COUNTDOWN

13 days: U.S. Census Day (April 1).
26 days: Fort Pierre city election (April 14).
29 days: Absentee voting for June primary election begins (April 17).
36 days: State History Conference (April 24-25).
44 days: Riggs High prom (May 2).
49 days: Pierre Educational Foundation’s Evening of Excellence (May 7).
60 days: Voter registration deadline for June primary election (May 18).
68 days: Pierre Trappers season opener (May 26).

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

Girls basketball: Caytee Williams, a junior, was the Pierre representative on the ESD Conference’s all-conference girls basketball team.

High school basketball: The opening session of the state girls Class “B” tournament in Spearfish was played, then the rest of the tournament was canceled. All five of this week’s tournaments were also called off.

STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

Boys basketball: Lathan Prince of the Buffaloes was named to the Big Dakota Conference’s all-conference basketball team.

Girls basketball: Karley Leafgreen of SCHS was named to the honorable mention list of the all-Big Dakota Conference all-conference basketball team.

HOCKEY UPDATE

Oahe Capitals boys varsity: Playing in the opening game of the state boys tournament in Sioux Falls, the Caps, the #6 seed, upset #3 Sioux Center, 6-2. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the tournament was called off. Clay Ambach scored twice for Oahe, and Spencer Wedin, Adam Ankrum, Chris Schultz and Cole Nelson each scored once. Kieran Duffy in goal made 20 saves.

North Dakota: The Fighting Hawks, about to begin their NCHC quarterfinal series at home last weekend, learned with the rest of the college hockey world that the NCAA was calling off the rest of the season, including all of the playoffs.

Rapid City Rush/Aberdeen Wings/Sioux Falls Stampede: All three of South Dakota’s teams saw their seasons end when their respective leagues called off the rest of their schedules.

Minnesota Wild: The Wild’s season came to a screeching halt when the NHL suspended the rest of its season, at least temporarily. Minnesota had moved up in the standings to rest in the first of the two Western Conference wild-card positions.

BASKETBALL UPDATE

Minnesota Timberwolves: The NBA suddenly suspended its season last Wednesday night even as some games were being played. It is not known if or when the season might resume.

Sioux Falls Skyforce: Because its parent league, the NBA, shut down, so did the G League, and its season likely will not resume.

SOCCER UPDATE

Minnesota United FC: After winning the season’s first two games, the Loons were scheduled to open their home season last Saturday, but Major League Soccer has suspended its season for the time being.

BASEBALL UPDATE

Minnesota Twins: Opening day of the baseball season was originally scheduled to be next Thursday. Because of the virus threat, MLB last week said the season’s start would be delayed two weeks. Now this week the bosses of baseball say that the season won’t start for eight weeks, which would be toward the end of May.

GOLF UPDATE

PGA Champions Tour (Tom Byrum): The Champions Tour was idle last week. The next scheduled event comes next week, March 27-29, at the Rapiscan System Classic in Biloxi, Miss., but because of the virus threat, that tournament is in jeopardy.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

Sioux Falls Storm: The beginning of the Indoor Football League season has been suspended indefinitely.

ZESTO SHERBET SCHEDULE

Thursday: root beer.
Friday-Sunday: tutti fruitti.
Monday-Tuesday: cinnamon.
Wednesday-Thursday: blue mood.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, March 19:
Mary Welsh, Craig Long, Heather Forney, Hadley Bryant, Brenda Badger, Donald Tassler, Betty Garrett, Darlene Neiles, Layndon Dewell, Sarah Yackley-Ploeger, Calvin Wagner, Stacy (Hull) Cottrell.
— 1st anniversary, Dan/Lacy Johnson
— 37th anniversary, Chuck/Dawnita Forell.

Friday, March 20:
Jayde Englund, Rachel Beck, Scott Jones, Beth (Cruse) Dokken, Jessica (Wood) Steele, Samantha (Lytle) Irvine, Debby Wagner, Ben Johnson, Misty Burton, Max Huber.

Saturday, March 21:
Wanda Meyer, Matthew Heintz, Bentley Frost, Grant Wosick, River Fischer, Ben Brown, Kara (Knadle) Schumacher, Linda Knox, Diana Vogel, Jacob Tschetter, Gerald Johnson, Mark Hardwick, Ben Gilmore, Loni McQuistion.
— 5th anniversary, Zach/Ashley Parsons.
— 22nd anniversary, Dan/Lora (Den Ouden) Moore.

Sunday, March 22:
Nicole Ogan, Dane Dodson, Serena Norman, Wendy Birhanzel, Oaklie Cruse, Josephine Karim, Nellie Holsten, George Ford, Leo Schmidt, Travis Fitzke, Olivia Smith, Eric Gednalske, Betty Eddy, Sharla McCaskell.

Monday, March 23:
Kelsey McKay, McKayla Marso-McDonough, Brittani Snow, Brian Hylle, Toby Bryant, Darcy Weber, Keaton Durkin, Livia Neuberger, Jason Person, Amy Wire, Sienna Karim, Soraya Karim, Ashlynn Lizotte, Hadley Shoup.

Tuesday, March 24:
Dan Zebroski, Tyrel Hall, Allison (Ronning) Knox, Jon Horning, Ashley (Dunwoody) Dugstad, Adam Korkow, Tyler Sarringar, Smith Schneider, Bretta (Schumacher) Olson, Jeff Post, Jeff Sampson, Brandon Sieck, Theresa Hanson.
— 8th anniversary, Neil/Molly Eichstadt.
— Anniversary, Andy/Jamie (Gannaway) Heymans.

Wednesday, March 25:
Angie Gross, Janelle Toman, Jude Steece, Adriana Uecker, Jamie Dvorak, Evelyn Bowers, Kinley Rumpca, Allison Mickelson.

Thursday, March 26:
Chas Olson, Corey Ramsey, Terah Bollinger, Jason Monroe, Pat Adams, Dalton Decker, Chad Eschmeyer, Bonnie Korkow, Elissa Rislov, Audra (Meyer) Cardwell, Mollie Holden, Tyler Nold, Roger Easland, Nadia Rasmussen, Connie Colwill, Craig Rilling.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Dakota State baseball (Landon Badger): The Jackrabbits were about to begin the Summit League portion of their season when the NCAA canceled all of its spring sports seasons nationwide for the rest of the school year.

Minnesota baseball (Nolan Burchill): The Gophers’ weekend series at Air Force last weekend was called off due to the virus threat, then the NCAA called off the rest of every school’s baseball season.

Northern baseball (Spencer Sarringar): After a week of spring break baseball in Florida, the Wolves finally won their first game of the season after 12 straight defeats. Then the NCAA ended spring sports in all of its divisions, including Division II.

Iowa Western baseball (Peyton Zabel): The Reivers were one of the few college sports teams still playing last weekend, but the rest of their season has been canceled. They took all four games from Ellsworth Community College by scores of 6-5, 2-1, 5-1 and 4-2 and finished the abbreviated season with a 20-4 record. Peyton’s rehabilitation of his arm was still underway when the season came to a halt.

Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball (Bradley Dean): The Tigers were within 24 hours of their opening-round game in the NAIA Div. II national tournament in Sioux Falls when the tournament was canceled, ending their season.

Northern men’s basketball (Lincoln Jordre): The Wolves were soon to head to Maryville, Mo., for their regional tournament in NCAA Div. II basketball, but that event and the rest of the nation-wide tournament was called off, ending their season.

South Dakota women’s basketball (Ciara Duffy, Chloe Lamb): The Coyotes’ amazing season, which included wins over Drake of the Missouri Valley Conference, Utah of the PAC-12, Missouri of the SEC, Creighton of the Big East, Ohio State of the Big 10 as well as a perfect 16-0 Summit League regular season, reached its peak when USD won the Summit League tournament in Sioux Falls as recently as last Tuesday with a championship game victory over South Dakota State. But 48 hours after their triumph, anticipating Selection Monday and the NCAA Tournament, the Coyotes took a punch in the gut when the NCAA called off its national tournament. Seniors on the team were Ciara Duffy, Taylor Frederick, Madison McKeever and Megan Bonar. USD’s final record was 30-2. The only two losses were to South Carolina’s top-ranked team and Missouri State. In the final national coaches poll the Coyotes were ranked #11 in the entire country.

PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES

• My first problem in typing this issue of the Update was the more correct spelling—is it “canceled” or “cancelled.” Of course the dictionaries list both. But I see that the preferred American spelling is “canceled,” even though to my eye it appears wrong. But upon finding out that information, I went through this whole thing and changed the spelling to “canceled.” One thing is sure—there’s only one way to spell “cancellation.”
• Before he moves from Tucson to Los Angeles later this year, my son Ryan thought he had one more show remaining in his tenure at The Rogue Theatre. The last four performances of “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” were canceled due to the virus threat, and in recent days the entire run of “Twelfth Night” in May has been called off. So what he didn’t know was his last show at The Rogue happened earlier this month. And the same is true of so many shows in community theaters, colleges and high schools. There are worse things, but it makes me sad nevertheless.
• TB to TB! It was destined to be! Tom Brady to Tampa Bay! And suddenly I’m a Buccaneers fan. It is good this move was finalized before the NFL arranges its 2020 schedule, which usually happens in mid-April. Can you imagine how many Bucs games you will now see on a national basis compared to the past? Brady and the Bucs will have home-and-away games with Matt Ryan and the Falcons and with Drew Brees and the Saints as well as Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers. At home Brady and the Bucs will face Green Bay/Aaron Rodgers, the Vikings/Kirk Cousins, the Chiefs/Patrick Mahomes, as well as the Chargers and the Rams. On the road the Bucs will go to Detroit, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas and the Giants.
• I’m not accustomed to having nothing on my calendar. As I type this on Wednesday afternoon and look up at the wall at my five-weeks-ahead calendar, I see nothing but blank white spaces. All choir rehearsals canceled, all church services canceled, all house-manager gigs canceled, all senior-center chorus rehearsals and performances canceled, my kids’ and grandkids’ shows and school events canceled. And I know most of you are in the same situation. Rest assured that The Midweek Update will continue on a weekly basis because it is the only thing I have to do except for waiting for Sunday mornings to watch our church’s service on my computer. It would help, however, if some of you contribute. There is next to no news to report at all, unfortunately except for deaths and fortunately for births. But hardly anybody is doing anything else, and no events are taking place. So how are you and your family coping? Any interesting things happen because of the restrictions imposed on all of us? How are the people at your house getting by and getting along? It could make for some interesting reading. So share. Just send me your contributions at parkerhome16@hotmail.com.
• It took me all of 10 minutes to complete online the U.S. Census form that arrived in the mail Tuesday. Do your job. Don’t be like these people who are ignoring the stay-home, stay-out-of-groups instructions. It’s just something to do, and it takes 10 minutes, even longer than it takes to change your clocks twice a year, something else too many of you complain about.
• Be safe. Follow the instructions. Stay home. Stay well.

NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS

Jon and Taylor (Larson) Gorter of Brandon are the parents of a daughter, Kollyns Marie Gorter, who was born March 3, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 20 3/4 inches.

Former Riggs High band director Brad Berens is superintendent of the West Central School District headquartered at Hartford. His was the first South Dakota school district which had to close school due to the threat of the coronavirus when the parent of an elementary student there became diagnosed with COVID-19.

Caytee Williams of the girls basketball team earned Athlete of the Week recognition from the Pierre Athletic Coaches Association last week.

The Dueling Duos performance at Drifters, scheduled for last Saturday, has been rescheduled for May 9. This event is a benefit for Post 8 baseball.

The Pierre Players community theater organization has announced its cast for “Native Gardens,” which is scheduled to be performed April 24-26 and April 30-May 2. Cast members include Shelby Bergeson, Sam Smith, Anne Rathbun, Bill Bossman, Andrew Yaeger, Robert Loudes, LaTrisha Schindler and Craig DeTample.

Eric and Kat (Adam) Danforth of Watertown revealed on Facebook this week that they are expecting their first child in August.

Riggs High alumnus Tyler Bryant, who won three individual state wrestling championships and earned All-America honors in college three times, was inducted into the South Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame during the recent state wrestling tournament.

Mike and McLean (Thompson) Kerver of Rapid City have added a daughter to their family. Aurelia McLean Kerver was born March 12, weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces, and measuring 17 1/2 inches. She joins brother Octavius, who just turned 3, in their family.

John Tuveson, 89, Pierre, died at Avera Maryhouse Marach 12. Private family services will be held at a later date. Mr. Tuveson spent most of his life in Omaha where he delivered beams for Standard Iron Works for 45 years. He married Helen Robinson in 1955. He was an Army veteran, serving during the Korean War. He moved in 2000 to Pierre where he lived overlooking Oahe Dam. He is survived by his children, Rita Koch and her husband Bruce, Jody McClure and Wesley Tuveson; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Matt and Gillian (Woodburn) Hanson of Ogden, Utah, are the parents of a son. Brooks Lewis Hanson was born March 15, weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces. He joins a sister, Laura, who turns 2 years old this weekend, in their family.

Services for the late Mike Currier of Onida have been scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, at the Onida cemetery, followed by a gathering at the Phoenix Center.

Pierre theater-goers who go out to Rapid City for Black Hills Community Theatre shows are advised that BHCT has suspended all of its programs for eight weeks. That includes the musical, “The Who’s Tommy,” which was to have opened this weekend, as well as the May season-ending show, “Sense and Sensibility.” BHCT hopes to perform these shows at some point in the future. Also canceled are the Cherry Street Players shows scheduled for the first weekend of April and the Well Done Players shows in mid-April.