THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“We Americans are resilient. We carry on, dust ourselves off and persevere. But what if we also took a step back? What if we took a deep breath and vowed to ourselves and one another that rushing toward so-called normal isn’t the best option right now? What if, regardless of one’s religion, we used this week to feel one another’s grief and empathize with one another’s pain, loss and fear about what’s ahead? What if, instead of returning to what was, we vowed to be better? What if we vowed to be kinder? To come together in ways we didn’t before COVID?
— Maria Shriver in her “Sunday Paper”

PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP

Girls basketball: Pierre senior Caytee Williams played on the Class “AA” all-star team that won both its games at the annual Three-Class Shootout at Salem. The “AA” girls defeated the “A” girls, 85-77. In that game Caytee went 1-of-6 in field goals and 2-of-2 in free throws for four points. Her team also won over the “B” girls, 79-76, and Caytee had two points and three steals in that game. On the boys’ side the Class “AA” boys also won both of its games.

This week’s schedules:
— FRIDAY
Baseball: at Rapid City Stevens, 4 and 6 p.m.
— SATURDAY
Baseball: at Rapid City Central, noon and 2 p.m.
— TUESDAY
Boys tennis: home triangular (with Mitchell and Rapid City Central), 11 a.m.
Track-field: home Bob Judson Invitational, 1 p.m.

Football: The South Dakota Football Coaches Association announced its Player of the Year awards, and in Class 11AA the recipient is Maguire Raske of the state champion Governors.

Track-field: Pierre joined the other ESD schools for an indoor meet at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen Tuesday. In boys’ events Lincoln Kienholz was a double winner, taking the high jump at 6’0″ an the long jump at 21’0″. Josh Strand placed third in the 400 in :57.04 and Canyon Jones third in the pole vault at 11’6 1’4″. Cole Peterson took third in the 200 in :24.36 and fourth in the 55-meter dash in :06.79. Jessica Lutmer won the girls’ 800 in 2:28.75 and placed third in the 1600 in 5:29.39. Another Pierre winner was Aleise Christopherson in the long jump at 15’11 1/2″. Ryann Barry placed second in the high jump at 4’10 1/4″. The 4×800 relay team of Vicky Good Buffalo, Katelyn Harris, Rachel Nemec and Jazzlyn Rombough placed third in 10:57.14.

STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedule:
— TUESDAY
Track-field: at Bob Judson Invitational, Pierre, 1 p.m.

SULLY BUTTES CHARGERS SPORTS ROUNDUP

This week’s schedule:
— TUESDAY
Track-field: at Bob Judson Invitational, Pierre, 1 p.m.

WEDDING DAYS

May 1: Dan Nielsen/Kim Borbely.
June 18: Chris Rumrill/Katya Vakshteyn.
July 31: Jack Carpenter/Leesa Johnson.
Sept. 25: Nick Jung/Natalie Nagle.
Oct. 2: Jordan Lamb/Abbey Fjeldheim.

COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP

South Dakota State track-field (Addison Eisenbeisz): At the Oral Roberts invitational meet in Tulsa, Addy won the high jump at 5’5 3/4″. The Jackrabbits go to Vermillion Saturday for the USD Earlybird meet.

Rochester Community & Technical College baseball (Cade Hinkle): In four games against Central Lakes Community College RCTC went 2-2. In a 9-6 loss Cade was 2-for-2 and scored a run. In an 8-3 win he was 0-for-1 but walked twice. In a 5-3 seven-inning loss Cade was pinchhitter and then catcher and was 0-for-2, walking once. In a 22-7 five-inning win Cade was 1-for-3 and walked once. Rochester plays four games Friday and Saturday against Itasca Community College. On Monday they play at Iowa Lakes CC.

South Dakota State baseball (Landon Badger, Garrett Stout): The Jackrabbits lost three of four Summit League games against Western Illinois and now stand at 7-13 overall and 2-6 in the league. In a 10-3 win Landon had two hits in four at-bats, including a double, scored a run, walked once and drove home a run when reaching on an error, and Garrett was 1-for-5. In a 5-0 loss Garrett went 1-for-3, getting one of only three SDSU hits. In a 4-3 loss Landon had no official at-bats but walked twice and scored a run while Garrett was 1-for-4, driving in Landon with an RBI single. In a 6-5 lsos Landon was 1-for-3, scoring once and walking once, and Garrett was 0-for-4. SDSU plays four Friday through Sunday at Evansville (Ind.).

South Dakota women’s soccer (Joana Zanin, Janaina Zanin, Emily Mikkelsen): The Coyotes swept Oral Roberts, 2-1 and 4-1, and are now 5-6-1 overall. USD is home Thursday and Saturday vs. NDSU.

Black Hills State track-field (Kelsey Van Den Hemel, Frank Becker): At a home meet Kelsey placed second in the 5,000-meter run in 19:33.48. Frank ran on the BHSU 4×400 relay team, which placed third in 3:32.19. BHSU competes Saturday at Nebraska-Kearney’s Loper Open.

Dakota Wesleyan baseball (Bradley Dean): The Tigers split a twinbill with Morningside, winning 5-2 and losing 6-4. Bradley played right field in the opener and was 0-for-3 at the plate. He pitched in a 6-4 loss, going one inning and allowing one hit and two earned runs. DWU took two games from Midland, 10-5 and 11-3. In the nightcap Bradley was back in right field and had a 3-for-4 game on a solo home run and an RBI single, thus driving in a pair while scoring twice. Cadwell Park is a very spacious field, and Brad’s home-run ball carried a long way, enabling him to make it an inside-the-park homer. DWU is home for two Thursday vs. Northwestern and on the road to Northwestern for two games Saturday.

North Dakota State football (Grey Zabel): The Bison went all the way down to Vermillion, only to have their game vs. USD canceled due to a positive COVID test in their own football program. NDSU was scheduled to be at home vs. SDSU Saturday, but that game has already been postponed as COVID cases continue among NDSU team personnel. The game has been rescheduled for April 17, the last possible day of the spring regular season.

South Dakota Mines track-field (Erick Colman, Theron Singleton): At the BHSU meet Theron placed third in the 10,000-meter run in 35:48.23. Erick was 15th in the shot put at 40’0″ and fifth in the hammer throw with a heave of 158’4″. Mines competes Saturday at the Loper Open at Nebraska-Kearney.

Augustana track-field (Elizabeth Schaefer): Idle since the indoor season ended, the Vikings open their outdoor season today (Thursday) at Dordt’s meet in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Northern baseball (Spencer Sarringar): The Wolves swept three from Concordia-St. Paul over the weekend, then lost both ends of a doubleheader to Minnesota State-Mankato Tuesday. Spencer was 0-for-3 in 5-3 and 1-0 wins over CSP and did not play in a 3-0 win. In a 4-2 loss to Minnesota State he went 1-for-3, scoring a run on a sixth-inning single. He was 0-for-3 in the 9-1 nightcap loss. Northern is home this weekend for two games Friday and one Saturday against Winona State.

Iowa Western Community College baseball (Peyton Zabel): The Reivers swept Northeast Nebraska CC, 18-3 and 15-1 in seven innings. Then Iowa Western won all four in a weekend series over Kirkwood CC from Missouri, 2-1 in seven innings, 5-3 in nine, 5-1 in seven and 11-1 in five innings. In the first of those four games, Peyton was the starter and went 5 innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, walking two and fanning five. He faced 19 batters, getting 90 strikes and 55 balls. He had no decision as he left the game with the score tied at 1-1. Iowa Western plays four Saturday and Sunday across the state of Iowa at Burlington against Southeast Community College.

COUNTDOWN

1 day: NCAA Div. I women’s basketball Final Four, San Antonio (April 2, 4).
1 day: Pierre high school baseball openers, Rapid City (April 2-3).
2 days: NCAA Div. I men’s basketball Final Four, Indianapolis (April 3, 5).
3 days: Easter (April 4).
3 days: Screen Actors Guild awards, TBS (April 4).
7 days: The Masters golf tournament, Augusta, Ga. (April 8-11).
7 days: NCAA Div. I men’s hockey Frozen Four, Pittsburgh (April 8, 10).
12 days: Fort Pierre city election (April 13).
14 days: Riggs High spring play, “A Lighter Shade of Noir” (April 15-17).
15 days: Minnesota Loons soccer season opener (April 16).
19 days: All-State Orchestra concert, Sioux Falls (April 19-20).
25 days: The Oscars, ABC (April 25).
30 days: Pierre Players’ “Radium Girls” (April 30-May 2, May 6-8).

HOCKEY UPDATE

NCAA Div. I men’s Frozen Four: The state of Minnesota will have three of the four teams at the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh. In the national semifinals next Thursday it will be St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State-Mankato at 4 p.m. and UMass vs. Minnesota-Duluth at 8 p.m., both games on ESPN2. The championship game is April 10 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Rapid City Rush: The Rush completed a series at Allen, Texas, taking two of three from the Americans. Rapid City, after a win last Wednesday, lost 5-2 and won 6-4. Rapid City is home Friday and Saturday vs. Wichita.

Sioux Falls Stampede: The Herd lost to Sioux City, 3-2, but beat Fargo, 4-3. Sioux Falls, after a game last night vs. Sioux City, hosts Tri-City Friday and Saturday.

Aberdeen Wings: The Wings took two from Minnesota Wilderness, 3-2 in a shootout and 6-2. Aberdeen is home against that same team Friday and Saturday, then goes to Minot Tuesday.

Minnesota Wild: Minnesota continued its long home winning streak over St. Louis, 2-0, then lost at San Jose in overtime, 4-3. The Wild plays at Vegas Thursday and Saturday and at home vs. Colorado Monday and Wednesday.

BASEBALL UPDATE

It’s Opening Day! Minnesota Twins schedule:
Thursday: at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m. (FSN).
Saturday: at Milwaukee, 6:10 p.m. (FSN).
Sunday: at Milwaukee, 1:10 p.m. (FSN).
Monday: at Detroit, 12:10 p.m. (FSN).
Tuesday: at Detroit, 12:10 p.m. (FSN and MLB Network).
Wednesday: at Detroit, 12:10 p.m. (FSN and MLB Network).
Thursday: Seattle, 3:10 p.m. (FSN).

Minnesota Twins scores the past week at spring training:
W Boston 7-4
L Atlanta 7-6
L Tampa Bay 2-0
L Boston 8-3
W Pittsburgh 5-3
T Pittsburgh 1-1

BASKETBALL UPDATE

Women’s Final Four: Semifinals Friday, Stanford vs. South Carolina at 5 p.m., Arizona vs. UConn at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN; championship Sunday, 5 p.m. on ESPN.

Men’s Final Four: Semifinals Saturday, Houston vs. Baylor at 4:14 p.m., Gonzaga vs. UCLA at 7:34 p.m. on CBS; championship Monday, 7 p.m. on CBS.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Minnesota lost twice to Houston, 107-101 and 129-107, and lost to Brooklyn, 112-107. The Wolves go to Memphis Friday and to Philadelphia Saturday, come home vs. Sacramento Monday and go to Indiana next Wednesday.

GOLF UPDATE

PGA Champions Tour (Tom Byrum): The Champions Tour is two weeks away from resuming at the Chubb Classic in Naples, Fla., April 16-18.

SOCCER UPDATE

Minnesota United FC: The Loons, beginning a four-game preseason in Orlando, overwhelmed Charleston, 9-0, and defeated Columbus, 5-2. Minnesota plays Cincinnati Saturday.

FOOTBALL UPDATE

Missouri Valley Football Conference standings: NDSU 4-1, UND 4-1, SDSU 4-1, Missouri State 4-1, Northern Iowa 3-3, Southern Illinois 3-3, USD 1-3, Illinois State 1-3, Youngstown State 1-4, Western Illinois 0-5. (Note: Illinois State has ended its season voluntarily.) This weekend’s schedule: Friday—Northern Iowa at USD (6 p.m. on Midco Sports Network). Saturday—SDSU at NDSU (postponed), Youngstown State at Western Illinois, Missouri State at UND.

PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES

• Today is the day, no fooling! By the time you read this, Molly Weisgram Maxwell has posted a link on her Facebook page from which you can purchase her new book, “The Other Side of Us—A Memoir of Trauma, Truth and Transformation.” If she acquires 100 individual purchases of the book online today, her book will be categorized as an Amazon best-seller, which will help other people find it when browsing on Amazon in the future.
• The Northwest Missouri State team that Northern almost defeated in the Central Region championship game won the Division II national men’s championship for the third time in the last four tournaments. Northwest Missouri went 97-3 over the past three seasons. Since Augustana won the championship in 2016, the only exception to Northwest Missouri’s winning it all was when Ferris State (Mich.) beat Northern by two points in the national championship game in 2018. You have to be pretty old to remember when USD won it in 1958 and SDSU in 1963.
• It went almost unnoticed this week when the U.S. Men’s National Team in soccer lost in its semifinal game and will miss the Olympics for the third straight time.
• If volleyball is your thing, Midco Sports Network’s MSN2 channel will have the Summit League semifinals on the air Friday afternoon and evening and the championship match Saturday afternoon. #1 Denver vs. #4 Omaha at 2:30 Friday, #3 USD vs. #2 Kansas City at 6 p.m., then the final game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
• So the NFL owners have agreed that there will be 17 regular-season games instead of 16, and that the extra game will be an NFC-AFC matchup. In the case of the NFC North, this year that extra game will be against an AFC West opponent. For the Vikings that opponent will be the Los Angeles Chargers. For the Packers the opponent is Kansas City on the road! The great thing about that latter matchup is that one of those two will lose! And for your calendars, the Super Bowl will be a week later—Feb. 13, 2022—instead of the traditional first-weekend-of-February date because the regular season will continue into the new year, ending on Jan. 9. The new Super Bowl date comes on the middle weekend of the Winter Olympics, which will be televised by NBC just as the Super Bowl will.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

Thursday, April 1:
Shelley (Marone) Locken, Justin Gilmore, John Knox, Bronson Blow, Steve Maciejewski, Mildred Adams, Meghann (O’Day) Kjolsrud, Justine Berven, Lindsey (Suedkamp) Griffith, Leon Blumhardt, Caden Blair, Steve Wegman, Andrew Murphy, Theodora Boolin, Paul Williams.
— We fondly remember Tate Senftner on his birthday.

Friday, April 2:
Sasha (Kean) Bishop, Joni Lingle, Krista (Schmidt) Sarvis, Laurie Kelley, Sandra Peterson, Mary Hiller, Susanne Harmon, Reece Mohlman, Emerson Mohlman, Joyce Koistinen, Aaron Rumpca, Aria Bollinger, Dalila Deal, Dustin James, Olivia Deffenbaugh, Greta Deffenbaugh, Stephanie Wells, Brandon Kucker.

Saturday, April 3:
Jesse Scharnweber, Scott Decker, Frank Pautz, Roxanne Ogan, Lori (Stulken) Blom, Charlotte Gustafson, Whitney (Palmer) Flottmeyer, Tom P. Maher, Erin Maher, Ava Williams, Dawn (Garrett) Kaiser, Seth Parsons, Charles Edelen, David Jensen, Bryan Palmer.

Sunday, April 4:
Blaine Harrowa, Thad Bauer, Tyler Mattheis, Noah Wulf, Gretta Weigandt, Marinda Archer, Avery Williams, Blaine Nicholas, Sandra O’Day, Hattie Stofferahn, Madyson Mitchell.
— 7th anniversary, Eric/MIssie Schmidt.

Monday, April 5:
Mikaela Hoy, April Chicoine, Jon Herman, Julian Smith, Chase Cooper, Troy Docken, Angie (Huxford) Pfleger, Landon Badger, Jo Mikkelsen, Ian Rounds, Levi Hanson, Ken Stofferahn (#87).
— 46th anniversary, Frank/Kathy (Hoover) Pautz.
— 46th anniversary, Doug/Pam Peterson.

Tuesday, April 6:
Lacy (Nielsen) Fike, Laura Mehlhaff, Ashley (Pries) Brewer, Heather (Nystrom) Klinger.

Wednesday, April 7:
Jayden Madden, Adam Chick, Anthony Johnson, Vivian Asmussen, Sandee Smith, Judith Smith, Brian Hosman, Eric Unkenholz, Crystal (Boehmer) Lindekugel, Brian Mills, BryAnn (Becker) Knecht.
— 37th anniversary, Kevin/JoAnne Hipple.
— 42nd anniversary, Bob/Kris Schneider.

Thursday, April 8:
Greg Axtman, Ruth Kilber, Lexi Anderson, Eric Bresee, Linsey (Peterson) Robbins, Wilson Jordre.
— 4th anniversary, Josh/Aimee Parsons.
— Anniversary, Donny/Kori (Verhelst) Rolfes.

NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS

Levi and Crystal Neuharth and family were named Farmer/Rancher of the Year for 2021 by the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce. The Neuharths are known for passionate involvement in conservation and agriculture education. At Prairie Paradise Farms they host a Family Farm Visit Day each May. Their farm has been a no-till farm since 1993. They raise a variety of crops and animals there.

Selected as Riggs High’s Fine Arts Performer of the Week by the Fine Arts Booster Club is Jack Ferris of the photography class.

Alma Buechler passed away at the age of 108 March 28. Visitation will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. NEXT Friday, April 9, at Lutheran Memorial Church, followed by the funeral service there at 1:30.

The 81-degree temperature just before the supper hour Monday set an all-time record for high temperature on March 29.

Lynn Beck underwent a kidney/pancreas transplant 20 years ago, expecting that another transplant would be necessary in about 20 years. That new kidney transplant took place last Thursday morning at Mayo Clinic. “Special prayers to her donor who we hope to meet some day,” her husband, Trace, posted. Trace himself is scheduled to donate one of his kidneys today (Thursday). The Becks plan to stay in Rochester for about two weeks to make sure Lynn’s meds are working properly.

Riggs senior and all-around athlete Regan Bollweg is one of the nominees for the Argus Leader’s High School Sports Award in wrestling.

Pierre native Jordan Shangreaux has become engaged to Madison Mortenson. Jordan is an athletic trainer with Sanford Health, and Madison is a cosmetologist at Salon Remix in Aberdeen where they live.

Terry and Cindy Hipple and the other residents of Dark Canyon west of Rapid City were among hundreds who were ordered to evacuate their homes due to an out-of-control wildfire burning on the ridges and grasslands and the canyons at the west edge of town. The fire started Monday amidst horrendous winds gusting as high as 80 MPH, heading first toward the northwest edges of Rapid City, then shifting to burn straight south. Many others who live on the west side of Rapid City were prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Cooler weather Tuesday and Wednesday helped firefighters, but the forecast for today (Thursday) was for high winds again. The Hipples and the other Dark Canyon residents have been unable to return home because S.D. Highway 44 remained closed from Canyon Lake in town to a point well west of the fire zone, and the Dark Canyon entrance comes off Highway 44.

Former Pierre resident Lonnie McKittrick, 56, died unexpectedly in Rapid City March 26. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, April 2, at Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Rapid City, followed by a celebration of his life at Arrowhead Country Club from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Lonnie graduated from high school at Groton in 1982. An all-around athlete there, he was also a four-year starter on the Northern State University football team. After college he began a career in insurance, working for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Aberdeen and Pierre. Then he joined Fischer Rounds & Associates as a health agent. At the time of his death he was a vice president of Fischer Rounds. He is survived by his wife, Kristin; his sons, Austin (Dom) and Parker (Maddy Keeler); his stepson, Nick Evans; his mother, Luetta; his father, Roger, and his brothers, Randy, Rory and Wade McKittrick, and other relatives.

The Riggs High School Class of 2001 has officially decided to postpone their 20-year reunion until July 4, 2022. There is a Facebook page that will post updates.

Dan Lusk was recently diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, a tumor on his vestibulocochlear nerve, causing hearing loss, ringing and balance issues. He underwent surgery at Mayo Clinic last Thursday. According to a post by his wife Brooke (Severson) the following day, Dan was moved from the neuro ICU to the regular neuro floor. Dan was discharged Monday, but he and Brooke planned to stay in Rochester for a few days before heading home. Dan himself posted yesterday that a pathology report indicated the entire tumor has been resected. He will return for a follow-up MRI in June.

Riggs High musician Michael VanDeWiele has been selected to play in the All-State Jazz Band in Mitchell May 6-8. Michael will be a guitarist in one of the two big-bands there.

Vern Armstrong, 68, Pierre, died March 29 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Visitation will be from 5 to 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Capitol Heights Baptist Church followed by a prayer service there at 6. A memorial service will be at the church at 11 a.m. Friday. Vern grew up in northeastern Colorado and came to the Midland/Hayes farming community with his family when he was 12. He attended Riggs High School. In 1986 he married Hope Higgins, and they had three children through their 35 years together. Vern was a farmer for nearly 60 years and also worked in crop insurance. Among his survivors are his wife, Hope; their children, Adam, Bailey and Harrison, and his children from a previous marriage, Sarah and Kristin.

Erick Colman, a junior mechanical engineering major at the School of Mines, was named to the All-Academic Team for indoor track and field by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Erick has a 3.538 grade-point average.

Sandra Kangas has been selected as the new coordinator of the Pierre Senior Center. Present coordinator Jeannie Davis will be retiring at the end of April. Sandra worked for 37 years at the Department of Education, supervising the office that managed USDA food and nutrition programs.

Ryan Knox of Tucson, Ariz., arrived in Rapid City last night to spend a month with family and friends in Rapid City, Pierre and elsewhere. He also plans a trip into the eastern states to where he may be relocating later this year.

Riggs High alumnus Mike Swenson was honored as Junior High Coach of the Year by the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association.

Riggs High alumnus Michael Zuercher has already been a highly successful technology entrepreneur in Sioux Falls. Now he is stepping forward into another venture. Jodi Schwan’s Facebook page entitled “Sioux Falls Business” this week posted an informative article on Michael’s businesses. You can find it at that Facebook page by scrolling down to a story entitled “Startup founder’s second act launches to encouraging early results.” Michael’s first venture was CentralSquare Technologies. The new one is Prismatic. Another Riggs High alumnus, Justin Hipple, is co-founder and chief technology officer of Prismatic.

Save the nights of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 15-16-17, to see the Riggs High spring play, “A Lighter Shade of Noir.”

Jamie Damon’s granddaughter, Isabella McNulty, has been accepted after auditions into the All-Virginia Orchestra on the double bass. Isabella is a student at Midlothian High School just outside Richmond.

Larry “Purk” Purkapile, 82, Pierre, died March 27 at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital. Inurnment will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 8, at Black Hills National Cemetery. Purk attended school in Pierre and served with the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1962. He was a car enthusiast and was a legend in the area racing circuit for his cars. He worked as a truck driver for Sammons, International Transport, and Christy Lumber. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Ron, his sister Luella Nagel, and his niece Shari Vavra-Bowers.

The number of patients hospitalized in South Dakota due to COVID-19 rose a bit in the report issued by the Department of Health yesterday. There were 2,522 active cases in the latest update, and of 979 new tests there were 264 positive results. The death toll stands at 1,935.

A CLOSING THOUGHT

“The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.”
— Kate McGahan