Was over at Osseo High School on this Thursday night for one of the opening sectional games; this one in Section 5 AAAA between Coon Rapids and host Osseo. Despite being the home team, the Orioles could ill afford to take the Cardinals lightly as Coon Rapids swept Osseo during the regular season. Even more interesting on this night was that former Oriole point guards Brianna Olson ('08) and younger sister Paige ('11) were among those in the stands to cheer on their old team which was pretty cool.
Despite any mental advantage Coon Rapids may have had, Osseo looked comfortable enough in the opening minutes as they built up a 10-3 lead fueled by flashy juniors Jany Morton and Phyllis Webb and senior post Olivia Antilla. But the Cardinals were confident enough in their ability to handle the speed and athleticism that the Orioles have and fought their way back into the thick of things thanks to senior guard Libby Storrick's free throws at the 13:13 mark and a drive inside that counted along with an ensuing freebie. Fellow senior guard Allie Hall sliced the Oriole lead to a scant one point at 11-10 with her jumper from the right side at the 9:22 mark. Osseo, however, would maintain the edge the rest of the first half; gaining a seven point lead again at the 4:14 mark when senior Mikayla Bailey finished inside in transition but Storrick and junior post Courtney Pasiowitz kept Coon Rapids right in the thick of things and would have been down only four if it hadn't been for Morton's slash inside and finish with just three ticks on the clock before halftime that made it 29-23 Osseo.
Oriole senior guard Colleen McCullough scored in the lane to get things going in the second half that upped the Osseo lead to 31-23 but again Coon Rapids refused to fold at this sign of adversity and promptly cut the Osseo margin to a more managable 4-6 point margin within the next couple of minutes. But this is a very talented Osseo team that can strike in a hurry when it has its "guns" going. With just under 12 minutes left in the second half, those "guns" that the Orioles have finally helped give the home team a run that appeared to more or less ice things. Webb banged home a long "2" from the right corner at the 11:52 mark and then Antilla muscled her way inside to score and got fouled in the process and the ensuing freebie made it a 45-33 game. Another Webb drive and finish at the 9:58 mark and then scores from Antilla and reserve senior Anuli Okonkwo gave Osseo what APPEARED to be a safe 54-36 lead with just 6:30 left.
Someone, however, forgot to tell this scrappy Cardinal team to pack it in and call it a night when it seemed like all hope was lost; particularly senior wing Brianna Havelka who took it upon herself to put the team on her shoulders for one last glorious run. Trailing by 17 at 54-37 with just under six minutes left, Havelka drained a "3" from the top of the key that started the improbable comeback. Fellow senior Jessie Owens scored inside at the 5:12 mark and was fouled in the process by Osseo's Bailey that gave her four fouls. Havelka then snared a steal and got an easy finish the other way that suddenly cut the Oriole lead to 54-44. After two charity stripe shots by Morton that briefly gave Osseo a twelve point lead, Havelka AGAIN reigned terror from behind the arc as she drained another "3" from the right wing at the 4:26 mark that sliced the Osseo lead to single digits. Owens knocked down one free throw at the 3:51 mark and then Hawkins got a layup in transition with 3:28 left. A Morton score temporarily stopped the bleeding for Osseo at the 3:14 mark but then - Guess who??! - struck again - Pavelka with ANOTHER "3" from the right wing at the 2:10 mark. Osseo Head Coach Joey Waters had seen enough and promptly called a time out to try and get her team settled down to try and avoid yet another disaster at the hands of Coon Rapids. Whatever her message was to her team at this critical juncture of this game worked as the Orioles were able to stave off a furious Coon Rapids comeback. Webb knocked down crucial free throws at the 1:46 and 1:08 marks and another strong move and finish inside by Antilla finally allowed Osseo to breathe a bit easier. The Orioles came away with a hard-fought 67-55 win that was much closer than what the final score would indicate. But for Joey Waters, it's the win that counts and avoiding a disaster to Coon Rapids for a thrid time this year would allow her to get some sleep on this night.
Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Back At It Again....
Okay....So here it is Memorial Day weekend and I'm finally back typing on my blog again. I apologize for letting the cobwebs gather on this site since the end of the MIAC season. A lot of things have been happening or going on since I last posted. First, and most important, I have a BRAND NEW home computer (Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!) that I absolutely LOVE along with high-speed internet which is just soooo awesome. Second, I have been on the tennis court a lot over the last three months working hard (on the court and off) to get ready for another summer tournament and league season. So that has slowed me down in doing what I want to do. But I have been around the action as much as I can. I've just done a lousy job of writing about it. So, let's see if I can't get this thing caught up again. Bear with me......
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday Selection Show Aftermath 2-27-12
Well, wanted to take some time today to let my thoughts pour out about the injustice (ONCE AGAIN) done to the MIAC after watching the NCAA Women's Selection Show earlier this afternoon. Yes, UST did get the automatic berth from Saturday's victory and will host a sub regional (pod) this weekend as expected. BUT, as I feared earlier today, GAC got the mother of all snubs from the selection committee when it was left out of the field of 64 (in retrospect, I KNEW I should have made that quick run to Walgreens earlier this A.M. to get that little bottle of Vaseline that I just knew I'd need when the Selection Show came on). Yes, despite going 20-6 on the year AND being ranked in the West Regional rankings - AND making it to the MIAC Championship game where they fell to UST after making a valiant second half comeback bid. You'll notice, of course, that the neighboring WIAC and IIAC conferences got their requisite four (the WIAC gets FOUR!) and two teams in, respectively. But, for some reason, the NCAA just doesn't think the MIAC is good enough to warrant this kind of consideration. Well, gee, NCAA....thanks for all the consideration. Hopefully, you'll have a somewhat better explanation for the four seniors on the GAC team (Molly Geske, Colleen Ruane, Ava Perry, and Liz Shay) who worked so hard this year and DESERVED an NCAA Tournament bid. This is the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW that the MIAC has suffered this kind of fate and, quite frankly, it's getting old. This is the time - NOW - when the conference, it's administrators, athletic directors, and coaches have to take DECISIVE action or else they'll be in the same predicament year after year after year. Just utterly ridiculous.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
MIAC Championship Game - Gustavus vs UST 2-25-12
Was at UST's "new" Schoenecker Arena at the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Center on this Saturday afternoon for the MIAC Championship Game. I simply couldn't help but be fired up for this one as this is what it's all about - winning the conference championship and getting that automatic bid to the Dance. For the Gusties, this was a chance for redemption after taking two beatings by UST during the regular season; the last one at home a few mere weeks ago. And perhaps, even more important, to erase their reputation as a team with no heart and to bury forever their infamous legacy of choking in championship games.
But it was the home team that started off fast in this one and had the Gusties on their heels right away. Willowy senior forward Ali Johnson, the three-point shooting Queen of the conference, drew first blood for the Tommies when she drained a "3" from the right wing at the 18:10 mark. Strong sophomore post Maggie Weiers expanded that lead to 6-0 by the 17:43 mark when she muscled her way inside to finish and you could tell that the Gusties might be in some real trouble - again. The Tommies were overpowering on the boards early on - Weiers especially - as she grabbed a rebound and putback at the 16:51 mark for an 8-1 UST lead before Gustavus finally scored again on junior post Abby Rothenbuehler's jumper at the 16:27 mark.
The Gusties cut the Tommie lead to 8-5 on junior Kelsey Florian's drive and finish at the 15:37 mark but the Tommies responded with another burst that put Gustavus in a serious hole. Senior post Sarah Smith was able to score inside at both the 15:14 and 14:23 marks and then sophomore sensation Taylor Young knocked down a "3" at the 13:37 mark.. The Gusties momentarily stopped the bleeding by scores from senior Molly Geske and Florian but the Tommies were just getting on a roll. Sophomore Kelly Brandenburg got a lay-up off a teammate's steal and then Johnson struck again from behind the arc at the 8:45 mark for a 22-12 Tommie lead. Senior PG Carolyn Dienhart drained a "3" as well; this one from the top of the key at the 6:09 mark. Brandenburg shred the Gustie defense at the 5:33 mark with a drive and finish and Sarah Smith did the same again at the 5:13 mark. Then, less than a minute later, Weiers was able to grab a rebound in the air and put the ball off the glass for a 33-14 lead and Gustavus Head Coach Mickey Haller had seen enough and quickly called a timeout to try and get her team settled down. The Tommies were able to get the lead to 38-18 when junior guard Kellie Ring made a sweet drive and finish and got fouled in the process. Gustavus did go on a mini 5-0 run before the half to cut it to 38-23 at intermission but the box score numbers for the Gusties were U-G-L-Y to say the least - 26.9% FG shooting; only 12.5% from behind the arc while the Tommies were 46.9% from FG-range and an even more impressive 57.1% from behind the arc. Surely this onslaught which had been a Tommie trademark for most of the regular season, would finally brush off and make the visiting Gusties just pack it in and give the title meekly to UST. It did not.
I'm not sure what was said in the locker room at halftime but whatever it was, it must have been damned good as the Gusties summoned up the heart that probably no one (including your's truly) thought they had and came out on fire in the second half. And, even more surprising, a lot of the damage wrought by Gustavus came at the hands of their senior PG Colleen Ruane who, while perhaps a bit shy off the court, has the heart and fight of a lion while on it. She started the rally at the 19:49 mark with a drive and finish inside and got fouled in the process. Then, senior guard Ava Perry suddenly came to life at the 18:06 mark with one of her patented flat three-point bombs from the top of the key that cut the Tommie lead to ten points. A Weiers score inside at the 17:41 mark allowed the Tommies to catch their breath a bit but Ruane put the fear of God into the Tommies again with a steal and lay-up at the 17:05 mark and then made another fearless drive and finish at the 15:05 mark. Up-and-coming sophomore Julia Dysthie mimicked her mentor Ruane at the 14:27 mark and then Ruane AGAIN struck with a lay-up at the 13:54 mark. Weiers again tried to stem the Gustie tide when she connected with a turnaround jumper off the glass at the 12:37 mark but the Gusties were causing all sorts of problems for the home team with their relentless full-court pressure defense. Florian made a lay-up and got fouled in the process at the 11:41 mark and her ensuing freebie cut the Tommie lead to 44-39. Another Gustie steal allowed Florian to get fouled again in the act of shooting where she was able to can one shot from the charity stripe. Ruane was able to do the same at the 10:37 mark and suddenly Gustavus had cut the once-bulging Tommie lead to a scant two points at 44-42.
But, as the late, long-time voice of NFL Films, John Facenda once said, "Great teams aren't always great, they're just great when they have to be." And the Tommies were able to be great when the Gusties had fought back so valiantly and appeared to have the Tommies on the rope. Johnson was able to beat the Gustavus press for an easy lay-up at the 10:28 mark and then Weiers got another rebound and putback at the 9:44 mark. A "3" by Geske at the 9:19 mark did cut the UST lead back to three at 48-45 but the Gusties, who arguably expended a lot of energy in their dramatic comeback bid, could never get closer than three points the rest of the way. Sarah Smith was able to cash in on a lay-up at the 9:04 mark and again at the 6:14 mark which sandwiched points from the charity stripe by Weiers and Ring. The Gusties refused to quit, however, as "3's" by both Florian and junior Steph Comer kept Gustavus close. But each time the Tommies had an answer. Johnson, appropriately clad in purple Nike socks as was Weiers on this day, drained a "3" from the left corner at the 4:48 mark and then Sarah Smith and Weiers were able to make clutch freebies coming down the home stretch. By the 2:08 mark, Gustavus was back down by ten points again and couldn't get either Geske or Perry open for any much-needed three-point attempts. Trying to stretch the clock, Gustavus was forced to foul which allowed Sarah Smith and Brandenburg to help make the final margin somewhat deceiving by a count of 66-54 as the Tommies captured their second MIAC Championship Game and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in three years.
But it was the home team that started off fast in this one and had the Gusties on their heels right away. Willowy senior forward Ali Johnson, the three-point shooting Queen of the conference, drew first blood for the Tommies when she drained a "3" from the right wing at the 18:10 mark. Strong sophomore post Maggie Weiers expanded that lead to 6-0 by the 17:43 mark when she muscled her way inside to finish and you could tell that the Gusties might be in some real trouble - again. The Tommies were overpowering on the boards early on - Weiers especially - as she grabbed a rebound and putback at the 16:51 mark for an 8-1 UST lead before Gustavus finally scored again on junior post Abby Rothenbuehler's jumper at the 16:27 mark.
The Gusties cut the Tommie lead to 8-5 on junior Kelsey Florian's drive and finish at the 15:37 mark but the Tommies responded with another burst that put Gustavus in a serious hole. Senior post Sarah Smith was able to score inside at both the 15:14 and 14:23 marks and then sophomore sensation Taylor Young knocked down a "3" at the 13:37 mark.. The Gusties momentarily stopped the bleeding by scores from senior Molly Geske and Florian but the Tommies were just getting on a roll. Sophomore Kelly Brandenburg got a lay-up off a teammate's steal and then Johnson struck again from behind the arc at the 8:45 mark for a 22-12 Tommie lead. Senior PG Carolyn Dienhart drained a "3" as well; this one from the top of the key at the 6:09 mark. Brandenburg shred the Gustie defense at the 5:33 mark with a drive and finish and Sarah Smith did the same again at the 5:13 mark. Then, less than a minute later, Weiers was able to grab a rebound in the air and put the ball off the glass for a 33-14 lead and Gustavus Head Coach Mickey Haller had seen enough and quickly called a timeout to try and get her team settled down. The Tommies were able to get the lead to 38-18 when junior guard Kellie Ring made a sweet drive and finish and got fouled in the process. Gustavus did go on a mini 5-0 run before the half to cut it to 38-23 at intermission but the box score numbers for the Gusties were U-G-L-Y to say the least - 26.9% FG shooting; only 12.5% from behind the arc while the Tommies were 46.9% from FG-range and an even more impressive 57.1% from behind the arc. Surely this onslaught which had been a Tommie trademark for most of the regular season, would finally brush off and make the visiting Gusties just pack it in and give the title meekly to UST. It did not.
I'm not sure what was said in the locker room at halftime but whatever it was, it must have been damned good as the Gusties summoned up the heart that probably no one (including your's truly) thought they had and came out on fire in the second half. And, even more surprising, a lot of the damage wrought by Gustavus came at the hands of their senior PG Colleen Ruane who, while perhaps a bit shy off the court, has the heart and fight of a lion while on it. She started the rally at the 19:49 mark with a drive and finish inside and got fouled in the process. Then, senior guard Ava Perry suddenly came to life at the 18:06 mark with one of her patented flat three-point bombs from the top of the key that cut the Tommie lead to ten points. A Weiers score inside at the 17:41 mark allowed the Tommies to catch their breath a bit but Ruane put the fear of God into the Tommies again with a steal and lay-up at the 17:05 mark and then made another fearless drive and finish at the 15:05 mark. Up-and-coming sophomore Julia Dysthie mimicked her mentor Ruane at the 14:27 mark and then Ruane AGAIN struck with a lay-up at the 13:54 mark. Weiers again tried to stem the Gustie tide when she connected with a turnaround jumper off the glass at the 12:37 mark but the Gusties were causing all sorts of problems for the home team with their relentless full-court pressure defense. Florian made a lay-up and got fouled in the process at the 11:41 mark and her ensuing freebie cut the Tommie lead to 44-39. Another Gustie steal allowed Florian to get fouled again in the act of shooting where she was able to can one shot from the charity stripe. Ruane was able to do the same at the 10:37 mark and suddenly Gustavus had cut the once-bulging Tommie lead to a scant two points at 44-42.
But, as the late, long-time voice of NFL Films, John Facenda once said, "Great teams aren't always great, they're just great when they have to be." And the Tommies were able to be great when the Gusties had fought back so valiantly and appeared to have the Tommies on the rope. Johnson was able to beat the Gustavus press for an easy lay-up at the 10:28 mark and then Weiers got another rebound and putback at the 9:44 mark. A "3" by Geske at the 9:19 mark did cut the UST lead back to three at 48-45 but the Gusties, who arguably expended a lot of energy in their dramatic comeback bid, could never get closer than three points the rest of the way. Sarah Smith was able to cash in on a lay-up at the 9:04 mark and again at the 6:14 mark which sandwiched points from the charity stripe by Weiers and Ring. The Gusties refused to quit, however, as "3's" by both Florian and junior Steph Comer kept Gustavus close. But each time the Tommies had an answer. Johnson, appropriately clad in purple Nike socks as was Weiers on this day, drained a "3" from the left corner at the 4:48 mark and then Sarah Smith and Weiers were able to make clutch freebies coming down the home stretch. By the 2:08 mark, Gustavus was back down by ten points again and couldn't get either Geske or Perry open for any much-needed three-point attempts. Trying to stretch the clock, Gustavus was forced to foul which allowed Sarah Smith and Brandenburg to help make the final margin somewhat deceiving by a count of 66-54 as the Tommies captured their second MIAC Championship Game and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in three years.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Centennial vs Osseo 2-24-12
Was over at Osseo High School on this Friday evening to take in the last regular season game that featured the visiting Centennial Cougars and the host Osseo Orioles. This would be the last home game for the seniors on the Osseo team so this was a very special evening, indeed. As I found out, not only is Osseo one of the top teams in the state, they can also sing pretty well, too, as the team sang the National Anthem at the beginning. I thought that was pretty cool.
But, for a good chunk of the first half, the visiting Cougars showed they were up for this contest. After strong senior post Olivia Antilla got the home team on the board first with her jumper along the baseline at the 17:20 mark, sophomore Destinee Williams knocked down a "3" from the right top at the 16:43 mark and then senior forward Kristen Nordby did the same at the 16:03 mark for a 6-4 Centennial lead. Seniors Mikayla Bailey and Anuli Okonkwo enabled Osseo to get the lead back at 8-6 but that was countered by Centennial's willowy junior forward Paige Waytashek (following in the footsteps of her older sisters Joelle and Megan who starred at Centennial as well) as she tied things up at 8-all with her score inside at the 12:32 mark. Osseo made a little push beginning at the 10:17 mark that featured "3's" by both junior forward Phyllis Webb and Bailey that got Osseo out to a 16-10 lead and the Orioles were able to maintain a cushion of 3-5 points over the next few minutes. After a pull-up jumper by Oriole junior Janay Morton at the 4:52 mark that pushed the Osseo lead to 22-17, Waytashek had her team right back on the fringe of getting even again as she drained a "3" at the 4:26 mark that cut the Oriole lead to 22-20. But this juncture is where Osseo made the decisive push that had Centennial on its heels the rest of the way. Oriole sophomore Ayo Porte made a drive along the baseline and finished inside at the 2:42 mark and then Morton made a drive and finish in transition at the 1:55 mark. Bailey; not necessarily known for her prowess behind the arc, nonetheless knocked one down at the 1:42 mark and then Antilla finished another transition opportunity for the Orioles as they were suddenly up 31-20 with 1:12 left in the first half. A "3" by the Cougars Nordby momentarily stopped the bleeding but Osseo's Porte was able to get another score with just :40 before the half as Osseo had a 33-23 lead at the halftime break.
Nordby again tried to get her team untracked as the second half began; knocking down a "3" at the 17:43 mark but the Orioles simply would not let their last home game slip away from them as they were able to build the lead up to 40-26 by the 15:58 mark. This relatively young Centennial squad would never quit, though, as sophomore post Jill Conrad suddenly came alive in the second half. She cashed in on one freebie attempt from the charity stripe at the 15:24 mark and then scored inside at the 14:54 mark. Osseo would never let Centennial sniff a chance to really get back into this one; Bailey finished in transition and was fouled in the process and made her obligatory freebie and then Webb made an unbelievably explosive drive inside and finish at the 11:11 mark but Centennial's Conrad was more than willing to put her team on her shoulders. Scores inside at the 10:42 and 7:49 marks helped keep the score respectable as did scores from Waytashek who hit a jumper at the 5:22 mark and then drained a "3" at the 5:07 mark. Conrad had two more scores at both the 3:50 and 3:23 marks but any hopes of catching Osseo on this night had long since vanished. Webb finished inside at the 2:21 mark and then made one freebie at the 1:37 mark. This is where there was a rather odd technical foul called on Osseo (and I never did find out exactly what happened; I can only surmise that someone must have said something that the officials didn't like). By this time, both Osseo Head Coach Joey Waters and Centennial Head Coach Greg Amundson decided to empty their benches and Osseo would close this one out by a final count of 67-52 as they looked primed and ready for sectional play that begins March 1st.
But, for a good chunk of the first half, the visiting Cougars showed they were up for this contest. After strong senior post Olivia Antilla got the home team on the board first with her jumper along the baseline at the 17:20 mark, sophomore Destinee Williams knocked down a "3" from the right top at the 16:43 mark and then senior forward Kristen Nordby did the same at the 16:03 mark for a 6-4 Centennial lead. Seniors Mikayla Bailey and Anuli Okonkwo enabled Osseo to get the lead back at 8-6 but that was countered by Centennial's willowy junior forward Paige Waytashek (following in the footsteps of her older sisters Joelle and Megan who starred at Centennial as well) as she tied things up at 8-all with her score inside at the 12:32 mark. Osseo made a little push beginning at the 10:17 mark that featured "3's" by both junior forward Phyllis Webb and Bailey that got Osseo out to a 16-10 lead and the Orioles were able to maintain a cushion of 3-5 points over the next few minutes. After a pull-up jumper by Oriole junior Janay Morton at the 4:52 mark that pushed the Osseo lead to 22-17, Waytashek had her team right back on the fringe of getting even again as she drained a "3" at the 4:26 mark that cut the Oriole lead to 22-20. But this juncture is where Osseo made the decisive push that had Centennial on its heels the rest of the way. Oriole sophomore Ayo Porte made a drive along the baseline and finished inside at the 2:42 mark and then Morton made a drive and finish in transition at the 1:55 mark. Bailey; not necessarily known for her prowess behind the arc, nonetheless knocked one down at the 1:42 mark and then Antilla finished another transition opportunity for the Orioles as they were suddenly up 31-20 with 1:12 left in the first half. A "3" by the Cougars Nordby momentarily stopped the bleeding but Osseo's Porte was able to get another score with just :40 before the half as Osseo had a 33-23 lead at the halftime break.
Nordby again tried to get her team untracked as the second half began; knocking down a "3" at the 17:43 mark but the Orioles simply would not let their last home game slip away from them as they were able to build the lead up to 40-26 by the 15:58 mark. This relatively young Centennial squad would never quit, though, as sophomore post Jill Conrad suddenly came alive in the second half. She cashed in on one freebie attempt from the charity stripe at the 15:24 mark and then scored inside at the 14:54 mark. Osseo would never let Centennial sniff a chance to really get back into this one; Bailey finished in transition and was fouled in the process and made her obligatory freebie and then Webb made an unbelievably explosive drive inside and finish at the 11:11 mark but Centennial's Conrad was more than willing to put her team on her shoulders. Scores inside at the 10:42 and 7:49 marks helped keep the score respectable as did scores from Waytashek who hit a jumper at the 5:22 mark and then drained a "3" at the 5:07 mark. Conrad had two more scores at both the 3:50 and 3:23 marks but any hopes of catching Osseo on this night had long since vanished. Webb finished inside at the 2:21 mark and then made one freebie at the 1:37 mark. This is where there was a rather odd technical foul called on Osseo (and I never did find out exactly what happened; I can only surmise that someone must have said something that the officials didn't like). By this time, both Osseo Head Coach Joey Waters and Centennial Head Coach Greg Amundson decided to empty their benches and Osseo would close this one out by a final count of 67-52 as they looked primed and ready for sectional play that begins March 1st.
Friday, February 24, 2012
MIAC SF Playoff Game - Concordia vs Gustavus 2-23-12
Was down in St. Peter on this Thursday night to take in the MIAC semifinal playoff clash between the visiting Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers (the #3 seed) and host Gustavus Adolphus (the #2 seed). Concordia had been enjoying a good streak coming down the stretch of the regular season; winning ten of their last twelve games - and knocking off Bethel at home in the Quarterfinals Tuesday night. The Gusties faltered somewhat coming down the stretch of the regular season but were able to right the ship against Bethel in the last regular-season home game and had long since locked up the number two seed but the Cobbers would be a tough test.
It was the Gusties who were able to hold the edge in the opening minutes of the first half. Sophomore Eli Benz finished in transition at the 18:56 mark and then scored inside at the 18:24 mark for a 4-0 Gustavus lead. Lanky sophomore post Abby Rothenbuehler upped the Gustie lead to 6-2 by the 16:42 mark with her jumper as the shot clock expired. The Gusties would keep the Cobbers at bay over the next few minutes before Concordia was finally able to tie things up at 14-all on junior Tricia Sorensen's two freebies. The Gusties again responded; creating a four-point cushion as senior PG Colleen Ruane made one of her trademark steals and made a lay-up and senior Molly Geske was able to connect with a jumper in the lane at the 7:25 mark. But right back came this up-and-coming Concordia squad. Sophomore guard Erika Jossart (younger sister of former Cobber Brittany Jossart) knocked down a "3" from the right wing at the 6:57 mark and then reserve senior post Andrea Benjamin put the Cobbers into the lead at 19-18 as she scored inside at the 5:48 mark. The Gustie offense had temporarily slowed and Concordia was able to take advantage somewhat as starting sophomore post, 6'4" Alexandra Lippert connected with a turnaround jumper in the lane at the 3:45 mark for a 21-18 Cobber lead. But the Gusties would not need to hit the panic button. They showed experience and resolve as they slowly clawed their way back into the lead. After a Benz free throw Geske knocked down a "3" from the left wing at the 2:46 mark for a 22-21 Gustavus lead and then Rothenbuehler made a nice drive and finish at the 1:53 mark. After withstanding a Lippert score at the 1:09 mark, Rothenbuehler scored again on the next possession and Geske was able to connect with a shot from the charity stripe with just :13.5 left that enabled the Gusties to take a 27-23 advantage into the locker room at the break.
Whatever reservations or fears that Gustavus may have had offensively in the first half vanished as the second half began. They responded with a 15-2 run in the first six minutes of the second half that sarted with senior guard Ava Perry's drive along the baseline and finish inside at the 19:13 mark and was punctuated by Rothenbuehler's "3" from the right corner at the 14:19 mark for a 40-25 Gustie lead that proved to be the difference-maker in this contest. The Gusties were able to push the lead to as much as 17 when sophomore Julia Dysthie made a lay-up at the 13:14 mark. The Cobbers, however, refused to quit and this is where freshman Alley Fisher came into play. She connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 12:10 mark and banged home another "3" from the left corner at the 10:16 mark. Lippert was able to work her way inside at the 9:24 mark for a score and a lay-up at the 8:32 mark. Another three-point bomb by Fisher at the 7:19 mark - this time from the right wing - cut the Gustie lead to 51-40 before the home team finally woke up again. A Rothenbuehler "3" from the top of the key with 6:16 left and a sweet turnaround jumper at the 4:51 mark as the shot clock was about to expire pushed the lead back up to 56-42. Junior guard Steph Comer connected with a lay-up with 3:04 left that made it 59-42 Gustavus. The Cobbers had one last hurrah - yet another three-point bomb from Fisher from the left corner at the 1:41 mark but the Gusties would do what they needed to do to secure a 61-49 win that sends them to the MIAC Championship game against UST which defeated St. Mary's at home.
With the win and berth in the MIAC Championship Game, I think the Gusties have all but cemented a ticket to the Big Dance come this next Monday; regardless of what happens Saturday at UST. Sure, a win over UST would be fantastic and it would get the Gusties not only their first outright MIAC title and an automatic bid, it would give them a better chance at staying closer to home. UST is going to host an NCAA "pod" no matter what happens Saturday although I certainly don't think this diminishes their desire to make up for the disappointment of last season's loss at home to a senior-laden Concordia squad. That one loss cost UST a ticket to the dance (which was BS in itself as the MIAC got [expletive deleted] again by the NCAA). If Gusties should lose a tough one to UST on Saturday, then the most likely scenario is that they'll get shipped to either Wisconsin or, worse yet, out to George Fox where it'll likely be a "one and done" deal.
It was the Gusties who were able to hold the edge in the opening minutes of the first half. Sophomore Eli Benz finished in transition at the 18:56 mark and then scored inside at the 18:24 mark for a 4-0 Gustavus lead. Lanky sophomore post Abby Rothenbuehler upped the Gustie lead to 6-2 by the 16:42 mark with her jumper as the shot clock expired. The Gusties would keep the Cobbers at bay over the next few minutes before Concordia was finally able to tie things up at 14-all on junior Tricia Sorensen's two freebies. The Gusties again responded; creating a four-point cushion as senior PG Colleen Ruane made one of her trademark steals and made a lay-up and senior Molly Geske was able to connect with a jumper in the lane at the 7:25 mark. But right back came this up-and-coming Concordia squad. Sophomore guard Erika Jossart (younger sister of former Cobber Brittany Jossart) knocked down a "3" from the right wing at the 6:57 mark and then reserve senior post Andrea Benjamin put the Cobbers into the lead at 19-18 as she scored inside at the 5:48 mark. The Gustie offense had temporarily slowed and Concordia was able to take advantage somewhat as starting sophomore post, 6'4" Alexandra Lippert connected with a turnaround jumper in the lane at the 3:45 mark for a 21-18 Cobber lead. But the Gusties would not need to hit the panic button. They showed experience and resolve as they slowly clawed their way back into the lead. After a Benz free throw Geske knocked down a "3" from the left wing at the 2:46 mark for a 22-21 Gustavus lead and then Rothenbuehler made a nice drive and finish at the 1:53 mark. After withstanding a Lippert score at the 1:09 mark, Rothenbuehler scored again on the next possession and Geske was able to connect with a shot from the charity stripe with just :13.5 left that enabled the Gusties to take a 27-23 advantage into the locker room at the break.
Whatever reservations or fears that Gustavus may have had offensively in the first half vanished as the second half began. They responded with a 15-2 run in the first six minutes of the second half that sarted with senior guard Ava Perry's drive along the baseline and finish inside at the 19:13 mark and was punctuated by Rothenbuehler's "3" from the right corner at the 14:19 mark for a 40-25 Gustie lead that proved to be the difference-maker in this contest. The Gusties were able to push the lead to as much as 17 when sophomore Julia Dysthie made a lay-up at the 13:14 mark. The Cobbers, however, refused to quit and this is where freshman Alley Fisher came into play. She connected with a "3" from the right wing at the 12:10 mark and banged home another "3" from the left corner at the 10:16 mark. Lippert was able to work her way inside at the 9:24 mark for a score and a lay-up at the 8:32 mark. Another three-point bomb by Fisher at the 7:19 mark - this time from the right wing - cut the Gustie lead to 51-40 before the home team finally woke up again. A Rothenbuehler "3" from the top of the key with 6:16 left and a sweet turnaround jumper at the 4:51 mark as the shot clock was about to expire pushed the lead back up to 56-42. Junior guard Steph Comer connected with a lay-up with 3:04 left that made it 59-42 Gustavus. The Cobbers had one last hurrah - yet another three-point bomb from Fisher from the left corner at the 1:41 mark but the Gusties would do what they needed to do to secure a 61-49 win that sends them to the MIAC Championship game against UST which defeated St. Mary's at home.
With the win and berth in the MIAC Championship Game, I think the Gusties have all but cemented a ticket to the Big Dance come this next Monday; regardless of what happens Saturday at UST. Sure, a win over UST would be fantastic and it would get the Gusties not only their first outright MIAC title and an automatic bid, it would give them a better chance at staying closer to home. UST is going to host an NCAA "pod" no matter what happens Saturday although I certainly don't think this diminishes their desire to make up for the disappointment of last season's loss at home to a senior-laden Concordia squad. That one loss cost UST a ticket to the dance (which was BS in itself as the MIAC got [expletive deleted] again by the NCAA). If Gusties should lose a tough one to UST on Saturday, then the most likely scenario is that they'll get shipped to either Wisconsin or, worse yet, out to George Fox where it'll likely be a "one and done" deal.
Ridgewater College vs Anoka-Ramsey 2-22-12
Was up in Coon Rapids on this Wednesday night to take in the clash between Ridgewater College out of Willmar and defending national champion Anoka-Ramsey. I had the day off from work that enabled me to practice and work out that afternoon which, unfortunately, caused me to be a little late getting over there as I got settled in at the 17:29 mark with Ridgewater surprisingly up 4-0.
The visiting Warriors were able to push the lead to 6-0 when sophomore Alicia Koenen connected with a jumper in the lane at the 16:36 mark before Anoka-Ramsey finally got untracked at the 16:22 mark when athletic sophomore Tamarra Shorter scored inside. Still, Anoka-Ramsey looked quite sluggish and out of synch on offense as slow starts are nothing new for this year's squad and this allowed Ridgewater to up the lead even more. After two freebies by freshman Maria Loughlin, Koenen again connected with a jumper for an 11-4 Ridgewater lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt had seen enough. He called a time-out, slammed a folding chair into position, and gave his team a rather vociferous chewing out. It must have worked as the Rams were able to slowly take control of the contest if not build up a sizable lead. First, the Rams chipped away at the free throw line on three consecutive possesions. At the 10:01 mark, strong sophomore center Tracy McGregor muscled her way inside and finished that cut the Ridgewater lead to 11-10. Then Shorter connected with a jumper at the 9:17 mark that gave Anoka-Ramsey their first lead at 12-11.
McGregor was able to increase Anoka-Ramsey's lead to 14-11 at the 8:16 mark with a shot off the glass but Ridgewater freshman sharpshooter Annie Winter knotted things up at 14 a piece with her "3" from the right corner at the 7:17 mark. Anoka-Ramsey took the lead for good at the 5:49 mark when Jenessa Tesch made one freebie and the Rams upped that lead to 20-14 by the 4:38 mark when sophomore PG Allison Ballstadt connected with a "3" from the right wing. Ridgewater freshman Shantel Kelly helped keep her team close, though, as she scored inside at the 2:52 mark and then connected off the glass at the 1:17 mark as the Rams took a rather shaky 24-18 lead into the locker room at intermission.
You almost have to figure that DeWitt gave his team another "woodshed"-type treatment during halftime as the Rams made no mistake as to who was going to control this game the rest of the way. Shorter started it off with a steal and a lay-up the other way at the 19:44 mark and then Ballstadt finished in transition at the 19:16 mark. Shorter scored inside at the 18:21 mark for a 30-20 Anoka-Ramsey lead and then the Rams decided not to let the visitors have a lot of breathing room as they applied a full-court press that caused a mountain of problems for the Warriors. While they still had life in the opening minutes of the second half, they had to work awfully hard just to keep the deficit manageable. Worse yet, the foul situation was becoming quite noticeable as Ridgewater had racked up 7 fouls to Anoka-Ramsey's 1 by the 12:00 mark. Just after the midway point of the second half the dam finally broke. Shorter snared a rebound and got a putback of her own shot at the 8:18 mark freshman guard Cami Bauer finally connected behind the arc at the 7:23 mark that pushed the lead to 49-35. Winter tried desperately to get her team back into it as she connected with a "3" at the 5:34 mark but that was quickly answered by Loughlin's "3" at the 4:46 mark from the left top which pushed the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 56-40. Shorter made an unbelievably explosive drive and finish at the 3:20 mark and Loughlin followed that with a lay-up at the 3:00 mark. Another steal by Shorter and lay-up the other way at the 2:43 mark sealed the deal for the home team as Anoka-Ramsey was able to come out on top by a final score of 65-45.
The visiting Warriors were able to push the lead to 6-0 when sophomore Alicia Koenen connected with a jumper in the lane at the 16:36 mark before Anoka-Ramsey finally got untracked at the 16:22 mark when athletic sophomore Tamarra Shorter scored inside. Still, Anoka-Ramsey looked quite sluggish and out of synch on offense as slow starts are nothing new for this year's squad and this allowed Ridgewater to up the lead even more. After two freebies by freshman Maria Loughlin, Koenen again connected with a jumper for an 11-4 Ridgewater lead and Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt had seen enough. He called a time-out, slammed a folding chair into position, and gave his team a rather vociferous chewing out. It must have worked as the Rams were able to slowly take control of the contest if not build up a sizable lead. First, the Rams chipped away at the free throw line on three consecutive possesions. At the 10:01 mark, strong sophomore center Tracy McGregor muscled her way inside and finished that cut the Ridgewater lead to 11-10. Then Shorter connected with a jumper at the 9:17 mark that gave Anoka-Ramsey their first lead at 12-11.
McGregor was able to increase Anoka-Ramsey's lead to 14-11 at the 8:16 mark with a shot off the glass but Ridgewater freshman sharpshooter Annie Winter knotted things up at 14 a piece with her "3" from the right corner at the 7:17 mark. Anoka-Ramsey took the lead for good at the 5:49 mark when Jenessa Tesch made one freebie and the Rams upped that lead to 20-14 by the 4:38 mark when sophomore PG Allison Ballstadt connected with a "3" from the right wing. Ridgewater freshman Shantel Kelly helped keep her team close, though, as she scored inside at the 2:52 mark and then connected off the glass at the 1:17 mark as the Rams took a rather shaky 24-18 lead into the locker room at intermission.
You almost have to figure that DeWitt gave his team another "woodshed"-type treatment during halftime as the Rams made no mistake as to who was going to control this game the rest of the way. Shorter started it off with a steal and a lay-up the other way at the 19:44 mark and then Ballstadt finished in transition at the 19:16 mark. Shorter scored inside at the 18:21 mark for a 30-20 Anoka-Ramsey lead and then the Rams decided not to let the visitors have a lot of breathing room as they applied a full-court press that caused a mountain of problems for the Warriors. While they still had life in the opening minutes of the second half, they had to work awfully hard just to keep the deficit manageable. Worse yet, the foul situation was becoming quite noticeable as Ridgewater had racked up 7 fouls to Anoka-Ramsey's 1 by the 12:00 mark. Just after the midway point of the second half the dam finally broke. Shorter snared a rebound and got a putback of her own shot at the 8:18 mark freshman guard Cami Bauer finally connected behind the arc at the 7:23 mark that pushed the lead to 49-35. Winter tried desperately to get her team back into it as she connected with a "3" at the 5:34 mark but that was quickly answered by Loughlin's "3" at the 4:46 mark from the left top which pushed the Anoka-Ramsey lead to 56-40. Shorter made an unbelievably explosive drive and finish at the 3:20 mark and Loughlin followed that with a lay-up at the 3:00 mark. Another steal by Shorter and lay-up the other way at the 2:43 mark sealed the deal for the home team as Anoka-Ramsey was able to come out on top by a final score of 65-45.
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