Twin Lakes Holiday Tournament another success

The first night of our own Twin Lakes Holiday Tournament is behind us as I write this column on Tuesday morning, and now with a look at all five teams (including Clinton County), Coach Todd Messer has once again put together a very nice lineup of teams and games for the local fans to enjoy.

Of the three games played Monday night, two were down to the wire, and only one contest, the Dawgs vs. Monterey, was lopsided (in our favor, thankfully).

I’ve never made it a secret that I’m not the biggest fan of Holiday Tournaments, but with the success and organization of our own Twin Lakes Classic, I’ve certainly become more of a fan of staying on our own turf, rather than traveling all over the state (and beyond) before and after Christmas.

In addition, my Chamber of Commerce genes kick in with our local tournament as well, when I see players, coaching staffs and parents all over Albany and Clinton County during the tournament, in our hotels, in our restaurants, in our stores and in our gas stations.

Over the years, I’ve also heard several coaches and parents say they never realized how beautiful our lakes were, and they were planning on coming back during the summer for a stay. All of that -and they’re seeing it in the winter.

Thanks to everyone who has worked tirelessly over the past several years to make our Twin Lakes Holiday Classic one of the most sought-after holiday events in this region.

Las Vegas is next week

Our Dawgs and fans get an even bigger treat next week when they board a plane and head out west – way out west, for a December 27-30 appearance in the Las Vegas Prep Championship.

What a fantastic opportunity for our young men to get the experience of a lifetime, not only seeing the bright lights of Vegas at such a young age, but to get to put their skills to the test against some of the best teams in the country.

First COVID hiccup of the season behind us

The Lady Dawgs had the first COVID related hiccup last week and were sidelined for a couple of regular season games when they went into quarantine mode.

Thankfully that is behind them now and this week they move on to play in the Greenwood Holiday Classic and next week to the Cumberland County Christmas Tournament in Burkesville

Here’s hoping the rest of the year plays out in a normal manner.

Good luck Dawgs, Lady Dawgs and Merry Christmas to all of our readers out there!