Section 6A track and field (tomorrow) ...and other random notes

It's gonna be a scorcher tomorrow for the Section 6A track and field meet in Fergus Falls. Action begins at 10 a.m. at Fergus Falls high school. Section officials moved up the start time from the usual time of noon in order to try beating some of the heat that will arrive at high levels in the afternoon. The forecast says it will get to 96 degrees just after 3 p.m.

Competing for the B-B-E Jaguars track and field teams at sections are sophomore Branton Jones, sophomore Kaden Pieper, senior Ryan Schwinghammer and senior Allisa Knight. They were featured in this week's Bonanza Valley Voice in a group photo at the Greg Deal Track and Field Complex in Wheaton last Thursday. I was unable to get action photos of them published, as instead I featured kids who did not advance. I somehow managed to publish pictures that included 11 members of the track and field team in this week's Voice. I will get this sports blog updated at Fergus Falls as frequently as I can...look for updates in a new blog post later in the morning. Those four Jaguars will compete in the following events as listed below.

Branton Jones: shot put.

Kaden Pieper: 800 and 1600 runs 

Allisa Knight: long and triple jumps

Ryan Schwinghammer: 200 dash and triple jump

I have been keeping close tabs on the per-capita COVID-19 new case numbers comparing South Dakota and Minnesota since mid-March. On a consistent basis since about April 1, South Dakota has had half (or less) the new case numbers per capita than Minnesota has. For example, in today's health department reports...South Dakota reported 12 new cases of COVID-19. If you extrapolate that out based on population, that would be comparable to Minnesota having 72 new cases. However, what was Minnesota's new case count today? That number was 150...over twice the per-capita level of South Dakota. And remember: the state of South Dakota NEVER MANDATED MASKS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. NOT FOR ONE SINGLE DAY in 2020 or 2021.

End rant.

In other news...I spent about an hour tonight on an approximately 25-square foot plot in our family garden planting more sweet corn. Oh, boy, it was hot! And this happened after the sun went down with a flashlight in one hand. That was a good workout!!

And here's a plug for the Sunburg Fire Department street dance! Coming this Saturday, June 12 at the Sunburg Fire Hall. They're featured on page one of this week's Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper, and you can read it online by clicking here = https://bit.ly/2Sn5EBy.

Here's more video from the fastpitch playoffs on Tuesday, June 1 in Benson. This clip is from the sub-section quarterfinals against Benson:


The video clip was recorded in the top of the fourth inning, during which the Jaguars scored their first run of the game. A seventh-inning rally fell just short as they saw the season come to a close with a 7-6 loss. Benson is still alive and takes a 17-7 overall record into Thursday's action in the Section 6A tournament. They picked up two wins in the elimination bracket on Tuesday by scores of 9-1 over Parkers Prairie and then 9-8 over a very good Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley team. The C-G-B Wolverines were Pheasant Conference runners-up this season.

More to come in the morning.