STATE SCENE: Hofer, Statz up for High School Heismans

| Sunday, September 28, 2003

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From The Journal Sports Staff

RAPID CITY - St. Thomas More's Adam Hofer and Anna Statz have been nominated for the coveted Wendy's High School Heisman Award. Similar to the collegiate Heisman recognition, this award honors the nation's top high school seniors who best exemplify a supreme "scholar-citizen-athlete."

These two promising leaders were recognized by Principal Wayne Sullivan for the academic aptitude, athletic talent, and tremendous display of commitment to their communities.

"We believe it's important to recognize our young people not just for what they do in the classroom or on the field, but their contributions to their communities," said Sullivan. "The Wendy's High School Heisman program is a great way to spotlight, on a national level, just how special they are."

Statz and Hofer were nominated for this program based on the following accomplishments: Adam Hofer, 4.068 grade point average, and work with the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bible Fellowship Church, Pennington County Teen Court, Exchange Club of Rapid City, United Way Day of Caring, Cornerstone Rescue Mission (Soup Kitchen), Church Youth Organization, Football (Defensive Cornerback and Tight End), Basketball (Point Guard), Golf, Ski Club, French Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Church Leadership Camp Junior Leader, Youth Business Organization Team Vice President, Rapid City Council Representative for St. Thomas More High School;

Anna Statz has a 4.068 GPA and works with the United Way Day of Caring, Canned Food Drive, 2002 Republican Campaign, S.A.V.E. Youth Conference, Basketball (Center and Forward), Volleyball (Setter and Hitter), West River Math Contest, West River Science Contest, Chadron Scholastic Contest, Youth Business Adventure Team CEO, National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, Voted Volleyball Most Valuable Player, 2003, Prom Decorating Committee, French Club Treasurer.

Iowa racers place well at Morris Memorial

RAPID CITY - A contingent of Iowa go-cart racers placed well in several divisions at the Kathy Morris Memorial Sept. 20 at Heartland Speedway.

Feature winners from the Hawkeye State included Kelly Visser, Senior Briggs Medium; Kevin Molder, Senior Briggs Heavy; Randy Wolf, Senior Star and Jonathan Grevengoed, Junior 1 Blueprint.

More than 100 racers participated in the Dakota Kart Racers' season finale at the eighth-mile banked dirt oval south of Rapid City.

The race is named in honor of Kathy Morris, a Rapid City kart racer and student pilot who died from cancer in March of 2000 at the age of 32.

Morris' husband Mitch won the Senior Open division, and daughter Alysse Morris, 2003 Junior 1 Sportsman class point champion, placed fifth in that class.

Reigning 2003 point champions Joe Gion and Brittany Flachman won their respective classes. Gion beat Tyler Farmer in Junior 2 Blueprint, while Flachman took the checkered ahead of Eric Emery in the Junior 2 Sportsman class.

Chris Flack of Rapid City placed third in Senior Briggs Medium and fifth in Senior Star. Flack is the regular season point champ in both classes.

Other Heartland Speedway point champions placing in the top five in their respective classes were Scott Diehl, fourth in Senior Open; Jacob Ossenfort, second in Junior 1 Blueprint and Todd Pudwill, third in Senior Briggs Heavy.

According to Paul Richter of the Dakota Kart Racers, all first-place winners were verified after post-race engine tear-downs.

Junior racers from first- to fifth-place received trophies, while the top five in the Senior classes received prize money.

Season awards will be handed out at a November banquet, Richter said.

Junior 1 Sportsman-1, Talon Flachman (29), 2, Dylan Vandierendonek (85); 3, Chelsea Oines (44). 4, Tyler Doyle (82); 5, Alysse Morris (66).

Junior 2 Sportsman-1, Brittany Flachman (24); 2, Eric Emery (27); 3, Courtney Wood (67); 4, Cam Chambers (81); 5, John Holzworth (72).

Junior 1 Blueprint-1, Jonathan Grevengoed, Iowa, (29); 2, Jacob Ossenfort (99); 3, Oree Deskins (97); 4, Trey Farmer (81); 5, Logan Hershey (73).

Junior 2 Blueprint-1, Joe Gion (14); 2, Tyler Farmer (8) 3, Brandon Jenks (28) 4, Nadeana Wright (98); 5, Jamie Beckman (18).

Senior Briggs Medium-1, Kelly Visser, Iowa, (55); 2, Kevin Molder, Iowa, (41); 3, Chris Flack (34) 4, Jess Laurenti (11); 5, J.W. Walsh (35).

Senior Briggs Heavy-1, Molder; 2, Jess Island (96); 3, Todd Pudwill (74); 4, Jamie Gerlach (46); 5, Travis McDonnell (37).

Senior Star-1, Randy Wolf, Iowa, (38) 2, Corwin De Roon (9); 3, Laurenti (11); 4, Flack; 5, Island.

Senior Open-1, Mitch Morris (11); 2, Ladd Portra, Nebraska, (19); 3, Rob Diehl (93); 4, Scott Diehl (47); 5, Derrick Goodwin (57).

Six area youth attend UND hockey school

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Six area students attended the thirty-first annual University of North Dakota Summer Hockey School. Students focused on power skating, position, small group instruction and good sportsmanship. All sessions took place in the new Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Rapid City attendees included Tyler Blazey, son of Matt and Salli Blazey; Kyle Dunfee, son of Bobbi and Robert Dunfee; Chris Jankowski, son of Tim and Veronica Jankowski; Harrison Tueber, son of Pam and Larry Tueber; Corey Weidemann, son of Tara and Herb Weidemann; Zach Wolfe, son of Kelly Wolfe and Anne Dickhaut; and from Black Hawk, Jason Hurt, son of Bob and Kris Hurt.

University of North Dakota head coach Dean Blais, along with associate head coach Dave Hakstol, assistant coach Brad Berry, and head women's coach Shantel Rivard, led practice sessions. Other coaches included Jeff Panzer (St. Louis Blues), Bruce Olson (Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.), Lee Goren (Boston Bruins), Mike Commodore (New Jersey Devils), Jason Blake (New York Islanders), and Karl Goehring (Columbus Bluejackets),

Amateur softball Hall of Fame to induct four

WATERTOWN - The South Dakota Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame will induct four individuals at its annual awards ceremony in Watertown on Oct. 11.

Entering the hall this year are Robert Adams of Watertown, Katy Remmers of Orient, Thomas "Duck" Suedmeier of Aberdeen, and Gayle (DeHaven) Vrooman from Miller.

Adams was a long time Hazel softball coach and promotor. Remmers is a Junior Olympic coach. Suedmeier is an umpire. Vrooman is an officer and player from the Eagle Butte, Huron, Miller areas.

The induction banquet will be held Oct. 11 at the Ramkota-Best Western in Watertown.

For ticket information, contact Gary Young in Watertown at 1-605-886-5413 or 1-605-886-3347.

Harvard, Hill are named week's top soccer players

SPEARFISH - Spearfish coach Ronnie Theisz has nominated Chris Harvard for Soccer Player of the Week.

Theisz describes Harvard as "an excellent goalkeeper and team leader. He is always optimistic, very coachable and organizes our Spearfish defense. He is strong on air balls and shot-stopping and his booming punts create serious offensive efforts for our forwards."

Harvard was named Outstanding Player in both his freshman and sophomore years. He has been co-captain in both his junior and senior years. Harvard has a 2.515 GPA and plans to play soccer in college. He is contemplating a career in either social work or elementary education.

Theisz coaches both boys' and girls' teams in Spearfish. His nomination for the Spartans girls Player of the Week is team captain Heather Hill.

Hill is the only senior on the team and Theisz describes her as "invaluable to our success. Twice named Most Valuable Forward for the Spartans, she is a proven goalscorer and her work rate inspires our team."

Hill maintains a 3.46 GPA and has participated in the Olympic Development Program pool play for the past four years. She has been selected by the other soccer coaches in the state for nomination to the All State teams as Honorable Mention in 2000, Second All State team in 2001, First All State Team in 2002 as well as twice winner of the Golden Goal and both runner-up and winner of the Golden Boot Award.

Hill and Harvard join St. Thomas More's Elizabeth Keller as the week's top soccer stars. Keller was featured on page D6 of Thursday's Journal.

Pro team walleye circuit is launched by magazine

CASPER, Wyo. - Western Walleye Magazine, the fastest growing magazine in the West and Mid-West, announces sponsor partnership with Lowrance Electronics, to launch the new Pro Team Walleye Circuit starting in the spring of 2004. Western Walleye Magazine has subscribers in 40 states and five Canadian provinces, and is the official magazine of Walleye Central; North Platte Walleyes Unlimited; Walleyes Unlimited of Billings, Mont.; and the Colorado Walleye Association. Western Walleye Magazine is the only magazine that covers the MWC, PWT, RCL, and now the new Lowrance-sponsored Pro Team Walleye Circuit.

Lowrance Electronics is recognized as the world leader in recreational sonar and GPS navigation technologies since 1957. "We could not have found a better title sponsor in the fishing industry than Lowrance, says Billy Brenton, publisher of Western Walleye Magazine. "They have continually shown their support for the walleye angler at every level, and have been the leading innovator of high quality sport fishing sonar and Global Positioning System and mapping instruments for over 46 years."

Tournament formats will consist of three days of fishing. All anglers will fish day one and day two, and only the top 40 teams will advance to day three, "Championship Saturday." Each of the tournaments will have a purse of $200,000, based on a field of 200 teams and pay 40 places, with first place paying $50,000 and 40th paying $2,000. "There are many good teams fishing small tournaments, and this gives them 50,000 reasons to be a team player and fish for pro status and money, " says Brenton.

The 2004 schedule consists of two tournaments and will expand in 2005 with two tournaments and a championship. The first stop for the Lowrance-sponsored Pro Team Walleye Circuit will be at Lake Sharpe, Pierre on May 6-8, 2004. The second tournament will be held at Big Stone Lake on Sept. 9-11, 2004. Both locations are renowned for their walleye fishing and both communities have welcomed this new circuit with open arms.

For complete rules, entry forms, and payout information, go to www.westernwalleye.com.