29-3 But I Wish We Were Just Starting

I'm not real sure where to begin. At the NWAACC Championship Tournament we played very well against Bellevue, Lower Columbia, and Clackamas while capturing wins number 27, 28, and 29 but it was an entirely different story in our game against Skagit Valley. I don't want to go into great detail because it still hurts to even think about it, but it's safe to say that a six minute scoring draught undoubtedly cost us a shot at win number 30 and a perfect ending to an already awesome season. On the positive side, I guess it says a lot about our overall program when we can finish 29-3 and still be somewhat disappointed!!

Miranda Holenstein sent me a text telling me that she started crying after it suddenly occurred to her that there was no practice today. She said that the things in practice that she thought she "hated" the most are really the things that she already misses the most. It just seems like we should all be together preparing for the next game but instead we just mentally and physically wandered around. For the first time in weeks I didn't watch game tape today.

I do get to watch some of our players get after it one more time this season: Kristi Fallin, Cassie Scheffelmaier, Miranda Holenstein, TiTi Takai, and Cassandra Tiggett have all been selected to play in the NWAACC Sophomore All Star Game next Sunday at Pierce College in Lakewood, WA. Only once before have five players from the same school made the All Star team and coincidently that was our 2000 Umpqua team. This year our players and the other Southern Region All Stars will take on a team from the Northern Region.

The above picture was taken at the NWAACC championship banquet. I might be a little biased but I thought our girls were the classiest looking team there! Good looking, sharp dressers, and the ability to score 90 points a game. . .what more could we ask for? (Except to win just one more game!)

Kickin' Bass

With our last scrimmage today and our first games next weekend there's been a dozen last minute details to take care of before everything gets really crazy. Team rosters and picture need to be turned in to the NWAACC, travel arrangements finalized and then travel budget turned in, grade checks, team gear checked out including shoes (still waiting on a pair to arrive) travel bags, sweats, backpacks, etc. As you all know it takes a lot of money to run a first class program and so to raise a few extra bucks we put together a schedule/poster that is funded by several local businesses, a couple sets of parents and grandparents, and a very generous photographer. Anyway a week or so ago we took a team picture on Jesse Morrow's boat, which happens to be green and have "RiverHawk" on the side. Jesse is the Chairman of the Public Safety Dept. at UCC and is always quick to help out anyway he can. Photographer Keri Blue took some great pictures and is putting the poster together under the slogan "Kickin' Bass," in reference to the boat of course. I hope it turns out to be a self fulfilling prophecy!!
Early November is big in terms of birthdays for our team. Miranda Holenstein's was the 6th, mine was the 12th and Cassie Scheffelmaier's is the 15th. So last night the whole team got together after study hall for birthday cake and ice cream and watched a little game tape of our last scrimmage against OIT. I'm very lucky to be associated with so many hardworking, but really fun people. If we score nearly as often as we laugh we're going to be tough to beat!!