Naasz Receives Scholarship

USD

Isaac Naasz, a senior at Winner High School, has earned a $4,000 Coyote commitment promise scholarship from the University of South Dakota.
Naasz, son of Brian and Sharon Naasz, intends on majoring in biology.

USD awards Coyote commitment scholarships to academically talented high school seniors based on strong standardized test scores and cumulative grade point average.

Hand Game Team Wins First Place

hand game team

The Hanipa Tec’unpi Akic’ita (Hand game warriors) competed in the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Handgame tournament on April 15 in Agency Village.

The Handgame Warriors defeated Flandreau in the first round, Tiospa Zina in the second round, Enemy Swim in the third round to go undefeated.

They played Enemy Swim again in the championship to come out on top for a first place win.

There were seven teams in the competition but the other three teams were beat out in early games.

Winner Students Attend State FCCLA Conference

shannon duffy state fccla

Members from the Winner FCCLA Chapter joined over 1,500 members, advisors, and guests who attended the South Dakota FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) Leadership Conference held on April 2-4 at the Denny Sanford Convention Center/Sheraton Hotel in Sioux Falls. The “Unlimited Possibilities – It’s Up to You” themed event was a big success.

  A team of ten officers (including Shannon Duffy of Winner) from across the state ran the meeting as a conclusion to their term in their respective state officer position. Members attended workshops, competed in STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events, and ran for leadership positions. Jessie Funk, who is an award winning singer and author of six books, was the keynote speaker on Sunday night during the opening general session.

  On Sunday and Monday students had the opportunity to attend workshops presented by leadership team members, FCCLA members and officers, and other groups and organizations.

On Monday evening during the second general session, awards and recognition were announced.

On Tuesday morning results of the conference’s STAR Events participants were announced. Local results from the Winner Chapter were Shannon Duffy, Top Superior Gold, Life Event Planning; Katy Lantz and Sadie Woods, Gold, Illustrated Talk; Megan Brozik, Silver, Career Investigation; Marlee Schaeffer, Silver, Illustrated Talk; Raelynn Kemp, Silver, Illustrated Talk; Alex Meiners, Bronze, Career Investigation. The National Leadership Conference will be help in Nashville, Tennessee on July 2-6.

FCCLA is the only youth-led organization with family as its central focus. Members learn how to be active community leaders, become caring family members, and prepare for life beyond high school.

Five Boys Scouts to receive Eagle

john klludt eagle scoutjace voegeli eagle scout pickayleb brozik eagle scout

Five members of Winner Boy Scout Troop 100 will receive their Eagle Scout badge in a ceremony to be held April 30 at 3 p.m. at the Winner American Legion.

The five to be honored include: Jace Voegeli, John Kludt, Kayleb Brozik, Rhys Middlesworth and Riley Calhoon.

All of the scouts had to complete a project in order to receive this scouting honor.

Calhoon constructed a new batting cage at Leahy Bowl.

Kludt made a directory at the Hamill Cemetery.

Brozik made a case for Future Farmers of America awards.

Middlesworth made a wheel chair ramp at the Dallas Historical Society.

Voegeli organized and provided the feeling of a county Christmas for less fortunate children living in the residential facility of Children’s Home Society in Sioux Falls.

He arranged for McCrossen Boys Ranch to provide an afternoon of horse-drawn wagon rides. The youths were then treated to  hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes and each was presented a new book.

Meet the Hankcocks

dr. laura handcock

This article is on behalf of the South Central Development Corporation.  This is an ongoing series of community members’ stories introducing us to the people and the possibilities that reside in the Winner area.  If you have a suggestion of someone that you think should be featured, contact Karla Brozik at 842-1551.

The journey of life has led Jake & Dr. Laura Handcock many directions in life.  They have come together to make their home in Winner.

Dr. Laura went to high school in Geraldton, Western Australia, which is in a county of about 35,000 people.  She then went to Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia and she graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery.  Dr. Laura then worked part-time for a small animal clinic and a beef cattle clinic, so she could experience both aspects.  After 3-1/2 years at the beef practice in Australia, Dr. Laura accepted an internship at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.  The main reason she accepted the internship was to obtain her Visa.  She was an instructor at Virginia Tech where students in their last year of veterinary school would ride along with her for veterinary experience and instruction.  After this job, she realized she didn’t like being an instructor and didn’t like living in the mountains!  In the Blacksburg, VA area, the average rancher had 33 head of cattle and she was doing veterinary work that most ranchers do themselves around here.

After her internship year and obtaining her Visa, Dr. Laura knew she wanted to go back to private practice and remain in the United States.  She then began looking for jobs in the Midwest where she knew the best cow-calf area would be.  She interviewed for jobs in Winner, SD; Glen Ullin, ND; Scobey, MT; and Foley, MN.  She interviewed in Winner first and states, “I knew right away I was going to take the job here.  This clinic (Animal Clinic) is state of the art.  I have been to many vet schools in the United States.  The only better veterinary facility I have seen is at a veterinary school at Texas A&M.  The Animal Clinic’s private practice here is unheard of; to have such a lovely, well-built, well-set out, completely serviced facility like that.  I could tell it was just going to be a good place to work.  The guys (Dr. John, Dr. Owen, Dr. Heath, Dr. Covey) had a good relationship with their clients and a good relationship with each other.”

Before starting her new job in Winner, Dr. Laura received a letter in the mail informing her she had to return to her home country of Australia and re-apply for her Visa transfer.  Her Visa transfer took about 6 weeks and then she was able to begin working at the Animal Clinic in Winner.  Dr. Laura currently has a green card, but hopes to someday obtain dual citizenship.

Jake Handcock went to high school in Kadoka, SD.  He grew up on a farm near Long Valley, SD.  Jake studied at South Dakota School of Mines for a few years before deciding to join the military.  Jake joined the Marines in 2004.  He started as an ammunition technician for 2 years in Japan.  He then worked in explosive ordinance disposal for 7 years with being stationed in Japan for 2 of those years and also deployed to Afghanistan for 2 tours.

After getting out of the Marines, Jake didn’t have a plan.  His brother was in the process of taking over the family farm, so Jake decided to go back to the family farm in Long Valley to help his brother with that transition.  Jake then moved to Rapid City and attended Western Dakota Tech and obtained his CDL license.  He states, “I did not want to be the single guy living out in the middle of nowhere by myself forever.”

Jake and Dr. Laura met on an online dating website.  They joke about meeting on farmersonly.com, but unfortunately it was not that website!  They started talking online and dating in late 2014.  Jake thought Laura’s online profile was fake – an Australian veterinarian living in Winner, SD!  Apparently, he found it was a true romance!  Jake gave up pursuing jobs in Maryland and Texas to live in Winner with Dr. Laura.

Dr. Laura states, “Living in a big city, you have so much access to everything.  There is always something open and endless entertainment options, but you tend to do less with closer friends.  I think when you live in the city you have more acquaintances than friends.  There might be a lot of people you hang out with, but you wouldn’t call on them if you needed something.”  She also misses the entertainment and food options while living in a rural community, but “I wouldn’t trade that for the fact that I have closer friends and better relationships with people here.  If something happens, I could easily rattle off 12 people that I could call if I needed help immediately; whereas, when I lived in Perth, I would have struggled to list 3.”

Both Jake & Dr. Laura say when they do visit a big city, it is more fun because it is a treat.  Jake states, “Winner is a cost-effective place to live.  Neither one of us have to drive a whole lot.  Housing is cost-effective and utilities aren’t bad.  So when you do go someplace big, it is really nice that you’ve got the opportunity to save up money if you take the time and effort to plan ahead.”  The couple enjoys their annual trip to Minneapolis to watch a hockey game and enjoy the big city life.

Dr. Laura enjoys Winner in the fact that it is very similar geographically to where she grew up other than there is no beach in Winner.  She remembers going to the Holiday House the first night she was in Winner and states “everyone was super nice and everyone seemed to be very courteous towards each other.  People were so willing to help you.  I quite liked Winner from the very first moment I got here.”

Jake remembers coming to Winner as a kid.  “I like South Dakota attitude.  Everybody’s a little more calm and a little more laid back.”  He refers to Japan where everybody was in a hurry all the time.  Jake is very thankful to Engel Trucking for his first job here in Winner.  He states, “I literally walked in and Dean and Lance (Engel) didn’t know me from Adam.  I said I have got a CDL and drove for 2 years for the family farm and Dean literally looked at me and he goes ‘well if you swing by the hospital and get your drug test, we can get you on insurance, and you can drive tomorrow’.  It was that fast!  We have been here for over 2 years now and I have yet to meet anybody in this town that I really don’t like.”

Dr. Laura loves that she gets to work with ranchers every day.  “You sit at their tables and you are part of their family and the way they think about their business.  You are not just an expense that they have to utilize.  That’s why I think this clinic (Animal Clinic) is as successful as it is and a happy place to work because we are not just giving medical advice, we are actually participating in the community.”

Jake works at Gary’s Gun Shop and really likes the customers.  He states, “Maybe it is because of where I work, nobody comes into a gun store because they are having a personal emergency.  I probably have a dozen people that come through at least twice a week, whether they buy anything or not, just to say hi.  I like the people that come in and I like talking to them.”

Pheasant hunting season blows Jake’s mind.  “I can’t believe how this town comes to life.”  Dr. Laura’s states pheasant hunting in Winner is “a good little population explosion”.  She states, “It’s great for the town’s atmosphere, economy, and a good thing to look forward to every year.  On the large, we get good people that come here.”  Jake states a lot of their regular customers during pheasant hunting season used to go into Gene Hansen’s store and just continue to come in even though it’s Gary’s Gun Shop now.

Dr. Laura states they try to be involved in the community.  She helps out with 4H and tries to attend most FFA events.  Jake is becoming more involved with the Gun Club.  Dr. Laura expresses, “Go to all these little activities that are out there.  They aren’t going to be there forever if you don’t support them.  That’s how people then recognize you.”  Dr. Laura says most people know her, but didn’t know the vet’s husband.  Jake jokes, “I have been called Mr. Laura on more than one occasion!”  They both want to be involved in the Winner community and meet new people.

Stop by Gary’s Gun Shop and meet Jake Handcock and if you are lucky, you can catch Dr. Laura Handcock at the Animal Clinic.

Baseball Team Picks up Two Wins

sat baseball thieman

Winner/Colome baseball team picked up wins over Hot Springs and Gregory.

The Royals hosted Hot Springs Saturday and won the game 15-0.

Winner/Colome scored 8 runs in the second inning and added four runs in the third inning.

Nick Lantz earned the win on the mound pitching three innings with 7 strikeouts.  Dalton Baker pitched the last inning and had 2 strikeouts.

At the plate, DeMers had 2 singles, 2 runs and 4 RBIs; Carter Brickman had 2 singles and 2 RBI and Holden Thieman had a triple and scored 2 runs

Winner/Colome played in Gregory on Thursday. The Royals won the game 14-0.

Winner/Colome had a big inning in the third and sixth inning when they scored five and six runs respectively.

Carter Brickman started on the mound and pitched four innings.  Riley Calhoon pitched 2 innings in relief with 4 strikeouts.

At the plate, Brickman had a double, single and scored three runs; Phillip Jorgensen had 2 singles and an RBI; Riley Calhoon had 2 singles, 2 runs scored and an RBI and Levi McClanahan and Drew DeMers each had a single and two RBIs.

Sidda Schuyler Sets New Record in Two Mile

track sidda 2 mile

Sidda Schuyler set a new school record in the two mile at the Pierre Legion Relays on Friday. The runner ran the two mile in a record setting time of 11:50.93.

Chloe Bartels held the old record of 12:02.30 set in 2013.

The girls 4×800 relay prequalified for the state track meet in 9:57.86. Runners were Chloe Bartels, Saige Schuyler, Samantha Schuyler and Sidda Schuyler. They took third place at the Pierre meet.

Other results of Winner Lady Warriors include:

4×200—8th, 1:54.22, Tedra Vrbka, Charlotte Shopene, Alexis Richey and Ellie Brozik

4×100—6th, :54.47, Tedra Vrbka, Alexis Richey, Madison Thieman and Ellie Brozik

Medley relay—4th, 4:37.54, Vrbka, Richey, Brozik and Bartels

Discus—Kyran Meek, 6th,  96-04

Shot put—Meek, 10th, 33-06

For the Winner boys, Cameron Kuil won the 100, 200 and 400.

Results of the Winner boys include:

100—Kuil, 1st, :10.99

4×200—7th, 1:35.75, Riley Calhoon, Drew DeMers, Luke Engel and Kayleb Brozik

1600—Izak Moleterno, 5th, 4:42.92

4×100 relay—8th, :46.70, Riley Calhoon, Isaac Naasz, Drew DeMers and Atlas Willuweit

400—Kuil, 1st, :50.15

800—Kayleb Brozik, 3rd, 2:03.30

200—Kuil, 1st, :22.44

3200—Moleterno, 5th, 10:32.70; Kade Watson, 11th, 11:07.75
shot put—Jayden Schroeder, 7th, 45-06.25

Long jump—Brady Fritz, 7th, 19-08.50

Triple jump—Joren Bruun, 13th, 37-06

The next meet for Winner will be April 27 when they travel to Lyman. On May 2, Winner will compete meet in Burke.

Winner Claims Big Dakota

track medley luke and joren

Cameron Kuil set a new meet and school record in the 100 at the Big Dakota Conference track meet on April 18 in Winner.

The Winner senior ran the 100 in :10.42. This breaks the school record held by Chaz DeMers of :10.50 set in 2006.

Other new meet records by Winner athletes were the girls 4×400 relay in a time of 4:19.41 and the girls 4×800 relay in a time of 10:18.13.

Both Winner boys and girls track teams won the Big Dakota meet.

In the 100 meter dash, Ellie Brozik broke the standard and qualified for the state track meet.

Results of the Winner girls include:

100—Ellie Brozik, 2nd, :12.74

200—Brozik, 2nd, :28.04; Alexis Richey, 4th, :29.28

400—Richey, 3rd, 1:04.26; Chloe Bartels, 4th, 1:05.26

800—Samantha Schuyler, 3rd, 2:26.93; Saige Schuyler, 5th, 2:38.06

1600—Sidda Schuyler, 1st, 5:44.90

3200—Sidda Schuyler, 2nd, 12:31.19; Aryn Meiners, 4th, 14:42.17

100 hurdles—Elisabeth Duffy, 4th, :17.90; Tedra Vrbka, 6th, :18.58

300 hurdles—Morgan Hammerbeck, 3rd, :52.66; Duffy, 4th, :53.04; Vrbka, 5th, :55.15

4×100 relay—3rd, :56.29, Charlotte Shopene, Ellie Brozik, Elisabeth Duffy and Madison Thieman

4x200relay—1st, 1;55.71, Alexis Richey, Madison Thieman, Charlotte Shopene and Ellie Brozik

4×400 relay—1st, 4:19.41, Chloe Bartels, Saige Schuyler, Sam Schuyler and Alexis Richey

4×800 relay—1st, 10:18.13, Chloe Bartels, Saige Schuyler, Samantha Scuyler  and Sidda Schuyler

Medley relay—2nd, 5:03.89, Charlotte Shopene, Kyran Meek, Madison Thieman and Aryn Meiners

High jump—Sam Marts, 2nd, 3-11

Long jump—Vrbka, 2nd, 14-8.50; Morgan Hammerbeck, 3rd, 14-06.75

Triple jump—Vrbka, 2nd, 30-07.50; Morgan Hammerbeck, 3rd, 30-07.

Shot put—Kyran Meek, 2nd, 31-10

Discus—Meek, 2nd, 94-11; Jaynee Gregg, 3rd, 83-03

Results of the Winner boys include:

100—Kuil, 1st, :10.42; Riley Calhoon, 3rd, :11.22

200—Kuil, 1st, :22.06; Drew DeMers, 5th, :24.34; Isaac Naasz, 8th, :24.89

400—Kuil, 1st, :50.69; Atlas Willuweit, 3rd, :55.51

800—Kayleb Brozik, 1st, 2:09.36;

1600—Izak Moleterno, 2nd, 4:55.41

3200—Moleterno, 2nd, 10:54.47; Kade Watson, 3rd, 11:16.68

110 hurdles—Phillip Jorgensen, 5th, :22.24; Jacob Clay, 6th, :24.74

300 hurdles—Jorgensen, 8th, :50.59

4×100 relay—2nd, :45.61, Brady Fritz, Drew DeMers, Riley Calhoon and Isaac Naasz

4×200 relay—1st, 1:34, Riley Calhoon, Brady Fritz, Drew DeMers and Cameron Kuil

4×400 relay—1st, 3:43.80, Luke Engel, Joren Bruun, Atlas Willuweit and Kayleb Brozik

4×800 relay—1st, 8:59.98, Kayleb Brozik, Luke Engel, Izak Moleterno and Kade Watson

Medley relay—2nd, 4:17.04, Jayden Schroeder, Isaac Naasz, Joren Bruun and Luke Engel

High jump—Kayleb Brozik, 1st, 5-9

Long jump—Riley Calhoon 4th, 19-06; Brady Fritz, 6th, 19-00.25

Triple jump—Fritz, 2nd, 39-10; Bruun, 6th, 35-10; Phillip Jorgensen, 7th, 35-01.50

Shot put—Jayden Schroeder, 2nd, 46-00; Krockett Krolikowski, 3rd, 45-09; Levi McClanahan, 7th, 42-07

Discus—Krolikowski, 5th, 116-04; McClanahan, 6th, 112-09; John Kludt, 7th, 112-05; A. J. Roubideaux, 8th, 109-02

Mitchell Downs Royals 5-1

baseball levi batting

In a home game on April 17, the Royals were defeated by Mitchell 5-1. Winner/Colome’s only run came in the fifth inning.

Mitchell scored four runs in the 2nd inning.

Pitching for Winner/Colome were Kelly O’Bryan who pitched the first two innings and gave up four unearned runs on 3 hits and had 2 strikeouts.  Ty Bolton pitched four innings and gave up one run on 3 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.  Carter Brickman threw one inning and gave up one hit.

At the plate, McClanahan had a double and a single and Thieman had a double.