It took a little while but now we're finally seeing some real clarity in how I firmly believe we'll see things in a little less than a month from now.
1. GAC
2. Concordia
3. CSB
4. Bethel
5. Hamline
6. St. Kate's
7. Augsburg
8. St. Olaf
9. Carleton
10. SMU
11. St. Scholastica
12. Macalester
The Gusties continue to impress and they came away with a huge road victory at Bethel this last Wednesday night in a game that had more than one moment when things looked a little iffy for GAC but they hunkered down and got tough down the stretch when it counted to claim the huge dub. Another trip to the Cities yesterday saw them get a routine win against a slumping Augsburg team that has them at the top of the mountain and it's difficult to imagine anyone knocking them off from their perch at the moment. Though I don't think a letdown is in order on Monday night against St. Scholastica at home in Lund Arena, I don't think they dare look ahead to Wednesday night's important affair with CSB when the Bennies pay a visit to Lund Arena before another trip up to the Cities next Saturday to face Macalester.......What a week it was for the Cobbers as they survived a serious scare at St. Olaf on Wednesday night before getting out of Dodge with the W and then yesterday's huge home win over Bethel in cavernous Memorial Auditorium that now has Concordia all alone in second place in the standings. It's taken a little while but Head Coach Kim Wagers appears to have the Cobbers back amongst the elite in the conference and it's good to see. I'll go as far as saying that I'm definitely encouraged about the Cobbers prospects not only in the MIAC Playoffs but perhaps beyond as well and I'll have more on that later. But it's clear that the raucous student section at Memorial Auditorium appreciates Wagers as they should. https://twitter.com/CoachJPollock/status/1619469184148332545 . To be sure Concordia has yet another huge challenge awaiting it on Monday night when CSB pays a visit to the Fargo-Moorhead area before things ease up a bit; with a home date with Macalester on Wednesday night and another trip down US Highway 10 and the BNSF's Staples Sub mainline to the Cities where they'll face St. Kate's on Saturday.
Not a bad week at all for CSB as they took care of business at home this last week as they were supposed to with wins over St. Scholastica on Wednesday night and then taking care of St. Olaf yesterday. This week, however, could prove to be much, much different as Rocco Lampone in The Godfather Part II might be heard to say "Difficult. Not impossible." I'll just stick with the difficult part as the aforementioned showdown with Concordia up in Moorhead awaits on Monday night before a trip down to St. Peter to take on league-leading GAC on Wednesday night before hosting always-tricky Hamline on Saturday. From a Bennie standpoint, you'd probably feel pretty decently about yourself if you could go 1-2 this next week.......And probably nobody had it rougher than Bethel did this last week as they faltered down the stretch at home against GAC before yesterday's debacle up in Moorhead against Concordia. And this next week really isn't that much easier with three games on tap: At Augsburg on Monday night, at Hamline on Wednesday night and then down at Carleton next Saturday. I wouldn't say that it's do or die for the Royals but it's probably the closest thing to it - especially when it comes to seeding and playoff positioning.
Hamline continues to confound, confuse and surprise but I've got to tell you that it's simply fun as heck when they put it all together with their all barrels a' blazin', fast-paced frenetic style of play that usually includes an artillery barrage of three-point bombs. And that style of play helped them claim romps at home against Macalester last Wednesday night and then yesterday's similar-style treatment of St. Kate's where junior Larisa O'Neil simply went off from downtown. But much more-challenging affairs must be tended to this coming week as the Pipers make the long trek down US Highway 61 and the CPKC River Sub mainline down to Winona to face SMU on Monday night before coming back home to Hutton Arena for Wednesday night's big showdown with Bethel and then a trip up to St. Joe next Saturday to face CSB......St. Kate's meanwhile had to survive a stern test from SMU at home in Butler Center this last Wednesday night before falling victim to said Hamline team yesterday in venerable Hutton Arena. When you look at the standings and the week ahead, it's kind of a good news/bad news proposition for the Wildcats as they're currently three games up on Augsburg for that sixth playoff spot and if they take care of business at Macalester on Monday night and then at home against Carleton on Wednesday night, they should still be in pretty good shape. However, know and understand that should they somehow falter, Concordia rumbles into town next Saturday to take on the 'Cats in Butler Center so it's obvious that St. Kate's needs to take car of business when and where they can.
And finally, a big congrats to Head Coach Jason Schmitz and his staff and the St. Scholastica Saints for notching their first MIAC victory yesterday. As I'm sure the Saints have already discovered, the MIAC is not for the faint of heart and getting that win yesterday is definitely a big step for the program.
Well, that's it for this NFL Championship Sunday. As always, do feel free to fire away with thoughts.
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