Here we are already in the middle of May and the NBA playoffs have reached the conference finals. The Portland Trailblazers will tangle with the defending champion Golden State Warriors for the Western title and it’s the Toronto Raptors against the Milwaukee Bucks for the Eastern championship.
While not a huge NBA fan, I did watch some of the playoffs, especially the Golden State vs. Houston series. What was most unbelievable to me was how hard the media experts were on the Rockets after they failed to defeat the Warriors in Game 6 when superstar Kevin Durant was sidelined with an injury. Steph Curry certainly stepped up big, especially in the fourth quarter (23 points, including 16 in the final five minutes) as Golden State rallied to win.
At the beginning of the week (before the start of the series against the Angels), the Twins — despite losing two of the four games with the Tigers — still had the best record in major league baseball (25-14, .641). Winning two-of-three versus Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and the rest of the under-achieving Los Angeles Angels would be great.
The Red Rock Conference track and field meet is Thursday (May 16) at Slayton and the combination of Southwest Minnesota Christian and Edgerton is the favorite in both boys and girls. The Eagles are deep and talented throughout each lineup. There will however, be plenty of individual and relay champions from other teams and Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda sophomore distance ace Morgan Gehl is certain to impress at least a couple of times.
In a very high-scoring high school baseball game (which the final score sounded like a close football game), Adrian got the best of Red Rock Central / Westbrook-Walnut Grove last Tuesday (May 7) at Lamberton, 17-16.
There were a total of 27 hits in the game and Adrian’s Brent Hokeness had four of them, all for extra bases (two doubles and two triples). Hokeness drove in three runs. Ian Stamer had three hits, scored four runs and drove in two, while Marshall Wagner cracked a pair of doubles and drove in three runs for the Dragons.
The Red Rock Conference baseball race is close as all six teams are capable of beating one another on any given day. A week from now, we’ll know the final standings and also know the upcoming pairing for sub-section action. The teams are spread around in different sections and we will know the seedings, pairings and sites by this time next week. Action starts on Thursday, May 23.
This Saturday, May 18, the third annual “Knutson Classic” will be played in Heron Lake, The visiting Glenville-Emmons / Alden-Conger Wolverines, coached by Lucas Knutson, will tangle with the Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda Coyotes, coached by older brother, Chad Knutson.
Chad’s teams have won the first two games (9-2 in 2017 at Heron Lake and 7-5 at Glenville in 2018). Based on recent comparative scores, the Wolverines may be favored this year. They are 5-9, including last Saturday’s (May 11) thrilling 9-8 victory over Madelia at Glenville.
By comparison, the Coyotes lost to Madelia at Searles on April 26 by a final score of 14-1.
But, comparative scores mean nothing. That’s why the games are played. Saturday’s first pitch at Laker Field in Heron Lake is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start with Jasper native Matt Prunty umpiring behind home plate.
Wyatt will be missed
He was a kind, considerate, humble and fun-loving young man who had just turned 20 in early January and more recently (last Thursday, May 9) graduated from the Lineman Program at the Jackson Campus of Minnesota West Community and Technical College. He had accepted a job offer to climb and make repairs on electrical poles in the Welcome area and was excited about the next phase in his young life.
I knew Wyatt Henkels since he was a little boy as he and our youngest son, Logan Knutson, became life-long friends when they both were cared for by Shirley Olson at her home and later by Kaye Fury at the Heron Lake Day Center. He was like a brother to Logan as they did so much together over the years. Wyatt played baseball and was ready to “uncoil” when it was his turn to bat. He became a good three-point shooter on the basketball court and was HL-O’s Winter Fest Homecoming King In February of 2017.
Always willing to work and help people out, Wyatt had many job experiences, including working on the farm with Barb Pohlman, helping Ron and Saveena Bappoo at the Plaza Grill, working with Kevin Mathias at Laker Honey and driving pilot cars for Lonnie and Brenda Little. He loved hunting and fishing and was a joy to his family and friends — so many friends, some a few years older and some a few years younger. He was loved, admired and respected by so many.
A tragic car accident last weekend ended his earthly life way too soon, but Wyatt Henkels and the memories of spending time with him will not be forgotten. Those experiences will be cherished and fondly remembered by his parents (Sam and Lori Henkels), his sister (Katy Henkels), his many cousins and their parents (aunts and uncles) and his numerous friends, including the Heron Lake-Okabena High School Class of 2017.
