So I was wrong
Kingston wins Regional title. Yes, it's true...I don't know everything.
After I boldly predicted that Kingston would not make it out of the Regionals, the Cardinals went and proved me wrong last Thursday with a 57-53 win over Fowler.
The Cardinals and coach Mike Rea made a point and came away with the school's first Regional title since 1998, so congratulations to every kid on the team and to all the Kingston fans who kept their cool and resisted the temptation to punch me in the face.
Now for the problems....
On my way out and in the following few days, I spoke to numerous people who were either there or listened to the game on the radio and one common concern was present in everyone's comments: that Kingston is now 24-0 and they have still not played their best game.
Is it good that they have ran through this many games without peaking?
It could be, since they do have to win at three more games to win the State title, and the fact that they have not peaked could work in their favor.
But...the fact that they still seem to be working on finding out who they can turn to when the going gets tough speaks back to the weakness of the NCTL schedule that they are forced to play.
Playing 18 games in that league does not prepare the Cardinals for the playoffs, that much is a fact.
At this point in the season, a team should have an identity, having carved one out through the course of the regular season by facing tough competition which pushes you to create one.
At this point, Kingston has won every game they have played so far because they have superior talent over every team they have played.
There wasn't one kid from the Fowler team who could have started on Kingston, and I would be shocked if anyone from Fowler could have even challenged for playing time, yet the Cardinals only won by four points.
Why?
Because they haven't had to face adversity up until Thursday night. Fowler was a .500 team, yet when push came to shove, the Eagles knew what they needed to do to try to win.
Kingston seems like they are still trying to figure out who they are....are they a running team? Are they a half-court team with great post players? Who are they?
I don't know yet.
This much is certain...the Cardinals have a fantastic collection of talent and there is no doubt in my mind that this season, they would have been able to win the GTW and GTE, if they competed in either of those leagues.
But they don't....they play in the NCTL, where they won every game by such a large margin that the players they need to come up big in the playoffs spent the majority of the regular season playing about two to three quarters worth of action against each team in the league.
And we wonder why we haven't seen them play their best game yet...they haven't had to pick it up a notch until now.
Maybe I'll be wrong again, because I want to see the Cardinals advance to the State finals, I really do.
Maybe the rest they had during the run to the NCTL title will play to the benefit of the Cardinals starters and those fresh legs will carry them to the Breslin Center.
I guess we'll see Tuesday night, when the Cardinals will need their best game of the year to get by Sterling Heights Parkway.
Go Cards!!!
North Branch falls in finals. After an amazing season and storybook run through the playoffs, the Broncos volleyball season finally came to an end in the Class A State title came, when they lost to Livonia Churchill, 3-2.
The Broncos are the first volleyball team ever from the Advertiser's coverage area to make a state title came and the first team from Lapeer County to make a state title game since Dryden did it back in 1995.
It may seem like a consolation prize now, but I hope that somehow the Lady Broncos can take some solace in the fact that they are undoubtedly the best volleyball team to ever come out of the Thumb area.
Speaking of firsts....if Kingston makes the state finals, they will be the first team from a Tuscola County high school to make a basketball state title game since Cass City made it to the finals all the way back in 1944.
The Red Hawks lost to Lansing St. Mary, 50-33.
So, Kingston, go forth and make the myths.
After I boldly predicted that Kingston would not make it out of the Regionals, the Cardinals went and proved me wrong last Thursday with a 57-53 win over Fowler.
The Cardinals and coach Mike Rea made a point and came away with the school's first Regional title since 1998, so congratulations to every kid on the team and to all the Kingston fans who kept their cool and resisted the temptation to punch me in the face.
Now for the problems....
On my way out and in the following few days, I spoke to numerous people who were either there or listened to the game on the radio and one common concern was present in everyone's comments: that Kingston is now 24-0 and they have still not played their best game.
Is it good that they have ran through this many games without peaking?
It could be, since they do have to win at three more games to win the State title, and the fact that they have not peaked could work in their favor.
But...the fact that they still seem to be working on finding out who they can turn to when the going gets tough speaks back to the weakness of the NCTL schedule that they are forced to play.
Playing 18 games in that league does not prepare the Cardinals for the playoffs, that much is a fact.
At this point in the season, a team should have an identity, having carved one out through the course of the regular season by facing tough competition which pushes you to create one.
At this point, Kingston has won every game they have played so far because they have superior talent over every team they have played.
There wasn't one kid from the Fowler team who could have started on Kingston, and I would be shocked if anyone from Fowler could have even challenged for playing time, yet the Cardinals only won by four points.
Why?
Because they haven't had to face adversity up until Thursday night. Fowler was a .500 team, yet when push came to shove, the Eagles knew what they needed to do to try to win.
Kingston seems like they are still trying to figure out who they are....are they a running team? Are they a half-court team with great post players? Who are they?
I don't know yet.
This much is certain...the Cardinals have a fantastic collection of talent and there is no doubt in my mind that this season, they would have been able to win the GTW and GTE, if they competed in either of those leagues.
But they don't....they play in the NCTL, where they won every game by such a large margin that the players they need to come up big in the playoffs spent the majority of the regular season playing about two to three quarters worth of action against each team in the league.
And we wonder why we haven't seen them play their best game yet...they haven't had to pick it up a notch until now.
Maybe I'll be wrong again, because I want to see the Cardinals advance to the State finals, I really do.
Maybe the rest they had during the run to the NCTL title will play to the benefit of the Cardinals starters and those fresh legs will carry them to the Breslin Center.
I guess we'll see Tuesday night, when the Cardinals will need their best game of the year to get by Sterling Heights Parkway.
Go Cards!!!
North Branch falls in finals. After an amazing season and storybook run through the playoffs, the Broncos volleyball season finally came to an end in the Class A State title came, when they lost to Livonia Churchill, 3-2.
The Broncos are the first volleyball team ever from the Advertiser's coverage area to make a state title came and the first team from Lapeer County to make a state title game since Dryden did it back in 1995.
It may seem like a consolation prize now, but I hope that somehow the Lady Broncos can take some solace in the fact that they are undoubtedly the best volleyball team to ever come out of the Thumb area.
Speaking of firsts....if Kingston makes the state finals, they will be the first team from a Tuscola County high school to make a basketball state title game since Cass City made it to the finals all the way back in 1944.
The Red Hawks lost to Lansing St. Mary, 50-33.
So, Kingston, go forth and make the myths.
Comments
And, nice entry on Monday, too. I couldn't post then, but I thought I'd mix in an attaboy, which you deserved on this.
Great entry on your blog. I agree with you on alot of your points. Nice job. See you tonight. Dave
I suggest you always predict the local team will win. Its great for circulation.
OMG
I sat dead center and was just blown away by the athletes that CP had.
I really was rooting for Kingston to win and anyone can atest to it since I think I fell out of my seat a few times while calling the game.
BTW Kingston/Thumb fans...YOU GUYS ARE F**KING LOUD! :) That was awesome.
Great support, but Parkway was so damn fast, with their hands, their feet, their leaping...it is a tribute to the team that they lost by just five.
Turnovers and missed layups really killed the game (I think Mike said 22-25 TOs in the game, ouch, that's not Kingston Basketball).
Oh and just for Coach Barker (Parkway's coach): I'll send you a map of the Thumb with Kingston highlighted! What a tool for actaully asking Coach Rea where they were from!!!
In this day of high-speed information...that is just degrating for a coach to ask that!
The MHSAA.com website has a map feature...Coach Barker...USE IT!
Congrats to the Cards and good luck in college ball and/or life.
~Sicotte