February 1

[This was my first boys basketball game of the season – retirement schedules can be awfully busy!  What I first noticed in the roster is that . . . hey, we have size in our future!]

[But initially I must report that this team, not on anybody’s radar at the start of the season, has now cracked the Top Ten in the state’s ranking system with its 14 – 3 record!]

[And we’re off and leaping!  The Cardinals Justin Balcome (24), 6’10” senior, v. Rocori’s Matthew Waletzko (55), 6’7″ senior, gotta be pushing 300 pounds . . . ]

[Waletzko is not fast, but he’s a good athlete and effective scorer . . . ]

[Here Card coach Forest Witt “helps” Justin play pressure defense . . . ]

[Carter Stockert (44), 6’3″ junior (and a fireballing lefty for the baseball team), attempts the “hiding behind you” defense on the Spartans point guard . . . ]

[As I understand it, the new kid on the block – Carrson Jones (11), 5’10” sophomore guard . . . ]

[The student section, with some of our girl roundballers, cheer a free throw attempt.  Emeritus football coach, Deny Kalpin, looks on from the right . . . ]

[Based on their respective records, it shouldn’t have been this close at the half. But the Cards kicked it up a bit in the 2nd half . . . ]

[And the shot of the game by Emma Schmidt, a starter on the girls team . . . ]

[For comparative sizes, Bryce Ludwig (25) was the tight end on our football team.  His task was to keep Waletzko away from the basket . . . ]

[I took more photos this half because now the Cardinal offensive zone was right in front of me . . . ]

[Trey Hoepner (0), junior, and Jared Schneider (13), senior, play catch out front . . . ]

[Until recently, Card scoring came mostly from Justin and Trey, but Jared has now had some big games . . . ]

[Interesting arm positioning by the ref . . . ]

[Jared applying a little backcourt defensive pressure . . . ]

[Justin ISO?]

[A big guy with a big game . . . ]

[A good ball handler, he can score inside and out – a good 3-point shooter . . . ]

[We have a connection here with Michael Kuhn (3), senior guard, so he will be featured a bit . . . ]

[His mom, Beth, took the most famous picture in Alexandria “Y” history . . . ]

[And here it is . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at the game, Justin and Trey backing on defense . . . ]

[Bryce, on the lookout for Waletzko?]

[I noticed this kid in the JV game . . . ]

[Dane Galloway (35), 6’1″ sophomore, looks to be a player . . . ]

[And a shout out to the real athletes . . . ]

[Nice catch!]

[Michael playing catch with Trey . . . ]

[Then cutting hard to the hoop . . . ]

[Bryce had a nice offensive game too . . . ]

[Then Trey . . . ]

[Let’s talk about it . . . ]

[OK, let’s wrap it up . . . ]

[We are now 10 – 6 overall, in 4th place in a 9-team conference.  Justin had his usual big game; Jared had a 14-point 2nd half (18 total) that helped us pull away.]

Basketball, a game which won’t be fit for people until they set the basket umbilicus-high and return the giraffes to the zoo.  ~  Ogden Nash

Up Next:  Hockey . . . and Josie?