11/21/2007 – News
Volume 124, Number
It’s been 20 years, but they’re ready to scrimmage the youngsters
BY BETH OLSON
The 1987 ND Class B State Champion Esmond-Maddock Eagles girls’ basketball team will be scrimmaging this year’s Maddock girls’ varsity basketball team on Saturday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Maddock School gym. A dance sponsored by the Multi-Purpose Building Committee will follow at 8 p.m.
Randy Simon, head girls’ basketball coach in Maddock, came up with the idea of a scrimmage. After checking with players from the 1987 team, everyone was looking forward to getting together for the first time in 20 years to reminisce.
Most of the comments from the team were that " . . . it would be fun to play, but I haven’t played for many, many years." The scrimmage will be just that, a scrimmage with no score being kept and no gate fee. However, a free-will offering will be taken with proceeds going to the girls’ basketball program.
The roster is not listed here as not everyone is sure of Thanksgiving travel plans. Some players from the 1988 Esmond-Maddock state tournament team were recruited so at least 10 players will be able to attend. One of the Leier sisters, if not both, hope to make it back for the game, so high school sophomore Erin Leier will be taking on a sister or two. There will also be a mother-daughter matchup, Kayla and mom Shannon Leier Lauinger.
The 1987 team was the first year of the basketball co-op between the two schools. Previous to that year, Esmond teams had qualified for five straight trips to the state tournament. The year the two teams joined, articles stated there were only five girls going out for basketball in grades 9 through 12 in Maddock. The transfer of Collette and Angie Schaan from Balta to Esmond, in combination with the co-op, rumored early season talk of a sixth straight state tournament berth.
Coach Larry Clark was the head coach. He was going on his second year in Esmond, following Coach Gary Schauer’s success with the program of four straight trips to state. Coach Clark had his hands full with the controversy of the co-op and transfer of the Schaan sisters. Another challenge was having a lot of talent to work with. Coach Clark, quoted in articles following the tournament, said "We had a lot of kids that had played varsity ball, so sacrifices had to be made. From Wanda (Schwab) on down, our kids made sacrifices in playing time and scoring averages." He continued, "Our kids had such great attitudes all year long. They put the team first and that was the key to our season." The Esmond-Maddock Eagles ended with a 25-0 season, winning the State Class B Girls Championship on Saturday, Nov. 21, 1987.
The championship was not the only award given that night. Headlines read "Clark guides Esmond-Maddock to Triple Crown." The players and the very large and supportive crowd at the state tournament showed just as much emotion when Coach Clark was named Coach of the Year by his peers as they did at the final buzzer, and the announcement was made by long-time ND High School Coaches Association member Dwight Leier. To top the triple crown, Wanda Schwab was named Miss Basketball of North Dakota for her outstanding skills and attitude, playing ability and several other factors, including sportsmanship, scholastic achievement, leadership and community involvement during a player’s career. She beat out six other finalists for the award.
Coach Clark commented, "Wanda was the one that kept us together. Above all else, she wanted the team to do well. She could have taken a lot more shots, but she didn’t."
The state tournament experience brought memories for the team, the schools and the two communities that will last forever. Team host, Uncle Milt Korslien is fondly remembered. "Welcome to the sixth annual Esmond Invitational," said Milt at the pre-tourney banquet, having served as the team host for all six of Schwab’s trips to state. There were lots of Esmond-Maddock Eagles Homer Hankies waving about at the tournament. A welcome reception following the championship was enjoyed by many at the Sheraton.
A large caravan of basketball fans gathered at the junction of ND 19 and ND 3 to meet the Class B girls champions. Police escorted them to the Esmond gymnasium for a program followed by a potluck dinner.
Decorated cakes were baked by Margaret Marthe. One was presented to Coach Larry Clark for receiving the coach award and Wanda Schwab for being chosen Miss Basketball.
White bears with their playing numbers were given to each girl on the team, compliments of the Maddock Farmers Grain Co. Dwight Leier was master of ceremonies for the program. Speakers were Coach Clark, several girls from the team, Supt. Shirley Hageness, Supt. Les Kramer, former coach Gary Schauer, assistant coach Ken Lang and Mayor Joe Leibhan.
There were those who claimed the Eagles never would have won the state championship without the co-op.
"As you know, we’ve had a lot of trouble with the co-op," assistant coach Ken Lang said. "The people who gave us the most grief about the co-op never had to put something like this together.
"Just think about it. To take a co-op in one year and turn it into a state championship. Just think of all the problems you can go through.
"But they (the players) set their goals and achieved a championship."
People in Esmond and Maddock didn’t care what people said about their team; they were the state champions.
And neither did the players. All they wanted to do was play basketball.
While people were taking shots at them with words, they just kept playing basketball and focusing on the goal of a state championship.
And for that, they were state champions.
1987 State Champions
This girls’ basketball team overcame co-op and player transfer controversy to complete the perfect season in 1987. Members of the first year Esmond-Maddock co-op were, front row, left to right, statisticians Allen Johnson, Jennifer Reamussen, Justin Lang, Heidi Hoffner and Janet Rasmussen (not pictured, Misti King). Back row: Coach Larry Clark, Karlene Brown, Michelle Leier, Becky Allan, Beth Erickson, Collette Schaan, Tammi Ziegler, Wanda Schwab, Lisa Nelson, Nina Binfet, Shannon Leier, Valerie Hoffert, Ranelle Leier, Angie Schaan, Traci Brown, Assistant Coach Ken Lang.
Maddock honored
Greg Maddock of Maddock is the Benson County Harvest Bowl honoree. The NDSU Harvest Bowl program recognizes the success, dedication and hard work of outstanding agriculturists in 53 counties in North Dakota and five counties in Minnesota. Highlights of the event included a Harvest Bowl dinner and awards ceremony and attending the Harvest Bowl football game between NDSU and Southern Utah. On his ranch near Maddock, he has a commercial registered Angus cattle operation. He also raises buffalo, grows hay and alfalfa and custom feeds a herd of longhorn cattle. Greg had been honored by the local and state FFA chapters with honorary degrees. He serves on the board of the ND Buffalo Association, Benson County 4-H Fair Building Committee and Vocational Advisory Committee. He is a 4-H club leader, active in the Benson County Rodeo Club and is an ambulance driver. In addition to ranching, he is a retail salesman and bus driver. Pictured, left to right, are NDSU President Joe Chapman, Marla Kenner and Greg Maddock.
Team takes third
The Maddock Bobcats girls volleyball team finished its season with third place in Region 4. The team was ranked first or second in District 7 for the majority of the season and took first in the district tournament. The five seniors on the squad are, front row, left to right, Michelle Olson, Shannon Schloss, Kimberly Randle, Alisha Knutson and Jessie Schwanke. The rest of the members are, second row, left to right, Sharisa Yri, Erin Leier, Kara Kallenbach and Erin Yri. Back row, head coach JoLynn Fautsch, Kristie Trautman, Jillian Maddock, Kaidi Kenner, Alexis Buckmier and assistant coach Bridget Lunde.
Member of choir
Bryan Randle, a member of the Bismarck State College (BSC) Concert Choir, was part of the 13th Annual ChoirFest Concert at the Belle Mehus Auditorium in Bismarck on November 17. Pictured with Randle are Dr. Tom Porter (left), BSC’s Professor of Music, and Dr. Bradley Logan (right), guest conductor from Bemidji State University, Bemidji, Minn.
This year’s ChoirFest featured 106 vocal and instrumental students from BSC plus selected vocal students from 12 North Dakota high schools. The concert concluded two days of intense rehearsals with choral students and guest conductor Dr. Logan.
Randle is majoring in process plant technology at BSC. This marks his second year as a member of BSC’s Concert Choir. He is the son of Wayne and Diane Randle of Maddock.
Cemetery vandalism
Minnewaukan Cemetery sexton Curtis Yri holds a flag which was vandalized on the grave of a veteran at the cemetery. The flag flew on a Legion marker at the grave and someone shot it with a shotgun. Yri is also commander of the Gunnerud-Dietrich American Legion Post 86 of Minnewaukan.
Fire destroys buildings, hay
Fire believed to have been started by heating hay destroyed two buildings November 13 on the Roger and Colleen Benson farm four miles west and four miles south of Oberon. It began at about 12:30 p.m.
Fire departments from Oberon, Sheyenne, Minnewaukan, Spirit Lake, Maddock and New Rockford responded when it was feared the barn and house may also be lost in the fire because of strong winds. The shop in this steel building was lost, along with all its contents, including a camper, a small tractor, a 4-wheeler, welder and miscellaneous tools.
All that remained of a wooden granary were the concrete struts on which it rested. The granary was used for storage and it was empty of grain. The Bensons also lost many big round bales, about 400 square alfalfa bales and straw bales. A hole had to be cut in one grain bin and grain removed because it got too hot. The last of the firefighters left at 9 p.m. and the Bensons stayed up all night to monitor the premises because high winds persisted. Most of the losses are covered by insurance.
Engels new manager at FU Oil in Maddock
The board of directors of the Farmers Union Oil Company of Maddock recently announced the hiring of Joe Engels as its new general manager.
Engels has been the agronomy manager in Maddock since 1994. Prior to that he was employed at Farmers Union Oil Company in New Rockford, specializing in the areas of propane and fertilizer.
"I am looking forward to working in my new position with the patrons of Farmers Union Oil in Maddock, Esmond and Oberon," commented Engels. "Stop for a visit anytime. My door is always open."
Engels was reared and educated in New Rockford. He and his wife, Merritt are the parents of Isaac, a freshman at Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, and Noah, a freshman at Maddock Public School.
During his free time, Engels enjoys the hunting.
Farmers Union Oil Company of Maddock is hosting an open house to give the public the opportunity to meet Engels. Coffee, hot apple cider and cookies will be served on Tuesday, Nov. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is invited.
Joe Engels, left, is congratulated upon assuming his new job as manager of the Farmers Union Oil Co. of Maddock. Giving him congratulations is Tom Gilbertson, president of the board of directors of the Farmers Union Oil Co. of Maddock.