Category Archives: Sports

Colome football team lost a close game to Tripp-Delmont-Armour/Andes Central/Dakota Christian Friday night in Colome.

The Cowboys were defeated 26-20 after making a comeback in the fourth quarter.

The game was tied 14-14 at the half.

Colome opened the scoring on a one yard run by Michael Supik. Tripp/Delmont came back and scored plus making their two point conversion to give them an 8-6 lead. With 8:46 left in the second quarter, Tripp/Delmont scored to take a 14-6 lead. However Colome’s Riley Shippy returned a kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 14-14.

In the third quarter, Tripp/Delmont scored 12 points and held Colome scoreless.

The Cowboys scored its final touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 27 yard run by Shippy.

The Cowboys had 211 yards of total offense and were lead by Bertram with 84 yards. Shippy had 80 yards and Michael Supik, 45 yards.

The Cowboys 11 first downs.Leading the Colome defense was Sully Shippy with 13 tackles. Shippy and Bertram had 10 tackles each. Supik had 8 tackles and Brayden Seegers 7.

The next action for Colome will be Friday night at Platte.

The Winner/Colome high school trap team recently handed out awards that were earned from the spring clay target season.

In the girls division, Katie Welker was the overall high average female in the state. She also won first place for girls in the conference and was the high overall shooter in the conference.

Megan Brozik earned second place for girls in the conference and Faith Covey was third place in the conference. In the boys division, Elijah Everette was the first place shooter for boys in the conference and Tane Pravecek was third place.

Welker and Everette were both named to the all state team.

As a team the Winner/Colome team took first place in the conference. There were 14 members of the team. Others members include Jack Anderson, Parker Baker, Matt Brozik, Jesse Larson, Juli Larson, Austin Olson, Hunter Osborn, Cole Rank and Hunter Shippy.

The team will begin shooting the fall league in September.

The 2020 Pigskin Preview features a story on they 40^th anniversary of South Dakota High School Activities Association football playoffs and football championships.

November of 1981 brought the first ever state football championships.

The magazine  features a story on Harvey Naasz, long time Winner High School football coach.

Naasz was the coach of the Warriors who defeated Vermillion 31-21 in the first Class 11A championship in 1981. It will mark the 40^th anniversary of that historic Winner football victory.

The story tells how Naasz fondly remembered his 1981 team and their road to the championship.

“All year long we knew we had a good team,” he said. “We were undefeated. The year before we also went undefeated with 18 seniors who did not get to play in a championship game but we had 18 juniors on that team who were now a year older. In the playoffs, we had to beat Mobridge and Belle Fourche to be able to get to the Dome.”

Naasz recalled memories involving the Warriors rivalry between Winner and Vermillion. “We had beaten Vermillion 6-0 earlier in the season in DakotaDome so we were familiar  with them. “I knew it was going to be a good match up as Coach Culver was a good coach. Once when we found out we had to face Vermillion again I thought whoever scored 14 points was going to win the game. Lo and behold we scored 31 points and even on the first play of the game. We faked off tackle and ran our left end deep so John threw a pass to Dean Novotny who ran it in for the touchdown.”

While Winner led the entire game, Coach Naasz shared two integral plays that sealed the championship for the Warriors.

“With five minutes left in the game, Jack Sharkey ran off tackle 50 yards for a touchdown to give us some breathing room,” Naasz said. “We knew we finally had them when we intercepted a pass with just seconds left in the game and ran out the clock.”

Coach Naasz said the championship was especially poignant for him and his family. “It was kind of a family affair for me,” he said. “I was coaching my son Brian as he was a senior that year. My son Bart was on the team the year before and came down from Northern to watch. My son Brad was a sophomore on the team as well. My wife Karen was from Vermillion.”

Coach Naasz spoke about what it meant to be a state champion and what it meant to the community of Winner.

“It felt great,” he said. “I don’t think I quit smiling for two weeks. Bart and I went out to the football field on the Sunday after we won and saw a bunch of kids playing football. I remember talking to them and saying they too could be in the Dome if they worked hard. It was a very big deal to win the championship,” he said. “Our community really rallied around us. Players would walk into stores and they were get cheered. Our fans loved following our team.” Naasz went on to win some other state football championships.

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.

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!

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:

Aug. 28—Tripp-Delmont/Armour/ACDC inColome

Sept. 4—Platte-Geddes at Platte

Sept. 11—Homecoming– Irene-Wakonda

Sept. 18—Burke, home

Sept. 25—Corsica-Stickney at Corsica

Oct. 2—Hitchcock-Tulare, away

Oct. 9—Wolsey-Wessington at Wolsey

Oct. 16—Conference championship week

Oct. 22—First round of playoffs

Oct. 29—Quarterfinals

Nov. 6—Semifinals

Nov. 13—State Championship in Vermillion

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

Sept. 11—Wagner, home

Sept. 18—Valentine, Neb., away

Sept. 25—Mt. Vernon/Plankinton, away

Oct. 2—Chamberlain, home (Homecoming)

Oct. 9—Miller/Highmore-Harrold, home

Ten shooters from Tripp County competed in the South Dakota State Youth Trap Shooting championship in Mitchell on Aug. 2. The senior team was comprised of Katie Welker, Jesse Larson, Elijah Everette, George Clark and Austin Olson. The junior team included Faith Covey, Hunter Osborn, Hunter Shippy, Cole Rank and Jack Anderson.

The youth competed as a team and also as individuals. The individual placers were Katie Welker, 1st in senior girls singles, handicap and doubles and was also named the high overallgirl.

Covey placed first in junior girls singes and handicap. Jack Anderson was the runner up in the junior boys singles.This year was the largest number of shooters to compete at the youth open. There were 143 shooters from South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.