How many hot dogs did I have????
This last week has been a real busy one for me, I've had high school basketball games 4 out of 5 days this last week. All I can say is that I hope my doctor doesn't read this but... I had 8 hot dogs this week.
Now I am the announcer for the St. Joe basketball teams (boys and girls). So forgive me if this sounds a lot about St. Joe..
But... It all started Monday when I worked the St. Joe vs. LMC girls basketball game at St. Joe, which the Lady Bears won 59-30. Total Hot Dog Count: 2
On Tuesday, the boys season started. St. Joe had to rally from a 2 point halftime deficit and defeated Coloma in their annual season opening meeting for a 56-44 win. Total Hot Dog Count: 5
Wednesday was the day off, so you'd think that I would avoid hot dogs altogether for dinner... well you're almost right, Name the one food that can be consumed like a hot dog... Bratwurst, Total Hot Dog Count: Still 5 but add 2 brats...
On Thursday, I was on the road with the St. Joe Girls basketball team at Battle Creek Harper Creek. St. Joe was defeated 49-41, but the thing that really bugs me is this. I realize that a lot of schools forbid certain drinks from being taken inside their gymnasiums, but never have I ever before seen the lengths that Harper Creek will do to try to preserve the floor of their multi million dollar facility, the ONLY foods that are allowed inside the gym.... Water and Popcorn... that's all, nothing more. They have a person assigned to stand at the door almost giving you a pat down to make sure that the contraband you have just purchased at the concession stand is not within the same zip code as their floor.
Now let me ask this.... What kind of damage can two PLAIN HOT DOGS DO? Especially since I am at the scorers table where the game staff of Harper Creek has cans of pop, the woman next to me had a Wendy's burger. Last year somebody had a microwaved container of Campbell's clam chowder... (Believe me I remember the smell). Are you telling me that a container of hot and smelly clam chowder is allowed when two plain hot dogs are forbidden? Funny thing is, about 5 years ago when I worked a few St. Joe games at Harper Creek's old high school gym, they didn't really care. Total Hot Dog Count: 7
Friday the week came to an end with St. Joe defeating Sturgis 54-24 in a snore fest for the first 2 and a half quarters. The only thing that really kept me awake was the screaming of the new Sturgis head coach. Well, I guess that the St. Joe fans were hungry on Friday, because I was only able to get one hot dog on Friday night, they were sold out at halftime of the varsity game. So I had a slice of pizza. Total Hot Dog Count: 8 Brat Count: 2 Slices of Pepperoni Pizza: 1
Wow.... All of the meat I consumed this week were in tube form, yikes.
OK, enough ranting, more basketball stuff now.
Boys
Lakeshore's boys are off to a 2-0 start, which is pretty much expected. The Lancers have answered some early questions about how they will survive in the post Troy Peter era. Lakeshore has wins over Dowagiac and a nail biter against Marshall on Friday that wasn't decided until the final buzzer went off.
Benton Harbor is also 2-0, the Tigers have rolled off wins against rival Battle Creek Central and Coldwater, with Tyrone Black and Aaron Clayborn leading the way for Marcus Mohammed's team. The Tigers are quickly erasing the memories of the 5-15 season a year ago.
Could things be turning around for Lake Michigan Catholic? Now it's hard to say for sure after only one game but if you look at the opening game, an 80-41 win at Morrice, Josh Beckman's team could possibly be ready to contend for the Red Arrow title once again.
Michigan Lutheran is 1-2 after the first week, falling to Bloomingdale on Tuesday in their opener, and then falling in the championship game of their annual season opening tip off tournament. I think it was expected that Michigan Lutheran would have an adjustment period after the Ryan Ross era came to a close. You can't really replace that kind of talent that easily. If there is any advantage to this for the Titans. Other teams actually have to cover all 5 guys on the floor instead of Ross alone.
Girls
Benton Harbor is undefeated, as expected. But, if I were to ask you about the area's most dominant basketball player this season. You might assume I was talking about a boys player like Tyrone Black or maybe even Zack Eddy. I would tell you that you were dead wrong. Destiney Williams is the real deal. If you need proof, during the Tigers 80-35 win over Kalamazoo Central. Williams herself had 35 points, matching the entire output of the Maroon Giants... this just in... she's good!!!
Michigan Lutheran is another unbeaten team, they are 3-0 on the season, being led by Alyssa Curry and Freshman Leanne Priebe. Those two are getting a lot of the glory, but it is a team effort for the Titans.
Lakeshore picked up their first win of the season on Saturday with a 75-45 victory over Dowagiac on Saturday night to improve to 1-3 on the season. But, the Lady Lancers could just easily be 3-1 on the season. Lakeshore lost their first two games by three points each. Losses in overtime to Battle Creek Harper Creek 47-44 and a 48-45 defeat to Marshall, could easily have gone Lakeshore's way. The Lady Lancers will have their hands full on Tuesday, they host Benton Harbor.
Lake Michigan Catholic waited a week after the season started to play their first game. The Lakers opened the season last Monday with a 59-30 loss at St. Joseph and a 43-40 loss on Wednesday at home to Mendon. But the Lakers defeated Bloomingdale rather convincingly on Saturday. After seeing them play it seems to me that the Lakers don't have the height they've had the last few years, but they do have some talent, watch out for 5'7" Freshman Laura Sifrig.
Well that's it for the week,
I've got three nights of games this week. St. Joe girls host Niles on Tuesday, while the Boys are at Berrien Springs, I really hate having them play on the same night (Darn you Guzzo!!!), but you have to fit those 40 games in sometime. Thursday the St. Joe boys host Harper Creek, maybe we'll let their fans bring hot dogs in the gym. Friday the St. Joe girls host Kalamazoo Central.
And if my doctor is still reading... I'll try to lay off the hot dogs.
Get out to a game, doesn't matter who, doesn't matter where, but the $5 you will spend on admission is well worth it to watch and support our area athletes, boys or girls. And it doesn't have to be just basketball either. Wrestling is in full force, plus there is competitive cheerleading. Just go and you'll enjoy it... Maybe even have a hot dog.
