By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds experienced a rough week in amateur baseball play.The Redbirds lost a three-run home decision to Pipestone Wednesday, June 23. Luverne split games Sunday, beating Truman by 10 runs in Luverne before losing a night game by eight runs in Jackson.Luverne, 7-4 overall, will not play over the weekend. The Redbirds hosted Windom Wednesday, June 30.Jackson 8, Luverne 0The Redbirds lost their fourth game of the season when they traveled to Jackson for a night clash Sunday.Jackson blanked the Redbirds throughout the seven-inning game, limiting Luverne to five hits.Jon Jarchow picked up hits in the second and fourth innings for Luverne. Mike Wenninger, Brian Weber and Joey Pick delivered singles in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings respectively.Jesse Kuhlman tossed six innings and took the loss. He allowed six earned runs.Box score AB R H BIBoen 4 0 0 0Edstrom 3 0 0 0Wenninger 4 0 1 0Weber 3 0 1 0Sehr 3 0 0 0Jarchow 3 0 2 0Studer 3 0 0 0Fisher 3 0 0 0Pick 3 0 1 0Luverne 10, Truman 0The Redbirds snapped a two-game losing skid when they beat Truman by 10 runs in Luverne Sunday afternoon.Joel Nath pitched a five-hit shutout for the Redbirds, who scored all 10 of their runs in the first four innings.James Fisher doubled and scored the first run of the game when Jarchow delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the second.Jarchow doubled home two runs to highlight a five-run third inning that left the Redbirds sporting a 6-0 cushion. Ben Winkels and Jake Studer contributed RBI singles to the rally. Fisher received an RBI fielder’s choice.Luverne won the game by the 10-run rule after plating two runs in the fourth and fifth innings.Mike Boen tripled and scored the first run in the fourth when Jeff Sehr grounded out. Weber belted an RBI double as the inning progressed.Kuhlman singled and scored on an error before Eric Edstrom ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with a run-scoring single.Box score AB R H BIBoen 3 2 1 0Edstrom 3 0 1 1Sehr 2 1 0 1Winkels 2 2 1 1Weber 3 0 1 1Fisher 3 2 1 1Jarchow 3 1 1 3Studer 1 0 1 0Kuhlman 1 1 1 0Pick 2 1 1 0Pipestone 6, Luverne 3The visiting A’s scored the final six runs of the game to best the Redbirds by three runs during a June 23rd game played in Luverne.The Redbirds scored two runs in the first inning and one in the second to gain a 3-0 lead.Pipestone tied the game with single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings before winning the contest with a three-run ninth frame.Boen tripled and scored Luverne’s first run in the bottom of the first when Tony Sandbulte recorded his first of two sacrifice flies. Wenninger singled and scored on a single by Sehr to make it 2-0 before the inning was complete.Fisher singled and scored Luverne’s final run of the game in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Sandbulte.Sehr tossed the first six innings and limited the A’s to two runs. Wenninger surrendered four runs in the final three innings and was saddled with the loss.Box score AB R H BIBoen 5 1 3 0Sandbulte 3 0 1 2Wenninger 5 1 1 0Weber 5 0 1 0Sehr 4 0 2 1Winkels 3 0 0 0Edstrom 4 0 2 0Fisher 4 1 1 0Iveland 3 0 0 0Jarchow 1 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne American Legion baseball team went 2-2 and placed third at the Jackson Tournament Saturday and Sunday.The Cardinals opened the event with a nine-run win over Welcome Saturday before dropping a one-run decision to Jackson’s Junior Legion team.Jackson’s top team bested Luverne by six runs in Sunday’s first game. Luverne capped the tournament by besting Jackson’s Junior Legion team by three runs in the finale.Luverne ended the tournament with a 7-2 record.Luverne 6, JJL 3A five-run fifth inning gave the Cardinals a three-run win over Jackson’s Junior Legion team during Sunday’s third-place game.The game was tied at one heading into the top of the fifth, when Luverne took advantage of some JJL errors to put together a big inning.Tim Boen supplied the key hit during the rally when he slapped a three-run double. Mark Remme singled home a run in the frame, and Jared Pick walked and scored on an error.Jackson scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to trail 6-3, but it couldn’t catch the Cardinals in the sixth (all of the games in the tournament were six-inning contests).Luverne opened the scoring when Pick led the game off with a solo homer. Jackson knotted the score at one in the bottom of the second.Adam Kurtz worked all five innings on the mound to get the win. He fanned 10 batters during a three-hit, 10-walk outing.Box score AB R H BIPick 3 2 1 1Reisch 4 1 1 0Wysong 3 1 1 0Goembel 0 0 0 0Kurtz 3 1 0 0Remme 3 1 2 1Boen 2 0 1 3Bruynes 3 0 0 0Johnson 0 0 0 0Graphenteen 2 0 0 0Fodness 1 0 0 0Jackson 9, Luverne 3Jackson’s No. 1 team saddled the Cardinals with their second loss of the tournament when the teams squared off Sunday afternoon.The hosts opened a 4-0 advantage after three innings of play and never lost the lead to Luverne.The Cardinals did trim the difference to 4-2 when Pick, Zach Wysong and Kurtz ripped consecutive doubles in the top of the fourth inning.Jackson, however, put the game away by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth and two in the fifth to open a 9-2 cushion.Wysong tripled and scored Luverne’s final run in the sixth inning when Remme singled.Pick tossed all five innings and received the loss. Five of the nine runs he surrendered were unearned.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 2 0 0 0Goembel 1 0 0 0Pick 3 1 1 0Wysong 3 2 2 1Kurtz 3 0 1 1Remme 3 0 1 1Reisch 2 0 0 0Johnson 1 0 0 0Boen 2 0 0 0Bruynes 2 0 0 0Fodness 1 0 0 0JJL 5, Luverne 4Jackson’s Junior Legion saddled the Cardinals with their first setback of the season during Saturday’s second tournament game.Luverne erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the third inning to gain a brief lead, but JJL scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and blanked the Cardinals the rest of the way to prevail by one run.J.T. Bruynes, Rob Fodness and Taylor Graphenteen drew walks to start Luverne’s four-run rally in the fourth.Pick belted a two-run double, and Graphenteen tied the game at three when Wysong reached base on an error. Kurtz gave the Cards a 4-3 lead with an RBI single as the inning progressed.Bruynes pitched the first four innings and took the loss. He recorded six strikeouts, and was charged with five runs (two were earned). Wysong pitched one scoreless inning of relief.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 1 1 0 0Pick 3 1 2 2Wysong 3 0 0 1Kurtz 2 0 1 1Remme 2 0 0 0Reisch 2 0 0 0Boen 2 0 0 0Bruynes 1 1 0 0Fodness 1 1 0 0Luverne 10, Welcome 1The Cardinals opened the tournament by coasting to a nine-run victory over Welcome Saturday afternoon.Luverne scored seven runs in the first two innings and never lost control of the game the rest of the way.Boen delivered the key blow during a six-run first inning when he slashed a two-run single.Bruynes singled home a run, Remme was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Reisch drew a bases-loaded walk to fuel the rally.Pick walked and scored on a single by Reisch to make it a 7-0 game in the second, but Welcome plated a run in the top of the third to trim the difference to six (7-1).Luverne led 9-1 when Kurtz walked and scored on an error and Reisch slapped an RBI single in the fourth inning.Wysong singled and scored the game’s final run in the fifth.Wysong pitched all six innings to notch the win. He fanned 13 batters and surrendered one unearned run in the contest.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 4 0 0 0Pick 2 2 0 0Wysong 3 3 2 0Kurtz 0 2 0 0Remme 2 1 0 1Goembel 0 0 0 0Reisch 3 1 2 3Boen 2 1 1 2Bruynes 1 0 1 1Johnson 1 0 0 0Fodness 2 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne VFW baseball team split four games without placing at the New Ulm Tournament over the weekend.The Cardinals dropped the tournament opener to Maple Grove on Friday before beating New Ulm White later in the day.Luverne lost a game to Hutchinson Saturday before beating New Ulm Black in the tournament later in the day.Luverne’s record stands at 12-4 after the tournament.Luverne 15, NU Black 5The Cardinals saved their best offensive performance of the tournament for the finale against New Ulm Black Saturday.Marc Boelman drove in four runs with four hits to lead a 15-hit attack that carried the Cards to a 10-run win in six innings.The game was tied at two when Luverne gained the lead for good by scoring one run in the top of the third inning and three in the fourth.Ben Nath reached base on a fielder’s choice and scored the go-ahead run in the third when Craig Oeding singled.Boelman doubled home one run, Tyler Reisch slapped a run-scoring single and Derek Elbers received an RBI for a groundout when the Cards expanded their lead to four runs (6-2) in the third.Black plated a run in the bottom of the fourth to trail 6-3 before Luverne iced the game with a nine-run sixth inning.Boelman’s two-run double was the key hit in the sixth. Oeding, Brian Deutsch, Jake Clark and Elbers drove in one run each with singles.Both teams scored two runs in the first inning.Boelman and Chris Fitzer singled home runs in the first for Luverne.Andrew DeBoer tossed all five innings to notch the win.Box score AB R H BIClark 1 4 1 1Elbers 4 1 2 2Boelman 5 3 4 4Reisch 3 1 1 1Fitzer 4 1 1 1Nath 3 2 1 0Oeding 4 1 2 2Deutsch 4 0 1 1Lundgren 3 2 2 0Hutchinson 11, Luverne 3The Cardinals let an early lead slip away during Saturday’s first game against Hutchinson.Luverne scored two runs in the top of the second to gain an early advantage, but Hutchinson outscored the Cards 11-1 the rest of the way to win by eight.Fitzer drew a walk and Nath singled to set the table for Luverne in the second. Fitzer scored on a single by Oeding, and Nath crossed home plate when DeBoer produced a sacrifice fly.Hutchinson scored six runs in the third inning and two in the fifth to lead 8-2 before Luverne scored its final run in the sixth.Deutsch singled and scored the team’s last run when Nath doubled.Hutchinson struck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to cap the scoring.Nath worked the first five innings on the mound and took the loss. Boelman pitched the sixth inning.Box score AB R H BIClark 3 0 1 0Elbers 4 0 1 0Boelman 4 0 1 0Reisch 4 0 0 0Finke 1 0 0 0Fitzer 0 1 0 0Deutsch 2 1 1 0Nath 3 1 2 1Oeding 3 0 1 1Lundgren 2 0 0 0DeBoer 2 0 0 1Luverne 8, NU White 0A strong pitching performance by Brett Lundgren set the stage for an eight-run win over New Ulm White in Friday’s second game.Lundgren tossed a seven-inning shutout. He limited White to four hits.Luverne scored all eight of its runs in the first and third innings.Clark walked and Boelman reached base on an error in the bottom of the first. Fitzer delivered a two-run single to give the Cards a 2-0 lead.Luverne iced the game with a six-run third inning.DeBoer and Oeding slapped two-run singles in the frame. Reisch added an RBI single to the rally, and another run scored on an error.Box score AB R H BIClark 3 1 0 0Elbers 2 1 0 0Boelman 2 2 1 0Reisch 3 1 1 1Fitzer 2 1 1 2Nath 2 0 1 0Oeding 3 1 1 2Lundgren 1 1 0 0DeBoer 3 0 1 2MG 3, Luverne 1Maple Grove edged the Cardinals by two runs in a well-played game to open the tournament Friday.MG plated three runs to open the scoring in the bottom half of the third inning.Luverne scored the game’s final run in the fourth.Boelman was hit by a pitch, Reisch reached base on an error and Oeding walked to load the sacks in the fourth. Nath was hit by a pitch to force home Boelman.Micah Boomgaarden pitched all seven innings for Luverne, surrendering four hits.Box score AB R H BIClark 4 0 3 0Elbers 3 0 0 0Boelman 2 1 0 0Reisch 2 0 0 0Fitzer 3 0 0 0Oeding 2 0 0 0Lundgren 3 0 0 0Nath 2 0 0 1Boomgaarden 3 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseSixteen golf teams raised a record amount of money for charity during the 14th annual Peg Hoiland Anderson Memorial Golf Tournament played at the Luverne Country Club Monday.The teams, which ranged from three to four-players per squad, played in a golf scrambler that earned more than $3,000.The funds raised during the event will be donated to the Luverne Dollars for Scholars Chapter and Sioux Valley Hospice."We raised more than $3,000 this year, which is the most we’ve ever raised," said Pam Hoiland, who organizes the annual event played on the final Monday of June every year.According to Hoiland, a member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America helped make 2004 a record-setting year for the tournament.Rich Beem, the 2002 PGA champion, donated a driver that was used as a raffle prize for the event."Rich Beem was the Club Professional at Westward Ho in Sioux Falls in 1994. We contacted him, and he was nice enough to donate a driver for the raffle. We used the raffle money to help us with the green fees, which helped us raise more money for charity," Hoiland said.A team made up of Luverne players turned in a solid showing during Monday’s tournament.Gabe Van Dyk, David Nelson, Jesson Vogt and Patrick Bennett shot a nine-under-par 63 to emerge as the champions of the five-team co-ed division of competition.Their 63 was good enough to earn a share of the overall championship with a four-player men’s team consisting of golfers from Sioux Falls.Brian Anderson, Scott Schneidermann, Ryan Bohy and Dick Bohy won the five-team men’s division with a 63.Four players from Sioux Falls won the five-team women’s division title with a six-under-par 66.Carol Viet, Mary Albers, Joli Gallagher and Jeri Krsnak formed the winning women’s team.

By John RittenhouseMagnolia’s Josh Klay and Adrian’s Mark DeBoer posted two feature wins each during a busy weekend at area speedways.Klay, a hobby stock competitor, and DeBoer, a late model street stock driver, posted their wins on the same nights and same tracks.Both men attended Friday’s races at Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa.Klay won the feature race after placing third in the first heat race. DeBoer placed second in the first heat race in the street stock division before winning the feature.DeBoer and Klay made statements during Sunday’s races at Huset’s Speedway near Brandon, S.D.Klay placed second in the second heat race of the hobby stock competition before winning the feature. DeBoer won the first street stock heat race and the feature title.Luverne’s Jesse Akkerman competed against DeBoer, and Kanaranzi’s Colter Deutsch and Ellsworth’s Mike Deutsch raced against Klay at Huset’s.Akkerman placed third in the first heat and third in the street stock feature.Colter Deutsch won the first hobby stock heat race before placing second in the feature. Mike Deutsch finished third in the second heat race and ninth in the feature.A number of other area drivers mixed it up at Rapid Speedway.Former Rock County resident Darrin Korthals, Luverne’s Scott Overgaard and Adrian’s Brad Klaassen raced in the street stock division at the Iowa track.Korthals won the first heat race and placed second in the feature. Overgaard placed sixth in the first heat and 10th in the feature. Klaassen won the second heat and finished third in the feature.Former Luverne resident Anthony Mann, Kanaranzi’s Deutsch and Ellsworth’s Greg Roemen competed in the sportsmen class at Rapid Speedway.Mann placed fourth in the first heat and fourth in the feature. Roemen finished fourth in the second heat and fifth in the feature. Deutsch placed sixth in the first heat and 13th in the feature.Colter Deutsch, Magnolia’s Larry Kracht and Luverne’s Seth Stegenga raced in the hobby stock class at Rapid Speedway.Kracht won the second heat race before finishing fifth in the feature. Stegenga placed fourth in the third heat and seventh in the feature. Deutsch placed second in the second heat and ninth in the feature.Luverne’s Brett DeJager and Mike Steensma secured places as modified drivers at Minnesota tracks over the weekend.DeJager placed fourth and Steensma fifth in the feature race at Murray County Speedway in Slayton Friday. DeJager placed second in the feature race at Nobles County Speedway in Worthington Saturday.Lake County Speedway, in Madison, S.D., attracted three area drivers Saturday.Adrian’s DeBoer placed second in the first heat and third in the street stock feature. Ellsworth’s Roemen placed third in the second heat and third in the sportsmen feature. Kanaranzi’s Deutsch placed second in the first heat and fourth in the hobby stock feature.Four area drivers raced at I-90 Speedway in Hartford, S.D., Saturday.Luverne’s Chad Overgaard placed second in the second heat and seventh in the feature race of the Wissota late model class.Luverne’s Akkerman, Adrian’s Klaassen and Korthals raced in the street stock division.Klaassen placed third in the third heat and third in the feature. Korthals won the third heat race before placing fourth in the feature. Akkerman took the checkered flag in the second heat race before placing fifth in the feature.

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne American Legion baseball team racked up 30 runs while disposing of a pair of area teams at Redbird Field in games played since last Thursday.The Cardinals toppled Fulda by six runs Thursday before notching a seven-run win over Edgerton Tuesday.Luverne, 8-2 overall, will play five games at the Brookings, S.D., tournament Friday through Sunday. The Cardinals host Slayton Tuesday.Luverne 13, Edgerton 6The Cardinals scored eight runs in the first two innings and coasted to a seven-run home victory over Edgerton Tuesday.Luverne plated six runs in the home half of the first inning and added two more in the second to take command of the game.Edgerton outscored Luverne 6-5 the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough to seriously challenge the Cards.Jared Pick doubled and Zach Wysong walked before both runners raced home on an error to open the scoring in the first.Rob Fodness delivered a two-run single, Tim Boen contributed a sacrifice fly and Mark Remme scored on a wild pitch to cap the six-run inning.Adam Reisch doubled in the second inning before scoring on a two-run home run to left-center field by Wysong to make it an 8-0 game in the second.Edgerton trimmed the lead in half at 8-4 before Luverne scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to open a 10-4 cushion.Wysong doubled home one run and scored the second run in the fourth on an error.Edgerton answered with two runs in the top of the fifth, but the Cards scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and once in the sixth to win handily.Taylor Graphenteen was hit by a pitch before scoring the first run in the fifth when Pick grounded out. Fodness singled and scored on a single from Reisch to increase the lead to 12-6 by innings end.Remme was hit by a pitch before scoring the sixth-inning run on an error.Wysong pitched the first inning for the Cards before giving way to Graphenteen, who worked the next two and one-third innings to notch the win. Kelsey Petersen tossed one and one-third innings for Luverne. Fodness twirled the final two and one-third frames.Box score AB R H BIPick 4 1 1 1Reisch 4 2 3 1Wysong 3 3 3 3Kurtz 1 1 0 0Johnson 2 0 0 0Remme 3 2 0 0Boen 2 0 1 1Goembel 1 0 0 0Bruynes 1 1 0 0Petersen 2 0 0 0Graphenteen 2 2 1 0Fodness 3 1 2 2Luverne 17, Fulda 11The Cardinals trounced Fulda for the second time this season when they came out on the winning end of a six-run decision in Luverne Thursday.Luverne’s Remme drove in five runs with two hits and Adam Kurtz picked up three RBIs and emerged as the winning pitcher in the game.Fulda scored three runs in the top half of the fourth inning to take an 11-10 lead in a wild game, but the Cardinals scored the final seven runs to record the victory.Kurtz tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning before Boen delivered a two-run single to give Luverne a 13-11 edge.Reisch singled home a run, Remme picked up an RBI with a fielder’s choice and Kurtz drew a bases-loaded walk to earn RBIs during a four-run sixth inning that iced the game.Remme gave the Cards a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the first inning, but Fulda moved in front 5-2 by plating five runs in the top of the second.Luverne regained the lead at 6-5 with a four-run bottom of the second that was highlighted by an RBI single from Graphenteen and Kurtz being hit by a pitch with the bases full.Fulda scored three times in the top of the third to regain the lead at 8-6, but the Cards answered with a four-run surge in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-8 lead.Remme doubled home two runs, Fodness delivered an RBI triple and Graphenteen contributed a sacrifice fly to the third-inning rally.Kurtz pitched three innings of hitless, shutout relief to pick up the win. Fodness and Boen tossed two innings each.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 1 2 1 2Goembel 1 1 0 0Pick 0 5 0 0Wysong 2 2 1 0Kurtz 2 2 1 3Remme 4 1 2 5Reisch 4 1 1 1Boen 4 0 1 2Bruynes 4 2 3 0Fodness 3 1 1 1Johnson 1 0 0 0

10 years ago (1994)"The issue of expanding gravel pits near Blue Mounds State Park goes beyond defending the natural beauty of the area, according to local landowners Gene and Carlene Scott. The real issue, they said, centers around private property owners’ rights and government control over those rights.A public hearing on June 20 addressed the question of whether or not the land east of the park should be rezoned to allow Northern Con-Agg to expand its gravel pit west toward the Mounds."25 years ago (1979)"As the independent trucker’s shutdown in protest of rising diesel fuel prices continues, the violence which is present across the states entered the Rock County area.The Rock County Sheriff’s Office reported that there was a shooting incident by Magnolia Thursday night.A four-wheel drive pickup was going west when it met a semi-truck heading east. Three occupants were in the semi, according to officials.The occupants heard shots, but the truck was not hit and no one was injured. The pickup truck is still unidentified according to officials."50 years ago (1954)"St. John’s new church will be dedicated in ceremonies which will be held next Sunday. Three leading churchmen of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, will be featured speakers at morning and afternoon services.… The dedication sermon will be given by the Reverend Professor W. A. Poehler, president of Concordia College."75 years ago (1929)"Luverne is soon to have another exclusive grocery store, which will carry a complete line of staple and fancy groceries. The new concern is a chain organization and does business as a Council Oak store. It is a branch of the well-known wholesale house of the Tollerton-Warfield Co., of Sioux City."100 years ago (1904)"A transfer of Luverne property which involved more money than any similar deal made in a long time, was affected the past week when the LaDue dairy farm was sold to C.W. Grant, of LaPort, Iowa. While the consideration is not stated, it is understood to be more than $20,000. … The LaDue dairy is one of the oldest institutions in the city and has been conducted continuously for over twenty-two years."

JUNE 3, 2004MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2184, ROCK COUNTY, LUVERNE, MINNESOTA. A special meeting of the Board of Education, ISD #2184, was held in the District Office on Thursday, June 3, 2004, at 12:00 p.m.The following members were present: Don Bryan, Colleen Deutsch, Cary Radisewitz, Bill Stegemann, Steve Tofteland, and Becky Walgrave. Absent: Dan Kopp. Also present: Superintendent Vince Schaefer, Marlene Mann, Don Klosterbuer, and Larry Roos.The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Becky Walgrave. School Attorney Don Klosterbuer reviewed the options the School Board has in regard to the track bids received on May 26, 2004. There are four options: 1) award the two low bids for the asphalt and track surfacing (McLaughlin & Schulz, Inc and Fisher Tracks, Inc); 2) accept bid specifications and accept the All Surface Specialist, Inc., bid for surfacing; 3) reject all surfacing bids and delay action on the asphalt bid for one week to allow for negotiation of two quotes for the surfacing; or 4) reject all asphalt and surfacing bids. Motion by Tofteland, second by Radisewitz, to reject all bids and to request an explanation from Neil Tessier, CEI Associates, as to why the bid from Fisher Tracks, Inc., did not comply with bid specifications. Motion unanimously carried.Motion by Radisewitz, second by Stegemann, to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried. Dated: June 3, 2004Colleen Deutsch, Clerk(7-1)

REQUEST FOR BIDSLUVERNE PUBLIC SCHOOLSNotice is hereby given that bids will be received until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20, 2004, at the Office of the Superintendent, Luverne High School, Luverne, Minnesota, for the furnishing of the following products:A. Gasoline and Fuel ProductsB. Fuel OilC. Bakery ProductsD. Milk ProductsDetailed specifications and information are available at the Office of the Superintendent of Schools.The School Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any technicalities. Colleen DeutschClerk(7-1, 7-8)