Game 58: Sterling vs. Freeport (Girl's Basketball)

Game 58
Sterling vs. Freeport (Girl's Basketball)
Sterling Shootout
12/22/10

A 7:00 a.m. wakeup call, which is sleeping in by a couple hours. First things first, coffee and newspaper! After getting ready, I packed up my mom's Ford Escape and was off to Sterling. Why mom's Escape?

Before leaving for Galesburg on Tuesday afternoon, I scheduled an oil change, then received a phone call. On the other end of the phone, these words were uttered: "You're car is dangerous to drive."



Interesting! Apparently, there is something messed up in my front end, tyrods and ball joints (The mechanical gene escaped me at birth). My front tires were worn down to the wire, and the mechanic said it was lucky that I hadn't had a blowout yet. Great! I only spend half of my life driving this death trap!!!

The plan was to get to the parents house, and schedule an appointment there, since the next several days would be spent in this neck of the woods, with basketball trips and Christmas events.

It always surprises me how close Annawan and Sterling are. Of course, I am getting used to long travels, with my home games an hour's drive. The Garmin takes me through Prophetstown, and east into Sterling.

Of course, Garmin does a great job getting me TO Sterling...but THROUGH Sterling is a whole new ball game. Just like Springfield, Garmin has no idea how to navigate through Sterling. Dumb luck is my best bet. Instead of following my GPS instructions of turning into the grocery store parking lot, I took the next left, remembering my last trip to Sterling High School.

As I traveled down this road, I remembered the hospital at the end of the street, despite the computer-generated arguments of Ms. Garmin repeatedly yelling out..."Turn right....Re-calculating...turn right...recalculating."

With plenty of time, I decided to heed the directionally-challenged Garmin. It sent me about three blocks south of the high school, into a residential neighborhood. Garmin....off.

Last year during this day of the Sterling Shootout, there was heightened security due to the public forum on the Thomson Correctional Center. It was held in the high school auditorium.

I spoke with Jim Spencer from the Sterling radio station for a moment. He had been down to Galesburg to broadcast the boy's game the night before. It took me longer trying to find the best spot for the IHSSN banner, than to set up the equipment. Even harder, was getting the banner to stick against the brick wall inside the gym.

The Golden Warriors led 16-11 after the first quarter, and would prevail over the Freeport Pretzels, 58-44. Lauren Hernandez finished with 18 points for Sterling, while Aleena Hammelman scored 13 points. The Golden Warriors only committed 11 turnovers in the game, while forcing 23 Pretzel turnovers. Ashley Alexander scored 17 points for Freeport.

Game 58 Miles: 40