alexandriacardinals

February 11

Girls

[These were the final two games of a day long basketball extravaganza at AAHS – the Card girls and boys hosting the Buffalo Bison.  The Bison girls had played here during our holiday tournament, like our Cards losing to Watertown-Mayer in a competitive game. The Bison are a class AAAA team with a good record, so they figured to give our Cards a tussle. It was in the Watertown-Mayer game our Cards discovered the offensive capabilities of our wing players, Kiyana Miller and Kelby Olson-Rodel, numbers 21 and 15, respectively, in the warm-up photos below.]

[Our leading scorer Macy Hatlestad, right foreground, has missed several games with a knee.  She was back on the court, wearing a brace, but didn’t play in this game.  I believe the hope is she’ll be ready to play by tournament time.  There are four regular season games remaining.]

[Emma Schmidt (25) second from the right, with Emma Ziegler (1) on the far right.  I do not believe there is a team codicil requiring the Emmas to shoot together.]

[And on the far left is Kara Thomson (23), the team’s designated 3-point shooter.  Her first two such attempts in the coming game were nothing but net.]

[Lauren Stockmoe (33) puts a hand in Kiyana’s face, McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35) is on Kiyana’s right.]

[And introducing the Cardinals . . . ]

[Coach K]

[And the Cardinals introducing themselves to each other.]

[Kayla Feldhake (43) is all concentration prior to the center jump.]

[And we’re off and running . . . ]

[And running the Cardinals is Kendall Kohler (3).]

[Kayla led the Cards on a fast start.  I believe she scored the first 5 points in the game.]

[The Cards were in full smother defensive mode in the first half.  The Bison never had a chance.]

[Schmidty provides long and athletic depth.]

[In addition to her usual stout defense, Kiyana has become a double digit scorer often in the new year.]

[And Kendall was lighting up 3’s and assorted other offensive maneuvers enroute to a game high 22-point performance.]

[Maggie Slagle (15) has earned more PT lately.]

[Free throws from Kiyana . . . ]

[McKenzie . . . ]

[And Kelby.]

[Good, or not?]

[Kelby executes a full speed U turn . . .]

[And hies back into the action.]

[Then tangles with a bigger Bison on defense.]

[Kendall finishes a drive.]

[Schmidty on the line.  Everybody was contributing.]

[Kiyana will catch her.]

[Kendall also on a U turn.  My kneecaps hurt just looking at this.]

[Kiyana on a drive . . . ]

[When she is isolated on the wing, she can usually blow by her defender.]

[About as good a half as we can play.  Buffalo is a pretty good team but they were overwhelmed on this night.]

[Emma Z initiates the offense.]

[Kiyana and Kendall on a 2-on-1 break.  These are almost always initiated off defensive steals.]

[Kendall on the free throw – wastes no time, makes both.]

[Nice power move in the paint by Kayla.]

[The defense hustles back – all whippets here.]

[Kaye Paschke (45) contributes at the end.]

[If Macy is ready, we’re ready for tournament time.]

Boys

[The boys game got off to a similar start as the girls.  With good defensive pressure, making it hard for the Bison to score.  Here Jaran Roste (31) completes a 3-point play, getting the Cards off to a quick start.]

[In fact, it was all Jaran in the early going . . . ]

[At one point he was leading the Bison all by himself.]

[Spencer Hockert (15) is the team’s leading scorer but on this night that mantle fell on Jaran.]

[Jake Drew (33) made life miserable for the Bison at the top of the press.]

[Here he has help from Robert Anderson (3) sneaking in on the lower right.  We’ve been waiting for Robert, 6’1″, to get a breakaway dunk – he got a two-handed stuff in this game that brought the house down.]

[Jake works his way to the foul line.]

[Jaran hit a fall away ‘3’ at the buzzer to complete an 18-point half.  The defense was obviously terrific holding the Bison to 14.]

[In the second half, Justin Balcome (43) goes in for a lay-up.  This was my only photo of the 2nd half as both I, and the team, seemed to lose interest in what turned into a rather sloppy half with the game outcome never in doubt . . . ]

[Still, any win is a good win.]

[And the Alexandria Aces performed at halftime of the boys’ game.]

The NBA is like a small sorority. We’re like brothers.  ~  Rashad Lewis

January 14

The last full day in Sydney . . .

[Beginning with a 90-minute plus bus ride to the Blue Mountains.  Shortly before arrival we made a rest stop in Leura (a town about the size of Sauk Centre).  The Biddies took the opportunity for a quick excursion through town in search of pastries and an ATM.]

[We’ve arrived at Scenic World where you [G]lide between cliff tops and gaze at the rainforest canopy through the glass floor of the Scenic Skyway!  Suspended 270 metres above ancient ravines, the Skyway provides a unique thrill as breathtaking views are revealed beneath your feet through the electro-glass cabin floor.  With 360° views, the 720 metre journey provides the best views of Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters, and Jamison Valley stretching to the horizon.  Disembark at the Skyway’s east station to access lookouts over the valley along with bush trails to Echo Point (scenicworld.com.au).]

[And here we go!]

[And what cable ride is complete without a glass floor?]

[The Super’s having fun.]

[Coming in for a landing – the Three Sisters on the left.]

[Looking back at whence we came.]

[But that was just the start.  Next, [D]iscover the thrill of a 52 degree incline riding the steepest passenger railway in the world, the Scenic Railway.  Custom designed carriages allow passengers to adjust their seated position up to 20 degrees!  The Railway experience descends 310 metres through a cliff-side tunnel, emerging into ancient rainforest at the Jamison Valley floor.  Carrying 84 passengers, the train departs every ten minutes. Disembark at the bottom station to access the Scenic Walkway and stroll through 2.4 kilometres of Jurassic rainforest  (scenicworld.com.au).]

[I’m scared!]

[Bert and Kathy settle in.]

[Photographing the staff photographer (so he can notify the next of kin).]

[Hang on, Bert!]

[We’ve arrived at the walkway.]

[Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains]

[Time for the selfie-stick shots.]

[Looking back up the tracks.]

[Beginning our walk, this was coal country at one time.]

[Ride ’em, cowgirl!]

[Mine, as in where they found coal.]

[Getting a feel for being in a rain forest.]

[As you could note, the railway didn’t take us all the way to the bottom.  A little Stairmaster action was required for that.]

[Ferns, the world’s oldest plants.]

[Lianas, or Tarzan vines.]

[More signs of past human activity.]

[A really big tree in Australia will either be a fig . . . or in this instance, a gum.]

[Wow, how did we make it through all this?]

[The Super emerges in a “clearing.”]

[Now we have to get back to the top.  So, [D]iscover panoramic views of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains from the Scenic Cableway.  The 510 metre journey gently descends into the Jamison Valley and also returns visitors to the top of the escarpment. The Cableway’s fully enclosed cabin provides a unique vantage point for viewing the Three Sisters, Orphan Rock, Mt Solitary and Katoomba Falls.  Disembark at the bottom station to access the Scenic Walkway and stroll through 2.4 kilometres of Jurassic rainforest.  [t]he Cableway is the steepest and largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere (scenicworld.com.au).]

[And here comes our ride . . . ]

[The Three Sisters, again]

[And we’re back to the top.]

[The visitor center had a theater where they had a short production on the Aborigines.  Some of us went there . . . ]

[Others went in search of photo ops!]

[We’re heading to the ever popular (they’re found ’round the world) “scenic overlook.”]

[And that’s what it’s called.]

[And there it is!]

[What can be seen.]

[The Three Sisters, again again . . . ]

[Can you see the walkway to the Sister on the left?]

[Can you see it now?  No, we didn’t go there.]

[Overlooking the Three Sisters overlook.]

[Panorama, or an expansive view]

[A flower]

[We started the walk, then realized the sun was strong enough to melt lead, so we turned back . . .]

[To a more sane endeavor.]

[Aaaah, an icy cold sauvignon blanc.  I sat inside in a wingback chair where a gentleman, with a wine in each hand, from merry old England stopped by for a chat.]

[Then the stop the ladies were waiting for.  It seemed unlikely that we were going to see any animals in the wild on these day tours, so how ’bout an animal park?

[A good spot to insert the Super’s photos (the next 7), because she loves critters!]

[Aaaah, a teddy bear!]

[Back to my photos, where we address the pithier matters of wildlife management.]

[Petting a ‘roo.  There are several species, and I believe this was the smallest.]

[G’day, mate!]

[And here’s your answer!]

[The aforementioned wombat having a snooze in the 100-degree heat.]

[I mean, seriously, can that really be a comfortable place to sleep?]

[And little blue penguins, the world’s smallest . . . ]

[Too cute]

[Emu]

[And another ‘roo petting.]

[On the way back, our driver took us through the Sydney Olympic site . . . ]

[Finally, I made a boo-boo earlier.  This is where we got on a boat to avoid vehicle traffic into the city.  Our bus driver noted this was something recently started because it literally is faster to deposit the passengers onto a boat for the ride into city center.]

There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.  ~  Robert Louis Stevenson

February 7

[The JV game against Moorhead.  The Spud players looked really young?]

[Just another day at the office.]

[Then the varsity took the floor.]

[The Cards “center jumper,” Robert Anderson, is 6’1″; the Spuds guy was 6’3″, also not their tallest player.  Go figure?]

[Basketball superfans John and Ann Heydt look on from afar.]

[Referee signalling a foul against the Cardinals . . . or maybe I’m just being paranoid?]

[Another foul?]

[We handily beat the Spuds in the season opener.  They are very young with not a good record.  The Cards came out with the appearance of let’s just rack up some points.  It seemed whoever had the ball crossing mid-court would take it as far as they could before shooting.  I bet we missed our first 10 shots?]

[We eventually settled in to some semblance of team play, and our obvious advantage in experience and athleticism began to take over.]

[Trey Hoepner (1) gathers a rebound.]

[Jared Schneider (13) got extended playing time because of foul issues among the starters.]

[Jaran Roste (1) checks to make sure the cameraman is properly executing the “live streaming.”  Have you watched any of the live streamed sports yet?]

[Jake Drew (33), a/k/a, “Charlie Hustle.”]

[At 6’4″, Jake is a big point man at the top of the defense; offensively he positions down low so he can grab every offensive rebound available.]

[Uh-oh, a Spud splits our defense.]

[Jake again as the defensive greeter.]

[Mr. Hoepner with a jumper.]

[And here’s Mr. MVP.  Spencer Hockert (15) had another great game with 29 points.  He is our leading scorer and will certainly be first team all-conference.  The concern is that on nights like this, when the rest of the team is scuttling a bit, there is a real load on him when he ends up with almost half of the team’s total points.]

[Spencer out front.  What makes him so tough is he can hit the ‘3’, or drive right by his defender.]

[Coming down or going up?]

[And while his teammates often had adventures on the free throw line, I think he knocked down all of his.]

[At the half, low scoring largely (OK, totally) because the shooting percentages were on the lower side.  But you’re always in the game when the defense never rests.]

[Mr. Roste with a little ball movement.]

[Mr. Drew again, and he did knock down his free throws too.  That’s good because as an offensive rebounder, he can get to the line a lot.]

[Still waiting for “center jumper,” Mr. Anderson, to pull off a two-handed stuff during a game.  Ha!]

[Spencer in mid U-turn.]

[Mr. Anderson got a little banged up on this play and had to come out of the game.  Shortly before that, Jaran tweaked an ankle and had to leave the game too.  The trend was not good!]

[Then . . . good news.  It wasn’t that long before both of them were back at the scorer’s table ready to check back in.]

[Justin Balcome (43) goes for the block – he had a few.]

[And while he’s ordinarily one of our best shooters (he swished a couple of ‘3’s’ during the game), he missed 4 free throws in a row down the stretch.  At a time when we really could have put the game away, we missed 6 straight free throws and an uncontested layup.  Gives that ‘ugh’ feeling.]

[The final – a nice win.]

Basketball has so much showboating you’d think it was invented by Jerome Kern.  ~  Art Spander

January 13

[This is the Super’s photo (well, from her tablet by Reetz).  It should have been the lead on the Day 2 posting, about our arrival in the Lands Down Under and having to look at everything upside down.  Oooops.]

[But, back to our story.  We began the morning with a guided walking tour of The Rocks, the historic area of Sydney center city and near Harbour Bridge.  And not far from our hotel.]

[Whaaaa?  Captain Cook’s ship is a restaurant?]

[We’ll be walking up there soon enough . . . ]

[Looks like a place for fine dining?]

[This area reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans.]

[Where one finds the most interesting stuff down alleyways.]

[All’s quiet early in the morning – except for the tourists.]

[A wall that was important for geological or historical reasons – I can’t remember which.]

[Where we were.]

[Just in case we have any readers named “Eric.”]

[Reetz was once Indiana School Nurse of the Year.  And here she found her “way.”]

[I see people . . . walking inside a wall?]

[Never went here  . . . or the one in Auckland either.  Go figure?]

[Hyde Park is the oldest public parkland in Australia.  It’s a rectangular 40 acres in Sydney’s CBD (central business district, a term they use often in these environs).]

[Unfortunately, we did not go in here.]

[We have now bused to the other side of Farm Cove, looking back across to the city, Opera House, et al.]

[Anne lines up her shot of the same thing.]

[Hi!  Do you know me? It’s cloudy now but I burned the bejesus out of my head yesterday!]

[Tourists . . . and proud.]

[And the whole team.]

[Kathy and Bert were looking down upon . . . ]

[Mrs. Macquaries Chair, an exposed sandstone rock cut into the shape of a bench, on the northeastern tip of Farm Cove in Sydney Harbour.  It was hand carved by convicts from sandstone in 1810 for Governor Macquarie’s wife,  Elizabeth. The peninsula itself is named Mrs Macquarie’s Point, and is part of The Domain, near the Royal Botanix Gardens.]

[The Biddies loved the chair.]

[Another view from where I shot The Biddies.]

[Another monster fig tree.]

[The Super points to an, er . . . appendage?]

[The city from Mrs. Macquaries Point . . . ]

[We’re traveling again, through the city to . . . ]

[Well, first, ’twas the season . . . ]

[But to Bondi (bon-DIE) Beach, allegedly Sydney’s most famous beach.]

[We had been advised by Alex folk who had been there and then by our local tour guide to be aware – the denizens of Bondi occasionally “forget” to wear swimming attire . . . ]

[Naturally, no such luck while we were there.]

[Another trending toward another 100-degree day.  Because I do not mix well with sun, sand, and sweat, I staked out a position at the top of the stairs while the rest of our party ambled across the beach to give their toes a dip.]

[No naked people for as far as the eye could see.]

[There’s our group down by the yellow sign, which read something to the effect it’s unlawful to feed vegemite sandwiches to waterfowl.]

[The next 4 photos are from the Super at water’s edge.  Much to my delight they were splashed butt height by a wave.]

[Back to my efforts from the water and sand-free concrete steps.]

[We got wet!]

[Back on the bus, the driver pointed out this house which recently sold somewhere between $1 – 2 million?  But it has a view you will soon see.]

[And this one – the starship ‘Enterprise’ – went for between $4 – 5 million?]

[But we parked across the street from these abodes, walked across a vacant lot (a park, I believe), to this view of the city . . . ]

[Cropped out the powerlines . . .]

[And there’s the ‘Enterprise’ at our backs.]

[Back to the bus – the temperature is uncomfortably rising.]

[Shot from the moving bus.]

[Back down to sea level.]

[After our bus tour, we’re taking a lunch cruise back into the city.  It’s more comfortable – and faster this way.]

[The Biddies are never unhappy to be in a buffet line.  Well, except their preference would be ordering from a menu.]

[Bill and Shari held the table . . . ]

[And soon we were all enjoying fine dining . . . with adult beverages!]

[The Opera House is in sight . . . ]

[Passing by our Circular Quay . . . ]

[To the classic waterside shots . . . ]

[Tomorrow our ship will be there . . .]

[Try as you might, you’ll keep taking pictures of the Opera House and bridge.]

[And one from the Super.]

[Here we’re back at Macquaries Point.]

[Home to 4.6 million Aussies – a similar population to the entire state of Minnesota and actually a little larger than all of New Zealand.]

[It is a port and they do have a navy.]

[The city and its marvels.]

[Trump Island . . . OK, I made that up, but it is the best island.]

[Described as a defaced Blue Ensign.]

[If you’re wondering why I took this picture, it’s because of the one following . . . ]

[Sisters]

[Alcatraz?]

[Long may you wave.]

[You remember Harbour Bridge?  It was in all the literature.]

[You’re right – it was a pretty nice day as Shari can attest.]

[Any ideas?]

[My guess is the lighthouse is non-functional; the tall ship likely on occasion.]

[Bill’s lookin’ good in the neighborhood.  He’s a native Pennsylvanian, and his Pirates cap served him well on the trip.]

[Darling Harbour, one harbor to the west of our Circular Quay.]

[An amusement park on the ‘far’ side of the bridge.]

[It’s almost like a continuous parade of people o’er the top of the bridge.  Not for me, mate.]

[I see five distinct groups making their way over the top.]

[Some tourist mishandling the Aussie flag (from the Super).]

[“Exit” is “way out,” “yield” is “give way.”  Gotta love it!]

[A ferry named in honor of our insurance guy.]

[After a hard day of sightseeing, fine dining on the waterfront.]

[Objets d’art on the walk from the waterfront back to the hotel.]

No matter where you go, there you are.   ~  Buckaroo Banzi