“God’s Work, Our Hands” is a tagline for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) when its congregations have a day of service, both within the congregation and out in the community.
Different places do different sorts of activities. Common examples are making fleece blankets, doing painting or cleaning projects in the church or community, helping a food or clothing pantry get organized, baking cookies to give away, cleaning up a local park, doing a car wash, or making greeting cards for people who are unable to get out of their homes, are in nursing homes, or are hospitalized. Each congregation comes up with ideas that work for their situation and context.
But the concept of God’s Work, Our Hands is not something that you have to be a member of an ELCA congregation, such as Grace Lutheran, to participate in, and it doesn’t have to happen on only one specific date!
If you think about it, we all do God’s work, as we act as God’s hands (and feet) when we do good in the world. Some participate through volunteer work, such as being a Bookin’ Buddy reading with second-graders at the school or putting in hours at the food shelf. Others build, craft or create things or write letters to those who are lonely or to deployed service members. Sometimes someone may do something like sell lemonade and use the money to go toward a cause they are passionate about, such as for wells that provide clean drinking water in Africa.
In the Old Testament, the prophets were God’s messengers (God’s hands and mouth), telling the king and people what God told them to say, often warning them to change their ways, but they also spoke words of comfort and encouragement from God.
In the New Testament, Jesus was doing God’s work with his hands, feet, ministry and life. After his death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus’ followers continued to do the work that Jesus did, regardless of the circumstances in which they found themselves – in prison, beaten, kicked out of synagogues, disowned by family and friends, etc. They cared for the poor and made sure the widows and orphans had food, spreading the Good News of the gospel wherever they went.
Today we don’t usually suffer the same tribulations as the first Christians, but we still do have the opportunity to share the Good News wherever we go, doing things to help our neighbors, honor God, and serve, being the presence of God in our families, neighborhoods, schools, communities and churches as we live our lives doing God’s work with our hands in the world.

St. Catherine Catholic Church
203 E. Brown St., Luverne
St. Catherine Ph. 283-8502; www.stscl.org
Monsignor Gerald Kosse, Pastor
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Mass. Public Mass will be celebrated at FULL capacity in the church. Masses: 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Friday at the nursing homes – check the bulletin. All Sunday masses will be live streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/stccluverne/videos/. Visit www.stscl.org for more information.
 
Luverne Christian Reformed Church
605 N. Estey St., Luverne
Office Ph. 283-8482; Prayer Line Ph. 449-5982
www.luvernecrc.com — office@luvernecrc.com
Sundays 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Evening worship service. We are streaming Sunday services live on YouTube at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Send him a friend request if you’re not connected. You may also visit our website for delayed broadcasts. Also our services are on local cable TV at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. In all circumstances, may we joyfully declare: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8.
 
First Baptist Church
103 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 975, Luverne
Ph. 283-4091; email: fbcluv@iw.net — www.fbcluverne.org
Walt Moser, Pastor
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. In-person worship service. Service is also on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m.
 
Grace Lutheran Church
500 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4431; www.graceluverne.org — graceluverne@iw.net
Ann Zastrow, Pastor
Dave Christenson, Interim Pastor
Thursday, Sept. 15: 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. 4 p.m. Executive Ministry meeting. Sunday, Sept. 18: 9 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion, Baptism and Milestone. 10 a.m. Sunday School. 10 a.m. Reception for Pastor Ann. 10:15 a.m. Tenth Grade Confirmation class. 11:30 a.m. Baptism. 1-3 p.m. God’s Work Our Hands activities. Monday, Sept. 19: Grace Notes deadline. Tuesday, Sept. 20: 9 a.m. Staff meeting. Wednesday, Sept. 21: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible Study. 8:15 a.m. Caring Visitors meeting. 6:15-7:25 p.m. 6th Grade Confirmation class. 7:30-8:40 p.m. 7th Grade Confirmation class. Online, TV and Radio Worship options are available. Online worship: Sundays 9 a.m. at www.graceluverne.org, click Worship tab; or Facebook page at Grace Lutheran ELCA, Luverne. TV: Vast Channel 3 Mondays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Radio: KQAD-AM Radio Sundays at 8:15 a.m.
 
Bethany Lutheran Church
720 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4571 or 605-215-9834
Andrew Palmquist, Pastor
Sundays, 10:15 a.m. Worship service; worship online as well (at els.org). Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Bible study. See our Facebook page, Bethany Lutheran Church (Luverne) for other classes and events.
 
American Reformed Church
304 N. Fairview Dr., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-8600; email: office@arcluverne.org
Friday, Sept. 16: 6:30 a.m. Community Men’s Bible study. Sunday, Sept. 18: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. 10:50 a.m. Sunday School. Tuesday, Sept. 20: 12 p.m. Staff Meeting. Wednesday, Sept. 21: 5:30 p.m. Midweek Meal. 6:30 p.m. Pioneer Clubs and youth groups. Thursday, Sept. 22: 9 a.m. Cookie Crew. Services are also broadcast on Vast Channel 3 on Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. DVD’s available upon request. To stay up to date on announcements, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @arcluverne.
 
Rock River Community Church
1075 110th Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-9070; email: info@rockrivercommunity.church
Bob Junak, Pastor
Come as you are—Sundays @ 10 a.m.: Main Service. Kids church age 3-6th grade—Nursery. Wednesdays @ 6:30 p.m. Midweek Service—Kids age 3-6th grade.
 
 
 
 
United Methodist Church
109 N. Freeman Ave., Luverne
Ph. 283-4529
Saturday, Sept. 17: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bridal shower. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, Sept. 18: 9 a.m. Adult Sunday school; coffee hour. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible Study. Monday, Sept. 19: Messenger deadline. Tuesday, Sept. 20: 10 a.m. Shut-in visits. 6:30 p.m. PPR meeting. Wednesday, Sept. 21: 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Thursday, Sept. 22: PD in the Cities. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net
Sunday, Sept. 18: 9:30 a.m. Worship service. In-person Worship service and live on Facebook. Our Facebook page can be found under First Presbyterian Church of Luverne. We are also on the local Luverne cable station at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. on Thursdays.
 
St. John Lutheran Church
803 N. Cedar St., Luverne
Ph. 283-2316; email: stjohn@iw.net
www.stjohnlutheranluverne.org
Saturday, Sept. 17: 5:30 p.m. Worship Service. Sunday, Sept. 18: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School; Adult Bible Study. Wednesday, Sept. 21: 9:30 a.m. Bible Study. 6:30 p.m. Catechesis; Kids for Christ. 7:30 p.m. Youth Group. Services will be available on the Vast Channel 3 Sunday and online at the city website, cityofluverne.org.
 
Living Rock Church
500 E. Main St., Luverne
Ph. 449-0057; www.livingrockswmn.org
Josh Hayden, Pastor
 
New Life Celebration Church
101 W. Maple, Luverne
Ph. (605) 368-1924; email: newlifecelebration@gmail.com
Food mission every third Thursday.
 
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
305 E. 2nd St., P.O. Box 36, Hardwick
Ph. (507) 669-2855; zionoffice@alliancecom.net
Jesse Baker, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 18: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Bible study. Worship service on Luverne cable at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday.
 
Ben Clare United Methodist Church
26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs, S.D.
igtwlb@WOW.net
Bill Bates, Pastor
 
First Lutheran Church
300 Maple St., Valley Springs, S.D.
Ph. (605) 757-6662 – firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 18: 10 a.m. JOINT worship at Palisade Lutheran followed by a celebration of Doreen Rollag’s 70 years as pianist and organist at Palisade Lutheran. A meal will follow worship. NO Sunday school. We Are ONLINE!                   Facebook: @FirstLutheranValley Springs; YouTube: FirstPalisadeLutheranParish            .      
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — palisadechurch@alliancecom.net
www.palisadelutheran.org
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Thursday, Sept. 15: 7 p.m. Palisade council meeting. Sunday, Sept.18: 10 a.m. JOINT worship at Palisade Lutheran followed by a celebration of Doreen Rollag’s 70 years as pianist and organist at Palisade Lutheran. A meal will follow worship. NO Sunday school. We Are ONLINE! Facebook:  @PalisadeLC; YouTube: FirstPalisadeLutheranParish
 
First Presbyterian Church
201 S. 3rd St., P.O Box 73, Beaver Creek
Ph. 507-935-5025
email: lori.firstpres@gmail.com
Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. Session meeting.
 
Magnolia United Methodist Church
501 E. Luverne St., Magnolia
Ph. 605-215-3429
email: magnoliamnumc@gmail.com
Nancy Manning, Pastor
Sunday, 9 a.m., in-person with livestream available on the church’s Facebook site.
 
Steen Reformed Church
112 W. Church Ave., Steen
Ph. 855-2336
Jeremy Wiersema, Pastor
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Worship service in-person with livestream available on Facebook and YouTube. Radio worship on KQAD Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
 
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
112 N. Main St., Hills
Ph. 962-3270 / bethlehemofhills@gmail.com
Nita Parker, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 18: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Chapel. 9 a.m. Sunday school. 10 a.m. Worship Service. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor

Forty-five seniors from Luverne High School met Tuesday morning at Evergreen Park to watch the sunrise on the first day of the 2022-23 school year. Called “Senior Sunrise,” the event hosted by the senior student council representatives promoted a sense of fellowship among the Class of 2023 on the last first day of school.
 
LHS seniors wait for the 6:54 a.m. sunrise. They began gathering at 6:30 a.m. and enjoyed donuts purchased by the student council as they waited for the sunrise. Shortly after sunrise, the students drove their cars and trucks to the middle-high school for classes that began at 8 a.m.

Luverne will host the second annual “Out of the Darkness” suicide prevention walk on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Luverne City Park.
It will be the second walk in the community following last year’s event on the LHS track and field where 300 walkers participated and raised $15,000.
“We connected people with much-needed programs this year and we couldn’t have done it without this generosity,” said Angela Nolz, event chair of Saturday’s walk.
“We had such an amazing outpouring of support for our walk last year. The Luverne community has been known to lend a hand in hardship and prides itself in the health and sustainability of the community.”
Nolz is an integrated health therapist at Sanford Luverne and is also on the Luv1LuvAll Brain Health Committee, which has been working to destigmatize mental illness.
“Our goal is to ensure the mental health of this community is considered,” she said.
“And we want to provide support to those who suffer with mental health concerns or suicidal thoughts to know they are not alone and help is available.”
She said the Out of the Darkness event also reaches out to those who lost loved ones to suicide.
“We want them to know that we support them in their grief,” Nolz said.
 
Don’t struggle alone
At the 2021 ‘Out of the Darkness Walk’ Luverne’s Zachary Wermager spoke about his 15-year-old brother’s suicide in 2011 and about his own experience with mental health.
“That was pretty tough,” he said. “I was on the fence about doing it, because I wasn’t sure how it would be viewed by people who know me. It was tough.”
Ultimately, Wermager decided helping others was too important.
“With how much I struggled to reach out … I kept it to myself for years, especially as a guy. … You know, ‘Man up.’ If someone else was struggling, I figured it might help someone to hear my story,” he said.
“I thought it might help them push through their own insecurities and shame.”
As difficult as it was, Wermager said the experience of publicly telling his story was good for him and many who heard him.
“The point is, anyone who is struggling alone, reach out and talk to anybody. It doesn’t have to be a therapist,” he said. “Just start talking about it so you can move forward.”
 
Part of a national effort
Luverne’s walk joins others occurring nationwide through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which now counts suicide as the 12th leading cause of death in the United States.
“It is the hope that future heartache can be prevented by increasing community education about suicide prevention, focusing on community mental wellness, and ensuring that all community members are aware of services that are accessible if someone is struggling with their mental health,” Nolz said.
Money raised during the annual walks funds research to better understand and establish best practices for suicide prevention.
Representatives from AFSP and several local mental health professionals will have booths set up at the walk that morning to share information about how to support someone who might be struggling.
“The goal is to be open about the struggles we can all face, bringing us out of the darkness,” Nolz said.
Over 80 percent of funds raised goes directly toward community education and research, making it a top-rated non-profit organization.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and the walk will be from 9 to 11 a.m.
A light breakfast will be provided Saturday at the park (pre-registration requested at afsp.org/luverne). Nolz can be reached for questions at angelanolz23@gmail.com.

A vocational education class returned to Luverne High School Tuesday with “Today and Tomorrow’s Tradesmen” (TnT Tradesmen for short).
The trades class, which now has nine students, hasn’t been offered in Luverne for over 40 years.
LHS woodshop teacher Darrel VanAartsen teaches the class and told the Luverne School Board about it at their Aug. 25 meeting.
“My goal for that class is to be able to encompass as many types of trades and occupations that will be involved in building a house or any other type of project,” he said.
Board members previously authorized the purchase of a construction trailer to house tools and equipment needed at job sites.
The start-up costs of the program are paid through federal ESSR (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds.
“I am very excited about this program,” said board member Katie Baustian. “These nine kids are going to have a great experience. … They want non-traditional education; they don’t want to sit in a classroom.”
In the future, Van Aartsen wondered if students from nearby districts could also participate in the class, similar to the vocational-technical classes in Luverne that were discontinued in the late 1980s.
The current construction trades class partners with the city of Luverne through building inspector Chad McClure.
He said a series of fortunate events helped the process along.
First, a South Highway 75 house came available when its occupant, Real Estate Retrievers, moved to a larger building.
The house would be moved to make way for new development on the lot. “The house is in good shape,” McClure said. “All the plumbing is still in the walls. It was not gutted into the office space.”
Through the city’s blight removal program, a house was removed on East Dodge Street and the 68-by-135-foot lot was cleared for new residential development.
That lot size wasn’t ideal for modern new home construction, but it was large enough for the story-and-a-half Real Estate Retrievers’ house and a new detached garage.
“At the end of the day, we’ll have a house being put into the market place,” McClure said.
“The city would own the house that will have a new basement with an egress window added. It will be a three- to four-bedroom house with two bathrooms and a nice double garage.”
VanAartsen said the TnT Tradesmen students will plan the layout of the house and the garage and participate in the house’s move to the new location.
They’ll also help with construction of the new garage and basement excavation, foundation build.
“It can be a win-win for us all the way around — not just the city, not just for the school but a lot of trades in the community,” VanAartsen said.
 “I am hoping we can have one or two of them (students) out of this class who want to stay in that market, at least, and hopefully in Luverne itself.”
Proceeds from the sale of the home will support another construction project — another home remodel or new construction — for the 2023-24 school year.

Parishioners in Bethlehem Lutheran Church will celebrate their 150th anniversary from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. through early afternoon Sunday.
To celebrate 2,997 people who were baptized in the church since 1872, exactly 2,997 paper doves are suspended from the sanctuary ceiling.
They are a seven-month endeavor of Bethlehem Church member Deb Warner, who got the idea from her childhood church’s 125th anniversary in Lake Preston, South Dakota, where 1,200 doves were hung from the ceiling.
“It was so awe-inspiring,” she said. “You walk in and it just hits you.”
Written on each dove is a parishioner’s name and the year he or she was baptized at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The doves are hung in order with the earliest baptized hanging closest to the altar.
Warner handled each dove 11 times as she cut, wrote, punched holes, tied finishing lines, organized and finally hung each in place with a paper clip.
“As I’m doing it, I would think, ‘This is really a person, in a real period of time,’” she said. “They used to be teenagers, they courted their wives … and it humbled me — real people went before me.”
Some names, however, weren’t easily deciphered from handwritten records.
Time faded writing on some pages, and the cursive penmanship on others caused the retired elementary teacher to pause and seek other resources to decipher the name.
She used Google or looked at headstones in the church cemetery and asked other parishioners.
“I had to decode a lot of them — is that an ‘i’ or an ‘l’ — some were so fancy that I couldn’t figure out the names,” she said.
As she came to her own family (her husband, Randy, and their children were baptized in Hills) her endeavor became less frustrating.
“It was really fun in the later years because I recognized the people,” Warner said.
For 150 straight years, people were baptized at Bethlehem, most of them in 1894 (58) and the least (one) in 2015. Two more are scheduled for this year.
“We’ve never skunked,” Warner said.
The display will remain for the month of September and then parishioners will be able to keep their doves as a reminder of the 150th anniversary.
 
Church’s roots
go back to 1872
A series of merged congregations created today’s Bethlehem Lutheran Church.
Its roots started with the organization of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Rock River congregation on July 10, 1872, according to the 125th anniversary story in the July 7, 1997, Hills Crescent.
“Services were held under the roofs of sod houses and later in school buildings until the church was built,” the article indicated.
The church changed its name to Immanuel Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran in 1881 and in 1884 started to build a church in the same site where Bethlehem Lutheran is located today.
The Immanuel Norwegian Evangelical church was nearly complete when the structure was destroyed by a wind storm, delaying the opening of the church until 1887.
Rock Congregation was organized on Oct. 20, 1872, merging with the Bethania congregation in 1878.
The Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized in 1919 through the merging of Immanuel and Rock congregations.
In 1969 Trinity Lutheran congregation was folded in with Bethlehem Lutheran. Trinity Church’s altar, pews, organ and stained-glass windows were used to construct the Trinity Chapel in the current church.
Today membership is at 191.
Current Pastor Nita Parker recognizes the church’s roots through a quilt depicting a blessing tree.
“Like the branches on a tree, we all grow into different directions, yet we are all connected to the same tree, and our roots are fed by the same Creator,” Parker said.
Parishioners are encouraged to attach a leaf to the Blessing Tree as the church celebrates its 150th anniversary.
“None of us are perfect, and as we are united with our baptism and forgiven in Holy Communion, we are blessed to be a blessing to each other.”
 
Celebration starts Saturday with picnic
Bethlehem Lutheran Church begins its 150th anniversary celebration at 3 p.m. Saturday when music, inflatables, games, crafts and Mr. Twister will be available until 6 p.m.
The freewill donation meal begins at 5 p.m., serving through 7 p.m.
The Sunday celebration starts with the 10 a.m. service by Pastor Maggie Berndt-Dreyer, a previous Bethlehem Lutheran pastor, followed by a potluck dinner in the basement and the sharing of stories.

The first football game of the season was a nailbiter for Hills-Beaver Creek players and fans on Sept. 1 when the Patriots pulled off a 28-26 overtime victory in Granada.
After a game delay due to short-staffed referees, the teams were chomping at the bit to start.
The Patriots had worked hard in the off-season and in long practices leading up to their first contest with the Granada-Huntley-East Chain-Truman Jaguars.
But as the 7 p.m. kickoff time approached, they had to wait until a few of the assigned referees finished officiating a volleyball match of the host Jaguars.
As it turns out, it was worth the wait after the Patriots clawed their way back from a 20-0 half-time deficit and found their way to
a 28-26 overtime victory.
After exchanging punts in the first quarter, the Jaguars struck first with an 11-yard pass for a touchdown. The conversion pass was good, and the score stood at 8-0 Jaguars.
After the ensuing kickoff, the Patriots drove to the Jaguar 13-yard line. That drive made it to the red zone and was highlighted by a few outstanding plays: An 8-yard run by sophomore quarterback Sawyer Bosch, a 22-yard pass and catch from Bosch to junior end Riley Tatge, and a 14-yard run by senior Brock Harnack.
However, on a fourth-and-3, Bosch was held to a 2-yard gain, turning over the ball on downs at the Jaguar 11-yard line. The very next play, a first-and-10 for the Jaguars, the quarterback and receiver hooked up on an 89-yard pass play and scored with 3:53 left in the first quarter, extending the Jaguars’ lead to 14-0.
The Patriots managed to return the kickoff into Jaguar territory, but an interception and 54-yard return by the Jaguars put the score at 20-0 in favor of GHEC/T at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw each team exchange punts, then H-BC’s Brock Harnack intercepted a Jaguar pass only to have the Patriots’ drive stalled at the Jaguar 46-yard line.
There were no more scoring threats the rest of the half.
At the start of the third quarter the Patriots went on a 15-play drive that covered 70 yards and culminated with a three-yard Bosch keeper. The 2-point conversion failed, but the Patriots score deficit was narrowed to 14 with 4:33 left in the third stanza.
H-BC’s next drive would begin with an interception by Justin Roelfs at the Patriots’ own 8-yard line.
With just 1:59 left in the third quarter, the Patriots controlled the ball on a 17-play drive and scored on a Bosch 10-yard run with just 4:48 left in the fourth quarter.
The score stood at Jaguars 20 and Patriots 12 after the failed 2-point conversion. On the Jaguars’ next possession, they attempted a pass on second-and-7, but Roelfs intercepted another pass and brought it back to the house to close the gap to 2 points with the conversion attempt coming.
Bosch took the ball over the goal line to tie the game at 20 with 4:05 remaining in regulation play. The Patriots had just scored 14 points with only 43 seconds coming off the game clock.
During the Jaguars’ first-and-10 on the next possession, H-BC’s Roelfs grab his third interception of the game. However, that Patriot drive also ended with a Jaguars interception with just 1:07 left in regulation.
Neither team was able to score during the remainder of the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime. Each team received one possession in the overtime from the 10-yard line with up to four untimed downs.
The Jaguars went on offense first and scored on a 10-yard run on a second-and-goal from the 10-yard line. The 2-point conversion was no good.
The Patriots’ turn to get the ball was next, but a first-and-goal from the 10 became a first-and-15 after a false start.
On first-and-15, Roelfs ran for four yards bringing up a second down and 11. He scored on the next play from the 11-yard line, tying the game with the conversion yet to be attempted. Bosch plunged into the end zone to send the visiting Patriots home with a 28-26 overtime victory.
Patriots head coach Rex Metzger reflected on the rough first quarter and his team’s performance.
“We had a couple of turnovers, and they broke a long TD, which gave them the early momentum,” he said.
“But we put a nice drive together to start the second half and were able to create some turnovers in the fourth quarter and got ourselves back in the game.”
He said hard work and determination paid off in the end. “I was proud of the guys in how we stuck together and kept fighting,” Metzger said.
“We had a big 2-point conversion stop in OT and gave ourselves a shot to win the game.”
The 1-0 Patriots will host the 0-2 Madelia Blackhawks Friday, Sept. 9. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
 
Team statistics
HBC – 247 rushing yards, 32 passing yards, 279 total yards, 1 first downs, 8 penalties for 55 yards, three turnovers.
GHEC/T – 62 rushing yards, 241 passing yards, 303 total yards, 7 penalties for 65 yards, four turnovers.
 
Individual statistics
Rushing: Bosch  41 – 174 yards, Harnack 5 – 50 yards, Roelfs 10 – 19 yards, Cooper Gehrke 2 – 8 yards, Beau Bakken 3 - minus 4 yards, Team – 1 – 0 yards
Passing: Bosch 3-23 for 32 yards.
Receiving: Tatge 2-31yards, Cooper Gehrke 1-1 Yard.
Defense:
Roelfs 4 tackles & three interceptions, Brock Harnack 3.5 tackles & 1 interception, Luke Fuerstenberg three tackles, Cole Rozeboom three tackles, Gehrke three tackles, Brayden Metzger three tackles.

The Luverne Cardinals had a successful start to their football season Thursday night after claiming a victory over the Redwood Valley Cardinals in Redwood.
Luverne jumped out to a 21-6 halftime lead and held on for a 21-20 victory.
The Cardinals wasted no time getting into the scoring column as they only needed five plays to move 72 yards down the field and into the Redwood Valley end zone.
On the second play of the drive, Luverne junior quarterback Conner Connell lobbed the ball over the Redwood defense to senior wide receiver Gannon Ahrendt for a 40-yard gain.
Connell and Ahrendt connected again on the next play for 19 yards, bringing Luverne to the Redwood Valley 13-yard line. After a 2-yard run by senior Kaleb Hein and an incomplete pass, the Cardinals were facing a third-and-8 from the Redwood Valley 11-yard line.
Connell rolled out to the right to pass, but multiple Redwood Valley defenders broke through the line of scrimmage. The quarterback was able to reverse course and break multiple tackle attempts as he ran into the left side of the end zone to give Luverne its first touchdown.
After an unsuccessful extra-point attempt, Luverne led Redwood Valley 6-0 with 10:08 to go in the first quarter.
The Luverne defense held strong on the first Redwood Valley possession and the Cardinals received the ball back on their own 3-yard line. Hein helped the Cardinals gain some field position after a 5-yard run and then a 22-yard reception.
Facing a third-and-12 on their 28-yard line, the Cardinals got another huge play from Ahrendt as Connell saw him streaking up the right side of the field and connected for a 46-yard reception.
Hein tacked on seven more yards on first down to bring Luverne inside the Redwood Valley red zone.
Two plays later Connell found Ahrendt for a 19-yard touchdown reception.
The Cardinals completed the two-point conversion try as sophomore Carter Sehr threw to Ahrendt in the end zone, giving Luverne a 14-0 lead with 4:10 left in the first quarter.
After alternating possessions, the Luverne special teams came up with another big play for the Cardinals.
Facing fourth-and-13 from their own 34-yard line, Redwood Valley was forced to attempt a punt, but Luverne senior Riley Sneller was able to break through the Redwood Valley line and block the kick and recover the ball at the 16-yard line.
The Luverne offense was able to capitalize on the excellent field position on the very next play. Connell and Ahrendt hooked up for another touchdown, but this time the roles were reversed.
After receiving a pitch in the backfield from Connell, Ahrendt dropped back and found Connell wide open on the left side of the field for a 16-yard touchdown. Junior Patrick Kroski’s extra point was good, and the Cardinals took a 21-0 lead with 10:07 to go in the second quarter.
Redwood Valley got on the board late in the second quarter after a 50-yard scoring drive was capped by a 14-yard touchdown completion from quarterback Cameron Enright to wide receiver Brandon Lang.
The point-after attempt was no good, and the score was 21-6 with just 28 seconds to go in the half. 
Redwood Valley took advantage of a Luverne fumble in the third quarter for their next score. Enright scored a 2-yard touchdown and also ran the 2-point conversion to bring the score to 21-14 with 3:32 left in the third quarter.
The Luverne offense remained stagnant for much of the second half, and Redwood Valley was able to score again late in the fourth quarter as Enright ran for 12 yards for his second rushing touchdown of the half.
This brought the score to 21-20 with just 2:19 remaining in the game. Redwood Valley chose to go for the 2-point conversion, and Ahrendt came up big one more time for the Cardinals as he batted down Enright’s pass into the left side of the end zone.
Luverne was able to run out the clock and escape with the 21-20 victory.
“Getting that first win of the season was important for our team since we have a lot of new players,” said Luverne coach Todd Oye after the game. “Now they know what they can do.”
Luverne will face Jackson County Central Friday night at Cardinal Field.
“JCC is always a solid and physical team,” Oye said. “We need to keep improving and eliminate our mental mistakes.”
 
Team Statistics:
Luverne: 128 rushing yards, 223 passing yards, 351 total yards, 14 first downs, 8 penalties for 55 yards, 2 turnovers.
Redwood Valley: 113 rushing yards, 126 passing yards, 239 total yards, 15 first downs, 3 penalties for 15 yards, 1 turnover.
 
Individual Statistics:
Rushing: Kaleb Hein 12-46, Sam Rock 7-40, Conner Connell 9-25 (1 TD), Tyson Cowell 3-9.
Passing: Conner Connell 9-22, 207 yards (1 TD). Gannon Ahrendt 1-1, 16 yards (1 TD).
Receiving: Gannon Ahrendt 7-163 (1 TD), Kaleb Hein 2-44, Connor Connell 1-16 (1 TD)
Defense: Elijah Woodley 8 tackles, Conner Connell 5 tackles, Will Serie 4.5 tackles, Elliot Domagala 4 tackles, Riley Sneller 3.5 tackles