The MACA girls hosted a formidable Sauk Centre team Friday. The Streeters came here aiming to finish their conference schedule undefeated. The odds were good for the Streeters. Their won-lost mark was quite superior. Still, MACA kept the game close for a prolonged time. We trailed by three at halftime, 30-27.
But the Streeters began surging in second half play, to the tune of outscoring us 23-11. So the Streeters closed out their conference slate with a record of 10-0. They defeated the Tigers 53-38.
Thoughts now turn to the post-season. MACA has the No. 6 seed in 3AA-North and will vie with Eden Valley-Watkins, No. 3, on Tuesday in the quarter-finals. The No. 3 team gets to host.
I seem to recall our final game of last season was against EV-W, a game played at Minnewaska Area. I was there. The game proved to be one last taste of normal life before the pandemic launched its shroud over everything. It's fascinating to think back, how we took our normal life and normal activities so much for granted. We have a quite modified perspective now, wouldn't you say?
My first vaccination shot is done and the second is coming up in a few days, at Prairie Ridge. Thanks to Prairie Ridge for having the vaccine ready to administer when it did. Who knows if I really needed it. I have been 100 percent healthy all winter, never felt better.
Could the MACA girls have upset the Streeters? I talked with player grandparent Tom Carrington this morning at DeToy's and he questioned the player substitutions. Always interesting to hash over this stuff. It is the fans' prerogative.
Emma Bowman made two 3-pointers and led MACA in scoring with ten points. Maddy Grove made one '3' and posted nine points. LaRae Kram also made a '3' and her total was six. Sydney Dietz put in five points. These four Tigers each scored two: Meredith Carrington, Cate Kehoe, Lakia Manska and Kaylie Raths. Dietz led in rebounds with eight. Carrington led in assists with four. Grove and Kram each had two steals, and Dietz blocked three shots.
Tigers on TV
This game was available for viewing on the public access channel. Yes, the "Wayne's World" channel, and we now wonder what will come of this with the decision by Federated to discontinue its cable TV service in 2022. What drastic news! Will a substantial number of people simply choose not to have cable TV anymore?
It's a valid question because of so much entertainment being available through online, more and more all the time. Are we willing to turn our backs on the traditional TV? Remember how faxing was such a "big thing" for a time? Then it got phased into the background because of new tools. I remember at the old Sun Tribune, how novel the "fax machine" seemed at first. With time we found so many "junk" fax transmissions arriving. It was "spam" before we first heard the term.
I remember politician Rod Grams "clogging our fax machine," to use the description by our editor. Was Grams a congressman or senator? I can't remember. I do know he was Republican. It seemed his family life totally fell apart once he got the power of his position. What is it about political power that it can do this to people, as we are now learning with Andrew Cuomo of New York?
Federated Telephone is now telling us that its cable TV service was a "loss leader." They probably should not be admitting that publicly. The principle of "loss leader" seems rather untoward. It can be interpreted as duping people. The business actually loses money on the service but it lures people to the business for other reasons. I remember when the late Lyman Eidsvold of Morris, of Henry's Candy Company, campaigned for a law against this with regard to cigarettes. Cigarettes were being sold as a loss leader.
I am a Federated customer and would not be one, if it weren't for the cable TV. Was I duped? Because Federated has now announced it is ending its cable TV service. What to do now? It's kind of exasperating. I don't want to do business with a TV service that does not have a local office. And for sure I wouldn't set up electronic bill pay which is what I have with Federated. I wouldn't give a non-local business any license to simply take money out of my bank account.
With Federated, they're always a friendly phone call away. Just talk to Shelley.
It's a quandary now. I don't need any more of this after what I went through with water quality issues and the Morris water treatment plant. Hoo boy! Changes, changes, changes. And I'm also having to adjust to the Morris senior center being no more. Yes, there is no more senior center or senior citizens organization. Gone. What hath God wrought?
Jackson Loge is starting to get superstar attention in area news media. Sometimes I question this sort of thing. The student-athletes, no matter how good they are, are really just kids in school, going through developmental phases just like all their non-superstar and non-athlete friends. "Superstar" belongs in the NCAA Division I or pro ranks. They can handle that baggage.
Anyway, Jackson Loge had a lot to do with our 77-63 win at Osakis Friday. It was our 15th win. Osakis too is having an impressive season. Loge is a junior who stands 6 feet-8. He passed 1000 career rebounds Friday. Thomas Tiernan, also a junior, hit a couple of early 3's to put us in good shape on the scoreboard.
When I began work at the Morris Sun Tribune newspaper, the school actually had a policy that only juniors and seniors played varsity basketball! I found that surprising but I was just an observer.
The Tigers led the Silverstreaks at halftime 37-25. We shot 52 percent for the night on 30 of 58. Loge made nine of 21 shots for 24 points. Tiernan was five of eight for 12, and Toby Gonnerman was our third double figures scorer: 4 of 7, 11 points. Brandon Jergenson scored nine points and Cole Wente eight. My goodness, we are looking at a "junior brigade," aren't we.
So we'll soar all the way to the top next season? Believe me, I have observed sports for many years and we cannot assume anything. I remember when Kevin Loge's Tiger team was supposed to go all the way to the top. Their path ended ignominiously at Concordia College. I was there. (I loved the bratwurst from concessions.)
Other Tigers who scored Friday: Riley Reimers (4), Durgin Decker (3), Hondo Luna (2), Andrew Olson (2) and Sam Kleinwolterink (2). Tiernan was two of four in his 3's. Loge made our other 3-pointer. Our team freethrow shooting numbers were 14 of 28. I think I can figure the percentage for that. Loge was five of seven.
Loge led in rebounds with 14, four of which were offensive. The Tigers collected 32 rebounds, eleven offensive. Yet another department where Loge led was assists with six. Jergenson led in steals with three of our team total 13. Loge set the pace in blocked shots with six. Gonnerman blocked one shot.
Yes, Loge is becoming a familiar name to a great many throughout this part of the state. Remember though that these student-athletes might not feel comfortable with the "superstar" label, as they'd just want to be normal happy kids in the hallway sometimes. Let's not "extrapolate" from the pros. I have been around people who do that, including some of my old associates with the Morris newspaper. One person would describe a losing wrestler as a "fish." That's disgusting.
My March 13 podcast
I invite you to listen to my "Morris Mojo" podcast recorded from beautiful Northridge Drive, across the field from the old Shopko building. Think spring!
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment