alexandriacardinals

[Nah, didn’t happen?!  Did it?  Well, on Saturday, October 17, it was an absolutely perfect mid-fall day here in Vacationland USA that featured Applefest at Carlos Creek Winery followed by the section 8-5A semi-final football game between the Alexandria Cardinals and the Bemidji Lumberjacks.  The kind of day that literally cried out for pictures . . . and lots of ’em!  😉   ]

[Classmate Gary Ekdahl leading a revival meeting? Well sorta . . . he was auctioneering a quilt extravaganza at Applefest!]

[“Obert?” Where does it come from? Nobody knows? I finally had my DNA checked, and then met “cousin” Louie at the Applefest. It appears we are 14 percent pumpkin! Not really a surprise, we did have an “Orange” Obert in the family in the 1800’s (seriously!)]

[Local superstars from the Hasz family – Megan, Bethany, and Doug – find a willing customer in the Super at Applefest. Doug then sat with us at the Cardinal football game that night and showed his chops by mentioning Bemidji ran a sweep every time the halfback lined up two yards behind the quarterback and went up the middle every time he lined up one yard back. He was right – I wonder if the coaches noted that?]

[The Super with a pumpkin toast to flowers.]

[Well of course we had to!]

[We must be getting close to some sort of record for the number of beautiful weekends in a row.]

[The Super catches Julie and Bruce from all angles for her standard Facebook postings of “Missing U at . . . “]

[Our wild and crazy friends from Ashby and Watertown, SD, were seeing (and hearing) Patchouli for the first time and we blown away!]     ]

[THE MAKING OF A MUSIC FAN!  She was so cute, as were the Watertown group, that we predicted a guitar was going to be on her wish list soon.]

[OK, now they had to dance . . . ]

[BREAKING NEWS! It appears our dynamic duo may be playing the GUTHRIE in mid-May next year. Stayed tuned for updates!]

[Then it was a mad dash to the football game.  Do not pass go.  Do not collect $200.]

[Arriving to coincide with sunset.]

[The lonely vigil of the sports photographer . . . oh, I used that line already?]

[Our offensive stalwarts, quarterback Jaran Roste (1) and halfback Micah Christenson (22) lead the Cards onto the field.]

[When we played the Lumberjacks at their place earlier this year, we came back from a 28 – 7 halftime deficit to win 57 – 49.  It figured to be a shootout!]

[The ‘Jacks ran their halfback, Logan Hatfield, up the middle on the first play. He rushed for over 2,200 yards this year (in 8 games), included 393 against us the first game! We played great defense against him until the 4th quarter when we had a big lead – he rushed for 244 yards on 38 carries, but I’m sure over 100 of that came after the game was decided.]

[Now, this is the way to start a football game. Hold Bemidji to a 3-and-out, have Micah Christenson (22) return the punt 68 yards for a touchdown. Since I didn’t “catch” him from the beginning the first time, the 2nd time he went back to receive the punt I was going to follow him all the way – well, obviously not another TD but it was a good one as I recall. (And sorry folks, tried to watch our Vikings on Sunday – they’re not only mediocre, worse – they’re boring. Even the Super (who likes football more than I do) switched over to a black-and-white movie . . . )]

[Roste launches a successful pass downfield (see the ball?).  Not sure who caught but it was nice gain.]

[Micah goes left, cuts back for about a 5-yarder.  Bemidji was keying on him and actually held him to “only” 134 yards on 25 carries.]

[Roste throws a nice out, getting us close . . . ]

[Looks like a short gain . . . did we fumble?]

[In the 2nd quarter now, Christenson sweeps right.]

[The Cards are driving . . . is it a touchdown?]

[Roste looks and fires left as the half winds down . . .    ]

[We had the lead into the 3rd quarter, but based on the previous game figured more fireworks were on the way.]

[The biggest difference between the two teams was our ability to run and . . . pass.  Roste threw for over 170 yards in the 2nd half.]

[This was the beautiful 57-yard TD pass over the middle to Aarin Willander (88) that gave us a two touchdown lead.  Aarin is one of our leading receivers, but one of our strengths is we have several ‘go to’ guys.]

[Micah goes right, setting up another touchdown.]

[Scores were coming fast and furious by the 4th quarter as our lead would vary between 21 to 28 points.  Our defense obviously was not as keyed up down the stretch so it turned into a bit of a track meet.  A key was when Hatfield fumbled and we recovered on our 2-yard line – it took us two running plays to score, a 21-yarder by Christenson followed by a 77-yard TD by Roste.  At one point there were four touchdowns within a 6-minute stretch. Micah, Jaran, and receiver Brayden Amundson (7), who is still a bit nicked up, share congrats as the game winds down.]

[Warm up the bus, turn out the lights, the party’s over.  Please remove all the debris from your area; it was a wild one!]

I like clean ladies and nice ladies.  ~  Lawrence Welk

Up next:  It will be a surprise to me too.  Girls soccer hosts Sartell in section semi-final on Tuesday; boys’ soccer will be at Sartell the same night for a section semi-final.  Card footballers play the No. 1-seeded Moorhead Spuds at Fergus Friday night for the section championship.

No, This Wasn’t It

[Our Cardinal basketball coaches, Julie Wrobel and Wendy Kohler, were caught at the championship game for the Minnesota Lynx. Ostensibly, they were there to learn how to celebrate when our team makes state this year – their daughters, Macy and Kendall, respectively, are the starting guards. There was also a rumor they were there to recruit, but I’m sure they are aware Maya Moore’s high school eligibility has lapsed?]

October 13 – No, This Wasn’t It Either

[Facebooked:  Just a little note to say a longtime record was smashed yesterday, a bit to my chagrin. In January my blog will be entering its 6th year of existence, with some 725 postings to date. The idea was a “what’s happening for fun in Alex” kind of thing for friends and family. Because I like photography, and observing and commenting on the human condition – yes, a Peeping Tom. Early on, however, the Echo Press asked if I wanted it to be part of their on-line service. I was flattered, of course, and appreciative, but said no – to do so the Echo would properly require some degree of control and I didn’t want it to get out of hand. So in its first 5 years, the most hits in one day was 251 on January 29, 2012, the day after Lauren Trumm (yes, the daughter of Greg, the current chair of the Education Foundation) scored her 1,000th career point. It has never really approached that number since. Then we had our 50th class reunion homecoming weekend – 5 postings later, suddenly yesterday there were 495 hits! Oy, now I’m thinking agents, editors, attorneys, and accountants! Settle down, people! But many thanks, too – it’s just that always kinda liked ‘LT’ at the top of the list!]

As it turned out, three days of participating in and covering the reunion with a 50-pound camera around my neck led to . . . being put on the injured reserve list.  I developed what can best be described as sciatica of the neck.  I began chiropractic adjustments as soon as I could, and progress is being made.  I have to have my vertebrae realigned, but until that process is completed I’ve been a complete pain in the neck (some would say it’s another part of the anatomy).  Yesterday, after my most recent “getting cracked” session, I mentioned that the pain has been debilitating – in the last two weeks I’ve had to miss meetings (well, that may be a plus), any physical labor (that is a plus), but also missed three senior college classes (thus forfeiting any chance I had for getting an honorary doctorate).  My chiropractor suggested seeing a doctor doctor and get some pain meds.  I did, and oh what a relief it is!  I figure if it’s good enough to tranquilize a hippo, it’s good enough for me.  But last Monday, I did miss . . .

This Was It!!

We hosted the Rocori Spartans in volleyball last Monday.  You may recall last weekend we hosted the . . .

If we had beaten Grand Rapids in our group final, as we should have, we would have played Rocori for the tournament championship.  Rocori has won something like 22 straight conference games, have lost only one game all season, and are ranked No. 1 in the state in class 2A.  They beat us easily in 3-straight at their place earlier this season (allegedly our worst game of the season), and have a front line of all 7-footers!  But our 5’9″ hitters apparently figured something out this time and took the mighty Spartans to a 5th and final game before losing.  Figures to bode well for us as we head into section play. Here’s a game report from fellow Super Fan Bud Anderson:  Too bad you missed this one, the volleyball girls played awesome!! But the stress of the games probably would have made your neck a lot worse!!  A 5-setter, sitting in the bleachers with no neck support – they would have had to carry me out on a stretcher!

But now under the influence of heavy pharmaceuticals, last night we were able to attend . . .

[And fine dining at SAWA before the play, we by sheer circumstance were able to join the Boy Tenor with Jeanne and a friend.]

[All photos courtesy of the Super with her tablet.  Here Ben Klipfer, the guy in charge of the theatre, addresses the audience reminding all to turn off their cell phones.  If a phone rings during performance, the offender will be assigned 40 hours of hardship duty on a Kim Kardashian watch.]

[“Milky Way,”  Jack’s (of beanstalk fame) cow.]

[For reasons inexplicable to me, this harp was my favorite prop?]

[As usual, our local talent was astonishing.  🙂   ]

[The play runs through next weekend.  Check it out!]

[I have every intent on being back on full-time duty soon.  Until then, I will wear an ice bag on my neck and shoulder and do those three little words that make me walk on air . . . Go hang yourself!]

Husbands never become good; they merely become proficient.  ~  H. L. Mencken

Up next:  Section football.

[On Saturday, Alexandria hosted a 24-team field for the 43rd Annual Lions Meet of Champions (Cross Country) at Arrowwood and an 8-team field for the 21st Annual Runestone Classic Volleyball Invitational at the high school.  With near record high temperatures and a zillion kids and their families in town, the local Dairy Queens decided to go public on the New York City Stock Exchange with IPO’s of about a thousand dollars per share.]

[What a difference a year makes!  This is “Weakie” and me at the same meet last year, same beautiful sunny sky, but we figured the wind chill was around 20!]

[So, how do you cover both?  I went to the high school first as volleyball was scheduled to begin at 9:00 am.  The Cards weren’t playing.  Apparently because the team had just played at Fergus Falls the night before (a win), we were given an extra hour to sleep in (makes sense) and played Wadena-Deer Creek (state champs in their class in recent years) at 10:00.  I sat through the Big Lake – Grand Rapids game, then watched the Cards dispatch the Wolverines, and then departed for Arrowwood (a 7-mile drive, but fortunately the Alex Saturday morning rush hour was light).  I arrived to the color and pageantry that is a multi-field cross country meet.  At first it’s fun just to wander amidst all the teams and their tents.  The boys JV race was about to begin – I believe the course was reconfigured this year because for the first time in Minnesota both the boys and girls are running a 5k distance (previously the girls ran a 4k).]

[We (the fans) then dashed (well, I ambled) to the next viewing spot where I tried to catch some Cardinal runners.  I noticed that Stillwater, which is THE designated state school for boys cross country, must have had 50 runners in this race, with about 20 of them in the lead of the entire field?]

[But admittedly I was there for the girls varsity meet, the last home meet for the senior Hasz sisters.  Bethany and Megan are in the top 10 in the country in this event, so it’s been a real treat following them since they were 8th-graders.  Only Bethany would be running as Megan is recovering from injury but should be ready for sections and state.  Oh, and here comes Dad Hasz now.]

[The team huddles with head coach Travis Hochhalter for last minute instructions – something to the effect of run as fast as you can for as long as you can!]

[As the race is about to begin, Doug finds a viewing spot further up the course . . . ]

[While Megan hops a ride on a golf cart.]

[As the teams gather at the starting line – the field included the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams in the state, Marshall and Willmar, respectively, and three others (with the Hasz twins) in the top 12 individually.]

[At the start, Bethany follows the twin’s pattern of moving to the front of the pack immediately.]

[And will soon start distancing herself from the field.]

[At the next viewing point, she has separated herself from the field.  When the boys JV ran past this spot, I thought they all looked like they were in total agony and wondered why would they do that to themselves.  Bethany and Megan always look like they’re just out for a walk in the park?]

[I then tried to get all the Cardinals – hope I did?]

[Though noted in other sports, apparently c-c fans.]

[Showing the stride passed on to his daughters, Dad sprints to the next photo op.]

[At this point Bethany was about 80 yards ahead of her closest pursuer.]

[Bethany won by 24 seconds.  The team finished a respectable 9th without Megan. Bethany Miller was 26th, Megan Shulstad 71st (is it merely coincidence that our 2nd and 3rd place runners are also Bethany and Megan?), Callie Richardson 76th, Ellen Hurlen 77th, Kylie Larson 94th, and Jeanna Miller 103rd.]

[Bethany on the victory stand!  (Photo stolen from a Voice of Alexandria FB posting.)]

[Then it was back to the high school, with a stop for gas again, to see how the volleyballers were doing.  We beat Big Lake while I was gone, setting up the final game in our pool against also undefeated so far, Grand Rapids.  Maddi Moore (6) leads us off with the first serve.]

[Natalie Minnerath (9), Morgan Melrose (4), and Abby Pohlen (5) at the net.]

[Alexis Stern (8) serves with Maddi guarding her left flank.]

[From the left are Gracie Schroeder (1) and Kayla Feldhake (16), with Natalie and Abby at the net.]

[Alexis again, she must have been on a service run!  We did get out of the box fast in the first set.]

[McKenzie Duwenhoegger (11) and Kayla go up for attempted blocks.  I think McKenzie’s expression in the bottom photo properly reflects a “I hope this doesn’t hurt!”]

[Kenna Goracke (2) serves.  I hope she’s not embarrassed that I report she brought a little comic relief for the team later in the match.  She is a terrific backline player but as she was backpedaling to return a serve, she stumbled and went head over teakettle.  I was hoping she and her teammates would recover from their laughter in time to return the next serve.  🙂  ]

[Morgan serves.]

[The net players size each other up, then McKenzie and Alexis attempt a block.]

[Is this a point celebration?]

[After a block by Abby and Natalie, there is most certainly a point celebration!]

[Set 1, and not as close as the score would indicate.  The Card power game was clicking on all cylinders, and in particular Abby and Alexis were smacking unreturnable kill shots.]

[McKenzie and Alexis again with an attempted block.]

[Alexis with a one-point landing, undoubtedly after another putaway kill.]

[Jordyn Lamb (12) and Mckenzie, top; Abby and Alexis, bottom.]

[Abby goes for a kill, top, and a block, bottom.  I thought the Cards went away from our power game after set 1 and lost our momentum.  We may have been getting tired, it was the 4th match in less then 24 hours, as we went more and more to unsuccessful dink shots and away from power kills.  I think I would have said keep feeding Abby and Alexis until Rapids stopped them or their arms fell off.  Sets 2 & 3 went “extra innings” and we lost both.  We did come back to win the 3rd place game.  Grand Rapids lost to Rocori in the championship game – Rocori is our conference leader, we’re in 2nd on the season.]

[The high school carolers, the Cardinals, and I are ready for the winter sports seasons to begin!]

Get married, but never to a man who is home all day.  ~  George Bernard Shaw  [Editor’s note:  I leave for the gym at 7:00 am every day.]

Up next:  I’ll have to check the schedules . . .

September 26

[Just a little housekeeping here.  The Super, with cheese cubes and her tablet, returns to our table for Finestra on a beautiful day at the winery.]

[Then with the Cheese Bots that evening at SAWA.]

October 1

[OK, beginning with a pre-math, the Thursday night before all the reunion hoopla began.  Abby Williams, my sports hero from the 2008 state champion hockey team, with her mom, Martha, and boyfriend, Jake, joined us at SAWA before she leaves town on her next life’s adventure.]

[Abby and Jake, also a hockey player, from British Columbia.]

[The Salty Dogs in their pre-reunion warm-up.]

[Tom and Pam, in early from Texas for the reunion, joined us.]

October 4

[The morning after the reunion we went to Arrowwood for brunch where we decided to reprise our photo from 50 years ago.  The pose is the same . . . the waistlines and hairlines are not. This is the group that for high school excitement would meet at the Kiehne’s on Wednesday nights to watch “The Outer Limits” and do our math homework.]

[Greg and Linda]

[Bradley Arland]

[Tom and Pam]

[The Super and Merill Kiehne]

[The dangers of old skin and yard work.  Tried to duck under an evergreen, without a hat, didn’t seem like much of a branch encounter, but . . . stuff happens.]

The day we tore the goal posts down . . .

We will have these moments to remember . . .

[A final good-bye to the reunion, though this photo was taken on September 24 at Interlachen.  Tom Toenjes with the topper to his high school graduation cake!]

I know no more about women today than when I was in high school.  ~  David Letterman

Up next:  Back to the more pedestrian pursuits of cub reporting – we have a volleyball invite and a cross-country meet today.  I seem to be recovering from a week long debilitation brought on by sciatica in the neck and shoulder and a nausea possibly brought on by the flu shot.  I discovered I can only turn my head 90 degrees in each direction, whereas 120 degrees is normal.  That may explain why I keep crashing into things when I back the car?