Rock County Sports

Hills Beaver Creek senior Bode Kruger shot his way to a 13th place tie in the 2025 Valley National 8-Ball League Association Junior Pool Championship in Rochester July 17-20. “I did better than I thought I might at the tournament playing older competitors,” he said Monday. The Valley National 8-Ball League Association is a non-profit organization established to promote the game of pool on coin-…

In 2025, young people will be able to hunt deer with an adult in a number of state parks during several application-only special youth deer hunts. These hunts offer more individualized experiences in unique places, These firearms hunts are for youth ages 12-15 at the time of the hunt and are accompanied by an adult. Hunters can apply for a limited number of permits through Friday, Aug. 15.…

By Greg Hoogeveen Local racing results for July 16-18 are listed. Drivers posted have ties to Rock County.   Rapid Speedway July 18 -  Rock Rapids, IA Sportsman’s #17 Brandon Boeve, Beaver Creek – placed ninth in the A Feature, finished first in Heat 1 #142 Eric Gaul, Luverne – DNF in the A Feature, finished second in Heat 2 Overall points leaders to date 8th – Brandon Boeve – 590…

The Luverne Redbirds are on a five-game winning streak after adding four more victories this week.  The local amateur baseball team defeated Hadley 6-0 at home July 8, Pipestone 4-0 July 9, Brandon 5-2 Friday, and Fox Lake 14-2 Sunday.  The Redbirds played as the Luverne Nutcrackers for one night only on Friday, July 10, as part of Luverne’s Nutcracker Fest. See that game story in the related…

The Luverne Redbirds donned Nutcrackers jerseys for an exhibition game against the Brandon Belugas in Luverne Friday, July 11, as part of the Nutcracker Fest weekend.  The game-day jersey featured Nutcracker text with a bat on the front and a Nutcracker face and baseball on the sleeve.  Players also wore game-day blue hats with red brims and nutcrackers on the front.  Before the game started,…

  Luverne Redbird Braydon Ripka (at right) experienced something very few baseball players have the opportunity to do during Sunday’s 14-2 victory over Fox Lake at Redbird Field.  After starting the game as catcher, Ripka played all nine positions in the same game. Due to the 10-run rule, the game was just 4 ½ innings long, making the feat even more unique.  Ripka played in his normal catcher…

The Luverne Senior Legion baseball team captured the Southwest Sub- Sub State title after beating Adrian 17-2 Friday, July 11, and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 9-1 Saturday, July 12, in Windom.  Luverne now advances to play in the eight team Southwest Sub-State tournament in Truman.  The team will open the two-weekend, double-elimination tournament vs. Wabasso at 2 p.m. today (July 17).  Luverne 17,…

The Luverne Junior Legion baseball team took its first step toward returning to the State Junior Legion baseball tournament by winning the sub sub-state tournament championship Sunday.  Luverne defeated Pipestone 12-2 in Adrian.  The local Junior Legion team, now 12-4 on the season, will open sub-state tournament play at Redbird Field Sunday, June 20, at 7 p.m. with the opponent to be…

Matt Reverts, Luverne, achieved his second career hole-in-one Saturday while competing in the second day of the annual Luverne Country Club Member Guest Tournament.  Reverts aced Hole 3 using a nine iron while golfing with his tournament partner, Dylan Skattum, along with Nathan Siebenahler, Lee Sells, Blake Stegenga and Andrew Quade.  His first hole-in-one was on the same hole at LCC.  “This…

Ninety-six golfers on 48 teams competed in the annual Luverne Country Club Member-Guest Tournament Friday and Saturday at the course east of Luverne.  Member Ryan Fick, Luverne, and his guest Adam Steffes claimed the overall victory.  They won by a half quota point over the runner-up team of member Tom Kopp, Luverne, and his guest, Matt Kopp of Rock Rapids.  Ben Nath won the overall low gross…

Athletes from 10 states participated in the first-ever Nutcracker Half-Marathon at the Luverne City Park Saturday, July 12. The results of the top finishers are below.  Women’s Half Marathon 1st – Jennifer Recker, Adrian - 1:45:49  2nd – Stephanie Hoven, Luverne - 1:48:41  3rd – Elena Canfield, Luverne - 1:52:47  Men’s Half Marathon 1st – Evan Myran, Luverne – 1:22:11  2nd – Tim Fryer,…

The Luverne Redbirds fell 4-1 to the Milroy Irish July 2 and beat the Jackson Bulls 9-3 July 6 in two road games. The Redbirds now sit at a 5-6 season record with four games slated for this week. Luverne was scheduled to host Hadley Tuesday, July 8, and play in Pipestone Wednesday, July 9. Friday, July 11, the Redbirds will don Nutcracker jerseys and host the Brandon Belugas in the Nutcracker…

Thirty-five athletes participated in the 9th Annual Davis Lake Triathlon July 4 at The Lake, aka The Creamery Pond in Luverne. Competition began at 8:30 a.m. with the Minnow Race. Athletes 14 years of age and under tackled a three-stage event starting with a one-third mile kayak followed by a two-mile bike ride and finished with a one-mile run. After the Minnows were done, the Sharks, ages 18…

The Luverne Senior Legion baseball team beat Windom 9-3 on the road Tuesday, July 1. Luverne had a game scheduled against Colton Monday, July 7, but that game was called after the first two batters due to weather in Luverne. In the game against Windom, Luverne made nine runs on eight hits and had six RBIs. Alex Schlosser had two RBIs, scored once on one hit, recorded one double and stole three…

Local racing results for July 4-5 are listed. Drivers posted have ties to Rock County.   Rapid Speedway July 4 -  Rock Rapids, IA USRA Hobby Stock #14K Bryant Klassen, Adrian – placed fourth in the A Feature, finished first in Heat 1 #10 Blake Schneekloth, Brandon – placed 12th in the A Feature, finished third in Heat 2 #24H Brock Harnack, Hills – DNF in the A Feature, finished fifth in…

    The Luverne Softball Association hosted the 2025 Bash-A-Rama tournament June 28-29 in Luverne. Thirty-two area teams participated in the two-day event at Joe Roberts and Riverside East diamonds. Four brackets of teams, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U played throughout the weekend in “Competitive and community-centered softball,” according to event organizer Michelle DeKam. Players also competed…