Submitted photo A Buddy Bench has been installed at the Tripp County Library. Marsha Risseeuw, coordinator for a local Modern Woodmen chapter, hopes children and others will use the bench.
The Buddy Bench, an idea that began with a 2nd grader, Christian Bucks, in 2016. He suggested this to his school principal as a way to help his school friends that were lonely and feeling left out. From there it has mushroomed into a movement to help encourage a feeling of acceptance.
Since that time, Buddy Benches are finding their way onto playgrounds, parks and libraries. In fact, you can find one at the Winner Elementary School and Tripp County Library. Also, the library just acquired “Buddy Book” authored by Patti Brozi which helps children understand the need to be caring and thoughtful to others. The spokesperson for the Buddy Bench idea stresses the need to make sure children understand the purpose behind the bench which is to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship.
Marsha Risseeuw, coordinator for a Modern Woodmen chapter, believes this is a great service project. Her fondest hope is to see children using the bench—maybe reading a book as they wait for their ride to pick them up from the library.
To read the full story pick up your copy of the Winner Advocate by calling (605) 842-1481, you can email us at winneradvocate@hotmail.com or stop by the office at 125 W 3rd Street, Winner, SD!
Photo courtesy of the Pierre Capitol Journal Riley Orel carries the ball for Winner in Fridays game with Stanley County. Winner won the game 52-7.
Experience and depth paid off for the Winner Warriors as they opened the football season with a 52-7 victory over Stanley County on Friday. On a hot night the Warriors put the pressure on Stanley County even though they struggled in the first part of the game. It was a night that football players were just happy to play a game.
This is the first athletic contest at Winner High School in the last five months. COVID-19 has changed everyone’s lives and that change has also involved the sports world.So Winner is following all the rules of the South Dakota High School Activities Association and the CDC to ensure they have a complete season. Some of those rules involved wearing masks on the bus trip to Ft. Pierre and assigned seating. Temperatures were taken of each player as they got on the bus.
The first points did not come onto the scoreboard until 1:43 left in the first quarter when Riley Orel scored on a 26 yard run. Shortly after Winner’s score, Stanley County counter as Evan Nordstrom ran 76 yards for the touchdown. Stanley County kicked the ball for the extra point and took the lead 7-6.One of coach Dan Aaker’s goals this year is preventing big plays from halting Winner drives. However, the Warriors gave up four big plays in the first half. Once the Warriors got clicking there was no stopping the No. 1 rated team in Class 11B.
Preston Norrid had a big 17 yard carry to setup a Winner touchdown at the end of the first quarter. With 4 seconds left, QB Brady Fritz carried the all in on a 15 yard TD run. The Warriors were now up 14-7. The Warrior running backs are so deep and that depth and ability to give the ball to multiple runners showed up in the second quarter as Winner scored three more touchdowns. Orel scored on a 4 yard run and this was followed by Karson Keiser on a 7 yard run and Sam Kruger on a 46 yard run.
Winner led 34-7 at the end of the first half.“We built up a nice lead at the half and we wanted to finish the second half strong. The only negative was the amount of penalties in the third quarter,” said the coach. A touchdown run by Orel in the third quarter was called back due to a penalty. Winner responded with Evan Farner scoring on a 2 yard run and giving the Warriors a 42-7 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Winner scored a safety as the Buffaloes lined up for a punt. A lot of younger kids got into the game in the second half. Aaker said the sophomores got a taste of varsity football.The last touch down was scored by Aaron Gilchrist on a 6 yard run as he went over the top to make the score.
The Warriors had 510 yards of total offense.Sam Kruger was the offensive leader as he picked up 147 yards on 9 carries. Orel had 95 yards, Keiser, 61 yards and Preston Norrid, 56 yards. In passing, Fritz was 1-4 for 21 yards.Leading tacklers on defense Farner, Orel, Norrid and Landon Thieman, all 4; Keiser, Joey Cole both 3.
The Warriors will travel to Rapid City on Friday and play St. Thomas More. This is a big rival between the two schools. Last year Winner defeated STM twice, once in the second week of the season and in the quarterfinals of the football playoffs. “This is a game we get excited for and the community is excited about,” said Aaker. The coach says STM has good athletes and their offense is challenging for the Warriors. Aaker says Ryan Wojcik is one of the better players in 11B. Coach Wayne Sullivan’s son is the starting quarterback for STM. “For us it will be controlling the line of scrimmage and playing physical football,” said Aaker. The coach says it will be a huge week of practice.
The weather will be hot so the team will need to concentrate during practice. “Our guys know who we are playing and it is a big game for both programs. It is a game where we will find out where we are at,” said Aaker. The Warriors are hoping to take the next step forward and get better this week.
The last time Winner student were in a classroom setting was March 12. For the rest of the year students took their lessons on line due to COVID-19.
The virus is still with us but schools have plans to return to the classroom. Winner classes will start on Aug. 20 with a full day of school. Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There will be school on Friday, Aug. 21. “I think starting school is the best thing we can do for the students and staff,” said Supt. Keven Morehart. “We need to get them back into some sense of normalcy.”
To read the rest of the story, pick up your copy of the Winner Advocate today! or call (605) 842-1481!
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Justin Zeigler, Winner and Erin Early, Brookings were the winners of the 28th annual Ron Waller Memorial member-guest golf tournament on Sunday. Pictured Brenda Klein, Zeigler and Stephanie Waller. Not pictured is Early.
Justin Zeigler and Erin Early were the overall winners of the Ron Waller memorial member-guest golf tournament at Winner Country Club this weekend.
For the rest of this story please pick up your copy of the Winner Advocate! Call (605) 842-1481, email winneradvocate@hotmail.com!
Rhonda Cousins comfortably and peacefully passed away on Monday, July 20, 2020 in Golden Valley, MN.
A kind and compassionate soul, Rhonda was always there to help whether it was 4-H, Girl Scouts, or a church event you would most likely find Rhonda behind the scenes. Rhonda was born on Dec. 18, 1953, in Slayton, Minn., to Ernest and Myrtle Jens Wancenried. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Slayton High School in 1972. She then attended Southwest Minnesota State College in Marshall.
On Aug. 2, 1980 she and Michael Cousins were married at Faith Lutheran Church in Avoca, MN. Following their marriage they made their home in Winner, SD where Rhonda worked at the Winner Public Elementary School. Rhonda dedicated her life to teaching. Everyone who met her knew teaching was her true calling.
She was one of those teachers who made learning fun. She didn’t teach for tests. She taught for the sparkle in the child’s eye. Family always joked that Rhonda was the original Pinterest because her ideas were always so amazing! The friendships she made through teaching and the community were a true testament of her character. She was the glue that held many together. She was an amazing mother, grandmother, sister and friend to many.
Throughout her life she doted on her children and their friends. She was a troop leader, 4-H leader, volunteered for many community organizations, and had true civic pride. Anyone who visited her home would likely find Rhonda with her nose in a book or recovering from a prank played by one other family members. You could tell she had a love for children because she was always(usually) a good sport. In 2011 Rhonda retired from teaching and returned to the family farm by Avoca. Retirement didn’t stop her from keeping busy!
She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Avoca and was active in the Altar Guild, Sunday School teacher, reader and ladies group. Following Faith Lutheran Church closing, she joined Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Dovray, MN. Rhonda was a TOPS Club leader. She met many of her dearest friends in the TOPS group.
Rhonda volunteered many hours at the Slayton library and at Slayton Elementary School. She enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, and her dog, Stella, and cat, Taffy.
Rhonda also reunited with her college sweetheart and true love, Don Larson, and spent many happy years making up for lost time. They enjoyed going to the casino, dining out, going for drives and spending time together. Her life was full of laughter, love and friendship.
Survivors include her two daughters and their children, Summer and Erica Picha and their children Oliver, Westin and Addison of Golden Valley, Mn, and Amy Jo Clemens and her fiance, Jeremy Jimenez and their children Jameson, Samuel, and Kaylin of St. Cloud, MN, four sisters, Rosanne Wancenried of Avoca, MN, Laura Wancenried of St. Cloud, MN, Colleen Wancenried of Hopkins, Mn, and Juanita Oeltjenbruns of Currie, MN, special friend, Don Larson, and several nieces and nephews and their families.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mike Cousins, grandson Billy Rebel Chapman and an infant brother. A private graveside service was held at the Faith Lutheran Cemetery in Avoca, MN at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2020 with Rev. Chuck Swanson officiating. Memorials may be directed to the Slayton Public Library or to the Ronald McDonald House.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo A group of Gregory teachers stopped at McDonald’s in Winner on Aug. 12 and received a free classroom kit. Leonard Management, owner of McDonald’s provided the kits to area teachers. On the left is Dustin DeSersa, manager of the McDonald’s in Winner.
By Dan Bechtold/ Editor
School teachers do so much for students and soon they will going back to the classroom. To provide them with some supplies and thank them for all they do, Leonard Management, owner of McDonalds, presented classroom kits on Aug. 12. Inside the kit were a package of pencils, dry eraser markers, a ream of paper, hand sanitizer, box of tissue, permanent marker and a few other goodies. The event was held in Winner on Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Teachers called in and were assigned times to receive their kits. Marla Snyder, director of marketing and community relations for Leonard Management, explained that Steve Leonard, the founder of the company, has two sisters.
Every time the family would get together he would hear them tell how much money they spent out of their own pocket for teacher supplies. “Steve thought the need to help teachers was especially needed his year,” said Snyder. Out of the 31 restaurants he owns, Leonard did 12 events where kits were handed out. There were 125 kits handed out in Winner to area schools. This not only included Winner but Colome, Gregory, Burke, Bonesteel/Fairfax and Todd County. Synder says the response from teachers has been overwhelming. “I have gotten more emails from teachers thanking us. The teachers said all the items in the kit will be put to good use.”In addition to school supply kits, teachers had a chance to sign up for prizes and enjoy some refreshments.In all, Leonard Management is doing more than $20,000 in school supplies to teachers in South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.
Leonard Management purchased the Dakota McDonald store right after the first of the year.
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Returning lettermen on the Colome High School football team are in from from left Riley Shippy, Allan McKenzie, Kaden Pechota, Billy Looking Cloud, A. J. Davis, Sully Shippy, Jordan Harter, Taitin Ringing Shield. In back from left are Michael Supik, Kash Heath, Nathaniel Hansen, Casey Assman, Rhet Bertram, Gavin Tucker, Brayden Seegers, Tate Luedke and Aidan Muller. The team will open the season on Aug. 28 at home against Tripp-Delmont/Armour/ACDC
By Dan Bechtold/Editor
The Colome High School football team has a lot of experience returning from last year’steam.The Cowboys only lost three seniors and have nine returning starters. The three seniors who graduated are Jacob Beckers, Adam Cole and James Brumbaugh.
There are 19 Colome athletes out for football this year.The returning lettermen are: Riley Shippy, Allan McKenzie, Kaden Pechota, Billy Looking Cloud, A. J. Davis, Sully Shippy, Jordyn Harter, Taitin Ringing Shield, Michael Supik, Kash Heath, Nathaniel Hansen, Casey Assman, Rhet Bertram, Gavin Tucker, Brayden Seegers, Tate Luedke and Aidan Muller.
Colome was to have opened the season on Aug. 21 at Corsica/Stickney but that has been changed and they will open a week later on Aug. 28 at home with Tripp Delmont Armour/ACDC.
Michael Supik will be the starting quarterback. Riley Shippy will be the running back with Rhet Bertram and Kash Heath also playing running back. Nathaniel Hansen was moved from guard to center. Athletes working hard on the offensive line are Hansen, Sully Shippy and Allan McKenzie. Head coach Gene Bertram says who will play ends is up in the air with some younger players stepping into that role.
Casey Assman will be one of the ends with three others battling for a spot. On defense, Colome will not change much from last year as the team only lost two starters. Linebackers will be Riley Shippy, Michael Supik and Billy Looking Cloud. Defensive ends will be Assman and Bertram. On the defensive line will be Hansen, McKenzie and Shippy.
Last year the Cowboys ended the season with a 1-7 record. “They are upset about only winning one game last year. They wantto prove they are a good football team,” said Bertram. He noted it was hard to go from an undefeated season and being state champs to a 1-7 season.
Along with every other team in the state, Colome is dealing with COVID-19 and making sure everyone is safe. Bertram says it is tough to social distance in football. He stresses if anyone is feeling sick do not come to practice. He advises the players to take their temperature at home and if they have a fever do not come to practice. Everyone brings their own water bottle. “It has not been hard for them to keep track of their own water bottle,” said the coach. “The kids have really bee good.
I stress to the them that I am not as worried about them getting COVID as I am of you passing it along to other people more vulnerable to the illness. They know they have to protest their older family members,” said Bertram.“What scares me is if we get one outbreak by a team and we may have to all shut down like the colleges,” said Bertram.
The coach says he knows the team is ready for football. There is more experience this year and a lot of senior leadership. The team has been working on a lot of fundamentals. Bertram is excited how much these kids have grown. He has coached some of these kids since they were in junior high school. “It is amazing how their coordination and fundamentals have gotten better. This year we are really working on foot work.” Bertram said last year things did not go the team’s way. “This year if we can put of lot of those things behind us and play football it will be a fun year,” said the coach.
Assistant coaches will be Terrance Kinzer and Chase Hrabanek. Bertram hopes the new principal Dustin Christensen will be able to help with the team. The 2020 Colome football schedule includes:
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Winner High School football returning lettermen are in front from left Aaron Monk, Aaron Gilchrist, Michael Olson, Tayden Mathis, Owen Duffy, Zach Bohnet, Achilles Willuweit, Kaleb Osborn, Jack Kruger, Ethan Bartels. Second row from left are Jack Peters, Evan Farner, Bosten Morehart, Jackson Hanson, Charlie Pravecek, Kaden Keiser, Jace Brazelton, Riley Orel, Blake Volmer, Dalton Peterson and Kaden Bennett. Third row from left are Landon Thieman, Preston Norrid, Jackson Vesely, Adam Bohnet, Brady Fritz, Sam Kruger, Ashton Klein, Joey Cole, Owen Monk and Hunter Osborn. Not pictured is Finn Bartels. The Warriors open the season on Aug. 21 at Stanley County.
By Dan BechtoldEditor
Winner High School football team is happy to be preparing to play football during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are following certain rules put in place by the South Dakota High School Activities Association. The team’s first game will be Aug 21 when they play Stanley County in Ft. Pierre. The Warriors finished last year with a perfect record in the regular season and made it to the state championship game with Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan.
In an exciting state championship, Winner fell 21-14 after the score had been tied at 14-14. The Warriors ended last year with an 11-1 record. That loss left a bitter taste in the team’s mouth and one they would like to erase and turn their fortunes around this year. “Our juniors and seniors are pretty motivated to work hard and try and get back to that spot and see something different,” said coach Dan Aaker, who is starting his 19th year at the helm of the Warriors.
There are 44 athletes out for football this year including 10 seniors. Returning lettermen for the Warriors will include: Aaron Monk, Aaron Gilchrist, Michael Olson, Tayden Mathis, Owen Duffy, Zach Bohnet, Achilles Willuweit, Kaleb Osborn, Jack Kruger, Ethan Bartels, Jack Peters, Evan Farner, Bosten Morehart, Jackson Hanson, Charlie Pravecek, Kaden Keiser, Jace Brazelton, Riley Orel, Blake Volmer, Dalton Peterson, Kaden Bennett, Landon Thieman, Preston Norrid, Jackson Vesely, Adam Bohnet, Brady Fritz, Sam Kruger, Ashton Klein, Joey Cole, Owen Monk, Hunter Osborn and Finn Bartels.
The Warriors lost 10 seniors due to graduation including four all-state players in Phillip Jorgensen, Trevor Peters, Oscar Pravecek and Joren Bruun. The Warriors will return six starters on both sides of the ball. Winner has three linebackers returning, Preston Norrid, Landon Thieman and Sam Kruger. When Aaker looks at his offensive line he has most everyone back with the exception of Oscar Pravecek who graduated.
Senior Brady Fritz will be in his third year as the starting quarterback. “He is a good athlete and brings some things to the table with his running and throwing ability. He has good athleticism,” explained Aaker.
Lost in the backfield are Trevor Peters and Phillip Jorgensen who both had great seasons a year ago. The team is heavy on running backs and lots of people for Fritz to hand off the ball. Sam Kruger had a good year last year carrying the ball and will be called on this year. Norrid may play some fullback. He played that position as a sophomore and then was moved to guard. Currently, he is working at both positions.“There may be times he is on the line and the next series he is fullback. He is a power guy who can moved pretty good,” said the coach.
Evan Farner has played a lot at running back and started a couple of games last year when Sam Kruger was injured. Aaker says younger guys like Kaden Keiser, Aaron Gilchrist and Riley Orel can also carry the ball. He says there are six guys the team can shuffle in and out at running back.
Some of the players battling for a position on the team are Zach Bohnet, Jackson Hanson and Ashton Klein. Aaker says Ethan Bartels has looked good at tight end.“I feel we have good depth already and we have to continue to build on that.”
The Warriors will again be strong on defense. The front seven have a lot of returners.The secondary is a little different with the loss of Trevor Peters at strong safety and Bruun as an all state corner.
The coach says one place where the defense is in-experienced is in the secondary. Fritz, Farmer, Orel, Keiser and Blake Volmer are good athletes who the coaches can rotate in and out in the secondary.
Aaker likes the numbers on the team with 35 athletes sophomores on up. “We are excited. Some years you have to build a team from scratch but this is one of those veteran years where I feel we are ahead of where we would be most other years because so many kids have experience,” said Aaker.
Winner will be competitive from the very first game as the Warriors have a lot of quick hard running guys. Aaker says if there was one Achilles heal last year, especially in the playoffs, it was big plays over the top. He wants to eliminate that this year.
Football will be different this year with COVID-19. “The whole COVID thing is a challenge. I look at it this way: we are playing and a lot of things were taken away from these kids last year. I remind our guys that we are playing now and I remind them to take advantage of every day they have.” Each day before practice the temperature is taken of each player.
When they get on the bus to travel to out of town games they will have their temperature taken and they will wear masks and have assigned seats.
There is no sharing of water bottles and no driving out of the water fountain during practice breaks. Each player brings their own water bottle.
Assistant coaches will be Trent Olson, Kevin Keiser, Austin Calhoon and Sam Olson with Glenn Carlson helping from time to time.
The 2020 Winner High School football schedule includes:
Aug. 21—at Stanley County
Aug. 28—at St. Thomas More in Rapid City
Sept. 4—Woonsocket/Wessington Springs/Sanborn Central, home
Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo Practice for the Winner High School volleyball team started on Thursday. The team will open the season on Aug. 25 at Bon Homme.
Betty (Steffen) Kirwan, 87, passed away at Bethany Lutheran Home in Sioux Falls, SD on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020.
Rosary will be Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 at 10 am at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Lake Andes, SD with visitation following. Memorial service will be Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 at 11 am at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Lake Andes, SD following the visitation. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Spencer, NE at a later date. Arrangements by Koehn Bros. Funeral Home.
Betty Ann Steffen was born Aug. 24, 1932 at her parent’s farm south of Colome, SD. She was the fifth of eight children born to Friederich and Josephine (Schroeder) Steffen. She attended rural school and then graduated from Colome High School in 1950.
Betty then attended Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, SD. In August 1951, she started teaching rural school by Colome, SD. Her yearly salary was $1,557. On April 24, 1954, she married Daniel Duane Kirwan.
They farmed in the Randall Valley and she taught rural school south of Lake Andes. They moved to Pickstown, SD in 1970. Throughout her life she enjoyed tending her plants (she had a green thumb) and gardening, canning and baking, word finds and a good game of cribbage or scrabble. She was a member of St. Mark’s Catholic Church, Catholic Daughters, a 4-H leader and VFW Auxiliary.
Betty is survived by her two children: Fred (Sally) Kirwan of Pickstown, SD and Nancy Kirwan of Sioux Falls, SD; grandson Austin (Natalie) Donley of Sioux Falls, SD, brother Jack ‘Fritz’ Steffen of Winner, SD and sister Doris Zimmerle of Huntsville, Ala.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, three brothers: Leonard, Bob and Vic Steffen, two sisters: Helen Steffen and Stella Doty.
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