alexandriacardinals

[Tuesday night v. the Rocori Spartans.  The Super and I arrived in time to catch most of the JV game as well . . . always looking to see into the future!  The above photo I think is destined to be the template for both the JV and varsity teams.  It’s like hockey, changing shifts on the fly, run until you’re tired and we’ll substitute fresh bodies.  Here we have Lauren Stockmoe (33), junior; Sarah Frederick (5), junior; Maggie Slagle (15), junior; Taylor Partington (45), sophomore; and Kelby Olson-Rodel (13), junior.  There are only two seniors on the combined varsity and JV teams.]

[Go JV!!]

[Kaye Paschke (5), freshman, I remembered as a forward on the soccer team.  If I had been as fast as she is when I was in high school, I “coulda been a contender.”]

[Lauren inbounds while Courtney Gould (41), sophomore (remember her older sister Amanda?), sets a screen.]

[Good form on the free throw by Emily Aker (31), sophomore.  Always look to see how the younger players shoot free throws because so many games are decided by that at the varsity level.]

[Maggie streaks up court in accordance with team policy.]

[Here comes Kelby (remember her older sister Jaylen?), one of the whippets, i.e., those who when the get a defensive rebound or a steal turn and race up court as fast as they can.]

[Lauren]

[I believe it’s Lindsey Knoll (25), sophomore.]

[The team executed the passing game to perfection, routinely hitting the cutter down the middle for lay-ups.]

[This is called a roster.]

[Elise Stockmoe (41), junior, (in warm-ups, followed by other random shots . . . ]

[Kara Thomson (23), junior, leads Kiyana Miller (21), junior . . . ]

[Emma Schmidt (25), sophomore]

[See the last photo.]

[Kayla Feldhake (43), junior, with the lefty lay-up; Macy Hatlestad (11), junior in the foreground readies a 3; and “Schmidty” on the right.]

[Emma Ziegler (1), junior, receives a pass – will be “Zig” to not confuse the two Emmas.]

[Schmidty dribbles out and turns to shoot.]

[Team captains are Macy, Kayla, and Kendall Kohler (3), senior.  After meeting with the refs, they return to the bench with information about what to do about any Kim Kardashian sightings.]

[Team intros, most of which didn’t pan out because of excessive telephotoness, Kiyana greeted by Kara.]

[See, ref, over there.  Isn’t that Kim Kardashian?]

[As the game begins, “The Voice” (upper left) checks on the status of three Cardinal road games taking place simultaneously.]

[Schmidty races up court.  Waiting for a report about the left knee brace from dad.]

[My guess is that the action is taking place at the north end of the gym; proud grandparents Marlene and Richie are in the 2nd row, hoping that all the senior golfers who don’t snowbird remember our dinner at Arrowwood on Friday night!]

[Kiyana at the line . . . ]

[Followed by Macy.  I’ve discovered that it’s easier to get good photos when they’re not moving around so fast.]

[Kiyana and Kendall check with the boss . . .]

[While Macy finishes up.  There was some concern about shooting after the season opening loss at Detroit Lakes (a surprise even for the Lakers) where the team only made 50% of their free throws and were 0 – 14 on 3’s. This game started the same way where our first half shooting percentage had to be . . . well, not good.  Even the old tried-and-trues, Macy and Kendall, were missing wide open 3’s, sometimes badly.  I was wondering if Macy was still making adjustments coming back from her ACL.  So, things were looking up again when she, normally an 80% foul shooter, canned these two.]

[Kayla, top, and . . . Zig?]

[Zig finishes a break as the first half comes to a close.]

[The score was “only” this close because we didn’t shoot well . . . but the defense never rests.]

[Kayla, about whom I said at the end of last year, so much depends on her now because all our bigs graduated.  We may not be tall, but we’re not short either.  That probably requires further explanation.  Kayla will be facing taller centers all year, but she is a good athlete.  And during the game I noted to a gentleman who knows a little bit about endurance and conditioning, Mr. Hasz, that Kayla was the last of the starters to come out for a blow despite the up-tempo pace of the game.  We’re “not short” at the guard and wing positions where our length at 5’8″ and 5’9″ will create a lot of turnovers.]

[Zig is one of our lengthies here applying pressure at the point of the press.]

[Macy delivers a pass to Kendall; Kendall reciprocates.]

[Zig spreading to cover the passing lanes.]

[In the 2nd half, Macy and her teammates starting finding their strokes, and the shots, and finally their 3’s, started dropping.]

[Schmidty at the charity stripe . . .]

[Take off the press?]

[Another good sign when Kendall, also normally an 80% foul shooter, touched nothing but twine on both shots.  Which she also did later from her usual 3 distance, about 5 feet beyond the line.]

[I believe Lauren . . . apologies if I have the Stockmoe sisters mixed up.]

[McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35), freshman, and a close personal relative of the high school principal.]

[Sarah Frederick (5), junior (and from the warm-up photos)]

[You weren’t really nervous about the final score, were you?]

Fans never fall asleep at our games, because they’re afraid they might get hit by a pass.  ~  George Raveling

Up next:  There must be more games?

[The Super and I have been on vacation for a couple of weeks (sometimes you just have to get away from the trials and tribulations of retirement). Did you miss us?  We went to a place that was warm and soggy, so upon return home it was nice to receive a present of snow and the onset of lake ice.]

Housekeeping:  Google has taken away the option of mass e-mailings? Thus, I have not been able to send out notice of new postings (the last three?).  I’m working on it, but it appears it will boring and time consuming.

[We took the red-eye home from Honolulu for the game and . . . we won! Little Falls came to town Saturday night, and I think we were anxious to avenge the defeat the Flyers inflicted on us in last year’s sections.  I’m still trying to catch up but I think our record is now 3 – 1 as we anticipate a pretty good year.]

So, who are these guys . . .

[Why yes, I am sitting higher up than normal . . . ]

[The Boy Tenor’s son, a/k/a, the ref, flips a coin to determine who will kick-off.  The Cards won the toss and opted to take the wind in the 2nd half.]

[Is the Cub Reporter taking our picture again?]

[Jaran Roste (1), 6’2″ junior is introduced . . . ]

[Matt Bloom (3), 6’1″ senior]

[Spencer Hockert (15), 6′ junior]

[Brayden Amundson (23), 6’3″ senior]

[And another for the Brauns.]

[Alec Wensman (25), 6’7″ senior]

[Coach says to be on the lookout for Kim Kardashian.]

[Play hard, be good, listen to Mom and Dad, brush your teeth, and be in bed before 10:00!]

[Jon Mulder prepares to fling the ball toward the rafters . . . ]

[Where two very tall young men will leap after it.  You will notice in the top photo “The Retired Voice of the Cardinals,” now with Evie, has moved his vantage point to the top of the gym.]

[The Flyers inbound the ball to a woman occupying the last seat on the bench.  Brayden is aghast!]

[Here’s Brayden on the point of the defense.  He began the game by hitting two 3’s . . . and his grandparents weren’t even there to see it.]

[Jaran has a Flyer trapped in the corner . . . well, it certainly appears such.]

[His father would have been so proud . . . except he was out singing at a Christmas party.]

[Alec blocks down while Jaran circles the left end.  Jeremiah Burnham (5), 6’2″ senior, fades back to protect the rear flank.]

[At the half.  What we have learned, sitting with two other learned fans, is the Cards should be pretty competitive this year.  We have good depth and athleticism, and at least early on been hitting a lot of 3’s.  We began this game against the Flyers by hitting I believe 5 of our first 7 3’s and racing out to a big early lead that we maintained all game.  I don’t foresee 3-point shooting as our go to option – that can really come and go. Our strength will be aggressive defense and really pushing the ball on offense. Rebounding may be an issue because of the trapping defense.  OK, there ‘s everything you need to know in a nutshell.]

[2nd half, Alec comes out for high post defense.  Spencer speeds toward the Flyers pesky No. 5.]

[Keep an eye on him, Spencer.  At one point in this half, No. 5 hit back-to-back 3’s and then on his next attempt, because he is a high school kid, launched a 3 that went behind the backboard.]

[Brayden on high post defense . . . ]

[And then shooting free throws.  We didn’t shoot many for the game . . . and our percentage was not good.  Apparently we shot better in earlier games.]

[Jaran shoots a jumper.  He did not shoot much but I thought controlled play with his all-around game.  When he gets the ball in the defensive zone, he races it to the other end for distribution.  I’m not sure how many assists he had, but I think ‘a lot’ would define it.]

[Ref Jon gives me the ‘hi’ sign.]

[Jaran walking the ball up?  So, it must have been after a Flyer basket.]

[Looking for a teammate . . . ]

[Robert Anderson (35), 6’2″ junior hits a jumper to the delight of his teammates.]

[Trey Hoepner (13), 5’10” freshman, who my fellow fans advised will be a player.]

[And that’s it.  The Cards let the Flyers close a couple times, but never less than double digits.]

Nothing would induce me to vote for giving women the franchise.  I am not going to be henpecked into a question of such importance.  ~  Winston Churchill

[A Minnesota morning, Sunday, December 6.]

Up next:  Holiday stuff?

[May as well start with these Echo Press photos.  At top is Alexis Heckert (20) and McKenna Ellingson (24), and on the bottom is Kristin Trosvig (15).  As you will note from the following amended rosters, these are the Baby Birds.]

[It was great to be back home after our weekend in The Cities.  Haven’t spilled a thing on myself while eating since we’ve been home!  Oh, a score?  Cards are now 4 – 0 on the season with a solid 3 – 1 win over the Moorhead Spuds Tuesday night! Two goals by Kristin Trosvig with the capper by McKenzie Revering, backed by the goaltending of Amy Jost. The Card defense held the Spuds to only one shot on goal in the 2nd period and only 5 over the last two periods (I believe the Cards went 8-8-8 in shots, great symmetry!)]

[Amy Jost]

[McKenzie Revering]

[Lauren Niska]

[The Defense]

[Mari Wosepka]

[McKenna Ellingson]

[Alexis Heckert]

[The Offense and The Team]

[Mash the Spuds!!  Naw, too predictable and boring.  Puree the Spuds!!  Getting closer.  Fricassee the Spuds!!  The best we’re gonna do before the puck drop.]

[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? McKenzie and Lauren are in their 4th varsity year of being paired together on defense. They probably finish each other’s sentences . . . ]

[And they’re off . . . ]

[Hanah Hansen (11), senior forward is back and delighted to have her.  Lest you forgot, she’s the leading returning scorer from last year’s team and Oscar-nominated actor John Hawkes’s grand niece (I think I got that right).]

[Face-off taken by Alexis in the offensive zone while Mari and McKenna attempt to pin the Spuds’ sticks.]

[There it is . . . ]

[Now where’d it go?]

[The bench seems to think it’s in our right-hand corner?]

[Mari shoots!  It appears to be heading toward the 5-hole.  Lauren’s in close looking for a rebound.]

[Tristin and Lauren smother the goal.]

[Mari’s in position for a shot.]

[Mari and McKenna are all over it.]

[Finally, GOOOAAALLLL by Kristin from Hanah and other linemate Megan Pesta (8), junior forward.]

[CELEBRATION]

[Two home games, 2 penalty shots, go figure – sophomore defense Allison O’Kane (36) did everything good, but sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the goalie. There was a big scrum in front of the Spud net, whistle blew, long ref discussions with both benches, the penalty shot ensued, we do not know why?   In 12 previous years of going to high school hockey games, I think I saw two penalty shots, total?]

[Period 1]

[McKenna and Mari in the offensive zone early in the 2nd period.]

[Mari sweeping in along the far boards.  Vinnie (beard), the RCC manager, keeps an eye on the play.]

[OK, what’re we all doing back here?]

[GOOAAAALLLL!!!  Kristin’s 2nd, again from Hanah.  Hate shooting at such an angle through the glass – always distortions at the seems.]

[Kaitlin Leary (26), junior, and Karina Carlsen (31), senior, man the posts.  Allison is in the mix of the 5 varsity defensemen.]

[Mari shoots . . . ]

[Alexis tries to hold position in the slot.]

[Period 2]

[Cards try to keep the Spuds from escaping their own zone.]

[Mackenzie Abrahamson (17), senior forward, is a good story like we seem to have every year.  She hasn’t had a lot of varsity playing time until this year.  Now she’s on a regular shift and got her first ever varsity goal this year.  Cheers for Mackenzie!]

[A Card at a Spud party – No. 11 was a player for them.]

[Looks like Lauren moving in with Hanah.]

[Rev wrapped it up.  She tried a slap shot that deflected back to her, so she stick handled in a little closer and rifled a wrist shot over the goalie’s shoulder.  Assists to Abrahamson and Sam Klimek (37), senior forward.]

[And the JV won by the same score!  🙂   ]

[At DL on Thursday, Mound Westonka at home on Friday.  Cover for us!]

Time and trouble will tame an advance young woman, but an advance old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.  ~  Dorothy L. Sayers

Up next:  Aloha!  Keep an eye on things, back in a couple of weeks, likely with lightly toasted skin.

But first, a little fall clean-up . . .

[Hostas become Halloween decorations . . . ]

[The Super does the final mow . . . ]

[“November”]

[Bethesda Lutheran lefse and bake sale . . . ]

[And November, the month of beautiful sunrises!]

Turkeyfest

[Saturday, November 14, was Basketball Dan’s 40th Annual Turkeyfest in the hallowed halls of his longtime Woodbury domicile. People came from far and wide – 4 from Wichita, Kansas, and one who splits time in Boise, Idaho – I believe 16 in all (though they came and went under do-drop-in policies). I splattered turkey grease on my gray suede shoes lifting the 400-pound bird out of the oven and later spilled gravy on the only pair of pants I brought. Just another day in the life of an old person – speaking of which, the topic of discussion during multiple football games on two TV’s was who had what surgeries in the last year and what surgeries are pending. We couldn’t make it to the end of the Gopher football game (totally wasted by the feast), and then on Sunday morning noticed we missed two amazing performances that we had considered attending – Hannah Brandt scored FIVE goals in the Gopher women’s hockey game that started @ 4:00 against Bemidji State and @ 7:00 the Gopher women’s volleyball team, ranked No. 4 in the country, swept No. 1-ranked Penn State! Arrghhhhh! We coulda seen both!!]

[This is Suzanne (from Boise) and Hans doing the turkey honors . . . ]

[Mary (from Wichita, B’ball Dan’s cousin) whips up the mashed potatoes . . . ]

[Libby, with Sharon and Andy from Wichita . . . ]

[Tom, Lance, Gary, Brian, Wally, and the Super, regulars all.  Only the Super from outside the greater metro area.]

[I subsequently discovered this had been sold out over a month ago – 5,500+ in the Pavilion.  (This and following photo from the Strib.)]

[5-goal Hannah]

Gopher Men’s Basketball

[As long as we were in town, the Gophers were playing the University of Louisiana, Monroe on Sunday at fabled, yet decrepit, Williams Arena.  We spent the night with the Mounds View Oberts where nephew Michael John, who is taking music teaching at Augsberg, maintains a fine display of various instruments . . . it was my first introduction to a dismembered bassoon (that Michael said is worth more than his car) . . . ]

[Before the game, the Super, sister-in-law Karen, and I dined at Whitey’s, where across the street folks were dining outside, on November 15, at The Bulldog Bar.  I was hoping for a Reuben, but it was breakfast only on Sundays.  Because I ordered a beverage before I realized it was breakfast only, I ended up with a Bloody Mary, a chaser, and an ice tea.   I subsequently had to visit the facilities, of course, where I discovered what appears to be a “fist through the wall” hole, possibly a Gopher fan upset with the Iowa football result?    After the dining mishaps of the previous day, I have to report the Super, while attempting to transfer some hash browns from my plate to hers, knocked a dressing soaked strawberry off and onto my pants creating a third stain, and then as I helped her with her French toast I managed to dribble syrup on my shirt and jacket.  I suspect my only recourse for future public dining events is to clothe myself entirely in plastic sheeting.]

[Walking to the game after breakfast, this is November 15th remember, people were playing tennis outdoors in shirts and tee shirts.]

[The site of the previous night’s big upset of a No. 1-ranked team in the country.  I believe the Gophers are now No. 1, and we know the women’s hockey team is really No. 1, because we’re from . . . “where all the women are strong!”]

[Yup, played intramural basketball on that floor 49 years ago.]

[“The Barn”]

[“The Legends,” but when does Willie Burton get up there?]

[A lot of fans came disguised as empty seats . . . a Sunday, not a big name opponent, to be expected.]

Meet the Gophers . . .

[First up, Nate Mason . . . ]

1	Dupree McBrayer	G	6-4	175	FR	Queens, NY
2	Nate Mason	G	6-1	185	SO	Decatur, GA
3	Jordan Murphy	F	6-6	230	FR	SAN ANTONIO, TX
4	Kevin Dorsey	G	6-0	175	FR	Waldorf, MD
10	Darin Haugh	G	5-10	170	JR	Prior Lake, MN
11	Carlos Morris	G	6-5	175	SR	Apalachicola, FL
12	Jarvis Johnson	G	6-1	185	FR	Minneapolis, MN
15	Stephon Sharp	G	6-3	195	FR	Bloomington, MN
20	Davonte Fitzgerald	F	6-8	205	JR	Atlanta, GA
21	Bakary Konat	C	6-11	225	SO	Bamako, Mali
22	Reggie Lynch	C	6-9	260	JR	Edina, MN
23	Charles Buggs	F	6-9	220	JR	Arlington, TX
24	Joey King	F	6-9	235	SR	Eagan, MN
25	Mike Lukashewich	G	6-3	180	SO	Appleton, WI
32	Ahmad Gilbert	G	6-6	210	FR	Philadelphia, PA
41	Gaston Diedhiou	F	6-9	230	SO	Dakar, Senegal

Meet the fans . . .

[These photos are from the Supervisor.  Never noticing an empty seat she didn’t prefer, she and Karen sneaked down a couple of rows to the comfort of seats with backs and then could shoot back at us . . . ]

[The two fans on the right spent much of their carefree, middle-age bachelorhoods roaming the country in search of the perfect basketball game.  Basketball Dan went on to legendary status by seeing a game at every Division 1 college and university in the country establishing a mark I’m sure no one else has done.  Ever the perfectionist, this year he is going back for games at Maine, Coppin State, and I believe somewhere on the West Coast because they have new arenas.  With us, to Dan’s right are Mary and Gus and behind him Sharon and Andy, his old friends from Wichita, who have occasionally joined us over the years on these adventures.  The two women in front are unknowns who the Super thought were merely interlopers in her photo party.]

The game . . . 

[The opening tip . . .]

[Hello, 9-1-1?  I’d like to report an accident under the north basket at Williams Arena.]

[Richard Pitino’s third year as head coach.  Next year, after his 4th, we’ll be able to fully judge his creds as a coach because they will all be players he recruited.  While you can’t judge a team from one game, I believe he has improved the team’s athleticism – I’m just not sure he has improved basketball talent.]

[Joey King (24), one of only two seniors and the least athletic guy on the team, likely will be our leading scorer because of his experience and he’s the best shooter.]

[Kevin Dorsey (4), a highly thought of freshman.]

[At the half . . . ]

[The Super and Karen . . . down in the front row!]

[Halftime entertainment – I don’t know who, acoustics at The Barn are gawdawful.]

[Wave!!]

[Bokari Konate (21), 6’11” sophomore – a work in progress.]

[Gaston Diedhiou (41), 6’9″ sophomore – another work in progress.]

[We did win.  The takeaway, we made 20 of 22 free throws,  not to be under estimated.  Rebounding and scoring from the floor will remain an issue.  We will exceed expectations if we finish in the top half of the Big 10.]

[Turn out the lights, the party’s over.]

In all the woes that curse our race, There is a lady in the case.  ~  W. S. Gilbert

Up next:  The Super is whisking me away to far away places with strange sounding names.

Addendum:

[Lake Geneva, Alexandria, Minnesota, November 15, 2015, photo courtesy of my chiropractor, Marc Godfrey.  This is NOVEMBER, like almost winter, like a month and a half after most people have put their boats away for the season!]

[On a curb in Minneapolis (I don’t think it was me?).  Photo courtesy Al Grundei.]