The Saline Reporter
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Too cold to think?
JerryHinnen
PUBLISHED: February 7, 2008
I tried to come up with an idea for a thought-provoking, insightful, tape-it-to-the-refrigerator column for this week, honestly I did. I tried and tried. And I did manage to generate a lot of half-ideas and quarter-ideas.
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But that one lightning strike that I would want to turn into a full column never came. I blame the weather; when it's too cold to even walk to your car without three layers of long underwear and a pair of ski caps, it's too cold to think.
Not that I've ever been able to quit thinking about the sports we watch and love completely, though, so here are a few of the things that have been banging around my head over the past few days:
• Seriously, what are the odds? I've been covering Saline basketball for all of two seasons and after Kyle Larsen's one-handed three-pointer to beat Dexter last week, that now makes three buzzer-beaters I've been present for in Saline's gym: Larsen's, Monica Mezger's Adrian-beating three at the close of the girls' 2006 season, and Lincoln's lay-up to defeat the Saline boys in double-overtime in early 2007.
I'm not complaining, believe me, but this is a rather staggering rate of buzzer-beating, isn't it? I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that teams can go years without seeing one, and now that's three in the same gym over the course of more than a few dozen games.
In short, I think Saline basketball fans are very, very fortunate to be seeing this much exciting basketball.
• The future's bright for Milan girls' basketball. It was right around this time last year that the Saline hockey team won its first game after an agonizing wait through the season's first couple of months, the same kind of wait the Miln girls have gone through while preparing for Friday's breakthrough against Jefferson.
The good news for Milan is that the similarities may not end there. Like the current Big Reds, that Saline team missed a key player for much of the season through injury, saw a lot of young players undergo a baptism by fire, and by the end of the season was playing its far-and-away best hockey of the year. Or, in Milan's case, basketball.
The Hornets have since built on that strong finish to stay above .500 nearly all season in 2007-2008 and are now in the catbird seat for a conference title.
I don't know if that kind of goal will quite be within Milan's reach as soon as next year, but the point is that just because the Big Reds' record might take a step back this season, it doesn't mean the program is not still headed in the right direction.
l Speaking of heading in the right direction; As much as Saline's girls' basketball program will miss this year's senior class — the deadeye shooting of two-guard Sarah Hoffman, the leadership of senior point guard Mezger, the hustle of center Kristen Nye — it's impossible not to think about the team's future when there's so much returning talent.
At times this season, Saline has started all four of the roster's sophomores (Kristy Chapman, Kaitlin Ward, Madeline Winters, and Lauren Zarasjek) alongside Hoffman without missing a beat. Much of the Hornets' inside muscle (in players like Amara Karapas and Natalie Wright) and backcourt defensive grit (from Beth Ormsby and Angie Hollis) will return as seniors next year.
And despite the four sophomores having moved onto varsity, the all-sophomore JV team has more than held its own this season.
So, yes, I think it's fair to say the future there is bright.
l Yes, the postseason's already here. Hard to believe, but the winter postseason officially kicks off this Wednesday when Milan hosts wrestling's district tournament. Saline will play host the next night.
And if you haven't noticed, you should be there for those. Milan has enjoyed a breakout season, going 7-1 against Huron League competition and 30-8 overall. Heavyweight David Box has just one loss this year and is one of several Big Red candidates to advance out of districts to Regionals and possibly the Palace.
In Saline, Scott Marvin has continued the Hornets' recovery from a 7-22 campaign two years ago and now has his team at 22-10. The Hornets have one less SEC win than in 2006-07 (after a narrow defeat to Adrian). But after squeaking past team after team last season, Saline has earned its conference wins this season by more comfortable margins — a sign that the team's depth is developing.
It doesn't hurt to have the undefeated Nick Barnett to pitch in at either 215 pounds or heavyweight, either.
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