By John RittenhouseThe Luverne girls were unable to win their third consecutive team title at the Sub-Section 10 Track and Field Championships in Slayton Thursday.Pipestone ran away from squads in the seven-team field by compiling 183 points. The Cardinals finished second with 122.5 points.Although the Cards finished short of achieving their team goal in Slayton, they did gain good representation for today’s Section 3A meet in Redwood Falls.Eleven LHS individuals locked up automatic berths in section competition by placing third or better in individual events and relays Thursday. Three more Cardinals will advance to Redwood Falls after earning at-large berths with their efforts compared with the results turned in by other athletes from the other three sub-sections that comprise Section 3A.The Cardinals captured two sub-section event titles, and Lexi Heitkamp played a role in both wins. Heitkamp won the 800-meter run in 2:24.57. She teamed up with Victoria Arends, Kesley Dooyema and Kayla Raddle to win the 3,200-meter relay with a time of 10:06.21.Arends, Maggie Kuhlman, Katie Schneiderman and Erin Hoiland made bids to win sub-section crowns before settling for second place. Kuhlman cleared the 100-meter hurdles in 17.31, Arends cleared the 300-meter hurdles in 50.37, Schneiderman went 7-0 in the pole vault and Hoiland recorded a distance of 16-0 in the long jump.Hoiland and the 800-meter relay team of Morgan Bosshart, Abby Elbers, Brittany Mulder and Nicole Willers locked up automatic berths in the section field by placing third. Hoiland ran 100-meters in 13.5. The relay team was timed at 1:55.37.Earning individual at-large berths into the section field are Dooyema (fifth in the 1,600-meter run in 6:04.36), Schneiderman (fourth in the 3,200-meter run in 12:38.06), Raddle (fifth in the 3,200-meter run in 12:34.24) and Natalie Willers (fourth in the shot put with a toss of 32-2).The 400- and 1,600-meter relays also locked up at-large passes to Redwood Falls. Stephanie Hendricks, Mulder, Nicole Willers and Hoiland ran a 53.76 and placed fourth in the 400. Arends, Amy Herman, Nicole Willers and Heitkamp turned in a 4:22.42 and placed fourth in the 1,600.Here is a look at the team standings and the rest of Luverne’s point-producing efforts from the sub-section meet.Team standings: Pipestone 183, Luverne 122.5, Murray County Central 108, Southwest Christian 86, Fulda 76.5, Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton 60, Adrian 57.Fourth place: Natalie Willers, discus, 95-4; Mulder, pole vault, 6-6; Schneiderman, 3,200, 12:38.06.Fifth place: Amy Herman, triple jump, 31-2; Raddle, 3,200, 12:34.24; Dooyema, 1,600, 6:04.36; Herman, 400, 1:05.82.Sixth place: Amanda Kannas, 1,600, 6:08.68; Kuhlman, high jump, 4-4.Seventh place: Elbers, long jump, 15-0; Elbers, 100, 13.77.Eighth place: Hendricks, 100, 13.88; Mulder, 200, 29.71; Kuhlman, 300 hurdles, 53.79; Raddle, high jump, 4-2.

By John RittenhouseTwo area drivers who have experienced successful starts to the young racing season remained hot during a busy Memorial Day weekend on area tracks.Ellsworth’s Greg Roemen and Darrin Korthals, a Hills-Beaver Creek High School graduate who now lives in Rock Rapids, both posted feature wins.Roemen won a sportsmen class feature at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, Friday.Korthals won the late model street stock feature at Rapid Speedway and posted two wins at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, S.D., Sunday.Roemen moved into the lead before the first lap was completed and maintained it during the sportsmen feature Friday. It was his third win of the year at the Iowa track.Korthals started in ninth place before winning his fourth straight feature at Rapid Speedway.Korthals also turned in a good performance at Huset’s Sunday, winning the first heat race and taking top honors in the A feature after starting in 12th place.Here is a look at the racing results from Rapid Speedway, Huset’s Speedway and Lake County Speedway (Madison, S.D) from the weekend.Huset’s SpeedwayMonday’s resultsStreet stock: Colter Deutsch, Kanaranzi, third in first heat and 15th in A feature; Jesse Akkerman, Luverne, fourth in second heat and sixth in A feature; Korthals, second in third heat and third in A feature; Mark DeBoer, Adrian, fourth in third heat and seventh in A feature.Sportsmen: Roemen, second in second heat and third in feature.Huset’s SpeedwaySunday’s resultsStreet stock: Korthals, first in first heat and first in A feature; Akkerman, third in first heat and fourth in A feature; Deutsch, eighth in first heat, fourth in B feature and seventh in A feature.Hobby stock: Chris Tiesler, Ellsworth, sixth in first heat and fifth in B feature; Tom Cauwels, Luverne, fifth in second heat, second in B feature and 13th in A feature; Greg Brandt, Luverne, third in third heat and 15th in A feature.Lake County SpeedwaySaturday’s resultsStreet stock: Korthals, fourth in first heat and fifth in A feature; Deutsch, fifth in first heat and 10th in A feature; Scott Overgaard, Luverne, third in second heat and sixth in A feature; Chad Overgaard, Luverne, fifth in second heat and seventh in A feature.Sportsmen: Roemen, sixth in second heat and fifth in A feature.Rapid SpeedwayFriday’s resultsStreet stock: S.Overgaard, second in first heat and third in A feature; Korthals, third in first heat and first in A feature; Deutsch, fourth in first heat and seventh in A feature; Brad Klaassen, Adrian, sixth in first heat and eighth in A feature; C.Overgaard, first in second heat and fifth in A feature; DeBoer, fifth in second heat and 12th in A feature.Sportsmen: Roemen, second in first heat and first in A feature.Hobby stock: Amanda Deutsch, Kanranzi, fifth in second heat and seventh in A feature; Tiesler, sixth in second heat and 13th in A feature.

By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton teams opened postseason competition at the Sub-Section 10 Track and Field Championships in Slayton Thursday.The Patriot boys compiled 85 points and placed fifth in a seven-team field. H-BC-E-E’s girls placed sixth out of seven teams with 60 counters.H-BC-E-E will be represented well at today’s Section 3A meet in Redwood Falls. Ten boys and eight girls will compete.Seven Patriot boys earned automatic berths into section competition by placing third or better in Slayton. Three more boys will advance to the section meet as at-large qualifiers based on their performances compared with the results turned in by the athletes from the other three sub-sections that form Section 3A.Seven H-BC-E-E girls drew automatic invitations to the section meet. One more will compete after locking up at-large entry.The Patriot boys won a pair of sub-section event titles. Cody Scholten took top honors in the high jump after clearing 6-0. The 1,600-meter relay team of Jan Sommerling, John Sandbulte, Kale Wiertzema and Tyler Bush placed first with a time of 3:30.92.H-BC-E-E’s 400- and 800-meter relays qualified for the section event by placing second and third with respective 45.46 and 1:37.47 times. Sommerlng, Scholten, Wiertzema and Bush ran the 400. Sommerling, Scholten, Cody Schilling and Bush teamed up in the 800.Wiertzema (second in the 400 in 52.15), Bush (second in the 800 in 1:58.74), Schilling (second in the triple jump with a distance of 38-7 1/2) and Derek Haak (third in the 800 in 2:10.47) also locked up automatic berths in the section field.Casey Van Midden Dorp and the 3,200-meter relay team consisting of Haak, Sandbulte, Tyler Paulsen and Brent Kramer earned at-large entries into section competition. Van Midden Dorp placed sixth in the 100-meter dash in 11.9. The relay finished fifth in 9:18.22.The Patriot girls placed second in three events at the sub-section meet.Rosie Lewis, who tossed the shot 33-1 to place third, produced a distance of 98-0 to finish second in the discus.Cassi Tilstra finished second in the 400-meter dash in 1:00.2 and ran a leg with the second-place finishing 1,600-meter relay, which recorded a time of 4:14.12. Amanda Tilstra, Jocelyn Bucher and Mya Mann round out the 1,600-meter team.The 400- and 3,200-meter relays locked up automatic trips to Redwood Falls by placing third with respective 53.68 and 10:11.08 efforts. Kelly Mulder, Mann, Amanda Connors and Lewis teamed up in the 400. Cassi and Amanda Tilstra, Ashley Bucher and Mann joined forces in the 3,200.Amanda DeBoer and the 800-meter relay team of Connors, Lewis, Mulder and Jocelyn Bucher earned at-large entries to the section meet. DeBoer placed fourth in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:58.79. The relay placed fifth in 1:57.03.Here is a look at the team standings and the rest of H-BC-E-E’s point-producing performances during the sub-section meet.Boys standings: Luverne 142, Fulda 127.5, Southwest Christian 113, Murray County Central 86, H-BC-E-E 85, Pipestone 79, Adrian 54.5Girls standings: Pipestone 183, Luverne 122.5, MCC 108, SWC 86, Fulda 76.5, H-BC-E-E 60, Adrian 57.H-BC-E-E boysFifth place: Dustin Verhey, 3,200, 11:12.47.Sixth place: Roger DeBoer, long jump, 18-6 1/2.Seventh place: Van Midden Dorp, long jump, 18-5 1/2; DeBoer, 110 hurdles, 18.51; Paulsen, 3,200, 11:31.38.Eighth place: DeBoer, 100, 12.13.H-BC-E-E girlsSeventh place: J.Bucher, 800, 2:40.37; A.Bucher, 400, 1:06.44; Kari Roozenboom, 100 hurdles, 18.09.Eighth place: Connors, 400, 1:06.46; Rayna Sandoval, 3,200, 13:32.06; Connors, long jump, 14-9.

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne baseball team remained alive in the Section 3AA Tournament after going 2-1 during the first three rounds.The Cardinals bested Murray County Central by eight runs during Saturday’s opener in Pipestone before falling by eight runs to Pipestone at the same site later that day. Luverne traveled to Windom for an elimination game against Renville County West Tuesday, nipping the Jaguars by two runs.Luverne, 11-9 overall, played Tracy-Milroy-Balaton in another elimination Wednesday night in Milroy.Luverne 4, RCW 2The Cardinals passed their first test in the tournament’s losers’ bracket when they bested the Jaguars by two runs in Windom Tuesday.LHS scored four runs in the middle innings and made them stand up against RCW.The Jaguars pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the second inning, but Luverne countered with a three-run third inning and added another counter in the fourth to open a 4-1 cushion.Singles by J.T. Bruynes, Jared Pick and Zach Wysong loaded the sacks in the third. Marc Boelman and Ben Nath singled home runs, and Taylor Graphenteen drew a walk to force home another during the third.Pinch-runner Derek Elbers scored Luverne’s run in the fourth inning when he dashed home from third base after Wysong was caught in a rundown between first and second base.Bruynes tossed one and one-third innings of one-run relief to pick up the pitching win. Pick blanked RCW over the final two and two-thirds innings to notch a save. Brad Herman started the game on the mound, allowing one run in three innings.Box score AB R H BIPick 4 1 1 0Wysong 3 1 2 0Boelman 4 0 1 2Herman 3 0 0 0Cote 1 0 0 0Graphenteen 2 0 0 1Nath 2 0 1 1Richters 2 0 0 0Elbers 0 1 0 0Bruynes 2 1 1 0Oeding 1 0 0 0Pipestone 15, Luverne 7The Cardinals slipped into the losers’ bracket after dropping an eight-run decision to the Arrows during a second-round game played in Pipestone Saturday.Luverne got off to a great start by opening a 7-0 lead after one and one-half innings of play, but the Arrows outscored the Cards 15-0 the rest of the way to win by eight.Herman and Boelman doubled home runs and John Tofteland and Dustin Richters slapped RBI singles to give the Cards a 4-0 lead in the top of the first.Herman doubled home two runs and Graphenteen added a run-scoring double in the second inning to give the Cards a seven-run lead, but that marked the end of Luverne’s offensive production.Pipestone’s Tim Stotz belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the second to make it a 7-3 game, and Danny Moffitt drilled a three-run homer to highlight a 10-run fourth inning for the Arrows to all but end the game.Wysong started the game for LHS and took the loss after surrendering seven runs (four were earned) in three and one-third innings. Bruynes tossed one-third of one inning, yielding six unearned runs. Nate Boler pitched two and one-third innings of two-run (one was earned) ball.Box score AB R H BIJ.Pick 3 1 1 0Wysong 1 2 1 0Boelman 3 1 1 1B.Pick 1 0 0 0Herman 4 2 3 3Graphenteen 4 0 1 1Nath 3 1 0 0Cote 0 0 0 0Tofteland 4 0 1 1Richters 3 0 1 1Bruynes 2 0 0 0Boler 1 0 0 0Luverne 13, MCC 5The Cardinals opened the tournament by handing the Rebels an eight-run setback Saturday in Pipestone.Luverne fell behind 1-0 early in the game before rallying to outscore MCC 15-4 the rest of the way.Graphenteen, who led the Cards with five hits in the contest, doubled and scored the game-tying run when Tofteland singled in the top of the second.A six-run third inning gave the Cards a commanding 7-1 advantage. Nath provided the key blow during the rally with a three-run homer. Jared Pick singled home two runs and Graphenteen added an RBI single.With the help of some MCC errors, Luverne proceeded to score four runs in the fifth inning and two in the seventh to win handily.Graphenteen doubled home two runs in the fifth, when the Cards scored two more unearned counters to open an 11-3 advantage. Herman doubled home a run and LHS added one more unearned run to cap the scoring in the top of the seventh.Pick pitched five innings of five-hit, five-strikeout ball to pick up the win. He allowed three runs (two were earned). Herman tossed one and two-thirds innings of two-run relief. Bruynes registered the final out of the game.Box score AB R H BIJ.Pick 5 0 2 2Wysong 4 2 2 0Boelman 5 3 1 0Herman 4 0 1 1Lundgren 1 1 0 0Graphenteen 5 2 5 3Nath 5 1 1 3Tofteland 5 1 2 1Richters 3 2 1 0Bruynes 2 1 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Adrian baseball team began defense of its 2004 Section 3A title Saturday in Adrian.Taking on Springfield for a noon game on its home field, the Dragons passed their first test in the double-elimination event by rolling to a 15-7 victory.The win ups Adrian’s record to 12-9 heading into a game played in Granite Falls last night (Wednesday). The Dragons locked horns with Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg in winners-bracket play.A 10-run second inning set the stage for Adrian’s eight-run win over Springfield.Springfield led 2-0 after plating a pair of first-inning runs, but the Dragons took control of the game with a big second frame.Glen Kruger chased home two runs with a single during the rally. Nick Weidert, Levi Bullerman, David Hoffer, Will Lutmer and Brent Tjepkes contributed RBI singles to the rally, while Cody Kontz drew a bases-loaded walk.Tjepkes and Weidert, who slapped three hits and drove in three runs each, delivered RBI singles to the cause in the third inning. Tjepkes singled home a run and Lutmer drew a bases-loaded walk to highlight a three-run sixth inning.Hoffer tossed all seven innings to pick up the win. He fanned five batters and walked three.

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys captured their seventh Sub-Section 10 Track and Field team championship in the last eight years during the annual meet in Slayton Thursday.After having a streak of winning six straight team titles snapped at the 2004 version of the event, the Cardinals compiled 142 points Thursday to best second-place Fulda (127.5) by 14.5 points.Along with winning the team championship, the Cards gained strong representation for today’s Section 3A meet in Redwood Falls. Twelve LHS individuals locked up 14 automatic berths in the section event by placing third or better in individual events and relays. Three more boys will advance to the section meet by earning at-large berths based on their performances compared with the efforts turned in by the athletes from the other three sub-sections that form Section 3A.Luverne athletes locked up sub-section titles during the meet, including four individual crowns.Mike Kunstle won the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.0 and 23.78 times. Jake Hendricks ran 400-meters in 50.53 to take top honors in the 400-meter dash, and Chris Ashby cleared the 300-meter hurdles in 41.67 to place first.

SURPLUS PROPERTYPursuant to City Code, Section 2.71, Subd. 3 (C), the City Council has declared the following City of Luverne property as "excess" property to be sold via sealed bids solicited by public notice: One (1) abandon well on approx. 2400 sq. ft. of property described by metes and bounds located in the NE 1/4 of Section 11, Township 102 N., Range 45 W. (approx. 1/2 block East of the Blue Mound Ave. and Dodge St. intersection). Submit bid in a sealed envelope marked "Well Bid" to the City Clerk’s office (203 E. Main St., P O Box 659, Luverne, MN 56156 no later than 10:00 a.m. on June 16, 2005, at which time the bids will be opened and read. Minimum bid $3,000. Any questions, call City Hall at 507-449-2388. (6-2)

MAY 9, 2005MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2184, ROCK COUNTY, LUVERNE, MINNESOTA.A special meeting of the Board of Education, ISD #2184, was held in the District Office on Monday, May 9, 2005, at 6:30 p.m. The following members were present: Vicki Baartman, Colleen Deutsch, Dan Kopp, Bill Stegemann, and Becky Walgrave. Absent: Laura Herman and Cary Radisewitz. Also present: Superintendent Vince Schaefer, Marlene Mann, Dan Amborn, and Matt Crosby, K101/KQAD Radio.The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Becky Walgrave and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Motion by Kopp, second by Baartman, to accept the resignation of Vincent Schaefer as Superintendent effective June 30, 2005. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Baartman, second by Deutsch, to declare the superintendent position open and to post the vacancy. Motion unanimously carried. Superintendent Schaefer and business Manager Marlene Mann reviewed the process to fill the superintendent position. The position will be advertised with applications due by May 20, 2005. It will be listed as open until filled. Motion by Kopp, second by Deutsch, to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried. Dated: May 9, 2005Colleen Deutsch, Clerk(6-2)

MAY 12, 2005MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2184, ROCK COUNTY, LUVERNE, MINNESOTA. A regular meeting of the Board of Education, ISD #2184, was held in the MS/HS Library on Thursday, May 12, 2005, at 7:30 p.m. The following members were present: Vicki Baartman, Colleen Deutsch, Laura Herman, Dan Kopp, Cary Radisewitz, Bill Stegemann, and Becky Walgrave. Also present: Superintendent Vince Schaefer, Marlene Mann, Stacy Gillette, Gary Fisher, Cliff Carmody – SW/WC Service Cooperative, Mary Jacobson, Becky Runnoe, Jane Cote, Becky Rahm, Dave Mente, Stacy Mente, Mike Hart, Kristee Hart, Eugene Marshall, Pam Christensen, Tim Christensen, Gayle Stegemann, Lauree Teunissen, Melissa Fick, Karla Kruse, Stephanie Pierce, Julie Haugom, Julie Nekali, Becky Gonnerman, Jodi Bosch, Evan VerBrugge, Paula Jelken, Sheryl Staeffler, Julie Fick, Kevin Fick, C. Ray, Eddy Ray, Linda Reisdorfer, Heather Roberts, Tricia Hoogeveen, Casey Westphal, Todd Elbers, Diane Elbers, Emily Crabtree, Chris Nelson, Stacy Kopp, Jerry Jensen, Lori Ehde, Rock County Star Herald, and Matt Crosby, K101/KQAD Radio.The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Becky Walgrave. Superintendent Schaefer gave announcements. Motion by Stegemann, second by Deutsch, to approve the agenda. Motion unanimously carried. Superintendent Schaefer reviewed the presentation given on April 14 to the School Board showing the budget cuts that have happened since the 2000-2001 school year. He also reviewed the list of proposed cuts and fee increases. Stacy Mente, Kristee Hart, and Jodi Bosch presented questions to the School Board regarding the 1/2 day morning kindergarten program with afternoon activity-based Kinder Plus program. These will be answered in a newspaper article, on the Web site, and also presented at the next school board meeting on May 26. Administrative reports were given. Motion by Stegemann, second by Kopp, to approve the School Board minutes of April 26, 2005. Motion unanimously carried. Cliff Carmody presented the strategic planning progress and update report. Mr. Carmody’s recommendation is to develop a Strategic Planning Advisory Committee whose primary purpose is to develop 4-6 strategic initiatives. Motion by Baartman, second by Herman, to receive the Strategic Plan report as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Stegemann, second by Deutsch, to approve Jim Gilman from Conway, Deuth and Schmiessing, PLLP, to complete the audit of the 2004-2005 fiscal year. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Stegemann, second by Baartman, to accept the retirement of Cheryl Roberts, HS English Teacher and Assistant Speech Coach, effective June 2, 2005. Motion unanimously carried. Member Deutsch introduced the Resolution Proposing to Place Patti Nelson on Unrequested Leave of Absence. The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Member Stegemann, and upon vote being taken thereon the following voted in favor thereof: Baartman, Deutsch, Herman, Radisewitz, Stegemann, Walgrave; Member Kopp was absent; and the following voted against the same: none; whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted.Committee Reports were given.The upcoming meeting dates were reviewed.Motion by Radisewitz, second by Deutsch, to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried. Dated: May 12, 2005Colleen Deutsch, Clerk(6-2)