Morris, Minnesota 56267
SPORTS
SunTrib
Saturday, March 16, 2013 - Page 1B
Tigers get knocked out of postseason play by NL-S Wildcats The New London-Spicer Wildcats knocked Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta out of the postseason with a 76-49 victory Monday night at St. John’s University to advance in the Section 6AA South basketball tournament. The game was postponed from Saturday. With the loss the Tigers finish the season 19-8 overall. The Wildcats went on to play the No. 1 seed, Litchfield Dragons, Wednesday and were eliminated 69-51.
New London-Spicer finishes the season with a 1415 record playing in its new home, the Wright County Conference. Wildcat guards Joey Dreier and Aaron Ruter each canned a trio of treys in the first half and Brett Olson, a forward, hit two more. Olson’s bomb from the side made it 39-14 with 4:46 showing on the first half clock and the Tigers’ coach Mark Torgerson took his third time out. Out of the time out, Dreier pulled up and deposited another
Nancy Olson/Sun Tribune
Nic Vipond puts up two of his team-high 13 points Monday at St. John’s University.
three. “They outhustled us,” said Torgerson. “I thought we would have competed harder being a senior team. But those threes take something out of you. “They were open and they buried them. Credit them. Their guards were a step quicker and overall they are a little quicker, but we’ve played quicker teams before and done well.” The two teams played relatively even in the second half, but the Tigers were unable to make up ground. “The Wildcats shot a sizzling 60 percent for the entire game and made nine of their 12 three-point baskets to beat the Tigers for the second time in two weeks,” explained Torgerson. “This one, however, was not like the first game in which the Tigers led almost the entire game before NL-S rallied to tie it late and then win the game in overtime. “The play-off game was all NL-S from the start as they made eight of their first nine three-point baskets to take control of the game,” added Torgerson. “The Tigers never recovered and it was just one of those nights. “The Tigers had open looks, but had no three pointers in a frustrating first half in which they used three time outs to stop the Wildcat momentum with little success,” Torgerson said. “Austin Dierks, Nic Vipond, and John Tiernan got a few inside baskets, but the Tiger offense was held to just 23 first-half points and trailed 44-23 at the break.” Vipond and Dierks each had six points in the first half. “The Tigers tried different defenses, threw a press at the Wildcats, and tried almost everything they
could on offense, but couldn't hold back the streaking Wildcats. “The Tigers didn't stop working in the second half, but the Tiger defense was just not able to stop the Wildcat offense,” added Torgerson. “NL-S got great balance in the second half as 10 different players scored. The Tigers' Jacob Torgerson hit a pair of threes in the second half, but it would be the only two three pointers the Tigers made out of 21 attempts.” Vipond collected another seven points in the second half to give him a team-high 13 points for the Tigers, while Logan Manska tallied five more points to give him 10 for the night. They were the only two Tigers in double figures. “Shooting percentage for the Tigers was only 31 percent, a stat that hurt them in several games,” continued Torgerson. “The Tiger defense, a strong point most of the season,
Nancy Olson/Sun Tribune
Austin Dierks attempts to block a Wildcat shot Monday. failed them on this night, but much of the credit goes to a hot shooting Wildcat team. “The Tigers made nine of their 11 free throws and
were just a few short on the rebounding charts, but the shooting percentage proved to be the difference,” said Torgerson.
See Tigers Page 3B
Nancy Olson/Sun Tribune
Tom Holland applies defense on a Wildcat Monday at St. John’s University.
UMM opens baseball season with DH split UMM Sports Information The University of Minnesota, Morris opened the 2013 baseball season with a split versus Carleton College Friday, March 8 at the Metrodome. The Cougars took the early 1-0 lead in the season opener, but fell 8-2 to the Knights in the first of two. Game two was a pitching duel that went extra innings before the Cougars picked up the 2-1 walk-off win on Neil Arvold’s single. Dallas Coleman went nine and one-third innings, giving up just one run on two hits in game two.
GAME 1
Nancy Olson/Sun Tribune
Tiger fans left their hockey uniforms and wrestling singlets at home to sport a retro look at the Section 6AA-South play-off basketball game Monday at St. John’s University. Pictured are (from left) Morris Area seniors Darion Helberg, Connor Metzger, Joel Harrison, and Tanner Picht.
Winter sports awards The Winter Sports Awards program will be held Monday, March 18 at 7 p.m. in the Morris Area High School Auditorium. Parents of athletes participating in winter sports, including Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta girls’ and boys’ basketball, gymnastics, and boys’ swim-
ming and diving; Morris Area/Hancock/Chokio-Alberta wrestling; and Morris Benson Area boys’ and girls’ hockey, are encouraged to attend. The sports boosters will be serving turnovers in the cafeteria following the program.
Jake Schmitz singled with one out in the top of the first and advanced to third as the ball got under the sliding centerfielder and went to the wall. Jason Hodson then grounded out to second to plate Schmitz, giving the Cougars the 1-0 lead after a half inning. The Knights struck back in the bottom half of the inning picking up a triple and a sacrifice fly foul down the line in the left. Scott Peterson connected for a double with two outs in the top of the second, but was stranded there as the inning ended one batter latter. Carleton took the lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice, both coming unearned. After the Cougars went down in order in the third, the Knights picked up two more runs, extending their lead to 5-1.
UMM did not have a hit in the fourth or fifth inning and the Knights added three runs in their half of the fourth to take a commanding 8-1 lead. The lead stuck until the top of the sixth. Dalton DeGraffenreid singled to start the inning, but was retired on a fielder's choice allowing Eric Terres to reach. After Schmitz drew a walk, Hodson picked up his second RBI of the game singling to left and scoring Terres from second. It was as close as the Cougars would get as Carleton went down in order in the bottom of the sixth and the Cougars did the same in their half of the seventh.
GAME 2 Carleton took the lead in the top of the first picking up a run playing small ball. Their leadoff hitter drew a walk and then went to third on a sacrifice bunt by the number-two hitter. That runner scored as the next batter grounded out to short. It was the only run that Coleman allowed as he gave up just two hits in nine and a third innings. The Cougars went down in order in the first and second innings, but tied the game up in the third. Derrick Foss reached on an error by the first baseman, who was unable to handle a short throw. Arvold sacrificed Foss to second with a bunt to third. With two outs Terres drove in Foss with a single to left, but was thrown out trying to take second on the throw to the plate.
See Cougars Page 4B