WORDS OF WISDOM

“Mean is easy. Mean is lazy. Mean is self-satisfied and slothful. You know what takes effort? Being kind. Being patient. Being respectful.”
— CNN anchor Jake Tapper in his commencement address at UMass-Amherst

BASEBALL UPDATE

Post 8 schedules this week:
Monday—Junior Legion home vs. Sioux Falls West, 1:00 doubleheader; U13 team @ Mitchell, 4:00 doubleheader.
Wednesday—U14 team home vs. Onida, 5:00 doubleheader.
Thursday—U16 team @ Sioux Falls East, 4:00 doubleheader.

Expedition League: The new collegiate baseball league begins play this weekend with eight teams in action—Pierre Trappers, Hub City Hotshots (Aberdeen), Badlands Big Sticks (Dickinson), Souris Valley Sabre Dogs (Minot), Spearfish Sasquatch, Hastings Sodbusters, Western Nebraska Pioneers (Scottsbluff-Gering), Casper Horseheads.

Pierre Trappers:
Friday: @ Hub City, 6:35.
Saturday: home vs. Hub City, 6:35.
Sunday: home vs. Hub City, 5:35.
Tuesday: @ Hub City, 6:35.
Wednesday: home vs. Hub City, 6:35.
Thursday: home vs. Hub City, 6:35.

Post 8 varsity schedule:
June 2: Renner, 1:00 doubleheader.
June 3: Rapid City Post 22, 1:00 doubleheader.
June 5: Aberdeen, 6:00 single game.
June 8-10: @ Border Battle tournament, Mandan.
June 12: @ Aberdeen, 6:00 single game.
June 15-17: @ Renner tournament, Sioux Falls.
June 18: Bismarck, 7:00 single game.
June 19: @ Sioux Falls East, 4:00 doubleheader.
June 25: Mitchell, 5:00 doubleheader.
June 26: Huron, 6:00 single game.
June 27: @ Rapid City Post 320, 5:00 doubleheader MDT.
June 28-July 1: @ Minot tournament.
July 6: @ Mitchell, 5:00 doubleheader.
July 7: @ Rapid City Post 22, 4:00 doubleheader MDT.
July 9: @ Watertown triangular, 5:00.
July 10: Rapid City Post 320, 6:00 single game.
July 13-15: @ Gopher Classic, Minneapolis area.
July 19: Minot, 7:00 single game.
July 19-20: home triangular vs. Minot and Watertown, 11:00.
July 21: Sioux Falls East, 5:00 single game.
July 26: @ Bismarck, 5:30 doubleheader.
Aug. 1-5: State tournament, Pierre.
(Note: No regional tournament play this year since Post 8 is host team for the state tournament.)

High school baseball: Seniors Dawson Puepke, Peyton Zabel and Carson Tschetter have been named to the Academic All-State team.

High school baseball: With the four Sioux Falls schools all playing at home in “regional” tournaments as the top four seeds in the state, only two of them survived into this weekend’s state semifinals. One of the reasons why was the Pierre team, which escaped Sturgis, 2-0, in their semifinal, then knocked out Lincoln, 4-1, in the championship game. In the Sturgis contest Peyton Zabel and Michael Lusk broke up a 0-0 game with RBI hits in the bottom of the sixth, and the Govs retired Sturgis in the top of the seventh to win it. Garrett Stout went five innings and struck out nine. He also had three hits himself. In the title game Peyton Zabel threw a complete game at the Patriots, striking out 14 to get two-thirds of the 21 outs himself. He allowed only two Lincoln hits. At the plate Maguire Raske had three hits and Grey Zabel two RBIs. In the state “A” semifinals at the Sioux Falls Stadium Saturday, Midco Sports Network will telecast the games live, starting at noon. Pierre plays O’Gorman in the 2 p.m. game preceded by Brandon Valley taking on Roosevelt at noon. The championship game will follow the two semifinal contests.

Minnesota Twins:
Friday: @ Seattle, 9:10, FSN.
Saturday: @ Seattle, 9:10, FSN, MLBN.
Sunday: @ Seattle, 3:10, FSN.
Monday: @ Kansas City, 6:15, FSN.
Tuesday: @ Kansas City, 7:15, FSN.
Wednesday: @ Kansas City, 7:15, FSN.
Thursday: Cleveland, 7:10, FSN, MLBN.

Chicago Cubs:
Friday: San Francisco, 1:20, MLBN.
Saturday: San Francisco, 6:15, Fox.
Sunday: San Francisco, 7:08, ESPN.
Monday: @ Pittsburgh, 12:35, ESPN.
Tuesday: @ Pittsburgh, 6:05.
Wednesday: @ Pittsburgh, 6:05.
Thursday: @ New York Mets, 6:10.

Colorado Rockies (times MDT):
Friday: Cincinnati, 6:40.
Saturday: Cincinnati, 7:10.
Sunday: Cincinnati, 1:10.
Monday: San Francisco, 5:10, ESPN.
Tuesday: San Francisco, 6:40.
Wednesday: San Francisco, 6:40.

Sioux Falls Canaries: The Birds are 2-3 after the first five games of the season. They took the opening series from Chicago, two games to one, then lost the first two games of a Sioux City series, which finishes tonight. Sioux Falls then plays at Winnipeg Friday through Sunday and at Fargo-Moorhead Monday through Wednesday.

RED SKELTON’S RECIPES FOR THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

I haven’t spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don’t like to interrupt her.

SOCCER UPDATE

Sioux Falls Thunder: The Thunder defeated VSLT FC, 3-0, and lost to Minnesota TwinStars, 3-2. Sioux Falls is now idle until May 30 at Med City FC (Rochester).

Minnesota United FC: The Loons tied league-leading Sporting Kansas City, 1-1. Now standing at 4-7-1, Minnesota plays at Montreal at 6 p.m. Saturday.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

Sioux Falls Storm: The Storm outscored Cedar Rapids, 56-45, and now stand at 8-3. Sioux Falls’ next game is June 1 at Green Bay.

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

“I just love love stories, and theirs (Prince Harry’s and Meghan Markle’s) is an especially good one because it’s about more than just two people in love. It’s also about acceptance, race, second chances, overcoming differences, old rules, new traditions.

“That’s what love can do for you. It can let you see the world again with a fresh set of eyes. When two people take a stand for love, other people can see the world differently through their example.”
— Maria Shriver in her “Sunday Paper,” May 20, 2018

BASKETBALL UPDATE

Minnesota Lynx: After winning their season opener the Lynx lost to Los Angeles, 77-76, and last night beat Dallas, 76-68. Minnesota plays at New York Friday, at Washington Sunday and at Atlanta Tuesday.

Toyama Grouses (Sam Willard): In Round 2 of the quarterfinals in the playoffs, Sam’s team defeated Shimane, 93-73, and Sam was a large part of the reason why. He was 6-of-8 in two-point field goals, 3-of-3 in threes, and 1-of-2 in free shots for 22 points with seven rebounds and three assists. Advancing on to the semifinals, in the Round 1 game the Grouses lost to Yokohama, 79-76, despite Sam’s double double. He was 8-of-11 in twos, 2-of-4 in threes and 4-of-5 in free throws for 26 points with 14 boards, an assist and a steal.

GOLF UPDATE

PGA Champions Tour: At the first of the tour’s five majors in Birmingham, Tom Byrum tied for 16th place with a 10-under 278 on a scorecard of 68-73-68-69. He was nine strokes behind the winner, Miguel Jiminez. Tom earned $32,213.33 in this tournament, bringing his earnings for the year to $131,464. This weekend the senior golfers play at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championships in Benton Harbor, Mich. The tournament will be seen on Golf Channel today and Friday and on NBC Saturday and Sunday.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

“Unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love changes lives. It can change the world. If you don’t believe me, imagine a world where love is the way. Imagine our homes and families when love is the way. Imagine neighborhoods and communities where love is the way. Imagine governments and nations where love is the way. Imagine business and commerce where love is the way. Imagine this tired old world when love is the way, unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive.

“When love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever again. When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook. When love is the way, poverty will become history. When love is the way, the earth will be a sanctuary. When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields down, down by the riverside to study war no more. When love is the way, there’s plenty good room for all of God’s children.

“Because love is the way, we actually treat each other, well, like we are actual family. When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all, and we are brothers and sisters, children of God. My brothers and sisters, that’s a new heaven, a new earth, a new world, a new human family.” — Bishop Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, in his sermon at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, May 19, 2018

COUNTDOWN

1 day: State track meets, Rapid City/Sturgis/Spearfish (May 25-26).
2 days: Pierre Trappers home opener (May 26).
2 days: State high school baseball tournament, Sioux Falls (May 26).
4 days: Stanley Cup Finals begin (May 28).
7 days: NBA Finals begin (May 31).
9 days: Crazy Horse volksmarches (June 2-3).
11 days: State ‘B’ boys/girls golf tournaments, Watertown (June 4-5).
11 days: State girls golf tournaments, ‘AA’ Aberdeen, ‘A’ Dell Rapids (June 4-5).
12 days: Primary and municipal elections (June 5).
14 days: South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion (June 7-10).
17 days: Tony awards, CBS-TV (June 10).
21 days: Men’s soccer World Cup (June 14-July 15).
22 days: Unveiling of newest Trail of Governors statues (June 15).
23 days: College World Series, Omaha (June 16-27).
28 days: Capital City Children’s Chorus 25th anniversary reunion (June 21).
28 days: Oahe Days (June 21-23).
29 days: Riggs High Class of ’98 reunion (June 22-24).
37 days: Bass Anglers Sportsman’s Society Elite Series fishing tournament (June 29-July 2).
38 days: Stanley County High Class of ’83 reunion (June 30).

STATE TRACK MEET PARTICIPANTS

— PIERRE GIRLS
Kyanne Beck, 100.
Addy Eisenbeisz, high jump, long jump, triple jump.
Kenzie Gronlund, 300-meter hurdles.
Emry Heiss, high jump, long jump.
Emily Mikkelsen, 400.
Mikah Moser, pole vault.
Mackenzie Rath, shot put, discus.
Taryn Senger, triple jump.
Addy Smith, 200.
Joana Zanin, high jump, long jump.
Relays: 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800, medley.
Relay participants: Sophie Bullard, Jade Evans, Haylee Hauck, Autumn Iverson, Morgan Jones, Kyla Keyes, Miah Kienholz, Hannah Lehmkuhl, Emma Lusk, Chloe Ryan, Erika Stout, Jordan Thompson.

— PIERRE BOYS
Paul Adam, high jump, long jump.
Leander Austin, 100.
Barry Browning, 400.
Erick Colman, shot put, discus.
Caleb Lusk, 800, 1600.
Jack Maher, shot put, discus.
Relays: 4×100, 4×200, medley.
Relay participants: Frank Becker, Tucker Berens, Jaden Jessop, Houston Lunde, J.R. Mayer, Kade McTighe, Jackson Miller, Evan Rumrill.

— STANLEY COUNTY GIRLS
Madyson Titze, shot put.

— STANLEY COUNTY BOYS
J.D. Carter, 200.
Dylan Gabriel, 100.
Ryan Habeck, 800.
Brady Hoftiezer, shot put.
Cale Meiners, 800, 1600.
Logan Rosenberger, 800.
Shay Van Den Hemel, 1600, 3200.
Relays: 4×100, 4×400, 4×800, medley.
Relay participants: Trevor Habeck, Connor Kroll, Evan Nordstrom, Reid Wieczorek.

— SULLY BUTTES GIRLS
Marinda Archer, discus.
Brooklynn Bradford, 100, 400.
Angela Guthmiller, discus.
Rachel Guthmiller, discus.
Lauren Wittler, shot put.
Relays: 4×400.
Relay participants: Calleigh Chicone, Dani Frost, Courtnie Weinheimer, Allyson Wittler.

— SULLY BUTTES BOYS
Sebastian Frost, 800.
Jacob Howard, shot put, discus.
Jett Lamb, shot put.
Jack Mercer, discus.
Relays: 4×200, medley.
Relay participants: Morris Hofer, Quinn Jordre, Coulton Lentz, Mackenzie Weinheimer.

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedules:
Track: Friday-Saturday, @ state meet, Sturgis and Rapid City.
Girls golf: Thursday, @ ESD meet, Harrisburg; Tuesday, @ Brandon Valley invitational.

Boys track: At the Wendelgass meet in Huron last Thursday, Erick Colman again won the shot put at 52’11 3/4″. Barry Browning won the 400 in :51.67 and was third in the 100 and the 200. Caleb Lusk placed second in the 800, Tucker Berens fourth in the 1600, Paul Adam third in the high jump, Cobey Carr fifth in the triple jump and Jack Maher third in the discus.

Girls track: Addy Eisenbeisz was Pierre’s only winner at the Wendelgass meet in Huron, taking the triple jump in 37’8 1/2″ as well as placing second in the long jump. Addy Smith was second in the 200 and fourth in the 400; Emily Mikkelsen third in the 400 and fifth in the 200; Emma Lusk third in the 1600; Jessica Lutmer fourth in the 1600; Deni zeeb fifth in the 1600; Kenzie Gronlund third in the 300-meter hurdles; MIkah Moser third in the pole vault and Mackenzie Rath second in the discus and the shot put.

Boys tennis: The Governors placed 15th at the state tournament in Rapid City which was won by Lincoln for the fifth straight year. Stevens came in second. Results of Pierre players:
— #1 singles: Jace Wernsmann beat R.C. Central, lost to Roosevelt, beat Lennox, lost to Washington in the consolation quarterfinals.
— #2 singles: Ryan Warne lost to Brandon Valley, lost to Aberdeen Central.
— #3 singles: Matthew Hanson beat R.C. Central, lost to Lincoln, beat Yankton, lost to Aberdeen Central in the consolation quarterfinals.
— #4 singles: Phil Adam beat Lennox, lost to Roncalli, beat Milbank, lost to Washington in the consolation quarterfinals.
— #5 singles: Grant Judson had a first-round bye, lost to Aberdeen Central, beat Spearfish, lost to St. Thomas More in the consolation quarterfinals.
— #6 singles: Luke Leingang beat R.C. Christian, lost to O’Gorman, beat Madison, beat Stevens, lost to Aberdeen Central in the consolation semifinals.
— #1 doubles: Wernsmann/Hanson beat S.F. Christian, lost to O’Gorman, lost to Watertown.
— #2 doubles: Warne/Adam beat Brookings, won by default over O’Gorman’s #1-seed team when they were late for a match, lost to Brandon Valley in the championship quarterfinals, lost to Aberdeen Central in the fifth-place semifinals.
— #3 doubles: Judson/Spencer Davis had a first-round bye, lost to Mitchell, beat Spearfish, lost to St. Thomas More in the consolation quarterfinals.

Girls golf: The Lady Govs placed fourth in Thursday’s Brookings invitational behind Aberdeen Central, O’Gorman and Mitchell. Pierre had a 346 team score, 58 over par. Hallie Gronlund tied for 16th with a 13-over 85. Other scores: Annabelle Simpson 86, Taylor Davis 87, Jessa McTighe 88, Kaitlyn Swenson 89, Rilee Rowse 96. On Monday at the Watertown meet Pierre was second at 351 with Aberdeen again first at 323. Simpson tied for second with a 77. Swenson and Davis tied for 15th with 91s.

Football: The Governors’ 2018 schedule—Aug. 25, Harrisburg; Aug. 31, @ Yankton; Sept. 7, @ Douglas; Sept. 14, Huron (homecoming); Sept. 21, @ Brookings; Sept. 28, @ Sturgis; Oct. 5, Mitchell; Oct. 12, @ Sioux Falls Roosevelt; Oct. 18, Aberdeen Central; Oct. 25, quarterfinals; Nov. 2, semifinals; Nov. 9, state championship, Vermillion.

Soccer: The Governors/Lady Govs 2018 schedules—Aug. 10, Brandon Valley; Aug. 14, @ Spearfish; Aug. 18, @ Aberdeen Central; Aug. 23, @ Harrisburg; Aug. 28, Watertown; Aug. 31, Rapid City Stevens; Sept. 1, Rapid City Central; Sept. 4, Yankton; Sept. 11, Mitchell; Sept. 15, @ Sioux Falls Roosevelt;l Sept. 20, @ Brookings; Sept. 25, first-round games; Sept. 29, quarterfinals; Oct. 2, semifinals; Oct. 6, state championship game, Rapid City.

STRANGE FACTS ABOUT THE U.S.

There are about 5,000 commercial airplanes flying over the United States at any given time.

STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

Girls track: The Lady Buffs placed fourth at the Region 6A meet with 48 points, behind Chamberlain 225, Mobridge-Pollock 170 and Miller 107. Mady Titze qualified for the state meet with a second in the shot put at 33’4″. Jennifer Sweetman was third in the high jump at 4’7″ and Bailey Siedschlaw third in the 800 at 2:54.08. The 4×200 relay team of Kennedy Sommars, Cedar Scott, Sweetman and Shantey Waldron placed third in 2:09.6. The 4×100 team of Sommars, Karley Leafgreen, Sweetman and Waldron was fourth in :59.3.

Boys track: The Buffaloes are Region 6A team co-champions with 165 1/2 points, the same as Mobridge. Chamberlain was third with 153 1/2. Stanley County emerged from the meet with a bunch of state-meet qualifiers. First- and second-place winners at the region go on to state. Dylan Gabriel was first in the 100 in :10.98. J.D. Carter won the 200 in :24.0. Ryan Habeck was first in the 800 in 2:13.39 with Logan Rosenberger second in 2:13.70. Cale Meiners was the 1600 champion in 4:59.36 with Shay Van Den Hemel second in 5:09.45. Van Den Hemel won the 3200 in 11:13.98. Brady Hoftiezer was second in the shot put at 48’8″. The SCHS medley relay team won their race in 3:59.22; the runners were Carter, Gabriel, Reid Wieczorek and Meiners. The 4×400 team was first in 3:42.83 with Meiners, Wieczorek, Rosenberger and Habeck carrying the baton. The 4×800 team also won in 9:10.64 with Wieczorek, Van Den Hemel, Kade VanDusseldorp and Quade Wind doing the running. Also qualifying was the second-place 4×100 team of Gabriel, Evan Nordstrom, Connor Kroll and Carter who ran in :45.9. Other high placers at the regional were Nordstrom, tying for fourth in the 100 in :11.66; Kroll, fourth in the 200 in :25.6 and third in the high jump at 5’4″, and the 4×200 team of VanDusseldorp, Lathan Prince, Dakota Stevens and Trey Frost, who ran in 1:53.8.

This week’s schedules:
Track: Friday-Saturday, state meet @ Spearfish and Rapid City.
Golf: June 4-5, @ state meet, Watertown.

Golf: At the regional meet in Pierre Monday, Slater Tople placed 25th with a 106, Jadon Pauly 29th at 112 and rent Adams 31st at 114 as the Buffaloes placed ninth with a 332 team score. On the girls’ side Liz Duffy was 29th with a 158 score.

Football: The Buffaloes’ 2018 schedule—Aug. 17, @ Mount Vernon-Plankinton (game in Mount Vernon); Aug. 24, @ Winner; Aug. 31, Wagner; Sept. 8, Custer (game in Pierre, 4 p.m.); Sept. 14, @ Mobridge-Pollock; Sept. 21, @ St. Francis; Sept. 28, Wessington Springs-Woonsocket (homecoming); Oct. 12, Chamberlain.

PONDER THIS

“When you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight. Some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever.

“And you look at the tree, and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get any light, and so it turned out that way, and you don’t get emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.

“The minute you get near humans, you lose all that, and you are constantly saying, “You’re too this” or “I’m too this.” That judging mind comes in. So I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciate them just the way they are.”
— Wilder Child

SULLY BUTTES CHARGERS SPORTS ROUNDUP

Girls track: The Sully Buttes girls placed third as a team with 77 points at the regional meet. Ipswich was team champion with 226 and Potter County second at 105. The top two placers in each event qualified for the state meet. Brooklynn Bradford won the 100 in :12.67 and was second in the 400 in 1:07.74. Rachel Guthmiller was discus winner at 128’3″ and placed third in the shot put at 34’8 1/2″. Lauren Wittler placed second in the shot put at 37’5″ and Marinda Archer third in the discus at 109’6″. The Charger girls’ 4×400 relay team of Courtnie Weinheimer, Dani Frost, Allyson Wittler and Bradford placed second in 4:31.77. The medley team of Allyson Wittler, Calleigh Chicoine, Courtnie Weinheimer and Frost was third in 4:57.74. The 4×200 team of Bradford, Weinheimer, Allyson Wittler and Frost was fourth in 1:55.73.

Boys track: The Sully Buttes boys with 95 points were third at their regional meet, behind champion Ipswich at 141 and second-place Faulkton Area at 97 1/2 points. First- and second-place winners in each event qualified for the state meet. Sebastian Frost was second in the 800 in 2:16.54. Jacob Howard placed second in the shot put at 49’1″ and fourth in the discus at 139’3″. Jett Lamb placed third in the shot at 48’10”. Mackenzie Weinheimer placed third in the 200 and Coulton Lentz fourth in the 200 in respective times of :24.10 and :24.21. The 4×200 relay team of Coulton Lentz, Morris Hofer, Sebastian Frost and MacKenzie Weinheimer placed second in 1:37.96. The 4×100 team was fourth in :47.48. Those runners were Hofer Lentz, Garrett Petersen and Weinheimer.

This week’s schedules:
Track: Friday-Saturday, @ state meet, Rapid City.
Golf: June 4-5, @ state meet, Watertown.

Golf: Four Chargers will be going to the state tournament following Monday’s regional in Pierre. Lauren Wittler was medalist among the girls with an 88, and Kara Huse was fourth with a 93. On the boys’ side Devan Kleven was 11th with a 91 and Nick Wittler 15th with a 93. Other Sully Buttes scores: Lincoln Jordre 104, Caleb Chicoine 117, Lydia Hill 159. The Charger boys team laced fifth with a 288 team score, and the girls were third with a 338 tally.

WHY ENGLISH IS SO HARD TO LEARN

We must polish the Polish furniture.

ZESTO SHERBET SCHEDULE

Thursday: almond.
Friday-Sunday: strawberry butter.
Monday-Tuesday: root beer.
Wednesday-Thursday: coconut.

NEW DOG BREEDS

Irish water spaniel + English springer spaniel = Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as mountain air.

WEDDING DAYS

June 2: Cole Cruse/Kadence Feininger.
June 2: Ethan Fife/Heather Mangan.
June 16: Brandon Vockrodt/Kayla Nuese.
June 16: Matt Blaseg/Taryn Wolf.
June 29: Jack Markel/Eileen Leong.
July 7: Matt Tetzlaff/Korie Lebeda.
July 14: Shawn Hlavacek/Rebekah Hartmann.
Aug. 11: Steve Long/Cassie Amundson.
Aug. 18: Todd Leiferman/Hillary Handcock.
Aug. 18: Jason Noyes/Micki DeCurtins.
Aug. 19: Derek Berman/Danea Duxbury.
Aug. 25: Steven Gordon/Katelynn Engh.
Sept. 29: Tyler Arbach/Rachel Hartmann.
Oct. 6: Rodd Bauck/Megan Vockrodt.
Oct. 6: Cale Pell/Sarah Lihs.
Aug. 31, 2019: Devin Maki/Karlie Warne.

FOR LANGUAGE LOVERS ONLY

Hyperbole totally rips into this insane bar and absolutely destroys everything.

COLLEGE TRACK ROUNDUP

Black Hills State (Allan McDonnell, Kelsey Van Den Hemel): Allan, grandson of Roger and Vicki Hanson of Pierre and a Wall alumnus, completes his freshman year at the national meet. He has qualified for the Division II national championships in the high jump in Charlotte, N.C., today through Saturday.

South Dakota State (Max Reinke, Rachel Propst, Riley Sears): Nine Jackrabbits, including three women and six men, have been revealed as qualifiers for the NCAA Division I West preliminaries in Sacramento this weekend. Five of the men will compete in field events. Kyle Burdick has qualified in both the 1500 and the 5000. The best seeds among the SDSU athletes are Rachel King, eighth in the 3000, and Bryant Courter, 13th in the triple jump.

Liberty (Cortney Dowling): Liberty has never had any relay teams qualify for the NCAA national preliminaries, but thanks in part to Cortney, this year the Flames have two. She and her running mates have qualified in the 4×100 relay as the 21st seed with a best time of :44.80 and in the 4×400 relay as the 20th seed with a best time of 3:36.75. LSU has the best qualifying time in the 4×100 at :42.05, and Kentucky has the best time in the 4×400 at 3:25.99. The top 12 placers at Tampa this weekend qualify for the national championship meet in Eugene June 6-9.

South Dakota: A school-record 21 entries will wear Coyote red and white at the NCAA West preliminaries at Sacramento this weekend, hoping to qualify for the national meet in Eugene June 6-9 by placing in the top 12 in their respective events. USD has qualified six pole vaulters, four jumpers, three throwers, three distance runners, three sprinters and one hurdler for Sacramento. Chris Nilsen, third in the nation in the pole vault last year, enters the prelimlinary meet with the top height in the NCAA this year at 19’2 3/4″.

THOUGHTS ON GETTING OLDER

Lately I’ve noticed people my age are so much older than me.

COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP

Augustana: The Vikings won the NCAA Division II Central Regional by beating host Central Arkansas in the deciding game. Augie now goes to the Division II College World Series in Cary, N.C., which runs for a week starting Saturday. One of the eight regionals has been plagued by rain and was scheduled to finally finish last night, leaving little time to announce the pairings for World Series play starting Saturday. Besides Augustana already crowned regional champions are UC-San Diego, Columbus State (Ga.), Texas A&M-Kingsville, Southern Indiana, Mercyhurst and Southern New Hampshire.

Minnesota (Nolan Burchill): The Gophers beat Rutgers, 4-0 and 5-3, to end the regular season with the Big 10 championship, an 18-4 conference record and a 37-13 overall record. The conference tournament in Omaha began yesterday, and #1 seed Minnesota won its first game, 3-2 over Michigan State. The Gophers play at 9 p.m. tonight against Illinois or Indiana. All games are on Big Ten Network.

South Dakota State (Landon Badger, Quinn Reimers): The Jacks could not hold leads in the season-ending NDSU series and lost all three to the Bison. In a 15-14 10-inning loss, SDSU led 14-8 into the bottom of the ninth! Landon was 2-of-3 at the plate, driving in two runs, scoring four times after walking three times. Quinn took the loss in relief, pitching two-thirds of the final inning, allowing three hits, a run and a walk. SDSU lost the second game, 7-1, and Landon walked once and was 0-for-2. in a 6-5 loss SDSU led 5-1 into the bottom of the seventh. Landon went 2-for-4, walking once and driving in one run. SDSU ended the regular season at 16-30 overall and 14-13 in the Summit League. The league tournament began yesterday, and SDSU’s opening game against top seed Oral Roberts in Tulsa was delayed a couple hours by weather last night. Check www.gojacks.com to get the result. The tourney champion advances to the NCAA Tournament.

RECOMMENDED READING

“Mystery in the Barnyard” by Hu Flung Dung
— Literary WordPlay

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, May 24:
Tony Jockheck, Adrian Freidel, Luke Schanzenbach, Betsy (Valnes) Barkley, Stephanie Paul.
— 15th anniversary, Gary/Molly Redden.
— 4th anniversary, Mick/Jenny (Ness) Hofer.

Friday, May 25:
Jennifer (Duba) Erlandson, Bronson Schiefelbein, Kris Schneider, Caitlin Reimers, Ryan Russell, Jessica Smith, Ronda (Zebroski) Kline, Dave Mack, Michael Lyons, Kristen (Hanson) Ganske.

Saturday, May 26:
Chuck Quinn, Isabel Gander, Jessica Lomheim, Will Mortenson, Ryan Goehring, Brandon Christiansen, Conor Cruse, Chad Gran, Tom Harmon, Bergen Osterkamp, Abby Kennison, Beth (Yackley) Rinehart, Adrie Frame, Jackie (Schall) Shepherd.
— 11th anniversary, Josh/Meagan Hove.
— 5th anniversary, Tim/Rachel (Knutson) Steece.
— 6th anniversary, Mike/McLean (Thompson) Kerver.
— Anniversary, Eric/Laurie Feiler.

Sunday, May 27:
Audrie Morris, Troy Fox, Kristi (Kennedy) Van Winkle, Emma Haberman, Mary Peterson, Debbie (Willingham) Hubbard, Erin Stars, Marcia Mack.
— 1st anniversary, Ryker/Angbela (Koch) Tieszen.
— 12th anniversary, Jason/Deanna Reitz.
— 2nd anniversary, Alex/Nikki (Douglas) Jensen.
— 1st anniversary, Cody/Jessica (Blackmore) Nilson.

Monday, May 28:
Mary Heidelbergber, Sarah Deters, Larry Johnson, David Hauschild, Brian Custer, Emma Lundeen, Sophia Lundeen.
— 13th anniversary, Brian/Nicole (Miller) Willis.
— 13th anniversary, Tom/Erin (Nielsen) Nielsen.
— 13th anniversary, Ross/Jessica (Duba) Castelli.
— 1st anniversary, Taylor/Beth Brock.
— 2nd anniversary, Ryan/Elizabeth (Nail) Mller.
— 7th anniversary, Chad/Amanda (Sorensen) Jungman.
— 1st anniversary, Damon/Jessica Thielen.
— 13th anniversary, Mike/Shirley (Licht) Shaw.
— 7th anniversary, Brian/Caitlin (Feller) Kemnitz.
— 2nd anniversary, David/Georgina (McKee) Smith.

Tuesday, May 29:
Hunter Hamre, Kimberly Coats, Cora Hachem, Dax Cappellano, Helen Stahl, Gail Opoien, Breanna Bishop, Austin Senger, Ray Hunsley, Teagan Madden.
— 8th anniversary, Matt/Kacy (Hutchinson) Gill.
— 25th anniversary, Dan/Deb (Kern) Workman.
— 14th anniversary, Mike/Meghann Klinger.
— 14th anniversary, Dustin/Tina (Peterson) Ottenbacher.
— 14th anniversary, Andrew/Darcy (Beck) Boersma.
— 57th anniversary, Larry/Gail Lyngstad.
— 9th anniversary, John/Callie (Buechler) Morris.
— Anniversary, Ken/Joyce Koistinen.
— 8th anniversary, Tony/Jessica Jockheck.

Wednesday, May 30:
Paul Schoenfelder, Kristin McNeely, Priscilla Sommer, Aaron Propst, Eric Lebida, Judy Rapp, Brienna Binger, Jamie Lamb, Trish (Curtis) Schloeder, Jordan Bordewyk, Jason Rodgers, Linda Lomheim.
— 3rd anniversary, Jason/Kelsey Mangan.
— 3rd anniversary, Austin/Moriah (Wagner) Gross.
— 3rd anniversary, Drew/Nicole Mickelson.
— 3rd anniversary, Will/Shuree Mortenson.

Thursday, May 31:
Alice Rapp, Craig Feigum, Jeff Robbins, Kirk Yackley, Anna Engelbrecht, Kayla Engelbrecht, Connie (Rislov) Casanova, Wes Dugstad, Jackson Hipple, Graham Protexter, Jay Mickelson, Tori Emerson, Melissa (Hitchcock) Maxwell, Tyler Bales, Lahnee Martin, Rodney Parks, Curry Kuehl.
— 10th anniversary, Dan/Alissa (Harter) Schumacher.
— 57th anniversary, Jack/Lillian Campbell.
— 15th anniversary, Jason/Lanete (McFarling) Kotilnek.
— 21st anniversary, Jon/Heather Sailer.
— 32nd anniversary, Vern/Hope Armstrong.
— 61st anniversary, Roger/Suzanna Pries.
— 4th anniversary, Andrew/Heather Fergen.
— 4th anniversary, Nick/Liz (Winter) Marso.
— 5th anniversary, Aaron/Jenna (Goehring) Haller.
— 7th anniversary, Daniel/Christee (Staufer) Hershberger.

LIFE LESSON

“You make the world a better place by making yourself a better person.”
— Scott Scorrell

PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES

— For the third straight year USD won the women’s Summit League all-sports award with NDSU second and SDSU third. Coyote teams won league titles in cross country, basketball and outdoor track and field this school year. The men’s award went to NDSU with SDSU second and USD and Denver tied for third. The combined men’s/women’s Commissioner’s Cup was won by NDSU with 77 points followed by USD with 76 points and SDSU with 73. The Summit League Sportsmanship Cup was voted to USD for the third straight year.

— We tend to pay little attention to women’s softball on the college level until this time of the year. The eight best-two-of-three super regionals whose winners will advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City next week are set to be played this weekend. Here are the matchups: Florida vs. Texas A&M; #1 Oregon vs. Kentucky; UCLA vs. Arizona; Georgia vs. Tennessee; Florida State vs. LSU; Oklahoma vs. Arkansas; Washington vs. Alabama; Arizona State vs. South Carolina.

— And one of my favorite times of the year for TV sports viewing starts next week after the NCAA reveals its bracket for the Division I baseball tournament on Memorial Day. First will come 16 four-team regionals at the end of next week. Here are the ratings in this week’s poll: 1 Florida, 2 Oregon State, 3 Stanford, 4 Mississippi, 5 North Carolina, 6 Clemson, 7 Georgia, 8 Arkansas, 9 Florida State, 10 N.C. State, 11 Minnesota, 12 Texas, 13 Stetson, 14 Southern Mississippi, 15 Texas Tech, 16 East Carolina, 17 Duke, 18 UCLA, 19 Texas Tech, 20 Coastal Carolina. Will a northern team actually get to host a regional? Minnesota, the Big 10 champion, surely should!

— Some fans have started a GoFundMe page for a statue of LeBron James in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. And how many people will help pay for a statue of a multi-millionaire? We will see, but I will not be among them.

— So I read that White House staffers prepare sample tweets for President Trump to send out, and in some cases they deliberately use incorrect grammar so the tweets will sound as if they come from him. Gee! What a compliment to the man! But I guess uttering incorrect grammar makes him one of us. Just this past week alone, I have heard or read these utterings that make me want to scream aloud:

(1) “Her and her family enjoy being outside.”
(2) “. . . to both she and Hillary.”
(3) “Anyone who says otherwise don’t know what he’s talking about.”
(4) “I can’t hardly wait for that game.”
(5) “. . . collusion between he and Eric Reed.”
(6) “. . . if he wouldn’t of woke up . . .”
(7) “Sometimes you just have to lay on the floor with your dog.”
(8) “Ask there friends to share it.”
(9) “. . . players like you and I.”
(10) “Me and Joe had good years.”
Ah yes. I know what they meant to say. That’s good enough. I suppose. Mediocrity works these days.

POSTSCRIPT

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a former candidate for President, a former prisoner of war and a long-time U.S. senator, is dying of brain cancer. A new book, “The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations,” written by McCain and Mark Salter, is just out. Here is a quote from the book:

“The bell tolls for me. I knew it would. . . . I hope those who mourn my passing and those who don’t will celebrate as I celebrate a happy life lived in imperfect service to a country made of ideals, whose continued success is the hope of the world. And I wish all of you great adventures, good company and lives as lucky as mine.”

NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS

The summer services at the Oahe Chapel, located at the east end of Oahe Dam, begin this Sunday at 8 a.m. Handling this first service will be people from First Congregational United Church of Christ.

Dr. Lon Kightlinger, retired last year as state epidemiologist, last week gave the speech at a Peace Corps swearing-in ceremony. Then he himself was off for two years of service as a health volunteer in Moramonga, Madagascar.

Christian music performer Jacob Daniel, whom we know as our own Jacob Shoup, will perform an acoustic concert (just he and his guitar) at the Pierre Music store in the Northridge Plaza mall at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5.

Casey Buechler announced on Facebook his engagement to Annie Schaefer. Casey is a sales associate with Farm Bureau Financial Services. Annie is a sonographer with Avera.

Recognized as Academic All-Staters for track and field are the following local athletes: — Riggs High, Erick Colman, Addy Eisenbeisz, Caleb Lusk, Carsten Mueller, Evan Rumrill, Erika Stout, Joana Zanin; — Stanley County High, Ryan Habeck, Cale Meiners, Logan Rosenberger, Jennifer Sweetman; — Sully Buttes High, Marinda Archer, Rachel Guthmiller, Jacob Howard, Lincoln Jordre.

Also beginning this Sunday is the Sundays at the Legion schedule of live music on the deck at the American Legion cabin. Every Sunday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. local musicians will be performing. This week it’s the Jimmy Shine band. On June 3 look for Rodd and Joey.

Bill Alexander, 71, died May 13 at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital. Services are being held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. Inurnment and military rites will take place at Black Hills National Cemetery at 1 p.m. MDT Friday. Bill lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania as he grew up and attended high school and junior college in California before serving in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1969. After moving to South Dakota, he was police chief in Onida and a deputy sheriff in Hughes County. He helped his parents develop Sunset Lodge in Sully County. He worked for several years as a dorm parent at Pierre Indian Learning Center. He was a founding partner in Old World Arms gun shop, which later became Teton River Traders. Among his survivors are his wife, the former Joyce Searby; his sister, Esther Barnes of Onida; his nephew, Jason Barnes in Pierre; his niece, Rebecca Buffngton of Greensboro, N.C.; two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.

Moira Duffy, one of the daughters of Fort Pierre native Dan Duffy and his wife Karrie of Rapid City, graduated from the University of Sioux Falls last weekend with a nursing degree. But a sudden opportunity will put her nursing career on hold for a year. Moira is the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship which will allow her to teach English in Sofia, Bulgaria, in a public secondary school for a year. Moira will take her nursing board exam in June prior to leaving for Bulgaria and plans to begin her nursing career when she returns from her Fulbright experience. In addition to all this, Moira received the highest honor given to a student by the entire USF campus community. She was named the USF Representative Woman Award given annually to an individual committed to USF and the purpose for which it was founded. The recipient is chosen by vote of the senior class from among those nominated.

Attention, Nebraska readers: Stuart Stofferahn will appear for an author talk and book signing at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at the Francie & Finch Bookshop in Lincoln.

Ryan Callahan, who graduated from Riggs High in 2014, was awarded the first Dr. Berdell Funke Medal of Excellence in Microbiology as this year’s top microbiology graduate at North Dakota State University. Ryan will spend a few weeks at home in Pierre before heading to the University of Iowa where he will begin his Ph.D. program as a graduate research assistant in the biomedical science program.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader’s annual sports awards for 2018 last week included the honoring of Pierre’s Austin Hoss as Boys Golfer of the Year. Three other Riggs athletes—Michael Lusk in wrestling, Peyton Zabel in both football and basketball, and Joana Zanin in soccer—had been nominated in their respectibve categories.

The annual Memorial Day program at Blunt will begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. A lunch for the public will follow at the Blunt Senior Center.

Local baseball fans have another chance tonight (Thursday) to meet the players on the Pierre Trappers team which begins its first season Friday. The free event tonight will be at the Ramkota from 5 to 7 p.m.

Ryan and Julie (Beckman) Bass are the parents of a daughter, Carly Joyce, born May 12. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured 20 3/4 inches. Ryan owns and operates Ryan Bass Construction, and Julie is a mortgage processor at BankWest.

As reported in last week’s Update, services for Jack and Jo Mitchell were held yesterday. They were rarely apart during 63 years of marriage and passed away two days apart two weekends ago. They lived in Greendale, Wis., before moving to Pierre in 1969 when Jack took over as chief of the FAA’s Flight Service Station. Jo worked at Medical Associates Clinic, primarily in the records department, for more than 36 years. Following the death of their grandson, Robert Disburg, in 2003, the Mitchells started the Pennies for Robert fund at Countryside Hospice to assist area cancer patients with the costs of traveling from and to Pierre for treatments. That fund has since raised approximately $150,000 to directly assist those families. Jack and Jo were avid Post 8 baseball fans at the park, and at home they were fans for the Cubs and against the Packers. They also served various local organizations, including Shriners, Job’s Daughters and the Masonic Lodge.

Fifteen soldiers of the 200th Engineer Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard returned home May 19 from a year-long deployment to Syria. A welcome-home ceremony was held last weekend at the Riggs High School theater. This was the third deployment for an element of the 200th, which sent soldiers to Iraq in 2003-04 and to Afghanistan in 2011-12.

kristin (Rau) Hayward of Sioux Falls is the new manager of advocacy and development for Planned Parenthood of South Dakota.

Seth Waitman (’04) has begun a new school year in Thailand where he has lived and worked for just over eight years. He is director of English programs at a private school in Nakhom Si Thammarat, a city of more than 105,000 in the south of Thailand. He directs English programs for the school’s pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and primary departments.

Former Riggs High teacher Terry Peterson of Rapid City just received the Lions Leadership Medal at the multi-district Lions clubs’ convention in Bismarck. He ended his term as council chair. Back home he was named Lion of the Year by his home Rushmore Lions Club.

The Pierre Athletic Coaches Association named Will Turman and Joana Zanin as Athletes of the Year. Named Coaches of the Year were Sydney Zanin and Steve Steele, and Donna Dowling was honored as Assistant Coach of the Year.

Anthony Hunt, who graduated with his law degree from the University of Oregon this month, was also honored to be selected as the Juris Doctor class speaker at commencement exercises.

For the second straight summer Onida’s Caleb Currier will be part of a mission team to the African nation of Zambia composed of athletic student managers from major universities. Caleb is leading his team this year, and fellow team members will be David Wells, women’s basketball student manager at Western Kentucky; Danielle Pierce, women’s basketball graduate assistant at South Carolina; Godwin Dooley, women’s basketball student manager at North Carolina, and Mason Peeler, football student manager at North Carolina State. Caleb will be women’s basketball student manager at Tennessee again this fall as his senior year begins.

Peggy Stout and Kathy Villa are bowing out as owners of Prairie Pages Bookseller, Pierre’s delightful downtown bookstore which they founded. Taking over as the new owners will be Amanda Bachmann, an entomologist for SDSU Extension, and Amanda Thronson, middle school English teacher at Stanley County. They plan to reopen the store some time during the first week of June. (News courtesy of Capital Journal)

Darin and Lynsey (Meyer) Anderson are the parents of Emmylia Lynn, born May 15. She will remain in the NICU for a few weeks since she was born four weeks prematurely. The Andersons’ daughter joins big brothers Ayden, 14, and Jayce, 12, in their family.

Call him Dr. Holcomb now! Former Pierre resident Jeff Holcomb of Sioux Falls received his doctor of education in leadership degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul last week. His doctoral dissertation title: “A phenomenological study of senior-level leaders serving in public education institutions and workplace harassment.”

Named as Stanley County Students of the Month for April were Emma Cowan, junior; Ella Hand, sophomore; Tracy Nielsen, freshman; Jordyn Sosa, eighth grader; Taylor Kuper, seventh grader; Ben Newbold, sixth grader. The honored students for May are Brody Wilson, junior; Dylan Gabriel, sophomore; Trey Frost, freshman; Trevor Peterson, eighth grader; Colt Norman, seventh grader, and Cadence Hand, sixth grader.

Graveside committal services for Shannon E. Russell, 61, will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Blunt on Saturday, June 9, at 10 a.m. All friends, relatives and fellow graduates of Shannon are invited to attend the services. The son of Eldon and Janice Russell, Shannon passed away in Sioux Falls on Dec. 12, 2017, of complications from a severe heart condition he first developed around February. Shannon was born Nov. 3, 1956, and graduated from Riggs High School in the Class of 1975. He spent a few years in the National Guard and then became a trucker, driving coast to coast many times over the years. He returned to Pierre and worked for Morris, Inc., then went to North Dakota for three years to drive trucks in the oil fields, his devoted partner, Bianica (Gray) Donnan, accompanying him. They returned to Pierre again, and Shannon worked for Carquest until his illness forced him to retire. Shannon was always interested in motorcycles, cars, hunting, fishing and loading his own ammunition. He is survived by his parents in Omaha; his daughter, Jennifer (Kevin) Ensz of Tea; his partner, “Nicci” Donnan; his brother, Jeff Russell of Twin Falls, Idaho; his sister, Maria Russell (John Boje) of Omaha; two grandchildren and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, a brother, Kevin, and a baby sister, Shelley.

Donna Foss, the widow of the late Governor Joe Foss, died at the age of 100 in Arizona on May 16. She is survived by two sisters, a daughter, a son, two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild. Her ashes will be taken to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia to be interred in her husband’s grave. A memorial celebration is planned for 1 p.m. next Tuesday at Grace Chapel at Scottsdale Bible Church.

The Pierre Players cast of “Guys and Dolls,” this summer’s musical to be performed in July, has been announced. In lead roles will be Rodd Bauck as Sky Masterson, Lydia Kanz as Sgt. Sarah Brown of Save-A-Soul Mission, Kevin Kumpf as Nathan Detroit and Alyssa Kahler as Adelaide. Other cast members are Roberta Dutenhoeffer, Sami Gortmaker, Glenn Harris, Xzania Henderson, Mark Hiatt, Priscilla Hofer, Aiden Javurek-Humig, Zarabeth Joseph, Tariqa Joseph, Sarah Harmony Kanz, Levi McKinley, Judah McKinley, Jordan Morley, Dara Ness, Bridger Ness, Kalder Ness, Maria Schwader and Andrew Yeager.

Our sympathy to the Hepper family in Onida. Don’s sister, Patricia “Pat” Moore, 81, Sioux Falls, died May 21 at Good Samaritan Society’s Luther Manor. Services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls.