Katie Wants a Fast One

The Steve Wariner and Garth Brooks hit is perfect for this week, as I do not have time to dawdle. I have my eighth game in three days this afternoon, and my fourth Christmas of the year tonight, so here are the photos from the week:

Flyers forward Lucas Sowada is checked by Cathedral's Jake Bastien.

Sophomore Hunter Swanson corrals a puck against Cathedral in St. Cloud, Dec. 18.

Senior Connor Jorgensen hits it past Crusaders forward Jake Van Halbeck.

Gunner Boser focuses on the puck held by Cathedral's Trevor Cornelius.

Daniel Marod carries the puck.

Royalton's Amy Hoover (No. 30) gets off a shot despite the effort of Upsala's Jessie Evoniuk.

Upsala senior Sara Herzog looks to pass.

Senior Brooke Westrich collects a rebound Dec. 19 against Royalton.

Royalton's Beth Cimenski brings the ball up the court.

Kristin Wuebkers fires a shot.

Hoover looks for an open teammate.

Jordan Schuett, a junior, keeps her eyes by the hoop while being guarded by a Storm defender.

Junior Sarah Gold rifles a pass to a teammate Dec. 23 in Sauk Rapids.

Flyers senior Kristin Stewart delivers a pass.

All Things Go

Nicki Minaj continues to reinvent herself on her latest effort, "The Pinkprint." The title track "All Things Go" explains the fragility of celebrity and life in general. It is perhaps the deepest Minaj track I've ever heard. It is also the most like the previous Nicki on the album.

For the week of Dec. 11-16, I covered a Pierz/Royalton-Upsala wrestling match, a Little Falls Hockey game and a Pierz boys basketball game. For next week I'll have another Flyers hockey game, an Upsala/Royalton girls basketball game and a doubleheader of Little Falls boys and girls basketball.

The fantasy football season closed this past week. I am sorry to say that I took third and fourth place respectively. I might post a some sort of season wrap-up column either on here or in the paper sometime soon.

I have several photos to share from last week (I apologize for the lack of cutlines, on the wrestling photos, but I couldn't identify them, and I don't want to be wrong):

The Flyers' Mack Anez tries to get around Northern Lakes' Nick Reed to get the puck Dec. 12 at the Exchange Arena.

Little Falls' Riley Scanlon stops to go after a loose puck as he tangles with Jared Sewall.

Sewall hits the Flyers' Landon Atkinson up against the boards behind the net.

Little Falls junior Thomas Miller tracks down a loose puck as Reed chases him.

I believe that is Little Falls senior Connor Jorgensen  fighting with the Lighting forward Brett Gontarek.

Alec Stark (No. 2) slides to a stop with Joshua Maucieri right with him. 

Austin Fenske, a Little Falls senior, prepares for a face off against Lightning center Nick Olson.

Jorgensen flips the puck up to an official.

Little Falls forward Bryce DeDomines looks to pass down by the net.

Senior Nik Himley crashes into Northern Lakes defenseman Derrek French as they both go for a loose puck.

Pierz senior Robbie Skiba about to try for the opening tip against Eden Valley-Watkins' Jared Streit.

Nick Herold drives toward the baseline.

Pierz junior Jonny Kasper absorbs contact from Reese Jansen (right) on his way to the hoop Dec. 16.

Herold guards Jansen on a bit of full court press.

Kasper calls out a play as Jansen guards him.

Herold blows by Bret Mattice of the Eagles.

Caught in the Middle

"Caught in the Middle" is one of several surefire pop hits from British breakout artist Charli XCX. Much like her American contemporary, Ke$ha, Charlie XCX brings an album with catchy, dance-worthy songs to her latest effort "Sucker." I'm all in as both a pop fan, and a supporter of innovation in music.

For the week of Dec. 4-9, I have several events to share photos from, including Royalton/Upsala boys basketball and Little Falls wrestling. I also have photos from a Holdingford/Upsala girls basketball contest. Next week expect some Little Falls hockey photos, Pierz/Royalton-Upsala wrestling and both Pierz boys basketball and dance.

Fantasy playoffs continued this week, and I lost in both of my leagues. It was a disappointing effort for both of my teams, and I move on to play in a pair of third-place matches next week. The New York Giants running back fiasco really hurt me, and injuries finally took their tole.

Anyhow, several photos to share, and as always purchase them at ecmpublishers.smugmug.com. Thanks for reading.

Holdingford's Haily Koopmeiners and Upsala's Mariah Prokott fight toward a loose ball, Dec. 4 in Holdingford.

Upsala's Alyssa Kulla fights for a rebound.

Prokott gets trapped by Husker defenders Elizabeth Solarz (No. 14) and Courtney Thielen (No. 32).

Cardinals senior Brooke Westrich is fouled by the Huskers' Kailee Heinen.

Kulla attempts to corral a ball with Holdingford's Corrie Ethen (No. 21) defending.

Huskers sophomore Jo Merten drives up the court, as Cardinals senior Sara Herzog defends.

Heinen drives past Upsala's Katlin Welinski.

Prokott is in the center of a scrum of players fighting for control of a rebound.

Sorry, can't identify these two.

Little Falls' 285-pound wrestler Dustin Tabatt fights with Milaca's Jake Merten.

Tabatt and Merten go to the ground.

Milaca's Colton Sailor grapples with Flyers junior Gage Blechinger Friday, Dec. 5.

Royalton's Matt Fountain goes up over Upsala's Adam Ripplinger (No. 55) and Jeffrey Halverson.

Royals senior Nick Popp chases down Upsala's Keith Ripplinger Dec. 9 in Royalton.

Upsala senior guard Kyle Soltis drives baseline against Royalton's Shane Vannurden.

Cardinals senior Aidan Guthrie goes up with Parker Brezinka (No. 34) and Popp defending.

Guthrie puts a jump shot up over Fountain.

Fountain goes up against Halverson.

Anaise!

The Smashing Pumpkins latest release "Monuments to an Elegy" came out today, and I listened excitingly on Spotify. Not as good as I had hoped, but there are a few tracks that I really enjoyed, including "Anaise!" It could, however, become one of those albums the grow on me the more I listen, because that happens a lot.

 Last week I covered some girls basketball, boys basketball, as well my first ever wrestling match. All appeared to have gone well. This week I will be at boys basketball tonight, wrestling on Thursday and boys hockey on Friday, as it should be another busy week. I have a feeling that it only gets busier as the year goes on though.

Thanks to huge days from Jay Cutler, Calvin Johnson, Greg Olson and an unheard of 28 points from the New York Giants defense, I advanced in the playoffs in my main fantasy football league. I have a tough task against the top seed this week, and it did not help that Brandon Marshall is now on IR and out for the year. I'm going to have to shuffle in Steven Jackson, Stedman Bailey or a waiver wire pickup to make up for his spot. I'm also quite leery about Shane Vereen, because he seems to be getting less and less touches each week. I might have to think about benching him for someone as well. In my other league, my team crushed it this week, and I am the second seed in the playoffs. I should have an easy run to the back-to-back titles.

I do not have any pictures to share, but feel free to check out and hopefully purchase my photos at http://ecmpublishers.smugmug.com/

Movin' Bass

It isn't "Teflon Don," but Rick Ross' latest release "Hood Billionaire" has a few bright spots on it, including the sweet bass of "Movin' Bass" featuring Jay-Z. It would be nice to see Ross move on from his Miami Drug Thug lane, and try something different, but do what you know I guess.

I had a nice break this past week with five days of vacation, and not having to worry about work, which was really nice. I'm back at the grind as several area teams are at home tonight. I'm going to head out to Swanville tonight though to take photos and cover the boys basketball team there. I have some girls basketball with Holdingford and Upsala on Thursday, and Little Falls/Milaca wrestling on Friday. If I have any hours left at that point, I might run to the Little Falls boys hockey game on Saturday, but we'll see.

It was a huge week of fantasy football, and though my team's both did well, it really was of no consequence for me. I had already clinched my spot in my main league, and in my secondary league I would have clinched win or lose. It was nice to see Megatron come back, and I was pleased with the garbage time heroics of Big Ben. I'm really hoping that Rashad Jennings stays healthy for a strong match up this week for me. As the four seed, I'll need to win each of the next three weeks to earn the coveted top spot.

I have a few pictures from the Nov. 25 Royalton boys basketball game. Enjoy.

Junior Matt Daleiden looks to pass while being guarded by Isle's Josh Zimpel.

Royalton junior Ben Borash goes hard to the hoop Nov. 25 against Isle.

Borash puts up a corner three.