A slice of basketball recaps

I am asking the great readers of this blog to critique the following game recaps. What worked? What did not? Consider this a call to action, so go to work!
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ST. GEORGE – Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) began the night with a lay-in, and never looked back.

The senior point guard had 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds to lead Dixie State College to victory 81-70 over Montana State-Billings on Tuesday inside the Burns Arena.

Dixie State improved to 2-1 on season by taking a page out of the MSUB (2-1) playbook. A quick strike offense led to easy buckets, a 7-0 opening run, and ultimately a 40-25 halftime lead. Cole led all scorers at the break with 10 points.

MSUB guard Antoine Proctor netted the first six Jacket points in the second half before DSC responded with a 10-0 run primarily made with lay-ups. Griffon Jones (Cheney, WA/Cheney) had six points and six rebounds during the major push, ending the night with a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds). He also swatted four shots, tying for the third highest single-game total in the DSC record book.

Dixie State led by 20 points with 6:53 remaining in the game before Jaxon Myaer singlehandedly brought the Yellowjackets back. The former Judge Memorial star and Utah State transfer hit five three-pointers pulling MSUB to within six points, 71-65, at the 2:08 mark. Myaer led all scorers with 22 points.

Cole and Solomon Jensen (Centerville, UT/Viewmont) each chipped in two points for a quick 4-0 spurt to get the advantage back to double digits in the final minute.

Four DSC players were in double figures including 12 points each from Dalton Groskreutz (St. George, UT/Snow Canyon) and Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie). Jensen, limited to just 16 minutes, had nine points.

The Red Storm shot 54.2 percent (26-of-48) for the game and 27-of-35 from the charity stripe (77.1 percent).

Dixie State hits the road for the first time on Nov. 25-26 for a post-Thanksgiving tournament in Grand Junction, Colo. The Storm face CSU-Pueblo on Friday at 3 p.m. and Colorado Mesa on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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ST. GEORGE – A night removed from posting 42 points against Seattle Pacific, the lowest single-game point total in any regular season game since 2006, Dixie State College shot a blistering 64.3-percent in the opening half and posted the same number in the first half en route to a 79-60 non-conference win over Minot State.

Dixie State improved to 1-1 on the year thanks to 50 points scored by players off the bench, while the Beavers fell to 0-2.

A pair of Maurice Cole (Norwalk, CA/Santa Fe) three-pointers and a fast break dunk from Dalton Groskreutz (St. George, UT/Snow Canyon) highlighted a 12-0 run that set the blueprint for Dixie State in the opening half. DSC led by as many as 28 points late in the first half before taking a 44-21 advantage into the lockers.

The Red Storm scorched the nets connecting on 18-of-28 shots from the field, including six from beyond the arc.

Minot State played the aggressors by outscoring the Red Storm 19-6 over the first seven minutes cutting a 23-point deficit to 10 at the 13:48 mark.

Sophomore forward Steven Larson (South Jordan, UT/Copper Hills) then took the team on his back, scoring eight of his team-high 12 points in the second half. Dixie State built the lead back up 24 points with four minutes left.

Jonas Pollard score five points late to trim the DSC cushion. Pollard led all players with 17 points.

Landon Clegg (Cedar Hills, UT/Lone Peak) had six rebounds and 10 points off the bench. Derek Owen (St George, UT/Dixie) had 11 points and Groskreutz nabbed 10 points.

Dixie State hosts Montana State Billings on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Burns Arena for a West Region non-conference matchup.

5 Random Thoughts

Leading into an action-packed weekend of sports at Dixie State College, five thoughts rattle through my brain:

1) Is Cache Morgan healthy? - The junior safety suffered a concussion two weeks ago against Central Washington and missed last week's road game at Western Oregon. Can the Red Storm's leading tackler return to the field and limit the deadly passing attack presented by Humboldt State?

2)  Will an upset occur in Provo? - Both men's and women's basketball heads to BYU for exhibition play on Friday. If I had to choose which team had the better chance, it would be the men. The final four minutes of Tuesday's game against Westminster College proved that this year's team can play with heart and energy. For the women to pull the upset, guard Shiela Adams cannot miss from distance.

3) Run Rachel, run - Dixie State's best cross country runner, Rachel Young, competes at the NCAA West Region Cross Country meet Saturday in Spokane, Wash. Young won the Pacific West Conference individual title last Saturday in Phoenix and another good showing could qualify her for nationals.

4) Spikers home finale - Darice Pratt has learned a lot of lessons in her first season as Red Storm volleyball coach. Saturday night, she will see her first class of seniors play its final match inside the Old Gym. The club can set a good precedent by upending Grand Canyon and building towards the future.

5) Soccer season wrapping up - One team at Dixie State is having the best season in program history, while the other is in the middle of the conference pack. Men's soccer will say goodbye to four seniors, including the first ever program signee Zac Hales. Men's soccer has a chance to secure a winning record with one win over its last two games. For the women, they have relied on the athleticism of younger players this season, despite the roster having eight seniors. The Storm play Grand Canyon at home Thursday and finish the regular season Saturday at Cal Baptist.

Is Winning Everything?

The clichés are as old as time, itself. Vince Lombardi said, “Winning is not a sometimes thing, it is an all the time thing.” The late Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders lived by his team motto, “Just win, baby!”


That may be easy for programs and teams that perennially compete at the highest levels. But, what about those teams that the perennially powerful feast upon on their roads to success?

The Dixie State College football team is one of those programs this year. For whatever reason or excuse made about why the team has not performed up to even the slightest of expectations, the simple concept of winning seems to die by the side of the highway.

Can this team take solace in the fact that by losing, they are building character?

My advice to the Red Storm: heed the advice of legendary tennis star Billie Lean King.

She said, “A champion is afraid of losing.” In other words, the score might not end in your favor, but playing scared will not get you on the path to winning.

Dixie State has a handful of chances to follow this guidance, including this Saturday against Central Washington University at 1:05 p.m.

DSC football bus involved in small accident

The final scoreboard in Arcata, Calif., did read 56-27 in favor of the Lumberjacks on Saturday. But before the game occurred on the field, the Dixie State College football team dealt with adversity on the bus ride to Northern California.

Blood stains the front of a DSC charter bus in Reno.

One bus, carrying the defensive players and coaches, hit a cow on State Highway 375 in Nevada outside of Alamo late Friday.

Nobody on the bus reported an injury while the bus sustained minor damage when the left headlight package was broken.

Unfortunately for the cow, it perished in the crash.

The team held a small vigil on Sunday at the scene of the collision.

DSC Game Day Photo Essay

On Oct. 1, 2011, the Dixie State College football team prepared for an evening kickoff with the Lumberjacks of Humboldt State University. Casual fans show for game time and see the teams in their respective uniforms, but rarely do those fans know all of the day's activities leading up to kickoff.

This album shows how the Red Storm spent its day - including breakfast, morning walkthrough practice, pre-game meal and warm-ups.

The Immortal Debate: Shirts vs. Skins

A group of "skins" watch drills Wednesday inside the Burns Arena.

Walk into the Burns Arena in the afternoon. Likely, members of the Dixie State men’s basketball team will occupy the playing floor.

Of those playing a casual pick-up game, half will be sans shirt, following the long-standing hoops tradition of shirts vs. skins.

But, does the easiest way to determine pick-up teams lead to flashes of modesty from the players?

Derek Owen, a junior biology major from St. George, doesn’t think so.

Sophomore forward Dalton Groskreutz attempts a free throw

“For us guys, at least, it’s normal,” he said. “It’s just like going swimming: Most guys won’t wear tops.”

Another factor is tradition. Landon Clegg, a junior business major from Cedar Hills, said he had been playing shirts vs. skins since he was a kid.

“That’s just the way it is,” Clegg said. “I don’t think any of us are ever uncomfortable.”

In a few weeks, the Dixie State men’s basketball team will trade in unofficial sessions of shirts versus skins for the rigors of real team practice. Head coach Jon Judkins begins working diligently with his squad beginning Oct. 15.

Three practices and one-word answers

Sports are in full season at Dixie State College and it is common to have multiple sports practicing at the same time of the day.

Earlier in the week, I took a video camera to three practices happening during the afternoon at various locations on campus. In addition to getting raw footage, I wanted to ask each coach one simple question: Using one word other than good, how is practice today?

The responses were insightful and funny.

Angie Kristensen, of the women’s basketball team, answered by showing her Twitter knowledge.

“Use the hashtag, #alottolearn,” she said.

Scott Brumfield said the football team was focused heading into a crucial battle on Saturday against Western Oregon.

On the volleyball court, head coach Darice Pratt liked how “energetic” her team practices on a daily basis.

Fortunately for women’s basketball, its season does not begin until November. Football and volleyball are into conference play, each looking to bounce back after less than stellar seasons a year ago.

Four-on-four basketball workouts

The first day of official team practice is still a month away, but the Dixie State basketball team practices in NCAA-approved four-man groups with assistant coaches.

"These practices are crucial for team development," head coach Jon Judkins said. "The skills learned during individuals allows us not to waste any time when team practices start in October."

A year ago, the Red Storm advanced to the West Region final before losing to BYU-Hawaii. The Seasiders played in the national championship game last March.

Assistant coach Jake Schroeder (center) working with the power forwards and centers

Small and power forwards work on defense with assistant coach Ryan Sanchez

QB controversy and bulletin board board material

After Saturday’s disappointing 52-30 loss to Colorado Mesa, some speculated that the reign of Cody Stevenson as Dixie State starting quarterback is on thin ice. Even before Saturday, some argued true freshman Stefan Cantwell was a better option based on his physicality and maturity.

So, let the argument continue. Stevenson’s numbers are not Earth shattering despite connecting on half his passes in the CMU loss. He threw for more than 300 yards for the first time in six games dating back to last season and had three touchdown passes to three different receivers.

Why, then, is Stevenson facing the fact he might be second string this weekend against Simon Fraser? The answer is simple – four interceptions. It doesn’t matter that two of the interceptions may not have been his fault. In the box score, the mistakes belong to Stevenson.

Cantwell has not fared any better in his two collegiate games. He has failed to complete any of his seven pass attempts and only showed that he is not afraid to run the ball and mix it up with linebackers at the college level.

If you want to be fair to the argument, you have to throw third-string quarterback Kaleo Nawahine into the mix. He looked confident in his only drive against Colorado Mesa, especially with his feet. His last pass was picked in the game’s last play.

What’s the answer to this QB riddle? Stevenson keeps the job, for now. But that thin sliver of ice he stands on today could melt quickly.

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Head coach Scott Brumfield is not one for bulletin board material. He feels that his team should be prepared for the game without outside motivation provided by an opponent.

For the team’s sake, I hope that changes this week.

Thanks to Twitter and a simple search of the words “Dixie State,” a gem of a tweet flashed across my screen:

@bobbypospischil : Feeling really sorry for the next team that's gotta play us.......Dixie State mine (sic) as well not even show up.

Forget the obvious misuse of a word (a major MFE in one’s eyes), the message is clear. This one player, on a team that has two wins in the NCAA in two years, thinks the Red Storm should just stay home and not even put forth an effort.

Anybody got some tape? I have a few hundred signs to post in the DSC locker room.