I've been covering high school sports for four years. If it rains — or looks like it might — I wear my old Gustavus football coat. If it's chilly, I throw on the same windbreaker. Heck, if it's hot out and I might pit out I'll throw on ol' faithful. It remains in surprisingly good shape, which is great since my connection to the football program took a significant hit with the recent hiring of a Bethel grad.
(I'm still trying to collect my thoughts on this. A post is coming soon, I promise.)
It's not really an act of devotion. It began as my only form of protection from the elements. It remains the only piece of clothing that stays in my car 24/7. After a Cannon Falls parent recently accused me of wearing it 25 days a month, I may have to rethink my wardrobe.
Athletic attire was at the forefront of Thursday's Class AA state golf tournament. Thankfully, it had nothing to do with me. Instead, Red Wing's Mark Giorgi shunned the school colors of purple and white to don a blood red polo in his pursuit of the state title. The decision brought a smile to the face of Bob Alpers, the head golf coach at St. John's University who was named the 2008-09 MIAC Coach of the Year.
Giorgi became the first state champion in the history of Red Wing boys golf, claiming a one-stroke victory over Orono's Patrick Johnson. He had a scoring average of just over 73 this season and probably could have gone Division I. Instead, he decided to become a Johnnie.
Alpers and Alex Wallerich, Giorgi's friend and a current freshman at SJU, watched his whole round at Day 2 of the state tournament in Jordan, Minn. When Giorgi closed his round with a birdie, Alpers greeted him with an assessment of his outfit — the red shirt and black shorts are exactly what the Johnnies wear on the final day of tournaments, apparently. The pair remained inseparable over the next hour, preventing any concern that another school would sweep in with a scholarship offer to steal Giorgi away.
It's the latest example of the rich getting richer. The Johnnies have won two of the last three Division III national titles and have qualified for 10 straight national tournaments. They took eighth this season, though they lose their top four golfers to graduation.
Giorgi, whose scoring average is nearly identical to that of three-time MIAC Player of the Year Joe Schoolmeesters, plans to take some time away from the links before diving into his next challenge in the fall.
"We have some big shoes to fill," he said.
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