alexandriacardinals

February 1

[This was my first boys basketball game of the season – retirement schedules can be awfully busy!  What I first noticed in the roster is that . . . hey, we have size in our future!]

[But initially I must report that this team, not on anybody’s radar at the start of the season, has now cracked the Top Ten in the state’s ranking system with its 14 – 3 record!]

[And we’re off and leaping!  The Cardinals Justin Balcome (24), 6’10” senior, v. Rocori’s Matthew Waletzko (55), 6’7″ senior, gotta be pushing 300 pounds . . . ]

[Waletzko is not fast, but he’s a good athlete and effective scorer . . . ]

[Here Card coach Forest Witt “helps” Justin play pressure defense . . . ]

[Carter Stockert (44), 6’3″ junior (and a fireballing lefty for the baseball team), attempts the “hiding behind you” defense on the Spartans point guard . . . ]

[As I understand it, the new kid on the block – Carrson Jones (11), 5’10” sophomore guard . . . ]

[The student section, with some of our girl roundballers, cheer a free throw attempt.  Emeritus football coach, Deny Kalpin, looks on from the right . . . ]

[Based on their respective records, it shouldn’t have been this close at the half. But the Cards kicked it up a bit in the 2nd half . . . ]

[And the shot of the game by Emma Schmidt, a starter on the girls team . . . ]

[For comparative sizes, Bryce Ludwig (25) was the tight end on our football team.  His task was to keep Waletzko away from the basket . . . ]

[I took more photos this half because now the Cardinal offensive zone was right in front of me . . . ]

[Trey Hoepner (0), junior, and Jared Schneider (13), senior, play catch out front . . . ]

[Until recently, Card scoring came mostly from Justin and Trey, but Jared has now had some big games . . . ]

[Interesting arm positioning by the ref . . . ]

[Jared applying a little backcourt defensive pressure . . . ]

[Justin ISO?]

[A big guy with a big game . . . ]

[A good ball handler, he can score inside and out – a good 3-point shooter . . . ]

[We have a connection here with Michael Kuhn (3), senior guard, so he will be featured a bit . . . ]

[His mom, Beth, took the most famous picture in Alexandria “Y” history . . . ]

[And here it is . . . ]

[Meanwhile, back at the game, Justin and Trey backing on defense . . . ]

[Bryce, on the lookout for Waletzko?]

[I noticed this kid in the JV game . . . ]

[Dane Galloway (35), 6’1″ sophomore, looks to be a player . . . ]

[And a shout out to the real athletes . . . ]

[Nice catch!]

[Michael playing catch with Trey . . . ]

[Then cutting hard to the hoop . . . ]

[Bryce had a nice offensive game too . . . ]

[Then Trey . . . ]

[Let’s talk about it . . . ]

[OK, let’s wrap it up . . . ]

[We are now 10 – 6 overall, in 4th place in a 9-team conference.  Justin had his usual big game; Jared had a 14-point 2nd half (18 total) that helped us pull away.]

Basketball, a game which won’t be fit for people until they set the basket umbilicus-high and return the giraffes to the zoo.  ~  Ogden Nash

Up Next:  Hockey . . . and Josie?

January 30

. . . to a precious few.

[The penultimate game of the season.  A season that so far has more than lived up to my expectations.  I expected us to be good; I expected us to be entertaining to watch.  And on this night the Cards would win their 10th consecutive game – avenging an earlier season loss to a class AA team, St. Cloud, by the same score, 3 – 0, by which they avenged a similar earlier season loss to another class AA team, Grand Rapids/Greenway, last weekend.]

[A concern was some regular shift players were on the bench in civvies – Hadlee Hansen and Kaci Trosvig, for sure, and I believe also Erin O’Kane.  We want to wish them all a speedy recovery.]

[OK, saddle up!!]

[And we’re off . . . ]

[The Icebreakers have also had a very good season so far, entering this game with a 15 – 5 record among the big schools.]

[Allie Cornelius, senior No. 6, for St. Cloud appeared to be a special player . . . ]

[But the Cards come at you in waves . . . ]

[Here Anna Doherty (7) and McKenna (24) are on the ice together – but we seemed to mix up the lines all game.  There doesn’t seem to be the standard 1st, 2nd, or 3rd lines.  Eight different players have double digit points for the season.]

[Here Kristin Trosvig (15) and Marki Oberg (10) were on the ice together – I don’t think they were paired that often.]

[Marki, incidentally, had two of the three goals against Grand Rapids (Kaci had the other).]

[Here Taylor Breitkreutz (34) and Mayson Toft (14) are paired on defense – but we play 5 defenseman.]

[Marki circling in the offensive zone . . . ]

[Here Alexis Heckert (20) is on the forward line with Kristin . . . ]

[A scene played throughout the game – the Icebreakers are good but the Cards just continually swarm . . . ]

[A Card is lost among the Icebreakers . . . ]

[Looks like Allison O’Kane (36), a defenseman making an offensive charge . . . ]

[Kristin pirouettes toward home . . . ]

[The Cards crash again . . . ]

[Alexis is on the goal porch . . . ]

[Just before the period ended, Calley Richardson jammed one home during a big scrum in front of the goal . . . ]

[We looked good . . . ]

[Anna and Alexis chase the puck . . . ]

[A lone Card among the Icebreakers . . . ]

[Kristin’s on the wing . . . ]

[She was able to get off numerous shots during the game . . . ]

[Here Josie Minnerath (6) is enjoying a face-to-face with the goalie . . . ]

[As Kristin gets off another shot . . . ]

[A stick is in the goal and Josie is down . . . ]

[Meg Shercliffe (5) begins a goal celebration . . . ]

[As McKenna Ellison had just scored from the right flank . . . ]

[Looking even better . . . ]

[In in the 3rd, Meg got her first ever varsity goal.  I think she got more playing time this game to cover for those in civvies.  Good for her.  It was a nice pass from Taylor on the point that she was able to tip in from the far side . . . ]

[Winding it down with Marki . . . ]

[And Kristin . . . ]

[A solid win!  Up next, hosting Breck this Saturday.  It’s the headline game from the Minnesota Hockey Hub in class A as the 3rd-ranked Cardinals host 2nd-ranked Breck.  Quite a game to end the regular season.]

Every day is a great day for hockey.  ~  Mario Lemeiux

Up Next:  Cardinals . . . or Panama?

December 21

At Sea

Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main . . .

[Another day at sea as we cruise from Jamaica to Costa Rica . . . ]

[How ’bout them clouds?]

[A leisurely breakfast at sea . . . ]

[But this would be our roughest day on the water . . . ]

[The captain reported 10 – 15 foot swells – so hold on to handrails!]

[A perfect Munch work for the day . . . ]

[Modern ships have stabilizers that pretty much modify the effect of the waves – well, unless you’re in a hurricane . . . ]

[Where we were, and were going . . . ]

[Nice day for a lecture on “Pirates in Art History” from Dr. Lori . . . ]

[A little get together of the Explorers Society , i.e., guests who have previously sailed with Viking . . . ]

[Greetings from the captain . . . ]

[Oh, here he is . . . ]

[Before a packed atrium . . . ]

[The Super’s soaking it all in . . . ]

[And I  believe a song from Heather . . . ]

[The Super finds box seat seating . . . ]

[And a photo op with the captain, a good fellow Norwegian, Atle Knutsen . . . ]

[And our Hungarian trio again . . . ]

[The ship’s officers . . . ]

[And wrapping up in the Star Theater with a Variety Showtime . . . ]

The worst thing about being a tourist is having other tourists recognize you as a tourist.  ~  Russell Baker

Up Next:  Involves tourists?

January 25

[We awoke the morning of the game to a hoar frost holiday . . . ]

[I prepared for the game with lunch with fellow Class of ’65ers at The Depot.  We don’t get carded much anymore . . . ]

[Then it was off to the last session of January’s senior college, and then pick up fellow Class of ’65er, Bradley, and then off to the game . . . ]

[The Cards were hosting the St. Cloud Tech Tigers, two days after our road win at the undefeated Willmar Cardinals, thus tying Willmar for first place in the conference.]

[Cards captains, McKenzie Duwenhoegger, Courtney Gould, and I  believe that’s Emma Schmidt behind a ref as they meet the constabulary for the evening’s festivities . . . ]

[The coin flip takes place at center ice . . . ]

[I have to admit I had a chat with Cardinal Coach Wendy Kohler before the game.  It’s something a cub reporter is wont to do.  As you know (as blog followers), the Super and I have been out of town for a while and I hadn’t seen a game since . . . November, for Pete’s sake??  I reminded Wendy that through the years her teams always seemed to graduate three senior starters every year, so I’d ask her, “How will you do next year?”  “We’ll win 20,” was always the response.  And danged if she wouldn’t!

[Last year her Cards went to the state tournament, then graduated ELEVEN seniors, including all five starters.  I told her on this night I couldn’t tell who her scorers would be this year, who her shooters would be, and whether she would have her usual stable of athletes?  With this whole new team, she said they’ve been coming together – I guess, to the extent that after beating the Tigers in this game (and with Willmar losing to Sartell) our Cards are now in 1st place in the conference.  It’s seems magical.]

[It was military appreciation night and Wendy was wearing her dad’s Navy uniform.]

[The Cards warming up . . . ]

[With long-time ass’t coach, Julie Wrobel, checking the game plan . . . ]

[The RED t-shirts read, “Remember Everyone Deployed.”]

[On the other side of the court, fans, Super Fans, folks who, with kids and grandkids, have been part of the Alexandria education and sports commuity for . . . well, a long time . . . ]

[And now more have joined them, “principals” shall we say?]

[In the immortal words of Lawrence Welk, “Thank you, boys!”]

[And the thanks to our military . . . ]

[Believed to be the only known photo of your correspondent in uniform.  This was leave trip home from Okinawa in August 1971 (yes, that is hair on my head) . . . ]

[Two Army vets stand in recognition . . . ]

[Oh yeah, the game – introducing Kaye Paschka (3), 5’6″ junior . . . ]

[Ella Grove (11), 5’11” sophomore – I believe Kaye and Ella have both grown a couple more inches since last I saw them . . . ]

[Emma Schmidt (25), 5’11” senior . . . ]

[Courtney Gould (31), 6′, senior . . . ]

[McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35), 6′, senior – whoa, 4 starters at least 5’11?  That’s a tall team . . . ]

[He tossed a ball into the air . . . ]

[It fell to earth he knew not where?]

[McKenzie and the Tiger center have landed – yet, the ball remains airborne?]

[Hit it again!]

[Dance with me, I want to be your partner,  Can’t you see the music is just starting, Night is calling and I am falling . . . ]

[Dance with me  . . . ]

[The Tigers were good shooters – if they could get an uncontested shot.  That didn’t happen often.  I believe this shoot was good, but Ella had the shooter screened from any rebound attempt . . . ]

[McKenzie was fouled in the post a few times early in the game . . . ]

[We still go 10-deep off the bench – here’s Mia McGrane (5), 5’8″ sophomore, good athlete and volleyball player . . . ]

[McKenzie’s back at the line again . . . ]

[Kaye starts the offense . . . ]

[Then Ms Grove demonstrates the finer points of the off-hand drive . . . ]

[As I recall, she ran smack dab into a wall of heavy traffic.  Fortunately, she was fouled.]

[The halftime score was indicative of the play . . . ]

[A point guard’s nightmare – to run into Emma right after crossing the midcourt line.]

[Or worse, to pass to a wing only to have her double-teamed by the 5’11” combo of Ella and Emma.  The team reminds me of our 2011 state tournament team – with length at every position, the double team trap is a very effective defensive weapon for creating turnovers . . . ]

[Two more players providing that ever popular “deep depth.”  Alayna Strand (55), 5’9″ freshman, is also very effective at the point of the press; and Emily Jones (“Jonesie”) (43), 6’1″ junior, contributes size and a terrific shooting touch . . . ]

[Here Mia swishes a couple of freebies . . . ]

[And with a connection to last year’s team, I would guess that Jaya Hatlestad (13), 5’4″ freshman, must be Macy’s little sister.  Appeared to be so when she tried her first ‘3,’ and made it . . . ]

[We’re a fun team to watch and could be a tough out at tournament time.]

This year we plan to run and shoot. Next season we hope to run and score.  ~  Billy Tubbs

Up Next:  Back to the cruise . . .