A trace to an inch. Just on the line of maybe 1-3 inches. 

That was the weather forecast nearly all week heading into Saturday night. Then, suddenly sometime after midnight on Sunday, my phone made a noise. A weather statement. Blizzard warning for Barton County.

Huh?

Now, I’m no meteorologist, although I did take the class in college. It was by far my favorite of the ‘ology’ classes I had to take. To make Rick Bealer happy I’ll pretend psychology was next.

Anyway, as I was saying, I’m no meteorologist, but I do know blizzard means a lot of snow and wind. I looked it up and to be exact, it means the following – sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or greater with heavy snow for a period of three hours or more. That’s more than a trace.

Usually, the weather folk try and scare you. Over predicting. Not this time.

The last several winters have been pretty mild. I’m not sure we’ve had 10 total inches of snow in any of the last four years. It’s been since 2013-14 that we’ve really been hit. If my memory is correct, they under predicted three separate double-digit snowfalls that winter.

Now, I’m not making any suggestions based one prediction that as well under the eventual total. But we are due. Just saying.

Prep Thoughts

Okay, let’s put the 2018 prep football season to rest. Let’s call this Central Plains team, at a minimum, one of the best teams ever in 8-man football. Try this on for size – 628-34. That was the combined score for Central Plains.

The Oilers pitched nine shutouts in 13 games and gave up just five touchdowns all year. It could easily have been 10 shutouts and four TDs but for a kickoff return for a TD by Solomon in the state title game. In that game, a 52-6 win, Solomon ran 24 plays for minus 23 yards. Yes, minus 23 yards. In the state title game.

So in a year that looked to be loaded at the 8-man I level, Central Plains was, without a doubt, by far the best team. Congratulations, Coach Chris Steiner and the entire Oiler squad. Job well done.

Now it’s on to basketball. Where, surprise, surprise as Gomer Pyle would say, both the boys and girls teams at Central Plains are ranked No. 1 in 1A. Both are defending state champions. 

The girls are record-setting/breaking. Jim Misunas explained it well in his preview yesterday. The bottom line is 5 straight state titles, an 84-game winning streak and a run of 129-1 during the past five seasons.

And it’s far from over with Emily Ryan and company back. The five straight state titles is already a record. The longest win- ning streak is 107 held by Hoxie. If my math is correct, the Oilers will break the state record in the fourth game of 1A postseason play in the substate championship game.

For the Great Bend Panthers, the boys and girls start their seasons, as always, at the Hays City Shootout Thursday through the weekend. Both do so against the Hays Indians. Nothing like a good rivalry to start things. The boys return a plethora of minutes with four starters and four more reserves who played a lot. 

Elsewhere in the area, the St. John boys’ hoopsters start the year ranked No. 3 in 1A. The GBHS wrestling team is ranked No. 9 in the state, the Panthers boys’ bowling team is the defending state runner-up.

And Finally

So, yeah, how about a little blizzard to wake up to Sunday?

After hearing the change from the trace to blizzard, I did my preparations. I ask Crystal if we needed anything from the store. She said no. So I sat on the couch and watched TV.

As the storm got closer I explained to the dogs it was coming. Especially Bambi, our little Chihuahua. I told her to get her business done outside because she wasn’t going to like it much in just a bit.

Waffle, he doesn’t care. He loves the snow and is big enough to get through it and play. 

Then it hit. Sure enough, I would definitely call it a blizzard. The electricity even went out a couple times. The first time for about 30 minutes the second for about five. 

There was concern when it went out the first time that Crystal might want to talk to me or something. Fortunately she got a phone call that consumed most of that time. Thanks, Donna Becker.

About noon or so, after the snow lets up, I start digging. First, I clear the driveway. Then a path on the front sidewalk. I think my neighbor took his snow blower down the sidewalk on the Harrison side of my house. Thanks, Rick Remmert. 

But once the city bladed the street that night, it didn’t matter. My driveway entrance was closed again and the sidewalk was covered. Oh well.

Later in the afternoon I ventured out to the college. And got stuck. Fortunately, Doug Kaiser was going by and gave me a ride back to town. I did return to retrieve my vehicle and was able to get out.

Then came the standoff between Bambi and the snow. I cleared a spot out back for her to do her business. She is used to going out front. But it was easier to clean a little spot in the back. I am not sure if it was the change of scenery or the weather, but she refused to go. 

In fact, she held out all day and into the next. It wasn’t until about 3 pm Monday she finally gave in and dropped her protest, so to speak.

Whew. What a whirlwind of about 36 hours. From an expected fairly relaxed inch of snow to a blizzard with no electricity for a spell, digging out, getting stuck, and a dog on protest. 

Mike Marzolf is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune and his views don’t necessarily reflect those of the paper. He can be reached at MarzolfM@bartonccc.edu.