First Capitol News Editor Mike McMurran demonstrating for the Budweiser girls he proper way to hold the ring cards. First Capitol News Photo by Bob BartonMY COLUMN - Mike Mcmurran
Thanksgiving is over – and once again the readers of The First Capitol News have raised their heads in the strangest of places. As I mentioned in my last column, I celebrate Thanksgiving at my brother-in-law’s house. As always, everyone gathered around the spread of food and said Grace. As always I thought the prayer was inappropriate, as there were no less than three present who worship Judaism – but such is the philosophy of my lovely wife’s family. Upon completion of the prayer my wife’s sister, Jeannie, pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and said she had something to read. I must admit I was in the majority as I groaned “its time to eat.” No one in the room was more surprised than I when Jeannie began reading my last column. For one thing, Jeannie lives in Florissant; secondly, no one in my wife’s family reads the newspaper – except for grocery ads. Well, it seems Blake Foster, a resident of St. Charles, and a neighbor of Bob Barton, is (a) a regular reader of this column, and (b) life long friends with my sister-in-law. Regular readers of this column know how much my children mean to me, so they will understand how proud I felt as my son Joe worked his way around the room to stand next to me and tell me “Dad, you’re a star. Aunt Jeannie even reads your paper.”
Now on to sports – that is if you consider deer hunting a sport. My dear (no pun intended) friend Don Oelklaus has been hunting deer, quite successfully I might add, for some years now. Check the records, he has bagged at least one every year he goes out. Each and every year Don returns from his manly hunt with a pictorial documentation of his achievements. I’ve yet to see this year’s collection, but if they are anything last the past few years’ photos, they are worth the wait.
Thanksgiving eve, Bob and I attended the Guns ‘N Hoses event held at the Savvis Center. We were there primarily to cover Chris Kegley of the St. Charles Sheriff’s Department. As a matter of fact I had every intention of departing after Kegley’s bout – it didn’t work out that way. I stuck around to the second to last fight featuring Fred Hohenshell of the Wentzville Fire Protection District. There were no losers Wednesday evening. Oh sure, the officials raised one of the contestants hands at the end of each match, but on this evening everyone was a winner.
Speaking of winners, DeSmet managed to bring home the Class 6 football State Championship. Good thing too, or St. Louis would have been shut out. Finishing 2nd from the St. Louis area was McCluer North in Class 5, Affton in Class 4 and Mary Institute Country Day School in Class 3.
With the fall high school season wrapping up and the winter season just beginning, there is no high school athlete of the week this week. The basketball and wrestling seasons have begun, and St. Charles and St. Charles West held their traditional Thanksgiving eve basketball marathons. This year High managed to pull off varsity wins in both the boys and girls games.
Beginning soon, very soon, Bob Barton has persuaded me to expand our coverage to “Sports and Entertainment.” Now I will be the first to admit I know nothing about entertainment – as a matter of fact, entertainment to me is attending a sporting event. Fear not loyal readers. Bob Barton is far more cultured than I, and is going to expose me to some avenues other than entertainment. For now, enjoy Bob’s pictures, but very soon I will be adding some narratives to Bob’s pictures.
Returning next week will be the Prep Sports Calendar along with the High School Athlete of the week. And of course any entertainment Bob can drag me along to attend. See ya then.
Lindenwood Men’s Hockey
Lindenwood Sweeps Through Michigan – Dearborn Thanksgiving Classic
By: First Capitol News Staff
St. Charles, Mo. – November 28, 2005 – Lindenwood found their winning recipe: timely goal scoring, strong defense, and even stronger goaltending. All three came together over the weekend as the Lions won all three games at the UMD Thanksgiving Classic.
The Lions faced off against Western Michigan on Friday night. Lindenwood took control of play early and never let up in the 4-0 shutout win.
Junior Dan McNabb and sophomore Larry Kopecky scored late in the first period to give the Lions a 2-0 lead going into the second.
Sophomore Joel Herr scored a power-play goal in the second from junior Dave Easterbrook and junior Nathan Hucker. Junior Gary Gardner rounded out the scoring with a goal midway through the third period.
Sophomore goaltender Grahame Lippert was again impressive between the pipes. The 4-0 win for Lippert was his second straight shutout.
On Saturday, Lindenwood continued their winning ways with an 8-5 win, but it did not come easily against Eastern Michigan.
The Lions came out flying with three goals in the first four minutes of the game. Junior Dave Easterbrook scored in the first shift of the game from linemates Bobby Prest and Larry Kopecky.
Junior Steve Schue scored the hat trick for the Lions including an even strength, power-play, and empty net goal. Along with his three goals, Schue also had two assists. Junior Dan McNabb also paced the Lions offense with two goals and two assists.
After the quick start the Lions self-destructed as the Eagles scored three unanswered goals to finish the first period and go into the intermission tied up at four apiece.
Lindenwood regained their composure and their handle on the game in the second and third period. Junior Gary Gardner scored the game winner early in the third period.
Grahame Lippert had his 136 minute shutout streak snapped, but played well enough to get his 10th win of the season. Junior goaltender Ryan Martin was called into duty late in the first period as Lippert was accessed a 10 minute misconduct penalty. During that time Martin stopped all 12 shots he faced and that sparked the Lions.
The Lions finished off the tournament playing the host team Michigan-Dearborn. Lindenwood earlier in the year lost two home games to the Wolves, and wanted to return the favor on Sunday. On the strength of sophomore Larry Kopecky’s hat trick the Lions prevailed 6-3.
Senior Jimmy Merkel’s blast seven minutes into the game knotted the game at 1-1. An even strength goal from freshman Justin McLaughlin gave the Lions a 2-1 lead going into the first intermission.
Kopecky scored the first of his three to give the Lions a 3-2 lead going into the third period. His second goal proved to be the game winner as his centering pass deflected off of a Wolves defenseman to slide past goaltender Stephen Yu. Kopecky’s final goal came with the Michigan-Dearborn net empty.
Freshman Travis Bokina also scored at the five minute mark of the third period to give the Lions some much needed breathing room.
Grahame Lippert was unbelievable and at times left UMD players shaking their heads as they left their offensive zone. Lippert stopped 61 of 64 shots he faced and ran his overall record to 11-7-0.
The Lions next home date will be December 2nd and 3rd at 7:00 p.m. against 2nd ranked Ohio University. Those games are played at CenturyTel Ice Arena.
Rage hit the streets and open doors in November
By Mike Thompson
So, how was your holiday? Pretty busy around here at Rage Headquarters…. We were thankful that some windows of opportunity opened wide for us to again offer a helping hand to those in need, get involved with the St. Louis area in a really fun project, and give a look-see to some pretty impressive looking candidates for Rage roster 2006.
The RiverCity Rage of the National Indoor Football League found ways to help the St. Louis community and help themselves during Thanksgiving week 2005. Rage Majority Owner Tye Elliott teamed up with Aflac insurance reps to man a corner for Old Newsboys Day on Thursday November 17th, and together they were able to raise over $1,000. That contribution added to the area total of over one million dollars, raised this year in the annual project that benefits 250 local children’s charities in the Metro St. Louis area. For Elliot, a State Sales Coordinator for Aflac Insurance as well as a Rage owner, it was the best of both worlds in helping a worthy cause in the community. “It was great to see the number of people who stopped to make a contribution,” he said, “and the two most important entities in my world combined to help along a genuine St. Louis event that helps brighten the outlook for youngsters who need help. I was proud to be part of it, and hats off to the Suburban Journals for it’s big part in what is always a fun and profitable morning every November.”
The Rage also braved the high winds and cold temperatures on Thanksgiving morning to participate in the 21st Annual Ameren St. Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade. Rage owners, coaches, players, cheerleaders and other personnel arrived early to decorate the float with vinyl banners, and form the black and red balloons in Arch like décor for the ride down Market Street in front of thousands of spectators, a fact not lost on Rage Majority Owner Scott Wilson. “It was impressive to see the number of people who braved the cold to come out and enjoy what is now one of the few parades nationwide on Thanksgiving Day. It was our first effort in a major parade, and it was tasking to put together a professional presentation, but with a lot of hard work, we pulled it together and it was fun. Cold, but fun.” The annual event was again broadcast live on KSDK-TV Channel 5 in St. Louis. Olympic skating star Nancy Kerrigan was the Honorable Grand Marshal for the fun-filled holiday event.
Which brings me to offer this up for our fans, the focus and certainly the cornerstone of our entire organization. I can only hope the you feel as good as I do about the fact that our owners have really stepped up and become a part of the St. Louis area in terms of charitable work, community involvement and fan support. While we as a team rely on our fans to support the Rage, follow the team, attend the games and bleed black or red, it’s equally important that our organization show support for the community and find ways to become involved and use our position to elevate and support causes that have a positive impact on individuals in need and the community as a whole. And, in truth, it should be expected of a pro sports team. The Rams do it, the Cardinals do it, the Blues do it. I’m just thankful that we discovered from the get-go that we should be doing it, and I’m glad we do. Fans and the public expect it, and they have a right to do so! In a previous article, I wrote about the thin line separation of sport and business when teams come into play, but I left out a very important aspect. The funneling of support back to the fans and the community with pure and simple involvement. Simply stated, I’m proud to be part of a team and an organization that recognizes and embraces that responsibility. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!!
Finally, prior to all the Thanksgiving festivities, the RiverCity Rage looked for ways to improve it’s roster by offering an open tryout to quality football players nationwide. The first opportunity for both rookies and veterans was given on Saturday, November 19th, with tryouts held at Velocity Sports in Chesterfield. Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt and his assistants looked over 44 players, some of whom had come from as far away as Arizona in hopes of making the roster of one of the premier teams in the National Indoor Football League. Rookies were classified as those who had college or semi-professional football experience on their resume, veterans were those players who had previously played for another team in the NIFL. Two players, a wide receiver and a quarterback, were on the roster of the NIFL’s Lincoln Capitols. When asked why players who were already in the NIFL would be at a Rage tryout, Coach Wyatt had a ready answer. “Mainly because Lincoln has won only a few games in the last two years. We’ve won 19 and made the playoffs last year and the year prior. It’s better exposure for a player to be on a winning team, and it’s no secret when two of our players sign with the AFL, (Hurtis Chinn with Utah, Bruce Blue with New York), it gets other player’s attention real fast. They want to hook up with a successful program and also see it as a chance to further their individual careers.”
Players were put through a series of skill tests, including the 20 and 40-yard dash, the 20-yard pro-shuttle, the vertical jump, the standing broad jump and a 225 bench press. Tests, that Wyatt says, “don’t tell me who can play football, but the tests and the results probably give me a good indication of who can’t. Those who grade out well are usually the players coaches will focus on when the individual football drills get under way.”
Wyatt and his staff are currently evaluating local players and those from 5 states. There is another open tryout slated for January 29th, 2006, and players who warrant further attention will be invited to a callback tryout on February 26th.
Wyatt is hopeful the hard work pays dividends in finding the one or two quality players that seem to make every team’s roster from the open tryouts in the NIFL. ‘It’s a long shot at best for many of these guys, but I always hope we zero in on the ‘sleepers’ we may have missed who end up making a contribution to this football team.”
One side-note to the tryout was the return of our coach J.T. Thompson, who made his first appearance with the team since suffering a bi-lateral stroke back in September. It was great to see J.T. again, see him inter-acting with players and lending a hand with the timings and offering encouragement to prospective players. Sure, he took it slow, the recovery is step-by-step and day-to-day, but for a guy who was knocked down hard just months ago,
He’s well on the road to recovery, and having him with us that day was healthy for both him and our team. We’re all encouraged by his progress and it was one more reason to give thanks!
The RiverCity Rage season opens the weekend of March 17th, 2006. The team’s first home game at the Savvis Center is Sunday, March 26th. All other home games at Savvis will be on Friday night. For more information on the RiverCity Rage of the NIFL, check the team website at www.ragefootball.com or call 636-916-0132.
River Otters Hockey
Brendan ‘Stick’ Cuthbert
The River Otters’ Goaltender for the Future
By Louis J. Launer
Backup goaltender Brendan Cuthbert became ranked at number 7 among all UHL goaltenders as of the end of October. Starting goaltender Kevin Reiter ranked at number 20. Both are rookies, although Reiter appeared in a few games last season for the River Otters, especially during the playoffs. Out of seven games, Cuthbert started and finished three games. Reiter started four, but finished two. The River Otters didn’t win a game in October. There were plenty of places where one could find the River Otters’ flaws. Cuthbert is not one of those to be blamed for the team’s problems.
Cuthbert came to the team in the September training camp. Out of the three goaltenders who was to go for the job of backing up starter Kevin Reiter, Cuthbert showed the most promise. While Reiter was in Chicago, Cuthbert started an exhibition game against Quad City. This game was an audition for Cuthbert that gave him the #2 job. Despite the fact that the game became a 5-4 exhibition loss, “Stick” showed his ability to stop the puck and keep the defensemen motivated to play their positions. He’s a rookie. He is expected to make mistakes. But Cuthbert is getting ice time, something urgently needed for any goaltender who needs experience in a tough and physical United Hockey League.
“It really is tough out there,” Cuthbert said. “But we’re playing good even though we’re playing the same teams night after night.”
Cuthbert’s starts haven’t been bad, considering that he started in tough games against Motor City, resulting in a 1-0 shootout loss, Muskegon, resulting in a 9-3 score and one of the many games against Rockford, where Rockford dominated all of the time.
Cuthbert played his Junior “B” and Junior “A” hockey in his native Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. With his first U.S. team, the hockey on the minor league professional level is just as physical as some of the better Junior teams across Canada and the U.S.
“It wasn’t as big of a step up as I thought it would be,” he said. “There are some great players on this team. Everyone needs to be on the same level to play. The penalties are pretty bad. But the team needs to stay focused.”
The nickname of “Stick” came about because one fan originally called Cuthbert “skinny.” Although he is young, but tall, he is as thin as a stick, but not a skinny kid, especially when he is taking the pressure of AA minor league hockey quite well.
“Once you’re out on the ice, you don’t worry about it being a professional game or a game in the juniors,” he said. “You go out and you play your best hockey. That’s what all of the guys try to do.”
“Stick” likes the hospitality that River Otter fans have given him in his first two months of being in Missouri. He is also surprised for a state as populous as Missouri, that fans will come from 100 miles away to see the River Otters play hockey. Saskatchewan has a number of hockey teams ranging from little league, to school teams to the Junior ranks. There is no minor league team in Saskatchewan and the province almost received the St. Louis Blues in 1983 until the deal fell through. Hockey in the prairie province during the winter is just as important as what baseball is in Oklahoma during the summer.
“Stick” plans to stay in Missouri and will be doing his best behind the net and as a backup to Kevin Reiter. There is a possibility that he could get more starts over Reiter as the season progresses. Reiter’s poor performance in the first two months has led to possible considerations that Cuthbert might wind up as the #1 goaltender at the halfway mark of the season.
“I don’t know if that is going to happen,” Cuthbert said. “Kevin has had some problems and even he doesn’t know why we’re going through the trouble. We’re still starting to get to know each other and figure out how we play. We’ve become a little more together. But the penalties do hurt us.”
Most fans realize that they aren’t going to be able to influence Head Coach Kevin Kaminski to change the position of the goaltenders any time soon. But if Reiter continues his decline and problems with the team, “Stick” Cuthbert will be ready to fill in. By the time that happens, the new rules concerning goaltender equipment (specifications adopted by all leagues, minor as well as NHL) could be in place. But that doesn’t bother “Stick” much.
“Goaltenders are more concerned with the gloves and hand protection,” he said. “The pads aren’t really the problem. The new gloves have no palms or pockets to protect a caught flying puck. The new gloves can be vulnerable for more broken fingers. Goaltenders still have to be careful no matter what protection is going to be used and allowed.”
Cuthbert’s most recent performance was a 2-0 loss to the Quad City Mallards in Moline, Illinois this past Saturday. With this year’s River Otter team not finding their direction in the first half of the season, there is still hope that both Reiter and Cuthbert could become a tough goaltending duo. Whoever the likely mid-season or late-season starter is going to be is still a mystery. But “Stick’s” performance in the first six weeks of the regular season have made some fans notice that all is not lost yet with this year’s River Otter team.
Starting Goaltender Gets UHL Goaltender of the Week Honors
Thanks to two big wins by the River Otters and a strong showing by starting goaltender Kevin Reiter, he was named the Southern Sports Supply UHL Goaltender-of-the-Week for the week ending November 13.
“It’s a great honor to win the award with all of the terrific goaltenders in the UHL,” Reiter said. “My teammates played very well last week and a lot of the credit for this award has to go to them.”
Reiter went 2-1-0 that weekend with a 2.02 goals-against-average and a .948 save percentage. On November 11, Reiter made 33 saves helping the River Otters to a 4-1 victory over the Fort Wayne Komets. Reiter made 47 saves the next day as the River Otters defeated the Motor City Mechanics, 5-2. Both games were played out of town. Reiter also shined on Sunday in Rockford against the IceHogs. Rockford won that close game, 3-2. River Otters Head Coach Kevin Kaminski praised Reiter on a successful weekend.
“We needed him to come through for us at a crucial time, and he did,” Kaminski said. “Kevin instills confidence in our team and we look forward to further success from him this season.”
OTHER NOTED PLAYER ACHIEVEMENTS: After a soft start this season, River Otters winger Frank Littlejohn scored two goals and two assists in the team’s 5-2 victory against Motor City in mid-November. In five previous seasons, Littlejohn has scored at least 29 goals in each one. Newly joined Otters winger Scott Horvath played a key role in getting the River Otters first win. Horvath scored a goal and added two assists in his first game as an Otter, the team’s 4-1 win against Fort Wayne. He is playing his third professional season, his first in the United Hockey League.
LOYAL FAN GONE: Troy Moore, who faithfully rang a cowbell for four seasons signaling the arrival of the River Otter players at their bench, passed away suddenly on Sunday, November 13. Moore, 39, a former Marine and is survived by his wife Christina and two sons, Matthew and Michael. Moore attended many River Otter practices and was a season ticket holder. He and his family have been very active with the River Otters Booster Club.
