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| Annawan Bravettes |
Stark County vs. Annawan (Girl's Basketball)
Class 1A Midland Sectional
(2/14/11)
The Chronicles of Varna
I had the perfect date for Valentine's Day...a double header of Sectional basketball! Midland High School was the destination to take in a hotly contested Annawan/Stark County matchup, a pair of Lincoln Trail Conference teams in the opener. Both have been ranked in the Class 1A top ten all season in the IHSSN Coaches Poll and in the AP Poll.
There were a lot of phone calls and emails exchanged in the days leading up to these Sectional broadcasts at Midland. I made the decision last week to cover after checking over my schedule. Ridgewood girl's basketball coach Bryan Brooks was in my ear about covering the game, and he said he would provide commentary on the broadcast.
When I first lined up the broadcast with Midland High School athletic director Joe Mintus, he asked me to call him about a couple things. First, I was going to be broadcasting his game against Maroa-Forsyth on Saturday at the Riverton Shootout, and he wanted to give me some information on his Timberwolves. He then shared the fact that the teams had sold out their allotments of tickets very early on, and there was fear of overcrowding. The decision was made that they would clear the gym between games.
Another thing I worked on in the days leading up to the Monday games was a live video broadcast of the Sectional. Mintus and I talked again as I inquired about having a student from the school run the camera for me, and line up the broadcast logistically for a good video view and room for three people in a booth. He said they had a crow's nest in the corner of the gym, and it should be suitable. He called me back later Monday afternoon to say it may be a stretch to get up there and get good video.
I had not promoted the fact that this was a possibility for a couple reasons, the first being the Internet connection in the gym. The real dagger to the idea is the fact that the IHSA charges for video broadcasts, which I found out while talking with Kevin Sander of iHigh on the drive over to Midland. I am not familiar with the video rules for broadcasting, just the radio broadcasts. There is no charge to broadcast (audio) games until the Supersectionals. Fees for the Supers are $50, paid to the site host. The state finals broadcasts are $150 paid to the IHSA.
As I was talking with Kevin, I was about 20 minutes from rural Varna, Illinois, when our conversation cut out. Rarely (only in Fulton County), does my cell phone drop a call due to poor reception. It did near Tanner's Orchard, and I began to worry what the prospects of my Verizon Internet connection at Midland High School. Let's just say, my initial worries came true, ten fold.
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| Verizon Coverage Map |
To have a solid Internet broadcast, I need a solid two bars on my Verizon air card. Two bars is stretching it, three is really where I need to be. I was at zero inside the Midland gym. This never happens. I get a better Internet connection on my Verizon card in Quincy....where Verizon is not even carried, see the coverage map to the right (the white in northeast Missouri/Illinois). Let's just say that Verizon "Can you hear me now?" guy hasn't stepped foot in Varna, Illinois.
Before heading off to Varna, I made my stop off at Subway. Today's order was a foot long Cold Cut Combo on wheat with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and black olives, untoasted, no cheese, no dressing, with a large Pepsi...or Coke...whatever Subway carries.
I wasn't really that hungry, despite not eating lunch. It was 2:30 when I left, because I wanted to get to the gym extra early to scout my broadcast spot and beat the mad rush of many fans. As I hit route 167 near Victoria, I emptied the Subway bag of my sandwich. The plastic bag was still pretty heavy, thinking they put a few extra napkins in there. It wasn't napkins, it was a cookie. I didn't order a cookie, so I guess it's my Valentine for the day. Thanks Subway lady. I forgot how delicious Subway cookies. I was well aware of that fact in college, as these delicious sweets were a part of my Freshman-40 plan. The cookie was good, and I'll just need a short-term memory on that fact!
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| Phew...just under the limit today! |
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| Imposing creatures, aren't they? |
When I pulled into Midland High School, there weren't too many people around, of course the doors weren't open for another hour. I was escorted into the gym, and shown to the press tables. I mentioned that Mintus had told me I could be up in the balcony. The teacher said that I would have to jump up into the balcony. I said I'd just take a table right behind the benches. I'm glad I did!
As I was setting up, John Ballentine of the Stark County News came over and chatted. He remembered me from an earlier Stark County broadcast (vs. Princeville). He said it was going to be a physical game, and boy was he right!
Bryan Brooks, my color commentator arrived before the three-point shootout. One of his players, Ella Teel, was shooting. He brought a few players with to cheer Teel on. His Spartans upset Ridgewood earlier this season, and also beat Annawan last year in the Sectional championship on their way to a 3rd place finish at state. I mentioned on Facebook over the weekend that, "I had to pay top dollar to get this guy." Unfortunately for Bryan, the dollars have the face of "Rich Uncle Pennybags" on them.
The Annawan Bravettes came out and dominated the first half of the game, taking an 11-5 lead after the 1st quarter, and a 20-13 lead at halftime. Celina VanHyfte (6'0" Fr.) was a force down low. Everytime she touched the ball, good things happened for Annawan. She finished the game with 19 points.
As good as Annawan was in the 1st half, Stark County was even better in the 2nd half. The Lady Rebels took advantage of a 20-0 (no typo) run in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Stark County outscored Annawan 18-4 in the 3rd quarter.
It looked like the Bravettes were going to work their way back into the game with the poor Stark County free throw shooting. The Lady Rebels started the 4th quarter, going just 2-11 at the line. Annawan was able to close to as close as five points, but turnovers and cold shooting kept Stark County ahead. The Lady Rebels finished 8-17 from the line, while Annawan was 8-11 from the charity stripe. Stark County had 15 fouls called against them, while Annawan was whistled on 20 fouls, however many of them were in the 4th quarter when they were trying to foul.
There were some interesting comments made in the newspaper by Annawan coach Jason Burkiewicz.
Postgame Comments
"A good group of girls is suffering again because they work hard to play by the rules,” said the first-year Annawan coach. “They (Stark County) go out there and do whatever they want. I feel so bad for the girls that I’m not 6-5 and I can’t bark at a guy and make him change his ways." - Jason Burkiewicz in Kewanee Star-Courier.
“How does the game change? We’re dominating the game, we’re outplaying them and they’re kicking the crap out of us physically and it just changes. I don’t understand it. These girls don’t deserve it and I’m tired of it.” - Jason Burkiewicz to the Kewanee Star-Courier
"I'm tired of what's been going on with them the last three years,'' said a visibly frustrated Burkiewicz. "He (Stark County coach Scott Paxson) is crabbing and moaning about the calls just before the half, and all of a sudden we're not getting those calls in the second half. How is that? We dominated the game; we outplayed them. How then does the game change like that?" - Jason Burkiewicz in Dispatch-Argus
While I don't like to criticize officials, I'll have to admit that this was not a very well officiated game. With that said, it went both ways and did not cost Annawan the game. One of the oddest parts of the game as far as the officiating is concerned, was a situation where a Stark County player knocked the ball out of bounds. One official called it out on Annawan (the wrong call, it happened right in front of our broadcast spot). It was (correctly) overruled by a second official. The referee who made the call was insistent that it went out on the Rebels, but it was eventually ruled correctly. Oddly, this same official was whistle-happy, and I don't mean calling fouls, I mean blowing his whistle. After a foul, he would blow the whistle sometimes five or six times. It reminded me of an NFL scrum when the officials constantly blow their whistles to restore order, or in the WWE when the bell constantly rings during outside interference. It was odd, to say the least.
Natalie Turner led the Lady Rebels with 17 points, and Kate Morrssey added 14 points. VanHyfte led Annawan with 19 points, the only Bravette in double figures. Annawan turned the ball over 22 times, while Stark County committed 21 turnovers.
Programs?
For fans in attendance, they didn't get a souvenir program for the Class 1A Midland Sectional. Why is that? It was unknown, but Mintus told me that Royal Publishing (company who produced the book) had not delivered them. They never did arrive to the school. He said the company had the check and everything was set to go, just no programs were delivered.
Game 135 Miles: 135
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