alexandriacardinals

But first:

* * BLIZZARD WARNING * * *

We’re heading into state tournament time. Girls’ hockey begins Wednesday at the ‘X.’ That means, of course, major winter storms arrive to contribute to the frivolity! The Twin Cities are forecast to get 15-20″ of snow today and into tomorrow – the Alex area may get 8”. Uffda! As preparation for the impending event, the supervisor sent me out at oh-dark-thirty this morning to pick up the necessities, including chili fixin’s, hit the ATM, and gas up the car. But now on to the subject at hand.

The chauffeur driven limosine arrived promptly at 12:00 noon. The previous day, we had ventured to Detroit Lakes – yesterday was a trip to Morris, at the other extremity of West Central Minnesota. Our wanderlust knows no bounds!

We were off to see a Prairie Home Companion show at the University of Minnesota, Morris. With an able assist from Merry and Paul Donley, i.e., the chauffeurs, we arrived in downtown Morris for a pre-event repast at Bella’s. We entered sans reservations not considering there would be thousands of non-Morris residents in town to see Garrison Keillor. Fortunately, we were early enough for a table, but the place was pushing capacity when we left. As I recall, for the gourmands in the audience, Paul and Ruthie enjoyed the special steak salad with a Menage a’ Trois red wine, Merry had the special with a white wine (whose brand vintage now escapes me), and this reporter, ever contrary, had the pepperone and spinach calzone with a red zinfandel. We then departed for the university, appropriately sated.

We parked next to the Cougars (a/k/a, “Big Cats”) football stadium, a venue, I believe, not yet conquered by Basketball Dan. We sauntered (well, actually we were cajoled by the driver onto a campus bus) over to the Pretty Good Reception, where we enjoyed hot cider and a cookie, and met our campus tour guide, Nate, from Cottage Grove. Yes, Nate was a neighbor of former Gopher basketball star, Sam Jacobson. Nate told us he had considered elite (i.e., expensive) Eastern schools, but he was sold on UMM when he visited in mid-winter on a 20-degree below zero day, and later enjoyed being snowed in there during semester break. He has gone to Antarctic as part of his studies and is going back again this year. My kinda cold weather guy!

[The famouse snowflake chandelier.]

Nate led us through the campus, explaining that the university began as an “industrial school for Indians,” became an agricultural college, and ultimately became part of the state’s liberal arts university system. Wherever we went, we ran into Alexandria’s liberal elite – all 20 of them. UMM has about 1,700 students, is rated in the top 15 “smaller” universities in the country, and has become a rather exclusive admissions-wise.

Armed with a total knowledge of our setting, we made for the event location – the gymnasium.  We were advised it would not open until 4:00 for the 4:45 start, but at 3:30 the lobby was full of anxious PHC fans so the doors were flung open and the stampede for open seating began. Alexandria members of the Central Lakes Concerts Association may notice a similarity to our “theatre” – bleacher seating with folding chairs on the floor.  It was hard to estimate the crowd (at least 3,000?), but the place was full.   An hour later, the cast came out and began a 15-minute audience warm-up before the show began at 5:00.  The two-hour show (including our subject title skit of Guy Noir) was terrific and enjoyed by all.  We are concerned Garrison, 6-years my elder, may be calling it a career soon.  After hitting the big time in Morris, PHC is going on the road for the next three weeks to entertain smaller audiences in San Diego, Nashville, and New York City (where, I am told, ticket prices are $375.00).

Finally, regular visitors to this site are probably aware I am a regular at the gym.  This is an effort to maintain peak physical conditioning for the rigors of  blogging.  My trainer recently made the following video of our workout routine together:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAdZ2Dg2bUA

Amazing. The Alexandria girls’ hockey team discovered their “game” at exactly the right time. After a regular season of taking on “the big schools” all season long, the last half almost always on the road, and finishing with an 8-14-1 record, the Cards, with a new found self confidence, steamrolled through the section with 10-1 and 8-3 wins, and finally a 4-0 championship victory over Fergus Falls last night in Detroit Lakes. This was not a fluke – the better team won.

We picked up fellow Super Fans, Joyce and Dave Rogosheske, on Lake Miltona yesterday afternoon and made our first venture out of Douglas County since the invention of the internal combustion engine. We headed to DL with the idea of eating at Zorbaz on the lake before the game. Naturally, after arriving in the city we missed our turn, as older people are wont to do. We made a U-turn and discovered we had just missed it by one block. Upon reaching Zorbaz, we were struck by the sight of people heading to the lake carrying their golf bags – while it was a bright sun shiny day, the temperature was about 10 degrees, apparently just right for a mid-winter tournament on the ice. Barb and Roger Riley, with granddaugher, Megan, joined us shortly thereafter where we all enjoyed various applications of pizza and Mexican foods. The entire Ellingson ensemble was there also.

[Zorbaz 🙂 (The inside of the men’s room door – you don’t get this kind of reporting just anywhere!]

Then it was on to the Kent Freeman Arena. Once seated, we had to assure the supervisor this was going to be a Card victory. Fergus had beaten the Cards twice during the regular season, but we outshot them both times. And Joyce pointed out how difficult it is to beat a team three times in one season.* The first period was evenly played with the Cards holding a slight shot advantage – the score was 0-0 at the break. In the 2nd period, Shelby Iverson scored and it looked to be the start of something good! Shanee’ Herd continued her play-off scoring binge with another goal, and the Cards took a 2-0 lead into the third. The Cards began the final period playing just two lines – and then when the third line was sent out, they were so fresh they really carried the play. That’s when Robo commented that the Otters were wearing out. Shelby scored again – and Claire Illies put in an almost length-of-the-ice open netter for the final goal. As in the section semi-finals, the line of Shelby, Claire, and Claire’s sister Becca had a dominant game. And Stephanie Drown, with a terrific assist from her defense, pitched a lovely shutout in goal.  When the final buzzer sounded, in fine hockey tradition, the ice was littered with helmets, gloves, sticks, mouth guards, and retainers making the surface look like Animal House after a toga party. We found our way home by the light of an incredibly bright full moon.

[Super Fans, drowsy from pizza :-)]

[KXRA announcers Dave Harris and Bob Cunniff.]

So, now it’s on to the “X” for the state tournament, beginning Wednesday. We’ll be there for full on-site coverage. Here are four videos from the game – the intros, the start, the celebration, and the awards:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cVgQWfFP50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9AgADY2X8w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2bUI-lF_88

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pr3Tqwh9Bk

Fortunately, the merriment from DL was enough to offset the rest of the evening’s results. The girls’ basketball team was at Fergus with a chance to tie the Otters for 1st place in the conference. The Otters won 65-57, in OVERTIME. Once again, as in the first game against them (when we shot less than 20%), we forgot to bring out shooting touch. The Cards only shot 25% for the game (so maybe Fergus has something to do with it?). But we have to wonder how a team gets to shoot 41 free throws in a game – as the Otters did – making 25 of them. Please indulge my skepticism about a team getting 40% of its points for “free.” * We will invoke the Joyce Rogosheske adage here – it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. If the Cards can shoot terribly twice and still amost win both times, we will have to be the favorites if we play Fergus in the sections?

It was also a tough night for the boys. The basketball and hockey teams both lost to Moorhead – in defense of the hockey team, they won the night before but it’s tough to have enough left in the tank to play two nights in a row. [Note: It’s was also the girls’ basketball team’s 2nd game in two nights – that may have been telling.]

Management and staff of this blog will take a short break from sports reporting to venture out of the county for the second day in a row for Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion performance in Morris this afternoon.

p.s. Undocumented staff report in:

Hockey mom Chris Kragenbring, obviously overcome with excitement, was also up early today:

Whoo Hoo! Going to STATE!!!

Your email will be busy these next few days. Please check it regularly for important state information…..schedule, banquet, fan bus,  etc.

Mitch should know what seed we get by noon today, which will then set the schedule for our first game.

We will keep you posted as information comes our way.

Section Championship t-shirts will be printed and ready for the girls to wear to school on Tuesday.

Whoo Hoo! Going to STATE!!!

California correspondent “Dr.” Gretchen Nelson filed another report:

Two important games and I’m here.  We will be at our daughter’s house during the time both teams are on the court so won’t be able to stream with KXRA.  I refuse to go to sleep tonite until I hear at least the scores of both.  I’m also wondering how Parker is doing.  All the senior players for that matter.  Maybe I’ll call Tami Curry for a run down on some of the activity.

We went on a long walk–almost two hours worth.  Sunny and mild with rain due tonite.  Our daughter lives in Carlsbad so the drive is an easy one and very close.  It’s supposed to begin raining later today so it’s a good thing we have AWD if that coastal rain turns into icy sleet.  Oh, right, we’re in southern CAL.  No worries here.

The guys from Don’s old golf group always golfed here in Oceanside every Sat. a.m. They’ve already called it off for tomorrow.  Don hasn’t achieved anything remotely like his usual tan.

I’m glad the JV team is doing well.  Like them also.  They’re very fun kids.  Also glad Alli is back on her feet.  Loved the pictures of her next to Dave at the mic.  She’s a very free spirit.  They really must whomp FF tonite.  It’s a must. 

Take care.  – Gretch

Super Fan Dusty Johnson:

Hi, got back from Chicago and had a good trip. Granddaughters 3rd b-day, went to Chuck E. Cheeses games and kids all over the place. Anyway got back and Joy got sick with the flu the next day. So missed the bball game and will miss the hockey game in DL, will listen to it on the radio tho. Could go but I don`t want to pass anything around if she has been sick.  I`m ok so far – anyway have a good trip and hope both girls teams win………..Dusty

And finally, Bob “Weakie” Annen checking in from the lanai in Sarasota:

What a game! Listened to the whole thing. Sounds like we outplayed them from the git go. That team is really starting to come together. Off to the State tourney for you guys. We will miss that.

[Break up the Gopher men’s hockey team?]

[And this morning’s sunrise over beautiful Lake Darling!]

In the absence of coverage by the mainstream media, I will step into the breach and select Lauren Trumm as player-of-the-game. The Cardinals 68-51 victory over Detroit Lakes last night could largely be attributed to Lauren’s ability to totally discombobulate the Lakers very good guards. The video at the start of the game opens with Lauren kicking a 50-yard field goal, thus setting the defensive tone for the game, and with Alli, who had a pretty nifty game herself, scoring the Cards’ first 7 points:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ruthobert#p/a/u/0/HB9RvdmrFPM

The supervisor must be impressed – she overcame her “hot gym” concerns* to appear at her 2nd-consecutive game. In fact, we were there so early the bleachers had yet to be put in place because of ongoing JV games. So, I wandered the halls of ole JHS, visiting with the staff photographer and Val to discuss game strategy and to try to figure out how I could cover both the girls hockey game in Detroit Lakes (against Fergus) and the girls basketball game at Fergus tomorrow [now, today]. Roger “One-in-a-Row” Riley was also there as he thoroughly enjoys Lauren’s kicking exhibitions.

Note to basketball parents: Please send a report of the game (absent a Cardinal Connection on the weekend, we have no other source). We assume KXRA will be doing the hockey game because it is the section final.

Meanwhile, back to the game. Reflecting a total lack of concern, I had not researched the Lakers prior to the game. Had I done so, I may have had slight pause. DL has had very good girls’ basketball teams recently, including state tournament teams, and I hadn’t realized that they had beaten Fergus [more on them following] last week. It turned out they have a very good shooting team, with decent size and athletic ability. But with Lauren harassing their guards all night, and with the defense as a whole generally making life miserable for the Lakers, the only way we could tell is by their free-throw shooting. They got to the line a lot, because of our aggressiveness, and it seemed like they all always made both shots. More than half their points in the first half had to be from the line.

Lauren, No. 43, from the Trumm files:

Nevertheless, the Cards, as usual, with good ball movement and scoring off their defense, opened up a 20+ point lead mid-way through the 2nd half. So once again, everybody on the team got playing time. The game wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate. As I recall Lauren and Alli led the way with 18 and 15 points, respectively, without playing a whole lot in the 2nd half.

[Ho-hum, another win.]

Memorable moment:  Jess Syvrud is the sophomore point guard for the JV team; then she sits on the end of the bench for the varsity games.  Last night she was the last of probably 15 players to get into the game – and got to play the last couple of minutes.  She was fouled – and, obviously nervous, missed both shots.  She was fouled again as the game wound down – and made both shots!  The starters in the bench were leaping in delight for her.  When the game ended, Cara went out and picked Jess up in a big bear hug.

So, now the fun begins. We play at Fergus tonight and host Sartell next Thursday. The last two regular season games of the year.  Fergus is 15-1 (19-2 overall) in the conference; Alex is 14-2 (20-2 overall) in the conference; and Sartell is 13-2 (18-3 overall) in the conference. Our two losses are to those teams, both very close games. Alex is currently ranked 4th in the state in class 3A.

We leave for Detroit Lakes this afternoon. The supervisor will, no doubt, stock the car with blankets and enough food to last a week.  Our farthest adventure from Alex the last two months has been to Miltona.

[Not a Cardinal cheerleader.]

[* As it turns out, that wasn’t the supervisor’s only concern. Winter returned with a vengeance yesterday afternoon blown in on 40 mph winds. When we got home from the game last night, she “barricaded” the front door so it wouldn’t be blown in. I had to go out through the garage to get the paper this morning – the winds howled all night and the temperature again reflects the time of year.]

There was nothing on the calendar yesterday. Since my blogging affliction borders on addiction, I decided to present . . .

Sister Gretchen has a birthday tomorrow. She lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the Bureau of National Affairs. BNA is a private entity that keeps track of what our government is up to. Last year on her birthday, we were at the girls’ hockey section finals – tomorrow night will be doing the same as our Cards play Fergus Falls in Detroit Lakes. Last year the Super Fans sang Happy Birthday to her at the game. We submit it to her again this year – Happy Birthday, Sis (and photos with her older brother (moi) and all her brothers):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHfttesQpM8

[Our Gretchen, incidentally, is NOT a sports fan.  In fact, at every family holiday gathering throughout our lives, she would always announce, We’re NOT watching games!!]

[Gretch went to Corcoran School of Art in D.C.  I know she did a self-portrait.  Couldn’t find it.  This is the best I could do of her art.]

Gretchen Nelson is a lost soul snowbirding in California.  As a subsitute teacher, “Dr.” Nelson has a severe and chronic affection for “her kids.”  She is a fan’s fan – here, in her own words (with some amendments for e-mail shorthand):

Ah, I’ve not heard you refer to me as Dr. Nelson.  I have the equivalent of a Master’s but not the right units together.  I’d love to hear specifically about my boys of the ‘hood’ (read court).  Only one has my card–darn.  I should have thought of that earlier.

We’re walking in shorts and tees and bought fresh flowers at the open-air market up the road from us.  Fresh bread, meat (@ $10.00 a lb.), hummus, olive oils, crafts, etc.  The bread man is a Christian and makes these ‘divine’ (no pun intended) scones.  I gave him my book last year in exchange for bread.  A few Sundays later his pastor gave a sermon on the topic so he gave him the book.  Odd how life goes.  The rest of his breads are simply excellent. 

Went swimming yesterday in open-air pool, but I miss my boys.  And I miss being at school.  Thx for all the info.   – Gretchen

I hope you understand that I wrote that in jest:)  My boys play tonite and the girls did a great job last night.  I REALLY miss not being there.  There’s no there here.  Our g’kids are in school, working, or in sports.  Very difficult to get together.  All our own kids and spouses are also working so it gets down to maybe a Sunday.  Super bowl we were all together and had a great time. 

Went to former congregation for choir practice last night and they were so welcoming.  We’ve known a bunch of them for 30 yrs.  Some are not doing so well and some already in the dearly departed ranks.  Uff da.  Take care and hi Ruthie.  –  Gretchen

I cannot tolerate NOT being there to watch the BB teams unfold into something so absolutely wonderful!!!!  It’s raining here so Don had to x-nay his golf over in Temecula with the older guys.  We’ve been enjoying $6.00 Tuesday movies, which we walk to from our pad in the sky.  Anyway, take good care of my boys of the hood–during their next game.  I can’t get my computer hooked up here so it’s almost a loss except for the writing.  I’d love to contact some of the teachers but my address book is non-functioning at this point.   Take care.  – Gretchen

What’s so wonderful to love?  🙂  The comment re: my computer is so hack-eyed it’s awful.  Whatever on the blog. Today we’re off to the open-air market in downtown Oceanside–one of my favorite things to do here.  It’s sunny, great walking to the market where we’ll each get a scone from the bakery guy–they’re top notch, walk around admiring seller’s stuff.  A chub of beef goes for $10.00 a pound–we don’t buy it.  Fish, which we thought we’d eat a ton of here, is also high as the fish are playing get away games in the ocean.  Last year we ate calamari till we couldn’t stuff ourselves any more with it.  They were almost jumping into the boats, so price was $8 a pound.  When one can get 4 nice sized steaks in a pound, that’s a given to purchase.

A lady sells some very unique hand carved wood items.  Last year I bought a pedestal salad bowl and got raves.  This year I bought a 3-armed candleholder. So far.  $20 each.  A steal.

Then it’s up to Mission Viejo where we used to live for afternoon bridge and dinner with friends and then off to choir practice at our former congregation.  Big choir.

I REALLY do work up a snit for not being able to be at the games.  The first thought I had upon awaking yesterday was by just how much did the girls win the game.

Are they state headed?  I’d think so.  ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe we’ll do the KXRA thing on Don’s computer.

Enjoy the weather.  See you in 6 weeks about the time baseball starts–a game I see as lacking purpose and which the kids know I despise. 

Take care     – Gretchen

[Late addendum to Gretchen:  Did you know she grew up next to fellow Super Fan, the Hoymster (featured often in this blog), in Brooten?   Amazing how they both ended up in Alex as huge Cardinal fans.]

Now that you’ve had a report from a snowbird, it’s time for the report to the snowbirds.  Shorts and t-shirt weather here all week!  Records, and snow banks, falling everywhere.  I wouldn’t have believed this much snow could disappear this fast.  The roads are dry and clear.  The snow is off the roofs.  Splotches of grass are everywhere.  Here are some photos I took yesterday, the 16^th – the first signs of grass in the yard, the first sign of our pebble driveway, the thermometer reading a balmy 50!  And a true sign the end is nigh – yesterday the high temperature in the state was in Ely!  Ely!  The gateway to the Gunflint Trail and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  Ely – 50 miles inside the Arctic Circle – recorded a temperature of 59 degrees, which beat the old record for the date by 20 degrees!  There is still over a month of winter left – Minnesota winter!  Something weird is going to happen.  Anyway, we have girls’ basketball tonight v. DL (then they have to go to Fergus tomorrow night), a road trip to DL tomorrow for the girls’ section hockey finals v. Fergus, and Saturday, we’re going with President and First Lady Donley to see Garrison Keillor in Morris (so we will unfortunately miss two performances by Dan Mahar).  Oh, and “the boys” are out front fishing today with their trucks – probably trying to make up for being skunked during the Fishing Tournament last weekend.

Finally, a short video of Wisconsin-River Falls’ 12-0 victory over Finlandia (the only private university in the UP – I looked it up!), maintaining their perfect season.  I believe Michelle Anez scored goals 10 & 12 (and also had an assist):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wN6FzCZVYY&feature=player_embedded