alexandriacardinals

No, we are not yet through with girls’ basketball (lots more), vacations, or Kurt Vonnegut. However, we are long past due giving our thinclads their due.

For the past five years the cub reporter-in-training (who, unfortunately, has been on injured reserve for the better part of the past six months and could not join me yesterday) has pushed for a Super Fan appearance at a track meet. He really wanted to see Rosey Erickson and Jamie Piepenburg perform. These two Cardinal athletes have been competing in, and winning events at, the state tournament since they were 8th-graders. Last year, if memory serves (though it often doesn’t), the two of them almost carried the Cards to the state title – Rosey won the long jump, was 3rd in the 200, and 7th in the 100; and Jamie won the 1,600 and was 2nd in the 3,200. Time was running out – they’re seniors now.  [Errata:  This just in – Jamie is just a junior.  Wa-hoo!]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77gHpUza7no

[The above video shows Rosey anchoring the 4×100 team.  She also won the 100, 200, and long jump.  Of known performers, Alli ran the 2nd leg on the far side.] 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXKhKIJP4mk

[The above video shows Jamie winning the 800.  She also competed in a relay.  She did not run in the 1,600, and there was no 3,200, her two specialties.  The 800 was probably for speed work.]

The ability to attend a track meet is exacerbated by their rarity. Usually multi-team events, they are generally scheduled for large venues. I believe the Cardinals may host two meets a year –and one of them is generally snowed out. Yesterday, I believe, was their last home meet of the year. Fortunately, we had perfect weather – and so after the obligatory round of golf, I was able to attend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Siy8Eh6FjFc

[The above video is Rosey winning the 200 – Alli is 3rd on the outside.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3INzxM9gATA  

[The above video is Joie winning the 300 meter hurdles.  She also won the 110 meter hurdles and the triple jump.  If she had enough time, she’d probably excel at the high jump as well.]

I had not been to a track meet probably since my days at the “U,” some 45 years ago. They are busy, with a lot of stuff going on, often at points distant from the viewing area. I tried my best, with assists from fellow fans, Carol and Dave Dittberner, whose grandkids, Julia and Will Sieling, are middle distance runners, to follow all our “known” athletes from the hockey and basketball teams – not always successfully. The hockey team was represented by Britni DelCastillo, Shanee Herd, Becca Illies, and Shelby Iverson; the basketball team by Alli Haar and Joie Warnes (with apologies to those I missed). I found the whole event to be quite exhilarating.

[Julia Sieling (Shanee in the foreground)]

[Will Sieling]

[Shanee in the 400.]

[Shelby in a relay.]

[Joie, in the middle of 7, in the 110 meter hurdles.]

[Rosey, middle, and Alli, far left at the start, in the 100 – and returning.]

[Sam Trumm, Whitney Gesell, Joie Warnes, Lauren Trumm, and a totally-airborne Cara Wood celebrate the game’s final buzzer.]

Maudlin: Weak or mawkish sentiment. I believe the last time I was maudlin (though don’t quote me on that) was after the girls’ hockey team won the state title in 2008. I believe it is appropriate to be maudlin again.

It seems that winning the game that gets you into the state tournament is even more emotional than the state tournament games themselves. In this instance, the girls’ basketball team beat Fergus Falls, 46 – 40, on March 11 at St. Cloud State to win the section title. They had lost two freakishly close games to the Otters during the regular season. The staff photographer captured the aftermath in all its glory. The import of the win can best be explained by the fact that he took 428 photos of this game – about three times his normal output!

I apologize for not knowing the JVers who joined the varsity at tournament time. I will get to know them next year.  Cel-e-brate good times, come on! (Cool and the Gang):

[Joie, Lauren, and Cara –  girls can jump!]

The HUGS:

[Coach Wendy Kohler, a/k/a Kohler, and Sam.]

[Kohler and Joie.]

[Kohler and Alli Haar.]

[Kohler and Lauren.]

[Kohler and Cara.]

[Kohler and Whitney.]

[Kohler and Brianna Ebert.]

[Kohler and Amanda Christianson.]

[Kohler and Katelyn Wold-Clough.]

[Kohler and Lauren Johnson.]

[Kohler and Brittany Ludwig.]

[Kohler and Emily Peck.]

[Kohler and Jessica Syvrud.]

Actually, I wouldn’t mind being maudlin again next year, too.

[In anticipation of what seems like the first really nice day in weeks (going to hit some balls as soon as I finish this), the Easter Bunny did find her way to our house this year, landed her reindeer-pulled sleigh on the roof, slid down the chimney with care, drank the milk and cookies, and left behind these lovely Easter baskets for us.]

Which leads me, I believe, to what must have been the first trip and first Easter with the supervisor (can I get an “ahhh”?). It was 1989, and we went to the Big Apple where as an accidental part of the festivities (I was going to say affair, but that would be wrong) we participated in the Easter Parade on 5th Avenue:

And, finally, a sneak preview of the coming blog – HUGS:

[Tommy and Matt Veline]

. . . well, it was for me. Matt Veline played at the winery today – not a surprise, he plays there once a month. He only lives about five miles from the winery now and performs there every 3rd Saturday – in summer, he will also perform there every other Friday. Sometimes his wife, Julie, who is also very good, sings with him – as she did today. But also with him today (for the first time, as far as I know) was his cousin, Tommy Veline (a/k/a Tommy Vee). I have previously mentioned that Matt is Bobby Vee’s nephew – well, Tommy is Bobby’s son. How neat was that for me?

[A pergola will shade the fans this summer at the winery’s outdoor music venue.]

When people my age (old?) were “coming of age” in the early 60’s, Bobby Vee was one of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll stars of the time (this was still pre-Beatles). Take Good Care of My Baby was the Number 1 hit in the country (that, as well as most of Bobby’s hit songs were written by Carole King). Matt and Tommy sang it today at the winery – kind of the “unplugged” version.

http://www.bobbyvee.com/

Then Tommy told a story about The Day the Music Died (a song they also sang) that I did not know. When the plane went down in Clear Lake, Iowa, it was headed for Fargo and a concert in Moorhead. But the show still had to go on. Bobby Vee and Bill Veline (Matt’s dad) were a local garage band in Fargo, and they performed for the first time in public that night as replacements for Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9HbA7HTdGE

[A video I took of Matt at the winery at another time.] 

Tommy said peers such as the Ventures recognized Matt’s dad as one of the top three guitarists of the time. Matt told us that Tommy has 9-year old son, Bennett, who is a prodigy as a drummer. He thought we could “find” him on the internet, but I had no luck. I told Tommy I amazed that his dad and Gene Pitney hadn’t made the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame – Pitney has now, posthumously. Tommy said there’s a push now to induct more from that era, like his dad and Del Shannon. He hopes his dad makes it while he’s still alive.

Matt and Tommy in their careers they have backed such as Roy Orbison. When Matt sang In Dreams I mentioned it was fun watching Tommy’s face as Matt approached the high note – not many will even attempt that song.

[Pelicans on Lake Cowdry today.  This has nothing to do with the story.]

Faithfully submitted,
Your Camp Social Director