Cross country team opens season Friday

The Winner Area cross country team will open the season at the Winner Invitational on Aug. 26. The meet will be held at the Winner Country Club.

The returning lettermen for the boys are Joseph Laprath, Chaz Blotzky, Hayden McMurtrey

The only letterwinner for the girls is Melanie Brozik.

Making up the boys team will be Joseph Laprath, Hayden McMurtrey, Chaz Blotsky, Donny De’Sersa, Matthew Calhoon and Taitin Ringing Shield.

The two Colome runners on the team are Laprath and Ringing Shield.

Brozik is the lone varsity runner for the girls. Middle school runners include Avery Manke and Cameron Olson.

The runners who graduated are Sidda Schuyler, Kade Watson and Kylar Meek.

The boys team qualified for state last year and coach Jayd Schuyler says they will be competitive again this year. “I look for a competitive boys team. Our goal is to win the regional and qualify for state,” said Schuyler.

The coach said Brozik’s goal is to qualify for state on her own.

The team has been holding practice twice a day running in the morning and late afternoon.

Assistant coach is Reagan Nielsen.

The cross country schedule includes:

Aug. 26—Winner Invitational

Aug. 30—at McCook Central

Sept. 6—at Scotland

Sept. 15—at Chamberlain (Big Dakota meet)

Sept. 17—at Lyman

Sept. 24—at Platte-Geddes

Sept. 27—at Todd County

Sept. 29—at Burke

Oct. 3—at MVP

Oct. 13—Regional in Chamberlain

Oct. 22—State at Huron

Cowgirls open on the road

Submitted Photo
The returning letterwinners on the Colome volleyball team are in front from left Westlie Cahoy, Ashlyn Hoffine, Jordyn Ring and Landi Krumpus. In back from left are Maura Luedke, Toree Ringing Shield and Devan Dougherty.

The Colome girls volleyball team opened the season yesterday (Aug. 23) when they traveled to Armour to play TDA.

The returning letterwinners are Westlie Cahoy, Ashlyn Hoffine, Jordyn Ring, Landi Krumpus, Maura Luedke, Toree Ringing Shield and Devan Dougherty.

Others on the team are Sophie Hofeldt, Libbie Petersek, Emma Vandenbark, Shayleena Kingsley, Shanna Connot, Kalene Preslicka, Aspyn McKenzie, Raylynn Dehing, Raelynn Kingsley, Leticia DeNoyer, Emme Nelson, Keasha Kartak, Gracie Rohde and Savanah O’Bryan.

Taylor Hrabanek is the new head coach for the Cowgirls. She graduated from Colome High School in 2016 and played volleyball all four years.

The coach explained the team has been doing a lot of team building exercises and working on communication. “Now we are starting to work on rotation and get on the court to get playing time in,” she said.

Hrabanek says the girls are excited and she is excited for them. “Their enthusiasm is pretty high and they want to go far in the region.”

There are seven seniors and Hrabanek says they are the leaders. “I have some juniors who are right are right up there with them,” said Hrabanek.,

“I am excited to see where we go.”

The seniors are Devan Dougherty, Sophie Hofeldt, Ashlyn Hoffine, Landi Krumpus, Libbie Petersek, Jordyn Ring, Toree Ringing Shield.

The team only lost 2 seniors—Kasie Leighton, Katie Welker.

The assistant coach is Casey Shippy.

The Colome volleyball schedule includes:

Aug. 23—at Tripp, Delmont, Armour

Au g. 25—at Burke

Aug. 30—Crow Creek, home

Sept. 1—at Platte-Geddes

Sept. 3—Gregory Tourney

Sept. 6—Lyman, home

Sept. 12—Marty, Home

Sept. 19—St. Francis, home

Sept. 22—at Avon

Sept. 24—Wessington Springs tourney

Sept. 27—at ACDC

Oct. 1—Great Plains Conference tourney at Lake Andes

Oct. 6—at Stanley Co.

Oct. 11—at Gregory

Oct. 13—White River, home

Oct. 15—Thunder Nation tourney

Oct. 18—Jones Co., home

Oct. 21—Centerville, home

Oct. 24—at Kimball/White Lake

Oct. 25—at Corsica-Stickney

Oct. 31-Nov. 1,3—Regions

Nov. 8—Sodak 16

Nov. 17-19—State

12 lettermen on dance team

Twelve lettermen will return for the Winner competitive dance team.

The Lady Warriors will open the season Aug. 27 at the Gregory Invitational.

The returning letterwinners are Chloe Taggart, Amanda Edwards, Lena DeMers, Amanda Blare, Kendyl Bachmann, Emily Sachtjen, Bailey Fairbanks, Addi Heenan, Suchi Chaudhari Josey Kludt, Leah Wiechelman and Trista Kierstead.

Coach Sarah Taggart says there will be 12 girls doing hip hop and 9 pom.

There are five seniors—Kendyl Bachmann, Josey Kludt, Trista Kierstead, Amanda Blare, Leah Wiechelman.

The team lost two girls who graduated—Marissa Meiners, Adrienne Lewis.

This year the girls had a different choreographer. Summer Dance Connection of Sioux Falls provided the training. They came to Winner this summer for a 2.5 day camp.

Taggart said the girls have a good start to the season. “We are looking forward to a much higher score in pom because of the increased difficulty of the turns the girls learned at camp,” explained the coach.

Last year, Winner placed third in hip hop and were only 4.5 points away from first place.

The team took 5th in pom.

The home meet for Winner will be Sept. 10. The state meet will be in Watertown.

Taggart said the end of January she will start a middle school dance group.

Related to dance there will be a Warriorette dance camp for students K-5th grade. This will be Sept. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. in the auxiliary gym.

Then the girls will perform at the halftime of Winner and Lead-Deadwood football game on Sept. 17. This dance camp and football game are on a Saturday.

The dance schedule includes:

Aug.27—Gregory Invitational

Sept. 3—Pierre Spirit Invite

Sept. 10—Winner Invitational

Oct. 1—Roosevelt Invite at the Pentagon

Oct. 8—Mitchell Invite

Oct. 10—Faulkton Invite

Oct. 21—State at Watertown

Volleyball excited for the season

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Returning letterwinners for the Winner volleyball team are in from from left Lexi Klein, Aleya Miller and Cora Moss. In back from left are Keelie Kuil, Ava Craven, Karlee Brozik and Kelbi Meiners.

The Winner volleyball team is excited for the start of a new season.

The Lady Warriors had their first match Aug. 23 when they traveled to Bon Homme.

There are 27 girls on the team with two seniors—Aleya Miller and Kelbi Meiners.

There are seven lettermen on the team. The letterwinners are Lexie Klein, Aleya Miller, Cora Moss, Keelie Kuil, Ava Craven, Karlee Brozik and Kelbi Meiners.

The team’s record from last year was 18 wins, 14 losses.

Coach Jamie Keiser says the team will be different than in past years. “For several years we have been a power house in hitting. This year we do not have the hitters. We have some younger girls that are getting there. We are going to have to be more strategic and find holes,” she said.

The coach added the team will have to find ways to score points.

Keiser says the Lady Warriors have options to move players around. She said Meiners can play various positions She can play outside, right side, back row at times when she is needed. Meiners is also a good server.

Keiser said Ashlyn McPhee is doing a good job. Klein and Moss will be doing the setting.

The Lady Warriors are going to do what fits them best. They will do what is needed to get the most kills and the most points. “It might take some tweeking to find out where we need to be,” said Keiser.

The Lady Warriors have a tough schedule. The will play a lot of teams that are ranked.

Keiser feels Belle Fourche will be a team in Class A that can do some damage. “They are young and last year really impressed me when we played them,” said Keiser.

The coach said she is really looking forward to this year. She said the girls are willing to try anything and have a good attitude. “They hustle nonstop. It is just fun and everyone gives a lot of effort.”

Jenna Phillips will be the assistant coach.

The volleyball schedule includes:

Aug. 23—at Bon Homme

Aug. 25—at Miller

Aug. 30—Burke, home

Sept. 1—at Valentine

Sept. 8—Belle Fourche, home

Sept. 13—at Lyman

Sept. 15—Kimball/White Lake, home Sept. 17—Big Dakota Conference, Stanley Co.

Sept. 20—Parkston, home

Sept. 24—Pentagon tournament

Sept. 26—At White River

Sept. 27—Todd County, home

Sept. 29—Mount Vernon/Plankinton, home

Oct. 1—at Mobridge/Pollock

Oct. 4—at Gregory

Oct.11—at Chamberlain

Oct. 13—Corsica/Stickney, home

Oct. 18—Wagner, home

Oct.22—SESD conference in Winner

Oct. 24—Platte-Geddes, home

Warriors open on the road

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Returning lettermen on the Winner High School football team are in front from left Jude Sargent, Broden Duffy, Sam Schulz, Karson Keiser, Konner Osborn, Gus Bartels, Stratton Morehart, Austin Blare. Second row from left are Evan Bartels, Cole Rank, Tayden Mathis, Aiden Barfuss, Jack Peters, Dalton Petersen, Hunter Osborn, Noah Best, Kellen Brozik. In back from left are Aiden Schroeder, Briar Cook, Andrew Henderson, Matt Brozik, Hunter Shippy, Blake Volmer, Ethan Bartels, Jack Kruger, Shawn Hammerbeck, Spencer Calhoon and Riley Orel. Not pictured is Cody Wheadon. The Warriors open the season Aug. 19 at Tri Valley.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

It’s Winner. It’s football season.

These two combinations will provide a lot of excitement on Friday night lights.

The Winner Warriors are the two time defending 11B state champions and have a record of 23-0.

When you talk about high school football it is a tradition that is engrained in this community.

The Warriors will open the 2022 season this Friday night when they travel to Tri Valley.

Winner has played Tri Valley three times in the Dome and several times in the playoffs and they have never beaten Winner.

“They have a proud program and if there is any game they want to win it is against the Warriors,” explained head coach Trent Olson.

The coach says the Warriors will know right away were they are after playing Tri Valley.

The returning lettermen are: Jude Sargent, Broden Duffy, Sam Schulz, Karson Keiser, Konner Osborn, Gus Bartels, Stratton Morehart, Austin Blare, Evan Bartels, Cole Rank, Tayden Mathis Aiden Barfuss, Jack Peters, Dalton Petersen, Hunter Osborn, Noah Best, Kellen Brozik, Aiden Schroeder, Briar Cook, Andrew Henderson, Matt Brozik, Hunter Shippy, Blake Volmer, Ethan Bartels, Jack Kruger, Shawn Hammerbeck, Spencer Calhoon, Riley Orel, Cody Wheadon.

The Warriors lost 16 seniors.

“We had more seniors last year than we have combined juniors and seniors this year,” said coach Trent Olson. “We will be a much younger team but a lot of those guys have experience from last year. We have confidence the players will step up and fill leadership roles. You will see a lot more younger kids out this year,” he said.

This year there are nine seniors—Peters, Mathis, Orel, Petersen, Wheadon, Osborn, Volmer, Kruger and Bartels.

Leading the offense will be quarterback Blake Volmer. Volmer will replace Joey Cole who was starting QB a year ago.

A lot of veterans are in the running back spot. They include Jack Peters, Riley Orel and Aiden Barfuss. “We return more at the skill positions than we do at the line. The line is where we are going to have the most inexperience.”

The only returning starter on the line is Jack Kruger. “We have lots of guys competing for those spots,” said Olson.

Tight end rolls will be filled by Ethan Bartels and Shawn Hammerbeck.

On defense, Winner returns all three line backers, Jack Peters, Jack Kruger and Aiden Barfuss. They started every game last season.

The defensive line graduated all four starters and all four were all state.

On special teams, the Warriors return starting kicker Ethan Bartels but lost a dynamic weapon in the return game of Kaden Keiser. “Kaden has been our return man for three years and we have to replace that position,” said Olson.

Olson says the schedule is very strange. He said of the six conference games Winner was supposed to have the state only game the Warriors two which basically dissolved the SESD Conference.

“It will be challenging schedule for us this year,” the coach said.

For Olson this is an exciting time of year. “We have big aspirations. It is Winner football and the goals are high every year. The bar is high and we hope to continue that tradition,” said Olson.

The school winning streak is up for grabs. Winner is one game behind that streak. The record is 24 wins and the Warriors now have 23.

The coach added this senior class has a chance to be the most successful senior class in the history of Winner. “That means something to them. They want to go out there and accomplish some big things,” said Olson.

Assistant coaches are Kevin Keiser, Ben Connot, Austin Calhoon. A new volunteer coach is Chris Aid who is a member of the Winner Police Department.

The football schedule includes:

Aug. 19—at Tri Valley

Aug. 26—Wagner, home

Sept. 2—at Webster Area

Sept. 9—Beresford, home

Sept. 17—Lead-Deadwood, home

Sept. 30—at Bridgewater/Emery-Ethan

Oct. 7—West Central, Winner homecoming

Oct. 14-at Mount Vernon/Plankinton

Colome opens at home

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Colome football returning lettermen are in front
from left Taitin Ringing Shield, Jordyn Harter, Kaden Pechota, Sully Shippy, Kash Heath, Jordan Musser. In back from left are Eli Vobr, Trey Thieman, Aidan Muller, Jack Anderson, Allie Spellman, Jonah Musser, Klayton Heath. Not pictured are Billy Looking Cloud, Shae Munroe and Lane Leighton. The Cowboys will open the season Aug. 19 at home against Avon.

The Colome Cowboys football team will open the season Friday, Aug. 19 against Avon in a Great Plains Conference game. This will be a home game.

New head coach this year is Chase Hrabanek who was the assistant coach for four years.

Hrabanek is a 2015 graduate of Colome High School where he played football for four years.

He received a degree in animal science from Mitchell Tech.

There are 20 players on the football team including seven seniors.

The returning lettermen are: Taitin Ringing Shield, Jordyn Harter, Kaden Pechota, Sully Shippy, Kash Heath, Jordan Musser, Eli Vobr, Trey Thieman, Aiden Muller, Jack Anderson, Allie Spellman, Jonah Musser, Klayton Heath, Billy Looking Cloud, Shae Munroe and Lane Leighton.

Also on the team are Alec Thieman, Seth Heath and Sam Brandsgaard.

The Cowboys have the entire team back as there were no seniors last year.

Starting at quarterback this year will be Eli Vobr. As a freshman last year Vobr took on the quarterback role. “He did well last year for being a freshman,” said Hrabanek. “That experience will carry over this year. This is the sixth day of practice and I have already seen he is much further along from last year.”

Trey Thieman will also be taking some snaps for Colome.

Running backs will be Kash Heath, Kaden Pechota, Trey Thieman, Jonah Musser and Lane Leighton. Seth Heath as a freshman will also carry the ball.

Last year, Kash Heath was the leading rusher.

The three big guys on the offensive line will be Shippy, Muller and Anderson.

Hrabanek said assistant coach Logan Jager is working with the defense.

“We have a lot of players who can play different spots and that is nice,” said Hrabanek.

“It is nice having everyone back and everyone has starting experience,” added the coach.

Hrabanek has lofty goals. He would like to see his team make it to the DakotaDome. It has been a few years since the Cowboys were in the state championship. The last time was in 2018.

“We have had a few tough years where the kids have not won a lot of games. Our goal each year is to make it as far as we can go.

While it is cooler in the mornings the team has been practicing from 6:30 to 9 a.m.

Hrabanek says the team has been working on a lot of conditioning.

The coach says the team is excited for this season. “There is just a look in the team’s eyes that they are tired of losing and want to change it.

Hrabanek talked about being named the head coach.
“Since a little kid I have dreamed of this. When I was little I was always on the field. I was water boy for many years and then played through my high school career. Football on Friday nights in a small town is nice,” he said.

In addition to Jager being the assistant coach, Duane Wetzel will help and is the junior high coach.

The Colome football schedule includes:

Aug. 19—Avon, home

Aug. 26—Gayville-Volin, home

Sept. 2—open

Sept. 9—at Burke

Sept. 16—Sully Buttes (Homecoming)

Sept. 23—at Freeman/Freeman Academy/Marion (afternoon game)

Sept. 30—Sunshine Bible, home

Oct. 7—at Centerville

Oct. 14—Hanson at Alexandria

Oct. 20—First round of playoff

Oct. 27—Quarter final

Nov. 4—semifinal

Nov 10-12 –state championship in Vermillion

Golf team opens season

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Returning letterwinners on the Winner High School golf team are in front from left Max Brozik, Karson Keiser, Brody Calhoon. In back from left are Landon Calhoon, Ryder Halligan, Carter Craven and Mason Beehler.

By Dan Bechtold/ Editor

Winner boys golf team opened the season on Monday, Aug. 15 at the invitational in Hartford.

The Warriors are young but along with that youth comes a lot of experience.

There are 13 boys on the team including three sixth graders.

There are seven returning lettermen—Max Brozik, Karson Keiser, Landon Calhoon, Ryder Halligan, Brody Calhoon, Mason Beehler and Carter Craven.

Also on the team are Gus Tobin, Jalin Tideman and Levi Heenan.

The sixth graders are Cooper Craven, Gage Tucker and Tatum Swan.

The team only lost one senior—Kaden Keiser. There are no seniors on the team. The Warriors return four of the five guys who finished runner-up at regions a year ago.

“We area fairly young team,” said coach Larry Aaker. “ A lot of these guys played a lot of baseball this summer and did not get on the course a lot but that might be to our advantage. They spent all summer swinging a baseball bat. As the season gets going we will get better and better and see our scores getting lower,” said Aaker.

In practice the team has been working a lot on the short game such as putting and chipping. “We will work hard on the short game that is where you see a lot of strokes. If they can be good putters, good chippers they have a chance of being really good,” explained the coach.

Legion wins state runner-up honors

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner/Colome Legion baseball team took runner-up honors at the state meet in Gregory. Pictured in front from left are Statton Morehart, Ryder Halligan, Justin Hausmann, Karson Keiser, Charley Pravecek, Maxton Brozik, Zac Olson, Landon Calhoon. In back from left are coach Shane Phillips, Ethan Bartels, Aiden Barfuss, Jack Peters, Adam Bohnet, Joey Cole, bat boy Maddux Phillips, Ashton Klein, Pierce Nelson and coach Dan Pravecek.

Despite a five run deficit in the sixth inning, Winner/Colome Legion team almost came all the way back to defeat Vermillion in the Class B Legion meet. However, the Royals fell in a heart breaker 8-7.

Despite the over 100 degree heat last Tuesday both team battled for a state title.

Vermillion took a 6-1 lead but Winner/Colome fired right back with five runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 6-6.

The both teams traded runs to tie it again 7-7. The regulation game ended 7-7 and the two teams headed an extra inning.

The game was delayed for about 10 minutes in the bottom of the 7th inning when Vermillion catcher T. J. Tracy went down with cramps and shortly after home plate umpire Doug Ruesik had to leave the game after dealing with heat-related issue.

When play resumed Vermillion was able to get the winning run.

Barfuss had two doubles and Joey Cole, one. Barfuss was the leader at the plate as he was 3-4 with 2 RBIs.

Charley Pravecek was 2-4.

Ethan Bartels pitched 6.2 innings and Barfuss, 1.1.

The Royals defeated Hartford Humboldt 8-7 on Friday in the first round of the state meet.

Hartford/Humboldt jumped out to an early 6-3 lead through four innings before the Royals came back with two runs in the fifth and five in the sixth to claim the victory.

Barfuss led the way at the plate as he was 4-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Joey Cole went 2-4 with three runs and one RBI.

Barfuss also won the win on the mound in three innings of relief.

Winner Colome defeated Redfield 10-5 on Sunday. The Royals big inning was the sixth when they scored 6 runs.

Barfuss had a home run and Cole a double.

Justin Hausmann pitched five innings and Ryder Halligan, 1.

On Monday, Winner/Colome lost to Gregory 9-3. The Royals has 4 hits. Barfuss had a home run and Barfuss a double.

Landon Calhoon pitched 3.1 innings and Kaden Keiser, 3.2.

The game on Monday set up who would play in the championship the next day.

The Legion team ended the season with a 16-8 record.

Brozik named Best of the West

Submitted Photo
Ellie Brozik runs a leg of a relay in a meet in Burke.
She was recently named a Best of the West track athlete.

Ellie Brozik of Winner has been named to the Rapid City Journal’s Best of the West Class A track and field athlete.

This highlights West River girl athletes who had outstanding performances in both running and field events.

The Winner senior finished runner up in the triple jump with a leap of 34-9.25 and anchored Winner’s 4×200 relay that placed fourth (1:47.66).

Brozik won her third consecutive regional triple jump title this spring and ran the final leg of the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams that claimed regional titles in both events.

Keelie Kuil, Winner, was named to the honorable mention list.