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LEDA helps local businesses

By Sara StrongThe Luverne Economic Development Authority has a few more business ventures in the works.It voted Tuesday to guarantee the first $25,000 of the refinancing of Minnesota Special Liquids, which produces the animal feed, Alcomp.It also is considering helping Plaza 75 owner Rich Dreckman get the new office project underway on South Highway 75.Also, the former Exsito plant has a more permanent tenant.Alcomp, Minnesota Special LiquidsMSL is on solid financial ground, but wants to refinance to provide operating money for expansion and additional working capital."We’re growing fast, and it’s hard to tell what we’ll need," owner Ben Steensma told the LEDA Tuesday.The company employs 14 people including local people, truckers and remote salespeople.Luverne Economic Development Director Dan Statema said, "It’s important to remember that MSL is key to maintaining the viability of the rail."Alcomp is an alcohol-based liquid animal feed supplement.The company has no outstanding bank loans and is cash flow positive, with good accounts payable.Statema said in a memo to the LEDA, "Return on this small LEDA investment could be extraordinary."The product has been patented for various animals: chickens, turkeys, beef cattle, dairy cattle, hogs, sheep and goats. Alcomp has gained popularity because it contains no animal byproducts. It is a high energy and high protein product that rivals the quality of animal fat in the results it gets.Plaza 75Dreckman is owner of Align-Tech & Tire and is entering the development business.He purchased the former True Value property and is converting it into an 8,000-square-foot office complex that he says will hold about six tenants, depending on size need.Dreckman came to the LEDA Tuesday asking for a tax abatement and reduced utility rate. The LEDA couldn’t act on those requests because only the City Council has that authority. And, a total property tax abatement would involve school and county approval as well as the city’s.Dreckman has a commitment from three tenants, with more showing interest. But banks are asking for more tenants or lower operating costs before they’ll sign off on a loan."It’s difficult to find renters with a building that’s not there yet," Dreckman said.He said he’s putting $320,000 into the project.The LEDA may consider becoming a tenant to help Dreckman secure financing. Plaza 75 will probably be on a later agenda, with a different proposal. Former Exsito buildingThe 612 West Hatting property, the former home of the tomato processing plant, Exsito, will have a new tenant for at least a year.Falcon Pallets will lease the facility for $1,000 a month for a year, maybe more. It proposed the price to the LEDA with an option to buy the building and three acres for $150,000.The LEDA said the land and building is worth more than that, but will take the offer for leasing it for now."It’s not maximizing the use of the facility, but from a cash-flow perspective [it will work]," Statema said.The city put $300,000 into the building to make it a food-grade building for the processing business. The latest estimated value of the site is $200,000, not including the surrounding acreage.

JOBZ deal has far-reaching effects in area

By Sara StrongWith the governor planning a trip to Luverne, and the county and school district signing off on the project, the city’s first JOBZ business expansion is all but a done deal.And it isn’t just important for the city of Luverne.Total Card Inc. is the first out-of-state business to expand in Minnesota because of Job Opportunity Building Zone tax breaks.The Sioux Falls credit card business will finalize the former Tri-State Insurance building sale next week. The proper paperwork is filed with the state, and there’s no reason to think Gov. Pawlenty’s scheduled April 23 visit won’t come through.As a part of JOB Zone, TCI will be forgiven property tax, income tax for major investors and sales tax for business improvements — all for 12 years.The clock started ticking on those 12 years Jan. 1 of this year.The Luverne School District is the exception to the tax breaks. It will still receive local property taxes from the business estimated at $81,000 over 12 years.Take what it can getWhile some might criticize giving a private business such a good deal, those involved say it’s the only way Luverne can draw a large industry that offers complete benefit packages and good wages.TCI’s starting wage is $9 an hour and some positions go up to $22 an hour.Considering that the Tri-State building didn’t get as much as a second glance from a private, tax-paying business, the city considers this an economic victory.Luverne Economic Development Director Dan Statema said, "The JOB Zone, in my opinion, put us on a level playing field."TCI was looking at other cities to expand in when Luverne came into picture, promoting the former Tri-State building as a future JOBZ site.Ideally, Statema said, a private business would have wanted to locate 200 white-collar jobs in Luverne, but that just wasn’t happening.Tuesday, the Rock County Board of Commissioners and Luverne School Board unanimously passed resolutions to allow nine acres of previously designated JOB Zone property to the Tri-State building and property. The city will swap the nine acres from wetlands near Gold N’ Plump.This was a necessary step because the building wasn’t a part of the tax-break designation yet.Both the county and school passed along resolutions of congratulations to the city.Commissioner Jane Wildung said the city, and Statema in particular, should be commended for all the work put into the deal.The major part of the deal is the city financing the property’s mortgage of $500,000 for 20 years at 4.5 percent interest. Other incentives like Pool and Fitness membership discounts, new roof, a $24,000 training grant, reduced lot prices for employees and establishing a nearby childcare center are all part of the agreement.City Attorney Ben Vander Kooi said that even if the company doesn’t last more than a few years here, the building will be ready and improved for another business to buy at an increased value.But that’s the worst case scenario. The best-case scenario is what City Administrator Greg LaFond said is already happening, even though the city is giving the company a good deal.He said the property is no longer generating any taxes because it is city-owned. Statema said, "The purpose of this isn’t to lose any existing property tax base."When the building was occupied, it most recently paid about $33,000 in property taxes.LaFond said, "At the end of 12 years, the city will be ahead $913,000." That’s accounting for electric and utility income and financing charges, and factoring in expenses on the part of the city.All things consideredThe city hopes to draw more people to Luverne, meaning more homes built and a higher property tax base. That could potentially mean lower taxes for existing homeowners.Also, the payroll of almost $3 million would circulate through Luverne’s businesses and as the dollars turn over, would mean a $10 million per year community impact.Local retailers, realtors and service industries all look forward to the added payroll circulating and the additional people working in town.But the school, which lost 25 students and $100,000 in pupil aid since December, is also looking forward to the business to help its budget shortfall.Superintendent Vince Schaeffer said, "It’s wonderful for the community and the school is a part of the community."He said he understood that some local people will get the new jobs, but hoped it would also attract more people to town."I hope it keeps people in town as well as brings in more, with families," he said.While they are pleased with the TCI deal, Statema and LaFond said they look forward to filling the remaining JOB Zones while the city’s on a roll, and while most of the 12-year breaks are available.LaFond said, "We have to move beyond this initial success and concentrate on additional opportunities. … We have the ability to get firms like this, so it behooves us to attract more." Governor Pawlenty in Luverne Friday, April 23
9 a.m. governor’s live radio address from Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center
10:30 a.m. program welcoming TCI to Luverne
11:15 a.m. community luncheon

Did You Hear?

DFL candidates announce for November raceDFL party members have announced their candidacy for the Minnesota House of Representatives as well as the U.S. House of Representative.For Minnesota House District 22A, Kathryn Ness announced she will be seeking the DFL endorsement.Ness, 24, is a native of Pipestone. This is her first run for public office.Ness will be taking on Doug Magnus, a first-term representative from Slayton.In Washington, Joe Mayer, Rochester, is hoping for the chance to take on 1st District congressman Gil Gutknecht.Mayer, who has been a resident of the 1st District for the past 47 years, is a retired teacher, coach and administrator.The DFL convention for the 1st Congressional District of Minnesota will be Saturday, April 17, 2004, at the middle school in Albert Lea, 1601 West Front St.Gutknecht, also from Rochester, is finishing his 10th year in congress.Are you getting ready for Spring Clean-Up?Spring is here and that means it’s time to get rid of all that junk that’s been in your way all winter.This year the pickup dates are April 19 for branch and tree pickup and April 26, 27and 28 for junk.Several things are not allowed. Those items include:
Tires
Toxic or hazardous chemicals
Clothes
Toys
Magazines
BooksTree trimmings are allowed in the pickup, but they have to be in small bundles, and plastic bags are not allowed.When you put your junk out on the curb, you have to separate it according to content: wood, metal and plastic.Because the cost to the city at the transfer station is based on weight, residents are asked to not put anything out on the curb until April 24, so it will not absorb any moisture, causing the city additional tipping fees.The best part Spring Clean-up for some people is the "junking."One person’s contribution to the wood pile may be your new end table for the basement.Are the Asian ladybugs taking over your house?The rising temperatures are nice, but the downside is emerging Asian Lady Beetles.One piece of good news is that the chemical companies are trying to provide you with products to keep them at bay.This year’s bug products include a new generation of products which are odorless, non-staining and water based formulas.The new products not only kill the bugs on contact, but the residue can be effective for up to one year.The insects do not need to consume the pesticide, because, because it’s absorbed through their feet.Passion continues drawing good crowdsMel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, has done very well at the Palace Theatre, with more than 700 people watching the movie through Tuesday night, with Wednesday expected to be a one of the bigger night.For parents of young children, the American Reformed Church is offering a volunteer babysitting service for anyone attending the movie at the Palace on Friday and Saturday night, April 9 and 10.If you would like to take advantage of the free service, bring your children to the main floor fellowship hall between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. The church is located on North Highway 75 in Luverne, across from the Veterans Home.If you have any questions about the service contact Cheryl Thacker at 283-3674.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

AHS teams attend MCC Early Bird Invitational in Slayton to open year

By John RittenhouseThe Adrian track squads opened the 2004 season at the Murray County Central Early Bird Invitational in Slayton Tuesday.The Adrian boys shared third place in a six-team field with MCC. Both squads scored 72 points. The Dragon girls placed fourth out of six teams with 68 points.Adrian’s 3,200-meter relay team posted a meet championship in boys’ competition with a time of 9:33. Lee Stover, Justin Reisdorfer, David Brake and Pete Jensen formed the team.The boys’ 800-meter relay team made a bid to claim a meet title before placing second in the event with a time of 1:42.26. Billy Anderson, Brake, Jensen and Kyle Knips formed the team.Kyle and Casey Knips placed second in individual events for the Dragons.Kyle Knips, who covered 33-6 to place fourth in the triple jump, ran 400 meters in 54.64 to place second. Casey Knips, who placed fifth in the shot put with a toss of 42-2, placed second with a distance of 128-0 in the discus.Sarah Kruger and Morgan Lynn produced meet championships for the Dragon girls.Kruger, who placed fifth with a distance of 29-1 in the triple jump, won the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:03.3. Lynn won the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:32.5.Adrian’s Sarah Jensen finished second in the 300-meter hurdles with an effort of 54.25.The girls’ 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays all placed second with respective 1:55.83, 4:29.74 and 10:27.3 times. Jolene Reisdorfer, Amanda Lynn, Jensen and Kruger ran the 800. Kruger, Morgan and Amanda Lynn and Reisdorfer teamed up in the 1,600, and Morgan Lynn, McCall Heitkamp, Leslie Stover and Erica Thier formed the 3,200-meter team.Here is a look at the team standings and the rest of Adrian’s place-earners from the Early Bird Invitational.Boys’ standings: Jackson County Central 98, Fulda 82, Adrian 72, MCC 72, Canby-Minneota 59, Lakeview 45.Girls’ standings: JCC 119, MCC 106, Fulda 73.5, Adrian 68, C-M 41, Lakeview 15.5.Adrian boysThird place: Brake, triple jump, 36-10; Stover, 800, 2:15.8; Jesse Brake, 1,600, 5:15; 1,600 relay (K.Knips, Jr.Brake, Jensen and Stover), 3:52.4.Fourth place: Anderson, 200, 24.7; Jon Konz, 300 hurdles, 48.5; Ethan Wieneke, 3,200, 12:34.Fifth place: Dustin Lonneman, 800, 2:25.4; Aaron Mormann, 3,200, 12:42; 400 relay (Konz, Jr.Brake, Trent Lutmer, Anderson), 50.7.Sixth place: Konz, 110 hurdles, 28.6; Anderson, long jump, 16-11 1/2.Adrian girlsThird place: Reisdorfer, 200, 28.8; Stover, 800, 2:44.4; Heitkamp, 1,600, 6:13.Fourth place: Emila Mulder, discus, 84-2; Thier, 400, 1:06.8.Fifth place: 400 relay (A.Lynn, Kaitlin Wiertzema, Katy Slater and Samantha Lynn), 59.4

H-BC-E-E opens outdoor season Tuesday

By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton track teams opened the outdoor portion of their schedules at the Cardinal Quadrangular in Luverne Tuesday.H-BC-E-E athletes turned in a solid performance by winning a combined eight meet titles and placing second in two events at the meet.The Patriot boys won five championships, and three came from individual efforts.Curt Schilling won the shot put with a distance of 42-5, Cody Scholten cleared 5-10 to take top honors in the high jump and Tom LeBoutillier skipped over the 110-meter hurdles in 16.43 to place first.LeBoutiller finished second in the long jump with a distance of 19-0.The Patriot boys also fielded the winning 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams, which turned in respective 3:38.23 and 8:44.77 efforts. Kale Wiertzema, Lee Jackson, Todd Alberty and Tyler Bush formed both teams.Ashley Bucher won an individual title for the Patriot girls when she crossed the finish line in 1:06.76 during the 400-meter run.H-BC-E-E also won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays with respective 4:19.78 and 10:21.58 times.Mya Mann, Amanda Tilstra, Bucher and Cassi Tilstra ran the 3,200. Jocelyn Bucher, Mann, Amanda and Cassi Tilstra teamed up in the 1,600.The girls’ 400-meter relay team of Amanda Connors, Mann, Cassi Tilstra and Kelly Mulder placed second in 54.7.Here is a look at the rest of H-BC-E-E’s individual finishers during the Cardinal Quadrangular.H-BC-E-E boysThird place: Bush, high jump, 5-8; Greg Van Batavia, 1,600, 5:34.29.Fourth place: LeBoutillier, discus, 112-8; 400 relay (Paul DeLeon, Bush, Scholten and LeBoutillier.)Fifth place: John Sandbulte, triple jump, 35-1 1/2; 3,200 relay (Van Batavia, DeAngelo Smith, Derek Haak and Sandbulte), 9:35.49; Roger DeBoer, 110 hurdles, 20.2; 800 relay (Javier Cisneros, Wiertzema, Sandbulte and Scholten), 1:41.9; 400 relay (Cisneros, Van Batavia, Jackson and Smith), 51.9; Cody Rozeboom, 400, 58.8; Sandbulte, 300 hurdles, 48.98; Haak, 3,200, 11:38.Sixth place: Scholten, discus, 105-4; DeLeon, 100, 12.3; Soren Trebesch, 400, 59.6; DeLeon, 300 hurdles, 51.98; Dustin Verhey, 3,200, 11:44.H-BC-E-E girlsThird place: Rosie Lewis, shot, 30-10; J.Bucher, 300 hurdles, 53.6; Rayan Sandoval, 3,200, 13:29.Fourth place: Connors, long jump, 14-0; 800 relay (Shelly Sas, Connors, Lewis and Mulder), 2:01.8.Fifth place: Lewis, discus, 82.4; A.Bucher, triple jump, 28-6.Sixth place: C.Tilstra, high jump, 4-8; J.Bucher, triple jump, 28-4; Brittany Helgeson, 400, 1:07.9.

Golf teams club LH rebels

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne golf teams enjoyed a successful start to the 2004 season when they entertained Lincoln HI at the Luverne Country Club Tuesday.The Cardinal girls secured a 208-225 victory over the Rebels, while the Luverne boys toppled LH by a 168-175 tally."We had some first meet jitters," admitted Cardinal coach Chris Nowatzki. "Even some of our more experienced players were a little nervous. It’s nice to get that out of our systems, and things will get better."Colby Anderson showed no signs of being rusty while leading the Cardinal boys to a seven-shot win. Anderson shot a par-36 to capture medalist honors for the meet.Steve Berghorst and David Nelson carded 43s, while Jesson Vogt, Andy Haakenson and Kirk Oldre all shot 46s for the winners.Jeremy Beer led LH with a 42.Nikki Van Dyk and Jessica Klein led the Cardinal girls to a 17-shot victory over the Rebels by shooting 15-over-par 51s. They shared medalist honors with LH’s Stacy Lietz, who also turned in a 51.Alyssa Klein and Mindy Lysne turned in 52- and 54-stroke scores to the winning team tally.Brittany Boeve and Lindsey Severtson shot 56- and 58-stroke rounds without influencing the scoring.Both Luverne B squads posted wins over the Rebels, too. Greg Helle led the boys with a 49. Jessica Dorhout shot a 59 to lead the girls.Luverne hosts Westbrook-Walnut Grove Tuesday.

Boys win eight events during home meet

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys’ track team won eight meet championships during the annual Cardinal Quadrangular staged in Luverne Tuesday.LHS athletes won six individual titles and two relay events in what was their first outdoor meet of the 2004 campaign.Tim Rust and Justin Van Wyhe led the charge for the Cardinals by winning two individual titles each.Van Wyhe won the long and triple jumps with respective 19-4 1/4 and 40-10 1/4 distances. Rust took top honors in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.47 and 23.47 times.Jerome Willers and Jake Hendricks also won individual championships for LHS.Willers whipped the discus 130-7. Hendricks covered 400 meters in 53.8.Luverne also won the 400- and 800-meter relays with respective 46.44 and 1:38.63 times. Ben Cornish, Van Wyhe, Jordan Siebenahler and Rust ran the 400. Hendricks, Ruston Aaker, Siebenahler and Tyler Elbers combined efforts in the 800.LHS placed second in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays in 3:38.98 and 9:05.34. Hendricks, Aaker, Scott Goebel and Elbers teamed up in the 1,600. Travis Halfmann, Thomas Pinkal, Scott Goebel and Nick Otten formed the 3,200-meter team.Cornish, Otten, Aaker, Nick Van Wyhe and Rust finished second in individual competition.Cornish ran 100 meters in 11.75, Otten covered 800 meters in 2:13.94, Aaker was timed at 54.67 in the 400, Van Wyhe tossed the shot put 41-8 and Rust cleared 13-0 in the pole vault.The Cardinals will compete at a meet in Brandon, S.D., Saturday before hosting the Cardinal Relays Tuesday.Here is a look at the rest of Luverne’s top eight efforts during the Cardinal Quadrangular.Third place: Matt Rosin, discus, 112-11; Ben Uphoff, 300 hurdles, 48.35.Fourth place: Tony Willers, shot, 37-7; Pinkal, 3,200, 11:34; Cornish, pole vault, 10-0.Fifth place: Casey Swenson, discus, 107-3; Halfmann, 1,600, 5:34.32; Mike Nelson, pole vault, 10-0; Ryan Wynia, pole vault, 10-0.Sixth place: Uphoff, 110 hurdles, 20.5; Nelson, triple jump, 32-1 1/4; Siebenahler, 200, 25.76.Seventh place: Rosin, shot, 36-2 1/2; Eric Kraetsch, 3,200, 12"56.Eighth place: Chris Ashby, 100, 12.55; Ashby, 200, 26.42.

LHS netters stroll to 6-1 home victory Tuesday

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys’ track team won eight meet championships during the annual Cardinal Quadrangular staged in Luverne Tuesday.LHS athletes won six individual titles and two relay events in what was their first outdoor meet of the 2004 campaign.Tim Rust and Justin Van Wyhe led the charge for the Cardinals by winning two individual titles each.Van Wyhe won the long and triple jumps with respective 19-4 1/4 and 40-10 1/4 distances. Rust took top honors in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.47 and 23.47 times.Jerome Willers and Jake Hendricks also won individual championships for LHS.Willers whipped the discus 130-7. Hendricks covered 400 meters in 53.8.Luverne also won the 400- and 800-meter relays with respective 46.44 and 1:38.63 times. Ben Cornish, Van Wyhe, Jordan Siebenahler and Rust ran the 400. Hendricks, Ruston Aaker, Siebenahler and Tyler Elbers combined efforts in the 800.LHS placed second in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays in 3:38.98 and 9:05.34. Hendricks, Aaker, Scott Goebel and Elbers teamed up in the 1,600. Travis Halfmann, Thomas Pinkal, Scott Goebel and Nick Otten formed the 3,200-meter team.Cornish, Otten, Aaker, Nick Van Wyhe and Rust finished second in individual competition.Cornish ran 100 meters in 11.75, Otten covered 800 meters in 2:13.94, Aaker was timed at 54.67 in the 400, Van Wyhe tossed the shot put 41-8 and Rust cleared 13-0 in the pole vault.The Cardinals will compete at a meet in Brandon, S.D., Saturday before hosting the Cardinal Relays Tuesday.Here is a look at the rest of Luverne’s top eight efforts during the Cardinal Quadrangular.Third place: Matt Rosin, discus, 112-11; Ben Uphoff, 300 hurdles, 48.35.Fourth place: Tony Willers, shot, 37-7; Pinkal, 3,200, 11:34; Cornish, pole vault, 10-0.Fifth place: Casey Swenson, discus, 107-3; Halfmann, 1,600, 5:34.32; Mike Nelson, pole vault, 10-0; Ryan Wynia, pole vault, 10-0.Sixth place: Uphoff, 110 hurdles, 20.5; Nelson, triple jump, 32-1 1/4; Siebenahler, 200, 25.76.Seventh place: Rosin, shot, 36-2 1/2; Eric Kraetsch, 3,200, 12"56.Eighth place: Chris Ashby, 100, 12.55; Ashby, 200, 26.42.

Track girls shine in home debut

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne girls’ track team turned in a strong performance in front of its hometown fans Tuesday.The Cardinal girls won eight events and placed second eight times during the annual Cardinal Quadrangular.Near perfect weather conditions seemed to bring out the best in LHS, which surely would have claimed a team title if points were compiled at the event.Seven of Luverne’s eight championships came in individual competition.Marissa Stewart and Callen Bosshart emerged as double winners. Stewart won the shot put and discus titles with tosses of 32-10 1/2 and 105-1. Bosshart won the long jump with a distance of 14-11 1/2 and took top honors in the 100-meter dash in 13.44.Bosshart also ran with Luverne’s winning 800-meter relay team, which produced a time of 1:54.5. Amanda Dooyema, Nicole Willers and Jenni Christensen round out the team.Christensen, Victoria Arends and Lexi Heitkamp also won events for the Cardinals. Christensen won the 200-meter dash in 28.09, Heitkamp covered 1,600 meters in 5:54.38 and Arends cleared the 300-meter hurdles in 18.47.Maggie Kuhlman, Amanda and Kesley Dooyema, Tera Boomgaarden and Amanda Saum placed second in individual events for the Cards.Kuhlman cleared 4-8 in the high jump and ran a 52.99 in the 300 hurdles. Boomgaarden ran 800 meters in 2:3986, Amanda Dooyema produced a distance of 30-9 1/4 in the triple jump and ran 400 meters in 1:07.7, Kesley Dooyema turned in a time of 6:05.69 in the 1,600-meter run and Saum covered 3,200 meters in 13:03.83.Luverne’s 3,200-meter relay team of Boomgaarden, Saum, Kayla Raddle and Heitkamp placed second with a time of 10:41.53.Luverne runs in Brandon, S.D., Saturday before hosting the Cardinal Relays Tuesday.Here is a look at the rest of Luverne’s place performances during the Cardinal Quadrangular.Third place: Brittany Mulder, pole vault, 6-6; Kuhlman, 300 hurdles, 18.29; Heitkamp, high jump, 4-8; K.Dooyema, 800, 2:42.63; Cassie Pap, triple jump, 30-5 3/4; Raddle, 1,600, 6:06.59; Pap, long jump, 14-1 1/4; 400 relay (C.Bosshart, Pap, Mulder and Nicole Willers), 54.82; 1,600 relay (Christensen, Arends, A.Dooyema and Heitkamp), 4:25.03.Fourth place: Lexi Peterson, pole vault, 6-6; Arends, 100 hurdles, 18.47; Amanda Kannas, 3,200, 14:31.Fifth place: Jessica Willers, 100 hurdles, 18.69; N.Willers, 100, 12.65; Mulder,200, 29.46.Sixth place: Katie Schneiderman, pole vault, 6-0; Erin Hoiland, 100, 15.87; Kannas, 1,600, 6:23.4.Seventh place: Ashley Kraetsch, pole vault, 5-6; Hoiland, long jump, 13-5 3/4.Eighth place: Natalie Willers, discus, 70-10; J.Willers, 300 hurdles, 58.57; Morgan Bosshart, 400, 1:11.73.

Cardinals baseball team secures wins

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne baseball team started the season in style by posting a pair of wins since Friday.The Cardinals toppled Red Rock Central-Westbrook-Walnut Grove by two runs in Lamberton Friday before securing a two-run home victory over Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Tuesday.Luverne plays Buffalo in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis Friday before playing a game in Windom Tuesday.Luverne 7, T-M-B 5The Cardinals scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and never lost the lead during Tuesday’s home opener against the Panthers.Jared and Scott Pick drove in two runs each during the game and Jared Pick collected the pitching win in relief of starter Brad Herman.After Herman blanked T-M-B in the top of the first, the Cards scored three times in the bottom half of the frame.Zach Wysong reached base on an error and scored the first run on a passed ball. Jared Pick slapped a two-run triple that plated Rob Fodness and Adam Reisch, who walked and singled respectively to make it a 3-0 game.T-M-B scored twice in the top of the second to trail by one, but the Cards increased their lead to 6-2 with one run in the second inning and two in the fourth.Taylor Graphenteen reached based on an error and scored on Adam Kurtz’s fielder’s choice in the second. Wysong singled and Kurtz walked before scoring on Scott Pick’s two-run single in the fourth.The Panthers scored three runs in the final three innings of the game, while Luverne plated a sixth-inning run.Mark Remme singled and scored on a single by Fodness to account for Luverne’s final counter.Herman left the mound after surrendering a pair of unearned runs in the second inning, and Jared Pick tossed two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win. Wyatt Cote allowed one run in one inning after relieving Pick. Kurtz was touched for two runs in the final two frames.Box score AB R H BIRemme 4 1 2 0Wysong 2 2 1 0Kurtz 2 1 0 1Fodness 2 1 1 1Reisch 2 1 1 0S.Pick 1 0 1 2Siebenahler 1 0 1 0J.Pick 4 0 1 2Boen 3 0 1 0Herman 2 0 0 0Cote 0 0 0 0Graphenteen 3 1 0 0Luverne 7, RRC-W-WG 3The Cardinals opened the campaign by recording a four-run victory over the Falcons Friday in Lamberton.Fodness slapped three hits and drove in three runs at the plate to lead LHS offensively. Fodness also is one of five Luverne pitchers to toss at least one inning in the contest."This was the earliest date we played a game in a long time," said Cardinal coach Mike Wenninger. "We treated it like it was a scrimmage. We threw five different pitchers."Luverne took control of the contest by scoring five runs in the top of the second inning.A walk to Jared Pick followed by singles from Tim Boen and Herman loaded the bases. Fodness plated all three runners with a double before scoring on a single by Kurtz. Remme singled home Kurtz to cap the rally.RRC-W-WG plated single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to trim Luverne’s lead to two runs (5-3) before the Cards scored twice in the seventh to settle the issue.Fodness singled and scored the first run in the seventh after a passed ball. Kurtz singled and scored at the end of a double-steal.Pick blanked RRC-W-WG during a two-inning stint as the starting pitcher, and Kurtz tossed a scoreless third inning. Fodness and Wysong surrendered one run each during one-inning stints on the hill. J.T. Bruynes surrendered one run in two innings.Box score AB R H BIWysong 4 0 0 0Fodness 3 2 3 3Kurtz 3 2 2 1Remme 3 0 1 1Reisch 2 0 0 0Cote 1 0 0 0S.Pick 1 0 0 0Tofteland 1 0 0 0J.Pick 2 0 0 0Boen 3 1 2 0Richters 0 0 0 0Herman 1 1 1 0Siebenahler 1 0 0 0Graphenteen 3 1 0 0Bruynes 1 0 0 0

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