Czar goes off the grid

Prologue
Its a big night on the schedule with 3 games featuring duels of ranked teams.  But I decide to take the night to see a couple of teams and a venue that I haven't seen much of.  Its a cold trip to St. Paul Humboldt to see the Hawks take on Park of Cottage Grove.  High quality hot dog with more Gatorade is the menu.

Number of Teams I've Seen: 52 (11 courts).  13 out of state, 6 girls

Beverage Ticker: 290.7 ounces (3035 Calories)
22 days, 29 games, 2 scrimmages added on

• Pepsi: 104.9 ounces (1310 calories)
• Coke: 40 ounces (480 calories)
• Sprite: 20 ounces (240 calories)
• A&W Root Beer (240 calories )
• Red Gatorade: 88.9 ounces (765 calories)

Hot Dog Ticker: 4
Walking Taco Ticker: 3
Pizza Ticker: 2

Game Time:
Park gets off to a great start.  Soph forward Charlie Gorres with a triple and a pair of free throws.  Brendan Beaulieu with an emphatic dunk and converts a turnover into a 3 point play.  12-2 Park just over 3 minutes in.  Beaulieu and Gorres would lead the offense in the 1st half with 25 of the 35 points.  But Humboldt wouldn't go away.  A 6-0 run pulls them within 7 at the 4:42 mark.  Then a buzzer beater putback cuts the margin to 35-30 at the half.

The momentum stays with the Hawks to start the 2nd half.  La'Vonta Bryant with a 3 point play and we're all tied at 39 with 14:55 remaining.  Soph Rodney Jefferson with 4 free throws and converts a steal.  Gorres drives for a 3 point play.  That's part of an 11-1 run to stretch the margin back to double figures.  Park is out of danger from there as the margin hangs around 10.  They go on to win 72-64.

Post Game
Humboldt falls to 0-4 with the loss.  They've now lost 14 of 15 this calendar year going back to last season.  They visit upstart Bloomington Kennedy on Friday.  Then they'll host PACT next Tuesday.  Arvik Bell and La'Vonta Bryant both in double figures for the Hawks.

Park improves to 2-1 with the win.  Charlie Gorres goes for 20+ with a handful of blocks.  Brendan Beaulieu also in double figures for the Wolfpack.  Park gets the W but this is a game they would have liked to put away early.  Instead the margin was 10 for most of the night.  Its a young rotation with 4 of the 8 being sophomores.  Park opens Suburban East play on Friday at home vs Mounds View.  Then they host Henry Sibley next Tuesday to end their pre-holiday schedule.