First week impressions
It's been awhile since I wrote anything in here...I have been super busy at work, with the All-Thumb football teams coming out this past week and the girls basketball arriving in area papers this Wednesday. The girls team is pretty solid. We also put out the boys basketball preview this past week--I will try to post a picture of the cover sometime this week. I came up with the concept design, took the picture that we feature on the cover, and then got everyone at the paper working on the layout. I like it--I think it turned out great, and I am really proud of the work we did on the preview.
That being said, here are a few impressions from the first week of the young season.
Brad Redford is the man. The junior guard from Frankenmuth had quite a first week. Even though his team lost twice (albeit to a really good Flint SWA team on Tuesday followed up by a close loss to a really good Bridgeport team), Redford shot the lights out! Against SWA, Redford poured in 37 points! The All-State guard shot 14-27 from the field, including 6-14 from three point range, and canned all three of his free throws. For an encore, Redford dropped in another 28 against the Bearcats, good for a first week average of 32.5 points per game. This is where I think team records can be deceiving---Redford and the Eagles are 0-2, but I don't think coach Tim Crawford has anything to worry about. If Redford can pour in 37 on SWA, just think of what he will do to, say, Vassar or Caro. The conference title will be up for grabs the next time 'Muth meets up with Bridgeport.
Millington is undefeated. Speaking of deceiving records, coach Walt Kujat has guided Millington to an early spotless record, as the Cardinals escaped the first week of the year unscathed, with a perfect 2-0 record. Does this mean that the Cards are better than Frankenmuth? Not hardly. But it's nice to see my old high school win some games. Apparently, in the last few years, Millington has not won a lot of games, and from what I have been hearing, that is mostly due to the fact that they have lost games that they had no right to lose. They pulled out a close one Tuesday, going to overtime to defeat LakeVille 50-49 on Tuesday, before holding off a late charge from Vassar on Friday, winning that game 64-58. A win is a win, and it appears as if Kujat has some good young talent. I was at the Millington-Vassar, and it looks like Dustin Griesing is going to open some eyes this year.
Against Vassar Friday night, the junior point guard scored 10 points, had 10 assists, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded six steals in leading the Cardinals to victory.
Backcourt mate Garrett Stier played solid all night, finishing the game as the leading scorer with 15. 6-6 center Jay Morse scored 10 and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Cards, and 6-4 swingman Gerry Smith hit four key three-pointers and finished with 12.
Millington is a solid team, plays good defense, and has a great court general directing the offense, but before we annoint them as the emerging power in the TVE, let's remember that, they are young. Extremely young! The starting five only features two seniors (Morse and Jim Hess), Griesing is in his second year on varsity, but the junior has a lot of learning to do.
He makes a lot of questionable decisions, perhaps because he is just trying to do too much for his team. But that's allright--Millington won a game they were supposed to win. So when you can make a few mistakes yet still pull out the 'W', well that's a luxury not many teams have. Just wait and see...I believe that Kujat will make the Cards winners.
Kingston is really good. In case anyone thought that Kingston was due for a letdown, the Cardinals made sure to remind everyone Friday night that that's not going to happen.
The Cards exploded out of the gates Friday, jumping to a quick 19-2 lead over North Huron, and the Cards kept on pouring it on until they finished with an 80-43 romp over the Warriors.
Brandon Jones led the way with 19 pts, and I guess he even threw down a pretty good dunk on a breakaway, which I would have loved to have seen.
Can Kingston do it again? Can coach Mike Rea guide his squad to another 20-0 season? They have the talent, the depth, and the experience do accomplish that goal, but it takes a lot of luck to go undefeated, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
A-F on the rise. The Vikings had a good first week, going 1-1. They play Port Hope Tuesday night, and I plan on being there for a feature article. I have a feeling that the Vikings are going to pull this one out. I'll post again Tuesday night after we send the paper to press
That being said, here are a few impressions from the first week of the young season.
Brad Redford is the man. The junior guard from Frankenmuth had quite a first week. Even though his team lost twice (albeit to a really good Flint SWA team on Tuesday followed up by a close loss to a really good Bridgeport team), Redford shot the lights out! Against SWA, Redford poured in 37 points! The All-State guard shot 14-27 from the field, including 6-14 from three point range, and canned all three of his free throws. For an encore, Redford dropped in another 28 against the Bearcats, good for a first week average of 32.5 points per game. This is where I think team records can be deceiving---Redford and the Eagles are 0-2, but I don't think coach Tim Crawford has anything to worry about. If Redford can pour in 37 on SWA, just think of what he will do to, say, Vassar or Caro. The conference title will be up for grabs the next time 'Muth meets up with Bridgeport.
Millington is undefeated. Speaking of deceiving records, coach Walt Kujat has guided Millington to an early spotless record, as the Cardinals escaped the first week of the year unscathed, with a perfect 2-0 record. Does this mean that the Cards are better than Frankenmuth? Not hardly. But it's nice to see my old high school win some games. Apparently, in the last few years, Millington has not won a lot of games, and from what I have been hearing, that is mostly due to the fact that they have lost games that they had no right to lose. They pulled out a close one Tuesday, going to overtime to defeat LakeVille 50-49 on Tuesday, before holding off a late charge from Vassar on Friday, winning that game 64-58. A win is a win, and it appears as if Kujat has some good young talent. I was at the Millington-Vassar, and it looks like Dustin Griesing is going to open some eyes this year.
Against Vassar Friday night, the junior point guard scored 10 points, had 10 assists, grabbed five rebounds, and recorded six steals in leading the Cardinals to victory.
Backcourt mate Garrett Stier played solid all night, finishing the game as the leading scorer with 15. 6-6 center Jay Morse scored 10 and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Cards, and 6-4 swingman Gerry Smith hit four key three-pointers and finished with 12.
Millington is a solid team, plays good defense, and has a great court general directing the offense, but before we annoint them as the emerging power in the TVE, let's remember that, they are young. Extremely young! The starting five only features two seniors (Morse and Jim Hess), Griesing is in his second year on varsity, but the junior has a lot of learning to do.
He makes a lot of questionable decisions, perhaps because he is just trying to do too much for his team. But that's allright--Millington won a game they were supposed to win. So when you can make a few mistakes yet still pull out the 'W', well that's a luxury not many teams have. Just wait and see...I believe that Kujat will make the Cards winners.
Kingston is really good. In case anyone thought that Kingston was due for a letdown, the Cardinals made sure to remind everyone Friday night that that's not going to happen.
The Cards exploded out of the gates Friday, jumping to a quick 19-2 lead over North Huron, and the Cards kept on pouring it on until they finished with an 80-43 romp over the Warriors.
Brandon Jones led the way with 19 pts, and I guess he even threw down a pretty good dunk on a breakaway, which I would have loved to have seen.
Can Kingston do it again? Can coach Mike Rea guide his squad to another 20-0 season? They have the talent, the depth, and the experience do accomplish that goal, but it takes a lot of luck to go undefeated, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
A-F on the rise. The Vikings had a good first week, going 1-1. They play Port Hope Tuesday night, and I plan on being there for a feature article. I have a feeling that the Vikings are going to pull this one out. I'll post again Tuesday night after we send the paper to press
Comments