Cards win significant, score uncertain

By Tom Obert
Cub Reporter
After many and varied reports, we believe we have the correct score from the girls hockey game at Little Falls last night. Patty Wicken was on the radio this morning asking the listeners to phone in the score if they know: the first call was from the father of junior forward Megan Trenne, he said the score was 11 - 2; the second call was from Vivian Annen, who was at the game with the Paulzine family, she said the score was 15 - 2. Then in this morning's Cardinal Connection, the score was posted as 13 - 2. So, the Cards won by a significant amount, regardless of which score is right!

The boys hockey team also won at home last night, 5 - 1, over Sauk Rapids/Rice, raising their record to 3-1-1.

Earlier, that evening
As I write this, I am waiting for a report from our stringer in Little Falls. For the first time ever, the Diehard Fans split up to cover multiple events on the same night. Bob Annen and I covered the home girls basketball game; Vivian Annen hitched a ride with hockey mom, Deb Paulzine (mother of sophomore forward Stacey), to Little Falls for the girls hockey game. Ruthie stayed home to watch "Boston Legal."

Anyway, back to the basketball game. I noticed just retired football coach, Denny Kalpin, and just retired Echo sports editor, Larry Halvorson, sitting a couple of rows behind us, so I crashed their conversation to congratulate both on their retirements. They thanked me and sent me on my way. I returned to my seat for the free throw shooting contest disguised as a game. Sitting with school board member, Jim Hafdal, we got our biggest enjoyment out of watching Bud and Trish Bruzek, sitting on the other side of the gym, cheering on their sophomore starting point guard Gracie. As we will learn later, Gracie was subsequently named player of the game.

Anyway, back to the basketball game. Oh, I received an e-mail this week from Sue Justice, mother of senior goaltender, Danielle, a/k/a "Roadblock." On behalf of herself, and fellow hockey mom, Kristi Nelson (mother of Abby), they requested membership in the Super Fan (a/k/a Diehard Fan) contingent next year since they will no longer be hockey moms. We said, of course, all are welcome - provided they first pass the initiation! (Still no report from Vivian . . .)

Anyway, back to the basketball game. Detroit Lakes came into the game undefeated at 3 - 0 - the Lakers also made it to the state semi-finals last year. In other words, they're a darn good team. Alex was 2 - 2, having started with a very tough schedule. The game started and as usual (at least with respect to the games I have followed so far) the Cards jumped out to an early lead. This is usually the result of scoring from the team's leading scorer, Angela Christianson, who is averaging almost 30 points a game. Then, as I have also noticed, the refs make sure Angela gets 2 fouls before we are halfway through the first half, so that leads to Angela spending a lot of time on the bench for the remainder of the half. So, DL was able to get back into the game. Well, it turns out the refs weren't just after Angela - they were after EVERYBODY.
The game disintegrated into a fouling and free throw shooting contest, and with over 20 turnovers by both teams, it was, unfortunately, not a fans delight. In fact, Bob left at the half to go home to watch "Boston Legal," allegedly because his eyes were too dry in the sauna that is the Cardinal gym, but I think he was mad he didn't get to see Angela play more.
The Cards held on for a 64 - 61 win and, listening to the post-game show on the radio driving home, Gracie Bruzek was rightfully named player of the game, though she did foul out (one of many) - she played an all-around solid floor game and contributed 10 points. (Angela finished with 28, with a whole bunch of free throws, and could have finished with 30 again but she missed her last two at game's end.) The radio announcers did happen to mention how much Gracie looks like her mom - which is true, and how I knew Gracie was Gracie the first time I ever saw the team in warm-ups. (Still no report from Vivian . . .)

My brother Chris called from Virginia tonight - he was a classmate, at least through 7th grade, with Jim Hafdal, and school superintendent, Terry Quist, who also sits with us at the basketball games. I mentioned to him that I would be sitting with Jim and Terry at the girls basketball game tonight. Chris gave me the usual grief about going to a girls game - to which I always respond . . . well, never mind.

Still no report from Vivian. I can only conclude they stopped somewhere on the way home for a celebratory beverage. The game should have been an Alex "name-the-score" type of game. It's past my bedtime, so further reports will be later. I did get home in time to see the last half of "Boston Legal."