Ellsworth senior Janice Leuthold (left) wrestles for a rebound with a Dawson-Boyd player during Monday’s girls’ basketball game in Ellsworth. The Panthers won their Camden Conference opener against the Blackjacks.

By John Rittenhouse
Ellsworth bounced back from a season-opening girls’ basketball loss in Hills Friday by upending Dawson-Boyd 49-30 in Ellsworth Monday.

Laurel Drenth recorded a double-double for the winning Panthers by scoring a team-high 16 points and collecting 14 rebounds.

Jenna Groen netted 15 points for EHS, moving within 13 points of the 1,000-point plateau for her career.
Some late runs by H-BC set the stage for Ellsworth’s 46-28 loss in Hills Friday.

On Monday, the Panthers put together some runs to put away the Blackjacks.

"I was very proud of the turn-around we had since the game with H-BC. We hit on all cylinders in this game," said Panther coach Dean Schnaible.

With Groen scoring four points, Kayla Boltjes nailing a three-point shot and Drenth recording a field goal, EHS opened a 9-0 lead in the first 6:30 of the opening quarter against D-B.

The Panthers led 12-2 when Drenth converted a three-point play with 16.1 seconds left in the stanza, but a late basket by the Blackjacks made it a 12-4 difference before the period was complete.

D-B went on a 7-2 run in the first 2:00 of the second period to trail 14-11 before Ellsworth closed the quarter with a 16-4 surge that gave it a 30-15 advantage at the intermission.

Groen had eight points in the second-period run.

The Blackjacks scored the first six points of the third period to trim Ellsworth’s lead to nine points (30-21), but a 7-0 surge featuring five points from Drenth gave the Panthers a 16-point cushion (37-21) they maintained at period’s end.

Ellsworth never let the Blackjacks get any closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter before winning by 19 in the end.

Marla Groen, Missy Leuthold and Boltjes recorded three assists each for EHS. Drenth, Marla and Jenna Groen had two steals each.

The 1-1 Panthers play in Edgerton Monday.

Box score
Boltjes 1 2 0-1 8, M.Leuthold 0 0 0-0 0, Jenniges 1 0 0-0 2, Drenth 6 0 4-8 16, J.Leuthold 0 0 0-0 0, M.Groen 0 0 2-2 2, J.Groen 4 1 4-7 15, Kramer 2 0 0-0 4, Timmer 1 0 0-0 2.

Team statistics
Ellsworth: 18 of 41 field goals (44 percent), 10 of 18 free throws (56 percent), 31 rebounds, 26 turnovers.
D-B: 10 of 54 field goals (19 percent), nine of 18 free throws (50 percent), 28 rebounds, 20 turnovers.

By Jolene Farley
At a Monday School Board meeting, Superintendent Dave Deragisch reviewed the financial situation of the Hills-Beaver Creek School District compared with the budgeted numbers.

With 39 percent of the school year over, actual expenses have fallen below budget at $793,559 or $5,510 per day up to this point. The budgeted amount for the entire school year was $2,926,881 or $8,018 per day.

The district’s fiscal year began July 1, 2002.

Projected revenues were $2,933,277 or $8,036 per day. Actual revenues are at $850,917, $5,909 per day, or 29 percent of the budget.

Deragisch expects more revenues during the remaining months of the budget.

"We are doing well at this time," Deragisch said in a note to the board. "We are over the hump with paying for our supplies."

"We are still OK," he said. "We have received more than we’ve spent."

Mental health services
Deragisch met with Rock County Family Services to explore contracting for mental health services the school cannot provide.

"I think we have some students who have needs," Deragisch told the board.

A licensed mental health professional will work in the district for two to three hours per week. Parental permission will be sought before a child is referred.

Family Services and the district will split the $3,700 cost to run the program from Jan. 1 to the end of the school year. The district would be reimbursed for the $1,850, at a later date, by special education funding from the state.

"We’d have to fund it until the end of the year," said Deragisch.

"I think it would be very beneficial," said board member Lois Leuthold.

In other business…
Deragisch reminded the board of early dismissal on Wednesday, Nov. 27, for teachers and staff to meet with a Web site developer. The goal is for all the teachers to have individual Web pages. The Web site address is www.hbcpatriots.com.

The next school board meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth senior Chris Reid (34) had another big day when the Patriots hosted Southwest Star Concept for a Section 2 Nine-Man Football Playoff game in Hills Saturday. Reid ran for 152 yards and one touchdown on offense and intercepted a pass on defense during a 47-20 victory over the Quasars.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth earned the right to host the Section 2 Nine-Man Football playoff championship game after beating up on Southwest Star Concept Saturday in Hills.

Patriot coach Dan Ellingson expected a tight battle when his top-seeded team hosted No. 4 SSC for a semifinal-round tilt in Hills Saturday, but he got a rout instead as H-BC-E ran its record to 9-0 with a 47-20 victory.

"It was kind of surprising," Ellingson said. "We thought this was going to be a close game, but we ended up playing our best offensive game of the season, and our defense did a good job of containing Leopold (Tyler, SSC's senior quarterback)."

If the Patriots can put together another solid effort on both sides the ball when they host No. 2 Nicollet at 3 p.m. Saturday, they could get the chance to play in the state tournament for the second straight year.

Beating Nicollet, however, may be easier said than done.
The 10-0 Raiders are the state's third-ranked team, and one of their victories came against a former top-ranked LeRoy-Ostrander squad late in the season.

H-BC-E, which is ranked as the state's fourth team in nine-man football, has faced Nicollet in the playoffs the past three seasons. The Raiders have a 2-1 edge in those games.

"They are a very good team," Ellingson said of the Raiders. "They are very quick. They have the same quarterback and running back from last year, so we have a good understanding of what they like to do. The keys for us will be to not turn the ball over, and take advantage of the mistakes they might make. With their quickness, we'll have to concentrate on not giving up big plays when we are on defense."

H-BC-E is a good team, too, and they displayed that while pounding the Quasars Saturday.

After falling behind 6-0 early in the game, H-BC-E scored 40 consecutive points to all but end the contest midway through the third quarter. The 40-point fun featured H-BC-E's offensive scoring with six consecutive possessions, while the Patriot defense was shutting down Leopold.

"Our main concern heading into the game was stopping Leopold. He's their main ball carrier and he can throw the ball. We had to stop him, and we did what we needed to do. He did rush for 93 yards, but he only passed for 52 yards against our No. 1 defense," Ellingson said.

Although the Patriots had him in their sights, Leopold did open the scoring when he capped SSC's second possession of the game with a 22-yard touchdown run at the 3:13 mark of the first quarter. SSC's extra-point attempt was blocked.

The rest of the first half belonged to H-BC-E as it scored 26 unanswered points with four offensive possessions.

During the kickoff following Leopold's touchdown, Patriot senior Chris Reid returned the ball 38 yards to SSC 47-yard line. After a five-yard penalty on the Quasars, H-BC-E quarterback tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Metzger with 2:39 remaining in the opening stanza. Zach Wysong added the extra point to give the Patriots a 7-6 edge.

H-BC-E's defense forced the Quasars to punt four plays into their next possession, setting up a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. The drive was capped with a six-yard touchdown pass from Schilling to Metzger during a fourth-and-goal situation. Wysong's extra point made it a 14-6 game at the 9:08 mark of the second quarter.

SCC had to punt four plays into its next possession, and H-BC-E advanced the ball 64 yards in seven plays before Jesse Leuthold found the end zone after a three-yard run to make it a 20-6 difference with 4:45 left in the first half.

H-BC-E's roll continued as Reid picked off a pass five plays into SSC’s ensuing possession, setting up a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Schilling scoring on a one-yard run to increase the lead to 20-6 with 15 seconds left in the second period.

Any thoughts of a second-half rally by the Quasars were quickly erased.

The Patriots opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 54-yard drive that ended with Schilling tossing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Wysong at the 8:47 mark. Wysong added the extra point to make it 33-6.

Patriot Clint Roozenboom blocked an SSC punt four plays later and teammate Brant Deutsch recovered the ball on the SSC 14.
Reid scored on a three-yard run five plays later, and Wysong added the extra point for a 40-6 cushion with 4:55 left in the third stanza.

Reserves played the rest of the game for H-BC-E, and SSC outscored the Patriots 14-7 in the fourth quarter.

Leopold threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Scheevel with 7:43 remaining, and Mitchell Leopold scored on a one-yard run (a successful conversion pass from Tyler Leopold to Scheevel followed) with less than four minutes remaining.

H-BC-E countered with a 19-yard touchdown run and an extra point by Wysong with five seconds left to play.

After watching his offense rack up 462 total yards, Ellingson praised the play of his linemen.

"Our offense line did a good job," he said. "Schilling was able to complete 10 of 11 passses without even coming close to being sacked, and Reid and Leuthold were getting past the line of scrimmage without being touched because of the good surge our line was giving us up front."

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 317 rushing yards, 145 passing yards, 462 total yards, 17 first downs, four penalties for 25 yards, zero turnovers.
SSC: 115 rushing yards, 174 passing yards, 289 total yards, eight first downs, seven penalties for 40 yards, one turnover.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 20-152, Leuthold 16-99, Schilling 5-8, Wysong 7-43, Dusty Seachris 4-15.
Passing: Schilling 10-11 for 145 yards, Travis Broesder 0-2 for zero yards.
Receiving: Metzger 8-110, Wysong 1-10, Reid 1-25.
Defense: Leuthold 13 tackles, Schilling seven tackles, Cody Scholten six tackles, Reid one interception, Pat Nelson one sack, Craig Gaul one sack, Roozenboom one blocked punt, Deutsch one blocked punt recovery.

Luverne High School graduate Mike Boen hauls in a pass as a sophomore member of the University of Sioux Falls football team. The Cougars are ranked No. 1 in the nation.

By John Rittenhouse
Two Rock County athletes are helping the University of Sioux Falls football team remain undefeated this season.

Rex Metzger, a senior from Hills, and Mike Boen, a sophomore from Luverne, are members of the 11-0 Cougar squad.

SFC currently in the NAIA Playoffs, and are scheduled to play a second-round game against the University of Mary College in Bismarck, N.D., Saturday.

Metzger has played a key role in SFC’s success as a receiver.

He has appeared in 10 of the team’s 11 games, hauling in 21 passes for 264 yards.

Boen has made an impact as a receiver and a player on special teams.

Boen has appeared in six games, catching two passes for 15 yards and one touchdown as a receiver.

He also has four solo tackles and one assisted tackle on special teams.

SFC is ranked No. 1 in the nation.

By Sara Strong
There could be some competition over the purchase of the Luverne Economic Development Authority apartments.

Attorney Benjamin Vander Kooi, on behalf of his client, Steve Perkins, is delivering a letter to the city of Luverne today asking that Perkins be allowed in the apartment bidding process.

The Mounds View and Evergreen Apartments, were constructed during Perkins’ time as Luverne City Administrator. They were a source of pride to him as they were built at a time when housing was in demand and private businesses had difficulty financing large projects.

The LEDA had the intention of selling the apartments whenever there was a time when private ownership would be feasible.

In February, the city advertised for bids to purchase the apartments and the city didn’t get any offers.

Just recently Doug Eisma, Dan Vis, Paul Vis and Bill Vis asked the LEDA to reconsider selling the apartments, even though the bidding process was closed.

Perkins, Luverne, said he didn’t submit a bid for purchase six months ago because it didn’t make as much financial sense then.

Interest rates are lower now, and with Continental Western Group (Tri-State Insurance) and the hospital committed to staying in town, the real estate business seems to be on an upswing.

The city said it wouldn’t sell the apartments for less than the debt service still owed, which is between $1.2 and $1.3 million.

Vander Kooi’s memo to the city asks the LEDA to place an estimated fair market value on the properties so they can be sold at a price that doesn’t just break even with what the city owes on the mortgage. Vander Kooi said this step is mandated by state statute.

"It is clear to me," Vander Kooi wrote, "that the Legislature is concerned that the public interest be protected in situations such as these when public property is sold to a private developer."

Vander Kooi said that beyond federal and state statutory concerns, constitutional issues are raised when a public body sells public property.

"Those protections are built into the due process clause and equal protection clause of the United States and Minnesota Constitutions. Our system of government simply cannot continue to exist unless ordinary citizens are convinced that the process of government is open and fair."

Perkins, in his communication through Vander Kooi, is asking that the bidding process for the sale of the apartments be advertised through legal notices to comply with state statutes.

"If the LEDA continues on its present course," Vander Kooi wrote, "we believe that the Authority’s actions will not withstand judicial scrutiny."

By Sara Strong
The first assisted living facility in Luverne will start construction in the spring. Groundbreaking ceremonies were Friday, Nov. 22.

The facility doesn’t have a specific name yet, but it’s affiliated with The Oaks and the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center, and will be located just north of The Oaks.

Of the $350,000 local fund-raising goal, there’s about $50,000 remaining. The project overall comes with a cost of $3.2 million, paid for mostly through existing funds and loans.

Community interest has been shown in more than donations. There’s already a list of at least 38 people signed up to live in the 24-unit facility.

Community Relations Director for Mary Jane Brown, Nancy Kaczrowski, said, "The community is very supportive through volunteering or prayers and the fund-raising."

Like most assisted living facilities, Luverne’s will offer 24-hour staffing with a nurse on call; three meals a day and snacks; help with bathing, dressing and grooming; optional medication administration; and scheduled transportation, planned social and recreational opportunities.

"It’s a nice project and has gotten great community support," said Tony Linn, Good Samaritan administrator.

Linn came into the assisted living project after it had begun, replacing Linda Studer. He’s lived in Luverne since September, when he transferred here from Albuquerque, N.M., where he was administrator of a Good Samaritan 117-bed nursing home.

Kaczrowski said that besides standard donations, people can help in the fund-raising during the Christmas season by purchasing a tree ornament.

The ornaments will be printed with names commemorating loved ones of whoever purchases ornaments. The ornaments will be placed on a tree in the Mary Jane Brown lounge and people who buy them will receive a gold 2002 Good Samaritan ornament.

By Jolene Farley
The home of Harlin and Yvonne Rozeboom, Steen, is one of five featured on the Holiday Tour of Homes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

The tour, whose proceeds go to the Hills-Beaver Creek After Prom fund, also features the Beverly Wassenaar home, Hills, the Chris and Grace Van Wyhe home east of Hills, the Dave and Eunice Roozenboom home, rural Steen, and the Brad and Linda Bosch home, Steen.

The Rozeboom’s country-style house, complete with a large front porch, took 120 days to build and was completed seven years ago.

"Harlin helped build a lot of it," Yvonne said.

The main floor includes a spacious kitchen with custom cabinets and a breakfast nook, a family room with a fireplace, a dining room with period carpeting, an office and the master suite.

"One of the main things I always wanted was a big kitchen," said Yvonne. "It seems like everyone always gathers in the kitchen and we both have big families."

Many beautiful antiques are found throughout the house. A library chest, bought on an auction from Steen Reformed Church, is one of the couple’s favorite pieces. It was reportedly built by a former preacher more than 100 years ago.

The basement features another family room with a fireplace built by Harlin, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry room.

The Rozeboom’s children, Brittney, 16, and Ethan, 12, chose the theme for their downstairs bedrooms and the bath. Minnesota Viking fans on the tour of homes will love Ethan’s purple and gold bedroom.

The family decorates two Christmas trees a year, one upstairs and one downstairs. Brittney and Ethan are in charge of decorating the tree on the lower level.

The siblings also collect Christmas Village pieces. They each add one piece a year to the collection.

The Rozebooms are proud of their landscaping, designed by Harlin. The family enjoys the pool and hot tub in their back yard.

"In the summer we spend all of our time out there," Yvonne said.

She is busy preparing for the tour, painting, wallpapering and deep-cleaning different areas of the home.
"I’m not nervous, it’s just you put all these things off you should have done before," she said.

Tickets and maps for the Holiday Tour of Homes are available at Hills-Beaver Creek High School and Steen Reformed Church on the day of the tour.

Tickets are $7 for ages 10 to adult.

Parents are asked to drop off children younger than 10 at the babysitting service sponsored by the Hills-Beaver Creek Spanish Club. To pre-register children, call Teri Richards at 962-3240.

Junior parents will serve lunch at Steen Reformed Church.

Country Flowers and Crafts will have a holiday open house from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring Premier Jewelry.

Brittney, Ethan, Yvonne and Harlin Rozeboom gather in what they call their upstairs family room. The focal point of the room is the oak fireplace.

By Jolene Farley
The home of Harlin and Yvonne Rozeboom, Steen, is one of five featured on the Holiday Tour of Homes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

Fred’s Body Shop to close
Luverne is losing one of its three body shops, with the closing of Fred’s Body Shop.

Fred Hendrickson started in the body shop business, in 1949, when he was a junior in high school in Mitchell, S. D.

In 1965, he moved to Luverne with his wife Deloris to become the manager of Don’s Body Shop, owned at the time by Don Wilcox.

Don decided to pursue other career opportunities and hired Fred to run the business on a day-to-day basis.

The business was located in what is now the Rock County Star Herald building, but in 1976, Fred bought the business from Wilcox and moved to a new building he had built on 303 W. Edgehill, where he has operated until today.

Fred’s current building has been purchased by Gene Aanenson, owner of Service Master in Luverne.

Check it out
Luverne’s newest city pocket park has an unusual new addition, a windmill.

I didn’t ask, but I believe it is for aesthetics, and probably will not be used to pump water.

The new windmill is located in Evergreen Park, on the site that used to be the home of Albert and Marge Christensen, on Blue Mound Avenue.

Dayton aide to discuss school funding
Jim Gelbmann, aide to Sen. Mark Dayton, will be in Luverne on Wednesday, Dec. 12, to hold a special forum on special education funding.

The thrust of the discussion will be the federal government’s failure to fully fund its share of special education costs and how it has harmed Minnesota schools and students.

Gelbmann will meet with teachers, parents, administrators and school board members to update them on upcoming efforts in Congress to improve special education programs and funding.

The next bill the Senate is expected to address on this issue is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

IDEA is expected to determine future funding and implementation of special education services.

Currently, there is a $242 million annual shortfall in Minnesota.

Ice is forming but it’s not very thick
I went for a cruise around our fair city on Tuesday after Rotary.

While passing the Vets Home pond, Ben Vander Kooi noted that the pond was frozen over.

That site of the thin layer of ice on the Vets Home pond quickly brought to mind the recent tragedy of the three young drowning victims in Anoka County, near Minneapolis.

Three boys, Shawn, Cody and Mark Ostendorf were playing in the back yard of their rural home.

When their mother turned her back briefly, they walked on a slightly frozen pond that could not hold their weight.

The two older boys, Shawn and Mark were pronounced dead shortly after recovery.

The youngest, 2-year-old Mark lived until Tuesday, when efforts to keep him alive were ended.

The sight of that slightly frozen Vets pond reminded me that at this time of the year, how dangerous ponds and creeks as well as the Rock River can be.

According to a recent graphic in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, these are the thickness needed for safe ice.

12 inches: Cars and light Trucks
8 inches: Compact cars
5 inches: Snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles
4 inches: Person can walk safely
Less than 4 inches: Unsafe

Also remember that snow acts as an insulation and can prevent the ice from hardening as fast as if it were exposed.

Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com