THOUGHT FOR TODAY
“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.”
— Ralph Marston
FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCORES
9B: Dell Rapids St. Mary 44, Potter County 42 (2 O.T.).
9A: Howard 55, Herreid-Selby Area 18.
9AA: Platte-Geddes 14, Canistota-Freeman 8.
11B: Winner 40, Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 8.
11A: Madison 31, Milbank 0.
11AA: Pierre 30, Tea Area 27.
11AAA: Harrisburg 27, Brandon Valley 0.
VOLLEYBALL STATE TOURNAMENTS PAIRINGS
CLASS AA
Upper bracket: S.F. Washington vs. Huron, Pierre vs. Brandon Valley.
Lower bracket: S.F. Lincoln vs. S.F. O’Gorman, S.F. Roosevelt vs. Harrisburg.
CLASS A
Upper bracket: S.F. Christian vs. Parkston, Wagner vs. Hill City.
Lower bracket: Garretson vs. Elkton-Lake Benton, Dakota Valley vs. Hamlin.
CLASS B
Upper bracket: Platte-Geddes vs. Burke, Chester Area vs. Colman-Egan.
Lower bracket: Warner vs. Aberdeen Christian, Arlington vs. Faulkton Area.
All games can be found online at www.sdpb.org. The three state championship matches will be televised Saturday on South Dakota Public Broadcasting with Class B at 5 p.m. CST, Class A at 7 p.m. and Class AA at 9 p.m.
PIERRE GOVERNORS SPORTS ROUNDUP
This week’s schedule:
— THURSDAY
Volleyball: vs. Brandon Valley in state tournament quarterfinals, Rapid City, 1:45 p.m.
— FRIDAY
Volleyball: at state tournament, Rapid City.
— SATURDAY
Volleyball: at state tournament, Rapid City.
Volleyball: The Governors won their SoDak 16 match against Yankton in a 3-0 sweep on set scores of 25-14, 25-16, 25-15, to earn a spot in this week’s state tournament. Pierre was down 10-9 in the first set before roaring off to a win and then maintained control of the match throughout the remaining sets. Ayvrie Kaiser had eight kills and Remi Price seven while the team scored seven service aces.
Volleyball: Ayvrie Kaiser and Lily Sanchez, both of whom are only juniors, were named to the ESD Conference all-conference team for volleyball.
Football records: Thanks to Greg Dean for sending me the following list of school records broken and tied in this year’s season.
— Single-game passing yards: Lincoln Kienholz, 400 vs. Aberdeen Central. (Old record, Garrett Stout 389 vs. Huron, 2018.)
— Single-game passing touchdowns: Kienholz, 8 vs. Huron. (Old record unknown but it was surely fewer than 8.)
— Single-season passing yards: Kienholz, 3,359. (Old record, Peyton Zabel 2,274, 2017.)
— Career passing yards: Kienholz (who is only a junior), 5,678. (Old record, Peyton Zabel 5,012, 2014-17.)
— Career passing touchdowns: Kienholz, 58. (Old record, Garrett Stout 58, 2018-19.)
— Single-season receiving yards: Jack Merkwan, 1,297. (Old record, Jesse Ahlers, 1,193, 1998.) This is the third-highest yardage total in state history.
— Single-game receiving touchdowns: Merkwan, 4 vs. Huron. (Old record, Austin Christopherson 4, 2013.)
— Single-season receiving touchdowns: Merkwan, 15. (Old record, Bradley Dean 13, 2016.)
Winter sports openers:
— Gymnastics: at Huron quadrangular Dec. 2; at S.F. Lincoln invitational Dec. 4.
— Boys wrestling: at Mandan invitational Dec. 3-4.
— Girls wrestling: home vs. Huron Dec. 14.
— Boys basketball: at R.C. Stevens Dec. 10; at R.C. Central Dec. 11.
— Girls basketball: home vs. R.C. Stevens Dec. 10 and R.C. Central Dec. 11.
MAKE THAT FIVE IN A ROW! MIRACLE COMEBACK AND THE KICK OF A LIFETIME!
The second Friday night of November now always (well, almost always!) means there’s a Pierre football game at the DakotaDome. But oh how bleak the chances of Pierre’s winning a fifth straight state 11AA championship looked for awhile last Friday night.
Undefeated Tea Area, the defending champion from a lower class but now the powerhouse of Class 11AA, had taken a 21-0 lead over the Governors with 3:18 left in the first half. Moments into the second half another touchdown lifted the Titans to a 27-7 advantage, and on the subsequent possession a long gain on a pass play ended in a lost fumble, Pierre’s third of the game. Apparently it just wasn’t Pierre’s night, the breaks were going Tea’s way, and the Drive for Five was doomed to disappointment.
But there is magic amidst this gang of young athletes and solidly strong coaching staff, and it was very much alive. We just didn’t know it at the time. Oh we of little faith!
Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz connected with Jett Zabel on a 48-yard touchdown pass play with 5:54 left in the third quarter, and the score was 27-14, only a two-score margin. Two minutes later at the 3:45 mark, it was Kienholz to Zabel again, this time on a 35-yard pass that completed a three-play, 64-yard march. The score was now 27-21. That two-minute surge ignited the Pierre comeback, and an uneasiness must surely have settled in on the Tea sideline.
The game moved into the fourth quarter. Pierre still needed a score to tie the game and take the lead, and Tea had a chance to move the ball, perhaps score again, but at least kill clock. The Governor defense forced the Titans into a third-and-31 situation, a pass fell incomplete, and they had to punt. That kick set the Govs back to their own 9. This possession didn’t result in anything positive, and Pierre had to punt the ball away. But the Titans, on a third-and-9 from the Pierre 43, threw another incompletion and had to punt. Pierre, with the clock down to 8:40 left in the game, couldn’t move downfield and kicked it away with 7:47 remaining. Half of the fourth quarter had evaporated, and the two ballclubs had exchanged possessions with no change in the six-point deficit.
The defense did its job yet again, and just 76 seconds after punting, the Governors had the ball back, starting at their own 35 with 6:31 left. It was time to make it happen. It was now or never. And it was time for the offense to rely on its warhorse. With his offensive line opening holes and clearing paths—guys like Kyle Albertson, Gary Nedved, Brady Getz, Christian Busch and Jaden Flor, the ones whose names never appear in statistics and news stories—Kienholz took charge of the Pierre offense. The goalline was 65 yards away. It took 2 minutes and 57 seconds for the Govs to get there. Kienholz carried on all nine plays and gained yardage on every one of them—first eight yards, then 15, then two, then 13, then 7, then 7 again, then 6, then 6 more, and finally 1 1/2 yards on first-and-goal. Touchdown! Pierre 27, Tea Area 27. An extra-point kick would mean the lead, but Cole Peterson’s kick was blocked. The game remained tied, Tea had the ball, and only a field goal would win it.
The Titans took over with 3:20 left after returning the Pierre kickoff to the 31-yard line. Chance Carda’s tackle for a two-yard loss was an encouraging start to the Tea possession, and an incompletion on second down helped, too. However, on third down with the clock down to 2:33, a huge gain of 31 yards put Tea into Governor territory, and field-goal range was in sight. On first down they gained six yards, and when it came time for second down, only 1:21 showed on the Dome scoreboard. A one-yard loss set up third-and-5 at the 35-yard line. Only 41 seconds remained in the fourth quarter. No one in the building could imagine all that would happen in only 41 seconds.
Tea threw a pass to the right sideline. Pierre’s Jacob Mayer stepped in front of the Tea receiver. Mayer, the receiver and the sideline official all went down in a heap. The guy in the striped shirt got to his feet while indicating an incomplete pass. But wait a second! Hold the phone! Stop the presses!
Had Mayer intercepted the pass? Had one of his feet come down in-bounds? Had he actually caught the ball?
A few years earlier, play would have continued based purely on that official’s call of an incomplete pass. But blessings upon instant replay! The officiating crew went to their TV replay equipment. The decision came back that Mayer had indeed accomplished an interception. At least Tea’s chance at a winning field goal had been averted, but now the Governors had only 36 seconds left, and they were at their own 26. The other end of the field was so far away that there seemed to be little chance of doing anything before overtime.
On first down from the 26, Kienholz stormed 12 yards. The clock was at 0:28 when he fired a pass to Cade Kaiser, who caught it for an 18-yard gain. Suddenly Pierre was at the Tea 45, and Kienholz immediately spiked the ball to stop the ever-advancing clock at 0:17. Now there was no time to waste and no margin for error. Kienholz surged ahead for 21 yards to the 23-yard line. With 0:07 showing on the clock the quarterback spiked the ball once more, and now 0:04 remained. Everybody in the Dome knew what was coming.
In just five plays—three of which had gained yardage and two of which were spikes—the Governors had come from their own 26 to the Tea 23, and they had done it in 32 seconds. Those statistics are the makings of a miracle.
But yet it depended now on the leg of senior Cole Peterson, the soccer player who also plays football (or is he the football player who also plays soccer? Doesn’t matter at this point!)
Pierre called a time-out. Tea called a time-out. Finally the moment was at hand. With fans on both sides of the Dome standing and the noise level rising with each passing second, there was the snap of the ball. There was the ball set down on the turf. There was Peterson’s foot making contact with the ball and sending it high and far toward the goalpost 40 yards away. Peterson put so much gusto into his kick that it would have been good for many more yards farther back.
Of course it was good. The clock reached 0:00 as the ball hit the net and fell to the turf. Pierre 30, Tea Area 27. The Governors had won it. The players on the field and the fans in the stands exploded into delirium.
The game had started on an ominous note when the Governor kickoff returner fumbled the ball into the air, and Tea recovered and had an immediate 29-yard field to maneuver. Chase Van Tol went in from a yard out, and the Titans were up 7-0 just 2:36 into the game. Pierre answered with a 51-yard pass from Kienholz to Jack Merkwan, but the possession ended with a sack and an incompletion. Tea responded with a 32-yard TD pass from Cael Lundin to Gabe Grant, and the deficit increased to 14-0 with 4:27 still left in the first period.
Pierre lost another fumble soon thereafter, and Tea started yet another march as the game moved into the second period. This drive ended in a missed field goal. Pierre’s next possession started with a 35-yard pass from Kienholz to Merkwan down to the Titans’ 35-yard line, but the Govs could get no closer. Tea answered with a 12-yard run by Lundin for a score that made it 21-0.
Pierre’s eventual championship likely was saved by a seven-play, 75-yard drive, the highlights of which were a Kienholz pass to Matt Hanson and three Kienholz keepers. The last of those came from the 3-yard line and gave the Govs hope with a touchdown with 41 seconds left in the half. It was 21-7 as the teams went to the break.
A Lundin touchdown pass to Jason Weber that covered 50 yards put Pierre in the 27-7 hole early in the third, but a key miss on the extra-point try left it a 20-point deficit. Could Pierre possibly recover from this disadvantage? Now we know the answer to that question.
The two teams had 19 first downs each. Pierre’s 207 rushing yards and 347 passing yards added up to 554 yards of total offense compared to Tea’s 434 (172 on the ground and 262 through the air). Kienholz carried 26 times for 190 yards and two TDs and completed 11 of 23 aerials for 347 yards and two more touchdowns. Besides all of that, he punted three times, averaging 35.3 yards, and on defense he made five unassisted tackles and assisted on another. No wonder he was voted the Joe Robbie Award as MVP of the game.
Merkwan had four receptions for 121 yards, Zabel three for 113, Kaiser three for 72 and Hanson one for 41. On defense Deegan Houska had seven unassisted and three assisted tackles, Carda five and four for nine, Kienholz his five and one for six, Josh Strand five unassisted and one assisted for six and Jayden Wiebe three unassisted tackles. Josh Rydberg accomplished 1 1/2 sacks, and Austin Foley was credited with 1/2 a sack. Christian Busch on the O line was named outstanding lineman of the championship game, and Kienholz was named outstanding offensive player.
STANLEY COUNTY BUFFALOES SPORTS ROUNDUP
Winter sports openers:
— Gymnastics: at Huron quadrangular Dec. 2.
— Wrestling: home for Stanley County invitational Dec. 4.
— Boys basketball: home vs. Lyman Dec. 10.
— Girls basketball: home vs. Chamberlain Dec. 7 and Lyman Dec. 10.
Volleyball: Jordyn Sosa of SCHS was named to the first team of the Big Dakota Conference all-conference team. Buffalo players Olivia Chase and Taylee Stroup were on the honorable mention list.
SULLY BUTTES CHARGERS SPORTS ROUNDUP
Winter sports openers:
— Wrestling: at Stanley County invitational Dec. 4.
— Boys basketball: home vs. Lyman Dec. 14.
— Girls basketball: at Ipswich Dec. 7.
Volleyball: Senior Tailynn Bradford and junior Lydia Hill were named to the Yellowstone Trail Conference’s all-conference volleyball team. Trichelle White was selected on the all-conference second team.
BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES
Thursday, Nov. 18:
Cobey Carr, Linda Burchill, Chris Voller, Tom Hindman, Joe Jungman, Brendan Whitebird, Denise (Marshall) Kjer.
Friday, Nov. 19:
Bethany (Goeden) Intorn, Karla Byrum, Ken Weinheimer, Bonnie Small, DeeAnn Stevens, Chris Pope, Alice Geraets, Rob Shoup, Taylor Lindekugel, Rachel Zuercher, Caroline Tschetter, Mike Anderson, Jim Sampson, Aiden Dykstra, Brad Cruse, Kylor Knox, Kaid Knox.
— 10th anniversary, Jared/Kim (Weischedel) McPherson.
— 10th anniversary, Michael/Macy (Welsh) Kaiser.
Saturday, Nov. 20:
Ethan Ellefson, John Forney, Austin Wagner, Sarah Magdanz, Blake Dean, Ryker Tieszen, Jerry Tveidt, Cammy (Clark) Theeler, A.J Neuberger, Rigley Kulesa.
Sunday, Nov. 21:
Evelyn Decker, Ashton Wood, Delaney Jarecke, Dawson Jarecke, Peggy Rose, Thomas Voeltz, Mark Logan, Chuck Hamre.
— We fondly remember Tyler Wilcox, who passed away 16 years ago today.
Monday, Nov. 22:
Jane (Trumble) Husman, Kelly Culberson, Al King, Lowen Kulesa, Jesse Herra, Gavin Gabriel, Brad Like, Hannah Melius, Judy (Sonnenschein) Larson, Will Nebelsick.
Tuesday, Nov. 23:
Kerry (Ingram) Rounds, Sarah (Zellmer) Johnson, Cody Van Houten, Tom Tipton, Elaine Konechne, Benjamin Saniuk, Eva (Schmidt) Reed, Laurie Johnson, Erin (Schiefelbein) Jones, Allyson Pierce, Wendy (Kaiser) Wulf, Knox Englehart, Jenny Weingart, Cora Vogel, Gage Deal.
Wednesday, Nov. 24:
Todd Meierhenry, Sharon Hoelscher, Brooke (Lee) Cronin, Kaishia (Bernard) Anderson,Tom Roberts, Harper Lucas, Janet Hofer, Mae Gibson, Pam Kean, Monica Paxton, Jared Boyer, Mary (Wendt) Curtis, Tucker Stoeser.
— 15th anniversary, Jerid/Megan (Joachim) Jaeger.
Thursday, Nov. 25:
Ken Koistinen, Codi Imsland, Reggie Hansen, Tyrell (Allardyce) Jeniges, Bob Ruedebusch, Matt Mancuso, Cliff Garber, Kyle Hollingsworth, Ezekiel Ross, Randy Hilding, Deann (Asheim) Mohlman.
— 18th anniversary, Jamie/Crystal Dvorak.
— 10th anniversary, James/Jill (Rounds) Sleger.
Friday, Nov. 26:
Tom Martin, James Berreth, Ben Blair, Stacey (Shepherd) Schumacher, Lauren Retterath, Melissa Kirkpatrick, Jackie Forster, Curt Rawstern, Coy Knudson, Julie Bright, Thea (Miller) Ryan, Kristin (Rausch) Hangebrauck, Christina (Zellmer) Nath, Andrew Berreth, Patti (Marso) Petersen, Brian Myers.
— 10th anniversary, Michael/Kylie Knudson.
— 11th anniversary, Jeff/Taya (Dockter) Runyan.
Saturday, Nov. 27:
Randy Briese, Matt Flyger, Lynn Sevening, Gracie Kper, Emory Aguirre, Gretchen Lord Anderson, Donny Kuper, Mary (Likness) Keeler.
— 45th anniversary, David/Kathy Hausmann.
— 6th anniversary, Rick/Shelbi (Hostler) Schimpf.
— 17th anniversary, Boice/Jamie (Mesteth) Hillmer.
— 17th anniversary, Gary/Bobbi (Martin) Drewes.
Sunday, Nov. 28:
Ella Frohm, Scott Colwill, Ryan Hipple, Travis Lindekugel, Katie (Zeller) Murphy, Kacie (Schumacher) Olson, Maxx Vaudrin, Kim (Deffenbaugh) Altermatt.
Monday, Nov. 29:
Corey Westover, Kayla Prince, Sarah Burger, Josh Tetzlaff, Ashleigh Baker, Marcie (Fuhrer) Holsteen, Kallie Heibel, Lisa Blake, Luke Steece, Dallas Cronin, Reid LeBeau, Michael Hardwick, Bobbi (Bourk) Underberg.
Tuesday, Nov. 30:
Robbin (Volmer) Figge, Lynsey (Meyer) Anderson, Todd Palmer, Chris Boom, Vea Bea (Bourk) Thomas, Jay Vogt, Elizabeth Heidelberger, Mary (Storsteen) Dieken, Jake Stewart, Michael Gardner, Cole Hoelscher, Robyn (Bramblee) Bothwell, Joanna Peterson, Holly (Byrum) Jacobs.
— 47th anniversary, Rodney/Janice Haag.
Wednesday, Dec. 1:
Sharon England, D.J. Stars, Lena (Burtts) Hammell, Kristin (Rau) Hayward.
Thursday, Dec. 2:
Brady Douglas, Kristin Gunderson, Scott Weischedel, Liam Dehne, Cayden Jensen, Randy Weischedel, Tyler Bryant, Andrew Heymans, Jamie (Driscoll) Olson.
ELECTIONS 2022 UPDATE
- Gov. Kristi Noem announced last week she will seek re-election for a second term in the 2022 elections. Up to last Friday, the day of her announcement, she was unopposed both in the primary and general elections, but no longer. That same day Rep. Steve Haugaard of Sioux Falls, who served as Speaker of the House from 2017 to 2019, filed to become a candidate and challenge Noem for the Republican nomination for governor.
- Brian Bengs of Aberdeen has declared his candidacy as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat now occupied by Sen. John Thune. Bengs is a Navy veteran and served 19 years in the JAG Corps of the Air Force. Bengs most recently taught for four years at Northern State University. On the Republican side Thune already has two opponents in the primary election.
- March 29 is the deadline for filing petitions of candidacy for primary election candidates, and it is April 26 for independent candidates. Candidates who file with the secretary of state’s office can begin circulating petitions as early as Jan. 1. The primary election date is June 7.
WORDS OF WISDOM
“It’s not the police who need to be retrained; it’s the public. We have grown into a mouthy, mobile phone-wielding, vulgar, uncivil society with no personal responsibility and the attitude of ‘it’s the other person’s fault; you owe me.’ A society where children grow up with no boundaries or knowledge or concern for civil society and personal responsibility.”
— David Clarke, former sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis.
COLLEGE SPORTS ROUNDUP
South Dakota State track and field (Addison Eisenbeisz): Addy will be competing in the jumps again for the Jacks. The first meet of the indoor season will be a dual vs. USD Dec. 5.
Augustana track and field (Elizabeth Schaefer): This is Elizabeth’s sophomore year at Augie where she will again be in the sprints and hurdles. The Vikings open the indoor season at SDSU’s holiday invitational Dec. 3.
Dakota Wesleyan track and field (Cobey Carr, Morgan Oedekoven, Abbigail Ferris): The three Pierre athletes are sophomores this year. The Tigers open their indoor season at SDSU’s holiday meet Dec. 3.
Dakota State track and field (Houston Lunde): Houston is a freshman in Madison and will be in the throw events for the Trojans. First meet of their indoor season is the SDSU holiday invitational Dec. 3.
South Dakota Mines track and field (Erick Colman): Erick, a redshirt sophomore, will be in the throw events for the Hardrockers, whose indoor season doesn’t open till the BHSU invitational Jan. 29-30.
Black Hills track and field (Frank Becker): Frank and the Yellow Jackets open their indoor season at their home meet Dec. 3-4.
Northern State track and field (Rachel Guthmiller): The senior from Onida will again be in the throw events for the Wolves, who open their indoor season at SDSU’s holiday invitational Dec. 3.
South Dakota State swimming (Morgan Nelson): The USD women lost a dual with Omaha, 170-105. Morgan placed fourth in the 100-meter breast stroke in 1:09.49 and fifth in the 200 breast in 2:34.34. She also swam on State’s “B” team in the 200 medley relay, placing fourth in 1:53.50. The Jackrabbits swim today through Saturday at the Augustana Invitational in Sioux Falls.
Dakota Wesleyan wrestling (Tyson Johnson): The Tigers competed at their own DWU Open last Saturday. Individual results are not available. After hosting a dual vs. Northwestern last night, the Tigers wrestle at Nebraska-Kearney’s Open Saturday.
Mary wrestling (Lincoln Turman): The Marauders wrestled at the Bison Open at NDSU last weekend. Individual results are not available. The Mary team goes to Kearney, Neb., to the UNK Open this weekend.
Dakota Wesleyan football (Josh Rowse): The Tigers finished their season 4-7 with a 52-7 loss to #1 Morningside.
Northern State football (Joe King, Jacob Howard): The Wolves lost their season finale, 49-35, to Minnesota-Duluth and finished with a record of 7-4 and were not selected for the Division II playoffs.
Augustana football (Jett Lamb, Colton Hartford): The Vikings finished their regular season with a 55-0 trouncing of Southwest Minnesota State. Their final record of 9-2 gave them the NSIC conference title. Selected for the NCAA Division II playoffs, Augustana will be home in the first round Saturday against Bemidji State.
Black Hills State football (Josh Breske): The Yellowjackets finished their season with a 4-7 record after a 57-6 loss to Chadron State.
South Dakota State football (Regan Bollweg): The Jackrabbits scored in the fourth quarter to all but salt away a win at USD but lost 23-20 on a last-second touchdown pass by the Coyotes. SDSU is 4-3 in the Valley and 7-3 overall. The regular-season finale is at home Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. UND.
North Dakota State football (Grey Zabel): The Bison won at Youngstown State, 49-17, and are 6-1 in the Valley and 9-1 overall. NDSU is home vs. USD at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. (The Bison get the MVFC’s automatic bid into the playoffs with a win.)
South Dakota football: In a classic 23-20 win over rival SDSU, the Coyotes led into the fourth quarter but, within field-goal range, they failed on a fourth-and-inches situation, giving SDSU the ball, and the Jackrabbits marched to a supposed winning touchdown. However, with the clock stopped at 0:01, USD scored on a desperation “Hail, Mary” pass toward the end zone from Carson Camp to Jeremiah Webb. USD could tie for the Missouri Valley regular-season championship with an upset win at NDSU this Saturday. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. on Keloxtra. (For the Coyotes to get the MVFC’s automatic bid into the playoffs, USD would have to win and get losses from Missouri State and Southern Illinois.)
Dakota State football (Colin Brueggeman, Nathan Cook): The Trojans defeated Presentation, 16-14, and ended the regular season at 6-4.
Northwestern (Iowa) football (Morris Hofer): Northwestern ripped Briar Cliff, 63-7, to finish the regular season at 10-1. In the first round of the NAIA playoffs, the Red Raiders will be at home Saturday against Indiana-Kokomo.
Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball (Nick Wittler): Nick took advantage of his first varsity start as a college player, but unfortunately the Tigers lost to Morningside, 74-57. He was 8-of-16 in field goals (5-of-11 in three-pointers) and 3-of-3 in free throws for 24 points with two rebounds and a steal. Now 2-3, DWU hosted Jamestown last night, goes to Dakota State Saturday and Mount Marty Tuesday, then plays at Dickinson, N.D., Nov. 26-27 against Rocky Mountain and Montana Western.
South Dakota State women’s basketball: The Jackrabbits lost to Mississippi State, 76-71, and lost to Iowa State, 75-56. Now 1-2, SDSU is home vs. Montana State tonight, on the road to Creighton Sunday and then to Estero, Fla., for a Nov. 26-27-28 tournament. The Jacks will open the tourney against UMass with the subsequent foes to be determined by play there.
Augustana women’s basketball (Katie Bourk): The Vikings opened their season with a 81-54 win over Peru State. They are home vs. Minnesota-Morris tonight, on the road to Wayne State Tuesday and home vs. Briar Cliff Nov. 27.
South Dakota women’s basketball (Chloe Lamb): Against the nation’s #1 team, South Carolina, the Coyotes fell hard in a 72-41 loss. Chloe was 4-of-18 and 1-of-2 for 10 points with four rebounds, a steal and an assist. On Monday USD won at Drake, 61-46, as Chloe was 5-of-9 (1-of-2 in threes) and 2-of-3 for 13 points with five boards and two assists. Now 1-2, USD will be home vs. Briar Cliff tonight. On Nov. 25-26-27 the women go to the U.S. Virgin Islands where they will play three big-time opponents—Northwestern of the Big 10, Texas A&M of the SEC and Pittsburgh of the ACC.
South Dakota men’s basketball (Max Burchill): The Coyotes defeated Air Force, 59-53, and lost to Drake, 99-50, in their season openers. At Drake Max was 0-for-2 and 4-of-6 for four points with two boards and a steal. Now 0-2, USD is home vs. Southern Friday, Tennessee State Sunday and Presentation Tuesday, then plays at Nebraska Nov. 27 and at San Jose State Nov. 30.
Dakota State volleyball (Nicole Sarringar): The Trojans defeated Presentation, 3-1, in the quarterfinal round of the NSAA tournament in Watertown. Nicole had two kills, 15 assists and 12 digs. DSU lost in the semifinals to Bellevue, 3-1, as Nicole had a kill, 15 assists and six digs. The regular season ended with a 21-8 record. Selected for the NAIA national tournament, the Trojans play at Grand View in Des Moines Saturday in the opening round.
Mount Marty men’s basketball (Lincoln Jordre): The Lancers lost to Doane, 82-58, as Lincoln went 4-of-6 for eight points with two rebounds and a steal. MMC played Briar Cliff last night, goes to Hastings Saturday, is home vs. DWU next Wednesday, then plays Nov. 27-28 at Fremont, Neb., against Bellevue and Dakota State.
South Dakota volleyball (Brooklyn Bollweg): The Coyotes defeated Denver, 3-2, but lost to Omaha, 3-1. Now 16-9, USD finishes the regular season at UND Thursday and at NDSU Saturday. USD will host the Summit League tournament Nov. 25-27.
Morningside bowling (Alex Badger): The Mustangs placed 24th of 43 teams Saturday and 22nd of 42 teams Sunday at the Western Illinois tournament. No individual results are available. Morningside hosts its own invitational Dec. 4-5.
Dakota Wesleyan volleyball (Gracie Olivier): The Tigers were selected for the NAIA tournament and will play a first-round match at home in the Corn Palace Saturday at 6 p.m. vs. St. Xavier (Ill.).
South Dakota State men’s basketball: The Jackrabbits lost at Alabama, 104-88, and won at Stephen F. Austin in Texas, 83-71. Now 2-1, SDSU hosted Montana State last night, is home vs. Presentation tonight, and plays in a big-time quadrangular at the Sanford Pentagon next week. The Jacks’ opponents there will be Nevada on Monday, Washington on Tuesday and George Mason on Wednesday. After the holiday SDSU hosts Prairie View A&M Nov. 30.
Missouri Valley Football Conference roundup:
Conference standings: NDSU 6-1, Missouri State 6-2, USD 5-2, Southern Illinois 5-2, SDSU 4-3, Northern Iowa 3-4, UND 3-4, Western Illinois 2-5, Illinois State 2-5, Indiana State 2-5, Youngstown State 1-6.
Overall records: NDSU 9-1, USD 7-3, SDSU 7-3, Missouri State 7-3, Southern Illinois 7-3, UND 5-5, Northern Iowa 5-5, Indiana State 4-6, Illinois State 4-6, Youngstown State 2-7, Western Illinois 2-8.
Last week’s scores:
USD 20, SDSU 17
NDSU 49, Youngstown State 17
UND 14, Illinois State 7
Missouri State 34, Northern Iowa 27
Southern Illinois 47, Indiana State 21
This week’s games:
UND at SDSU, 2 p.m.
USD at NDSU, 2:30 p.m.
Indiana State at Illinois State
Youngstown State at Southern Illinois
Western Illinois at Northern Iowa
NOTE: The FCS playoffs selections will be revealed this Sunday, Nov. 21. First-round games among the field of 32 teams will be played Nov. 26-27, and first-round matchups are regionalized to avoid long-distance travel, but first-round matchups will not involve teams that have played each other. Expect those in the second round, however.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The ‘how’ of a person is your heart, your spirit, your mind, your soul, and it can’t be measured by a ruler. It can be measured by your actions.”
— P.J. Fleck, University of Minnesota football coach
BASKETBALL UPDATE
Sioux Falls Skyforce: The Skyforce of the NBA’s G League lost by 103-99 and won by 115-101 in a pair of games against Grand Rapids. Sioux Falls’ next games are Nov. 27-28 at home vs. Cleveland.
Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves went 1-3 this week, losing to Golden State 123-100, beating the Lakers 107-83, losing to the Clippers 129-102 and losing to the Suns 99-96. After a home game vs. Sacramento last night, the Wolves are busy—home vs. San Antonio Thursday, home vs. Memphis Saturday, on the road to New Orleans Monday, home vs. Miami next Wednesday, at Charlotte Nov. 26, at Philadelphia Nov. 27 and home vs. Indiana Nov. 29.
HOCKEY UPDATE
Badlands Sabres (Mason Martin): The Sabres split a pair with Sheridan, losing 6-2 and winning 3-2. Mason scored the Sabres’ first goal in the win. The team plays Friday and Saturday at Butte, then is home Nov. 26-27 against Great Falls.
Rapid City Rush: The Rush won one of three vs. Idaho, losing 4-1, winning 4-2, and losing 3-0. After hosting Allen last night, the Rush is home Friday and Saturday vs. Allen, then plays at Wichita next Wednesday and at Kansas City Nov. 26-27.
Aberdeen Wings: The Wings split with Bismarck, winning 6-4 and losing in a shootout, 3-2. Aberdeen hosts Bismarck Friday, plays at Bismarck Saturday and is home vs. Minot Nov. 26-28.
Sioux Falls Stampede: The Herd lost twice to Omaha, 5-2 and 4-1, and now stands at 4-9-0. Sioux Falls is home Friday vs. Sioux City, Saturday vs. Fargo, Nov. 26 vs. Lincoln and Nov. 27 vs. Sioux City.
Minnesota Wild: The Wild went 2-2 in the past week, beating Arizona 5-2, losing to Vegas 3-2, winning at Seattle 4-2 and losing to San Jose 4-1. Minnesota is home tonight vs. Dallas, at Florida and Tampa Bay over the weekend, at New Jersey next Wednesday, then home for three dates—Nov. 26 vs. Winnipeg, Nov. 28 vs. Tampa Bay and Nov. 30 vs. Arizona.
GOLF UPDATE
PGA Champions Tour (Tom Byrum): Tom did not play in the championship round of the Charles Schwab Cup in Phoenix because he did not qualify for the finals among the top 36 in the Schwab Cup standings. The Champions Tour has its first-stage qualifying for 2022 this weekend at Nipton, Calif., and Valrico, Fla.
SOCCER UPDATE
Minnesota United FC: Idle last week, the Loons begin the MLS playoffs at Portland at 4:30 p.m. CST Sunday on ESPN.
DAY BY DAY
Friday
Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is. Life is good when you are happy but much better when others are happy because of you.
— Pope Francis
Saturday
Be kind, be fair,
Be honest, be true,
And all these things will come back to you.
What goes around comes around.
— PositiveAwakening
Sunday
Quit worrying about how everything is going to turn out. Live one day at a time. Better yet, make the most of this moment.
— Joel Osteen
Monday
We all are flying high in some ways and falling flat on our faces in others. Nobody has it all figured out. It’s our job to cheer each other on, lift each other up and push each other to keep giving it our best. It matters whom we surround ourselves with. We need to be better to each other. We’re all we have.l
— Am Weatherly
Tuesday
It is through art that we prevail and we will endure. It lives on after us and defines us as people.
— Rita Moreno
Wednesday
Moral courage is more a rare commodity than bravery in a battle or great intelligence.
— President John F. Kennedy
Thursday
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
— Maya Angelou
FOOTBALL UPDATE
NFL games on local TV (subject to change by the networks):
Thursday, 7:20 p.m.: New England at Atlanta, Fox and NFL Network.
Sunday, noon: Green Bay at Minnesota, noon, Fox.
Sunday, 3 p.m.: Cincinnati at Las Vegas, CBS.
Sunday, 3:25 p.m.: Dallas at Kansas City, Fox.
Sunday, 7:20 p.m.: Pittsburgh at Los Angeles Chargers, NBC.
Monday, 7:15 p.m.: New York Giants at Tampa Bay, ESPN.
Thanksgiving, 11:30 a.m.: Chicago at Detroit, Fox.
Thanksgiving, 3:30 p.m.: Las Vegas at Dallas, CBS.
Thanksgiving, 7:20 p.m.: Buffalo at New Orleans, NBC.
Nov. 28, noon: Tennessee at New England, CBS.
Nov. 28, noon: Tampa Bay at Indianapolis, Fox.
Nov. 28, 3:25 p.m.: Minnesota at San Francisco, Fox.
Nov. 28, 7:20 p.m.: Cleveland at Baltimore, NBC.
Nov. 29, 7:15 p.m.: Seattle at Washington, ESPN.
Minnesota Vikings: Accustomed to close games all season, the Vikings had another one Sunday but won 27-20 over the Los Angeles Chargers. Now 4-5, the Vikings host Green Bay Sunday and go to San Francisco Nov. 28.
CORONAVIRUS ROUNDUP
Yesterday’s state Department of Health scoreboard shows the state’s COVID death toll has reached 2,297. There are 6,663 active cases in the state right now, and 239 persons are hospitalized with the coronavirus.
- The Rapid City school board majority was going to bring forth a resolution to ban COVID-19 testing and administering of vaccines in all district buildings at its Tuesday meeting. However, that resolution disappeared from the meeting agenda on Monday. It is not dead, however, and a COVID-19 resolution may show up at a later meeting.
- President Biden had issued a mandate that all businesses and companies with more than 100 employees must require all employees to be vaccinated in an attempt to stymie the ongoing pandemic. However, a court of appeals halted the mandate, and now a federal court refused to lift the stay on the mandate.
- Broadway shows have extended their mask and vaccination requirements as international crowds have returned to New York.
- The National Hockey League has postponed three games of the Ottawa Senators because of a COVID outbreak among the team.
- In Texas the ban on mask mandates put in place by Governor Abbott has been blocked by a federal judge.
- In Washington, D.C., where the mayor had instituted one of the nation’s strictest mask mandates, that mandate will end Monday. Masks, however, will still be required in schools, nursing homes, on public transportation and in D.C. government facilities where employees are working directly with the public.
- New York City will allow people to celebrate New Year’s Eve in person in Times Square, so long as they are vaccinated.
MIDCO SPORTS LIVE EVENTS
Thursday, noon: Women’s basketball, Montana vs. UND.
Thursday, 6 p.m.: Women’s basketball, Montana State vs. SDSU.
Thursday, 7 p.m.: Volleyball, USD vs. UND (MS2).
Thursday, 8:15 p.m.: Men’s basketball, Presentation vs. SDSU.
Friday, 7 p.m.: Men’s hockey, Minnesota-Duluth vs. UND.
Saturday, 2 p.m.: Football, UND vs. SDSU.
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: Football, USD vs. NDSU (MS2).
Saturday, 6 p.m.: Men’s hockey, Minnesota-Duluth vs. UND.
Nov. 26, 4:30 and 7 p.m.: Summit League volleyball semifinals (MS2).
Nov. 26, 7 p.m.: Men’s hockey, Minnesota vs. UND.
Nov. 27, 2 p.m.: Summit League volleyball championship match.
Nov. 27, 6 p.m.: Men’s hockey, Minnesota vs. UND.
PARKER’S PERSONAL NOTES
- The next full-fledged Midweek Update will show up online two weeks from today on Thursday, Dec. 2. However, on Tuesday of next week the Update will appear, containing only my annual Thanksgiving column, so watch for it on Facebook or at www.everythingsouthdakota.com on Tuesday morning.
- Greg Dean reminded me that, since Class 11AA came into existence starting with the 2013 football season, the All-State quarterback has come from Pierre every year except one. It was Alex Gray in 2013, Brevin Kaiser in 2015, Peyton Zabel in 2016 and 2017, Garrett Stout in 2018 and 2019, and Lincoln Kienholz last year. Gee, I wonder who it will be for 2021!
- Greg also gives me the information that Governors coach Steve Steele teams are 55-15 in his first six seasons as head coach. In playoff games Pierre is 16-1. The only loss was in the 2015 season when the Govs lost to eventual champion Mitchell in the semifinals.
- We can probably thank O’Gorman’s steal of a victory from Yankton in the state boys basketball semifinals back in 2019 for the fact that instant replay is now in play for SDHSAA state championship events. Without it Jacob Mayer’s interception in the final minute of last Friday’s football title game would never have been validated.
- Next fall’s Governor football schedule may not look anything like this year’s. The SDHSAA staff will be formulating new football schedules which will be in place for the next two years starting with next fall and continuing for the fall of 2023.
- One of the strangest things I read this week involved a trash barrel from the beach at Myrtle Beach, S.C. The barrel came ashore in Ireland, all the way across the Atlantic Ocean! Decals on the barrel proved it indeed came from South Carolina.
- The Broadway musical, “Annie,” will be performed live on NBC-TV two weeks from now on Dec. 2. When it does happen, Andrea McCardle, who was the original Annie on Broadway when the show first opened way back in 1977, will be in the show, this time as Eleanor Roosevelt. The NBC production features Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks.
- One of the Facebook items on which I clicked this week showed the three most popular names for baby boys and for baby girls in each year for the past century. So I went back to see what those names were in 1939, the year I was born. (No, Parker was not one of them.) Robert, John and James were the top names for boys, and Mary, Barbara and Patricia were the most popular choices for girls. Twenty years later in 1959 they were Michael, David and James for boys and Mary, Susan and Linda for girls. Michael was still on top in 1979 along with Christopher and Jason, and the girls’ names that year were Jennifer, Melissa and Amanda. In 1999 the “winners” were again Michael along with Jacob and Matthew, and the top girls choices were Emily, Hannah and Alexis. In 2019 Liam and Jack were the top choices for boys, and Oivia and Luna (really?) were the Nos. 1 and 2 for girls. This year according to statistics compiled so far, the top boys names are Liam, Grayson, Wyatt, Asher and Leo, and the top girls names are Olivia, Ellie, Layla and Lily.
- An unexpected thing happened to me the other night. I was banished from Facebook for 24 hours. I happened to make a comment about those NFL players who hop around in wild celebrations whenever they make the plays they are paid millions of dollars to make, and somebody was offended. Whoever it was must have complained to the Facebook hierarchy, wherever they are, because a couple hours later, I received a notice that I could not post anything on Facebook for 24 hours because I had violated their standards of good taste. So my advice is this: think through whatever you post before you hit “enter” because Big Brother—or one of your so-called “Facebook friends”—is watching and may turn you in to the Facebook cops.
- There is always great reading in South Dakota Magazine. But check out the new issue to see an article on the Pierre-based Houdek band.
- A few weeks ago, I mentioned the Casa Bonita restaurant in Denver, which many former Riggs High band members know from band trips with Larry Johnson. Now I see, via the Axios Denver daily e-mail newsletter, that Casa Bonita has been rescued from bankruptcy and purchased by a pair of new owners. They plan to “keep everything the same and improve everything,” whatever that means. One thing they are reportedly improving is the food there! The restaurant, located west of downtown Denver on Colfax Avenue, is expected to reopen during the second half of 2022.
COUNTDOWN
4 days: Pierre Parade of Lights (Nov. 22).
5 days: Capitol Christmas trees lighting ceremony (Nov. 23).
7 days: Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25).
8 days: Oahe Capitals boys league opener, Mitchell (Nov. 26).
8 days: Oahe Capitals girls league home openers (Nov. 26-28).
12 days: South Dakota Gives Day (Nov. 30).
14 days: Pierre gymnastics opener, Huron (Dec. 2).
14 days: “Annie” live, NBC-TV (Dec. 2).
15 days: “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” events, Onida (Dec. 3).
15 days: Pierre wrestling opener, Mandan (Dec. 3-4).
15 days: State oral interpretation festival, Huron (Dec. 3-4).
22 days: Pierre girls basketball opener, home vs. Rapid City Stevens (Dec. 10).
22 days: Pierre boys basketball opener, Rapid City Stevens (Dec. 10).
25 days: Riggs High band/choir concert (Dec. 13).
30 days: Oahe Capitals boys league home openers (Dec. 18-19).
32 days: Georgia Morse Middle School band/choir concert (Dec. 20).
37 days: Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
43 days: College football national semifinal games (Dec. 31).
51 days: FCS national championship game (Jan. 8).
53 days: College football national championship game (Jan. 10).
58 days: NFL playoffs begin (Jan. 15).
77 days: State one-act play festival, Rapid City Central (Feb. 3-5).
78 days: Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, Beijing (Feb. 4).
87 days: Super Bowl (Feb. 13).
REMEMBERING ELLIOT HARMON
Elliot was a bright light in an ever-darkening world. He saw the good in people and the possibilities hard work and positive thinking could produce. He lost his battle with cancer all too soon in late October.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, Nov. 28, at Community Bible Church at 2 p.m. In the meantime, you who were his friends and classmates should read tributes written about him by his friends and colleagues in San Francisco. To do so, go to this Internet address: https://creativecommons.org/2021/11/10/remembering-elliot-harmon-1981-2021/
Remember the Onida Walk? Elliot and some of his Riggs High friends began that mission in 2000, and in the summer of 2002 I wrote about it and them in my Capital Journal column on July 26, 2002. Here is that story:
Onida Walkers Complete Mission
“You can’t understand a man until you walk to Onida in his shoes,” college student Elliot Harmon observed as he answered the eternal question: Why the Onida Walk?
It began two years ago as an idea conjured up among a group of deep-thinking friends at Riggs High. To know these guys is to know that walking from Pierre to Onida is a perfectly natural thing for them to suggest to each other—something to do just to be able to say they had done it, an adventurous mission to be accomplished unlike what the average group of teen-agers might plan for a summer weekend.
For the most part they themselves comprised the walking entourage that first year. This time around, between 20 and 30 participated at one time or another on that Friday night two weeks ago.
Despite the searing heat of the afternoon and the nighttime hours that cooled down very little, most of the walkers made it on Saturday morning to the most welcome sight they had seen in a long time—that green highway department sign that reads, “ONIDA.” The only bad thing was they still had a half-mile to walk uptown to reach the Bakery Cafe on Main Street.
This year’s walk raised money for FreePlay Foundation, an organization which funds solar radios to inform and educate citizens of developing countries.
In a note accompanying the traditional bowl of rice that the Onida Walkers left on the steps of the Sully County Courthouse, this was the message:
“The sun has risen into a calm Saturday morning. As we look down into your fine city, we contemplate the long journey we will soon complete. Our trek has left us weary but fulfilled. Our group has suffered hardships and quarrels, but in the end, the spirit of brotherhood has prevailed. If nothing else, we believe the trip has rendered us worthy to present a small gift of Chinese food. Thank you for providing us, once again, with a noble goal. Sincerely, Onida Walk 3.”
Harmon explains some of his reasoning for the walk’s existence on the event’s own website:
“I believe that many conflicts around the world are caused by people being expected to fight for ideas that they suspect, deep inside, aren’t really worth it. Meanwhile, the ideas truly worth our sweat and blood are pushed aside. If such a philosophy can really bring neighborhood peoples together, then why not test it on our neighboring peoples? So, in the summer of 2000 we began our simple ritual of brotherhood. We carry a small order of Chinese food 30 miles to Onida.”
Harmon said that act is just a small part of it though. There’s the camaraderie among a group of fast friends, the bonds that develop with somebody with whom you walk 30 miles through the night.
“What has kept the walk alive for three years is the 30 miles themselves. Painful but vindicating, strenuous but simple, serious and ridiculous, the walk becomes a sort of allegory for life itself. And just as in life, there are people there to help at every step. So in the end, I guess the Onida Walk is brotherhood—to the people of Onida by way of our Chinese food, to the people around the world by way of our pledges, and to each other through the walk itself.”
The founding fathers of the Onida Walk have all graduated from high school, so summers home from college will determine whether the Onida Walk will continue. Count on it.
As Scott Pfahler wrote in a poem on the Onida Walk website:
“I walked to Onida once,
I’ll walk there again, too.
I’ll walk there a thousand times if anybody wants me to,
And if somebody doesn’t want me to,
Then I’ll walk there a couple more times.
I’ll just keep walking there until someone fails to notice me doing so.
Not because I want to be noticed.
I just want that, some day, if you’re driving along Highway 83 some balmy summer night,
And you see me walking,
That you don’t think, “Hey, what the heck is that kid doing?”
But instead, “Oh, he’s probably just walking to Onida.”
You won’t recognize all of these names. Even I am not sure where some of them are from, but these were the people in a photo in the Journal taken shortly after the walk to Onida began: Gerda Jorgenson, Aubrey Hunt, Suzanne Somsen, Laura Nesson, Elliot Harmon, Scott Pfahler, Garrett Bruening, Kai Segrud, Ben Swisegood, Brad Wire, Dan Payne, Kevin Went, Dan Serie, Alex Jones, Sean Corcoran, Graham Oey, Nate Chappelle, Tyler Neil, Jordyn Nolz, Ben Nesson and Rodger Hartley.
FOOTBALL CONTEST #14
Last week Texas A&M, Oklahoma and SDSU gave our contestants fits for the most part. Nevertheless Jeff Adel, Seb Axtman and Nathan Vetter had 7-3 marks for 10 points each. At 6-4 for 9 points each were Mikal Kern, Randy Pool and Jason Noyes. At 5-5 for 8 points apiece were David Ludwig, Levi Neuharth and Thomas Voeltz.
This week’s games (everyone welcome; send your 10 winners to parkerhome16@hotmail.com by Saturday morning):
(1) Illinois at Iowa
(2) Iowa State at Oklahoma
(3) Michigan State at Ohio State
(4) Nebraska at Wisconsin
(5) SMU at Cincinnati
(6) Baylor at Kansas State
(7) Oregon at Utah
(8) Oklahoma State at Texas Tech
(9) NFL: Green Bay at Minnesota
(10) NFL: Dallas at Kansas City
Note to contestants: Next week we will have TWO contests instead of one because of the high number of games over the Thanksgiving weekend. Both contests will be posted on Parker Knox’s Facebook page Sunday evening.
NEWS OF PEOPLE AND EVENTS
According to a redistricting plan passed by the Legislature, despite the objections of some of the far-right conservative members of the House of Representatives, District 24 is expanding. The local legislative district has included Hughes, Stanley and Sully counties, but the new District 24 adds Haakon County to join Sully and Stanley counties. The district also includes all of Hughes and Hyde counties except the southern tips of those two counties which lie within the Crow Creek reservation.
Merle Jaacks, 76, Flandreau, died Nov. 11. Services were held in Brookings Nov. 16. Mr. Jaacks spent 40 years as a truck driver. He is survived by eight children, including Bret Jaacks of Flandreau, whose wife is the former Ambuer Vandel of Pierre. Also surviving are 32 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Mark Smith received the Distinguished Service Award from the South Dakota High School Activities Association for his many years of officiating as well as promoting, training and mentoring football officials. His award was presented at the football championship games last weekend.
Elenore Bolger, 74, died at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Her family plans a private celebration of her life. Elenore came to Pierre in 2017. She worked as an alcohol and substance abuse counselor. Survivors include two sons, John (Brianna) Bolger and Michael Bolger; a brother, Marty (Val) Langston; two sisters, Teresa (Raymond) McCann and Linda (Homer) Christopher, and seven grandchildren. Among those who preceded her in death were her husband, John Bolger, and three siblings.
Addison Cumbow, Riggs High senior, has signed a letter of intent to attend Northern State and compete in track and field for the Wolves.
The annual Holiday Tour of Homes whose proceeds go to the Pat Duffy Community Center of Fort Pierre will take place Saturday, Dec. 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $15 per person. Visit the PDCC Facebook page for ticket information. Homes to be visited on the tour this year are the Pierre homes of Steve and Jami Beck, Chad and Sandra Griese, and the Farr house and the Fort Pierre homes of Colton and Kristen Carter and Brandon and Abbey Campea.
Dick Knutson, 90, Brandon, formerly of Custer, died Nov. 2 in Sioux Falls. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls. He is survived by his wife of more than 65 years, Arlie Knuotson; three children, Jeff Knutson in Hill City, Doug (Stephanie) Knutson in Sioux Falls and Shelly (Ed) Anderson in Pierre; five granddaughters, Dayna Tully, Rachel Steece, Elizabeth Knutson, Jordyn Herra and Nikki Anderson; two great-grandsons, a brother and a sister.
The Beloit College women’s soccer team in Beloit, Wis., won the Midwest Conference tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament. The team’s coach is South Dakota native Connor McKee, the son of Randy and Carol McKee, formerly of Pierre. Connor, who graduated from the University of Sioux Falls in 2012, was named conference Coach of the Year. Unfortunately his team lost their NCAA tournament opening game to Washington University of St. Louis, 4-0.
A memorial service for Terry Dryden, 62, who passed away Nov. 13, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Capitol Heights Baptist Church. Terry graduated from Riggs High School in 1978. He married Colleen Blair in 1982. They moved to Davis, Calif., in 1985 and returned to Pierre in 1994. Terry worked at St. Mary’s Hospital until 2019. He is survived by his wife; his daughter, Blaire (Kody) Bridger of Pierre; his son, Nathan (Katie) Dryden of Pierre; his sisters, Becky Bergeson of Pierre and Sue Mercer of Tucson, Ariz., and four grandchildren.
Named Fine Arts Performers of the Week at Riggs High School last week were the seven students selected to participate in the Augustana Band Festival. They are Braedon Cunningham, Owen Seibel, Ariana Vazquez, Brooke Allison, Alexis Moran, Kendra Rounds and McCahl Schmitz.
Charlie and Stephanie Moore of Sioux Falls are the parents of a son, Rudy Randall Moore. He weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces, and measured 17 inches. He arrived a few weeks prematurely and will remain under NICU care for a time but is doing well. He joins a sister, Lydia, 5, in the Moore family. Charlie is pastor of Sunnycrest United Methodist Church, and Stephanie has a private counseling practice.
Charles Devine, Jr., 73, died Nov. 13. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, at the Isburg Funeral Chapel, preceded by visitation from 5 to 7. Burial of his ashes and a celebration of his life will take place at Mount Calvary Cemetery on his birthday, July 24 next summer. Charles grew up in Pierre but also lived in St. Louis, White River and Fort Thompson. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. He worked various construction and custodial jobs, in roofing with Chase Roofing, at Pierre Indian Learning Center for 22 years in security and custodial work, and at Wegner Auto in quick-lube with his son. Charles met Donna Metcalf in 1971 and they spent more than 50 years together. In addition to Donna, Charles is survived by his son, Jason Devine; his daughters, Christine Andrada and Ashley Devine; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The ceremony at which the Capitol Christmas trees will be lit will begin a bit later than usual at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday, Nov. 23, in the Capitol rotunda. Starting the following day, Nov. 24, the Capitol will open for the public to view the trees every day through Dec. 26 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
William and Nicole (Ormesher) Lukkes of Rapid City are the parents of a daughter, Annabelle Lynne. She weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and joins a brother, Matthew, in the Lukkes family.
William Jason Groves of Rapid City died in October in Fountain Hills, Ariz., after a brief battle with cancer. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at First United Methodist Church in Rapid City. Jason earned a bachelor’s degree at USD and his law degree at the University of Tulsa. During his law career he made more than 24 appeals before the South Dakota Supreme Court. He served on several nonprofit boards, including those of South Dakota Public Broadcasting and the National Music Museum. He is survived by his wife, Betsy; three daughters, five grandchildren, a brother and a sister.
Jerry Bollinger, a senior transportation engineer with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, Inc., in Indianapolis, was named Transportation Professional of the Year by the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Great Lakes District during its annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. In Jerry’s job at CMTY he leads complex roadway design projects ranging from resurfacing to urban complete streets. He has expertise in planning studies, capacity analysis, safety studies, traffic signal/signing design, maintenance of traffic and a master’s level education from Purdue University.
The funeral for Ruth Leidholt, 90, who passed away Nov. 15, will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Faith Lutheran Church where she was a member for more than 70 years. A prayer service is planned for 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday) at Feigum Funeral Home. Ruth graduated from Bancroft, S.D., High School in 1949 and moved to Pierre to work for the state. She married Rueben Leidholt in 1951. Ruth worked for state government for more than 40 years. She is survived by two sons, Mike (Betty) Leidholt and James (Patty) Leidholt; a stepbrother, Leland Bennett of San Antonio; a sister-in-law, Janice Bergeson of Fort Pierre; three grandchildren, Staci Leidholt of Maple Grove, Minn., Michelle Leidholt of Lincoln, Neb., and Phillip Leidholt of Garretson, and four great-grandchildren.
Tevan Bryant, the oldest of the four daughters of Toby and Amber Bryant of Sioux Falls, has signed her letter of intent to attend Northern State University and play softball for the Wolves. Tevan is a senior at Harrisburg High School.
KCCR Radio’s newsletter yesterday reported the future of Spring Creek Resort is in question because no concessionaire has been found to operate the restaurant there. The Department of Game, Fish & Parks says it may have to make the facility an event hall where a variety of events could be held if the restaurant does not reopen.
Our sympathy to the Edelen family of Vermillion. Anthony Edelen, 44, passed away unexpectedly while on a biking trip in the Moab desert in Utah with his brother. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. this Sunday at the United Church of Christ in Vermillion, preceded by visitation there from 4 to 6 p.m. Anthony was the son of former South Dakota state legislator Mary Edelen and her husband Joe. He is also survived by his wife, LIsha, and their two children, Oscar, 11, and Stella, 8; his sister, Audra Edelen of Vermillion, and his brother, Jarrod, whose wife is the former Amber Anderson of Pierre, and their four children, of Sioux Falls. Anthony was the owner of Louie’s carpet-cleaning business in Vermillion.
Pierre’s Parade of Lights will take place Monday night. Line-up will be in the parking lot at Riggs High School starting at 5 p.m., and the parade will step off at 6 p.m.
Riggs High alumnus Adam Johnson is the subject of a great article in the publication of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. That is where Adam earned his MBA after graduating from Riggs High in 2004 and from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2008. Here is the link to the story: https://www.terry.uga.edu/news/stories/2021/officer-and-businessman
PONDER THIS
Enjoy the little things for one day. You may look back and realize they were the big things.
— Robert Brault
Parker, Thank you so much for your remembrance of our Dear Elliot.
Tom and Esther Harmon