Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth's Ryan Fodness (24) and another Patriot defender pressure Westbrook-Walnut Grove quarterback Tom LeBoutiller during Friday's Southwest Ridge Conference football game in Ellsworth. H-BC-E moved within one win of an SRC title with a 26-12 victory.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth moved within one win of clinching its second consecutive Southwest Ridge Conference championship Friday in Ellsworth.

Playing Westbrook-Walnut Grove in what was a tilt between the conference's lone unbeaten teams, H-BC-E won the showdown by a 26-12 margin over the Chargers.

The win upped H-BC's league record to 6-0 heading into a game against Lakeview played in Cottonwood last night.

A win in Cottonwood would lock up the league title for the Patriots, and it probably will give the Patriots a first-round bye in the Section 2 Nine-Man Playoffs.

Fans who arrived late to what was EllsworthÕs 2002 homecoming game missed a lot of the action.
The teams scored a combined 38 points in the first 14:53 of the game before battling to a scoreless draw in the final 33:07.

Fortunately for H-BC-E, they did most of the scoring.

Senior Chris Reid returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns in the first quarter to steal the momentum from W-WG, which had found the end zone prior to both tallies by Reid.

Patriot quarterback Curt Schilling, an Ellsworth High School student, electrified the crowd by throwing touchdown passes in the first and second quarters as H-BC-E opened a 26-12 cushion.

The game turned into a tight defensive battle the rest of the night, which worked in H-BC-E's favor as it blanked W-WG over the final three quarters to preserve the victory.

The Patriots produced shining moments both offensively and defensively, but it was Reid's long kick returns that lifted H-BC-E to victory while crushing W-WG's will.

"We've always told our kids that special teams play very important roles in every game," said Patriot coach Dan Ellingson.

"That proved to be especially true in this game. In the last couple of weeks Chris has had a hard time picking up rushing yardage because the other teams are keying on him. W-WG did a good job of slowing our running game down, but Chris returned two kickoffs back for touchdowns to get us going."

W-WG proved it could be a tough team to beat when the Chargers put together a 10-play, 67-yard scoring drive with their first offensive possession.

Quarterback Tom LeBoutiller capped the drive with a nine-yard touchdown scamper at the 6:55 mark of the first quarter. A run for a two-point conversion failed.

LeBoutiller's touchdown gave the Patriots their first deficit of the 2002 season, but it didn't last long. Reid returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, and Zach Wysong booted the extra point to give H-BC-E a 7-6 lead it would never relinquish.

After the H-BC-E defense forced the Chargers to punt four plays into their second possession of the game, Schilling and another EHS player produced a big play.

The Patriot signal-caller hooked up with end Brant Deutsch for a 58-yard touchdown pass to cap a four-play, 75-yard drive. A pass for a two-point conversion after the touchdown failed, leaving the Patriots with a 13-7 advantage with 3:40 remaining in the first quarter.

W-WG fought its way back into the game with a four-play, 65-yard drive during its third offensive possession. LeBoutiller ended the drive with a 27-yard touchdown run at the 2:02 mark of the first quarter, but a failed conversion pass left the Chargers on the short end of a 13-12 score.

Any momentum W-WG gained with its second touchdown quickly vanished as Reid fielded the ensuing kickoff and dashed 71 yards for a touchdown. WysongÕs second extra point followed the return, giving the Patriots a 20-12 cushion with 1:46 left in the first period.

The teams exchanged punts after Reid's second touchdown, but the Patriot defense came up with a huge play when lineman Robert Metzger recovered a W-WG fumble on the Chargers' 18-yard line with 9:13 remaining in the first half.

Schilling hit Tyson Metzger with an 18-yard touchdown pass on the first play after the fumble, but a botched snap kept the Patriots from adding an extra point.

H-BC-E led 26-12 at that point (9:07 remaining in the second quarter), and the score remained that way.
The Patriots did have a 12-play drive later in the second quarter, but a pass fell incomplete during a fourth-and-seven situation on the W-WG 17 with 1:26 remaining.

Reid picked off a pass three plays later on the W-WH 42 with 26 seconds left in the first half. H-BC-E, however, had to punt the ball after running three unsuccessful plays after Reid's pick.

Neither team could generate any offense in the third quarter. H-BC-E had the ball three times in the period and produced one first down.

W-WG didn't pick up a first down during its first three possessions, but the Chargers did move the ball into H-BC-E territory with their fourth possession of the second half. The six-play series ended on downs on the Patriot 35 with 11:05 left in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers had an outstanding scoring opportunity when they advanced the ball inside the H-BC-E one-yard line, but a botched exchange between the quarterback and center on fourth down led to a two-yard loss with 5:50 left to play.

"That goal-line stand in the fourth quarter was huge," Ellingson said. "If they score, they're only one touchdown down with plenty of time left. Who knows what would have happened if they would have scored in that situation?"

W-WG did get the ball back twice as the fourth quarter progressed, but interceptions by Schilling and Deutsch ended the possessions.

"This was a good win for us," Ellingson said. "Our defense made some big plays, our passing game was working and our special team's play was great. Teams have been stopping our running game, but we're proving that we are more than a one-dimensional team. Games like this will let other teams know that they have to prepare for more than stopping our running game when they play us."

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 135 rushing yards, 162 passing yards, 297 total yards, eight first downs, two turnovers, six penalties for 45 yards.
W-WG: 161 rushing yards, 69 passing yards, 230 total yards, seven first downs, four turnovers, three penalties for 20 yards.

Individual statistics.
Rushing: Reid 18-58, Jesse Leuthold 18-45, Schilling 8-32.
Passing: Schillng 9-16 for 162 yards.
Receiving: T.Metzger 3-55, Deutsch 2-71, Wysong 2-15, Reid 1-14, Kyle Sammons 1-7.
Defense: Schilling 17 tackles and one interception, Reid eight tackles and one interception, Cody Scholten six tackles, Deutsch one interception, R.Metzger one fumble recovery.

Area residents awoke to a little more than the usual October frost on the pumpkins Wednesday as a layer of snow blanketed everything from scarecrows to rooftops and lawns. Snow began falling in the early morning hours and flakes could be seen throughout the day into the afternoon.

Photo by Lori Ehde

This week, Oct. 13 through Oct. 19, is National School Lunch Week. Kitchen staff members who prepare hot lunches in Luverne Public Schools are (front row, from left) Shirley DeBates, Clara Larson, Lorna Harms, Gretchen Davis, Ada Roberts, Gladys Hemme, Barb Wills, Cathy Mulder, Ann Rigney, Brenda Fodness, (back row) Mary Wacker, Gert Kooiker, Ethel Ossefoort, Nancy Davis, Marian Eatherton, Gladys Siebenahler, Enore Boelman, Mary VanHofwegen, Ardie Schmidt and Mary Smook.

In her Friday Folder elementary newsletter, Elementary Principal Melody Tenhoff praised Luverne's school lunch staff. "Many of us would go running away screaming if we had the job of serving over 550 lunches and almost 200 breakfasts! Yet, that is what our great kitchen staff does five days a week," Tenhoff wrote. "I have always been impressed with the great tasting lunches. When I talk with people from other districts and comment that our students get homemade bread every week, homemade chili and other goodies, I get very envious comments. We thank all the kitchen help who prepare and serve our school lunches every week!"

Photo by Lori Ehde

Mildred Clark, 81, Kenneth, died Friday, Oct. 18 at Mercury Hospital, Coon Rapids. Visitation will be Monday, Oct. 21 from 4 to 8 p.m. with rosary at 4:30 p.m. and prayer service 7 p.m. at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Lismore. Services will be Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony's Catholic Church with Father Robert Maher officiating. Burial will be at West St. Anthony Cemetery. Dingmann Funeral Home of Luverne is in charge of arrangements.

Madeline "Mose" B. Nelson, 89, Luverne, died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2002, in Luverne Community Hospital.

Services were Saturday, Oct. 12, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Revs. Maurice E. Hagen and Dell B. Sanderson officiated. Burial was in the Jasper Cemetery, Jasper.

Madeline Frakes was born to Walter and Pearl (Rolph) Frakes on March 1, 1913, in Magnolia. At the age of seven she went to live with and care for her ailing aunt, Edna Turner, in Magnolia. She graduated from Magnolia High School in 1930. She graduated from Normal School in Luverne and taught country school in the Rock County and Jasper areas.

She married Wallace Nelson on Feb. 22, 1941, in Adrian. After marriage the couple farmed in the Jasper and Ihlen areas. Mr. Nelson died in 1960. She moved her family to Luverne where she worked at Luverne Community Hospital for more than 18 years before retiring in 1978.

Mrs. Nelson was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne, the GLCW, and Esther Circle. She was also a member of the Royal Neighbors, Hardwick Birthday Club, Pink Ladies and was a Rock County Election Judge. She was a staunch Republican and enjoyed discussing politics.

Survivors include two sons and daughtrs-in-law, Lyle and Gloria Nelson, Luverne, and Robert and Marlene Nelson, Dell Rapids, S.D.; five grandchildren, Jennifer (Craig) Wintheiser, Eagan, Angela (Kevin) Whetstone, Boston, Mass., Jeremy (Polly) Nelson, Evergreen, Colo., Anthony (Johnanna) Nelson, Santa Fe, N.M., and Katie Nelson, Sioux Falls, S.D.; one great-granddaughter, Vivian Whetstone; one brother, Vernon (Janyce) Frakes, Sioux Falls; and one sister, Beulah Nelson, Pipestone.

Mrs. Nelson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Wallace and two brothers, Jesse and Neil Frakes.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Adrian football team continues to pick up steam heading toward the playoffs after the Dragons recorded their third straight victory Thursday.

Hosting the Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks in a Little Sioux Conference clash, the Dragons scored 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarters to run away with a 35-7 victory.

The win upped Adrian’s overall record to 5-2 heading into last night’s regular season finale against Ortonville. A victory over Ortonville, which was winless entering the game, would give the Dragons at least one home playoff game.

An efficient offensive effort carried the Dragons to victory over D-B.

Adrian scored touchdowns with five of its first six possessions in the game, which allowed the Dragon coaching staff to give their starters most of the second half off.

"We looked alright," said AHS coach Randy Strand. "Our offense is executing really well right now. We haven’t punted for two games now. The only time we’ve been stopped is when we stop ourselves with penalties or turnovers."

Adrian was at its offensive best in the second quarter, when it snapped a deadlock at seven by scoring 20 points in a span of 9:28.

Two plays after D-B knotted the score at seven, Adrian’s Dusty Henning put his team in front to stay by breaking loose on a 43-yard touchdown scamper with 10:33 remaining in the first half. Levi Bullerman added the extra point to make it a 14-7 game.

After the Dragon defense forced D-B to punt four plays after Henning’s touchdown, the AHS offense mounted a five-play, 77-yard touchdown march.

Bullerman, who completed four of five passes for 190 yards in the game, hooked up with Pete Hohn for a 50-yard touchdown pass to end the drive. Bullerman added the extra point as the Dragons increased their lead to 21-7 with 3:12 remaining in the second quarter.

Henning gave the AHS offense the ball moments later when he intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards to the Blackjack 45-yard line.

Two plays later, Henning hauled in a 42-yard scoring strike from Bullerman at the 1:04 mark of the period. A failed extra-point attempt kept the score at 27-7.

The Dragons capped the scoring 2:04 into the third quarter.

After D-B was forced to punt after running three unproductive plays to start the third quarter, Adrian took over on its own 30. Three plays later, Bullerman fired a 66-yard touchdown pass to Hohn. Trent Bullerman carried in the two-point conversion to make the difference 35-7.

The Adrian offense was equally impressive while conducting its first possession of the game.

The Dragons advanced the ball 78 yards in 10 plays before Henning pounded his way into the end zone from four yards away. Levi Bullerman booted the extra point, making it 7-0 at the 8:08 mark of the first quarter.

A mistake made by the Dragon offense allowed D-B to tie the game at seven.

Adrian fumbled and D-B recovered on the Dragon 24 late in the first quarter. Ten plays later, and with the help of a pass interference penalty on the Dragons, D-B’s Preston Lee scored on a three-yard run at the 10:58 mark of the second quarter. Aaron Schoephoerster added the extra point.

Take away Lee’s touchdown, and Adrian also played a good defensive game.

"Our defense is playing well," Strand said. "We bent a little bit, but we didn’t break. D-B had the No. 1 passer and two of the top three receivers in our conference, and they only got 94 passing yards against us."

Team statistics
Adrian: 264 rushing yards, 190 passing yards, 454 total yards, 18 first downs, one penalty for seven yards, three turnovers.
D-B: 142 rushing yards, 94 passing yards, 236 total yards, 15 first downs, three penalties for 25 yards, four turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Henning 12-100, L.Bullerman 8-63, Joe Kruger 4-12, T.Bullerman 7-38, Brandon Wolf 7-51.
Passing: L.Bullerman 4-5 for 190 yards.
Receiving: Hohn 3-148, Henning 1-42.
Defense: Brandon Schettler 16 tackles, Kruger 15 tackles, T.Bullerman 11 tackles and one interception, Dusty Spieker 11 tackles, Henning one interception, Wolf one interception, Darren DeBeer one fumble recovery.

Lauretta Tobiason, 81, Magnolia, died Thursday, Oct. 17 at Luverne Community Hospital. Visitation will be Sunday, Oct. 20 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Monday, Oct. 21 at 10:30 a.m. at Kenneth Lutheran Church, with Rev. Mike Zaske officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery.

James Vanden Berg, 77, rural Worthington, died Thursday, Oct. 3, 2002, in Worthington Regional Hospital.

Services were Monday, Oct. 7, at American Reformed Church in Worthington. The Rev. Irwin Van Leeuwen officiated. Burial with full military honors was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

James Vanden Berg was born March 4, 1925, to Teunis and Elizabeth (Nicolay) Vanden Berg in Brooten. He married Lylamae Meinerts on May 20, 1955, in Luverne.

Mr. Vanden Berg grew up and attended school in Edgerton. He served from 1944 to 1951 in the Army during World War II and the Korean War and was in the National Guard. There he served in the Signal Corps, as a heavy weapons infantryman and as a combat engineer.

He attended Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, Ill., and Vicker's School of Hydraulics in Milwaukee, Wis. He worked for ZwartÕs Electric in Edgerton for four years. After marriage, the couple lived in Windom where he worked at Kimberly Clark for 18 years as a master electrician and as their private pilot. They moved to rural Worthington in 1971, where he farmed and worked as electrical supervisor at Campbell Soup Co. for 18 years until his retirement in 1988.

Mr. Vanden Berg was a member of American Reformed Church in Worthington.

Survivors include his wife, Lylamae Vanden Berg, Worthington; three sons, Merle Vanden Berg, Darwin Vanden Berg and Steven Vanden Berg, all of Sioux Falls, S.D.; one daughter, Shirlene (Daryl) Kruse, Worthington; two grandchildren, Justin and Dalton Kruse, Worthington; three brothers, Arthur (Arlene)
Vanden Berg, Worthington, Jacob Vanden Berg, Denver, Colo., and Lester (Beth) Vanden Berg, Edgerton; three sisters, Grace (Gerrit) Schuit, Chesley, Ontario, Canada, Henrietta (Gilbert) Elbers, Luverne, and Johanna Sankey, Holland, Mich.

Mr. Vanden Berg was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Henry and Richard.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, was in charge of arrangements.

Daryl Furstenberg
Residence: Beaver Creek

Spouse and children: Wife, Amy, Son, Dean, Daughter, Sadie.

Occupation: Insulator for New Prairie Insulation.

Education: Graduate of Hills-Beaver Creek.

Community activities and involvement: Eight years on the Beaver Creek Fire Department and Rescue Squad, member of National Wild Turkey Federation and National Rifle Association.

Qualifications for service: (No answer.)

If elected, what should voters expect you to accomplish during your term as city councilperson? In other words, what important issues face the city?

If elected, I would work for a solution to the city hall/fire hall needs. The taxes being levied are also important to the residents of Beaver Creek. The taxes must not be raised any higher, if we expect a marketable community in the future.

The solution to being a viable community is having good infrastructure, quality school and citizen involvement. I believe we have that in Beaver Creek. With the voters help, I want to be a part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Vote Fuerstenberg for the two-year term.

Carolyn DeBoer
Residence: Beaver Creek

Spouse and children: Husband, Lyle, and children, Paul, Kristy and Bud.

Occupation: Bookkeeper at Farmers Union Co-op Oil, Luverne, for eight years.

Education: Southeast Vocational School

Community activities and involvement: Current organist and past Sunday school teacher at the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek.

Qualifications for service: Council member for the past eight years, on the ballot for the two-year term of council member.

If elected, what should voters expect you to accomplish during your term as city councilperson? In other words, what important issues face the city?

One of the most challenging issues facing any city council in the state of Minnesota is budgeting decisions. With the projected state deficit, local government aid (LGA) could conceivably be cut by 4 to 5 percent.

Because of the size of our community, revenue enhancements are limited. A new city building that will house a fire hall, city shop and city hall is the biggest project for our community. The council will need to stay within a realistic financial obligation strategy.

But future needs also need to be addressed. When talking with other communities who have built in the past 10 to 15 years, concerns were made that in the next three to five years they will outgrow their present building or have already done so.

The City of Beaver Creek is in the research stages of organizing a neighborhood watch. Areas of concern include: 1. Child safety Ð for those who live in the community and for those who attend the H-BC Elementary School. 2. Senior Citizen Watch Ð even for those who have lifelines. 3. Drugs Ð houses used for manufacturing, dealers who distribute. 4. Theft and vandalism.

Beaver Creek is a very good place in which to grow up, raise a family retire and everything in between. City employees have always been very conscientious and hard working. The fire department has seasoned volunteers and has added new members in the past few years. The time effort and training they all put in for the citizens of Beaver Creek are greatly appreciated.

* * *

In Steen, three candidates filed for two-four year terms.

Robert Sandbulte
Residence: Steen

Spouse and children: Wife, Lorraine, and children, Janet, Stephanie (Jason) Pyle and John.
Occupation: Rural mail carrier, Argus Leader carrier, bus driver

Education: High school

Community activities and involvement: Commander of Hills American Legion, Sunday school teacher at Steen Reformed Church.

Qualifications for service: Have served on council as city clerk since April 2002.

If elected, what should voters expect you to accomplish during your term as city councilperson? In other words, what important issues face the city?

I would like to see us continue to improve our parks both with new equipment and cleaning it up. We should also continue to clean up any empty lots in town.

Brad Bosch
Residence: Steen

Spouse and children: Wife, Linda, and children, Joshua, 19, and Ashley, 16.

Occupation: General manager of Midwest Livestock Services, Larchwood, Iowa.

Education: 1977 Luverne High School graduate

Community activities and involvement: Member of Reformed Church of Steen, member of church consistory, Sunday school teacher, youth sponsor, past member of education committee and active choir member.

Qualifications for service: Citizen of the community for 24 years, dedicated to preserving the quality of living this small community offers.

If elected, what should voters expect you to accomplish during your term as city councilperson? In other words, what important issues face the city?

To help keep Steen a clean and safe community.

Leonard Otkin
Leonard Otkin was mailed a questionnaire, and called the Crescent office to inform us he would not be responding.