By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth Patriots had little trouble posting their third win of the season when they traveled to Lake Benton for a Southwest Ridge Conference tilt Friday.

Playing their first road game of the season didn't seem to bother the Patriots, who scored 41 consecutive points in the gameÕs first 27:42 during what ended up being a 41-16 victory.

Lake Benton gambled on defense to stop H-BC-E's impressive running attack by crowding the line of scrimmage with as many as eight defenders.

That strategy backfired as H-BC-E scored four rushing touchdowns covering 48 or more yards in the game.

"They were playing a 4-4 defense that was really tight at the line of scrimmage," said Patriot coach Dan Ellingson. "Our blocking was good, which opened some big holes up for our runners. When we got our backs through the initial line of scrimmage, they were gone."

Senior tailback Chris Reid did most of the damage to Lake Benton's defense.

Reid ran the ball 14 times for 220 yards, averaging 15.7 yards with each carry. Of his 220 yards, 165 yards came on three touchdown runs that were 48 yards or longer.

Reid made his presence known early in the game.

H-BC-E received the kick to start the contest on the Lake Benton 36-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Reid dashed 64 yards for a touchdown and a 6-0 lead.

H-BC-E ended up scoring touchdowns during its first six offensive possessions of the game.

The second possession was capped by an eight-yard scamper by Reid at the 6:50 mark of the opening period. Reid hauled in a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Curt Schilling to make it 14-0 difference.

After getting the ball back later in the opening period, the H-BC-E offense put together a drive that ended on the first play of the second quarter. Schilling hit Tyson Metzger for a three-yard touchdown pass, and Zach Wysong added the extra point for a 21-0 advantage.

A pair of explosive runs by Reid increased H-BC-E's lead to 35-0 before the first half was complete.

Reid sprinted 53 yards for a score at the 8:56 mark of the second period, and found the end zone again at the end of a 48-yard run with 3:39 left to play in the half. Wysong kicked extra points after both touchdowns.

The Bobcats did have a scoring opportunity late in the first half as they were in a first-and-goal situation at the H-BC-E six. After advancing the ball to the two with three plays, a run on fourth down was stopped on the one, giving H-BC-E the ball on downs.

H-BC-E's defense stopped Lake BentonÕs first offensive series of the second half, giving the Patriot offense the ball on its own 47. Fullback Jesse Leuthold rumbled 53 yards for a score during H-BC-EÕs first offensive play in the third quarter, making the difference 41-0.

Ellingson replaced his starters with reserves at that point, and Lake Benton was able to take advantage of the situation.

Bobcat quarterback Matt Prosch tossed a 56-yard touchdown pass to Jason Schwing at the 4:16 mark of the third quarter. A successful conversion run made the score 41-8.

The Prosch-Schwing combination clicked for a 37-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Another successful conversion run capped the scoring with 6:46 left to play.

All things considered, Ellingson was proud of the way his team played against the Bobcats.

"I thought we played really well," he said. "The thing I liked was we got our passing game going on offense. We were 13 of 19 passing. That opened things up for our runners, because Lake Benton had to respect the pass defensively."

The Patriots will try to improve their record to 4-0 when they host Edgerton for their homecoming game Friday.

Edgerton is 1-2 overall after a pair of losses followed a season-opening victory.

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 343 rushing yards, 107 passing yards, 450 total yards, 10 first downs, five penalties for 25 yards, one turnover.
Lake Benton: 114 rushing yards, 149 passing yards, 263 total yards, three first downs, five penalties for 30 yards, zero turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 14-220, Leuthold 10-85, Schilling 2-12, Dusty Seachris 6-9, Jordan Scott 7-22, Travis Broesder 2-minus five.
Passing: Schilling 13-19 for 107 yards.
Receiving: Metzger 5-30, Wysong 3-42, Kyle Sammons 2-8, Brant Deutsch 1-13, Leuthold 1-6, Reid 1-3.
Defense: Schilling nine tackles, Scott five tackles, Leuthold five tackles and one sack, Pat Nelson three tackles and one sack, Cody Scholten five tackles, Seachris five tackles, Deutsch two tackles and one sack.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton boys' cross country team turned in a strong performance at a meet in Iowa Monday.

Competing in the West Lyon Invitational, staged at Meadow Acres Country Club near Larchwood, the Patriot boys placed second in a 12-team field with 62 points.

Okoboji won the team event with 47 points, but Patriot coach Tom Goehle was satisfied with placing second.

"There is some good competition at this meet," he said. "Some of these schools have outstanding cross country traditions. When you can say that you placed second as a team at this meet, you know that you ran well."

Tyler Bush and Zach Hadler led the Patriots to victory by placing first and third with respective 17:39 and 18:01 times.

Greg Van Batavia (17th in 19:08), Todd Alberty (20th in 19:18) and Kale Wiertzema (21st in 19:24) contributed to H-BC-E-EÕs second-place performance.

"Collectively, I think this was as good as our varsity boys have run this year," Goehle added.

Mya Mann and Erika Fransen ran solid junior varsity races for the Patriot girls by finishing second and eighth with times of 17:01 and 17:25. Rayne Sandoval placed 13th in 18:07.

Derek Haak led H-BC-E-E in the boysÕ junior varsity race by finishing ninth in 20:36.

John Sandbulte (15th in 21:50), Devin DeBoer (20th in 22:51), Michael Bos (26th in 23:13), Jared Drenth (27th in 23:23) and Justin Hinks (51st in 30:09) also ran in the junior varsity event.

H-BC-E-E will compete at a meet in Princeton Saturday.

Hills-Beaver Creek senior Sarah Rozeboom comes up empty when trying to keep the ball in play during Thursday's home volleyball match against Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin. Rozeboom had two kills and completed all five of her serves in a 3-0 loss to the Wolverines.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek was unable to break into the win column in Red Rock Conference volleyball play when it hosted Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin for a league match Thursday.

The Patriots played well at times in the match, especially in the third game.

ML-B-O, however, rose to the challenge whenever the situation called for it while posting a 3-0 win.

H-BC put up a good fight in Game 3, when it turned a 5-2 deficit into a 9-5 lead by putting together a 7-0 run.

Angie Sjaarda served a four-point run during the rally that featured two ace blocks and one kill by Erin Boeve. Boeve served the next three points with Sarah Rozeboom providing one kill.

It seemed like the Patriots were in control of the third game with a four-point cushion, but the Wolverines bounced back to score the next 10 points to post a 15-9 win.

ML-B-O scored the first three points in Game 1 before going on a 9-1 surge to open a 12-1 cushion.

A pair of service points by Melinda Sandstede, a kill by Kelly Mulder and an ace serve by Angie Bush trimmed ML-B-O's lead to seven points (12-5), but the Wolverines scored the next three points to ice a 15-5 victory.

ML-B-O scored the first four points of the second game before going on an 8-3 run while opening a 12-3 lead.

The score was 14-4 when H-BC put together a 5-0 run consisting of one service point from Melissa Fagerness and two kills, one ace tip and one point from Boeve to make it a 14-9 difference before ML-B-O clinched a 15-9 win.

Boeve led the Patriots with 14 kills and six blocks in the match, while Mulder added two kills and one ace.

Rozeboom (five of five), Cassi Tilstra (three of three) and Sandstede (seven of seven) were perfect at the service line. Rozeboom charted two kills.

Patriot coach Curt Doorneweerd credited Fagerness for displaying outstanding hustle during the match.

By Jolene Farley
Hills-Beaver Creek High School welcomed two exchange students this fall, both from Germany, through International Cultural Exchange Services.

Esther Oehlschlaegel, 16, from Hildesheim, Germany, is staying with Matt and Cindy Larson, Beaver Creek. She arrived in the United States Aug. 19.

"I like it here," she said. "It's very small and more rural than my town, but it has the advantage that everybody is very friendly. They all are very interested and very helpful."

Oehlschlaegel decided a long time ago she wanted to become an exchange student. She was always interested in other countries, learning a new language and about a new culture.

"I was always very interested in trying to see how America really was... we know so much from television, newspapers and radio," she said. "I wanted to check if it was the way we thought."

Oehlschlaegel said she isn't very homesick. "I miss my friends and family, but it's not so bad because I'm happy here."

Oehlschlaegel's father, Thomas, works for a computer science company and her mother, Christine, is a teacher. She has a brother, Gunnar, 20.

Oehlschlaegel said Germans were shocked when they heard about the events of Sept. 11. "We never expected something like this could happen."

Her government class in Germany spent many days discussing the background of the countries involved and possible reasons for the attack.

She thinks United States citizens are more loyal to their country than German citizens are. "They (Americans) are so proud of themselves, everyone feels like a patriot, is proud of their country," she said. "In Germany, we are not so proud of our country, of our history."

Corrina Braun, 17, from Berlin, Germany, arrived in the United States on Aug. 26. She is staying with Merle and Shelley Knobloch, Hills.

Braun said she wanted to vacation in the United States her entire life, so when she discovered she could spend an entire year in the States, she signed up.

"I couldn't decide if I wanted to go to a big town or a small town," she said. "I said if I want to go to the USA I try to live in a small town." Her hometown, Berlin, is a large city.

Braun wanted to learn more about American culture and learn better English.

She said students in Berlin study English for six years.

"Sometimes, it is not so hard as I thought it would be," she said. "If many people are together and talk with each other really fast I don't understand them."

She said she appreciates their patience as she learns.

"The American people are friendly," she said. "You can ask three times the same question and they are always friendly."

Braun said there is a difference between German and United States meals. "They (Americans) go often out for eating," she said. "Many people eat sweet things for breakfast."

She said in Germany people eat less fast food. Braun's mother cooks the family's meals or they eat out maybe once or twice a month.

Braun's father, Ralf, works with computers, and her mother, Monika, is a dental assistant. She has a younger sister, Celia, 11.

Oehlschlaegel and Braun will return to Germany next summer.

By Jolene Farley
Security Savings Bank, Larchwood, moved into a new building Sept. 9. With approximately 7,200 square feet, the new building resolves space shortages in the former building on Main Street in Larchwood.

Construction began on the new building last fall. "The weather was cooperative," said Larch Bancorporation President Rod Bonander. "They were pretty much able to work over the entire winter."

Larch Bancorporation is the holding company for Security Savings Bank and its branch bank in Inwood, Iowa. It also owns the Exchange State Bank of Hills and its Steen branch bank.

According to management the new building will provide a better working environment for employees and better service for customers. It has six offices that circle the lobby for bank use.

"It's more accessible to customers," said Joel Klatt, vice president of Security Savings Bank. "Just by having more offices available in the lobby area."

In addition, legal firm Lachlan, Murphy and Bonander occupies the offices in the back of the building.

"We were desperately short on drive-up window space," said Bonander. Drive-up window traffic at the old location would, at times, back up onto Highway 9. The new location has two drive-up windows, with a drive that circles behind the bank.

The bank also needed additional operational space, according to Bonander. In the past, data processing was sent to a computer firm, but now it is done in house at the bank.

Security Savings Bank is a full-service banking facility with an emphasis on small business, farmers and consumers.

As the makeup of Larchwood and surrounding communities has changed over the years, more and more people live in town and commute to work in Sioux Falls 15 miles away.

"You have to provide better convenience for people who are commuting back and forth to work," he said. "We are seeing more in personal loans and single family dwelling type loans."

The bank currently employs 10 people and has no immediate plans to hire more, but the building is designed for expansion, should the need arise.

An open house is tentatively planned for the second or third week in October.

Taylor Telford spent Saturday evening with her grandparents, Orrin and Bernice Aukes, Steen, at Old Fashioned Saturday Night in Hills. The many who attended the event, sponsored by the Hills Community Club, enjoyed food, entertainment and good, old-fashioned fun.

The idea for the American flag on the side of Greg Kvale's barn on County Road 6 stemmed from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. "Everybody kind of paid tribute to 9/11, and I wanted to do something," said Kvale. He knew he'd be putting new siding on the barn anyway soon, so with the assistance of neighbor Harley Fransman, Kvale cut 50 white stars out of steel with a hand grinder and a cutting disk. The flag design, which took three to four days for the men to complete, measures 57 by 26 feet and is wired with 3,000 watts of flood lighting to illuminate the roof at night. The 100 pieces of red steel, and the blue steel for the job was special ordered. Kvale said many people have commented on his new roof. A Navy recruiter, who apparently was just driving by on the highway, stopped and left his card with a little note that read, "Nice flag!"

Photo by Jolene Farley

Live today like there's no tomorrow
I was fortunate to be part of our local Sept. 11 observance Wednesday on Main Street, Luverne.

It was the most fitting, appropriate, reverent way I could imagine to observe the anniversary of an event that changed our nation.

There were no politicians campaigning under the guise of a Sept. 11 speech, there were no media rehashing and replaying the events of the day, there were no collections taken for yet another 9-11 fund.

It was simply a united effort by many local citizens to send a powerful message. I can't speak for everyone, but the message I heard in that long moment of silence is that we haven't forgotten, and our hearts still ache for the victims and their families.

When the somber notes of "Taps," rang in the ears of downtown participants, a lump formed in my throat to think what the day must mean to those still mourning.

The song ended, and we in Luverne parted hands and returned to our daily lives.

Meanwhile, loved ones of the victims return to their daily nightmares. Children are still going to sleep without goodnight kisses from their daddies, new brides are still getting used to being widows, and the scenarios of grieving souls are endless.

Their loss will last a lifetime. It didn't end with the cleanup of Ground Zero and it didn't end with a one-year anniversary observance.

All the media interviews, all the countless documentary films and all the memorial ceremonies won't change that.

Such is war.

So how does a country begin to pay respects amid all this heartache?

Just the way Luverne did Wednesday. By pausing to remember and by sending a collective prayer with each toll of a church bell...for the victims, for the leaders of our country, for the servicemen and women at war and for peace around the world.

Then, when it's all said and done, it's best to do what we did Wednesday: return to the task of living Ñ not the living we did prior to 9-11-01, but living with renewed purpose.

If we take to heart anything from the media interviews with families of victims, we need to heed their advice to live each day as if it were our last.

In essence: love more, stress less and generally simplify our lives so that what remains has meaning.

If the United States of America emerges from 9-11 in this condition, the war will already have been won.

County Road 4 to close on Monday
County Road 4 (Main Street), will be closed on Monday, east of Luverne for approximately 8 to 10 weeks.

The construction will begin just east of the Luverne City Park entrance for two bridge construction projects.

The official detour will include US Hwy. 75, County Hwy. 16 and County Hwy. 9.

For those wishing to get to the golf course for one or two final rounds of the year, the beginning of River Road, at the city park, will still be open, if you don't mind taking a gravel road.

The county request that any trucks and over-width vehicles use the assigned detour route in lieu of alternate routes.

Auditions set for Sanders Family Christmas
Green Earth Players have announced audition dates for the upcoming play "Sanders Family Christmas."

The audition dates will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, and at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23.

Both auditions will be at the Green Earth Players building, located one-half block east of GlenÕs on Lincoln Street in Luverne.

A recent GEP newsletter described the production as "An evening filled with music, song and holiday cheer and - just a touch of romance! Back home for the holiday season, the lovable, quirky Sanders family returns to warm our ears and tickle our funny bones with their singin' and witnessin'. A smash hit in the 1998-1999 season, this sequel to "Smoke 'n the Mountain" brings us to 1941, with a gospel-singing family in one of their final appearances at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. Times are uncertain, but Burl, Vera, Dennis, Denise, Stanley, June and Rev. Oglethorpe are 'fine as from hair' with their traditional Christmas music and some old time gospel and bluegrass tunes to boot."

20 bands to participate in 2002 Tri-State Band Festival
Twenty bands, made up of more than 2,400 students, will be a part of the 2002 Tri-State Band Festival, according to the Luverne Chamber of Commerce.

The bands from Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota will gather in Luverne Saturday, Sept. 28, for the 52nd annual event.

The festival is one of the longest running festivals of its kind in the Midwest.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with the parade on Luverne's Main Street, followed by the field competition at 1 p.m. at the Luverne High School athletic field.

Entrance to all field events requires a Tri-State Band Festival button, which can be purchased either at the gate, or on Main Street, prior to the parade.

You just gained 1.3 years of life expectancy
In the last 10 years, between 1990 and 2000, life expectancy increased to 81.5 years for females and 76.5 years for males.

That's an increase of 1.3 years from the previous decade.

The increase in the 90s is actually smaller than it had been in the 80s, when the increase was 1.6 years, or the 70s when it increased 3.2 years.

The difference between men and women is also narrowing. The gap used to be 7.4 years, but now is down to 5.

If you think we are getting healthier, think again. We are still too fat and don't exercise enough, but the increase in the medical system, which has lowered the death rate from diseases such as AIDS and cancer has made a significant impact.

If you would like to know more about the report, Minnesota Life Expectancy in 2000, you can find it on the web at

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