Tuesday, Dec. 10

MELROSE LADY DUTCHMEN GYMNASTICS: Jailyn Brinkman (left photo  and video below) and Lydia Butkowski (center photo) finished 1-2 in the all around as Melrose  defeated New London-Spicer 146.05-128.775. The Melrose Lady Dutchmen had their best score of the year this evening, and to some degree were disappointed.

“They are itching for a better score. 146 is not good enough,” said head coach Katie Masog. “Because they know they can do much better.”

Melrose placed the top two individuals on the vault and top two on the bars but the routines weren’t that crisp.

“We didn’t have the greatest vault to start off. Some good things happened, but we know we can definitely do a lot stronger vault and you could tell by the girls’ faces they were disappointed after they got off the vault,” said Masog. “They know they can throw better, and they have been throwing better in practice, but again it’s early.”

It is early in they year. Usually the 146 come in mid-January and early February as the team begins to focus on the post-season.   The score this evening came because of some great routines on the beam and the floor.

“We picked it upon beam and floor. We nailed the beam,” said Masog. “I don’t think we had fall. Maddy Brinkman actually did a back tuck for the very first time, by herself. She started doing them yesterday. It is a back flip with no hands. It was awesome for her to nail that. It is a bonus skill so it is one of the highest skills you can do on beam. So it was fun for her to nail that.”

Brinkman brought in a 9.125 on the beam, but her score was the third best of the night with Lydia Butkowski (9.4) and Jailyn Brinkman (9.3) taking the top spots.  Jailyn Brinkman finished the night as the all-around champion and Butkowski was runner.

The high routines and scores are seen as something the could lead to a great season.

“They know they can do much better, but they are throwing amazing things for right now,” said Masog.

MELROSE DUTCHMEN BASKETBALL: Cole Van Beck(right photo) passed off the ball to a teammate late in the game as Melrose ran down the clock to post its first win of the year. 

The Dutchmen played a solid all-around game defeating Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta (MA/C-A) 74-60 this evening at Melrose.

The game was close at half-time. Melrose led by Seth Noll’s drives, outside shots by Ben Klaphake and Cole Van Beck, and rebounding and scoring by Nathan Goebel under the basket, scored 36 in the first half and MA/C-A responded by consistently working the ball clear for good shots and stayed with Melrose with the score at 34-32 at halftime

“We did a much better job in second half of helping out on their ball screen (in the second half), which made it more difficult, “ said head coach Ryan Dusha. “Then we made shots.”

Melrose’s outside shooting dominated the second half.  Noll, who had 32 points, dropped four three-point shots. Klaphake added three more three-point shots, giving him six on the night. Cole Van Beck also hit a three-pointer in the second half. He finished with three in the game.

The improved offensive and defensive play of the team is expected to continue.

“Every game is a learning experience,” said Dusha. “We can learn so much in every game and every single possession.”

MELROSE-SAUK CENTRE FUSION SWIMMING: The Fusion posted a 105-81 win at Park Rapids tonight. The Fusion finished with eight first-place finishes on the night.  In the 200FS (Ben Heller, Justin Hoppe), 100FLY (Isaac Schreiner, Kenny Warzecha) and 500FS (Heller, Hoppe) it had first and second place finishes. Other first were recorded by Brent Blommel, 50FS, 100FS; the 200 and 400FSR teams  of Matthew Beste, Hoppe, Heller and Blommel

PRAIRIE CENTRE NORTH STARS HOCKEY: The North Stars fell 1-0 to Wadena-Deer Creek at Long Prairie this evening.