alexandriacardinals

February 18

[The next morning – didn’t want to be here – consolation bracket at Ridder Arena on the U of M campus.]

[Gopher All Americans look down upon us – several are still playing.]

[Well, we’re here, ladies – let’s make the best of it.]

[One for all, and all for one!  ~  Alexandre Dumas]

[Dinkytown options: Erbert & Gerbert’s or Five Guys Burgers and Fries?]

[Mmmmmm, burrrrrr -gerrrrrr!]

[Facing the Northfield Raiders in their 2nd ever state tournament game.  They’re in maroon and gold – home ice advantage at Ridder?  Come to think of it, their school song is the Minnesota Rouser.]

[McKenna Ellingson (24) chases a Raider into a corner; Hanah Hansen (11) stands guard.]

[McKenna: Sometimes the rink can seem really lonely?]

[Kristin Trosvig (15)]

[Puck: Sometimes the rink can seem really lonely?]

[Just a guess, but the puck must be somewhere off to the left.]

[Mari Wosepka (18) circles in looking for the elusive black disc.]

[Oy!]

[Hanah crashes the net just in time to see Calley Richardson’s (7) first ever varsity goal!  It’s nice to know the puck does fit in the net.]

[And here we come again . . . ]

[Stop it!  It’s getting away!]

[McKenzie Revering (29) makes a kick stop . . . ]

[Setting up a shot from the point.]

[Something about the Ridder scoreboard – it’s really hard to see the numbers (apparently without totally changing your camera settings).  This must show the Cards ahead 1 – 0 after one.]

[A familiar sight in the first two games.  But we just couldn’t cash them in.  Tough goalies when you get to this level.  Here McKenna in alone with Rev as back up – but no goal.]

[Good run, though.]

[Hey, has anyone seen the puck?]

[Another offensive push, with Hanah and Lauren Niska (21).]

[Oooohhhhhhhhhhh!]

[I’d like to report a multi-player pile up at the east goal.]

[Here comes Rev and McKenna again.]

[And another goal pile-up.  Hello, State Farm?]

[Keep it in!]

[McKenna and Kristin hanging around the goal.  McKenna’s been there a lot – hope she doesn’t get picked up for loitering?]

[Traffic congestion around the goal again.]

[Despite more good chances, still 1 – 0 after two.]

[Lauren defending the point.]

[We have the Raider goalie’s full attention.  Only a sophomore, she played well.]

[More pressure on the Raiders.]

[Calley looking for another scoring opportunity.]

[Finally, GOOOAAALLLLL!  McKenzie Revering and Lauren Niska have been paired together on defense for four years now – they are definitely the core, with goalie Amy Jost, around which the team is built. When either gets control of the puck with some open ice ahead of them, you start inching toward the edge of your seat. If they skate through or around the defense, you stand up to watch. This was Rev’s (29) goal today making the final score 2 – 0. Ruthie said it was a beautful goal. I really didn’t see it because in anticipation of it I stood up and just started firing pictures.]

[OK, bring it on home.]

[Amazing, just like last year, the team saved their best games for the state tournament. We beat Northfield 2 – 0, the final score not as impressive as our overall play. We did everything well except for putting the puck in the net. Saturday morning, 9:00 am, we play New Prague for the consolation championship – we’ll be there!]

[Another good all around game.]

We get nose jobs all the time in the NHL, and we don’t even have to go to the hospital.  ~  Brad Park

Up next:  Gopher women’s hockey

HELP WANTED:  This blog is 5 hockey games and 2 basketball games behind!  Help!

February 17

[As we head out, hope the sunrise is a good omen!  The girls’ hockey team is in the state tournament for the 4th year in a row, 6 out of the last 7 years, and 11 out of the last 14 years.  We’re kinda spoiled.  We almost make reservations in advance.  This year’s senior class has not ever not been to the state tournament (sometimes a double negative seems to work best?).]

[On the road to the games . . . ]

[Why I love women’s hockey. They make it so simple – “get the puck to No. 4!”]

[Beautiful day for a tournament at the Xcel Energy Center, downtown St. Paul, Minnesota!]

[“Hey, look who we ran into!” The Super wanted to hit Cossetta’s first (a block down the street from the ‘X’) – I didn’t notice Marc Illies (father of the Cards’, Kaia) was sneaking up the aisle as I snapped her pizza photo.]

[Mr. Excitement at the ‘X’!]

[And, of course, Abby and Ashley won it back-to-back, 2007 & 2008!]

[Consolation champs last year – didn’t want to be in that bracket this year.]

[A little action from the 1st game of the tournament – Northfield v. Warroad.  We would be playing one of those teams the next day.  It was Northfield’s first ever state tournament – they brought a big crowd that helped set an attendance record for the first day of the class A tournament.  Good for them!]

[Hey, it’s on TV!!  (Well, not yet for the girls’ first round.)]

[Warroad won 3 – 0.]

[Cardinal student fans, in player jerseys.]

[The band.]

[Cardinals take the ice.]

[“Hey, look who we ran into! (Part 2).”  Ashley Holmes, all-stater on our 2008 championship team, who is now an assistant hockey coach for Augsburg.  So her appearance at the tourney was job related!]

[Player introductions at the ‘X’]

[The long black and red line.]

[Cardinal student fans apparently not interested in seeing United (they have no nickname?) introduced?]

[McKenzie Revering (29) and Amy Jost (33) discuss post-game dining options.]

[It’s unanimous then – Cossetta’s?]

[And we have lift-off!  St. Paul United was the No. 3-seed.  My crack research staff noted they are a private school co-op composed of St.Paul Academy, Visitation, and another whose name escapes me, and the annual tuition is 32,000/year (I didn’t fact check that because I didn’t feel like it).  They are basically Ivy League prep schools – not that there’s anything wrong with that!]

[The Cards are in the zone as Hanah Hansen (11) pulls it back to Karina Carlsen (31).]

[A face-off scrum at the blue line.]

[Mari Wospeka (18) closing on from the right wing.]

[The Cards trying to clear our zone, from the big scoreboard screen.]

[That Uffda moment.  Mari solos in with McKenna Ellingson (24) right behind for support. Mari has been our best player all year in these situations.  She deked the goalie, a Ms. Minnesota Goalie finalist, but . . . her backhander just missed the open net.  Arrggghhhh! Probably an omen?]

[Cards protecting Amy on our zone.]

[Alexis Heckert (20) attacking with a teammate.]

[Kristin Trosvig (15) fires a shot that ricochets off the goalie to the left corner.]

[We had scoring chances, but overall we spent most of the period watching them. Like we were scouting them, but forgetting to move our feet?  Their goal came on what we thought was a slow whistle – we all lost track of the puck as it was sitting on the back of Amy’s calf.  Amy, to her credit, said it was a good goal because the whistle didn’t blow before a United player came by and knocked it in.]

[2nd period face-off from the big screen.]

[In this period, and in the 3rd, I thought we played as well as we had all year.  United had fewer shots in the last two periods combined than they did in the 1st.]

[And we had more good scoring chances.]

[Racing back on defense, I don’t recall us ever giving up an odd man rush?]

[Nice tackle by Rev at the goal line (from the big screen).]

[TV time out – nope, not till tomorrow.]

[Lauren Niska (21) displays the old adage – charge hard to the net!]

[Oy, but again a goal escapes us.]

[What is this – Mystery Science Theater 3000?]

[Another good shot by the Cards . . . ]

[That apparently ricocheted into the 2nd deck for a ground rule double.]

[Here we come again . . . ]

[Drat, escaped to the corner!]

[Start of the 3rd period, still down 1 – 0.]

[Touching up to head back into the offensive zone.]

[Cards stack the line of scrimmage . . . ]

[The puck is snapped, players crash into one another . . . ]

[Cards again charge the net . . . ]

[Shoooooott!  To Allison O’Kane (36)]

[Or stick handle in further . . . ]

[No, that was not Kim Kardashian!]

[McKenna draws the puck back to Karina.]

[McKenna coming in with Karina.]

[Another offensive zone face-off, with Sam Klimek (37).]

[Time out!  We need a score!]

[Kristin tries to draw it back to Rev.]

[Mari shoots!]

[Crash for a rebound!]

[They got an empty-netter at the end.  We scored a goal, by McKenna, but they quick whistled it no good when they lost sight of it.  It happens.  Very good game, and I think most would think we had the better opportunities – even the Warroad coach thought they should be playing us in the semis.]

[We went back to Cossetta’s to drown our sorrows in . . .  sightseeing!  We got the pizza slice before hand as a hold-me-over until after the game.  But we still weren’t hungry – those pizza slices could have fed a small country.  But we sat and waited for the team and coaches to come in.  Hockey is a high-calorie intake sport.  When the players came up the stairs, I don’t think I could have lifted their trays for . . . well, look what’s available in these photos . . . ]

[We laughed, of course, knowing the girl hockey players probably average about 2/3’s the size of boy hockey players – and yet their equipment probably weighs the same. So, the girls throw these 100-pound bags over their shoulder wherever they go.  And if you have a goalie for a son or daughter, fuggedaboutit!  I couldn’t lift one of those things off the floor – and there are no vehicles large enough for them to fit in, you have to strap them on the roof like a Christmas tree!  Weaker sex, indeed – I remember dear old mom could flip a queen-size mattress with one hand tied behind her back!]

Four out of five dentists surveyed recommended playing hockey.  ~  Author Unknown

Up next:  More state.

February 16

[9th grade won!]

[B team won!]

[Varsity tip-off, Cards Alec Wensman (25) against a talented sophomore center for the Storm.]

[Where did it go?]

[Rebound to the sophomore.  The Storm has size like Edina – six players 6’3″ or taller.]

[Brayden Amundson (23) and Spencer Hockert (15) on the press.]

[Brayden on the Storm’s star player, Kobe Boraas (31), 6’3″ senior guard.]

[Jaran Roste (1) looking for a route for a center cut.]

[Spencer launches one.]

[Alec on the line – he was our best option when we could get it into to him, he either scored or was fouled.  But it was tough because of their length in the passing lanes.]

[A defensive struggle at the half.]

[And at the half, the athletes come out to perform.  😉   ]

[Spencer to Jaran . . . or is it the other way around?  The winner gets a bran muffin.]

[Jaran looking for drive against Boraas.  E-mail:  Our Cardinal high schoolers were sitting in the first two rows on the court in front of us – one of them smoothly says to Boraas, “That’s a nice tattoo, what is that . . . a lion’s head?”  [OK, I had to laugh.]   Well, early in the game he came down court and put up a shot literally from 10 feet outside the 3-point line – my thought was did the kid think he was on a shot clock?  Of course, it missed.  Later he stole the ball, drove down court, a Cardinal went up to contest him, and he windmilled dunked on him!  Later yet, he fired up another shot from 10 feet (not exaggerating) beyond the arc – swish!  Yea, the kid could play – put a cool 30 points on us.]

[Jaran wending his way – he and Spencer were getting into the lane as usual.  It’s just that in this game their teardroppers weren’t dropping.  It happens.]

[Tough, close lost to a team with a similar record.]

This just in:  The boys beat Detroit Lakes at home Thursday night, good win, and gives us two over them for the season.  The girls beat SRR by over 30 at their place also on Thursday – that gives us two blowout wins against a team that was 9 – 5 in conference.

They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds. ~  Wilt Chamberlain

Up next:  Girls state hockey.

February 14

[Happy Valentine’s Day as the son-in-law shovels out “Smartie” this afternoon!]

February 13

Oh, and the next day was our anniversary and something called Valentine’s Day.

[So, if you were wondering about the participating teams: St. Croix Lutheran boys are ranked No. 1 in class AA; the Browerville boys are No. 7 in class A; the Sauk Centre girls (19-0) are No. 2 in class AA, the Mt. Iron-Buhl girls (20-1) are No. 1 in class A; the Browerville girls are No. 8 in class A (Browerville won the game); and Edina is just . . . big.  I arrived for the morning session game where Browerville (in black) made a big comeback to beat Mt. Iron-Buhl.]

[I wanted to see the Sauk Centre girls and was only able to stay for the first half (they won) . . . ]

[Because then it was time to take my Valentine to the winery to see The Cheese Bots.]

[Really?  Scalia died?]

[FB:  Yo! Romeos of Alexandria! Are you aware this is Valentine’s Day weekend? Where were you today? Your favorite local winery was featuring wine, cheese, and chocolates in honor of the holiday. We were there for 3 hours, with throngs of people coming and going, to listen to The Cheese Bots, one of the great groups of the 21st century, and didn’t see a single person we knew? Say what?]

[And then before my mandatory appearance at SAWA that evening, I dashed off to AAHS to see the Cardinal girls’ game.  As many have often said, the Super has to be a saint . . . ]

[Emma Ziegler (1)]

[Kendall Kohler (33)]

[Macy Hatlestad (11)]

[Emma Schmidt (25)]

[Kayla Feldhake (43)]

[I think Kayla’s laughing as if anyone thought she could win the tap – ha (see below)!]

[FB:  I’m sure you’re all aware that size matters (well, of course you do, in various contexts). Our Cardinals hosted Edina, girls and boys. I had to laugh a bit watching both games – Edina was about a head taller, player for player, in each game. That’s the difference between a big Lake Conference school (where Hornets are at best average) with 1,000 kids per class v. our 300 kids per class. The Edina girls had a 6’5″ center, two 6’3″ players, and two other 6-footers . . . our tallest player is 5’11”. The Edina boys team had 8 players 6’3″ tall or taller. The girls were tied at their half, our boys had a slight lead. We lost both games – as an old sage once said, you can’t coach size and size doesn’t get tired. That’s our center, Kayla (43), standing behind their center.]

[Kendall guards . . . well, an average size guard for the hornets at 5’7″.]

[A Hornet shooting over a flattened Macy.]

[FB:  In the background our Macy (5’8″) is guarding their best 6’3″ player.]

[Kendall goes up trying to deflect a pass.]

[Zig whips one cross court to Kendall.]

[The Hornets jumped to an early 9 – 2 lead, as I recall.  Being the bright boy that I am, I thought this doesn’t look good.  When their bigs got the ball inside, there was no way we could prevent them from scoring.  When we drove to their basket, they would just stand there flat-footed and swat away any of our shot attempts.  Until . . . Kiyana Miller (21), in the background behind Kendall, came in.  Kiyana drove in for some short pull up jumpers, before she got all the way to the bigs, and one time drove across the lane for a nice lefty scoop shot.]

[Kendall inbounds, we started making some shots, started getting the to free throw line . . .]

[And met them defensively making it harder for them to get the ball inside.]

[Macy executes the ole hidden ball trick . . . ]

[And then swished two free throws in a row . . . ]

[Our first lead!]

[At the half, I thought we had a good shot to win.  But I had a date awaiting at SAWA . . .  ]

[I arrived just [about] on time for dinner and music by Paul Drinkwine, one of our favorites.]

[The Super taking her famous “Missing U at . . . ” photos for Facebook.]

[I had to go back to AAHS to see how the boys were doing against the giant Hornets.  I arrived in time for the 2nd half – we had a 4 point lead.  But it was the teams 6th game in the last 11 days – wow!  We had absolutely nothing left as the Hornets raced undefended down court through the entire 2nd half.  For our girls, it was their 5th game in the last 8 days – the real meat grinder part of the schedule.]

[Jaran Roste (1) and Alec Wensman (25)]

[Anders Nelson (4) for the Hornets is a sophomore guard who’s already getting looks from the next level.  He was the star of the game, particularly in the 2nd half.  Oh, and he’s the grandnephew of longtime Alexandria Super Fans, Gretchen and Don Nelson.]

[The lonely life of the point guard.  Jaran also had a good game.]

[The Hornets could even balance the ball on their heads?]

[Secretary of Defense Jake Drew (33) on the line . . . ]

[It was a tough watch.  Then I had to blitz back to SAWA to close out the evening with the Super.]

Love is a grave mental disease.  ~  Plato

Up next:  State!