Sod Buzzard

Free Football in Ft. Pierre, Warriors Escape in OT

In a battle of who could make the last mistake, an OT interception on the first play allowed Winner to score and escape the next-to-Capital City with a 26-20 victory, but Stanley County earned the respect of this correspondent and looks to be a team with playoff aspirations.  Winner had the ball for just three snaps in the first quarter, forced only one Buffalo punt, and struggled to corral the slippery Josh Rogers all night long.  The score went back and forth with five lead changes before Winner scored on a 3rd down from the  12 in the first OT as slot receiver Nathan Naasz hauled in a JD Farley pass for the winning score.

Winner lead the second half until Josh Rogers snuck it in from one with 2 minutes even on the clock, then converted thier 2 point conversion to take 20-14 lead.  Just when the Buffs had swung momentum, Winner sophomore Kyle Bertram followed a great wedge and took the ensuing kickoff about 40 yards to midfield to give Winner great field position.  Winner moved the ball down field with catches from Zach Horstman and Kyle Mathis, then a couple quick hitters from Cody Blare up the middle.  Farley snuck it in from a yard out with 20 seconds left to tie the score at 20 and Austin Richey banged through the extra point through…..except the Buffs were offsides.  The next kick attempt missed, so off to overtime they went.

Stanley County controlled the ball and the tempo most of the night and escaped a ton of would be tackles.  Rogers was like a greased pig at the county fair and Winner was a bunch of flailing farm boys trying to get a grip on him.  Austin Lopour ran the ball hard for the Buffs and Cody LeCompte had a couple big catches and was a presence on defense.  Stanley County was hurt by penalties and turnovers at inopportune times, and Winner was plagued by poor tackling, 3rd and long down defensive penalties and breakdowns, a couple fumbles, and was unable to convert on a crucial 5th and 1 at the start of the fourth quarter. (Not a typo either.) The Warriors did not play their best game but come away with a win.

Tanner Best had a nice game on defense and was in a lot of tackles and had a couple sacks.  Austin Richey had the OT pick to end Stanley County’s scoring chances and scored Winner first two TD’s on the ground.  Cody Blare had to be close to 100 yards again.  Austin Moser had another strong game from his DT slot and as a pulling O-lineman.  Winner’s O line also gave Farley time to throw in the 4th quarter drive to take the lead.

Winner hosts Mobridge-Pollock at Warrior Field next Friday, while the Buffs travel to Don Giese Field in Chamberlain in a pair of Big Dakota Conference games.

Tags: Stanley County, Winner
Posted in Football | 1 Comment »

Sod Buzzard

Sixier By The Minute

The first full week of action in high school football kicks into gear Friday.  ER#1 could have his hands full as there are several cross state battles that could be feast or famine for our eastern most leaning buzzard. Hot Springs travels to Madison looking to rebound this week, Crow Creek travels to 1-0 Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, the big green machine from Hill City travels to Mobridge, South Central travels to Scotland, Sunshine Bible is at Lower Brule for an afternoon matinee, Timber Lake goes to Herried-Selby, and I’m including my (un)beloved Valentine Badgers who travel to Chamberlain.  I think three wins from the westerlies is likely. 

In the Pheasant Belt, all teams are in action.  Lower Brule will likely get spanked by SBA and the Jones County Junior Coyotes likely won’t fair much better against the Scrappy Lap Dogs from Philip.  Bennett County sounds to be down a few of their studs this week, but they should still put a half hundred on St. Francis.  Getting those out of the way,that means were at my six for the week:

6.  Red Cloud at Todd County – Two teams looking to pick up where they left off last year with successful seasons.  Kornely’s Flying Circus replaces their all state QB and their main RB from last year’s 9-2 team.  Red Cloud returns a good nucleus of players.  I see the Crusaders pulling this one out in a close one 26-24.

5.  South Central at Scotland – Two teams with a young core, this could be a good matchup in the next couple years.  South Central will go east and come home with a 24-14 win.

4.  Winner at Stanley County -  The Warriors look to follow up on last week’s win in this battle of Big Dakota Conference foes.  The Warriors will look to control the clock and hit a few long balls through play action, while Stanley County looks to third year QB and coach’s son Josh Rogers.  I’m picking Winner 30-6.

3.  White River at Lyman – The Tigers head north on 83 and west on I90 to battle the Lyman Raiders who wear red from Lyman County.  Lyman was gutted by graduation, but has some strong athletes.  White River is going to be big up front and try to run the ball.  I’ve got Lyman 28-12.

2.   Colome at Kimball -  It’s not just you seeing green, it’s Kiotes with a K and Cowboys with a Z.  Zach Harter, that is.  The gifted senior QB will  lead the Cowboys to victory in the season opener 34-20 over Kimball.

1.  Bridgewater-Emary/Ethan at Gregory – Gregory looks to rebound after a disappointing season last year.  They start the season with the Van Leur led Seahawks from south and east of Mitchell.  They are one of the more consistent programs in the state.  Should be a dandy against the Braun and red Gorillas.  I’m seeing the BEE going home with a close win 30-26.

Good luck and safe travels to all teams.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS!

Tags: Bennett County, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, Colome, Gregory, Hill City, Hot Springs, Jones County, Little Wound, Lower Brule, Lyman, Philip, St. Francis Indian School, Stanley County, Todd County, White River, Winner
Posted in Football | 4 Comments »

Sod Buzzard

Choking on the Seeds

It is officially week one of high school football in the great state of South Dakota and here in the Pheasant Belt (wink, wink, Bruce.) As we begin to move forward with our second week of action, the landscape of 11B football was altered drastically last week. Preseason contenders Tri Valley, Aberdeen Roncalli, and McCook Central-Montrose all started the year the same they ended last year with a loss. In 11A, BHC contender Hot Springs suffered a first round knockout at the hands of Winner, West Central lost it’s first regular season game in half a decade, and STM showed Douglas that even with white helmets, the spankings feel the same, especially when mercy rules are ignored. This resulted in a shake up of the meaningless polls maintained by multiple reporting agencies, which impacts the landscape of football about as much newly elected senators and representatives clean up Congress. It does send out a clear message that this season is up for grabs and you have to show up and win the games to come out ahead. And those wins mean the coveted power points. Which brings me to my point…..

Much ado has been made about the revised playoff format. Modifications that started in earnest clear back about a decade ago. The straw that broke the camel’s back seemed to be when a dang good one loss Burke Bulldog team was on the outside looking in at the playoffs after power points were tabulated in their region. The wild card allowed teams with high power points to bump the four seeds in regions, and I do think this has helped, BUT there have been many situations in which the one seed in the effected region has a much tougher game as a result of this than the two seeds. I bring this up not to turn it into spilled milk, just to note that no system is perfect – as I have said many times, I stand by the premise that you have win the game ahead of you. If you don’t win the first playoff game, don’t gripe about not making it to the state championship game.

We are now seeding teams and basing the quarterfinal games on the arbitrary and BCS like measurement of our power points. Calling a spade a spade, the bullseye for this rule falls onto Region 3, 11A. The east river elitists were in a tizzy with last year’s Todd County team qualifying for the semis, than getting stomped by Milbank. All of those teams that got beat out that is. That didn’t win their games. Were they likely a better football team than the Falcons? I guess the question I would ask is what difference does it make now? They ended their year with a loss, just like Todd County. And every other 11A team not from Milbank. Just like all but six teams who were in the playoffs. And to even further stir the pot, I can’t help but wonder if the concept of T.C. being a reservation school didn’t creep into some minds as well. To further my point, even with Milbank getting that lopsided win, people still cried around about STM getting the easy way into the finals? Pardon me? Belle and Dakota Valley in sound fashion? Milbank is viewed as deserving because they won, but STM is viewed as lucky to have gotten there because of a weak schedule and region. Come on folks, let’s be objective here.

For all of these years, folks a little more quietly grumped around that Winner had it easy. Most years however, Winner put up a fight in the playoffs and wasn’t an easy out. They did benefit from a region softer than others…. in football. Looking at the big picture, I don’t recall teams begging for a shot to go through Jesse Lebeau’s Pine Ridge basketball teams of the 80’s. Or Jesse Lebeau’s Red Cloud teams of the 90’s. Or Jesse LeBeau’s Little Wound team a few years back. I’d like to think that some of Jim Drake’s Winner teams could have competed well at state basketball tournaments (91, 95, and 02 come to mind), but just couldn’t get past those teams who outscored and therefore defeated them. There was no public outcry over this, at least none that I recall. And I sure don’t remember any of those schools begging to get into Region 3 of State A wrestling. Andy Tate’s Mitchell teams of the 90’s and early naughts’, the Pierre squads of the late 80’s, Huron for the last several years, there were some solid schools. Or last year as Winner went to B in wrestling. I took in that regional tourney in Wagner. That was some impressive competition to say the very least. There were several returning state placers that went home a week earlier than the year before. Anybody want to join Bon Homme, Parkston, Burke-Gregory, and Wagner for your shot to get to state? Didn’t think so.

You don’t need to explain to me that this effort is made to get the best competition in football playoffs. Then why do we continue to bank on power points? They can be manipulated as well. While the state is in charge of setting schedules, if you are a quality program in a crappy conference, what is your incentive to leave? Maybe you know with your conference schedule you are likely to get at least four out of five wins year in and year out. Win one of your out of conference games and go 5-3 in a down year and – wah lah – playoff berths have arrived again. Quite honestly, I’m pulling for a Little Wound, Cheyenne-Eagle Butte, or Pine Ridge to have stellar regular season. Go ahead poor Harrisburg who thinks they got jobbed last year or West Central who seem to be upset prone in the playoffs the last few years, enjoy that drive on a Monday night. And then if one of those teams lose out yonder, I’ll be the fat bald guy doing cartwheels across the Platte-Winner bridge.

If we are going to do this, than let’s seed out region tournaments in wrestling, golf, cross country, and track. Let’s seed volleyball and basketball top to bottom. Not just football. If your response is that there are no power points in some of these sports and no way to do it, my response is that the SDHSAA could do it if they wanted to do so. Bust up the conferences and make everybody play teams from within their classes only. Forget about rivalry games and don’t plan on seeing the same teams back to back years. That’s the only way you could call it fair to everyone. It boils down to this – because a handful of east river schools cried loud enough, they got the rule changed for one sport.

There is no “right” way to seed these playoffs in any sport. My suggestion is and always will be to stick with geographic rivalries. In truth there isn’t much better than knowing you knocked off your neighboring town and the last game they played came with a defeat at your hands. I maintain that part of the beauty of the playoffs is relishing your opponents loss sometimes just as much as savoring your victory. Right Black Hills Conference? Quick show of hands, how many folks in the Hills and more accurately most of those residing west of the moat loved seeing the Evil Blue Empire fall from grace twice last year in state championship games? (Point awarded, Sod Buzzard.) And if the folks in Martin weren’t on board before the baseball season, they are now. And McIntosh. And maybe even Pine Ridge now? I just can’t keep up.

I am all for seeing a deserving champion crowned. Does that mean the best team won it? I guess that depends on whose rose colored (or blue, or maroon, or scarlet, or Kelly green, or Columbia blue, or purple, or whatever color you bleed) glasses you are wearing. What I do know is the team that wins four playoff games deserves to be called the state champions. And if you don’t, looks like there are areas to improve. Work on it to achieve it. Or change the system in hopes of making you feel better about not playing good enough to win your last game.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS!

Tags: Bennett County, Lemmon/McIntosh, Little Wound, Pine Ridge, Rapid City St. Thomas More, Winner
Posted in Basketball, Football, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Sod Buzzard

Good Guy Bruce Andera: KSFY’s Fall Guy? And “Six” For Week Zero

Well, I was forwarded a prompt response from KSFY’s own Bruce Andera.  He seems to have taken on a certain level of celebrity status over this public rift and giving credit where credit is due, it took some marbles to say “my bad.”  For that, thanks Bruce.  Time doesn’t permit the guy to drive all over and get the skinny, so it is my sincere hopes that Bruce and his easterly fraternity of sports journalists can stop by the site now and then to maintain the pulse of sports in our Pheasant Belt (that’s you and me, Bruce), in the Pink zone, out in Paha Sapa land, the lands the Moreau roams, and even the Donut Hole.  ER#1 seems to have his covered, so he’s still the rogue and will not be included.  Sorry dude.

Mr. Andera did send us a note and just said they don’t have the time to cover every team.  Hey, it is a big state.  They give him a list of schools and say run with it, and a travel budget that would rival our benefits package here at buzzard.  Making predictions is risky business.  If you are wrong, the masses revolt.  It seems that the Lyman Raiders who wear Red from Lyman County were in full anarchy mode after I wrongly picked Howard to knock them off in last year’s prairie showdown.  Hey, I was wrong.  I  am going to ease off on my criticism of Mr. Andera personally because he marbled up.  And he reads us.  KSFY though as a whole, you’ve got some kissing up to do.  Just saying.

Enough of that, it’s football season.  Week zero.  For those of mathematical persuasion, it should mean nothing.  Literally.  These games do count though, so they mean something.  SDHSAA, let’s call it Opening Weekend.  In doing so, perhaps thousands of guys in camo and orange will show up for the games with the “What Happens In South Dakota Stays in South Dakota” attitude we’ll see so much of in a month of a half.  Or not.  Let’s get into the picks, shall we?

6.  Cheyenne Eagle Butte at St. Francis.  Calling it as I see it, save the trip and just wait for the score in the RC Journal tomorrow.  CEB 40-0 over the Warriors.

5.  Lower Brule at Kimball.  The Brulees first chance to crack my sexy six games of the week.  Give the Kiotes a sizable opening week victory, and the Lower Brule faithful will be home in time to watch whatever sports broadcast they choose.

4.  Pass

3.  Pass

2..  Stanley County at Bennett County.  This has manifested into a great gridiron rivalry.  S.C. returns more than B.C., but participation numbers seem to be a challenge for both.  I’m seeing a few big plays both ways, but a Stanley County by 28-15 margin of victory.  And a bunch of ticked off cowboys that they are missing the 4H rodeo finals in Ft. Pierre.

1.  Winner at Hot Springs.  It’s a new season for both teams.  Both squads have solid groups of starters returning.  It’s gonna be hot and breezy in Hot Springs tonight, and the pads should be popping in this week zero feature game.  I have Winner in 20-7 win over the Bison.

Good luck to all teams, safe travels, and as always -

PLOW ON MY FRIENDS!

Tags: Bennett County, Lower Brule, Stanley County, Winner
Posted in Football | No Comments »

Sod Buzzard

Bruce Andera: I Know You Are Reading Me, Find Your Own Material

Well, it’s come to this.  I should have anticipated it.

Look folks, I’m going past the boundaries of modesty here, but we put some pretty good stuff out here for our loyal readers.  Some of it’s crap, but let’s concentrate on the good stuff for the sake of taking the high road.  This brings me to the point where I begin airing my grievances with the Sioux Falls telejournalists who twice a year venture into the realm of magazine previews.  While I like to throw my Sexy Six picks a week up there all season, it’s not real tough to end up with 5-1 or better each week.  I coined the area I focus on as the Pheasant Belt since I joined the Buzzard Brethren last year about this time.  Well wasn’t I surprised when I went to the KSFY Pigskin Preview web page and found the last sentence of the Mr. Andera’s 11B preview.

http://www.ksfypigskinpreview.com/Dakota-Dozen-2010-08-18.html

For those of you who are not wanting to link into his plagiarism, the paragraph long intro/preview for Winner it says:

“The Warriors play both at home in back-to-back weeks this season, so everything is certainly set for another great season on the Pheasant Belt.”

I beg your pardon?  Well Mr. Andera, if you want to hitch a ride on us all year long for your information, may I just suggest a brief letter to request permission.  Much like taking my daughter’s hand in marriage, I would expect a friendly,

“Dear Mr. Sod Buzzard,

I am enamored with your term Pheasant Belt and I simply can’t live without it.  May I take the the term’s hand and run with it.  Also, we really have no clue as far as sports west of the Missouri (actually, the James) so I would also like to regurgitate your information so we sound somewhat familiar with sports out there.

Respectfully,

Bruce of the Third Best Sports Broadcast in Sioux Falls

P.S. – Does the calvary still provide escorts to travel out your way?”

Just to show how little these guys know, no mention of Mobridge as a contender in 11B and going 5-3?  Have you looked at their schedule?  They start the season with two solid games them have a 6 week stretch to see if they reach an hour’s total time of running clock on the season.  And nice of them to note that Winner lost it’s two studs Knodell and Wonnenberg.  I’m surprised they didn’t note Winner’s high powered aerial attack that led them to the state title last year.  Running for 3 grand in a year as a team?  Eric Schueth?  Jayd Docken?  All chump change in KSFY’s eyes.

Consider this your warning Bruce.  Thanks for the shallow analysis of Winner and others, but we’ll be here all year long giving real insiders stuff.  Folks, if you want a soy burger with a slice of cucumber, go to KSFY.  If you want a fire grilled steak and a tater, stick with the Buzzards.

Make mine medium rare, SB3.

UPDATE FROM THE REAL PHEASANT BELT -

Winner Soap Scrimmage -

White 32

Purple 27

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS.

Tags: Winner
Posted in Football | 6 Comments »

Sod Buzzard

Historical Years: 20th (plus) Century America and It’s Pastime

Combining two of my trivial passions, it is amazing how some of the most significant years in the last century in our country parallel some of the most interesting in Major League Baseball.  As events in our country climaxed, strangely what many have called America’s Pastime has seen some of its memorable moments occur under the days of the same annual calendar.  I’m getting a little punchy in anticipation of football season starting here in a few weeks and the Cubs aren’t worth watching, so I’ve got to channel things somewhere. 

1919

The first year that I am including is 1919.  South Dakota turned 20 as a state.  The United States was emerging from the war that was thought to be the “The War to End All Wars.”  (Silly them.)  At any rate, what we now call Veteran’s Day signifies the armistice when Germany and the Central Powers surrendered to the Allies on November 11, 1918.  The Treaty of Versailles to begin the formal end of the war though was signed on June 28, 1919. That really set the wheels in motion for the United States to become a super power in the world and establish itself as the defenders of democracy in the world. President Wilson was awarded 1919’s Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the war and maintain the world as they knew it.   It was also the year the Volstad Act was passed becoming the 18^th amendment to the Constitution, and later the only one to be repealed.   You know, the one to rid the U.S. of liquor?  Einstein’s theory of relatively was also proven that year.  All that happened in 1919. 

The Reds also topped the White Sox in 8 games to win that year’s World Series.  Didn’t seem like that big of a deal at the time, but soon after the Black Sox Scandal rocked baseball in 1920.  It resulted in the lifetime ban of eight White Sox players who admitted to or were found to be involved, including Shoeless Joe Jackson.  Known as one of the best in the game, Jackson still has the third highest lifetime average of baseball players.  Imagine a player of comparable talents and skills to Ichiro with seven of his teammates being banned for life.  Wow. 

Shoeless Joe Jackson

Also just under the gun on December 26, 1919, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees worked out an agreement sending to the Yankees one of baseball’s best pitchers from a couple years back who had switched to the outfield and was coming off a career year at the plate.   At the time, the Yankees had yet to win or play in a World Series.  The acquisition of George Herman Ruth changed things the pinstripes.  Two years later, he hit 60.  (60 real ones.)

Interestingly as well was that the spitball was banned this year.  Kind of.  Seventeen skilled spitballers were given an exemption to continue using the pitch.  Seems like kind of a precursor to the steroid scandals that have made nearly all of my baseball card collection worthless.  As long as it’s filling the seats, we’ll allow it.  Interesting.

1941

How about 1941? On top of “1941” being a so-so  Belushi movie (and was directed by Spielberg, interestingly enough) , the actual year was pivotal in our history.  FDR started his unprecedented third term as our President in January 1941 after thrashing Wendell Willkie in the November 1940 election.   He would become our only president to serve more than two terms.  1941 also converted Franklin Roosevelt from the President who led us out of the Great Depression into a war time Commander in Chief.  This was the year that the United States mainland was compromised and the most significant losses on American soils since the Civil War took place on what started out as a beautiful sunny morning in lazy Pearl Harbor.  After the bombing, the U.S. was propelled into the Second World War.  Hitler was well on his way to conquering Europe and the U.S. continually refused to get involved.  Most Americans knew that it was just a matter of time, and that time came on December 7, 1941.

The last few hundred survivors of Pearl Harbor are living out their final years these days.  It wasn’t too long ago that a lot of Pearl Harbor survivor license plates could be spotted in our state, but not anymore.  My maternal grandmother and grandfather entered the war shortly thereafter as well.  Grandma as a nurse that followed the Allies across Europe as a nurse and grandpa as an ambulance driver in Italy, Turkey, and Northern Africa.  Grandpa walked with a limp the rest of his thanks to a land mine that got the best of his ambulance and he never talked about his days defending us.  Grandma opened up in her last decade with us and shared a lot of those days. The Greatest Generation- without a doubt.

 1941 was also one baseball’s all-time best.   America was captivated by Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hit streak (which ended being 72 of 73 games with hit before it was all said and done.)  Joltin Joe was the beneficiary of a couple pretty generous hit rulings, but 56 games is incredible.  44 is as close as anybody has got since then.  It earned him the MLB’s MVP that year, but not The Sporting News Player of the Year, which was the bigger award at the time.  Another lanky arrogant Californian (not unlike DiMaggio) tore the American League up that year and went into the final day with a batting average that would round up to .400.  But Ted Williams wasn’t about to let folks round up -  he was going to earn it, and he did.  He went 6 for 8 in a double header on the final day to raise his average to .406 and The Kid was and is our last .400 hitter.  He would enlist in the Army and become Joe Foss’ wingman for a stretch in the WWII Pacific theater.  Williams lost at least four years in the prime of his career to WWII and Korea, but he is still known as one the best hitters to ever play the game.  As far as true American heroes go, Joe Foss and Ted Williams rank right up there in my book.  Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg was drafted in May and Indians fireballer Bob Feller enlisted two days after Pearl Harbor.  Joe D and Smilin’ Stan joined them as well. 

1941 also saw the passing of The Iron Horse.  June 2 was the day that Lou Gehrig passed away at the age of 37.  The disease that took his life would simply be known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease after that.  Imagine a first baseman with the skills, talents, and demeanor of Albert Pujols being struck down with an illness that strips him of skills and two years later takes his life.  Lou Gehrig still is considered and is one of the best.

1947

How about 1947? While the Marshall Plan was being implemented in Europe and the Dead Sea scrolls were being discovered, it really wasn’t that exciting of a year for the U.S. in 1947.  Truman was our unelected president that the world feared as the man who dropped the bombs a couple years back in Japan to ultimately end WWII.  We were recovering from the war as the early wave of baby boomers were being conceived and born.  Suburbs were being drawn up and the country was starting to feel good about itself again.  And for you college enthusiasts, the first College World Series was played.  While 1947 itself wasn’t overly remarkable, one man puts 1947 on this list. 

Without question, the most  important event in 1947 took place at cozy Ebbet’s Field  when a former UCLA star running debuted at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers.  The rookie went 0 for 3 with a walk and scored a run.  He was pinch hit for late in the game as the Dodgers topped the braves 5-3, but the score and the details are largely forgotten. Jackie Robinson went on to be named The Sporting News very first rookie of the year and helped lead the Dodgers to their first world series that year, falling to the Yankees in 5 in aseries that many feel was fumbled away by Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen.  Jackie Robinson had great impact on not just baseball, but our nation.  They had to pick the right guy to break the color line, and Branch Rickey found him, without a doubt.  What Robinson endured couldn’t be fathomed by our generations, but he endured, rose above, and became a true national hero.  Jackie Robinson went on to have a solid ten year career, but his 1962 Hall of Fame induction was greatly due to the road he pioneered for an entire race.  His number 42 is retired from all teams, deservedly so.

1947 saw Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium on April 27.  A cancer ridden Babe made his last appearance at Yankee Stadium until he lay in state there  a little over a year later.  The famous photo of a weakened Babe leaning his bat is one of the sport’s most lasting images.  Baseball’s greatest player was on his way out, and his fans showed up to thank him one more time.

It also saw the passing at the age of 35 then man they called the black Babe Ruth.  Josh Gibson was known as one of the best in history by all who saw his skills.  A catcher, Gibson tore up the Negro Leagues and cut a wide swath barnstorming.  By the end, he succumbed largely to bad habits and culminated in a brain tumor that sapped away the life of this hulk of a man.  He died at an age when he could still been in his prime.  Gibson was rumored to have hit 800 homeruns in a 17 year career, but he never got a shot at the majors.  He was considered to be the most talented in 1942, but wasn’t the right guy for the job to break the color line.

1968

Fast forward a generation to 1968.  By any accounts, it was one of the most eventful and colorful years in our nation’s history.  The Beatles and Stones ruled the musical scene.    60 Minutes debuted.  Lombardi walked away from the Packers after winning his second AFL-NFL Championship Game, now we call it the Super Bowl.  The Mexico City Olympics saw several powerful performances, but the image that remains is Black Power.  The Zodiac murderer debuted in San Francisco.  The country was swirling with turbulence created by an unpopular Vietnam occupation, a social movement of young people born in that baby boom following WWII was in full force, the “Summer of Love” mentality carried on from ’67, and LBJ announces that he will not seek or accept his party’s nomination for a second elected term as President.  That is followed a week later by the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at a Memphis motel.  A couple months later, Democratic Presidential frontrunner Bobby Kennedy was gunned down in Los Angeles minutes after making his victory speech after the California primary.  Richard Nixon went on to be elected over South Dakota born Hubert H. Humphrey in a November election, and people just hoped he could settle things down and reduce the controversy that reigned.  Oops. 

It wasn’t controversy that reigned in baseball though, it was the pitcher.  Bob Gibson won the NL MVP and Cy Young Award and led his Cardinals to the World Series with a modern era record 1.12 ERA (that will NEVER be challenged) and  a dozen shutouts.  Gibson struck out 17 in a World Series game that year as well.  Gibson, who pitched with the Chamberlain Mallards of the Basin League for a summer, had one of the very best years in the history of the sport.  He dominated the game.  But Denny McLain is the one who went 31-7 to become the last (and I do mean THE LAST) 30 game winner.  McLain earned AL MVP and Cy Young honors.  And yet another pitcher, the Tigers’ Mickey Lolich, went three complete game wins to earn World Series MVP honors and lead the Tigers over the Cards in 7. Both teams were clearly the best in their leagues and won them pretty comfortably. 

Even the All Star game was a pitching spectacle.  It went 24 innings before either team could muster a run as the NL won a 1-0 marathon in the first indoor summer classic held at the Astrodome.  Baseball lowered the mound, changed the strike zone, and did what it could to make sure the anemic hitting of 1968 didn’t happen again, but the amazing seasons of Gibson and McLain make it one of the most historic in baseball history. 

Former Rapid City Chief Frank Howard won the NL HR crown that year, clubbing 44, and Yankees great Mickey Mantle swatted his last HR and played his last game.  Chamberlain topped Rapid City to win the Basin League playoffs that year, just for those of you who were wondering.

 2001

And finally, let’s look at 2001.  The only of these years that I was actually alive.  The year started with a Bush replacing Clinton as President. Dale Earnhardt died in February coming out or turn four at Daytona, taking one of the sport’s legends in the twilight of his prime.  South Dakota born Shane Osborn was a pilot on a U.S. spy plane that collided with an Chinese jet over China.  The crew of 24 spent several days parked on a runway in China until they were released through symbolic governmental semantics.  Timothy McVeigh was executed in June for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing, and people thought we would never let anything like that happen again. 

Then came September 11.  I was in a motel room in Rapid City for a training and took a call from my coworker that I needed to flip the TV on as a plane had just ran into the World Trade Center.  What I thought was a drunk misguided attention seeker wasn’t.  Then another plane and tower.  Then the Pentagon. Then the towers fell.  We were under attack.  What?  How could this happen?  It was a feeling that I will never forget.  We started bombing the Afghan Taliban regime shortly thereafter and now, almost 9 years later, well we’re still there.   2001 changed us.

Yet through it, a lot of wonderful moments happened on the diamonds that summer.  Former Twins Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield joined the Hall of fame.  Cal Ripken, Jr., wrapped up a decorated career by taking the field at 3^rd base, but being coaxed to play over at shortstop by A-Rod in Cal’s final All Star game.  Cal clubbed a homer and was named the game’s MVP.  Tony Gwynn also wrapped up a 3000 hit career in 2001.  Gwynn was the best average hitter of the last half of the 20^th century.  They played every game for the same teams and epitomized class.  The Gwynn’s and Ripken’s were being replaced by a new kind of star – the McGwire’s, the Sosa’s, The Rodriguez’s, and the Bond’s.  Guys who could hit homers like they were on medications to do it.  (We just thought it in 2001, we didn’t know it.) 

A polished and silky smooth swinging rookie from Japan won the AL Rookie of the Year and batting crown.  Ichiro helped the Mariners to win a record 116 regular season games, but they couldn’t get past the Yankees to get into the World Series.  The one- two Diamondback duo of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling dominated the National League, as Schil was a co leader in wins and Johnson fanned a whopping 372 batters.  Barry Bonds 73 round trippers topped Mark McGwire to break the single season homerun record, a record now viewed as tainted.  Nonetheless, there was no way to get Bonds out that year.  Juiced or not, the man could hit a baseball, often and far.  Cardinals 3^rd baseman Albert Pujols was named the NL Rookie of the Year, and he’s done all right so far in his career as well.  What was shaping up as an exciting year was put on halt in September.  Until the nation could resume air transportation and we could get our lives back together, baseball and the NFL stood still.  As the horrors of the terrorist attacks resonated, one of the best baseball season in the last years resumed.  Though the Yankees got a scare from the young Oakland A’s who took the division series to a 5^th and deciding game, the playoff series were pretty lopsided.  Two purchased but talented teams emerged – the Diamondbacks and Yankees.  Even strong Yankee haters had to be a little happy to see the Yankees in the series for the people of New York.  President Bush threw out the first pitch and threw a perfect strike.  The tradition of God Bless America began then as well, with Ronan Tynan’s haunting vocals, including the actual verses and not just the refrain.  The Series saw some great ballgames, the first November home run (by some guy named Jeter) gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead and put them in the driver’s seat.  Arizona thumped the Yankees in game 6, setting up the fateful game 7.  Back and forth, Schilling and then Johnson on short rest.  Should-have-been NL MVP Luis Gonzalez pitched a  wedge shot over Alfonso Soriano and that scored Jay Bell for a D-backs win.  It was a great series that helped all of us take our minds off September 11.  

The only perfect delivery of 8 years in office.

I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane and can see the bond between our country’s history and baseball.  The most historic years seem to match each other.  Here’s a nod to all of those heroes we grew up watching on the fields and the stories we’ve been told.  Here’s another nod to the heroes who shaped our worlds, nationally and locally. 

Hope your summer ends well.

PS – 4 weeks until kickoff!

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS!

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Sod Buzzard

It’s All About Having Fun. No One is Given Anything. It’s Not About Winning and Losing.

I start my June offering to you with three very cliched statements heard not just in the sports world, but in any competitive world.  Cheering.  Marching band.  Debate.  Rodeo.  McDonald’s.  Walmart.   Casey’s.  All incorporate the philosophy that fun is had through working together to get better and that celebrating victory may not be as important as the avenue you travel to get there.  I want to take a look at this today from a couple different perspectives – one as a fan, one as outside observer. 

Politics does play a hand in sports.  Especially in small towns, though those from larger domiciles may disagree.  I know from my little league coaching days that you have expectations of some kids based on their older siblings.  Talent, behavior, attitude – if big brother had it, you will take a chance on the junior sibling.  If big brother was a pain, I’ll pass.  Sometimes that doesn’t pan out, most of the time it does. 

Plain and simple, kids are a product of the way they are parented.  Again using the little league model, you take a couple kids for talent, you take the rest for parents.  Will they get them there, will they support their kid, will they see that each kid has been given talents from Above that may or may not include hitting a 3 inch sphere hurled at them with a cylinder about the diameter of their ankle – those are the three questions that go through my mind as I’m looking at that list.  There is a fine but distinct line between the parent that advocates for their child and the parent who either over protects or leaves their kid high and dry.  Do they hover at practices watching your every move or do they kick them out of the car and tell them to call when it’s done.  Give something in the middle.  Walk your child down there, ask any questions that need asked or just engage in a few moments of small talk, ask what time they’ll be done, wish your kid good luck, and come a few minutes before the end time to see what your kid is working on.  It’s OK to disagree with a coach’s decision, but if you think you can volunteer your time and do better, than do it.  Don’t tell everyone how much better you could do – DO IT.

I guess I use that to set the table a little about my thoughts today.  In the spirit of April Fool’s Day, sometimes things just aren’t the way they are cliched to be.  Keeping the offseason lively, let’s look at some misnomers and I invite you to share and respond.  IF you disagree with me, opine please.

“It’s All About Having Fun.”  Liar. Fun is going to the Dairy Queen after a win.   How many teams that get their butts handed to them on a platter are having fun?  Or being honest about having fun, more appropriately.  Survey says – None.  I call to the stand in defense of my thought pattern – Brad Tunge.  Brad has had a decorated athletic career at Marion-Hurley.  He won a state title as a junior in football and was unfairly tagged with the thought of a 3000 yard senior season.  He capped off his high school career a couple weeks back by coming into the state meet with some of the fastest times in the 100 and 200 and was considered a favorite in the three sprints.  Unfortunately, Brad pulled his hamstring badly and was unable to challenge for those title in the finals – but he didn’t quit.  He “ran” those races, WINNING an 8th place finish in all three.  Was this young man disappointed – I’m sure he was, but he knew if he didn’t compete, he would not be awarded the finish and I’d hope team points played in the decision as well.  Was it about fun to do that – heck no, it was about finishing as high as he could on that podium stand, even if it was ground level.  It was bout culminating an athletic career finishing as high on that podium as he could, even if that was the 8th stand.   There are very few athletes who are disciplined enough to say that the rigorous training that most high school athletes engage in are fun.  It’s hard work, and success is earned.  Having that success can be fun, but the trail there isn’t all smiles.  And that’s OK – that’s the way the real world is.  I worked Burger King in college for about a year.  I learned a valuable lesson in that time – I didn’t want to work at Burger King.  I had some fun nights working with those folks, but the lesson I learned was worth it.   

Life isn’t all about fun, and that’s just fine.  Really.

“No One Is Given Anything.”  In the grand scheme of things, some people are given things.  Sometimes those folks make the most of that opportunity and earn and maintain their spot on a team,  in life, in relationships, at a job, etc.  By and large though people earn things.  Or they should.  Again, using the little league model, contempt breeds like mosquitoes in a balled tired after the rain when a younger kid gets to play ahead of an older kid.  And I don’t disagree with that.  When we get to the high school levels though, some kids need to find out the life  lessons that no one is given anything.  Being a senior should not entitle anyone to a varsity jersey, a weight slot on the wrestling team, or a spot on the relay.  Being a sophomore shouldn’t entitle you to that over a freshman either.  Put your best team out there at high school levels and don’t reward someone because of their age when their talents don’t matchup.  When those underclassmen bust their tails going to camps, lifting weights, doing the extras, and get aced out for the chance to compete by the senior who goes out to look good, what a shame.  Give all kids the opportunity to compete at high school level sports regardless of their age.  I don’t fault a coach for their judgment of talent, but give them all a chance.  Make all of them earn it. 

“It’s Not About Winning and Losing.”  Really?  Ask any coach who lost their job at any level.  It’s either a loss of trust between the coach and the program or it’s about wins and losses.  Turmoil is exponentially blossomed in losing programs.  Winning covers up a lot of personal shortcomings, right Pete Carroll?  Ben Roethliesberger?  Tiger Woods?  Roger Clemens?  And that is just in the last couple years.  History shows that winning can be a panacea to cure almost all ailments and shortcomings.  Even at the lowest levels, I hate seeing the best team throw their stud versus the team of misfits.  The coach who continues to advance runners with a huge lead when nobody can stop a ball behind the plate.  The fast break with a huge lead.   If it wasn’t about winning, would open enrollment be discussed like a four letter word?  If it wasn’t about winning, would Little Wound have walked off the floor a couple years back?  You get the point.   It’s about winning, but doing it the right way. 

These are my thoughts and mine alone, so feel free to chime in if you think I’m right or if you think I’m full of crap clear above my receding hairline.

PHEASANT BELT PROPS

• South Central’s girls golf team took home 4th at the state tourney, led by Davee Johnson’s 6th place individual finish.
• Gregory’s Gavin Pochop took home individual honors at the state boys B tourney.  Jones County’s Carson Moore earned 8th.
• The Philip Scotties took home the team B boys track title.  The Scotties had a ton of top 3 finishes, but nary a state title outside of Jeff O’Donnell triple jump gold.  A fitting end for a solid group of athletes.
• Winner‘s Donnie Brother of All won the sprint to the finish to earn the gold in the class A boys 3200 meter race.
• Congrats to Rapid City South(?) /STM on winning the class B boys baseball crown.  While the folks in Bennett County have rivalry kindling for YEARS to come as a result of the region semifinals debacle, the Cavs left three teams in the wake after that.  They were a great team, even if they were on the short end of the scoreboard in one of their finals.
• Winner/Colome’s Zach Harter earned first team all state.  The Colome junior hit over .700 in the regular season, had a couple wins in the hill, and patrolled centerfield.  Bennett County’s Logan Risse joined him, with STM‘s Nolan Johnson, Ethan Jarding, and JJ Johnson also got first team honors.  Hot Springs Brady Harkless and STM stud Jarod Jacobsen were named to the second team.   

2010 All–State First Team                                                                                                  

Class: B

2010 All–State Second Team                                                                                                 

Class: B

• All region honors for the greater Pheasant Belt, aka Region 4:

2010 All –Region Team Team                                                                                                    

Region: 4      Class: B

Honorable Mention: Chris Housley, Hot Springs, Alex Bakely, Bennett County, Ben Connot, Winner/Colome, Nick Fees, St. Thomas More, Ryan Risse, Bennett County, Sam Aeschbacher, Winner/Colome, JD Farley, Winner/Colome, John Jarding, St. Thomas More, Aaron Holan, Chamberlain/Kimball, Austin Richey, Winner/Colome, Grant Strain, Bennett County, Jacob Derr, Hot Springs, Mike Kimball, Platte/Geddes/Dakota Christian, Josh Denke Chamberlain/Kimball

Nicely done.

Hope your summer is going well and that we aren’t hogging all of the rain here.  I’d love to share some with you.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS.

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Sod Buzzard

Times Aren’t The Same, But The Games Remain

I spent Wednesday afternoon at my parents house with my brood after school was called due to a power outage here earlier in the week.  I was looking through their annuals and found that the 1965, 66, 67 or somewhere near there Winner Invitational Track Meet hosted 44 schools and over 500 athletes.  Wow.  44 schools.  Sadly, there are hardly 44 schools left west of the moat now.  In reality, the communities that represented those 44 schools are probably still represented at today’s meets, it’s just that they don’t have a high school and probably haven’t for years.

 Our local school board made some decisions the other night to close the middle school here after next year and to close the two remaining rural schools.  It’s not a popular decision in those pockets that were served by those rural schools, but times have changed.  There aren’t enough kids to have 44 schools represented at out track meet today, and there aren’t enough kids left here to make keeping those three schools functioning in our district feasible.  Sad, but times change. 

I, like a few thousand others, sat through Dr. Satterlee’s Intro to Sociology class at SDSU.  We all remember his reverse bell curve overheads (no power points in the early 90′s, at least not for Satterlee) outlining the diminishing population of young people in our state, particularly the western 2/3 of the state.  When my folks graduated from Winner High School in the mid 60′s, the class size was in the 120′s.  That was the start of the Baby Boom, and it peaked in the mid 70′s  at over 140.  I graduated about 25 years after my folks here with a class of 76 graduates.  That is a loss of nearly 50% from their era.  My kids will likely all be graduating with classes under 50 students, again a loss of nearly 50%. 

While it is sad that things aren’t like they used to be, it doesn’t mean that we are doomed.  We chose to stay here because it is home.  Our families are here, and our kids know their grandparents, have seen calves born (and some die), have run lemonade stands, and have learned that pitching in when others are down is a wonderful virtue.  I’m glad I’m here. 

I’m also glad that we have sports to keep communities together…and apart.  I know there are plenty of communities who coop, and it’s normally hardly an issue to kids.  Now to the parents, it’s a whole different deal.  Losing your school colors, your mascot, and your communities’ identity is painful.  Wearing that town that you grew up hating on your shirt or hat with a hyphen before or after your town is tough for some, but we do it so those opportunities are there for our kids.  My friends laugh at me for my disdain for the color red.  You will find little to no red in my wardrobe.  But – we grew up playing Chamberlain, Gregory, Valentine, Ainsworth, and Lyman.  All red.  To take those feelings and do an about face would be tough. But if it came to that or nothing, let them play.

The social dynamics of the drastic population losses out our way have changed so much, but we still have that competitive spirit.  No matter if the uniform our kids wear isn’t the same color as it was when we were in school, it’s still the same game.  Get the ball through the hoop.  Get the ball across the goal line.  Score runs.  Run fastest and jump farthest.  For that 2 hours, we can forget about all that ails us and we can just be a fan of our kids and the game.  Thank God for the kids and the games.

I love all sports, but as far as a local experience, I’ll take a home baseball game in mid to late summer here in Winner any night.  If you haven’t been here, our baseball field is built into a hill that sits above the town on the south edge.  The baseball field, named for Winner graduate and Notre Dame legend Frank Leahy, is a great place to watch a game because it is “drive inn theatre” style where you can park you vehicle around the rim and watch the game from there.   You also can see the panoramic view of northern Tripp County.  In mid July, you often see hay balers going, combines rolling in a distant wheat field, and splendor in general that we have been gifted from above.  You watch the games, you visit with whoever is next to you, and you track that distant combine going back and forth. You are looking down at the same pitching mound that Jim Palmer graced as a Winner Pheasant for a couple college summers in the mid 60’s.  That same left center field fence that Rapid City Chief  Frank Howard hit a tape measure blast over that some folks who saw swear is still going.  My Dad said a Pheasants game was the only reason my Grandpa would shut down a combine during harvest back in the day.  The hill was filled with blankets and people loved the games.  That was the same time frame when 44 teams came to the track meet. The Pheasants and the Basin League in Winner are about 30 years gone now and the hill might not be filled for a town team or Legion game, but we still love going and the ability to get away for a couple hours. 

I used to make sure and click the phone off when heading up there and hope to not be disturbed.  At football or basketball games, I normally can’t hear the rings or feel the vibrations, so it becomes a sanctuary as well.  While there a lot of things that have changed, we still love our games, no matter the shape of the ball, no matter the uniforms, no matter the distance we travel.  Games and sports help keep us together.  Or what is left of us.  Enjoy your summer, catch a baseball game and appreciate what we have.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS.

I encourage you to check out this link concerning the Basin League, which includes a story written several years back by RC Journal writer Darrell Shoemaker.  It is a great piece.  And check out the names that played in the league.  Bob Gibson, Jim Palmer,…. and Phil Jackson? Guess you’ll have to read the article!

http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/basin_league.htm

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Sod Buzzard

April Showers Bring Sod Keyboard Hours

Call off the search party Buzzards, the keyboard has been located.  It’s been a little over a month since basketball concluded and three weeks since that scintillating April 1 nugget about STM opting up to 11AA.  And that’s been my contributions to the cause in that time frame.  Many of those “when I have a slow day” projects are still “when I have a slow day” projects.  I think we all are delighted that winter finally gave up and we can actually enjoy being outside.  Track meet weather has been decent except for yesterday’s monsoon in Pierre and baseball weather has been near perfect.  Not a lot of weather related baseball cancellations thus far have happened (knock on wood today and tomorrow) and people are out walking, playing tennis, mowing lawns, and just enjoying colors other than white draping the landscape.  I got my potatoes planted, not on Good Friday though.  Time for some ramblings.

NFL DRAFT

Now, all that gooshy weather stuff -  let Mother Nature know that if there has to be a blizzard day, make it days one and two of the NCAA tourney, and if there has to a crappy spring day to keep me inside, the NFL draft day couldn’t be a better fit. 

Tebow?  #25 overall?  Really? After tanking a 6-0 start, does Josh McDaniel really think this is the job security move he needed to make?

Jimmy Claussen in the Brady Quinn Notre Dame QB free fall?  Tuck it and stick the landing, Jimmy! Drafted first round, or having Erin Andrews to console you – push.

Will the Jacks Danny Batten get his name called today?

And finally – I don’t know how you could have passed on Suh.  Seems like there is a reason the Rams are the Rams.

ALL STATE SELECTIONS AND SUMMER SQUADS

Congrats to Pheasant Belt reps on all state teams.

A Boys – Winner’s Zachary Horstman, 1st team

B Boys -  White River’s Jake Krogman, 1st team, and RJ Estes, 3rd team.

B Girls – White River’s Caitlin Whiting, 2nd team and Philip’s Marissa Mann, 3rd team

Looks like several Pheasant Belters have found their way onto summer squads this year as well.

White River’s Wyatt Krogman is listed on the SD Heat White 17 and under team.

Winner’s Skyler Kuil is listed on the SD Heat Rushmore 17 and under squad.

The SD Heat Rushmore 16 and under is littered with them -  Winner’s Kyle Mathis and Austin Schroeder and White River’s Logan Tucker.  This team is coached by Winner native and Blake Gardner, known in many circles as the George Clooney of the Black Hills.  His brother Brett Gardner is coaching the Heat’s 15 and under squad. 

The Rushmore teams are made up of nearly all west river kids and coaches:

Heat 17 Rushmore/Coach – Jim Martin
Name HT Grade School
Joey Mitchell 6’1 12 Hitchcock-Tulare
Jeremy Beehler 6’0 12Newcastle, WY
Luke Roddy 6’0 12 Custer
Skyler Kuil 6’2 12 Winner
Jim Seward 6’3 12 Belle Fourche
Nate Walnorfer 6’4 12 Tea
Aaron Tyser 6’5 12 Buffalo, WY
Josh Monroy 7’2 12 Pierre

Heat 16 Rushmore/Coach – Blake Gardner
# Name HT Grade School
3 Adam Drake – 5’11 11 RC Stevens
11 Eric Drake – 5’11 11 RC Stevens
12 Matt Monfore – 5’10 10 Pierre
13 Chad Bryant – 6’1 11 Custer
20 Tyler Burr – 5’11 11 Belle Fourche
30 Kyle Mathis – 6’3 11 Winner
32 Derek Skillingstad – 6’5 11 Hill City
33 Lyle Jacobs – 5’11 11 Red Cloud
44 Logan Tucker – 6’3 11 White River
54 Austin Schroeder – 6’7 11 Winner

And last but not least, Winner’s Zachary Horstman returns to the Schoolers on their 17 and under squad.

Work hard and represent for us.

SHOT CLOCK

Looks like yet another matter that should left to common sense is going to be tried in court.  A competitive disadvantage?  Hindering scholarship opportunities? As with any other realm, if you don’t like the decisions that those give authority to represent you interests are making, vote them.  We don’t really need to sue, do we? I just don’t get it.

PHEASANT BELT PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Winner-Colome Demons shortstop/pitcher Sam Aeschbacher had 3 hits and drove in 6 runs, powered by by a second inning 3 run homer and a 3rd inning 2 run shot in Burke Thursday night.  Aeschbacher (pronounced Osh-bocker) is a returning 2nd team all state player and is playing at the same level this year.  Nicely done Sam.

LITTLE LEAGUE SEASON

Rosebud Little League starts up in under 4 weeks.  Ready or not.  I know some teams in the Hills are going already.  I love me some baseball.  Check out the next post for a little introspective post on baseball and life here in the Pheasant Belt.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS.

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Sod Buzzard

Soddy Statements From The Pheasant Belt

Well I take a few days off and this whole website goes to shambles.  I come back to find ER #1 showing his westerly inclinations and sympathies?  What?  What’s the world coming to?  Quite frankly, I’m a little concerned about my brother in blogs.

I have read with interest the comments below ER #1′s post season poll and those critical of Zachary Horstman.  People can draw their own conclusions about teams and players, but I find it humorous that anyone can take an opinion as to a player’s merits for post season awards based on others opinions.  I did not get to watch Derek Brown play hoops for Clark-Willow Lake.  Ever.  Doesn’t mean I’m going to throw the kid under the bus and say that kids I saw, like Duffy, Gregor, Swallow, Jacobsen, Feterl, or anyone else for that matter are more deserving because I have seen what they can do.  I trust the INFORMED folks who have seen him play.  The body of work needs to judged, not just a game or two.  We are inclined to feel that the kids we have seen play well are better because we saw with our own eyes.  It’s kind of like the concept of polls in general (which I don’t believe in or subscribe to) that one person’s opinion should be maligned, or that it should be put on a pedestal.  ER has put his thoughts out there as long as he’s been doing his thing here.  I sure as heck don’t agree with all of of his schlock on here, but I’m going to insult his intelligence either because I don’t agree. 

Now, on to my purple clad home(town)boy, Zachary Horstman.  Folks, Horstman is a solid player.  His reputation has been established and I’m not going to argue that it didn’t help him the last couple weeks in garnering honors that some may not agree with.  And that is your opinion, informed or not.  He is one the state’s top players, but that is a generic statement that  can be said of many kids.  And justifiably so.  In the opinion of those that count, he has been listed as one of class A’s top five and has now been honored by papers on both ends of the state as one of the state’s elite.  Not too shabby.

He didn’t seem to shoot the ball from the perimeter as well as he did last year, but he shot 47% overall from the field.  That said, anybody who saw his sophomore game against Platte-Geddes sure isn’t going to question whether the kid can shoot the rock or not.  His “bad” state tourney resulted in three 18 point games and several assists, rebounds, steals, etc. and an all tourney honor.  And as far as dogging their schedule, it is what it is.  There are some dogs on there, I’m not going to try to argue otherwise.  Calling it as I see it, they won all but two of the games they should have.  Wagner dominated them in what had to have been one their best games of the year, Winner wasn’t in their league THAT NIGHT.  MCM did the same thing in the state tourney.  Their coach called it their best game.  Now, Ainsworth, NE seemed like a game that Winner wasn’t ready to play and they lost to a less talented team that night.  Mobridge played well and earned a win, but there were several health related factors that left Winner at less than full speed that night.  Doesn’t change the end result though.  They lost to teams that outplayed them on the inside, shot the ball well from the outside, and made other players beat them besides Horstman. 

He isn’t a natural point guard, but has played the position well, not unlike Duke’s John Scheyer this year.  Horstman especially excelled when you needed someone to not turn it over at money time.  His defense and overall game really improved this year.  While his points scored may be down a couple, his assists are up, resulting in about the same number of points on the board.  Winner returns a ton of talent, and with another year of growth, maturity, and practice under his belt, he will get better.  He’s a great student and is also playing football and competing in track, so it’s not like this young man is “specialized.”  He is however, a special talent.  Again, calling it like I see it, he needs to put some meat on his bones before he makes the jump from the Big Dakota Conference to the the Summit League.  He will need to shoot the deep ball better than he did this year.  But he also will put in plenty of time to make himself better.  Rest assured.

Congratulations to Zachary and all of the others honored this spring.  And to all of those who had great years that didn’t get honored but loved playing the game anyway, congratulations to you for defining the intent of athletics.  Probably the bigger prize in the bigger picture.

PLOW ON, MY FRIENDS.

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