http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=58671&SPID=6403&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=205085728

On the OMG side, Angela Christianson, according to the following report, is OK after being hit by a car on her way home from basketball practice at Drake. She is having a terrific freshman year, and we hope she’s back on the court soon:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110203/SPORTS020404/110203039/Drake-women-s-basketball-Angela-Christianson-hit-by-car

So, what’s the deal with this basketball team?  I don’t think anyone saw this coming – except Wendy.  We saw her during the summer, and she said we’d be good.  But this?  I thought last year’s team was one of those once in a generation teams that was surely our best chance to make the state tournament.  And we were the best team in the section, but stuff happens.

All we had to do this year was replace both starting guards from last year as well as a Division 1 player who averaged over 25 points per game.  We had two 6’1” athletes coming back, Sam and Alli, so I knew we’d have a good base.  Last year Lauren was the “6^th-man,” and Joie and Cara got some playing time.  Well, my biggest surprise is how good Lauren and Cara have turned out to be.  They are both 5’9” – that’s big in high school ball – and replaced guards who were 5’3” and 5’5”.  Lauren seems to be able to score at will within the flow of the game without ever taking a shot from farther out than 10 feet.  Cara seems to have the perfect mentality for a point guard – she may be the best shooter on the team but seems disinterested in scoring herself.  And they both play defense and rebound.  I could tell last year that Joie was a good athlete – this year she has become a basketball player.

[Pardon the interruption.  We went to the Central Lakes Concert Association concert (surprise?) by River City 6.  They are from Pittsburgh.  The Super Bowl is today.  Pittsburgh is in the Super Bowl.  The concert was moved up.  We didn’t know it.  We got there just as it started.  Had to sit in the bleachers rather than on the floor.  We actually liked it better in the bleachers – better sight lines.  They were very good.  Then we went to Mom’s.  I had gone earlier to check on the house but the garage door opener didn’t work.  I took the garage door opener home and put in a new battery.  The light indicator came on.  But when we got to Mom’s again after the concert, it still didn’t work.  Went to the neighbor’s and got a key.  Ran water in sinks, flushed toilets, all else seemed fine in the house.]

So, one year after I thought we had a once in a generation team for a town this size, we have a team that I think is even better.  Go figure.  Now I know the season is a long way from being over, but this is the kind of thing one writes about when one has no interest in watching the Stupor Bowl.  I’ve seen the competition – and, like last year, we’re the best.  But again, stuff can happen.  If you live within hollering distance of this missive and haven’t seen the team play yet, I heartily recommend that you do.  They are great fun to watch.

And next year?  (Aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves?)  Well, we lose the whole front line, so obviously we’ll be . . . shorter, for sure.  But Lauren and Cara are back at guard, and you can always build around good guards.  Whitney will be the size, Amanda (Angela’s little sister) will be a sophomore ready to roll, there are some girls now on the JV who can really motor up and down the floor.  Hmmmmm.

More from the Trumm files – the Brainerd, Tech, and/or Sauk Rapids games:

[The 1-3-1.  The constant double-team.  The Storm is overwhelmed.  Everybody gets PT.]

[Varsity “backs up” the JV in Brainerd.]

[Mo Eigen v. Sauk Rapids.]

[Brianna Ebert, 5’9″ senior, player-of-the-game v. Sauk Rapids.]

[Emily Peck, 5’9″ junior v. Sauk Rapids.]