-by Dan Flaherty
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the two great franchises of the Land O'Lakes League geared up to play for a trip to Hartland and a chance to play for a pennant. The championships that adorn the history of Oconomowoc and Lannon mark them the most decorated teams in league history--and no Swiftboat ads on hand to dispute the authenticity of the honors. The clash of two great titans was sure to conjure up memories of battles between other great powers--Athens and Sparta in the ancient Greek world. William Jennings Bryan and William McKinley in turn-of-the-century presidential politics. Wisconsin and Minnesota playing for The Axe(okay, perhaps the game wasn't THAT big).
The contest did not live up to the hype and it didn't take long for Lannon to get started. Dean Haase patiently worked the count full and then blasted a home run to centerfield to start a three-run first for the Stoneman. The following inning Haase would double and ultimately score on a sacrifice fly by Scott Doffek.
By the fifth inning, Lannon starter Ron Koslowski was cruising with a 6-0 lead, when the O's fought back. Pete Schlosser would single and score the first Oconomowoc run. But the rally was stifled there thanks to two defensive gems by Doffek, who spent the afternoon putting on a clinic on how to play second base. Oconomowoc added another run in the sixth, but an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded prevented further denting of the lead. The wheels came off in the final three frames, as defensive miscuses helped Lannon tack on five more runs and complete the 11-3 victory.
It was the third consecutive year the season has ended in the semifinal round. And the atmosphere of the dugout, at least in the immediate aftermath was as dejected as this particular writer has seen it. However the frustration of Saturday should not obscure the fact that Oconomowoc battled injuries all year long to place second in a division whose top half is ruthlessly competitive. That a bitter pill was swallowed in the final game is undeniable. But enlightened historians will also note that the 2004 Os were fighters who overcame adversities that may have sank a less worthy team.
Update: Lannon went on to beat Hartland on Sunday by a score of 5-3 and advanced on to the Grand Championship.
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