The 2011 Wessington Springs High School varsity volleyball team consisted of, back row: coach. Sandra Jones, Haley Reider, Shelby Sandmann, Devin Tebay, Traci Orth, Shyanne Kopfmann, Monica Jones, Asst. coach Jordan VonEye;

Front: row: Kayla Boomsma, Lexi Olinger, Taylor Sinkie, Morgan Tebay, Sheyanne Brodkorb. Inset: Cassidy Musick.

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE WENZEL - THREE WESSINGTON SPRINGS SPARTANS received all-state honors in Cross Country following the 2011 season. The boys team placed third in the state cross country meet with Jase Kraft (left) placing second overall and Terrek Butterfield (right) placing fourth in the individual standings. Mindy Kraft (center) was the girls’ state Class B champion. Butterfield and Mindy Kraft are seniors, Jase Kraft is a sophomore.

THE WESSINGTON SPRINGS LADY SPARTANS hosted their annual parents’ night in their last home regular season match in the Springs gym last week. Shelby Sandmann (center) was the only senior on this year’s squad. She is shown above with her parents, Kevin and Kari Sandmann, from Alpena. Shelby was also the WSHS 2011 homecoming queen.

CHAIN GANG -- These Blackhawks fans ran the chains during home football games during the past season. They are, from left, Randy Willman, Tom Mebius, Dick Powell and Kim Schultz.

PHOTO COURTESY JUSTIN RUST/MITCHELL DAILY REPUBLIC SPORTS-- TREVOR EASTON (4) runs for a gain during first round action in the 2011 SouthDakota High School Football Playoffs. The Blackhawks lost a heartbreaking 37-36 decision to the Howard Tigers in the contest.

Dig Pink Night:

Shyanne Kopfmann and Devin Tebay go up for a block for the Wessington Springs varsity volleyball team during a match last week in the elementary school gym. (Right) a lineup of players at the match.

Student council, volleyball team plan breast cancer benefit Tuesday night

The Dig Pink Night sponsored by the Spartan volleyball team and the Wessington Springs High School student council will be October 18, 2011 during the James Valley Christian event beginning at 6:15 pm.

The students have planned a supper, silent auction, and display of facts and preventions to breast cancer.

If you would like to donate an item for the auction please contact Julie Miller or Sandra Jones at the school 539-9391.

The WSHS volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Than here last Tuesday, October 4, at the Springs gymnasium.

A trio of players led the team against Ethan. Traci Orth had seven kills and 13 digs to pace the Lady Spartans. Shyanne Kopfmann added six kills and Shelby Sandmann had `13 assists.

The girls were to play at Wolsey Tuesday night. Another picture appears on the sports page inside.

After top 100 finish at Boston Marathon

Distance runner Curtis Huffman, Wessington Springs, recently topped the field in the 2011 Omaha Marathon in Omaha, Nebraska.

He took 1st place in a time of 2:36:54., eight minutes ahead of second place.

It was the first marathon win for Huffman and ninth marathon in eight different states. Last year he finished in the top 100 at the Boston Marathon, one of the premier marathon races in the world.

The weather was perfect for a marathon. It was near 45 in the morning and was up to 60 by at the end.

“There wasn’t any wind and the course was shaded by the trees in town,” Huffman said. “The course had good hills between miles seven through nine, while other places had small rolling hills. The course was different than previous years due to the flooding in the Omaha area.”

There were near 700 runners in the marathon and a total of 4,000 in the 10K, half-marathon, and marathon combined. Huffman led the marathon the whole way with only a few other runners in a pack with him through the beginning miles. The second place runner was with him through fifteen miles and then fell behind.

“I felt pretty good through most of the beginning part of the race,” he said. ” I struggled through miles 23- 26, but I knew that the crowd near the finish line would motivate me to the finish. When I reached the last half mile to the finish line, the crowd was cheering and clapping. I broke the finish line tape for the first time in my marathon life. It was a great feeling.”

“Not many small town South Dakotans can say they have won a marathon ever. The best part of the race was at the finish line when my wife, Casey Huffman, was waiting and gave me a big hug.”

First place in the marathon received $200 and a wildlife print by photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen from Nebraska.

The picture is valued at $1500.

All finishing runners received a medal made in Omaha from recycled.. They are all unique and different from each other.

Huffman regularly trains with his dog on the streets of Wessington Springs and on rural roads in the area.

The Foothills Lodge –owned and operated by Dan Kruse and Fred Krohmer– is a local pheasant hunting lodge that opens its doors and hunting ground to the youth hunt. The hunt is sponsored by the Jerauld County chapter of Pheasants Forever.

Jason Weber was the local coordinator of the project.

Shown no specific order are: Levi Waldhauser, Kadin Kelsch, Hunter Mathias, Elijay Snay, Kanin Nelson, Cole Christensen, Brady Tiede, Ty Auske, Wyatt Stevens, Clayton Dornbusch, Trevor Harms, Drew Kress, Nate Kress, Nathan Huisman, Elliot Ohlrogge, Aaron Linke, Jonathan Linke, Philip Degreef and Hayden Hooks.

CRAIG SHRYOCK takes a shot as he turns for another run during competition last Sunday, September 18 at the Foothills 4-H Arena in Wessington Springs. Shryock’s perfect run put him near the top of the leader board during the meet. The event hosted by the area’s Dakota Running Irons Cowboy Mounted Shooting Club drew shooters from a wide area in South Dakota. The shoot had the theme “Will Shoot for Food” as club supports the local food pantry this year. A small portion of each shooters entry fee along with passing the hat raised money for the food pantry. Besides some of the top shooters in the state, the meet also entertained the crowd with a celebrity drag race shoot out and a battle between the Wessington Springs and Alpena Fire Departments. .

FORMER NATIONAL Mounted Shooters Champion Brett Borkowski of Wessington Springs rides fast and shoots straight as he competes at last weekend’s Mounted Shooters Competition. The event was sponsored by the area’s Dakota Running Irons Cowboy Mounted Shooting Club. It’s a fairly new sport that is gaining in popularity in cowboy country and the Wessington Springs club has several who have competed at the national level and done very well.

WSHS STUDENT Jake Krohmer goes on to the next target after bursting the one at right. Jake was competing at the competition sponsored by the Dakota Running Irons Cowboy Mounted Shooting Clubs meet last Sunday, September 18. The meet drew shooters from across South Dakota.

KELLI SHRYOCK is shown competing in the mounted shooting competition held last week at the Foothills 4-H Arena in Wessington Springs. Kelli has competed for several years and has shot in national competition. She is a grade school teacher in Springs.

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE WENZEL

THE 2011 WESSINGTON SPRINGS High School volleyball team is presently competing in their regular season. Members of the team are, front row – left to right: Alicia Jackson, Savanna South, Taryn Sinkie, Tallie Heim, Sierra Brodkorb, Jenna Teveldal; 2nd row – L to R: Lexi Olinger, Jaycee Hohn, Haley Reider, Whitney Reider, Sheyanne Brodkorb, Taylor Sinkie, Morgan Tebay; Back Row – L to R: Kayla Boomsma, Shelby Sandmann, Shyanne Kopfmann, Traci Orth, Devin Tebay, Cassidy Musick, Maddie Gran, Monica Jones.