Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Previews Galore

#4 posting 3.8.2006

POINT PARADE
IA
2A
Kati Jo Christensen, Audubon 28 vs Davenport Assumption 72-66

IOWA STATE TOURNAMENT ACTIONS
The 4A teams take over the early sessions today
10 am Des Moines Roosevelt led by Charmaine Bell will take on Linn-Mar with another freshman that has commited early. Jaime Printy has verballed Iowa.
11:30 am Cedar Rapids Jefferson with 6-2 Brittany Norris face perennial contender Dowling Catholic. This is the 11th straight year in the show. They are led by Juliann Van Liew
1 pm Cedar Rapids Prairie led by Morgan Funke faces a team that hasn't been dancing in 71 years Johnston. They have no double figure scorers on their roster.
2:30 pm Another Cedar Rapids team, this time Washington with Alyssa Green leading the way takes on Sioux City North led by the dynamic duo of guards Tanayea Worden and Jacqui Kalin.
The 1A Semis are the focus of the evening session
Big IKM with their 2000 point scorer Margo Muhlbauer takes on Twin River Valley with their 2000 point scorer Liz Trauger. It will be a game of contrasting styles with IKM go-go-go and TRV looking for patient, deliberate action.
In the final game of the day Charter Oak-Ute with another 2000 point scorer Kala Kuhlman sees Treynor. Three of the final four 1A teams are in the SW section of Iowa and two are from the same conference. Boyer Valley rivals IKM and Charter Oak-Ute. Both met in the finals last year with COU winning it all.

MN TODAY
AAAA
5: #2 Irondale faces another North Suburban foe #6 Cooper in the first semifinal game. #1 Maple Grove takes on Armstrong at Park Center in next semifinal.
AAA
5: Orono faces Waconia in one semifinal at Mpls Edison while #1 Benilde-St. Margaret will try to halt a nine year section championship run by Mpls North at 8.
AA
4: In the East bracket #1 Cannon Falls faces #3 Visitation. In the West #1 Breck sees #2 Jordan. Both games are at Delano.
7: Pequot Lakes, defending section champ, plays #1E Esko in the first semi while Proctor takes on #1W Crosby-Ironton. Both games are at Hibbing.
A
4: In a MCAA battle #1N Meadow Creek takes on #3 Maranatha. While #3 CHOF crashes the all MCAA Bash taking on #1S West Lutheran. All the action will be at Fridley.
7: #3S Wrenshall plays #5N Tower-Soudan and as the only survivor of the high seed carnage #1S Barnum plays a Polar League rival #6 Cook County. The games will be held at UM Duluth.

FROM THE PAST WEEK
MN
St. James beat Pipestone in the 3AA Semis last Friday. Here is what the Pipestone Star reported. http://www.pipestonestar.com/article.asp?ItemID=13027&Type=spo

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
ND
Devils Lake is making it's first appearance in 19 years. You might not think that is such a long time, but consider that there are four spots open to teams to make the state tournament from the Eastern Dakota Conference. There are 10 teams in the conference so getting there might take place, on average, once every four years. Here is the Grand Forks Herald describing the drought. http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/sports/14043823.htm

SD
The SD tournaments are located in three different cities.
The A tournament will be held at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. The Rapid City Journal fills you in on the teams and players. It seems as if Vermillion is being ripped off due to their schedule. They seed their tournament. http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/03/08/sports/local/news09.txt
The AA Tournament will take place in Brookings. Just like North Dakota there are only two conferences with a pool of 17 teams to choose from. Don't be stunned to see some very poor records in the mix. Again the Journal leads you through the maze of teams and players. http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/03/08/sports/local/news08.txt
The B Tournament is going to be in Watertown. It will be Jill Young's first state tournament experience. Again let the Journal take you away http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/03/08/sports/local/news07.txt

WISCONSIN TOURNAMENT
The action takes place starting Thursday here are some articles about the teams
D1
From the Janesville Gazette talking about Parker's opponent Waterford http://www.gazetteextra.com/jpgb_waterford030706.asp
The Racine Jounal also has a take on Waterford. http://www.journaltimes.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=4446
Sheboygan North's story is from Manitowoc Herald Times http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/SHE0101/603080603/1062
Ashwaubenon took out defending champ DePere here is what the Green Bay Press-Gazette says http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/GPG0101/603080570/1206/GPGnews even more http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/GPG0205/603080486/1225/GPGsports
Janesville Parker is a fixture at the state. But they are there with a different spin. The GB Press reports http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/GPG0205/603080484/1238/GPGsports
D3
Ozaukee beat #1 in the state Oostburg to reach state. Here is the preview from the Sheboygan Press http://www.sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/SHE0205/603080696/1882
D4
Barneveld is looking to repeat. Here is the Wisconsin State Journal with the details
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/index.php?ntid=75437&ntpid=2

SIGNINGS
IA
Sophia Iwobi, Fairfield Maharishi to Vermont

Next up I will be back in Minnesota. It will be after 10:30 before it all appears on the net.