Meuleners Runs Strong at State Meet
Belle Plaine Man Gets Massive Buck Page 20
Page 20
Enter the Great
Turkey Giveaway
Pages 9, 12
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST YEAR
BELLE PLAINE, MINNESOTA, NOVEMBER 7, 2012
75¢ SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 45
Heavy Turnout Celebrating with their Section 2AA championship trophy Saturday night were back row, from left, Erica Selly, Jordan Going, Claire Otto, Kirsten Johnson, Mariena Hayden, Haley Fogarty, Ellie Murphy, Elizabeth Johnson and Allison Anderson. In the front are Devin Lehman, Amara Meyer, Marykay Nasby, Emily Vinkemeier and Danielle Taylor.
Tigers Headed to State Will Face Thief River Falls 5 p.m. Thursday at Xcel Energy Center by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine High School volleyball team will head to downtown St. Paul shortly after school today (Wednesday) for this week’s Minnesota State High School Class 2A Volleyball Tournament at Xcel Energy Center. But even that ride through rush-hour traffic and a Thursday encounter against a team called the Prowlers may be less daunting than the path the Tigers took to earn their trip to state as they survived three very tough matches, including two five-setters, in a span of five days last week to claim their first section 2AA championship since 2005. Belle Plaine survived a strong rally by Minnesota River Conference rival Jordan in last Tuesday night’s North Subsection semifinals in New Prague 3-2. Mound-Westonka was the Tigers’ opponent for Thursday night’s subsection championship at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. Belle Plaine dropped the first set but won the next three to advance to Saturday night’s Section 2AA championship against, South Subsection No. 1 seed and MRC rival Le Sueur-Henderson. And as many expected, the match was another five-setter and this time the Tigers held off the de-
fending section champion 3-2, sending the Tigers and their faithful following into celebration mode as the program will be returning to the state tournament for the first time in seven years. “At the conclusion of the 15th point, to watch a team ranging from eighth-graders to seniors drop to their knees as the entire stand of Belle Plaine fans erupted behind them was the most humbling experience I have had as a member of the Belle Plaine volleyball program. Words can’t express the pride and happiness I have for this year’s team,” said Tigers coach Cassie Wolpern. Wo l p ern, who is in her third year as head coach of the Tigers, has had numerous other “humbling” experiences during her years as a member of the BPHS volleyball program. As a player, she led the Tigers to three of their five state tournament appearances (1999, 2000 and 2001) and graduated in 2003 as the national recordholder in career kills with 2,867. She also held single-season state records for service aces (80), blocks (99), assists (390) and kills (688).
Belle Plaine’s only other state tournament appearance before Wolpern was in 1985. Belle Plaine, 27-5 on the season, will take on the 26-5 Thief River Falls Prowlers, champions of Section 2AA. The Prowlers punched their ticket to St. Paul by defeating fellow northern schools Bagley (3-0), Roseau (3-1), Pequot Lakes (3-0) and Wadena-Deer Creek (3-2) in their section playoffs. In the section championship against Wadena-Deer Creek, the Prowlers dropped the first two sets 30-32, 27-29 before rallying to win the next three 25-14, 25-17, 15-11. Belle Plaine, seeded No. 4 at state, and Thief River Falls, seeded No. 5, do not share many common opponents, but the Tigers did play WadenaDeer Creek in a tournament on Sept. 22 in Burnsville and won 25-17, 25-27, 15-12. Judging by their seeds, records and common opponents, it looks as though Thursday’s 5 p.m. quarterfinal match is a toss up. The winner between Belle Plaine and Thief River Falls will take on the victor between No. 1 seed Marshall and unseeded Mora (24-7). Marshall, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, enters this year’s tournament with a record of 26-5, with four of those losses com-
Volleyball
(continued on page 20)
Voter turnout was heavy Tuesday at the Belle Plaine Government Center. Local election results were not available when this edition of the Herald went to press. To find them, go to www. belleplaineherald.com or the Herald’s Facebook page. By 10:30 a.m., election judges reported that there were 136 new registrations.
Taking Their Messages to Main Street
Dollars for Scholars Fund-raiser Nov. 16
Samantha Walsh of Belle Plaine, left, let people know where she stood on the marriage amendment while standing at the intersection of Main and Meridian streets down town on Election Day. Making their opposite feelings known on the other side of the intersection were Loree Heinkel of Belle Plaine, who is accompanied by her children, from left, Nik, Oscar and Sam, all of whom are home-schooled.
Belle Plaine Dollars for Scholars is hosting a beer and wine tasting Friday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m., at Emma Krumbee’s General Store. The doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 at Coborns, Otto Drug, State Bank, Cornerstone Bank and Emma Krumbees. Tickets at the door will cost $25. Proceeds will benefit DFS-Belle Plaine’s scholarship efforts. The event is planned as a fun night out. Guests can enjoy an appetizer, taste some new wine or beer and help support Belle Plaine Dollars for Scholars. A cash bar will be available as well. Participation will help make real difference in the lives of students in our community moving on to post-secondary schooling. In its 24 years of existence, Belle Plaine Dollars for Schol-
Fund-raiser
(continued on page 7)
City Council Votes Itself a Raise by Dan Ruud The Belle Plaine City Council Monday night voted 4-1 to give itself about a 15 percent boost in pay, effective Jan. 1, 2013. Council Member Gary Trost,
who asked that the issue be placed on the agenda, pointed out that the current mayor and city council salaries were approved in December of 2005, which could not, due to state law, take effect until Jan. 1,
2007 (after the following general election). Under the pay hike adopted by the council Monday, the
City Council
(continued on page 8)
‘ Music Man’ Tickets on Sale
Advanced tickets for Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High’s presentation of “The Music Man” are now on sale at the District Center (former junior high) weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students. The play will be presented Nov. 15-17 at 7 p.m.; Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Any remaining tickets will be The cast and crew in Belle Plaine Junior-Senior High School’s presentation available at the door. of “The Music Man” includes (back row, from left) Brayden Cryst, Nichole Eisenchenk, Max Hughes, Jennifer He, Catherine Littlepage, Kaylee Schields, Rylee Pumper, Kali Gorman, Cassidy Pumper, Breanna Newell, Schuyler Sterk, Megan Littlepage, Hannah Burmeister, McKenzie Thomas, Emma Stringer, Michael Chabot, (middle row, from left) Felicity Mecredy, Nicholas Coving-
ton, Matthew Ludvik, Erin Winters, Jake Hartmann, Nick Johnson, Taylor Bergland, Mikhayla Clausen, Jonah Meyer, Aiden Winterfeldt, Patrick Selly, Shelby Klipple, (front row, from left) Jacob Winters, Jamie Pampiano, Chastity Swenson, Gabby Malecha, Vanessa Anderson, Alec Lorenz, Ashley Entinger, Shabanna Mahadeo, Sabrina Johnson, Lauren Murphy, Rachel Fahey, (not pictured) Kyle O’Brien, Dylan O’Brien, Zander Stier, Ryan Wolke, directors Allison Jacobson, Allison Burmeister, Jerusha Zimmerman.