Three event champs for MACA in sub-section

Following high school sports can be a little challenging this time of year. Graduations have been held. We just had the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Media people like everyone else get time off for the holidays. I would argue that we don't have to depend so much on the paid media people anymore. Anyone can be a self-starter in this thing we call the media now. 

We could not have dreamt of all this when I was a kid. Any parent who thinks the reporting could be a little better or a little more timely, don't just complain to the old media in the standard way. There are so many doors that can be opened. Open them. 

I do commend our Morris radio station website for how it keeps up with so much of Tiger sports. Much more of a go-to place than the newspaper. The newspaper has the means but is not showing the initiative IMHO. 

The Section 3A sub-section track and field meet was held recently. Naturally an exciting affair, held in Benson. They still go by the "Braves" nickname in Benson, strange. States have been outlawing this sort of thing. Anyway, our MACA girls team had three event champions. Hailey Werk achieved two of these as she excelled in the 800 meters and 3200 meters. Lydia Fynboh sprinted to first in the 100 meters. Fans could also cheer Heika Hall taking second in the 300m hurdles. 

Our boys team produced two runner-up finishes. Blake Bruns was runner-up in the 400 meters. The 4x200m relay unit of Grayson Gibson, Kendall Waldbeser, Noah Malek and Derek Waldbeser achieved second.

Baseball: Huebner in command

Our MACA Tigers of the baseball diamond turned things around against Minnewaska Area. This was done with a shining performance by Drew Huebner on the pitching mound. My he was overpowering to the tune of 17 strikeouts! This was in a 2-0 win over Minnewaska at Paynesville. Huebner nearly pitched the whole way. He gave way to Drew Storck at the end. 

Just recently the Tigers had been swept by 'Waska. In the win we got our two runs in the first and seventh innings. Huebner got offensive support from Ozzy Jerome with his two hits and an RBI, and Andrew Marty who drove in a run. 

The Tigers overcame the solid pitching of Laker PJ Johnson, who worked the whole way. One of the runs he allowed was unearned. He fanned three.

Paynesville 6, Tigers 3

The fifth inning told the story as the Bulldogs of Paynesville rallied to overtake the Tigers. We were on the short end of the 6-3 final at Paynesville. The Bulldogs surged to score four runs in the fifth. 

Drew Storck had a rather rough outing as MACA pitcher. His stint covered 5.1 innings. He did strike out five batters. Offensively Ozzy Jerome drove in a pair of runs. 

Paynesville's pitching was handled the whole way by Grayson Fuchs who fanned nine batters. He also rapped two hits when at bat. Josiah Utsch drove in two of the Bulldog runs. 

The orange and black came out of this game with a 12-10 record.

Arlene Fellows

Arlene Fellows RIP

Was surprised and saddened this morning to hear of Arlene Fellows' passing. She was in my church but I did not know her real well. I certainly knew her husband Don, long-time counselor at Morris High School. I'll say "Morris High School" and not "Morris Area." Maybe we should go back to just being "Morris High School." What are the chances of that? 

The yearbook was dedicated to Don in the year before I graduated. That was 1972, with my own graduation following in 1973. I never flunked! 

Don and Arlene's son Jon was in the MHS Class of 1972. A good baseball player. Went on to teach in Ortonville. There were other children in the family that I did not know quite as well. The name "Nile" comes to mind. They are or were all salt of the earth people. 

I shared with a friend this morning that Don Fellows was an asset to the school just with his personality. He was so good for everyone's self-esteem. The same could not be said about some other faculty members. Don was a member of a faculty "clique" that I did not always approve of. I got along with this clique, very well actually, but I did not think they always set the best example. Cliques by themselves can be a drag, don't you know. Dave Holman was in the clique. We lost Dave not long ago. I will say he was a character. Russ Anderson was in the clique and he too has left us for the next life. 

Don's choice of friends did not diminish his totally exemplary presence at MHS, the way he lifted virtually everyone up. Toward the end there was a new principal with whom he clashed, legend has it. Hainlen? He wasn't here long. 

Don must have gotten some of his inspiration from Arlene. Arlene Fellows, RIP
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com