By John Rittenhouse
A fast start by the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth Patriots set the stage for a 26-16 homecoming victory over Lincoln HI in Hills Friday.

With a big crowd on hand to watch H-BC-E's first game of the season in Hills, the Patriots didn't disappoint their fans. They erupted for 20 points in the first quarter.

The Rebels outscored H-BC-E 16-6 the rest of the way, but they never got any closer to catching the Patriots than the 10-point margin at game's end.

"We jumped out to an early lead, and our defense did a good job of holding them down the rest of the night," said Patriot coach Dan Ellingson. "I think this was the most physical game we played all year, and we needed to be physical because LH was a big, strong team."

The win leaves H-BC-E with a 5-0 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the Southwest Ridge Conference.

The Patriots, defending state champion Westbrook-Walnut Grove and Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster are tied for first place in the loop with 4-0 records.

The standings will take on a new look tomorrow night as H-BC-E squares off against SV-RL-B in Hills.

"SV-RL-B was ranked No. 2 in the last state poll," Ellingson said. "They like to run the option on offense, and (back) Ryan Paplow has the most rushing yards in our conference right now. Paplow is a very fast runner. SV-RL-B is a very physical team, too."

A fast start like the one H-BC-E used to best LH would help the Patriots' cause against the Raiders tomorrow.

H-BC-E took a 6-0 lead with the opening possession of the game and took advantage of a pair of turnovers by the Rebels to increase the advantage to 20 points by the end of the first quarter.

After receiving the kick to start the contest, H-BC-E went on a 69-yard drive that ended with David Top tossing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Brad Haak. A missed extra-point attempt kept the tally at 6-0.

LH moved the ball into Patriot territory with its first possession before Patriot Curt Schilling, who had 22 tackles in the game, recovered a fumble to end the threat.

A few plays later, Top and Chris Tiesler connected for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Chris Reid carried in the two-point conversion to make it a 14-0 game.

The Patriot defense chipped in a big play as the period progressed when Reid intercepted a pass and returned it 60 yards to cap H-BC-E's 20-point run.

H-BC-E was unable to score in the second and third quarters, but the Patriot defense kept the game under control by limiting LH to eight points during the same periods.

Rebel running back Scott Fogelson ended H-BC-E's shutout bid when he scored on a four-yard run in the latter part of the second quarter. A successful conversion pass from quarterback Josh Eastman to Kyle Sik sliced the difference to 12 points at 20-8.

The score remained the same until the fourth quarter. After H-BC-E’s defense stopped the Rebels on downs, the Patriot offense went on a drive that ended with Reid scoring on a 44-yard burst with 7:30 remaining. A failed conversion run left the Patriots sporting a 26-8 advantage.

SV-RL-B ended the scoring with less than 1:00 remaining. Jack Weber scored on a four-yard run before Eastman and Sik hooked up for another conversion to make it a 10-point difference in the end.

With Reid rushing for 144 yards and Top passing for 137 more, Ellingson was proud of the contribution the H-BC-E offense made to the homecoming win.

"We had a good night offensively. We moved the ball well and picked up a lot of first downs. LH ran more plays than we did, but we were able to score when we had to," he concluded.

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 218 rushing yards, 137 passing yards, 355 total yards, 12 first downs, three penalties for 35 yards, three turnovers.

LH: 129 rushing yards, 83 passing yards, 212 total yards, nine first downs, zero penalties, five turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 21-144, Lyle DeBoer 3-13, Top 3-1, Tiesler 4-11, Jesse Leuthold 7-47, Kevin Van Batavia 1-2.
Passing: Top 6-10 for 137 yards.

Receiving: Haak 4-59, Tiesler 1-55, Reid 1-23.

Defense: Schilling 22 tackles and one fumble recovery, Reid four tackles and two interceptions, Leuthold nine tackles, Brant Deutsch five tackles and one fumble recovery, Darin DeBoer four tackles and one interception.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek volleyball team recorded a Red Rock Conference win without the guidance of head coach Nicole Fey Thursday.

Fey was in Rochester with her father, who was undergoing surgery that day.

Patriot assistant coach Amanda Rozeboom took over for Fey, and the players responded well by posting a 3-1 victory over Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster in Round Lake.

H-BC got off to a great start by rolling to a 15-5 victory in the opener, but the Raiders climbed back into the match by taking Game 2 by a 15-6 margin.

The Patriots edged the hosts 15-13 in the third game to gain the upper hand at 2-1 before completing the deal with a 15-5 victory in the fourth game.

Tonya Leenderts led the Patriots with 14 service points and 11 digs. She also had six kills for an H-BC team that upped its RRC record to 4-2 with the win.

Erin Boeve had another big night at the net by shredding the Raider defense with 27 kills. Boeve also had nine digs.

Investor Ben Davis lines up to drive off hole No. 1... or what will soon be hole No. 1 on the golf course planned east of Beaver Creek. Surveyors work in the background plotting a road through the development that will include an entertainment facility and 34 residential lots.

By Jolene Farley
An idea conceived one and one-half years ago is becoming a reality. A golf course near Beaver Creek will be open by next spring if things run according to plan, according to investors.

Construction work began Tuesday shortly after investors closed on an 86-acre parcel of land east of Beaver Creek purchased from Steve and Kathy Thurman.

Surveyors began plotting the road to a planned development of 34 lots available for home construction, a nine-hole golf course and an entertainment facility.

A limited liability corporation was created by investors Mike Blank, Rod Scholten, Ben Davis, Leonard Scholten and Dan Van Otterloo before beginning the project.

Financing wasn't the biggest hurdle for the project, Davis said. A development including several housing lots, a golf course and an entertainment facility needs extensive planning.

"No one has ever set something up like this in less than six months," he said.

Prairieland Development, a state entity formed to spur development in rural Minnesota, was instrumental in moving the project along.

"They worked with us on a business plan and discovering if there was a viable market (for the project)," said Davis. "They were instrumental in helping us."

Investors hope the road will be complete and the lots sectioned off and sold within the next two to three weeks.

Median price of the lots is $26,000 to $27,000, with higher end lots priced at $30,000 to $31,000. Least expensive lots are priced in the low 20s, according to Davis.

Some lots are already spoken for, even though the partners did not actively market them. Word of mouth is basically what sold them, Davis said.

Local contractors will be used for all construction, with the five partners acting as general contractors, according to Davis.

All construction companies involved met with the partners last week. "Everybody is in line and ready to roll," said Davis.

When asked how the partners came up with the idea of building a golf course, Van Otterloo said, "We love the sport and we spent so much time on different courses. We watched how they were developed, the tree placement and scenery."

This love of the game led to the idea that they themselves could build not only a golf course but a whole development.

Extra credit for the project becoming a reality should be given to Rod Scholten and Mike Blank, according to Davis. "They have really done a lot of the leg work," said Davis. "They are the golfers; we are the caddies."

Amenities in the entertainment facility, which may be open as soon as next spring, include a banquet hall seating about 300 people with a built-in stage area and a bar and restaurant seating 70 people.

The partners shy away from a sports bar atmosphere for the clubhouse. "It's going to be a community clubhouse. We want to make sure everyone is comfortable," Davis said.

By Jolene Farley
With an estimated 25 percent of Rock County farmers combining soybeans, this year's yields are so far better than some expected.

Hail in the southern part of the county and corn "toppled" by strong winds in the central to northern part of the county were the two roadblocks Rock County producers faced this growing season, according to Rock County Extension Educator Fraser Norton.

The forced replanting of hailed beans coupled with a dry August caused many farmers to expect greatly reduced bean yields, Norton said.

"Some producers are surprised with their yields," said Norton. "Everybody got depressed because August was so dry, but yields are better than expected."

Norton has seen yields ranging from 35 to 60 bushels per acre so far this year. Beans are dryer than expected, with 9 to 11 percent moisture content.

Beaver Creek farmer Joel Hartz began combining beans Saturday and had more than 250 acres done by Tuesday. "I tried some corn, but it was just too wet," he said.

Hartz agrees with Norton. "Considering how dry it was in August, I am surprised at how well they are yielding," said Hartz. "I just finished a 100-acre field. I had beans as low as 45 and as high as 54 (bushels) per acre."

Hartz's yield so far tops NortonÕs countywide average yield estimate for this year of 41 to 42 bushels per acre.

The average soybean yield per acre in Rock County for the last five years is 45 bushels per acre. The record bean yield year is 1999 with 48 bushels per acre.

While farmers in some parts of the county are combining beans, few have started on corn. Norton expects that to change by next week, with freezing temperatures forecast by the end of this week.

Farmer Morris Fick said only a few farmers in his area 10 miles southwest of Luverne are combining beans or corn. "We've got beans close, but they donÕt look like they are quite ready yet," he said. "There arenÕt very many people going in this area. We had a little bit too much hail."

The small amount of corn already combined in Rock County was toppled by the wind, according to Norton. Some of this corn yielded in the area of 50 bushels per acre.

"You can drive down the road and the corn will look fine, but when you get up on a hill you can see how much is downed," said Norton.

The determining factors for the amount of crop damaged by the strong winds was the corn's stage of growth, variety and corn root worms, according to Norton.

Most corn plants were not tasseled out when the winds hit, so brace roots had not developed to keep the plants anchored during the winds.

Norton expects this year's corn yield to be in the neighborhood of 135 to 140 bushels per acre, lower than last year's record average yield of 158 bushels per acre. The Rock County corn yield average is 142 bushels per acre.

"Unfortunately, it's going to be a very average year," said Norton. "Yields are down this year, and the price farmers can expect to receive for their product will be about the same as last year. Namely, the loan rate."

By Jolene Farley
Steen resident and H-BC School Board member Dave Roozenboom is hospitalized in the Avera McKennan Burn Unit following a gas grill accident Friday night.

Roozenboom has first- and second-degree and a few third-degree burns to his face and arms and will remain hospitalized for at least another week or two, according to Roozenboom's wife, Eunice.

"We are going to find out on Thursday, as far as skin grafting," said Eunice.

Roozenboom was preparing a gas grill for the homecoming tailgate party scheduled by the Hills-Beaver Creek Junior class when the flame went out.

Without realizing how long gas had been building up inside the grill, Roozenboom tried to light the grill, and flames shot out like a torch, Eunice said.

Junior parents and teachers administered first aid until the Hills Rescue Squad arrived on the scene.
Eunice said the Roozenbooms appreciate all the care and concern shown by the community.

She commends the Hills Rescue Squad for all that they did. "He couldn't have asked for better care than he got," said Eunice.

No visitors are permitted in the burn unit, but cards can be sent to Dave Roozenboom, c/o Avera McKennan Burn Unit, PO Box 5045, Sioux Falls, SD, 57117-5045.

Above, Wally's Nursery, Hills, grew pumpkins in all shapes and sizes this year. At right, Frances Horwitz, Sioux Falls, carefully selects potatoes for an evening meal.Pumpkin season is in full swing at Wally's Nursery, Hills. It has been an exceptionally good year, according to partner Delwyn Walraven.

"Pumpkins grew bigger this year because it rained in August and September," said Walraven. "It's been warm, too; some years it is quite a bit cooler. When it freezes they stop growing."

The Walravens usually plant about 70 hills of large pumpkins and 30 hills of small pumpkins.
They normally are very close to selling out. "Last year we had some left over. Most years we have a few but not very many," said Walraven.

Wally's Nursery has no special secret to growing pumpkins. "We just let them grow naturally," said Delwyn.

Some growers set pumpkins upright as they begin to grow but Walravens just let them lay on their sides. "You get different, odd shapes and that's got its own beauty, too."

In addition to those in the market for pumpkins, the nursery draws customers looking for home-grown flavor in their fall produce.

"My wife comes down all the time to buy, at least once a week," said Sioux Falls customer Bud Horwitz. "They keep it fresh. They do a good job of constantly picking."

Horwitz's wife, Frances, is a "fanatical cook" and is aggravated when she cannot find nice produce, according to Horwitz. In addition to the fresh produce, the couple enjoys the beautiful drive between Sioux Falls and Hills.

Wally's rarely advertises but relies on word of mouth and signs on Highway 270 to clue people in about their location and selections, according to Walraven.

Donald Henry Kuhlman, 72, Hardwick, died Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001, in his home from cancer.

Services were Monday, Sept. 24, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jasper. The Rev. Peter Sestak officiated. Burial was in Luverne Memorial Gardens, rural Luverne.

Donald Kuhlman was born to William and Louise (Hellbusch) Kuhlman on June 6, 1929, in Columbus, Neb., where he was raised and attended country school. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. In March 1941 he moved with his family to Hardwick where he continued his education. After his graduation from Jasper High School in 1947 he helped on the family farm.

He married Carol Bruhn on June 11, 1950. Following their marriage they lived and farmed in Rose Dell Township. After his retirement in 1996 they continued to reside on the farm. This past December he was diagnosed with cancer.

Mr. Kuhlman was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Jasper where he had various offices and was active in the church choir and couple's club. He was also a member of Jasper Lions Club. He was a past board member of Jasper Elevator and currently board member of Beaver Creek Mutual Insurance. He enjoyed baseball and fast pitch softball for many years. He was an avid sports fan, watching his children and grandchildren participate in sports. His hobbies included golfing, fishing, playing cards and helping his son, Jerry, farm.

Survivors include his wife, Carol Kuhlman, Hardwick; three children, David and his wife Judy Kuhlman, Brookings, S.D., Donna and her husband Kent Johansen, Slayton, and Jerry and his wife Pam Kuhlman, Hardwick; 11 grandchildren; one brother, Elmer and his wife Ruthann Kuhlman, Cross Lake; two sisters, Lois and her husband LeRoy Lorenzen and Eunice and her husband Elmer Bartels, all of Jasper; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Kuhlman was preceded in death by his parents and an infant daughter, Julie.

Foster-Hartquist Funeral Chapel, Jasper, was in charge of arrangements.

Corey Andrew Henning, 19, Northome, formerly of the Rock County area, died Sunday, Sept. 30, 2001, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident near Mizpah.

Services were Wednesday, Oct. 3, at Northome School in Northome with the Rev. Jim Lyons officiating.

Corey Henning was born to Eugene and Jean (Lewis) Henning on Feb. 23, 1982, in Luverne. He attended grades 1 through 5 in Magnolia. He graduated from Northome High School in 2000. He currently attended Northwest Technical College in Wadena, studying electrical construction.

Corey was active in Boy Scouts. He had been an altar server at St. Michael's Catholic Church. He played drums in pep band. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and driving his Trans-Am.

Survivors include his parents; his brother, Nicholas Henning, St. Paul; grandparents, Norb and Carol Henning, Adrian; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Corey was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ted and Margaret Lewis.

Cease Family Funeral Home, Blackduck, was in charge of arrangements.

Vernon "Pete" Pedersen, 72, Luverne, died unexpectedly Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001, in his home.

A memorial service was Wednesday, Oct. 4, in Bethany Lutheran Church, Luverne. The Rev. Paul Fries officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

"Pete" Pedersen was born to Lars and Mary Pedersen on April 25, 1929, in Estelline, S.D., where he was raised and attended school. Following his education he helped on the farm.

He married Marlene Newell on Sept. 19, 1954, in Olivet, S.D. Following their marriage they made their home in Yankton, S.D., before moving to Luverne in 1956. He began working at Mohr Signs in Luverne. He also worked at Luverne Fire Apparatus where he built fire trucks. Later, he worked for Sweetman Construction until his retirement in 1993. On Jan. 28, 1995, Mrs. Pedersen preceded him in death. He continued living in his home in Luverne.

Mr. Pedersen was a volunteer fireman for Luverne Fire Department for more than 20 years. He was also a member of the Eagles Club in Luverne. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and the outdoors.

Survivors include three children, Kathleen Pedersen, Sun Lake, Ariz., Karen (Bruce) Petersen, Brandon, S.D., and Scott Pedersen, Sioux Falls, S.D; four grandchildren, Erin Pedersen, Christopher Miller, Nicholas Petersen, Danielle Petersen; one brother, Donald Giles, Hamilton, Mont; and four sisters, Viola Knudtson, Canby, Bev Ross, Brookings S.D., Joyce Peters, Monument, Colo., and Hazel Bouren, Highmore, S.D.

Mr. Pedersen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Marlene, and one sister, Leona Davis.
Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.