Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media, Author at Big Sioux Media Sports Network

Madison Survives Quarrier Boys

January 19, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The #1 Madison Bulldogs remained undefeated after grinding out a 67-60 win over the Dell Rapids Quarriers on Thursday, January 18th at Dell Rapids High School. A fourth quarter comeback sealed the win for the Bulldogs.

The first 4:00 of the game were back-and-forth as Dell Rapids held a slim 8-7 lead. Madison then went on an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to go ahead 15-8. The quarter ended with Madison leading 19-14. The Bulldogs maintained about a six-point lead through the first half of the second quarter and then built that lead to 10 points at 30-20 with 2:30 to go in the first half. Dell Rapids closed the half with a 9-2 run with made three-point baskets by Jeffrey Schuch, Drew Van Regenmorter, and Elijah Story. Madison led 32-29 at halftime.

The Quarriers continued their run into the third quarter. With 4:52 to go, Schuch made a three-point shot from the top of the key to give Dell Rapids a 38-36 lead. The two teams were then tied at 38-38 and then again at 41-41 with 2:54 in the third quarter. Dell Rapids grabbed the lead again and held it for the remainder of the quarter. The Quarriers led 47-46 heading into the final quarter. Madison again tied the game with 5:26 to go at 51-51 after a made three-point shot by Jadon Janke. Dell Rapids went on a 5-1 run over the next minute. The Quarriers held their largest lead of the game of four points at 56-52 with 4:14 to go after a made three-pointer by Logan Heim. The Bulldogs went on a 5-0 run and regained the lead at 57-56 with 2:23 to go. The lead grew to 60-56 with 1:32 left on the clock. Dell Rapids was unable to get any closer than two points the remainder of the game as Madison made their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Dell Rapids finished the game shooting 40% from the field. They were 28% from the three-point area and 67% from the free-throw line, shooting only nine free throws in the game. The Quarriers had 36 team rebounds and 14 team assists.

Schuch finished with a game-high 18 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots. Carson Rentz had 11 points and six assists. Mason Schmidt tallied 10 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Van Regenmorter and Story both ended with seven points in the game. Heim finished with five points and eight rebounds.

Dell Rapids (6-4) will travel to Elk Point to take on the Elk Point-Jefferson Huskies on Saturday, January 20th. Big Sioux Media will have a video only stream of the double header with the girls.

Cardinal Boys Fall in DVC Semifinals

January 19, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids St Mary Cardinals fell to the Colman-Egan Hawks in the semifinal round of the Dakota Valley Conference tournament in Lake Preston on Thursday, January 18th. The Hawks advanced to the finals with a 70-47 final over the Cardinals.

Colman-Egan built a lead in the first quarter that the Cardinals could not overcome. The Hawks led by 10 points after the first quarter at 18-8. The lead for Colman-Egan extended to 16 points by halftime at 38-22. The Cardinals kept even with the Hawks in the third quarters as both teams scored 13 points. Colman-Egan did outscore St Mary 19-12 in the final quarter.

St Mary shot 30% from the field in the first half, and 38% for the game. They were 33% from beyond the three-point line and 53% from the free-throw line. The Cardinals were out rebounded 42-15 in the game.

Luke Brown led the team with 16 points and two rebounds. Connor Libis had 14 points and three rebounds. Connor Kangas had six points, Max Herber had four points, Drew Wood had three points, and Weston Geraets and Ethan Geraets both finished with two points. Colman-Egan was led by Bodee Groos and Keith Crisp with 22 points each.

The Cardinals (6-4) will play in the 3rd/4th place game of the DVC tournament against Oldham-Ramona/Rutland at 4:00 p.m. in Elkton on Saturday, January 20th.

Quarrier Girls Ends Skid with Big Road Win

January 17, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Quarrier girls basketball team ended a small, two-game losing streak with a big Region 3A and Dak-12 Conference road win at Hartford. The Quarriers defeated the #4 ranked West Central Trojans 56-49 on Tuesday, January 16th. The Trojans were coming off an overtime win over #1 St Thomas More on Friday, January 12th.

Dell Rapids took control in the first half building a 29-16 halftime lead. The Trojans were only able to cut the lead down to 10 points by the end of the third quarter at 40-30. West Central tried made a run toward the end of the game, but the Quarriers knocked down their free throws to secure the win.

The Quarriers shot 52% from the field in the game while holding the Trojans to just 27%. Dell Rapids was 13-20 from the free-throw line, and West Central finished 14-18.

Emma Paul led the way offensively with 14 points in the game. Arial Hoffman had 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Ravyn Hoffman finished with eight points and seven assists. Jayda Knuppe and Aspen Hansen also had eight points each in the game.

The Quarriers (8-3) will host Sioux Valley on Friday, January 19th. The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.

Quarrier Wrestling Wins Two on Senior Night

January 17, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

The Dell Rapids Quarrier wrestling team honored their three seniors during a Dak-12 home meet on Tuesday, January 17th. The three seniors are Nick Palmer, Ben Cavigielli, and Jack Prasek.

The Quarriers won both of their matches on the night. Dell Rapids defeated Dakota Valley 70-6 and then defeated Elk Point-Jefferson 46-27.

Dell Rapids will be in Garretson on Thursday, January 18th for a triangular with Garretson and Sioux Falls O’Gorman.

Jacob Vogel went 2-0
Canyon Lowman went 2-0
Sage Ottoson went 2-0
Trevon Cross went 2-0
Zack Mckee went 2-0
Max Lamer went 1-1
Brayden Gee went 1-1
Gage Carr went 1-1
Sam Cavigielli went 0-1
Trystan Stahl went 1-1
Mitchell Klinkenborg went 1-1
Licoln Richeal went 1-1
Kyle Cavigielli went 2-0
Nick Palmer went 2-0

Helen Aspaas

January 17, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Helen M. Aspaas, 95 of Sioux Falls, formerly of Dell Rapids passed away on January 9, 2018 at Dow Rummel in Sioux Falls. Her funeral service is at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids followed by a lunch gathering. Internment is in the East Nidaros Cemetery. Visitation is at noon on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at Kahler Funeral Home with the family present from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Helen M. Aspaas was born April 28, 1922, in Philip, SD, to Sophia and Mark (Billy) Marrington. She and her two younger sisters, Lucille (Celie) and Joyce, were raised on a ranch 40 miles north of Philip. She attended a country school for her elementary education, and went to Pierre for High School. She had to stay in Pierre during the school year, working for room and board between and after classes. Her sister, Celie, joined her after one year. She and Celie were good students, and had a love of music, singing in the chorus and taking piano lessons. After high school, Helen stayed home for a year to help care for her youngest sister, Joyce, while her mother taught school. The next year Helen and Celie both went to Augustana College in Sioux Falls. She met her future husband, Paul K. Aspaas, at Augustana where he was a pre-med student. Helen left college after 2 years, working as a teacher for a year, then as assistant superintendent of the school in Philip. Helen and Paul were married December 11, 1943, in the Philip Lutheran Church after Paul finished his first 2 years of Medical School in Vermillion. After a 2-day honeymoon they moved to Chicago where he completed his medical education. Helen worked as a secretary to support the family during this time. Paul then entered the Army for 2 years as a ship’s surgeon. By this time they had one son, Paul Kenneth, Jr. (Ken). Helen lived with her parents the first year of Paul’s military duty, then moved with their son to Kirkland, Washington, for a year while Paul was based at Ft Lewis.

Following Paul’s military service, the family moved to Dell Rapids, SD, where Paul joined the practice of Dr. A.F. Grove. They had their second son, Mark Iver, and Helen settled into the community. She was a housewife, and was very active in community affairs. She followed her sons’ activities closely, never missing an athletic event, band or choral concert, or play. She was a Cub Scout den mother, member and twice president of the band parents association, chaperone for multiple marching band trips, Sunday school teacher, church school superintendent, and member of the church choir. She served on multiple church committees, including the building committee. She worked hard to grow the church because of the increasing number of young people settling in Dell Rapids. Her son, Mark, designed the new addition to the church. She was doubly proud of that addition because she had a hand in convincing people it was the right thing to do, and because her son had designed it. She was also happy that she had the opportunity to be a Bethel Series trainee and teacher for 5 years. She felt that her knowledge of scripture and her overall faith benefited from the experience, and she loved sharing the information with other members of the congregation. She joined PEO in 1964, was local chapter president (Chapter AD) on multiple occasions, and state president from 1978-9. She loved that organization and her PEO sisters. She served on the Dells Carnegie Library board, and worked very long and hard along with her fellow board members to get approval of and raise funds for the library addition, repair, and renovation. She also helped to raise three foster children, had a young woman from Norway stay with the family for a year, and had an exchange student from Brazil stay to attend school. She took up painting as a hobby when she was 40, and found that she had a real gift. She painted with oils, watercolors and acrylics, and created some unique “rubout” paintings as well. She also enjoyed golf, bowling, bridge and other card games, traveling, and she had an intense love of reading. Perhaps her favorite entertainment was dancing. She and Paul, together with some of their friends, would go to dances in Sioux Falls and always had a great time. She loved spending time with friends and family, and adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Paul died in 2002. Shortly after, Helen moved to a twin home on the golf course where she lived for years with help from loving neighbors. Unfortunately, she developed an acute, severe illness that left her debilitated. After she got out of the hospital and rehab, she stayed with family for a while, but eventually went to Dow Rummel Assisted Living where she had a small apartment. She thrived in the environment at Dow Rummel for several years; she loved the caring staff and made new friends. She was happy and content there, but would occasionally wonder when God was going to call her home. She was anxious to “meet Jesus,” and to see her mother, husband, sister, family and friends who had gone before. Helen was a true “child of God.” Her faith was reflected in her love of God, family, friends, and community.

Grateful for having shared her life are sons: Ken (Maggi) and Mark (Dawn), Sioux Falls; sister: Joyce Greenwalt (Gary), Tulsa, OK.; grandchildren: Christopher (Nancy), Andy (Lyndsey), and Mahli Aspaas; Doug, and Liza Gaspar; great-grandchildren: Sofie, Liv, Alexis, William, and Teddy Aspaas; Mason Stanton; Daxton, and Autumn Gaspar.

www.kahlerfh.com

Gary Williams

January 17, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Gary Williams passed away on January 14th, 2018, from complications of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disease. His Memorial Service is at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 22, 2018 at the Lutheran Church of Dell Rapids Chapel. Visitation with the family present is from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at Kahler Funeral Home.

Gary Wayne Williams was born February 12th, 1945, to James and Lorene Williams of Dell Rapids. He attended Dockstader Country School in Moody County until he went to Dell Rapids High School. There he enjoyed sports, where he starred in football and track, and was given the citizenship award at graduation. Then he attended South Dakota State University, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Rodeo Club and ROTC. He became a 2nd Lietenant in the Army and earned his pilot’s license and a Bachelor of Science degree while at SDSU.

Gary met Darlys Masat at SDSU, whom he married on January 26, 1969, in Redfield SD. They made their first home in Milbank, and then moved to Sioux Falls and eventually settled on a farm near Trent. He was an extension agent in Milbank and Sioux Falls and then a hog buyer for Morrell’s. He then farmed for many years before moving to Dell Rapids and working for the US Post Office until retirement.

He was a 4H leader and past president of the Moody County Fair Board and was also State President of the SD Association of Fairs and Celebrations from 1983 to 1985. He loved raising horses and Dalmatian dogs on the farm. He was a life long member of the American Quarter Horse Association, and he was a judge for numerous horse shows across the tri-state area. He was a life long member of the Lutheran Church. He considered himself the biggest Jackrabbits fan and would take in any SDSU event that he could, from football and basketball games to track meets and concerts. He was famous for the statement, “My children can go to any college they want to, as long as it is in Brookings SD.”

One of his greatest joys in life was attending his children’s high school and college events, and later his grandchildren’s activities: didn’t matter if it was Fargo, Ames or Rapid City – he was there. He was known for his mischievous grin and his ability to strike up a conversation with anyone and instantly make them feel like a long-lost friend. His family will always remember him for his “humility”, as we all knew him as the ‘world’s nicest guy’.

He was preceded in death by parents James and Lorene Williams and brother James Dennis Williams.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Darlys (Dell Rapids); daughter Kristi Goehring (Parkston) and husband Scott and children Kacy, Elle and Abby; Son Justin Williams (Cambridge, WI) and wife Angela and children Ava and Aiden; Son Jordan Williams (Cranberry Township, PA) and wife Rebel and children Lyric, Aria and Coda; and siblings Jeanette (Tom) Burkhart and Phyllis (Deane) Koller.

Research and education were important to Gary, therefore he decided to donate his brain for research so that someday he may be able to help others who may be afflicted with PSP.

In lieu of flowers, memorial funds will be directed towards scholarship funds at South Dakota State University and research into a cure for PSP.

www.kahlerfh.com

Quarrier Defense Locks Down Garretson

January 16, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Photo courtesy of Rhonda Rentz

The Dell Rapids Quarrier defense held Garretson to an average of nine points per quarter as Dell Rapids cruised to a 76-36 win over the Blue Dragons on Monday, January 15th at Dell Rapids High School.

Dell Rapids only gave up eight points in the first quarter and led 14-8 at the break. The Quarriers outscored the Blue Dragons 21-12 in the second quarter, and Dell Rapids led 35-20 at halftime. After allowing 14 points in the third quarter, the Quarriers held Garretson to just two points in the final quarter in the victory.

The offense for Dell Rapids continued to roll as the team shot 48% from the field in the game. They finished 29% from three-point area and 84% from the free-throw line. The Quarriers had 40 team rebounds, 19 team assists, and only turned the ball over six times.

Nine different players scored for Dell Rapids. Jeffrey Schuch led the team with 19 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocked shots and three steals. Carson Rentz added 16 points, eight assists, and three steals. Mason Schmidt also finished in double digits with 11 points and four rebounds. Elijah Story and Drew Van Regenmorter tallied eight points each. Logan Heim pulled down nine rebounds, while Eddie Price had six rebounds.

The Quarriers (6-3) will host the #1 team in Class A boys basketball, the Madison Bulldogs, on Thursday, January 18th. The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.

2018 SD Legislative Sessions – Tom Pischke Week 1 Update

January 16, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

On Tuesday, Governor Dennis Daugaard gave his final state of the state address as Governor of the great State of South Dakota. State government faces several challenges as we prepare to budget for the coming year, but there are many bright spots on the horizon.

– Sales tax revenues continue to lag behind projections and revenues are tight. We will need to continue to watch revenues over the next two months to ensure we adopt a structurally balanced budget in March. Part of that is due to weak sales tax collections from a strained farm economy, and part is due to on-line and out-of-state retailers.

– The state has taken several steps over the years to try to collect more online retailers to encourage them to remit taxes. The state has reached an agreement with Amazon to collect and remit state and local sales taxes in South Dakota. Amazon began to voluntarily to collect sales tax on February 1st and began remitting in late March.

– Over the past six years, the legislature has passed a repeal over 4,000 sections of obsolete or unnecessary laws and rules, accounting for nearly 470,000 words. We will be proposing more of these bills this year.

– Two years ago, we started to create new conflict of interest standards for state employees. After one year’s experience, there will be legislation this year to clarify and streamline that law so that boards, commissions and school boards can achieve our objective of bringing transparency to these situations.

– South Dakota has now obtained AAA ratings – the highest possible – from all three major credit agencies. The AAA rating saves money when our tech schools, universities, and hospitals issue bonds – we get a lower interest rate because of our bond rating. We have balanced our budget for 128 years and recently placed an explicit requirement for a balanced budget in the constitution.

– Regular maintenance of state-owned facilities prevents larger problems in the future. But we also need to constantly reevaluate our need for the facilities that he have. The Governor is proposing to sell and repurpose unneeded and obsolete State-owned buildings across the state. We owe it to taxpayers to keep the state’s footprint to a minimum, to avoid spending tax dollars on maintenance of unneeded facilities and to return these properties to the tax rolls when possible.

– The total prison population today is lower that it would have been without reforms, but it is higher than we predicted it would be when we passed the Public Safety Improvement Act. We believe it’s due to the increase in methamphetamine trafficking. The Governor is proposing a joint drug interdiction task force, comprised of four new Highway Patrol officers, joined by designated agents of the Division of Criminal Investigation. There is a very close correlation between the increase in drug trafficking and the increase in meth arrests and convictions in South Dakota. We need to stop meth from coming into South Dakota.

– The Governor stressed that we need to find a way to stop out-of-state organizations from experimenting with South Dakota’s constitution and laws. These groups have no ties to our state and often don’t even disclose the source of their funds. They are using our state’s low signature requirement and cheap media markets to attempt to pass 15 constitutional amendments and initiated measures that advance their national agenda but don’t address problems seen in South Dakota. This session, we need to work together to find a way to protect our state from interference by out-of-state groups, while preserving our citizens’ access to direct democracy, so issues that do concern our grassroots can be raised, but not by people who don’t even live here.

If you have concerns about upcoming legislation or ideas to make our state better, please contact me at Tom.Pischke@sdlegislature.gov.

Cook Calmly Gives Cardinal Boys 3OT Win

January 16, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

With no time left on the clock at the end of the third overtime, Jason Cook stepped to the free-throw line with no around the lane and all eyes on him. With the game tied 68-68, Cook had three chances to give the Dell Rapids St Mary Cardinals a win in the opening round of the Dakota Valley Conference tournament. The first one bounced around the rim and fell away no good. Cook gathered himself and stepped back to the line. The second free throw went through the hoop, touching nothing but the net. Cook’s made free-throw gave the Cardinals the win. As a formality Cook had to take one more free throw, and he made it for the two-point win. Dell Rapids St Mary defeated the Lake Preston Divers 70-68 in three overtimes at Lake Preston on Monday, January 15^th to advance the semifinals.

The Lake Preston defense frustrated the Cardinals through the first three quarters of play. The Divers jumped to a 9-2 lead with 3:14 to go in the first quarter. St Mary was able to end the quarter on an 8-2 run to pull within a point at 11-10 after the first quarter of play. The Cardinals were only able to score just eight points in the second quarter, and the Divers extended their lead to 22-18 at halftime. Both teams scored 12 points each in the third quarter, and Lake Preston continued to hold on to their four-point lead at 34-30 heading into the final quarter.

The Divers pushed the lead to 37-32 with 5:45 to play in the game, but St Mary closed the gap to one point over the next :30. Lake Preston held a 37-36 lead with 5:15 to go. After a timeout, the Divers outscored St Mary 7-2 over the next 2:30 of the game to extend their lead to 44-38 with 2:45 remaining. Lake Preston looked to be in position to get the win as they lead 46-41 with 1:00 left in the game. Weston Geraets stole an inbounds pass after a timeout and scored on a layup to make the score 46-43. The Divers were called for a travel with :37 on the clock. Connor Libis made a three-point shot from the top of the key with :28 to go to tie the game at 46-46. Connar Kangas then stole the inbound pass to give the Cardinals a chance to win it in regulation. Libis’ shot at the buzzer was no good, and the game went to overtime.

Lake Preston took an early three-point lead in the first overtime at 49-46. The two teams traded baskets over the next couple of possessions. St Mary took the lead with 2:12 to go at 52-51 after a made layup by Kangas. Libis pushed the St Mary lead to 53-51 with 1:55 play. Lake Preston tied the game with 1:20 to go at 53-53. Even though both teams had an opportunity to take the lead late in the overtime, neither team could score, and the game went to a second overtime. The two teams traded points over the first three minutes of the second overtime. The game was tied 57-57 with 1:15 remaining. Lake Preston took a 59-57 lead with 1:03 to go. After two defensive stops, the Divers converted one-of-two free throws with :19 left to push the lead to 60-57. On the next Cardinal possession, Libis sunk a three-point basket from the right wing with :03 remaining to tie the game at 60-60 and force a third overtime.

St Mary scored the first basket of the third overtime and was able to maintain a one-point lead over much of the period. Geraets made a right-handed layup from the right block with 1:22 to go to give the Cardinals a 66-63 lead. After a defensive stop, Libis went one-of-two from the free-throw line to push the lead to 67-63 with under a minute to play. The Divers were able to get a quick layup, and then fouled Libis in the backcourt with :45 left. Libis went one-of-two again from the line and the lead was three points. With :25 to go, Lake Preston made a three-point shot from the right wing to tie the game at 68-68. With the shot clock out of play, the Cardinals’ plan was to hold for the final shot. Libis dribbled near the top of the key for about 20 seconds. Libis passed the ball to Kangas on the left wing with :05 to go. Kangas got penetration to the free-throw line and dished a pass to Cook who was wide open on the right wing. Cook took the pass and launched a three-point shot at the buzzer that was off the mark, but he drew contact and a foul on the shot. That foul sent Cook to the line where he sank two of three free throws for the win.

The Cardinals finished the game shooting 33% from the field. Geraets finished with a team-high 23 points and 17 rebounds. Libis had 21 points. Luke Brown tallied 12 points. Kangas finished with eight points. Max Herber ended the night with four points and nine rebounds, and Cook finished with the game-winning two points.

St Mary (6-3) advances to the semifinal round of the DVC tournament and will face the Colman-Egan Hawks on Thursday, January 18^th. The game will be played in Lake Preston at around 7:45 p.m. The game can be seen on Big Sioux Media.

Tjaden Receives Teacher of the Year Honor

January 15, 2018 by Matt Larson, Big Sioux Media

Dell Rapids Elementary physical education teacher Shannon Tjaden has won the 2017-2018 SHAPE (Society for Health And Physical Educators) South Dakota Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award. Tjaden will be formally recognized at the SHAPE SD Conference on Friday, January 26th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. The conference runs from January 25th through January 27th.

“It’s a big honor, and honestly it’s well deserved. He does a ton with our students at the elementary. He has our 3^rd graders playing cricket. It’s not roll the ball out and watch them play by any means. He’s always active with them. It’s very, very well deserved,” said Dell Rapids Elementary School Principal Jay Nelson during the Dell Rapids School Board regular meeting on Monday, January 8th.

Administrators, other teachers, students, or parents submit nominations for the award. The nomination form is found on the SHAPE SD website at http://shapesd.org.

The award criteria states the applicant mus be a physical education teacher who conducts a quality physical education program as refelcted in NASPE standards and guidelines for K-12 Physical Education programs, utilizes various teaching methodologies and plans innovative learning experiences to meet the needs of all students, serves as a positive role model epitomizing personal health and fitness, enjoyment of activity, sportsmanship, and sensitivity to the needs of students, participates in professional development opportunities, and provides service to the profession through leadership, presentations, and/or writing.

Tjaden also currently serves on the SHAPE South Dakota Board as Past President.

« Previous Page