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Panthers win section football championship
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NRHEG to face Caledonia in state quarterfinals
NRHEG High School football seniors posed for a photo with the Section 2AA championship trophy. From left: Lucas Bailey, Sawyer VanMeldeghem, Tyler Jacobson, Jacob Schuller, Alex Buckmeier, Spencer Tufte, Quinten Arndt, Devin Buendorf and Brady Agrimson. The Panthers face Caledonia in the state quarterfinsals Friday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at Burnsville High School. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is another state tournament appearance for the NRHEG Panthers.
That's how public address announcer Mark Domeier may have put it if the game were played in New Richland.
The Panthers shocked nearly everyone Friday night, knocking off WEM 46-6 at Janesville for the Section 2AA championship, their first-ever section crown in football. The victory avenged a 48-6 loss at the hands of the Bucs in the Panthers' homecoming game.
It's the first section championship for NRHEG football, though New Richland-Hartland won numerous titles including two state championships under coach Jim Simser in 1976 and '78. The Panthers, who have a strong winning tradition in football, have been seeded No. 1 in the section and reached the section finals but never before advanced to the state football tournament. This year the Panthers were seeded second, one spot behind WEM.
Panthers coach Marc Krueger needed only one word to describe how it feels: spectacular.
Local grad shines at Grand Meadow
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Sloan earned 200th win as football coach this fall
By KATHY PAULSEN
Staff Writer
SWEET VICTORY — Gary Sloan, a 1980 graduate of EGHS, celebrates a Grand Meadow victory. Submitted photo
Gary Sloan has been spending a lot of time on the football fields in Southern Minnesota for a number of years. In the late 1970s, Sloan could be seen with his football uniform on, playing football on Ertel Field in Ellendale, with the likes of teammates Paul Wayne, Troy Utpadel, Chip Cory, Ron Kaiser, Dean Richards, Paul Marcus, Guy Cromwell, Gordon Jensen, Rick Thompson and Steve Bailey.
After graduating from high school many athletes hang up their football cleats, but Sloan has continued to be involved with football since he graduated from Ellendale-Geneva High School in 1980.
Sloan's high school coaches were Kent Johnson, Garry Nordhorn and John Glenn, and he was selected the most valuable offensive player in 1979, as well as selected to the all-conference team his senior year.
Newest elementary teacher
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Waters’ love of school leads to teaching career
A FRIENDLY FACE - NRHEG has seen many new faces in the halls this year, including Brittany Waters, newest special education teacher at the elementary school. (Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud)
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Contributing Writer
Brittany Waters is a new special education teacher at the NRHEG elementary school this year.
Waters grew up in Freeborn and graduated from Alden High School. Then, she says, she decided to try something new and go to school in the big city at the University of Minnesota. “As a little girl I always wanted to be a Gopher,” says Waters. “I grew up watching the girls’ basketball.” Waters did apply elsewhere, too, but once she got her acceptance letter to the University, she says, “It was game over. I loved it for school; it was a great program for special ed.
“I never really thought of myself as a teacher,” says Waters of the journey toward her career. “I’ve always loved school. I’ve always loved working with kids, but I just never really thought or considered teaching until I was on campus and I was going through all these different courses.” The university offered intro courses that allowed students to explore different career options.
Waters took such courses as intro to accounting and physical therapy, but none of the courses clicked for Waters until she took the teaching introduction course. “And I knew I’d want to work with kids forever.”
Running across North America
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Pete Kostelnick began running in Kenai, Alaska
RUN PETE RUN - Pete Kostelnick began running on July 31 from Kenai, Alaska, enroute for Key West, Florida. Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Contributing Writer
As a reporter, you never know what you’re going to be called upon to do to cover a story. On Oct. 3, I put on my running shoes…
Pete Kostelnick, originally from Iowa, is running from Kenai, Alaska to Key West, Florida – approximately 5,300 miles. He started his journey on July 31, and on Wednesday, his path took him through New Richland.
Two years ago, Kostelnick beat the record, which Frank Giannino, Jr. set in 1980, for the fastest run across America, running from San Francisco to New York City, covering 3,067 miles in 42 days, 6 hours, and 30 minutes. But there were some drawbacks to pounding out the miles that fast. “In a nutshell, it was a lot of pain, a lot of running – 72 miles a day. I mean, I wasn’t really enjoying anything I was seeing,” says Kostelnick. On this run, Kostelnick is averaging 53 miles a day, although he says he’s done anywhere from 20 to 92.
“It’s still about as big a challenge overall, just because I’m pushing all my gear,” says Kostelnick. On his previous trip, Kostelnick was followed by a van that carried food and water. This time, he’s carrying his own food and water, toiletries, clothes, “Lots of shoes,” – and spare tires – in a jogging stroller. “It’s tough that way, but it’s just a different type of challenge.”
Festival provides fun for all
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The Church of All Saints recently holds its annual fall festival
FESTIVE - Mary Sack helps serve the attendees at the Church of All Saints Fall Festival Sept. 22. Star Photo by Melanie Piltingsrud
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Contributing Writer
The Church of All Saints Fall Festival took place on Sept. 22 in New Richland. A full house greeted the performance of the group “Just Friends” and the Catholic Mass that followed. Some individuals even stood outside in the narthex during the service.
The Church Ladies Committee, including Laurie Anderson, Sheri Donovan, Kathy Flor, Terri Kormann, Pam Shurson and Jeanne Waldhauser did a fantastic job of organizing this event, including setting up tables and tents, making sandwiches and serving.
Outside, tables were set up with fresh garden vegetables, such as beets, carrots, and yellow tomatoes; packets of Seed Savers seeds, plates of tempting sweets, colorful crocheted potholders and a quilt raffle for the “Country Store” where Nicole Weitzel and Mary Sack helped customers when they had decided on their favorites.