By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek assured itself of a winning record during its first year of volleyball competition as a member of the Red Rock Conference.

With a spectacular come-from-behind, 3-2 victory in Fulda Thursday, the Patriots improved their RRC record to 6-4 with one league match left to be played.

The victory, however, didn't come easily.

The Patriots found themselves in a 2-0 hole when the Raiders took the first two games of the match.

Instead of giving up, H-BC turned up the heat on the hosts and outscored them 45-25 while winning the final three games.

A change in the mental approach to the match proved to be the key to victory for H-BC.

"In the first two games we just didn't play very smart volleyball. In the last three games we started to read their defense and take what they were giving us. We played smarter volleyball in the last three games," said Patriot coach Nicole Fey.

The Raiders had their way with the Patriots while rolling to a 15-5 win in Game 1, but H-BC showed signs of regrouping while opening an 11-2 lead in Game 2.

Fulda, however, dominated play while putting together a 13-0 run that gave the hosts a 15-11 win and a 2-0 lead in games.

H-BC trailed early in the third game before rallying to knot the score at 11. At that point the Patriots went on a 4-1 run that clinched a 15-12 victory, which set the stage for a complete comeback.

The Patriots controlled play while securing a 15-8 victory in Game 4.

H-BC dominated the Raiders while opening a 10-0 lead in the fifth game, which ended with the Patriots winning 15-5 in the end.

Tonya Leenderts completed all 35 serves she attempted in the match and scored 26 points for the winners.

LaDonna Sandstede recorded 19 set assists for H-BC while Erin Boeve led the Patriots with 31 kills and 17 digs.

By John Rittenhouse
What has been an outstanding 2001 football season for the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth Patriots became even more impressive Friday in Westbrook.

Taking on the defending Minnesota State nine-man football champion Westbrook-Walnut Grove Chargers, H-BC-E put another big feather in its hat by recording a 7-6 win.

The victory assured the Patriots of at least a share of the Southwest Ridge Conference championship. A win during last nightÕs regular season finale against Lakeview in Hills would clinch the crown outright for the Patriots.

Even more important than the league implications, the win in Westbrook moved the Patriots closer to the No. 1 seed for the Section 1 Playoffs. If the Patriots beat Lakeview last night, the No. 1 seed, and the first-round bye that goes along with it, would be theirs.

"It was a huge win for us," said Patriot coach Dan Ellingson, the mentor of a team that moved up into the fifth position on the latest Minnesota State Nine-Man football poll.

"It assured us of at least a share of the conference championship, and it was even more important for us in the terms of section seedings. We could get the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and not have to play until the section semifinals Oct. 27."

There was nothing easy about beating the defending state champion Chargers on their home field Friday.

The teams battled to a scoreless draw in the first half before H-BC-E drew first blood by scoring seven points in the third quarter. W-WG found the end zone late in the fourth quarter, but a failed two-point conversion attempt clinched the win for the Patriots.

Although the first half was scoreless, Ellingson said the momentum favored the Patriots after a sequence of possessions in the second quarter.

W-WG was making a bid to open the scoring when it advanced the ball inside the H-BC-E 10-yard line. On fourth-and-goal from the three, the Chargers tried a play-action pass with the W-WG quarterback passing to a running back in the flat. Just as the ball touched the intended receiver's hands, Patriot linebacker Jesse Leuthold delivered a hit that jarred the ball loose and the pass fell incomplete.

Pinned deep in their own territory, the Patriot offense came up with an important series that featured it moving the ball from its own three to the W-WG 35. The drive ended with the Chargers intercepting a pass on their own 11, but that didn't seem to bother Ellingson.

"Those two series were big turning points in the game," Ellingson said. "First we stop them with a goal-line stand, then weÕre able to march the ball downfield instead of giving them good field position. They were in control of the game at that point. Then we were able to establish control of the game."

The first of three important interceptions produced by the Patriot defense helped the H-BC-E offense break the scoreless deadlock in the third quarter.

Chris Reid intercepted the pass on the W-WG 40, which set up a scoring drive capped by a one-yard touchdown plunge by Lyle DeBoer. Tyler Bush booted the important extra point to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead.

The score remained 7-0 until there were less than five minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. W-WG broke through with a two-yard touchdown run with 4:30 left to play, but a pass for a two-point conversion was picked off by Patriot Brad Haak, preserving H-BC-E's 7-6 edge.

H-BC-E had to punt to W-WG as the fourth quarter progressed, and the Chargers picked up a first down by completing a third-and-12 pass. W-WGÕs final opportunity to pull in front ended moments later, when Patriot lineman Kyle Braun deflected a pass that was intercepted by DeBoer with 1:00 left to play. The Patriot offense ran the remaining time off the clock.

"Our defense really played well," Ellingson said. "All three of the interceptions we came up with were big ones."

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 170 rushing yards, zero passing yards, 170 total yards, 11 first downs, three penalties for 17 yards, two turnovers.

W-WG: 111 rushing yards, 166 passing yards, 277 total yards, 14 first downs, four penalties for 25 yards, three turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 19-71, DeBoer 17-87, Kevin Van Batavia 1-6, Chris Tiesler 2-5, David Top 2-1.

Passing: Top 0-3 for zero yards.

Defense: Curt Schilling 12 tackles, Leuthold 10 tackles, DeBoer six tackles, one sack, one interception, two knocked down passes, Reid six tackles and one interception, Brant Deutsch six tackles, Haak five tackles and one interception.

By Jolene Farley
Tuff Memorial Home, Hills, began offering outpatient therapy treatment in May, and the program has been successful, according to physical therapist Brynn Ladd.

"It (business) has gradually increased," said Ladd, who works part-time at the Tuff Home and part-time at Luverne Community Hospital. "I think it has gone well."

The Tuff Home provides a variety of services, to patients both in-house and outpatient. One other physical therapist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist assistant work in Hills.

"We do all kinds of orthopedic, shoulders, knees and backs," Ladd said. "Mostly strengthening exercises."

Physical therapy utilizes mechanical devices, heat, cold, light, water, electricity, ultrasound, therapeutic exercises and rehabilitative procedures to help patients reach their optimum health.

Physical therapy services include manual therapy techniques, home exercise programs, gait analysis and training, sports injury management, orthotic and prosthetic training, stroke rehabilitation, wound and burn care treatment, education and training of patients and families and aquatic therapy.

Occupational therapy improves the ability of people whose lives have been disrupted by physical illness or injury, developmental problems or the aging process to perform the activities of daily living.

Ladd worked in many different settings as a physical therapist. "Every place has good things," she said. "You just have to look for them."

Ladd has lived and worked in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Congo, Africa, California and now lives near Rock Rapids, Iowa, and works in Luverne and Hills.

Ladd practiced in an acute care hospital in Pennsylvania, in a city and county hospital in Denver and did home care in California.

"ThatÕs what I like about physical therapy," she said. "You can work in a variety of settings."

Ladd graduated in 1981 from the University of Pennsylvania with a post baccalaureate degree in physical therapy. You have to have a master's degree to be licensed as a physical therapist now, according to Ladd.

"The reason I went into physical therapy is I really enjoyed working with people," said Ladd. "In general, most of the people you see, they're improving."

Ladd and her husband, Bob, have three children, Allie, 12, Jenny, 9, and Christopher, 7.

Beaver Creek firefighter Ron Rauk helps Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary kindergarten student Jeffrey Nelson try on a firefighter's protective coat. Firefighters Ron Rauk and Jason Rauk surprised the Hills-Beaver Creek kindergarten class Thursday afternoon with a fire safety talk and a ride on the fire truck. Jason visited the class dressed in full fire gear hoping to reduce the kids' fear of the way firefighters look on the scene of a fire. Students were allowed to try on the gear and were told the purpose of each piece of equipment. Students spent the morning studying fire safety rules and talking about what to do in different emergency situations.

Photos by Jolene Farley

Fire Chief Allan Top tests the grill to make sure it is the right temperature for the best pancakes.

Diane Greenfield, 60, Hills, died unexpectedly Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. The Rev. Lowell Berg officiated. Burial was in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery of rural Fulda.

Dianne Martha Bultman was born to Fred and Esther (Beckman) Bultman on July 21, 1941, in Worthington. She was raised on the family farm southwest of Fulda and attended country school. She graduated from Fulda High School in 1959. After graduation she worked at Citizens State Bank in Fulda.

She married Dean Greenfield on Oct. 15, 1961, in Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Fulda. Following their marriage they moved to Hills where she worked for the Exchange State Bank in Hills.

Mrs. Greenfield was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills where she participated in Ruth Circle, Altar Guild, the special events committee and the funeral committee. She also volunteered at Tuff Home with their Meals on Wheels program. She was very involved in the Hills community especially with activities which involved her children. She was a 4-H leader for many years. She was a member of the Sundem Oil bowling team that bowled on Fridays in Luverne. She and her husband enjoyed participating in various card clubs and spending time with friends. In her spare time she enjoyed walking, golfing and working in her garden.

Survivors include her husband, Dean Greenfield, Hills; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Scott and Karen Greenfield, Lamberton, and Troy Greenfield, Slayton; one daughter and son-in-law, Leah and Kent Teveldal, Lamberton; four grandchildren, Kelsey, Paige and Aric Greenfield, and Courtney Teveldal; two brothers, Douglas (Loni) Bultman, Redwood Falls, and Roger (Lois) Bultman, Jackson; one sister, Julie (Alan) Schafer, Rochester; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Greenfield was preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother.

Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

Darrell G. Boyer, 67, Crestline, Calif, formerly of the Luverne and Kenneth areas, died Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001, at Loma Linda, Calif., hospital as a result of injuries he sustained in a fall in his home on Friday, Oct. 12.

Memorial services were Friday, Oct. 19, at the St. Moritz Lodge in Crestline.

Darrell Boyer was born on Oct. 3, 1934, in Worthington. He attended elementary school in Kenneth and graduated from Luverne High School in 1952. He graduated from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, in 1956 with a bachelorÕs degree in civil engineering.

He moved to California soon after graduation and practiced his profession as a civil engineer in Los Angeles, Calif., and Orange County, Calif. He moved to Crestline in 1978 and established Boyer and Associates.

Survivors include his wife, Gail Boyer, Crestline; his children, Todd Boyer (Ariann), Lisa Boyer, Mark Boyer (Beatriz), Shelly Cole (Kerry), Gabriella Gaspard, Jacques Gaspard; six grandchildren; and his twin brother and his wife, Delbert and Mary Jane Boyer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society.

By John Rittenhouse
The Ellsworth volleyball team completed one of its most successful stretches of the season Tuesday with a three-game home sweep of Faith Christian.

The Panthers lost a four-game home match to Lakeview Thursday before going 2-1 and placing second at the Harris-Lake Park Tournament in Lake Park, Iowa, Saturday.

Ellsworth ends the regular season with a 5-21-1 record.

The Panthers drew the eighth seed for the Sub-Section 10 (of Section 3A) Volleyball Tournament. They will host No. 9 Faith Christian to open the tournament Monday. The winner takes on No. 1 Southwest Christian in Luverne Oct. 26.

Ellsworth 3, FC 0
The Panthers prepared for the post-season by strolling to a three-game sweep over the Falcons in Ellsworth Tuesday.

Taking on the team it will face in the first round of the sub-section tournament, EHS made a statement by posting a pair of 15-2 wins in the first two games of the match before settling for a 15-6 victory in the finale.

"We got our serves across the net, and we passed and hit well. It was a pretty good night all the way around for our girls," said Panther coach Jason Langland.

Jamie Leuthold led the Panthers at the net by recording 10 kills and four ace blocks. Laurel Drenth added five kills.

Laci DeLeeuw charted four ace sets for the winners.

H-LP tourney
The Panthers posted their first win since Sept. 18 during Saturday's Tournament in Lake Park, Iowa.

The Harris-Lake Park tournament, a four-team, round-robin event, provided some momentum for an EHS team that needed a lift as post-season play approaches.

Ellsworth won two of the three matches it played while placing second in the team standings.

"I thought we played pretty good volleyball," said Panther coach Langland. "I think the girls are starting to play more aggressive volleyball."

The Panthers got off to a good start by beating eventual tournament champion Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster in the opening round. The Raiders took Game 1 by a 15-10 margin, but the Panthers pulled out 15-13 and 16-14 wins in Games 2 and 3.

H-LP then knocked EHS out of title contention by sweeping a three-game match from the Panthers in the second round. Game scores favored the hosts by 15-6, 15-10 and 15-8 counts.

The Panthers bounced back to sweep a three-game match from Faith Christian by 15-5, 15-3 and 15-11 tallies.

Jenna Groen paced the Panthers with 29 kills for the tournament. Laurel Drenth added 11 kills.

Bev Wurpts recorded nine ace sets, and Jamie Leuthold served seven aces.

Lakeview 3,
Ellsworth 1
The Panthers lost a golden opportunity to post their first win since Sept. 18 when they hosted the Lakers for a Camden Conference match Thursday.

In a contest between two evenly-matched teams, EHS was in a position to win all four games of the match. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they produced only one game victory while scoring 55 points in four games.

Trailing 3-2 in Game 1, Ellsworth went on a 10-1 run consisting of two ace serves by Bev Wurpts, two ace serves and another point by Jenna Groen, three points from Lisa Boltjes and one kill and one point from Jamie Leuthold to open a 12-4 advantage.

Lakeview, however, put together a 12-2 run the rest of the way to steal a 16-14 win.

Ellsworth, which led 5-1 early in the second game, watched the Lakers move in front 9-7 before battling back to tie the match at one win each.

An 8-2 surge featuring four kills by Groen, two points by Leuthold, one ace serve by Wurpts and a kill from Laurel Drenth gave the Panthers a 15-11 win.

The Panthers opened a 5-2 lead early in the third game when Lakeview countered with a 9-0 run that gave the visitors an 11-5 advantage.

With Groen serving a point and recording a kill, Leuthold producing two ace tips and serving an ace, and Laci DeLeeuw adding a service point, Ellsworth tied the game at 11.

An ace serve by Devon DeBerg and a kill by Groen tied the game at 13 moments later, but the Lakers scored the final two points to prevail 15-13.

Game 4 was tied at four when the Lakers went on a 9-4 run that gave them a 13-8 cushion.

Groen served a five-point run that featured an ace tip by Drenth to knot the score at 13, but the Lakers bounced back to score the next two points and record another 15-13 win in the finale.

By Lori Ehde
With Middle School Dave Deragisch's resignation on the agenda, the Luverne School Board met Thursday, Oct. 11, in a room packed with concerned teachers and parents.

They attended to voice concern over the direction of the middle school since current principal Dave Deragisch recently signed a contract with Hills-Beaver Creek for the superintendent position there.

"We're wondering where the position of middle school principal will be going. We're concerned about Dave Deragisch leaving. Are we going to be left without a middle school?" asked teacher Gordy Hansen, speaking on behalf of teachers and staff.

"We would like to be proactive and have our input. I guess I don't want to lose a principal, and I would like to see a counselor come back."

Hanson urged School Board members to visit the school and observe the role of middle school principal.

"I think you would see how important it is to have a principal and that some of the kids could benefit from a counselor."

Local parent Vicki Baartman read a prepared statement signed by a long list of community members.

"It (middle school) is an effective way of meeting the needs of students who are in those in-between years - not little kids but not mature and independent enough yet for high school," Baartman said.

"Some of you may feel our concern is premature; however, from previous budget discussions, we know there have been thoughts of administrative cuts.

"Now that Mr. Deragisch has accepted another position, we felt it necessary to state for the record ... we do not want the position rolled into an existing administrator's responsibilities."

School Board and administration respond
Board member Bill Stegemann said he was trying to remember when the board ever seriously discussed eliminating the middle school principal's position.

He noticed discussion in the May 10 board minutes about possible administrative cuts in light of trimming $400,000 from the budget.

He said beyond that, the idea was abandoned. "It states pretty clearly that administration is not going to be tinkered with," Stegemann said.

Board member Cary Radisewitz said much of the fear of cutting the middle school position could be attributed to miscommunication.

"We brainstormed about administrative positions, and when we couldn't make the cuts, that message didn't get to the public," Radisewitz said.

Superintendent Vince Schaefer expressed frustration over reactions he said weren't warranted in the first place.

"[The middle school cut] was one of 12 ideas. I don't think it was ever given consideration," he said. "Dave gets an opportunity and suddenly I'm reading that we're swamping the middle school position."

He reminded the meeting visitors that School Board members have the district's best interest at heart.

"Which one of these board members doesn't have kids and doesn't want the best thing for kids?" he said.

Deragisch implied the message he'd been given was different.

"I've been in contact with you all summer long, and I was told, 'Dave, you're going to have a job, but it's going to be different,Õ " Deragisch said to Schaefer at the meeting.

"I'm not willing to take on any more responsibilities when I have this job (at Hills-Beaver Creek) in my backyard."

To that, Schaefer crossed the room to address Deragisch.

"Mr. Deragisch, we've had many conversations, and I've been open and honest," Schaefer said. "I can't guarantee anyone on this staff their job will be exactly the same."

Deragisch will start his new duties with H-BC in January. Luverne School Board members accepted his resignation at Thursday's meeting.

"It's like we're reading an obituary," said board chairman Don Bryan. "I hope we'll still see you around here. Thanks for your wonderful service to the district."

Superintendent Schaefer wished him well. "It's been a true pleasure working with you," he told Deragisch. "We wish you all the best as you head up the Patriots.