairs everywhere as if to reflect how its designers were ignorant of special needs? I guess that's how society was at an earlier time. 

Before 1970 the Lutheran church did not even allow women ministers! And I'm sure there was pushback from the conservative forces when the new policy started. Today it's like pulling teeth to even get a new pastor in the ELCA. Where would we be without women? 

 

No wiggle room, I'm afraid 

But now First Lutheran has to contemplate a future where society will insist on buildings that are handicapped and elderly accessible, totally. Not good enough to have a "handicapped entry" on the far side of the building. There's a low spot just outside the east entrance where ice forms like a "skating rink" in late winter and early spring. Well that's the time of year we are experiencing right now. Schizofrenic weather. You'll swear that  signs of spring are taking over and then. . .wham! 

Be aware of your car's anti-lock brakes. You'll skid past your intended stopping point at an intersection. Get glares from other motorists at the place. Be thankful we're in a small town with less traffic congestion. 

 

B.W. photo of UMM's humanities building

Eyes (ears) on music!

And so UMM music is set for enriching events. Jazz concert tonight (Thursday). Was supposed to be 7 p.m. but I got an email advising of change to 6:30! Man, it was a blessing I received the clarification because for me to get misled on this might arouse my temper some. I need to cool it. 

I must say with emphasis that the Mardi Gras singalong at the dance studio was 100 percent wonderful. The UMM choir director in charge. The UMM choir program is different from what it has historically been. Less formal, I guess. Less regimented. I had mixed thoughts at first about this, now I think the new program is wonderful. 

Yulene Velásquez.

The director is ideally suited for this. It is very populist in its presentation. Is that a good way to describe? This isn't Brad Miller's choir program, it isn't Ken Hodgson's, it isn't even Ralph Williams'! Guess I have some special familiarity with the latter. But I think Yulene's program is quite the inspiration. 

 

Love these students!

I have seen some common threads in my interactions with UMM students over the last few months. I witnessed a student government meeting on the night when I first met Mike Rodriguez. I have attended basketball games where fans are firmly advised on acceptable behavior. And on Tuesday I felt the Mardi Gras spirit. 

And in all of these instances, I have been struck by the new and more gentle attitude and behavior of UMM students. And I could not be more happy. Praise the Lord! My church may already be dead but I'll still say "praise the Lord." I praise the Lord of all, not the false prophet propped up by the MAGA churches of which we have some here. 

I remember past eras of UMM history in which students could be so vain and arrogant. You would expect them to be civilized, but "student government" devolved into terrible personal conflict at times. I remember grabbing issues of the campus newspaper and seeing letters to the editor by students locked in vitriol over "student government." And I'd wonder "why?" I'd ask "is student government even worth all this? Why can't the students just be made to respect the legitimate authority over the campus: the administration." 

The worst part about the past generations of UMM students was their raw arrogance over how they thought they were so intelligent - this judgment being made by the metric of "GPA." Well, that's just one indice for judging intelligence. My late friend Donnie Eich said "all a degree from UMM proves is that you can read some books and then answer some questions about it." 

Not worthless intelligence, mind you, but just one barometer. And I have always considered book publishing to be rather a scam. A book is a product that must be packaged and marketed. I'll take "Wikipedia" any day. I learned more from the Wikipedia entry for Jesus Christ than from all my Sunday school classes. Books are "padded." 

The young generation does not want to deal with dense text in what they read. And what has more dense text than the Holy Bible? Maybe this contributes to young people's alienation from religion. But really I think it's the political problem: this flawed mortal person named Donald Trump who is propped up by the so-called "evangelicals," and it doesn't matter what he does. 

 

Refreshing new outlook

My message with today's post is fundamentally positive. And I think for the first time ever, I'm able to think of UMM in an effusively positive way. 

What do I think of the new "Strib" article? Well I'm not sure this Buchanan person comes off real well. She comes off as bitter. Well like it or not, pilgrims, the local campus answers to the Twin Cities and the Twin Cities people answer to the legislature. Well, when in Rome do as the Romans do. Or, when in Morris do as the Morrisons do!

 

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