Volleyball

Smooth Magic 107 FM has the volleyball opener at Ridgewater College tonight.

Minneota has a 13-11 lead in game two. The Vikings won games two and three, but I haven't heard the outcome of game four yet.

In game four, the Jaguars and Vikings were tied 15-15 before Minneota went on a 10-4 run to end it in a 3-1 win.

Next for the Jaguars is a match at MACCRAY on Thursday afternoon.

State baseball updates

Regal lost 12-1 in seven innings to Hadley this afternoon in the Class C state amateur baseball tournament.

Elrosa had a great start in their game tonight against Blue Earth. Final: Saints win! 1-0 final score. They are 19-14 overall now and play in the Sweet 16 at state on Saturday, September 3 at 5 p.m. in Dassel. The opponent will be Plato or Fergus Falls. Spread the word!!!

Read more on the game, and also see video from Hutchinson, at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2016/08/25/sports/elrosa-saints-win-state-opener/349.html

St. Martin, the third Region 15C team competing this weekend in the state tournament, will play at 11 a.m. on Sunday in Hutchinson.

Watch it! Anyone!

For anyone who drives, or who will drive in the future...
http://www.littlechurchmouse.com/laughs-shows-off-texting-driving-happens

Football team salt fundraiser

The Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars football team is currently doing their annual salt fundraiser. They sell 40-pound Sun Soft softener salt. The players will deliver the salt, carry it to the basement and even pour it in the softener if asked. Deliveries will be made on Friday, August 26. You can contact any 9th-12th grade football player to order, or call head coach Chris Moscho at 320-346-2278 and leave a message.

Thank you for your support!

Weekend updates in Jaguar Country

I'll update this post throughout the weekend.

First, the B-B-E Jaguars girls' tennis team's home opener against Milbank, SD was rained out on Saturday morning.

On Saturday afternoon at the Class C amateur baseball tournament, Regal won their state opener against Shakopee. You can read more about that game at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper's website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com/story/2016/08/18/sports/great-start-to-state-tournament-for-regal/342.html

And in another state tournament opener, Farming is battling Foley in a late afternoon game in Dassel. The Flames trailed 2-0 going into the seventh inning but tied it. Farming took a 4-3 lead on Mitchel Thielen's RBI-single to left-center field in the top of the eighth inning.

Preseason practices

The official preseason is underway at B-B-E for the fall Jaguar sports...I don't have firm numbers on turnout, but the numbers are higher for the B-B-E girls' tennis team than they were last year which is fabulous! Coach Kienitz has at least 15 on her roster for varsity and JV.

The Jaguars football team numbers appeared to be down somewhat from last year, but that's not surprising because they graduated 12 seniors off of last year's 5-5 team and are bringing in a smaller group of ninth graders than usual. The current B-B-E Class of 2020 has the smallest number of football players that we've ever had at that level.

I'll make more of an announcement tonight, but I'm happy to announce that a fan bus is being offered for the Elrosa Saints baseball team's trip to the state tournament on August 27. Sign-up sheets are located at Bucky's Bar, Bayer Gas & Grocery and the Elrosa branch of North American State Bank.

More info to follow!

Photos

I've got over 500 photos from this past weekend of children's musical, August Fest and region baseball action. Look for a few of them to make it into the August 18 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice.

Today is the start of official preseason practices for the B-B-E Jaguars football, volleyball and girls' tennis teams.

Region championship game

The Elrosa Saints baseball team won in dramatic fashion by a 7-6 score in regulation innings over Regal this afternoon. The Eagles, who take a 21-9 record into state, had a 6-3 lead after seven innings were in the book. Much, much more online coverage will follow tonight at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website, including state tournament information.

Http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com.

Currently I am compiling a lengthy list of Elrosa-area businesses who will be sponsoring extended coverage of the Saints in the August 18 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

By the way...Farming is the No. 4 seed to state from Region 15C, and St. Martin is the No. 3 seed. I'll have draftee information posted on the upcoming website article.

Region 15C updates on Sunday

With six innings in the book: Elrosa 1, St. Martin 0.

Final score: Elrosa wins 6-2! Aaron Vogt was the winning pitcher, going six innings for Elrosa. The next game begins at 1:35 p.m. with winner-takes-all implications.

Region 15C amateur baseball scores

Here are the Saturday scores...the first two games of the day were elimination games and also state-qualifying games between the four remaining one-loss teams.
In the first game Farming blasted New London-Spicer 11-1 in eight innings.
In the second game St. Martin edged Richmond 2-1 in a wildly entertaining game.
In the first seeding contest of the region tournament, St. Martin then beat Farming 8-3.

This sets up Sunday as follows: Elrosa (16-14) will face St. Martin in another seeding contest, also the elimination bracket final, at 11 a.m. on Sunday, August 14 in Paynesville. The loser of that game will be the No. 3 seed to state from Region 15C. The winner advances to the region championship series to face Regal. That first region title game will start at about 1:30 p.m. (probably closer to 2 p.m.).

If it plays out with an Elrosa win at 11 a.m., the Saints would have to beat Regal twice on Sunday afternoon in order to win the region title.

...and by the way I've started Belgrade August Fest coverage late Saturday night. You can see an article on the Miss Belgrade Ambassador coronation at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website: http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com.

LIVE parade video stream

The parade video stream in Belgrade will start at about 4:25 p.m. today at this link: http://citylinktv.com/channel/brooten-bonanza-valley-voice/

Winner's bracket final game

With seven innings in the book on Friday night, Regal has a 4-0 lead over Elrosa Saints in the Region 15C tournament.

Great crowd tonight!!

Final: 4-0 Regal wins...they rode the arm of Chris Bier who gave a strong complete game performance on the mound. Elrosa plays next at 11 a.m. on Sunday in the elimination bracket final.

Musical online streaming

Tonight's children's musical at B-B-E high school will be live streamed on the Bonanza Valley Voice streaming site: http://citylinktv.com/channel/brooten-bonanza-valley-voice.

It will begin at 6 p.m. and should last approximately 40 minutes.

Garage sales

Numerous garage sale notices in Belgrade were posted on page two of this week's Bonanza Valley Voice. I also have this one to add:

Two youth are having a garage sale at the Catholic church parish center in Belgrade on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

GRHS Scrub Run

Staff at the Glacial Ridge Health System in Glenwood invite you to join them for the second annual 5K Scrub Run/Walk on Saturday, August 27 at the Lakeside Ballroom parking lot.

From their website:

Dogs and strollers are welcome! The race is officially timed by Pickle Events for competitive runners. Medals will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in various age categories and the overall winners (male and female) will get $50.00. All preregistered participants will receive a free T-shirt.

Whatever your health and fitness goals are, you can achieve them. Inspired by Dr. Mark Johnson, everyone at Glacial Ridge Health System wishes you wellness and encourages you to get active and stay active.

Read all about it at this website: http://glacialridge.org/scrubrun

Region 15C baseball

The Elrosa Saints amateur baseball team defeated Farming 2-1 on Saturday morning in their region baseball tournament opener. They scored both runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after falling behind 1-0 in the sixth inning. Brad Mergan (six strikeouts, five hits, four walks) and Ethan Vogt (winning pitcher, six strikeouts, six hits, one walk) both pitched complete games. It was a sight to see!

*Next is a state-qualifying game at 8 p.m. tonight in Paynesville against Richmond. The Royals won 8-4 on Friday night against Atwater in their first game.

More Region 15C scores...
Regal beat Meire Grove 5-2 in the Saturday afternoon game.

New London-Spicer beat New Munich on Friday but I forgot the score.

More scores will be posted later today.

New London-Spicer and St. Martin are battling late in the afternoon in a winner's bracket game, and in the seventh inning the score was 0-0! New Munich and Atwater are slated to play at 5:30 p.m. tonight in an elimination game.

*Game update, NLS vs. St. Martin: the Twins scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to go up 2-0. Then Kyle Lieser scored one run for the Martins in the bottom of the eighth, but Patrick Courtney earned a strikeout to end the inning.

*Final score in a winner's bracket game: New London-Spicer 2, St. Martin 1; and all the scoring took place in the eighth inning.

By 6 p.m. the New Munich and Atwater game was underway. Jim Thull is starting for the Silverstreaks.

*Evening update: Atwater has a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning over New Munich in an elimination game. And the Chuckers ended up winning by an 8-0 score. New Munich banged out 10 hits on the night but couldn't break up the shut out.

Video from the Elrosa vs. Richmond game, later in the contest with Austin Imdieke pitching his final inning for Elrosa:


**Here's an updated score from the Elrosa vs. Richmond state-qualifying game: Elrosa 7, Richmond 3 with five innings complete. **Saints win! They are state-bound after beating Richmond by a final score of 7-3! I will be posting game recaps at the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website as soon as possible. http://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com

Jaguar tennis

Tennis players Morgan Meyer and Erin Rooney...a photo from two years ago after their doubles win clinched a team win for the Jaguars over Parkers Prairie. 

This week I learned very good news about our B-B-E Jaguars girls' tennis team. While the numbers dropped to a precariously low figure for the 2015 season, a surge upward is taking place as we head into the 2016 season.

I've learned of at least two seventh graders, one eighth grader and two juniors who are joining the team. If we can pick up a few more, the team will be able to field a JV squad on top of the varsity squad. It is important that we support and encourage turnout and participation in all school activities!

Parents!!! Talk to Coach Kienitz before August 15 and get your daughter signed up for tennis! If they're not in volleyball, they might as well join tennis and learn a life-long sport!

kkienitz@bbejaguars.org


Here's a video clip from a doubles match won by Meyer and Rooney in September 2014:

And below is a note on the tennis team and their fundraiser taken from the school Facebook page:

• B-B-E Jaguars tennis is selling Pastry Puffins for a fundraiser! Pastry puffins are just like butter braids, but in small squares. The following flavors are available for $12: Cinnamon, Strawberry Cream Cheese, Blueberry Cream Cheese, Apple, Cherry, Caramel.

We are also selling their new product called Puffcrust Pizza! Following flavors are available for $13: Pepperoni and Sausage.

For every item you buy, the B-B-E Tennis receives $5! Let head coach Katie Kienitz know if you are interested!
Checks can be made out to B-B-E Tennis. Deadline is Wednesday, August 17th. Orders can be emailed to kkienitz@bbejaguars.org

Tough news

Two deaths on Saturday have been hard to swallow in the news room.

First, on Saturday afternoon I heard of the passing of Pat Anderson of Hoffman. Pat, age 45, was killed in a Gator/automobile accident shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday night on Highway 55 between Kensington and Hoffman. The accident was covered in an online story at the Echo Press newspaper website.

Pat Anderson was the Activities/Athletic director at West Central Area schools in Barrett and also their high school Dean of Students. He was a long-time member of the staff at WCA and a native of Hoffman. His wife, Jacki, is a Lamberton native. The Andersons have three children: Ben (WCA Class of 2016), Ross (a junior next year) and Brooke (an eighth grader next year). Ben and Ross were both key players on WCA's baseball team, who the Jaguars lost to in the Section 6A baseball playoffs on June 9. It seems like just yesterday I was standing next to Pat at Chizek Field in Morris this past June, chatting about the section baseball schedule and seeing how proud he was of his Knights baseball team.

Ross, Jacki, Brooke, Pat and Ben Anderson. AMY WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY, November 2015

"A great man with a huge heart who lived life the right way."
It goes without saying that the Hoffman and WCA communities are reeling with disbelief at the loss of Pat Anderson, who they affectionately called "PA" in random conversation. He was a farmer, a school staff member at WCA, a coach, husband, father and was terrific at everything I just listed. I got to know him well during my days as the Hoffman Tribune and Herman-Hoffman Tribune editor from 2008-2011. He was very easy to work with and very proud of the students and staff at WCA. Beyond that he was classy in everything he did and made sure kids he worked with carried themselves in the same manner. One of his bigger tasks at WCA was being the head coach of the Knights girls' basketball program for seven seasons this century before retiring from that position at the conclusion of the 2009-2010 season and being named Activities/Athletic director. His 2007-2008 team was a section finalist, with eventual state champion Albany ending their season. Pat assumed head coaching duties from Harold Nelson, who was the first head coach of the WCA Knights after the school was founded in 1993. Both had multiple 20+ win seasons and many deep playoff runs. In Pat's last four years as head coach, the WCA Knights won 18 or more games and won 21 games in back-to-back seasons.

I can already see a fair number of Facebook posts relating to Pat's coaching days. One that stood was from a dairy farm girl who later became a candidate for Princess Kay of the Milky Way. She was a point guard, and she remembers the time he told her during a game, "Stop playing scared." He clearly challenged students and student-athletes to become better at everything they did. I'd say just about every employee in a small school "gives a damn" about the kids and the school's success. Pat certainly gave a damn and brought out the best in the students he worked with every day at WCA schools.

"PA was...the heart and soul of WCA, its biggest cheerleader and greatest fan."

Since 2011, I've kept in touch with him and was always able to easily get scores or other sports-related information from him through e-mail and text messages. His reach was far and wide. I've already seen tributes to him not only from his WCA family, but also on Facebook pages at other schools including Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley and Minnewaska Area. I truly have no idea how WCA will replace him. He was one of a kind.

"It just ain't right!"

I vividly recall a Friday night last fall in Belgrade, standing on the high school track between the football field and the stadium bleachers, with Pat, Jacki and a few other WCA fans talking about the win their WCA/Ashby Knights just earned over our Jaguars. I rated it as a mild upset, as WCA/A entered the game 1-3 overall with two huge shut out losses on their record and a 41-6 loss in the season opener. They had defeated a struggling K-M-S team the week before by a 19-0 score. B-B-E lost 14-7 to WCA/A that night, and I remember Pat's excitement and optimism for the upcoming games against Parkers Prairie and Kimball Area. He believed they could win those games and be in the hunt for a home playoff game. As it played out, WCA/A was in the midst of a four-game winning streak but ended up losing a tough battle to sixth-ranked (Class 1A) Upsala/Swanville in the season finale 31-18. They lost 16-6 in the Class 2A, Section VI playoffs at Staples-Motley to finish 4-5 overall after an 0-3 start.

Already the WCA and Hoffman communities are rallying around the Anderson family and WCA students. Today (Monday) the high school gym in Barrett will be open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with support available to those who need it.

Here's a nice gathering of tributes (mostly social media) to PA:
http://bringmethenews.com/2016/08/01/students-loved-ones-remember-high-school-ad-killed-in-4-wheeler-crash

**Update on Monday afternoon...here is the link to see Pat Anderon's obituary and funeral information: http://www.ericksonsmithfh.com/mobile/obit.php?id=1642489&name=Patrick-D.-Anderson&loca=Hoffman-MN

...then to the news of the passing of Brooten's Pauline Segaar. Pauline was diagnosed with Thymoma cancer in 2006 and has courageously battled it ever since before passing away on Saturday surrounded by family at the Ecumen Bethany Community in Alexandria. She coached the B-B-E speech team in the 2000s and left her mark on countless students over the years at B-B-E. It was during those years when B-B-E became a small-school speech "powerhouse" and started hauling in regular season and playoff hardware on a regular basis. During high school Pauline lived on a farm near Sedan with eight younger siblings and her parents, Yvo and Gertrude Jenniges. Pauline graduated from Brooten High School in 1972 and worked in the Brooten area for most of her adult life. Her husband is Stanley Segaar, a Brooten-area farmer. They have three children, all B-B-E graduates: Nick, Matt and Raechel.

Many of you readers out there know her younger sister, Bonita, who B-B-E students in the 1990s remember as English teacher "Mrs. Otterness" - also a Brooten High School graduate (Class of 1985).

Please pray for both the Anderson and Jenniges/Segaar families. They are dealing with a lot of pain and grief right now. And please say a special prayer for the three teenage children of Pat and Jacki Anderson. The loss of Pat will leave a difficult mark on their lives that won't soon go away.

The third loss our area is dealing with is the untimely death of Loren Larson of Kerkhoven. Loren graduated from Brooten high school in 1979. He was a pilot and died in a plane crash last week in Wisconsin. I'll have a story on Loren in the August 4 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper.

That's all from the news room. It's been an eventful and also difficult weekend.