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What an impressive two days at state softball for the Mineral Point team! They won a dramatic 2-1 game on Friday against Stevens Point Pacelli and then came back on Saturday to win the Division 3 state championship with a 7-2 win over Kenosha St. Joseph. Congratulations to the Pointers on their first ever state softball championship! They were joined by Algoma in Division 4 as teams to beat private schools for their titles - something that is rare since the private schools joined the WIAA. Algoma beat a team Barneveld knows a little about in Wausau Newman Catholic. Above is a group of Pointer girls celebrating on the field at Goodman Diamond in Madison following the final out of the title game. Among them are: Sydney Pethel (3) - hugging Lauren Graber, Jordyn Phillips (21), Rachel McCoy (4), Paula Pittz and Halie Schmitz (11) hugging a teammate I could try to name, but won't for fear of being wrong.
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It seemed like ALL of Mineral Point was at the state tournament, expecially on Friday. I had Amber Arnold, photographer for the Wisconsin State Journal, by me taking photos on Friday and she made the comment that she couldn't believe the number of fans the Pointers had at Goodman Diamond. On Saturday, I couldn't see the number of fans there as they were above where I was taking photos instead of off to my left as they were on Friday - but there was sure a big group waiting for the team outside of the media area following the game!
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Sunday was the day one of my great-nephews, Sean Reilly, was playing baseball at the "Little  Cards" field at Rookie's (Shoe Box). I sure hated to miss that game, but I went to the retirement party for Upland Hills Health Hospital Administrator Phyllis Fritsch. I remember when Phyllis started in the medical records department at the hospital, some 44 years ago. Boy, I guess that dates me as to time working at the Chronicle! Phyllis has always been one to credit any and all of her success to the staff at the hospital and nursing home. When people talked about the changes at the hospital, there sure have been a lot - more than I ever imagined!
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Speaking of Sean playing baseball last Sunday. I hope to get to his next game that will be played at the "Little Cubs" field in Illinois in July. He has been hitting a ball (as far as I know) since he was about 14 months old! He's just a tad bit younger than cousins Grant (Roh) and Quentin (Keene), both who played at those two ball fields last year! Both of those boys now play for traveling teams!
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Boy, what a time to shut down some oil refineries for "routine" maintenance - Memorial Day and schools getting out time! There are some four refineries shut down temporarily in the midwest area, at least two for routine maintenance. You'd think they could shut down one of the refineries at a time for the maintenance - but then that would make sense - especially when a couple more needed to go down for other reasons more pertinent!
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I don't have a driving story for this week because I'm trying to not drive as much due to the high gas prices! I did stop for a pedestrian to cross highway (18) in Cobb the other day - something the locals say is pretty rare!