The following is offered as a public service. Many of you have seen this before, though probably not for a while. The most recent generation likely has never seen it. It is offered as inspiration for both our girls and boys teams, both likely No. 1 section seeds. This video was shot long ago and far away by Super Fan Bob “Weakie” Annen, co-founder of the Fat Boys Walking Club, back when he deigned show up for the games (ha!):
Also in response to a recent request, and to the latest generation of blog visitors, if you read the “About” post (on the black highlight under the masthead photo of me standing on beautiful Lake Darling) you will learn how to increase the size of and save any photos herein. If only life were so easy.
This one was an NC’er from the git go! Our Cards, against the Willmar Cardinals, wanted to secure on home ice our first conference title since the 2003-04 team finished a series of four conference titles in a row. There’s one more regular season game to go before sections start. (The final shots on goal were ultimately maladjusted to 53 – 15. It was hard to keep up as the entire third period was on running time.)
The video was taken from the start of the game. The other voices belong to the recently retired Voice of the Cardinals, Dave Harris, and the erudite Jim Pohl. Mr. Harris was particularly impressed that I actually captured a goal on a video – in fact two as our Cards bolted out of the gate.
[And as soon as I cut off the video, GOOOOAAAALLLLL! So far we have from the video Zach Johnson (17) from Chris Canavati (11) and Ryan Marciniak (20) at the one minute mark; and Chris Leary (18) from Marciniak and Micah Christenson (39) at the two minute mark . . . ]
[Then we had this goal, Chase Nielson (10) from Canavati and Jack Steffl (2) at the seven minute mark.]
[As the supervisor always says, “Arms are for hugging!” This GOOOAAALLL by Johnson from Marciniak (a hat trick in assists!) and Nick Partington (26) at the nine minute mark.]
[GOOAAALLL by Alex Wosepka (8) from Steffl and Chase Childers (19) at the ten minute mark.]
[Yup, just after Wosepka’s goal – still in the first period here.]
[Let’s give a little “air time” to Danny Hennessy (4), senior forward.]
[GOOOAAALLLL! After the near misses in the video, Mack Strong (16) gets his goal, from Wyatt Wittenburg (9), junior forward, and Canavati at the 12 minute mark.]
[A quite impressive period! Or exclamation point!!]
[GOOAALLLL in period 2, Marciniak from Strong and Eli Heckert (27), senior defense.]
[The pace slowed in the 2nd, not surprisingly, plus we had to kill off a 5-minute major penalty on which Willmar scored their only goal with 9 seconds left in the penalty.]
[GOOOOAAAAALLLL . . .]
[Marciniak completes his big game in the third period from Johnson. That’s all there is, there ain’t no more.]
After the game, there was a brief ceremony honoring the new conference champions. Each player received a t-shirt commemorating the event, and the team received a banner ultimately to be hung from the arena rafters:
The JV game
[I arrived as I usually do about halfway through the JV game. It’s now still light at 6:00, and the weather was so balmy I was wearing a spring weight jacket. Neither seemed appropriate for hockey season. This game was not much fun for the other Cardinals.] [The poor Willmar goalie was in this situation a lot. Though all I see is the “2,” I suspect this is Reed Larson (12), sophomore forward.] [Ashton Toft (37), sophomore defense, throwing his weight around.] [Drat, even when I “blow it up,” I can’t tell who the blue line shooter is.] [Ahhhh, Sam Gunvalson (40), sophomore defense, whose number is clearly legible! 🙂 ] [Yup, still Sam.] [ Aarin Willander (13), junior forward, possibly?]
[And again. You may tell from the angle – well, of course you can – that I’m shooting all these from behind the goal on the south side of the arena. After the game, I would continue my schlep to my usual seat.]
[Another blast at the beleaguered goalie.]
[I suspect it must be a . . . ]
[GOOOAAAAALLLL! With Gunvalson; Larson; and Nick Dallum (29), junior forward, in the vicinity.]
[Shots on goal were really ugly at this time.]
[It seems you always gotta have a “guy.” You can have a “guy” for a variety of reasons. I adopted Noah Hittle (15), junior forward, as my “guy” early in the season. Dunno why, for sure? But I kinda like his demeanor, and I certainly like his hands. He has a terrific shot, quick and accurate. Look for him to be power play gotta be next year.]
[The end of the 2nd period. Then came the 3rd period explosion. As you can see from the final scoreboard at the top of the JV story, they stopped the shot count at 39 (it would be hard to go from 4 goals to 10 on only 2 shots, eh?).]
When I was young, I was amazed at Plutarch’s statement that the elder Cato began at the age of eighty to learn Greek. I am amazed no longer. Old age is ready to undertake tasks that youth shirked because they would take too long. ~ W. Somerset Maugham
Up next: The hockey girls are scheduled to host a section semi-final tonight . . . weather permitting.
[Josie Nelson performed at Carlos Creek Winery on Sunday. The winery doesn’t usually have Sunday performances, but it was quarterly wine pick up day. Thousands of people would be descending on the facility so it’s appropriate they be entertained.]
[Josie began by noting this was her first performance since the Grape Stomp, way back in September. As someone who is now 15 1/2 and 2 days old, she has to spend most of her time as a sophomore in high school. However, she is now less than six months from the driver’s license that will free her mom from chauffeur duties – for which they are both thankful! 😉 ]
[Coach Kohler dropped by during the performance, the night after her 500th career win as the girls’ basketball coach, and we chatted about how multi-talented this sophomore class is. And they’re all smart enough to know one shouldn’t end a sentence with “is.”]
“Don’t Know Why” (Don’t Know Why the camera focused on the background lamp?):
[See you all again in the spring! And a special thanks to the old hockey players and their certainly significant others for stopping by from Ashby and Aberdeen.]
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow”:
***
The only way for a woman, as for a man, to know herself as a person, is by creative work of her own. ~ Betty Friedan
It all began on a small town basketball court 29 years ago . . .
Saturday night the Cardinals hosted Bemidji in a girl/boy basketball doubleheader. The girls’ game was particularly significant in that Coach Wendy Kohler was going for her 500th career victory. So, I began the evening by being late, because . . . our morning meeting ran long, which meant we were late getting the winery for Anthony Miltich, which meant we were late leaving the winery. Anyway, I always wanted to just video Kohler, particularly in tight games when she’s whistling and shouting instructions. This game unfortunately (in that regard) was “over” by the time I got there a little before halftime . . .
***
A couple minutes at the start of the 2nd half:
***
[We began, as all things must, with point guard Macy Hatlestad (11) bringing the ball up court.]
[Then we have the Cards defensive pressure. The night before the Cards had avenged their opening season loss by beating Detroit Lakes at their place, 54 – 41, with a superior defensive performance. Though we were physically and emotionally spent from the Laker game, the Lumberjacks are in down year and didn’t offer much resistance.]
[Macy careens out of bounds after a rebound. Emma Ziegler (1) and Carly Dropik (33) keep the Lumberjacks at bay.]
[Hoping to be the point guard for Kohler’s 800th win! 🙂 ]
[Kendall Kohler (3) looked a little pooped.]
[Kiyana Miller (21), sophomore guard, dribbles right . . .]
[Then changes directions and goes left. ‘U’ turns are legal in basketball, no signalling necessary.]
[Despite a big early lead, Kohler was still into it!]
[Is that a ref look? 😉 ]
[And here comes Macy again.]
[Carly is our defensive killer bee.]
[What am I going to say after the game?]
[Game over, but it’s just the halftime score.]
[Known to have a family connection in the following game . . . ]
[As you can see (well, maybe), a chance to play a lot of players. In my excitement (?), I must have loosened the camera lens just enough to un-focus it. I lost several of the following “500 victories photos” because of that – drat!]
[Fortunately, I got the focus back here as Kohler addressed the assembled masses.]
Her speech, on loan from the Voice of Alexandria:
[The celebration . . . well, you probably figured that out already.]
[The “official” Cub Reporter, Lake Darling Blog, photos.]
[Then the boys came out to play, Joe Gorghuber (5) on the tap.]
[Ben Corson (13) and Kris Setterstrom (3), senior guards. Kris had a particularly strong game offensively as he really pushed for his shot.]
[While all appear headed downcourt, Corson heads up court in defiance of the majority traffic.]
[Gorghuber]
[Alec Wensman (55), see family connection photo.]
[Setterstrom keeping on eye on the Lumberjack’s No. 3.]
[And Tyler Owen (35) completes our “big guy” triumvirate at the line.]
[This game was all but over at the half as well. I was particularly impressed with the way the Cards distributed (i.e., shared) the ball. Lots of terrific assists, particularly by Jaran Roste (31), sophomore “point forward”?]
[Coach Kohler with Kendra Holm, emeritus team manager.]
[Grant Toivonen (1) and Wensman on offense.]
[Travis Krueger (25) from the corner. Travis had a hot hand throughout the game.]
[I do believe I caught a Wensman swat! I think he must have had 5 or 6 blocks in the game, including two on one sequence.]
[Setterstrom on the point.]
[Choir Director Steve Dietz on the PA; Athletic Director Dave Hartmann on the social media device.]
[Yeah, we’re happy!]
[Toivonen]
[Keueger]
[Gorghuber]
[Wensman]
[“The Competition”]
[The win!]
The penalty for censoring what your children may be taught is children who are no brighter than you. ~ Frank A. Clark
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