Miscellaneous

       The Aitkin Holiday Basketball Tournament takes place Monday and Tuesday. This has been an event held in Aitkin for nearly half a century and has had a ton of exciting moments. Some of the Aitkin Gobblers greatest coaches have held court in this tourney and they shared some of their thoughts and memories in this preview.

Ron Meyer- “I started the tournament in the early 80's. I know we tried to get our neighbors in McGregor with John Hadrich involved. Always looked forward to it.”

Rob Williams- “We always looked forward to it. It meant several things for us as a program. First it gave us two home games over the break to keep the rust off and that also meant less game weeks during the rest of the season. It was also a great opportunity for fans who may b=not be able to make other games come and watch our girls. Second, it wrapped up the first section of of the season for us, as we broke our long season into three chunks and this was a point where we looked at how we started the season and any adjustments in our roster, play calling etc, going into the new year. Third, this is the most important to me personally, It gave us the opportunity to welcome our alumni back to come and scrimmage with us and have an alumni dinner with them-fellowship and connection with our players past and present. Then they could come and see us out on the floor.”


Greg Hills- “The Christmas Tournament was always fun for the players as it gave them a chance to go after a championship whether the season was going well or not. We had a run of very quality, even teams in the late 90’s that made for very competitive and exciting games. Little Falls, Pillager, Pequot Lakes and Aitkin had some real barn burners for about 3-4 years. Overall, it’s a real benefit to both varsity and JV teams.”

Jordan Moss, the only coach we talked to that played and coached in the tournament, "As a player in the early 2000's stepping on the court carried a different kind of energy. The gym was packed with familiar faces, loyal fans and teams that brought out the best in each other. Matchups with Pequot Lakes, Pillager and Cass Lake-Bena were never easy. Every possession mattered and every game felt like it tested who you were as a player. Those games taught me how to stay composed under pressure, how to trust teammates and how preparation shows when it matters most. Years later, returning as a coach relit that fire I had once before. The teams in the tourney changed slightly with programs like Foley, Greenway and Minneapolis North, but some local teams like McGregor and Hill City also attended. My new goal wasn't just to win games but to help my players learn from every moment, to handle adversity and to represent their school with pride just as I was taught."

      Now let’s take a look at the matchups, first on the boys side. The opening game of the tournament features the Ashby Arrows and the Northland Storm. The Arrows come in at 2-2 despite scoring nearly 65 points a game. Their most recent game was a loss to Parkers Prairie 64-57. They own wins over Long Prairie and Brandon-Evansville. The Storm also sit at 2-2 with wins in their last two games, 58-44 over Northwoods and 57-39 over Chisholm. The second game of the day features Aitkin at 2-2 and the Mille Lacs Raiders who are 2-1. The Raiders have wins over Ogilvie 85-30 and Fon du Lac 77-37 so they can put points on the scoreboard. Their lone loss was to East Central 77-43. The Gobblers are at 2-2 with wins over Pine City 58-40 and Staples/Motley 57-55. They lost a close game in their opener 74-73 to C-I and lost to perennial powerhouse Cherry 83-64.

     The girls take the spotlight in the evening session. The Ashby Arrow open things up against the McGregor Mercs. The Arrows have a record of 4-4 coming in while the Mercs have struggled with a young lineup and are currently 0-7. Ashby has lost two of their last three but beat Hancock 40-37 in their most recent game. Both teams have suffered big losses thus far so this could be a nice matchup. In the final game of day one the Aitkin Gobblers take on the Northwoods Grizzlies. Northwoods comes in 2-4 with wins over Bigfork and South Ridge. The Gobblers have won four straight since opening with three losses. Now that they have their feet wet this season they have defeated Mille Lacs, Howard Lake-Waverly, Moose Lake-Willow River and Hibbing. Aitkin averages 48 points a game and so do the Grizzlies so this should be a great game for the fans as these two teams wind up the opening round.

     I have always loved this tournament. It's a lot of basketball in two days but it's fun. So many great players have shown their worth on the Gobblers court over the years. I called on Mr. Moss to sum up his experience and I think it matches up with a lot of other players who have been in this tournament, "The Aitkin Quarterbacks Tournament is one of the longest running tournaments in the state. A lot of great memories have been made over the years. It's where I learned how to compete, lead and how to give back to the game. From player to coach, the memories, rivalries and relationships built in that gym will always be something I carry with me-a reminder of how powerful the game of basketball can be in shaping who we become."

      Game times both days are 12 and 2 for the boys and 5 and 7 for the girls. JV team will play opposite of their varsity counterparts. Awards will be presented after Tuesday's play.



   

         If you have ever been to a Gobbler volleyball, football or basketball game or a wrestling match you know that you hear results and information from someone, right? Do you ever put a face to that "voice"? Well, we did and we've got some pretty great "voices" that bring those results and information to you. They also do something special. They keep the crowd fired up as well. As a 40-year veteran of bringing games to Gobbler fans, either on radio or as a P.A. announcer, I know a "voice" when I hear one. Let's hear from those "voices" about how they got started.

 Jason Long- “I admired Jason Henke and how he announced football. He made an informative, fun and electric atmosphere for all fans at football games. I was impressed by the amount of effort that the Aitkin Football Association emphasized an optimal Atmosphere for players a fans. I also fel like we are doing a better job of publicly thanking many of the loyal people and businesses that support our youth. So when Henke started coaching football again that’s when I took over. I’m glad he went back to coaching because first he is an awesome coach and teacher and the second is I have a blast doing it with my spotting crew Jesse Kunz and Eric Ostrowski. Picking up the volleyball gig was a blessing. At one point I was sitting courtside announcing while half the varsity volleyball players on the floor were three of my daughters. That was my favorite moment of announcing. I would love to have the pure silky smooth tone of Dave Sadlowsky mixed with Jason Henke’s Harley Davidson pipes. My goal is to create the same environment of every other “Voice of the Gobblers” has done before me. If that’s how I’m remembered someday then it was impactful.”

Dave Sadlowsky-“My intrigue for PA announcing started back in the 70’s and 80’s while attending St. John’s University sporting events with my ad-football, basketball and hockey. I can still remember imitating those announcers voices. Mr. Starz at the football games and the Johnnie hockey announcer..and the Johnnie’s are back at full strength, I started announcing junior baseball while living in St. Louis Park. Upon moving to Aitkin my boys and i would attend Gobbler basketball games and sit in the bleachers to observe legendary announcer John Woodrow with Steve Sandberg at his side. When Mr. Woodrow decided to retire from the PA mic, I asked AD Jason Cline if a guy like me could do it, seven years later here I am still at the table. I enjoy meeting with the opposing players and game officials to confirm their proper name pronunciations and being a part of the game production-feeling the energy from the players, coaches and the crowd. I also really enjoy the special halftime performances, National Anthem performances and the Aitkin Color Guard presentation.”

Dan Stifter-"I just wanted to help out; I had sat with Lance Bauman in a few radio broadcasts. They needed an announcer for a new season, and I said I would do it. After coaching for so long it is fun to stay involved and in a small way still be a part of Aitkin wrestling."