WE’RE GOING TO STATE!!

Posted on February 16, 2013 by tomobert63

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OK, this is just a tease.  The supervisor and I are off today for a weekend of following the Gopher women’s hockey and basketball teams, so I don’t have time for a full report right now.

Last night.  Detroit Lakes.  Section finals.  Against Fergus Falls, a team we had beaten twice, 3-0 both times, during the regular season.  It’s tough to beat a team 3 times in one season.

[Well, that’s how the story line began the morning after.  Now the rest of the story.]

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[The band (hard to fool me!)   In fact, both bands were there.  We love bands.  But it is impossible to communicate with your next door neighbor when they are playing.]

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[This was our pre-game nosh destination (the one in Alex is open now).  We somehow ended up at a place two blocks away called the Lakeside Inn.  We had GPS?  Very similar venue.  Then we had to ask directions to the arena.  Well, we’re old.]

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[Cheer, oh cheer for Alex.]

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[Aaaaaaayyyyyyyy!  Or words to that effect.]

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[Introducing Shelby]

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[Anna]

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[Becca]

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[Shanee’]

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[McKenzie]

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[Amy]

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[Everybody]

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[Go Cards!!]

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[Fergus Otter Fall!!]

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[Let’s play hockey!!]

The game in a nutshell:  The Otters caught us in a line change early in the 1st period and scored – and then out played us the rest the period.  The Cards took control of the game in the 2nd period – all we had to do was to put some pucks in the net.  That turned out to be a real challenge.  We had a lot more shots than the shots-on-goal would indicate, but they were either missing or not getting through to the net.  Shelby finally tied it for us early in the 3rd, but we couldn’t get that go ahead goal.

Teddy Hockey was relishing the thought of OT.  He said Danielle loved OT’s and shoot-outs – but Danielle’s a goalie and does crazy stuff like rock climbing and sky diving.  😉  Meanwhile, I had to go change my dainties.

Our season-long secret weapon, Melissa, hit the game winner barely 2 minutes into OT – and the Cards were off to state.  Opening round game will be Wednesday, 11:00 am, at the ‘X’ against No. 2 seed, Red Wing – and we’ll be there!  🙂

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[1st period in our zone.]

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[Shelby’s line.]

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[Hanah.  The 3rd line had some good early shifts.  Later in the game, we used mostly a two-line strategy.]

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[Action by the Otter bench.  I’m sure pleasantries were exchanged.]

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[We’re in the Otter zone.]

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[Anna battles to keep it in.]

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[And she did as Shelby gives it chase!]

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[Shelby and Becca had it close.]

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[Becca’s at the front door again.]

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[Then Taylor and Melissa give it a try.]

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[Nope, not quite either.]

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[Madi and Mel try to keep it in.]

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[“The Voices” warm to their task!]

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[After 1, we weren’t worried (yet).]

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[In the 2nd period, the momentum switched to the Cardinals where it remained for the rest of the game.]

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[Shelby’s line applied early pressure.]

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[Face-off in the Otter zone.]

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[Becca and Lauren manning the points.]

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[Taylor’s line in the zone.]

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[Mel, Madi, and Taylor circle.]

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[Anna and Mel – a line change in progress.]

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[Keeping the pressure on in the Otter zone – we can change lines, the defense can’t.]

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[Shot by Anna.]

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[And another stop by the Otter goalie.]

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[Cards continue to keep it in.]

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[Into the 3rd.  The Cards are wondering what it’s going to take to tie it up?]

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[Pressure, pressure, pressure.   The Otters were wearing down.]

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[YES!!  Finally, we tie it up a few minutes into the 3rd.  Shelby on a rebound.]

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[OK, now let’s go tell the bench what we did!!]

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[A final push to win in regulation.]

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[Looks like OT.]

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[Oy, I don’t like period 4!!]

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[But a little over 2 minutes into it, Melissa scored and sent us to state!]

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Let’s just sit back for a few moments and enjoy the celebration:

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[We’re going to the ‘X’!!]

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[Another note to novice fans.  If your team’s hats are all over the ice, you’re the champions!]

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[Hockey moms, Shanee’s and Becca’s, rush the ice for photo ops.]

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[Good job, coaches!]

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[The Otters made us earn it.]

The ladies receive their individual hardware:

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[Rachel]

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[Melissa]

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[Kaila]

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[Hanah]

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[Madi]

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[Mari]

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[Lauren]

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[Nicole]

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[Taylor]

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[Marisa]

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[Sara]

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[McKenzie]

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[Anna]

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[Amy]

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[Micaela]

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[Bailey]

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[Becca]

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[Shelby]

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[Shanee’]

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[AD Hartmann hands out the hardware.]

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[They took my plaque! 😉 ]

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[WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!]

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[Meet you at the glass!]

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[Rachel, Shelby, and Shanee’ skate off with the prize.]

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[Wheeeeee!]

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[Parents move in for the scrapbooking ops.]

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[I hope one of them sends me a good shot . . . for older people do not venture onto the ice!]

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[The kids did good!  🙂 ]

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The following photos are from a certain M. Herd, who went ice-side:

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[The Team (again, hard to fool me!)]

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[Captains Iverson and Herd]

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[Defense pair of Herd and Revering, with older men]

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[The Defense – Amy, Lauren, Shanee’, McKenzie, and Bailey; Nicole had moved on to the lockerroom]

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[The Seniors – Shanee’, Shelby, Sara, Becca, Anna, and Madi]

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[“The Voice” interviews Shelby and Shanee’]

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[Shelby with Britni DelCastillo, from last year’s team.  Britni infortunately had to move to the Cities because . . . her dad is now the coach of the Hamline men’s hockey team!]

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[At state, don’t forget your “Shanee’ (or whoever)-on-a-stick”!]

And, finally, a note from Danielle “Roadblock” Justice (goalie for the 2008 state champions):

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[From her New Zealand blog.]

About tomobert63

The Journey Begins Thanks for joining me! This is the follow-up to the original, “alexandriacardinals.wordpress.com,” which overwhelmed the system’s ability to handle it any more. Thus, this is “Part 2.” As the original was initially described: 10-26-07-4 “It all began in a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California” . . . wait a minute, that was Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show! Let’s see . . . oh yeah, it all began in 2003 when retirees, i.e., old people, in Alexandria, Minnesota, who had no desire to become snow birds, went looking for mid-winter entertainment here in the frozen tundra of West Central Minnesota. We discovered girls’ high school hockey, fell in love immediately, and it remains our favorite spectator sport to this day. Initially, and for several years, reports on these games were e-mailed to those who were actually snowbirds but wanted to keep abreast of things “back home.” It was ultimately decided a blog would be more efficient, and it evolved into a personal diary of many things that attracts tens of readers on occasion. It remains a source of personal mental therapy and has yet to elicit any lawsuits. ~ The Editor, May 9, 2014 p.s. The photo border around the blog is the Cardinal girls’ hockey team after just beating Breck for the state championship in 2008. It’s of the all-tournament team. The visible Breck player on the left is Milica McMillen, then an 8th-grader – she is now an All-American for the Gophers. The Roseau player in the stocking cap I believe is Mary Loken, who went on to play for UND; and the Cardinal player on the right, No. 3, is Abby Williams, the player we blame most for making us girls’ hockey fans who went on to play for Bemidji State. *********************************************************************************** Photos contained herein are available for personal use. All you have to do is double click on any of the photos and they will become full screen size. You can then save them into your personal “My Pictures” file. They make lovely parting or hostess gifts, or holiday gifts for such as Uncle Ernie who wants to see how his grand niece is doing on the hockey team. If any are sold for personal profit, however, to, for example, the Audubon Society, National Geographic, Sven’s Home Workshop Monthly, Curling By The Numbers, or the World Wrestling Federation, I only request that you make a donation to the charitable organization of your choice. You have two hours and fifteen minutes. Pencils ready? Begin! **********************************************************************************
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