January 22
Our Cardinals were hosting the Willmar Cardinals. One week earlier their Cardinals ended our Cardinals run at an undefeated season winning by one point. This rematch also included the penultimate performance of the Alexandria Aces, who are coming to the end of a 30-year run.
[The JV continued their excellent season . . . ]
[All the Cardinal captains meet the referees at midcourt to discuss string theory . . . ]
[Then the shooting warm-ups began . . . ]
[Our Cards were looking sharp . . . ]
[Coach Kohler meets with the starters prior to game start . . . ]
[The content of the discussion is on a need-to-know basis . . . ]
[Rockin’ ‘n rollin’ . . . ]
[And we’re off and jumping – McKenzie Duwenhoegger (35) for us . . . ]
[The opening tips this year, for both girls and boys, always seem to end with further swatting at the ball after landing . . . ]
[The Cards jumped out to a quick 9 – 3 lead and all seemed to be OK again in Camelot. Here’s Ella Grove (11) patrolling center court . . . ]
[Kaye Paschka (3) has continued a long Cardinal tradition of having a defensively pesky point guard . . . ]
[McKenzie appears to be receiving a pass from Ella with Kaye and Mia McGrane (5) also on the scene . . . ]
[Kaye tracking down an opposing Cardinal . . . ]
[Mia at the free throw line, now also joined on court by Cate Bloom (21) . . . ]
[Kaye and Ella with full-court pressure . . . ]
[And Kaye again in pursuit of No. 11 . . . ]
[Our Cards shooting continued to be cold, a continuation of now a 3-game slump. Our defense was keeping us in the game . . . ]
[Then the Aces performed at the half. The program is ending after a long nationally-recognized run . . . ]
[Although I’m sure the group’s founder, Larry Novotny (in the background with camera), would say it was time, the kids in this age group (5 – 12, boys and girls) are now playing on traveling basketball teams instead . . . ]
[The always grand finale ball spin to the ceiling . . . ]
[Willmar came out in the 2nd half and couldn’t miss while our shooting slump continued. You just have to bow your heads to them for playing a great game. Willmar is still undefeated in conference while our Cards have lost 3 in row . . . ]
[With Kaye at the line, I just have to remind the team that a couple weeks ago they played a near perfect half against Fergus Falls – shooting 78% and making 4 of 6 3-pointers . . . ]
[A final note from your old Cub Reporter: All slumps end. Just look to your classmates on the girls hockey team. For most of the year they had a real problem scoring goals despite almost always outshooting their opponents. Now they have scored 30 goals in their last four games! Just keep firing away . . . ]
Shooting is just like toenails. They may fall off occasionally, but you know they’ll always come back. ~ Charles Johnson
Up Next: Something exciting, no doubt
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