Robservations: Pioneers latest loss a sad one
The atmosphere in and around the Charlie Dalton Gym was decidedly gloomy after Tuesday night’s District 7-AAA doubleheader against Lebanon.
It was upsetting that former coach Doug Keil had come back to his former home floor and downed his former team by a whopping 32-point margin — in a game, mind you, where the Pioneers should have been more fired-up than they have been all season.
It was depressing that the Pioneers struggled to pull down defensive rebounds, and it was downright sad that they managed to miss 49 percent of their free throws.
But the most perplexing facet of Tuesday’s loss was that coach Keil was able to bite the hand that once fed him by using exactly the game plan we all knew he would.
The Blue Devils played “Keil-ball,” plain and simple. They ran the floor on offense, and pressed like mad on defense. And the Pioneers — most of whom utilized that exact game strategy over past seasons, couldn’t stop it.
Bottom line, the first half of the district slate is over for the Pioneers, and they came up empty. They’re 0-7, while tonight’s opponent, the Riverdale Warriors, are a perfect 7-0.
There’s no question the Pioneers will be looking to gain some respect — and, of course, some victories — their second time through the district. And while I rarely make predictions, a win over the Warriors tonight is almost certainly not in the cards. (See how I threw in “almost” there?)
Therefore, coach Turner’s squad needs to reevaluate its goals, if just for tonight.
The Pioneers may not beat the Warriors, but at this point in the season, they’ll take a “moral” victory.
Hold with Riverdale for a half? That would be great. Beat them on the boards? Awesome. Hold their big stars under their average point totals? Hey, you’ve got to take your victories where you can get them.
But if the Pioneers perform against the league leaders tonight the way they performed against Lebanon on Tuesday, we’re going to not only be in for a long night tonight, but a long, painful, conclusion to this season.
• We talked a little baseball last week, and at the time it seemed a bit early — and a bit cold — to be turning our thoughts toward the diamond.
But — as your friendly neighborhood sports department found out earlier this week — it is, in fact, “that time of year again.”
Tuesday evening, just after we put to bed the Wednesday section, the phone rang with the announcement of sign-up dates for the city’s youth baseball and softball leagues.
While taking down the dates and times (which appear in today’s “Sports Briefs,” by the way), I couldn’t help asking myself if we weren’t beginning preparations for youth ball a little prematurely.
But apparently, I was incorrect. Because at the exact same moment I was taking down the city league info over the phone, I received an e-mail with all the sign-up dates and times for the Morrison Ruritan softball leagues.
Eerie, isn’t it?
OK, maybe it’s not that eerie, but it does prove that we haven’t been jumping the gun with all this baseball talk. Because before we know it, it’ll be time to hit the diamond once again.
Now, if it will only warm up enough to get out in the yard and get some practice with the future all-star of the girls’ coach-pitch league, baseball season will finally officially be here.