Game 89: Monmouth-Roseville vs. Stewardson-Strasburg (Boy's Basketball)

Game 89
(2/13/10)
Monmouth-Roseville vs. Stewardson-Strasburg (Boy's Basketball)
Riverton Shootout

Five Riverton Shootouts covered, and five times I've gotten lost either driving to or from Riverton. For some reason, Riverton, Illinois is a black hole when I try navigating around it. Even last year with Garmin, it misdirected me somehow.

Time was not alotted for another Riverton misadventure, at least getting there in the morning. I felt extremely rushed, probably due to the fact that I did not get ample preparation for a six-broadcast day. On top of that, I only had one sheet left in the scorebook (#3).

The only place in Macomb that sells basketball scorebooks is Hibbet's, and I figured that they would be open by 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday. After picking up my daily coffee and granola bars at Ayerco, I pulled into the Hibbet's parking lot right at 9:00 a.m. only to discover that it doesn't open until 10:00 a.m. That doesn't work for today's itinerary.

Fortunately I was headed to a large city, not a rural high school, so I have the opportunity to find a sporting goods store in Springfield. I checked out Garmin, and there is a Kessler's three miles from the school. No one answered when I called shortly after 9. I tried again later in the trip, but again no answer. I then scoped out where Dick's Sporting Goods was, and it was just a couple miles off my trip, so that would be my destination.

While driving down to Springfield on Route 67, typically you may encounter deer crossing your path in Schuyler County. Not this morning, just outside of Rushville, a turkey wandered along the road and onto the tree line. Interesting sight!

I stopped in Beardstown for gas where it was only $2.49, whereas the other gas stations I had seen were $2.59 or $2.63. While I fueled up, I tuned into WVIL and their Saturday sports talk show hosted by Larry Bostwick. He was talking with Rushville-Industry girl's basketball coach Ryan Plattenberger, and then Routt Catholic girl's basketball coach Joe Eilering.

Outside of Beardstown, where you find Cargill Meat Solutions is Arenzville Road. For several years when I worked in Macomb, I voiced all of the Cargill radio ads that aired throughout the region. I always pronounced it AIR-ENZ-VILLE Road. After about three or four years, someone mentioned that the spot needed to be re-cut because I pronounced it wrong. Apparently, it is ARR-ENZ-VILLE.

I was hoping to get to Riverton High School by 11:00 a.m. to get things set up, and to get a head start filling out my scorebook. Of course, driving over to Dick's Sporting Goods and then over to Riverton, that was going to be tough.

Finding a scorebook at Dick's was a piece of cake, and I was in-and-out in much less time than I had envisioned. Unfortunately, the black hole that is Riverton, consumed me once again. This time it was Garmin's fault, making me turn on a road that I knew was not the right way to go. It took me into Springfield and off to Riverton in a roundabout way, that added about five minutes to my travel time. I would end up at Riverton High School around 11:15, with a pregame show starting at 11:45. Not good!

Since I had one space for a game left in my scorebook, I had gone ahead and filled out Monmouth-Roseville and Stewardson-Strasburg. After getting all of the equipment set up, along with the equipment for the rest of the day, I had just enough time to gather my notes and get on the air.

A coach from Williamsville (who played later in the day) was sitting at the table I took over. He mentioned I needed an intern to set up all of my equipment. Not a bad idea at all!

It was the Alex Bresnahan Show to start things off. The Monmouth-Roseville junior scored 12 of the Titans 14 first quarter points. He added a pair of field goals to that total in the second quarter. Stew-Stras kept it close, trailing by two points at halftime (27-25).

The Comets struggled with turnovers and free throw shooting in the first half, going just (2-8) from the charity stripe. Chris Koontz scored 10 first half points for Stew-Stras, all in the paint.

Monmouth-Roseville jumped on the Comets out of the break, outscoring them 14-6. Stew-Stras only got three field goals from Chris Koontz in that third quarter. The Titans kept things up in the fourth quarter, and converted (5-7) free throws down the stretch and claimed a 55-37 victory. Alex Bresnahan was named the Player of the Game, scoring a game-high 24 points. Markus Hunter added 10 points. Chris Koontz paced the Comets with 18 points.

Following the game, awaiting the postgame interview with coach Chuck Grant, I glanced across the gym and he was headed up the opposite balcony. The K100 (Macomb) broadcast team of Kipp Jones and Kelly Sears were setting up for the next game (Macomb vs. Metro-East Lutheran), and Chuck looked up and saw me across the way, and jogged back the other way.

After the postgame show, not much time allowed me to get prepped for the Macomb/Metro-East Lutheran game. Fortunately I knew enough about the Bombers to get me by. I had filled out most of the scorebook during the last game and in timeouts, so I was starting to work ahead.

The Quest File Notes
Game 89
Date: 2/13/10
Result: Monmouth-Roseville cruises to 55-37 win over Stewardson-Strasburg
Miles: 201