Lodermeier(s) vs Tornstrom was among the highlights of the HVL-TRC Showdown

There were not a lot of marquee names on display at the HVL-TRC Showdown, but that was the point. We went to Rochester to take a look at some outstate teams that are difficult to see when you have a day job to attend to and a full schedule of must-see games that are already on the calendar. In doing so, we were able to watch Cannon Falls vs Fillmore Central, Hayfield vs Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Rochester Lourdes vs LaCrescent, Lake City vs Southland, Pine Island vs St. Charles, and Chatfield vs Zumbrota-Mazeppa. In the end, however, the most intriguing encounter of the day turned out to be one between two familiar faces: Sydney Lodermeier of Goodhue up against Katie Tornstrom of Caledonia. Goodhue are the top dogs in Class A, a perennial small-school power with a current state championship trophy in the case. Caledonia entered the contest ranked 14th in Class AA, a quality team with a high-quality leader in Tornstrom. The first half was a dogfight that saw Caledonia take a 25-22 lead into the break. In the second, Lodermeier and Tornstrom did a few rounds of anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better as the two teams engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse. Down the stretch, however, Tornstrom and her teammates went cold and the Warriors got Lodermeierized. Although Mr. Webster might argue the validity of my new addition to the basketball lexicon, countless Goodhue opponents can attest how humbling it can be when Sydney and her younger sister Lexi get on a roll. That's exactly what happened here as the Lodermeiers launched a flurry of award-winning shots that added up to a 21-5 run and another nice W for Goodhue. The final tally was 50-41. Sydney Lodermeier is a 6-foot senior ranked in the top 25 in her class. Although she was a solid D1 prospect Lodermeier has elected to stick around home and will play collegiately at D2 Winona State. Tornstrom, a 5'10" guard with tremendous range and excellent ball-handling skills, is top 60 in the Class of 2019 and improving quickly. Lexi Lodermeier is a 6'2" junior post who is also a vital gear in the Goodhue machine. All three play for the Minnesota Fury. Old-school atmosphere, new-school talent The HVL-TRC Showdown was launched in 2016 to bring together boys and girls teams from the Hiawatha Valley League and the Three Rivers Conference for a one-day showcase in a central location. The event got off to a challenging debut one year ago thanks to an untimely snowstorm that caused the games to be rescheduled. In the end, it turned out well enough to give it another go in 2017. Last Saturday's showcase was staged at the Mayo Civic Center where the main court is a cavernous, 5,000+ seat arena built in the 1980s. After his departure from the expansion Timberwolves, Bill Musselman used to coach the Rochester Renegade (yep, they spelled it without the 's') here in the old minor pro Continental Basketball Association. It felt like the pre-Internet era in so many ways, and I half expected Ronnie Grandison and Cozell McQueen to run out of the tunnel listening to their Sony Walkmen. The atmosphere was a little odd, given that the audience was pretty much limited to friends and family and the occasional interloper from afar. Come to think of it, the Renegade's crowd was much the same which is no doubt why they moved on to Harrisburg, Penn., after a short stint in Med City. The second court is the more intimate 1,350-seat Auditorium, a throwback balcony configuration that dates from the 1930s. Like a miniature version of the venerable (i.e., old and musty) Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, this court offered a much better atmosphere, an environment that would be awesome with the addition of a high school band or two and a throng of noisy students. The Mayo Civic Center would would be a great venue for a state tournament, but we'll save that conversation for another day lest it run to 5,000 words and poke fun at the high school league. In the meantime, here are three more players who impressed: Natalia Vanderzanden, a 6-foot forward from St. Charles, is long, strong and athletic. She is the Fighting Saints' undisputed leader, a big-motor, uber-vocal player who demands the ball. On opening night, Vanderzanden had 23 points and 22 rebounds, and she's averaging 15 and 17. On this day, Natalia put up 19 against Pine Island. She'll play next year at Wheaton College in Illinois. Brooke Sinning is a quick, athletic guard from Pine Island. One-on-one, nobody on the St. Charles roster could defend the 5'7" sophomore her on the way to the basket in the Panthers' 52-50 victory. Sinning, who is rated #87 In the Class of 2020, knows how to push the pace, sees the floor well, and is adept at finding an open teammate. Unfortunately, she fouled out early in this one, due more to overzealous officiating than anything else. Macy Holtz of Plainview-Elgin-Millville is a quality freshman with good quickness. She runs the floor well, and is effective one on one. As a result, she managed to get to the basket on numerous occasions Saturday. At times Holtz rushed things a little, but that's not unusual for a freshman point guard. She had 10 points in the game's first 12 minutes and 19 in total. Unfortunately, PEM (7-2) had a rare off day and fell 71-41 to a strong squad from Hayfield. Holtz, who is averaging nearly 15 ppg, plays for Southern Minnesota Fury and should find her way into the Class of 2021 rankings in the not-too-distant future.