Workers pour cement for the foundation of the Beaver Creek Golf Course clubhouse on Monday. Developers are now selling lifetime memberships to the course with play beginning next year.

Photo by Jolene Farley

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek ended the 2001 volleyball campaign when it couldn't produce an upset during the semifinal round of the South Section 3A Tournament played in Luverne Tuesday.

The fourth-seeded Patriots drew the tough task of taking on No. 1 seed Southwest Christian during the first semifinal-round tilt of the night.

H-BC played well at times, but it couldn't keep the E-Gals from posting a 3-0 win and ending the campaign with a 12-14 record.

H-BC sported 2-0 and 3-2 leads in Game 1 before SWC went on an 11-2 run to open a 13-5 advantage.

The Patriots closed the gap to four points (13-9) with a service point by Sarah Rozeboom and ace serves from Brittney Olson, Tonya Leenderts and LaDonna Sandstede, but the E-Gals scored the next two points to ice a 15-9 victory.

H-BC sported 1-0 and 2-1 leads in Game 2 only to watch SWC move in front 6-2 moments later. The difference still was at four points (8-4) when SWC went on an 8-0 run to clinch a 15-4 win.

Leenderts served a pair of points, Olson delivered an ace serve and another point and Erin Boeve provided an ace tip to give H-BC a 5-0 lead in the third game.

SWC put together a 14-1 run to seemingly take control of the match with a 14-6 advantage, but the Patriots scored the next five points (two ace serves and two service points by Boeve and one ace tip by Jody Rentschler) to make it a 14-11 game.

The E-Gals, however, regrouped to score the next point and prevail 15-11.

Boeve led the Patriots with 12 kills and five ace blocks along with going 11 of 11 at the service line. Leenderts, who was 16-17 serving, led H-BC with 10 digs.

Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth junior tailback Chris Reid grabs a handful of facemask while trying to elude a Fergus Falls Hillcrest Lutheran Academy defender during Saturday's state nine-man tournament football game in Fergus Falls. Reid rushed for 101 yards and one touchdown during a season-ending 30-12 loss.

By John Rittenhouse
Some missed opportunities during the course of Minnesota State Nine-Man Football Tournament game played in Fergus Falls Saturday kept the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth Patriots from playing a game in the Metrodome tomorrow.

Taking on unranked Fergus Falls Hillcrest Lutheran Academy on the Comets' home field, fifth-ranked H-BC-E was unable to advance out of the quarterfinal round.

The surprising Comets were able to continue their turn-around from a 1-4 start to the season by raising their record to 8-4 with a 30-12 victory over the Patriots.

FFHLA advances to tomorrow's semifinals at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, where it will take on 10-1 LeRoy-Ostrander.

H-BC-E ends the season with a 10-1 record.

For the Patriot players and fans, thoughts of what might have been will be on their minds for a while.

H-BC-E had some golden opportunities to put some additional points on the scoreboard, but a pair of drives that produced no points ended inside the FFHLA 10-yard line during the game.

Add a pair of missed tackles during a punt return for a touchdown that seemed to give the Comets the momentum for the rest of the game, and the game could have taken on a very different look.

"We had our chances," said H-BC-E coach Dan Ellingson. "We had a first-and-goal on their four-yard line when the game was still zero to zero, but we couldnÕt punch it in. If we had scored first, who knows what would have happened. We also drove the ball to their four without scoring to start the second half. ThereÕs at least 12 points we could have had, and we missed two tackles during a punt return that could have saved a touchdown. I'm not saying those things would have made the difference, but it would have been a lot tighter ball game."

An indication that things might not go H-BC-E's way came early in the contest.

After punting six plays into the contest, the Patriots received outstanding field position when linebacker Jesse Leuthold recovered a fumble on the Comet 16 two plays into FFHLA's first possession of the game.

Chris Reid turned a fourth-and-seven situation into a first down with a nine-yard run to the Comet four, but the Patriots lost four yards with their next three plays before Reid was tackled for a three-yard loss during a fourth-and-goal play from the eight.

The teams exchanged punts as the first quarter continued, and it was a punt by the Patriots that set up a nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Comet quarterback Steve Moline hitting Nick Hansen for a 15-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first quarter. A Moline-to-Tom Scheid conversion pass made it an 8-0 game.

Hansen's touchdown set the tone for a wild second quarter that featured the Comets outscoring the Patriots 22-6 to take a 30-6 lead at the intermission.

FFHLA caught the first break of the second quarter when a Comet defender recovered a fumble on the Patriot 34 with 10:28 remaining in the first half.

The Comets lost the ball on downs when a fourth-and-four pass from the 28 fell incomplete, but the FFHLA defense forced a punt three plays later that was returned 65 yards for a touchdown by Luke Hansen with 6:41 left in the period. Titus Brue ran in the ensuing two-point conversion to make it a 16-0 game.

"That was a big play in the game," Ellingson said of Hansen's punt return. "When he returned that punt, it took the wind out of our sails."

The Patriots had to punt again three plays into its next possession, which set up a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Luke Hansen tossing a four-yard touchdown pass from the wing back position to Julius Stender.

A successful conversion pass from Moline to Brue increased FFHLAÕs lead to 24-0 with 3:01 remaining in the second stanza.

A key play during the scoring-drive was a 40-yard pass completion during a third-and-22 situation.

H-BC-E answered the Comets' third straight touchdown with a six-point one of its own with 1:31 remaining in the first half.

Reid, who carried the ball 24 times for 101 yards in the game, scored on a 42-yard burst. A run for a two-point conversion came up short, leaving the Comets sporting a 24-6 cushion.

Any inspiration H-BC-E gained from Reid's touchdown vanished when FFHLA got the six points back before the half was complete.

The Comets marched 65 yards in seven plays with Moline scoring with 12 seconds left at the end of a five-yard run. Patriot Brad Haak intercepted a pass attempt for the two-point conversion to keep the score at 30-6.

The second half started with FFHLA fumbling on the first play from scrimmage and Haak recovering the loose ball on the Comet 49.

H-BC-E moved the ball to the Comet four, where a fourth-and-three pass fell incomplete.

FFHLA took over on its own four with 8:29 left in the third quarter and advanced the ball to the Patriot 25, where it lost the ball on downs with 1:37 remaining in the stanza.

The Patriots then went on a 75-yard scoring drive that ended with Chris Tiesler scoring from three yards away with 6:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. A pass for a two-point conversion fell incomplete, leaving the score at 30-12.

H-BC-E did get the ball back with 2:37 left to play, but the Patriots lost the ball on downs with 35 seconds remaining.

Ellingson said the Patriots were disappointed with the way things turned out Saturday, but he was proud of what they accomplished throughout the season.

"It was a good season for us. We thought we could do well this year, but I don't think the kids thought we would finish the regular season undefeated. We managed to win our conference, and a section title came along shortly after that. It was a good year," he concluded.

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 152 rushing yards, 69 passing yards, 221 total yards, 10 first downs, three penalties for 15 yards, one turnover.

FFHLA: 171 rushing yards, 159 passing yards, 330 total yards, 12 first downs, three penalties for 25 yards, three turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 24-101, Lyle DeBoer 2-3, Leuthold 9-31, Kevin Van Batavia 1-2, Tiesler 2-13, David Top 2-3.

Passing: Top 7-20 for 69 yards.

Receiving: Tiesler 2-15, Darin DeBoer 2-12, Van Batavia 1-24, Leuthold 1-14, Haak 1-4.

Defense: Curt Schilling 18 tackles, Leuthold nine tackles and one fumble recovery, Van Batavia six tackles, Kyle Braun 11 tackles and one sack, Haak five tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

Hills-Beaver Creek sophomore Erin Boeve (left) and senior Tonya Leenderts (not pictured)made the 2001 All-Red Rock Conference Volleyball Team. Senior LaDonna Sandstede (right) drew honorable mention.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek's initial season as a member of the Red Rock Conference in volleyball was highlighted by three players drawing post-season honors last week.

Two Patriot athletes were named to the 2001 All-Red Rock Conference Volleyball squad, and another H-BC girl drew honorable mention from the league's coaches.

Senior Tonya Leenderts and sophomore Erin Boeve will go down in history as H-BC's first members of the of the 23-member All-RRC squad.

Both Leenderts and Boeve played the hitter position for H-BC.

LaDonna Sandstede, a senior setter, is one of 14 players to draw honorable mention from the league's coaches.

Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin and Southwest Christian, which shared the RRC team title with 10-1 records, led all schools with five and four All-RRC selections respectively.

Seniors Katie Johansen, Erica Peterson and Ann Bucklin, and sophomores Mikkala Junker and Lindsay Nesmoe represent ML-B-O on the roster.

Seniors Ginnie Vis, Jill Talsma, Nicole Hulstein and Brigett Schelhaas grace the list for SWC.

Westbrook-Walnut Grove, which placed third in the loop, placed juniors Katie Hansen, Katie Swenson and Becky Schultz on the team.

Murray County Central, Fulda and Edgerton had two players each make the all-league team.

MCC senior Missy Halbur and sophomore Cara Counter, Edgerton senior Amber Rieck and junior Amber Poppen, and Fulda senior Jenna Wendorff and Erin Oakland are team members.

Rounding out the All-RRC roster are Sioux Valley-Round Lake Brewster junior Ashley Janssen, Southwest Star Concept senior Allison Hay, Comfrey junior Holli Pederson and Red Rock Central senior Kristin Fox.

Adrian SV-RL-B and W-WG placed two girls each on the honorable mention list.

Adrian senior Andrea Burzlaff and junior Jenna Honermann, SV-RL-B junior Kayla Jueneman and sophomore Kim Doeden, and W-WG senior Anne Doubler and junior Shanell Amundson are so honored.

Other honorable mention selections include SWC senior Christa Kuipers, ML-B-O junior Karissa Haglund, MCC sophomore Shelly Halbur, Edgerton senior Kala Menning, Fulda junior Rachel Gunderman, SSC junior Brianna Liepold and RRC senior Wendy Lyle.

Final league standings: SWC 10-1, ML-B-O 10-1, W-WG 9-2, MCC 8-3, H-BC 6-5, Fulda 6-5, Edgerton 6-5, SV-RL-B 4-7, SSC 3-8, RRC 2-9, Adrian 1-10, Comfrey 1-10

Residents Edith Leslie and Arnold Thorin are eager to show off their new homes at the Tuff Village during the open house planned for Sunday afternoon.

By Jolene Farley
The Tuff Village assisted living facility, the first of its kind in Rock County, will host an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, at their new facility in Hills.

Pastor Lowell Berg will conduct a dedication ceremony for the new building beginning at 2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in "Stella's room." Some occupied apartments will be open for tours during the open house.

"The tenants are anxious to show their apartments," said Bonnie Hengeveld, Tuff Village manager. "We would like to invite everyone to tour the facility at their leisure and join the tenants and staff for refreshments and fellowship."

When asked how it feels to have such a large project completed, Hengeveld said, "It feels wonderful. It is very rewarding to see the folks settled and really speaking out, telling us they are happy."

The Tuff Village is currently full and has a waiting list. The 19 apartments house 24 tenants, some couples and some individuals.

Besides beautiful surroundings, Tuff Village offers residents Bible study, crafts, puzzles, card games, musical programs and outings, usually to Luverne, once a week for shopping.

Soon Hengeveld hopes to offer intergenerational activities by inviting day care centers, 4-H groups and others to visit Tuff Village.

The Tuff Village carries an Assisted Living Home Care Providers License, which requires 24-hour registered nurse supervision, 24-hour supervision of residents, three meals a day plus snacks, socialization programs and transportation.

It differs from a congregate care facility, such as the Oaks in Luverne, in that it offers a higher level of care for residents.

A Cargill employee loads grain on the truck of Clint Metzger, Metger and Sons Trucking, Hills, last week. Metzger is hauling the grain to Sioux City for Cargill.

By Jolene Farley
Metzger and Sons Trucking began in 1986 with one straight truck hauling grain locally. Clint Metzger started the business, and eventually his uncle, Arlyn, and brother, Ross, joined him.

Ross, 29, and Clint, 33, and Arlyn Metzger, 40, are all involved in the business full-time with four other alternating part-time truckers.

The company's four trucks haul grain and livestock for local farmers and elevators mostly to Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.

A family business, Metzger Trucking carries on a tradition began by Elmer Metzger of Larchwood, Iowa, in 1940.

After two knee replacements, Elmer, 83, still 'keeps on truckin,' hauling up to five loads a week with his own rig and helping out his son and grandsons when needed.

"I just keep at it," Elmer said Tuesday. When asked if he was spry for his age, he laughed. "Ask my wife," he said.

Elmer plans to continue driving "as long as I can get in and out of the truck".

Elmer's work ethic was passed on to his son and grandsons at Metzger Trucking, where drivers typically work 12 to 14 hours per day.

Ross Metzger begins his day around 3:30 to 4 a.m. and continues working until he has unloaded his grain, usually at a bean processing plant or a feed mill.

The farming industry has changed over the years, according to Ross. "The small guys are getting out and the bigger keep getting bigger."

The number of crop loads hauled this fall was lower compared with other years, according to Ross.

He attributes a lack of rain, hail in some areas and a lot of farmers building bins and storing more grain themselves.

The trucking business has become more competitive and challenging. Some farmers and elevators are purchasing their own trucks and hauling their own loads.

Over the years, regulations have increased and laws are stricter, according to Ross.

The Metzgers hired an outside licensing firm to handle licensing their trucks and some additional paperwork. The firm updates them on any new laws pertaining to their industry. Drivers themselves, however, are required to fill out log books detailing the number of hours they drive.

Metzger Trucking has no immediate expansion plans. "We will just keep doing what we are doing and take care of what we got," Ross said.

He said Metzger Trucking is "dedicated to our work." Elmer confirmed their dedication, stating, "They are doing all right. They do a good job."

By Jolene Farley
Hills City Council members quickly dealt with city water issues at their meeting Tuesday evening.

The council discussed a bill for $4,860 issued by Rock County Rural Water for water it says the city used from January 1999 to August 2000, a period when Rock County Rural WaterÕs meter wasnÕt monitoring correctly.

The city advised Rock County Rural Water of discrepancies between usage readings from the city meter and RCRWÕs meter. Rock County Rural Water maintained it was the cityÕs meter that was incorrect, according to City Clerk Connie Wiertzema.

When it was discovered it was Rock County Rural Water's meter that wasn't reading correctly, the city was sent a bill for the $4,860 difference in readings.

It is Rock County Rural Water's responsibility to maintain its meters, according to Wiertzema.

The city's lawyer, Doug Eisma, reviewed the contract between the two parties and advised the council it was his opinion the city owed only $838, instead of the $4,860 that was billed.

"They probably wouldnÕt know it today if it wasn't for our meter," said council member Jim Jellema.

The city will notify Eisma to send a letter to RCRW agreeing to pay the $838 per his suggestion.

The council passed a motion to increase late fees on city water bills from 10 percent of total water usage to a set fee of $10 for any late payment.

Fees were increased to offset the cost of supplies and labor to issue late notices for the bills.

The council discussed the purchase of an overflow alarm for the water storage tank and decided against the purchase because of the cost. The overflow alarm uses sonar to determine tank water levels and calls preprogrammed phone numbers if water falls below a certain level.

The tank has overflowed only twice since it was put up nearly 20 years ago, and a berm has recently been constructed for added flood protection, according to City Maintenance Manager Wayne Ward.

In light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, communities across the nation have been advised to take precautions with their water supplies. Although council members think an attack would be unlikely, they are taking precautions anyway.

The water plant doors, previously left open, will now be locked. A key will be issued to Hills Fire Chief Alan Top so the fire department has access in case of a large fire.

In other council business:
The council agreed to advertise the excess space in City Hall for rent. The United States Post Office has indicated it will be unable to move to the space in the near future. The Post Office has experienced a massive financial downturn since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Prairie Fire Internet Technologies representatives will be invited to attend the next council meeting to discuss a request to locate an antenna on the city's water tank.

Sally Ann McFadden, 67, Luverne, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001, at Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Sally Hahn was born to James and Ruth Naomi (Cogley) Pendleton on Sept. 19, 1934, in Sioux City, Iowa. The family settled in Hartington, Neb., where she graduated from high school in May 1952.

She married Joseph Arnette McFadden on Jan. 7, 1956, at Hartington Holy Trinity Church in Hartington. The couple lived in Omaha, Neb., Iowa, Minneapolis and St. Peter before moving to Luverne.

She received her associate of arts degree in business from Worthington Community College. She worked as a legal secretary for Robert L. Mabee Law Offices in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Mrs. McFadden's greatest devotion and contribution was to The Theater, as a "founding mother" of Green Earth Players in 1978, and as she continued to nurture this now well-established and award-winning community theater group in various capacities, including artistic director, board president, producer, costume and prop master and actress. She was an active participant, supporter and leading organizer for numerous local organizations and events, including Girl Scouts, Buffalo Days, teaching swimming and aquarobics and many arts organizations. She was also active at St. Catherine Catholic Church for many years.

Survivors include her stepmother, Serine Hahn (Flom) Silbert, Hartington; her ex-husband, Joe McFadden, Brooklyn Center; five children, Julia Sarah McFadden, Ann Marie McFadden, Patrick Joseph McFadden and Timothy James McFadden, all of Minneapolis, and Maggie (Margaret Jean) McFadden, Bozeman, Mont.; one sister, Rosa Ayer, Seattle, Wash.; numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews; families of McFadden, Noecker, Rosenbach, OÕGara, Lipinksi, Burbach and Hahn; and Carla White, New York, N.Y.
Mrs. McFadden was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, Eddie Aaron Silbert; one brother, "Bud" Hahn, and a half-sister, Connie Voznica.

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

Irid A. Eitreim, 79, Garretson, S.D., formerly of Beaver Creek, died Friday, Nov. 9, 2001, at Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Services were Monday, Nov. 12, at Palisade Lutheran Church, rural Garretson. A private family burial was in West Palisade Cemetery.

Irid Eitreim was born to Willie and Julia Eitreim on April 14, 1922, in Rock County. He graduated from Beaver Creek High School in 1940. He entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and served in the 101st Airborne from November 1942 until December 1945, serving in Normandy, France, Holland, Bastogne, Belgium and Germany.

He married Caryl Jones on April 22, 1948, at Red Bank, N.J. He moved back to Rock County and farmed until 1984. He then worked for Southwest Mutual Insurance Co. until 1997.

One of his life pleasures was singing. Mr. Eitreim was a member of the Rock-Minnehaha Male Chorus and Norse Glee Club. He also served on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board and was a member of the Garretson American Legion. He was a member of Palisade Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife, Caryl Eitreim, Garretson; two sons, Jeffrey Eitreim and his wife, Dianne, Long Lake, and Gregory Eitreim, Champlin; one daughter, Nancy Vikman and her husband, Edwin, Denver, Colo.; three grandchildren, Stephanie Bowron, Scott Eitreim and Steven Eitreim; two great-grandchildren, Isak Bowron and Caleb Bowron; seven brothers and sisters, Bernice Miller, Dorothy Oien, both of Sioux Falls, Shirley Knowlton, Austin, Warren Eitreim, Parker, S.D., Donald Eitreim, Lady Lake, Fla., Mildred Larson, Armour, S.D., and Milton Eitreim, Sun Lakes, Ariz., and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the Palisade Cemetery Association or the Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson, was in charge of arrangements.