ELKTON, S.D. — The will to win can consume a team. But, earning that victory is all the sweeter when the will accomplishes the feat. That’s essentially the dynamic that carried Elkton-Lake Benton past state powerhouse Parkston, 14-8, in the South Dakota Class 9AA semifinals at teeth-chattering Elkton Athletic Complex Friday, Nov. 7. This marks ELB’s first state championship appearance since 2006 — after the past four years as a semifinalist. The 9AA second-ranked Elks (10-1) will play the top-seeded undefeated Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy coop at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, at the University of South Dakota’s DakotaDome in Vermillion. “I...

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VERMILLION, S.D. — Elkton-Lake Benton versus Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy is just one of several South Dakota High School Activities Association state championship football games set to be played this week. In addition to the Elkton-Lake Benton versus Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy clash, Elk Point-Jefferson against St. Thomas More (Rapid City) also is of interest to local fans.  Jake Terry serves as the head coach at Elk Point-Jefferson.  Title games are listed by class: 11A: Sioux Falls Christian vs. Lennox, Noon, Nov. 15 11AA: Yankton vs. Pierre T.F. Riggs, 7 p.m., Nov. 14 11AAA: Brandon Valley vs. Sioux Falls Lincoln, 5 p.m., Nov. 15...

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The Pipestone Area Schools’ cross country team recalled the 2025 season with an awards program Thursday, Nov. 6, at Faith Community Church. Eight awards were presented to the runners (four male and four female). Rhaelee Heidebrink, the Arrows top finisher at the Section 3A meet, earned the Steve Prefontaine Award. Steve ‘Pre’ Prefontaine was a stellar American long-distance runner — setting records from 2,000 to 10,000 meters — before his untimely death in 1975. Prefontaine’s legacy includes Pre’s Rock in Eugene, Ore., which also is the site of a meet and track club named in his honor. PAS head coach...

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The 2025-26 deer hunting season is underway. Hunters were seen all across Pipestone County on Saturday, adorned in blaze orange — with some organized parties. However, changes are ahead per a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources press release dated Oct. 27. Minnesota’s shotgun-only zone for deer hunting will be changed in 2026. The current shotgun zones remain in effect for this year. Once the law goes into effect, hunters generally will be allowed to use legal rifles or shotguns throughout the state during the deer season, wherever permitted. However, individual counties such as Pipestone County will be allowed to make...

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The Tyler Arts Council will present “Leaving Iowa” from Friday-Sunday, Nov. 14-16, at the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton School Performing Arts Center. The physical address for the PAC is 111 Lincoln County Road 8. Friday and Saturday performances will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday’s show is a matinee scheduled for 2 p.m. The show will have a running time of 122 minutes. Ticket prices are .30 per adult, .22 per student and .10 per child (which includes applicable fees). “Leaving Iowa” is a comedy about family vacations written by Spike Manton and Tim Clue. The play has received critical acclaim on the...

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INFORMATION CALENDAR Thursday, Oct. 23  Cross Country 4 p.m., Pipestone Area, Southwest Minnesota Christian/Edgerton and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at Section 3A meet, Madison Country Club (Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd serves as host) Football 7 p.m., Class 9AA first-round playoff game, De Smet at Elkton-Lake Benton, Elkton Athletic Complex Friday, Oct. 24 Competition Cheer  5 p.m., Elkton-Lake Benton at South Dakota High School Activities Association Class A state meet, Watertown Civic Arena, Watertown Volleyball 7 p.m., Fairmont at Pipestone Area, PAS Gymnasium  7 p.m., Red Rock Central at Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Knights Gymnasium  Saturday, Oct. 25  Cross Country  Noon, Elkton-Lake Benton at South Dakota High...

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Both the Edgerton Public and Elkton-Lake Benton football teams prepared for the postseason with convincing wins. Edgerton downed New Ulm Cathedral, 52-7, on a woefully foggy Wednesday, Oct. 15, in this Minnesota Educators Association week special. Meanwhile, ELB traveled to Hayti, S.D., beating longtime nemesis Hamlin, 46-14, on Friday, Oct. 17. The Flying Dutchmen (7-1) were set to play the winner of a Section 3 9-Player game between Adrian-Ellsworth and Heron Lake-Okabena-Fulda 3 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals at Edgerton. Edgerton head coach Andrew Fleischman said he expected the Dragons to beat the Coyotes. “We know how difficult it’s going...

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WORTHINGTON — Minnesota West Community & Technical College is currently seeking a new athletic director. Minnesota C&TC is currently running an advertisement for the open position on its Facebook page, and on the school’s website, mnwest.edu. Currently, Bluejays’ head women’s basketball coach Rosalie Hayenga-Hostikka is listed as the women’s athletic director on the school’s website. Former men’s athletic director Bob Purcell announced his retirement from the post last spring. Purcell had been athletic director for the past eight years, and served as the college’s head wrestling coach from the late-1990s until 2017. He was a two-time Minnesota College Athletic Conference...

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GARRETSON, S.D. — Elkton-Lake Benton freshman runner Adam Kinner has punched his ticket to the Class A state cross country meet. Kinner placed 17th in a time of 17 minutes, 24.68 at the Region 2A meet on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at River Ridge Golf Course. Elks’ head cross country coach Mark R. Harming said Kinner’s mental approach has served him well all season. In South Dakota, the top-20 individual placements and top-four schools reach the state meet, which will take place at Broadland Creek Golf Course in Huron. Several Flandreau runners also qualified for state, including defending state Class A...

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LUVERNE — Three Pipestone Area Schools cross country runners earned honorable mentions from their performances at the Big South Conference meet Tuesday, Oct. 14. Runners battled wet grounds and chilly and blustery conditions for the first time this season, with the temperature barely scraping 50 degrees. The conference meet features a unique format in which competitors from small and large schools run together. Later, times and places are extracted into divisions. “The important thing to remember at this conference meet is to run your race regardless of who’s in it,” PAS head coach Mark Moeller explained. “The big schools in...

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