Lots O’ Stuff
Goal for 2024 achieved; let’s get 2025 going
As one year ends and another begins, pretty much everyone has at least one resolution for the new year or makes a short list of goals.
It’s a joke (or maybe it isn’t) that you should set your goals low so they’re easy to attain.
A goal for me in 2024, set by my wife, Maren, was to not spend a night in the hospital for the entire year. That seems to be setting the bar low but after the past few years I wasn’t sure if it was one that could be achieved.
Well, I can report that I made it.
That said, I was skeptical a few times in the past couple of weeks as I struggled with one or possibly two of the ailments that apparently have been prevalent in the county recently.
That has caused posts to be inconsistent at best and nonexistent at times the past few weeks. It’s also created time to think about how exactly how to approach what I publish on Substack.
I appreciate the input I’ve received. The ‘On this date’ and history pieces appear to be popular those are something I’ll try to continue to do a regular basis.
When I started this a few years ago I regularly compiled a Vikings “Game Notes” newsletter but that fell by the wayside. Those will return for tonight’s (Sunday) historic game vs. the Lions and will continue for as long as the Vikings are in the playoffs.
You can look for those in a bit.
College hockey
Sherburn and Heron Lake each had one of their own starting in goal for their respective college men’s hockey teams Saturday night.
Sherburn native Carsen Musser got the start in goal for No. 8 Colorado College vs. Augustana in Colorado Springs. It was his first start of the season.
He made 42 saves for the Tigers, one in each period as the Tigers’ 3-2 loss to the Vikings. Musser played 58:53 as he was pulled for an extra attacker, but CC couldn’t get the equalizer.
Colorado College is 10-7-1, 4-3-1 in the NCHC. The Tigers play two at Omaha next weekend.
Heron Lake native Hobie Hedquist got the start in goal for No. 14 North Dakota and shared the playing time as the Fighting Hawks were 5-0 winners over the University of Manitoba in an exhibition game in Grand Forks.
Hedquist played 30:26 and made eight saves.
UND is 11-7-1 overall, 6-3-1 in the NCHC.
The Fighting Hawks return to conference play next weekend with a pair of games at Arizona State.
Augustana wrestling
Two area graduates were in the lineup as the Augustana wrestling team shut out Southwest Minnesota State 45-0 on Friday.
Both won by technical fall.
Martin County West grad Connor Simmonds won 17-1 in 2:31 at 157 pounds and Jackson County Central graduate Payton Handevidt won 23-4 in 7:00 at 165.
The Vikings go to Cedar Falls for the NWCA National Duals Friday and Saturday.
Augsburg wrestling
A pair of MCW grads got one match for Augsburg as the Auggies won three duals handily at the University of Chicago UAA Challenge Duals on Saturday.
Lucas Jagodzinske won by technical fall at 149 and Blake Jagodzinske won by fall at 157 in Augsburg’s 45-3 win over Case Western Reserve (Ohio).
As a team, the Auggies went 25-5 with 13 pins and five technical falls as they also defeated New York University 32-9 and University of Chicago 51-3.
Augsburg (8-0) will compete in the NWCA National Duals Friday and Saturday in Cedar Falls.
Fun fact
Jimmy Carter was the first future president to be born in a hospital. You’ve probably read about that as part of the coverage of his death recently.
He was born at the Wise Sanitarium in Plains, Georgia where his mother worked as a registered nurse.
What’s not as widely known is that the two men who followed Carter as president — Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — were not born in hospitals.
Reagan, who was older than Carter, was born in an apartment above a bakery in Tampico, Ill. Bush was born at a house in Milton, Mass.
On The Late Show with David Letterman, Michael Keaton shared a clip of himself and Dave on Mary Tyler Moore’s variety show. Dave seems less than enthusiastic.