Outside the Lines

Sports to the front
When the shooting is below average against a good team, winning is always a problem.  The Awesome Blossoms boys found that out in the sub-section finals, as they lost to a patient and good-shooting Goodhue team. The Blossoms had only seven turnovers in the game, but they couldn’t overcome the sub-par shooting.
That shouldn’t take away from a very good season for the locals. The Gopher Conference was loaded this year with great teams, and at least three of them were ranked in the state polls at one time or another.  The Blossoms lost some close contests along the way, but they also defeated some of the better teams as well.
Senior John Rumpza was the undisputed leader of the team, and he will probably be the best all-around player in BPHS history. He holds second place in the state for touchdown passes, and he finished his basketball career with over 2,000 points and the school record in rebounding and blocked shots. The other seniors on the team also made great strides over the season, and they will be certainly missed next year.
The Blossoms girls relegated to the fourth seed in the sub-section after the loss to Lyle- Pacelli on their quarterfinal game over Randolph. They accomplished this without playing their best game, especially on offense. 
 I jokingly remarked that they could have approached 100 points, if they had made some of the layups and rebound tap-ins they missed. Fortunately, they dominated the rebounding and kept plugging away to finally defeat the scrappy Rockets contingent. Now they will have the chance to extract revenge against a Goodhue team that defeated the Blossoms by two points earlier in the season. 
That semi-final game will be played tonight (Tuesday) at Rochester Civic Auditorium, with the winner advancing to the finals on Saturday, and it should be a good one. By the way, Randolph was coached by BPHS’ own Dennis Trom. Trom played three sports while in high school, quarterbacking the football team and starring on the basketball floor as well
Is spring ahead?
With tournaments dominating the sports scene over the last week, and still more action yet to come, I always equate this time of year with an approaching new season. I realize that winter still may have control of the weather and March snowstorms are certainly in the realm of real possibility. But I also think that March brings the first hints of spring and a completely new and optimistic attitude towards life in general.  I can hardly wait!
I was reminded last week that it won’t be long until we have to contact spring coaches for preview information so that we can work towards our spring sports’ tab. That is really a sobering thought. It sometimes seems that the seasons run together without a break between, but that is the nature of high school sports. I think that is what makes sports so popular with fans everywhere, and it keeps sports writers on their toes.
In sports away from the high school, an air of optimism surrounds the Minnesota Twins spring training camp. With a new manager, pitching coach and other new personnel, fans are following the team with renewed interest, and the season will be here soon.
The Wild hockey team is also making a good big push to a playoff position, whereas a couple of months ago, such a thing seemed almost impossible.  Good for them.
The Gopher womens’ hockey and basketball teams are surpassing their expectations, and the Gopher men have regained the hockey success that most fans predicted. Finally, the Timberwolves have been rejuvenated with the acquisition of Kevin Garnett.  Maybe there is hope for Minnesota sports after all.
Around the community
Aside from sports, some other activities pop up on the future schedule.  Coming up first is the mid-winter choir concert to be held at First Lutheran Church Monday, March 9. Choir director Kari Bottin always does an outstanding job getting the students ready to perform, and the junior and senior high groups always present a good variety of popular and serious numbers.
The concert is held at the local church, because the acoustics are so much better than at then high school gym. The annual spring concert, however, will be back at the high school, as that performance usually includes some dance numbers.  The public is invited to the concert, and it provides an evening of good entertainment.
And it isn’t too early to begin planning for the Education Foundation annual auction coming up at the end of the month.  That event usually brings in profit enough to fund many meaningful projects at the high school and the elementary school. More details will follow in future columns, but now is the time to plan on attending.
One notice from a recent church bulletin will close the week:  “The youth choirs of the church will disband for the summer with the thanks of the entire church.”  Now, that wasn’t very nice, but we’ll still talk again.