Just like the veggie soup I made last week, this requires a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The soup turned out great. Not bad for my first real batch of veggie soup. I make a killer chicken noodle soup, but my first adventure with the veggies. I've got about 2 cups left in my fridge.
As for the real reason, after all I'm not Rachel Ray.
Basketball season is getting down to the last few weeks of the season and the Big 16 West has been a little bit of a shocker so far, the preseason hype was about Lakeshore and Benton Harbor. Well, the leaders of the West at the halfway mark is Mattawan, Don't look now but the Wildcats have already beaten Lakeshore and Benton Harbor. But... those two wins were in Mattawan, let them travel to Farnum and Lakeshore and see how the cats hold up.
St. Joe is struggling, my Bears have lost four straight games and it seems that the Bears are either unable or unwilling to try to work the ball down low for those high percentage shots. After scoring three points in the first half against Benton Harbor a few weeks ago, you would probably expect the Bears to try to go back to the basics. Almost.. The Bears were shooting from the outside in a recent loss at Mattawan, the shots weren't really the problem. Turnovers, mostly unforced turnovers, really cost the Bears. The Bears have to put a full game together and make the simple play, take the open shots and move the ball faster. So far it won't be easy for the Bears to try tonight. They host Benton Harbor.
Lakeshore has lost two straight, the loss at Mattawan and a loss on Tuesday at Benton Harbor. The loss to Mattawan was due in part by some poor free throw shooting by Lakeshore, and the loss to the Harbor was in part some just poor shooting and a little lack of defense. The Lancers have more than enough players that can shoot the ball well, Kaufman, Sanders, and Eddy really have been carrying the load. If those three aren't producing then Lakeshore will struggle, but the next few weeks will give the Lancers a chance to work out the kinks, they are off until the 12th when they host Sturgis, and then followed by games with Portage Central and Niles.
District Pairings
The tournaments are fast approaching. The girls districts are March 2, 4, and 6. The boys are the week after. if you visit the MHSAA website (www.mhsaa.com) you'll be able to see some of the district brackets that have been determined. The Lakeshore/St. Joe district is there. More will be added, but there are some good match ups developing so far.
Football
A little bit of football news. I have seen the uprising and the firestorm surrounding the situation with Eau Claire and Matt Gudorf's position being eliminated for budget reasons. I am not going to say if I agree with it, but you know as well as I do that schools, especially ones in Michigan are having to tighten their belts tighter than is humanly possible. Tough decisions have to be made. Unfortunately this is one that affects a quality coach.
As for coaches. a little bit of news from Benton Harbor, we've learned that Benton Harbor is expecting to name a coach soon. Maybe within the next two or three weeks. Our own Phil McDonald spoke to Benton Harbor's Athletic Director Larry Featherstone recently, without going into details, Featherstone simply said they should have the new coach in the next few weeks. He gave no details about the name of the new coach, or any possible finalists either. Boy these guys can really keep a secret.
I can say that whoever the new coach for the Tigers will be will obviously have a big job ahead of him (Or mayber her... Did you see the movie Wildcats????).
But he has to restore the pride and the interest in a team that has gone two years without winning a game. A team that has been outscored 118-663 over the last two years. A team that hasn't had a wining season since 1989. Not only will the Tigers have to face those challenges, but the Big 16 has thrown a new alignment and a new schedule format for football next season. The Big 16 West now has Portage Central, and Portage Northern, along with St. Joe and Lakeshore. He has to try to make sure the fans that show up at Filstrup for the Tigers home games are there to support the team and not just the TMB.
