The Luverne Senior Legion baseball team added two more wins by defeating Jackson 10-3 at home on June 14 and Slayton 9-1 on the road June 16. 
Luverne was scheduled to play in Ruthton June 20 and to host Pipestone June 22. Those games will be reported in a future edition of the Star Herald along with results from the Marshall tournament this weekend. 
 
Luverne 10, Jackson 3
Luverne hosted the Jackson Senior Legion team on a beautiful night for baseball at Redbird Field June 14 and earned a solid 10-3 victory. 
Kaden Anderson pitched all seven innings for the home team. He gave up three runs off 10 hits while striking out eight and walking one. 
Braydon Ripka led the offense for Luverne. The lead-off hitter went three for four at the plate, including a double, and scored two runs. 
Anderson helped himself at the plate by hitting two doubles, scoring two runs and adding an RBI. 
Ethan Beyer hit a two-RBI double, tallying three total RBIs along with two hits and one run. 
Riley Sneller recorded two hits, two runs and two RBIs to help the balanced Luverne offense. 
Elliot Domagala also scored twice in the game. 
“This game was a great improvement from the Worthington game the night before,” said Luverne coach Codie Zeutenhorst. “We had better swings and made better contact with the ball.”
“And Kaden had seven strong innings on the mound,” Zeutenhorst said. “All that led to a good result.”
 
Jackson    1 0 2 0 0 0 0   3
Luverne    3 0 1 1 2 3 x  10
 
                          AB    R    H     BI
B Ripka              4     2     3     0
K Anderson       5     2     2     1
E Beyer              3     1     2     3
C Overgaard      3     0     1     0
R Sneller            4     2     2     2
W Serie               3     0     1     0
J Stroh               3     1     2     1
A Halverson       2     0     0     0
E Domagala       2     2     2     0
Z DeBoer            2     0     0     0
K Buss               1     0     0     0
 
Luverne 9, Slayton 1
Luverne traveled to Slayton Thursday, June 16, and came home with a quick, five-inning 9-1 win. 
The visitors started the scoring early by plating four runs in the top of the first inning, including a two-RBI double by Connor Overgaard. 
Luverne added one more run in each of the second, third, and fourth innings before scoring two runs in the fifth. 
Beyer hit a triple in the fifth inning. He was two for three in the game, scoring two runs and adding two RBIs. 
Anderson was three for three at the plate and scored one run. 
Overgaard tallied two hits, scored twice and batted in two. 
Will Serie also had two RBIs in the game. 
Kai Buss was on the mound for the first four innings. He gave up just one hit and struck out three Slayton batters. 
Ripka pitched in relief and gave up one run while walking two and striking out one. 
 
Luverne     4 1 1 1 2     9
Slayton      0 0 0 0 1     1
 
                      AB    R     H    BI
E Beyer            3     2     2     2
B Ripka            3     1     1     0
K Anderson    3     1     3     0
C Overgaard    3     2     2     2
R Sneller          3     1     2     0
A Halverson    1     0     0     0
W Serie             2     0     1     2
E Domagala    2     1     1     0
J Stroh            2     0     0     0
K Buss            2     1     0     0

American Legion members Frank Kemper (left) and Veryl Stoffel (right) from Post 636 in Lismore give a box of baseballs to Don Dinger, Luverne Baseball Association president, to be used at the Legion State Tournament July 28 through July 31 in Luverne. Stoffel, father of Luverne Public Works supervisor John Stoffel, and the Lismore Legion have donated new balls to the local program for the past several years, and this year they gave more than 80 balls for the Legion State Tournament hosted by Luverne.

Luverne High School placed eighth out of 54 Class 2A schools June 14 at the Minnesota Trap Shooting Championship at the Alexandria gun club.
The team shot a 461 out of 500. Wheaton High School was the top Class 2A team with a score of 481.
Recent LHS graduates Hunter Ahrendt and Cheyenne Schutz each shot a straight-25 at the championship, along with teammate Jacob Henning, a junior at Adrian High School.
Ahrendt also made the 2022 spring season All-State Clay Target League and received a special patch (see related story). He averaged 23.6 during the five-week season.
Henning was Luverne’s top male shooter, finishing fifth among the 300 varsity Class 2A male participants with a total score of 97.
Schutz was Luverne’s top female shooter, finishing tied for 15th. She shot an 82 over four rounds.
In the novice division, top female gun was Rayann Remme, an LHS sophomore. Remme shot a 66 and finished 12th.
LHS sophomore Cash Bonnett was the team’s top junior shooter, garnering an 85 and tying for 41st overall in Class 2A.
More than 7,900 high school students were registered to shoot during the June 13-21 championship event.
 
Luverne High School Championship
Name                      Rd1 Rd2 Total
Division/Place        Rd3 Rd4 Total
Hunter Ahrendt            24 25 49
      Varsity/ T12           23 24 96
Cash Bonnett              21 24 45
              JV/T41           19 21 85
Alex DeWispelaere     22 24 46
      Varsity/T26            24 24 94
Trygve Gangestad      17 19 36
       Varsity/T269         17 24 77
Jacob Henning            24 25 49
         Varsity/T5           24 24 97
Chase Matthiesen      22 21 43
                  JV/T85        20 18 81
Liam Murphy                20 20 40
                  JV/T136      13 22 75
Chase Overgaard       17 23 40
        Varsity/T269       18 19 77
Holden Overgaard      23 22 45
       Varsity/T169         21 20 86
JT Remme                   23 20 43
       Varsity/T238         18 20 81
Rayann Remme          12 18 33
       Novice/12th           16 17 66
Cheyenne Schultz      17 25 42
       Varsity/T15           17 23 82
Grant Wienke              19 15 34
            JV/T180           16 18 68
Piper Wynia                 17 17 34
         Varsity/31st         17 19 70

I have a simple two-part question that I want each of us to answer. Do we believe in Jesus, and does our everyday life reflect that?
It is important that people see us making choices and engaging in activities that reflect what we believe.
That is what God expects from his people according to Deuteronomy 6:4-9: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Our faith in Jesus must be our lifestyle. It is not a decision we make once in our lives. It is a daily effort and commitment.
Jesus says we are to take up our cross daily and follow him. An everyday faith is not something seen only on Sunday mornings. It is exercised at home, at work and at play. Every single part of our lives needs to demonstrate what we believe to the world around us, or we are not practicing our faith every day.
If we don’t want to live out an everyday faith, then what is the point of believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior? Why believe if we don’t want to live like we believe?
I think that is a fair thing for us to wonder about. We live in a hurting and divided nation. Our nation is in deep need of real role models. Maybe you agree that we need people to step up and lead in a positive and productive way.
We need to be those role models. We don’t have to be famous or wealthy or powerful. We don’t need to be serving in an elected office or be in a position of influence in our community.
When I think back in my own life to the people who had the biggest impact in my life, I realized that every one of them was an ordinary person. They were adult neighbors, relatives, school teachers, Sunday school and catechism teachers.
Not a single one of these people was famous, powerful, or wealthy. Yet I experienced the benefit of their everyday faith. I had the privilege of being a part of their life and saw them living out their faith every day.

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, June 23: 7:30 a.m. Mom’s Summer Bible Study at Wildflowers. 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. Sunday, June 26: 9 a.m. Worship Service with breakfast. 5 p.m. Evening Worship Service. Tuesday, June 28: 7 a.m. Dorcas Circle at Karen R. 9 a.m. Staff meeting. 1:30 p.m. Worship at Mary Jane Brown. 2:30 p.m. Worship at Poplar Creek. Wednesday, June 29: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible study. 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, June 24: 6:3o a.m. Community Men’s Bible study. Sunday, June 26: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service with Holy Communion. 1:30 p.m. MJB and Poplar Creek services. Tuesday, June 26: 12 p.m. Staff meeting. Thursday, June 30: 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
Wednesday, June 22: 5:30 p.m. Community Meal. 7-8:15 p.m. VBS. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Saturday, June 25: 8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, June 26: 9:30 a.m. Adult Sunday school. Worship service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible Study. Tuesday, June 28: 9:30 a.m. Folding Team. 1:30 p.m. Sewn in Faith. 7 p.m. Cub/Boy Scouts. Wednesday, June 29: 7-8:156 p.m. VBS. 8 p.m. AA Meeting. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net
Sunday, June 26: 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
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor
Saturday, June 25: 5:30 p.m. Worship Service. Sunday, June 26: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday school; Adult Bible Study. Wednesday, June 29: 9:30 a.m. Bible Study. 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
Billy Skaggs, 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, June 26: 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
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, June 26: 10:30 a.m. Joint Worship at Palisade Lutheran. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, June 26: 10 a.m. Joint worship at Palisade Lutheran. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook. Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
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
Sundays: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Chapel. 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion. 9 a.m. Sunday School. 7-8:30 p.m. Youth group meets. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org. Tuesdays: 2 p.m. Tuff Home Bible study. 3:30 p.m. Tuff Village Bible study. Wednesdays: 9 a.m. Quilting. 6 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Social/dessert time. 7:15 p.m. Wednesday night worship service.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor

Amending Rock County Zoning Map in Luverne Township
Resolution No. 23-22
WHEREAS, upon receiving the recommendation and report filed by the Rock County Planning & Zoning Board for the amendment of Rock County Zoning Map changing applicable zoning of A2 to R1, Suburban Residence District for the following tract of property: The easternmost 1625 feet of the 60.40 acre tract of land located in the S 1/2 of Section 12 of Luverne Township, T102N, R45W. This tract lies South of the Ellis and Eastern railroad right of way in the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 and the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4. BE IT RESOLVED, that this amendment shall be in full force and effective following its publication in accordance with Minnesota Statute § 375.51, as amended. The official Zoning Map shall be on file at the Rock County Land Management Office. Dated this 7th day of June, 2022. BY: /s/ Jody Reisch Rock County Board Chairman ATTEST: /s/ Kyle J. Oldre Rock County Administrator Introduced: June 07, 2022 Passed: June 07, 2022 Published: June 23, 2022 Effective: June 23, 2022 (06-23)

Editor's note: “This was a state meet of epic proportions for our program.”
That's how Luverne track and field head coach Pete Janiszeski summed up his teams’ historic performance at the Minnesota State Track and Field Championships Thursday and Friday. 
The Cardinals won a program-record four state championships at the meet.
Luverne won the girls' 4x800 relay state championship for the fourth consecutive year. 
Ashton Sandbulte won state championships in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and Tenley Nelson is the state champion in the 800-meter run. 
In all, 13 LHS athletes earned all-state honors by placing in the top nine places in an event, and three new school records were set. 
This was the first year of three class competition at the state track meet. Luverne competed in Class A, which included 192 teams. 
See page 8A for full coverage of state competition involving local athletes, including Hills-Beaver Creek girls who placed seventh with their 4-by-100-meter relay team and 100-meter runner Brynn Bakken, plus a recap of Luverne’s appearance at state tennis competition.
Luverne High School athletes took home an impressive amount of hardware from the Class A Minnesota State Track Meet in St. Michael-Albertville on June 9 and 10. 
Thirteen Cardinal athletes earned All-State honors by finishing in the top nine places in an event in the state meet. They added four state titles (a program best) and three new school records.  
Both the boys and the girls had impressive finishes in the team standings, with the boys fourth and the girls fifth overall, according to coach Pete Janiszeski.
“The fourth- and fifth-place team finishes are extremely difficult to do because you have to cover events and score good points in those events, and this crew did that,” Janiszeski said. 
“There are a lot of years the points these kids put up would have put them on the podium and even won a title. They put up as much or more points than the past two Luverne State Championships won by the 2006 boys and the 2010 girls.”
The 4-by-800 relay team of Elizabeth Wagner, Tiana Lais, Jenna DeBates and Tenley Nelson finished first (9:35.81). 
Nelson took the baton in fifth place and churned out a 2:12 split in her 800-meter anchor leg to secure the Cardinals’ fourth straight state title in the event. 
Nelson also was state champion in the open 800 run, breaking her own school record in a time of 2:14.68.  
Ashton Sandbulte was champion of the 100-meter dash (10.91), in which he finished third last year. He won the 200-meter dash (21.94), which broke his own school record time. 
The 4-by-100-meter relay team (Lucky Dara, Zachary Terrio, Eli Radtke and Ashton Sandbulte) finished second in 43.72. The time broke the Luverne school record previously set in 2006 by Jake Hendricks, Tom Ward, Jordan Siebenahler and Mike Kunstle (43.93).  
The girls’ 4-by-400-meter relay team of Tiana Lais, Elizabeth Wagner, Sarah Stegenga and Tenley Nelson finished third (4:04.80). 
Eli Radtke finished sixth in the pole vault at 13-6. The 3200-meter run had Coach Janiszeski’s sons finishing seventh and eighth respectively, Camden at 9:46.44 and Owen at 9:47.01, both personal record times.  
Jenna DeBates, who has been dealing with a leg injury, started out in the back of the pack in the 3,200-meter run. She powered through to finish eighth in a time of 11:27.82.  
Jadyn Hart was fifth in the discus at 122-00.  Jocelyn Hart was eighth in the shot put 37-11.50. The Hart sisters, both juniors, will look to return next year and build off a great season.   
“This was a state meet of epic proportions for our program,” coach Janiszeski said.
“Just getting to the state meet is very difficult to do and a tremendous accomplishment. However, these kids embraced a mindset of ‘be happy, but not satisfied; stay humble and hungry to improve; chase excellence and execute your event.’  They embraced that, and the results took care of themselves. They found themselves repeatedly on the awards stand. We’re just so blessed and so proud of these kids and their effort and willingness to embrace the team concept.” 
Coach Janiszeski’s social media posts for the team were often tagged at the end with “Chase your GOALS and live your DREAMS!” and for the 2022 Cardinal athletes this was the case.
The rest of the Cardinal finishes in the preliminary round are as follows:
 
LHS girls
300H  12. Elizabeth Wagner 48.76
4x100  14. Mia Wenzel, Anna Banck, Isabella Oye, Sarah Stegenga 51.87
4x200  13. Makena Nelson, Isabella Oye, Anna Banck, Sarah Stegenga 1:51.05
 
LHS boys
4x800  12. Ryan Fick, Sage Viessman, Camden Janiszeski, Owen Janiszeski 8:31.57

Occasional honks and beeps from various large vehicles could be heard coming from Main Street Luverne Monday night as the Plaza Committee of Luverne Initiatives for Tomorrow hosted the “Touch a Truck” event. More than a dozen large vehicles and heavy equipment were parked along Main Street for children (and adults) to climb inside, touch all the knobs and give the horns in each of the vehicles a test. Yellow plastic hardhats were given away to the 300 children who attended the event. They gathered stickers from adults stationed at each of the vehicles.