'Waska girls pummel Litchfield for 11th win

Everything is coming up roses for the Minnewaska Area girls basketball team. It is a pleasure for yours truly to stay on top of the considerable success. The recent scores have me wondering how they have lost any games at all. A glance at the "Minnesota Scores" site shows they have in fact lost two: to New London-Spicer and Sauk Centre. I'd bet on the Lakers for any re-match. 

Just take a look at how the 'Waska squad has been taking charge in the recent contests. The scores are the type that get me wondering if there's some discontent from opposing fans re. alleged "running up the score." That's always a difficult issue to process. I mean, the players are out there on the court to try to execute the game properly. If the second-stringers are out there, they want the opportunity to show what they can do. 

A game's score is just a couple of numbers. Get over it. It just fades into the historical record. If you think the opposing team is being too intense, take that as a challenge to see if you can stop it. And then everyone shake hands at the end of the game. 

Look how our girls team in Morris got mashed by Mayer Lutheran. Holy cow. Perhaps it was a mistake for MACA to be put in the situation of having to play that high-powered private school. Usually I'm scared of the Catholics! The Lutherans can have their own firepower, n'est-ce pas? Shall I assume they are ELCA Lutherans? But let's not get all religious here. A team might want to say an extra prayer when taking the court to play the Minnewaska Area girls. I know the MACA Tigers would be advised to do that. Not exactly a scintillating season for our Tigers. 

I need to emphasize that I would prefer writing my post today about MACA, as I live in Morris and try to support Morris Area High School, especially our instrumental music program. Alas, I have difficulty finding game info from other media about the Tigers. I have much greater access to info about the 'Waska Lakers. So it is a pleasure for me to share an update about those Lakers. They are 11-2 now.

I have family connections to Glenwood.

The "Minnesota Scores" website is a super reference generally speaking but you cannot take all the game scores to the bank. They have a 55-25 score for the Litchfield game. That's one-sided enough. But the reality is that the Lakers turned on the jets to defeat the Litch Dragons 73-25! Reminds me of the game scores with the old Hancock GBB regime under a coach whose name ended up buried in infamy. That's a fact: he ended up serving prison time.

A Twitter page ("X") informs me that the 'Waska Lakers in the image are Olivia Danielson and Megan Thorfinnson. The photo, dated June 9, 2024, was taken after the two led the Lakers to a win over Northome-Kelliher at the "BreakdownUSA" Summer State Invitational. The Twitter caption did not specify left/right. I wish I could recognize these kids myself.

 

Minnewaska 73, Litchfield 25

The game was played at Litch. The Litch fans were troopers sitting through this one. The halftime score was 36-16. The Lakers turned it on even more in the second half, to the tune of 37-9. 

Three Lakers were at the fore in scoring with double figures. Sydney Dahl poured in 19 and made a 3-pointer. Lauryn Ankeny followed with 17 points. Megan Thorfinnson put in 11. The rest of the list shows Jayda Kolstoe 8, Olivia Danielson 7, Addy Kath 3, Kendall Danielson 3, Alia Randt 2, Amber Peabody 2 and Phemie Oeltjen 1. 

The West Central Tribune reports that "Danielson" made a 3-pointer but it doesn't say which one. Since both the Danielson girls scored at least three points, we sure can't assume. I know it's tough as a writer being on top of all this. It is common for siblings to play on teams. You have to make a mental note about all these things early in the season. And it's still hard. 

Thorfinnson also made a 3-pointer. Litchfield alas did not have anyone in double figures scoring. Isla Dille had the team-best with nine. She made a '3' as did Kelsey Palmer. 

 

Boys on the short end

The 'Waska boys hoops team is also coming off a game versus Litchfield. The Lakers did not fare so well in this contest: a 63-57 defeat. 

Here's a rundown on the 'Waska scoring: Tenzin Dahl 15, Levi Johnson 13, Tristan O'Neil 9, Marc Gruber 7, Connor Frey 6, Kaiden Harvey 5 and Owen Meulebroeck 2. Johnson made three 3-pointers while Frey and Dahl each made two and O'Neil one. 

Dahl was top rebounder with six. Palmer and Meulebroeck each had four assists. Palmer and Harvey each had two steals and Luke Danielson blocked a shot. 

'Waska has been blessed with "Danielson" student-athletes. I notice Dahl with both genders too. 

Litch was led by Matthias Bruning with 25 points. He made five 3-pointers while Alex Medina made one.

Out and around

It is Sunday. I shall have to see if the Caribou Coffee oven is working yet. I like to grab a couple hot sandwiches on Sunday morning. Caribou Coffee at Willie's has a long history of problems. Many weeks have passed since their oven went down. I could list other issues from their past too. Maybe it would help if Willie's had more competition. 

It is Sunday so I'll have to consider church at First Lutheran. We just got word of our pastor's impending departure. He was an interim to begin with. When will the issue finally get forced for First Lutheran and Faith Lutheran to come together? There's really no reason for a division in the first place. It's not like there is philosophical separation. Both are ELCA. We are the gentle Christian denomination, not so distracted by political matters or MAGA devotion. And that actually hurts us. 

America's Christians have swung rather wildly in favor of the whole Trump thing. Might that be fading now? Are more Americans waking up to how Trump is really a dangerous fool? Weren't you almost embarrassed to see him at the Carter funeral? I hope he wasn't defecating into his pants that day. 

OMG look out, the Trump tariffs are going to push the prices of everything much higher! Will our military be sent to try to take over foreign countries? Do you care about this? Can I persuade anyone? Are you comfortable with the Christian faithful being on board with this man? Found responsible for sexual assault? And y'all don't care? I pray to God.

Glenwood Lutheran Church

So it is Sunday and I think Glenwood Lutheran is doing much better than our Morris ELCA churches. Morris has been hurt by having an institution in town, UMM, that can get unhinged with political opinions sometimes. And the main flashpoint has been gay rights. It is quieter now. But for a time the school burst forward with gay advocacy to a degree that alienated many local residents. 

The ELCA approved of gay ordination but that matter got blown out of proportion. There was a flow of people from our local ELCA churches, with many "refugees" landing at Good Shepherd. Glenwood has no local institution behaving like UMM. Truth be told, UMM is humbled now. It has to concentrate on its very existence. 

IMHO the UMM administration should have done more through the years to tamp down political talk, to tell the students "you are here to seriously pursue your studies in preparation for the rest of your lives. You are not here to politically crusade from right or left or wherever." 

I felt many students were treating this like a "game" anyway. Choose up sides, in effect. You aren't going to change the world. Now we'll see if UMM can survive out here where the coyotes howl.

Oh, there was this little matter of the "Northstar" publication on campus too. Was anyone minding the store? And don't talk to me about "First Amendment." I know mass communications law.

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