Eclectic events involved tractors, bikes, softball, baseball, cross country, golf club party
The 2017 Pow Wow Saturday schedule of events was held under perfect summertime skies, something for which Minnesotans yearn – and of which full advantage was taken.
The run-down for “#83’s” Saturday events – in chronological order – was as follows:
+ Pow Wow Tractor Cade.
+ Mayor’s Bike Trail Ride on the Mountain Lake Trail around the Lake.
+ Alumni Softball Game at Munson Field.
+ Stan Schroeder Memorial Alumni Baseball Game at Munson Field.
+ Laker/Wolverine Cross Country Reunion – and Tribute to Paul Metcalf – at Mountain Lake Public School.
+ Pow Wow Party at Mountain Lake Golf Club.
Photo gallery from 2017 Pow Wow Saturday
A PHOTO OF a group of the Tractor Cade participants. The drivers took their tractors and headed north out of Mountain Lake on Cottonwood County Road #29 at 8 a.m. for a tour around the county’s countryside.
MOUNTAIN LAKE MAYOR Mike Nelson, right, took the lead for the Mayor’s Bike Trail Ride.
THE BICYCLISTS MADE their way past the island on the Mountain Lake Trail and headed out toward the lake’s western shore.
ALTHOUGH POW WOW does not have an “official” Fishing Contest, Mary Keobouravath of Butterfield, left, was the winner this morning, outfishing her male counterparts. She reeled in these two bass from the Mountain Lake shoreline. Derek Melheim of Darfur, right, believed each had a high probability of weighing in between two-and-three pounds.
SOFTBALL DIAMOND DIVAS – both alumnae and current players – faced off in the annual Alumni Softball Game. Current team member participants included, front, from left, 2017 Miss Mountain Lake First Runner-Up Jordan Boldt, Molly Carnell, Jaelin Renquist, Taylor Naas, Brooke Naas, Destiny “Tiny” Sybounheuan, Sabrina Hanson and Emily Xayanourom. Returning to the ball field were the alumnae in the back row, from left, Olivia Hopwood, Haley Hamilton, Kim Naas, McKenzie Hopwood, Janessa Peters, Lexia Peters and Chanah Brandt. Not pictured was Kjell Eken.
DESIGNATED PITCHER FOR both teams was the pitching machine, assisted by Shawn Naas.
SLAPPING A PITCHING machine/Shawn Naas “pitch” into right field was the alumnae team’s Kim (Mathistad) Naas, a 1988 grad.
IN FACT, KIM defeated a pair of family nemeses with her base hit. The first was her husband’s machine-pitched ball and second, she placed it beyond the reach of her daughter, Taylor.
CHANAH BRANDT, A 2016 graduate and member of the Gustavus Adolphus Gustie’s softball squad, laid a perfect bunt down the first-base line, racing past it safely to first.
EYES ON THE runner. Jordan Boldt, third-base player, scoops up the hit and keys in on first base – and the alumna batter steaming her way toward the bag.
COACH MIKE JOHNSON’S draft team mix of alumnus and current players. Front, from left, Coach Mike Johnson, Ryan Ott, Josh Falk, Zach Spinks, Jese Jepsen, Curt Kunkel, Jon Faber and Levi Stoesz. Back, from left, Home Plate Umpire Willie Krahn, Adam Schroeder, Nik Naxay, Gary Blom, Jesse Hiebert, Mitch Schroeder, Tim Boldt and Regan Syverson.
COACH STEVE SCHROEDER’S team mix picks. Front, from left, Adam Watkins, Brett Willaby, Abraham Stoesz, Dan Melheim, Stacy Ott, Kyle Ott and Bob Blom. Back, from left, Chad Kunkel, Eli Karschnik, Eric Johnson, Levi Jahnke, Blake Spinks, Dusty Pfeiffer, Kevin Krahn, Dusty Schroeder, Coach Steve Schroeder and Home Plate Ump Willie Krahn. The field ump was Dan Suess.
THESE WOMEN JOINED voices and shared the “National Anthem,” prior to the first pitch of the annual Alumni Baseball Game. From left, Sabrina Hanson, Marta Stoesz, 2017 Miss Mountain Lake Second Runner-Up Madison Schroeder, 2017 Miss Mountain Lake Jae Faber, 2017 Miss Mountain Lake First Runner-Up Jordan Boldt, Sonja Stoesz, Olivia Hopwood, Taylor Naas and Destiny “Tiny” Sybounheuan.
TWO OF THE late Stan “Stan-The-Man” Schroeder’s sons, Adam, right and Mitch, left, honored their dad with remarks prior to the start of the game. They recognized a memorial bench recently installed at the ballfield saluting their dad, presented by the Oeltjenbruns Family. They also noted the renaming of the annual contest to the Stan Schroeder Memorial Alumni Baseball Game. Stated Adam, “After dad passed away, we discovered drawings and plans in his office for the future of the ballfields, along with contact information. To our family, this field is a piece of my dad.” Also speaking was Mountain Lake Public School Superintendent Bill Strom, who shared about the devoted work Stan put into rejuvenating the baseball and softball fields at Munson Field, carrying on the legacy of his late father, Bob Schroeder, who spearheaded the original reconstruction of the athletic field area. Missing was the third Schroeder brother, Kyle, who was participating in a friend’s wedding. For a link to an article about Stan’s special bench, go to: https://www.cross-countiesconnect.com/2017/06/devoted-diamond-duty/
RYAN OTT, OF Team Mike Johnson, went low to grab and squeeze a hit ball, tossing to first for the out.
AN APPROPRIATE PHOTO ala “Field of Dreams – baseball played on a rural diamond, with green growing corn and a grain elevator as the backdrop. Team Steve Schroeder’s third-base player Eli Karschnik, runs in to nab the slow roller. At back are second-base player Kyle Ott, left and right-fielder Levi Jahnke, right.
JESSE HIEBERT FROM Team Mike Johnson, left, placed his body in blocking position in front of first base as he tagged out the galloping Dusty Pfeiffer, right, of Team Steve Schroeder.
ADAM WATKINS HUSTLED around second base, headed to third – and eventually – home, scoring a run for Team Steve Schroeder.
MOUNTAIN LAKE CROSS Country (1971-2016) was celebrated with a Laker/Wolverine runner reunion – and tribute to longtime coach Paul Metcalf – Saturday afternoon in the public school. Prevalent in displays were the team colors of Orange-and-Black and Maroon-and-Silver.
THE ORIGINALS. SIX runners approached Mountain Lake Public High School Principal Dennis Litfin in 1971 with the desire to be part of a cross country team. Newbie Paul Metcalf was tapped by Litfin to be that coach – beginning his immersion with the sport and running in general. Front, from left, Gary Bochman (the first-ever Mountain Lake runner to compete in a state meet), Stan Dick and Waldean Wall. Back, from left, Dwight “Whity” Becker, Marvin Harder, Coach Paul Metcalf, DeVon Wiens and Merlin Stoesz. In short order, they were district champs. Bochman, Dick, Wall, Becker, Wiens and Stoesz are from the Class of 1974, with Harde representing the Class of 1975.
RUNNERS FROM THE back half the 1970s to 1980. Front, from left, Todd Anderson, Dean Friesen and Mike Nelson. Back, from left, Brent Friesen, Ken Heide, Coach Paul Metcalf and Ross Fleming. In 1976, the boys team finished fourth in the state.
THE FOLLOWING GENERATIONS of runners. Front, from left, Ryan Blomgren, Ben Bartsch, Mark “Sparky” Nelson, Cary Bartsch, Dan Penner and Josh Metcalf. Back, from left, Phil Heide, Tim Grant, Paul Christianson, Troy Friesen, Chris Pankratz and Coach Paul Metcalf.
MOUNTAIN LAKE’S FIRST female cross country runners began taking to the course (running in the junior high boys race) in 1978, led by Tammy Olson, Class of 1983 and the late Mary (Nelson) Clerc. Six cross country seasons later, in 1983, the girls were the state runners-up. Pictured above are the female runners from 1978 to today who attended the reunion. Front, from left, Marcia (Thone) Hummel, Lisa (Nelson) Hurlen, Dawn (Friesen) Gray, Marny (Metcalf) Carrison, Renee “Baby Boo” (Wenberg) Neumann, Krystie (Ratzlaff) Haden, Bethany (Green) Kempfert and Alison (Penner) Rahn. Back, from left, Jenni Bochman, Tammy Olson, Marty (Jantzen) Bragg, Lona (Nelson) Baumann, Coach Paul Metcalf, Kyra Wenberg, Jenny (Sneer) Johnson, Liana Blomgren and Brooke Fast.
KRYSTIE (RATZLAFF) HADEN, Class of 2002, left, shows her daughter, Maddy, right, the green-striped Adidas cross country spikes Gary Bochman wore during his final year of high school competition in fall 1973, and which took him to state (the first Mountain Lake cross country runner to achieve that goal.)
MARK “SPARKY” NELSON, right, shows his son, Spencer, left, an old photograph of himself and his teammates.
GETTING CAUGHT UP at the reunion were Marty (Jantzen) Bragg, Class of 1986, left, and stalwart bus driver (and mother of three cross country runners), Marilyn Bartsch, right.
LONGTIME MOUNTAIN LAKE Cross Country Coach Paul Metcalf, left, gave opening remarks at the reunion’s prgoram, as well as an abbreviated local cross country history lesson. For Metcalf, who knew he wanted to be a coach since he was 13, a cross country reunion uniting Lakers and Wolverines – and the generations of local runners – was, “something I had dreamed about for 15 years, if not longer. I wanted a reunion connection in order to be a conduit to keep the legacy going down to younger athletes.” Metcalf added to the history of the well-known-by-all-runners McDonald’s Supper Story by telling the audience that it all began on the first trip to the Swain Invitational in Duluth – and came down to an eating contest between Coach and DeVon Wiens. Metcalf’s coaching philosophy – “Never, ever, ever talk about winning. Talk about dedication, desire, heart, effort, hard work, self-discipline and a team-first attitude.” His assistant coaches during his tenure as runner-in-chief were Steve Klassen, Jerry Logue and Mike Nelson.
BRIDGING 46 YEARS of cross country in Mountain Lake. Reunion attendees pause for a photo op. Organizers for the reunion were Dawn (Friesen) Gravy, Chris Pankratz, Ross Fleming, Jenni Bochman, Marty (Jantzen) Bragg, Jenny (Sneer) Johnson and Gary Bochman. Speakers at the program included Bochman, Fleming, Ken Heide, Mike Nelson, Tammy Olson, Josh Metcalf (Coach’s son), Krystie (Ratzlaff) Haden, Pankratz, Stan Dick, Johnson, Gray and Kyle Blomgren. All noted that Metcalf’s role extended beyond that of coach – to teacher, mentor, psychiatrist, motivator and “second” dad. Additional comments highlighted Coach’s passion and sincerity. Metcalf was awarded with four 12-packs of Sun Drop, his favorite beverage from an earlier day; a T-shirt noting his coaching years, designed by local artist (and former assistant cross country coach) Steve Klassen; a commemorative framed wall display of the above photograph, signed by all attending – and – the renaming of the lone home cross country meet from the Laker or Wolverine Invitational – the Paul Metcalf Invitational. The back of each T-shirt will sport a different original “Paulism” each year; for example, this one, “When you cut corners, you’re only cheating yourself.”
Remaining 2017 Pow Wow Calendar of Events
Sunday, June 18
+ Center Point Church of Mountain Lake Pancake Breakfast – Mountain Lake City Park Gazebo, 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
+ Mountain Lake Ministerial Association Community Worship Service – Mountain Lake City Park, 10 a.m.
+ Food Stands open in Mountain Lake City Park/Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Booth opens – 11 a.m. (Third Clue for Adult Scavenger Hunt.)
+ First Annual Mountain Lake Vendor/Craft Fair – Corner of 12th Street and 3rd Avenue, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tupperware, Usborne books, several crafters, custom wood crafter, Ocie’s creations.
+ Steve Pfeiffer Memorial 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament – north side of Mountain Lake City Park, 12 noon. (A 35+ bracket is being considered.)
+ Mountain Lake Area Booster Club Dunk Tank in Mountain Lake City Park – 12 noon to 3 p.m.
+ Registration opens for 44th annual Mountain Lake Pow Wow Road Race – 2:30 p.m., sign-up and all races start at Mountain Lake Public High School.
Mountain Lake Pow Wow Road Race Fitness Walk (1 mile and 2 mile), 3:15 p.m.
Half-Mile Run, 3:55 p.m.
Mountain Lake Mile Run, 4:15 p.m.
4-Mile Run, 4:30 p.m.
+ Pow Wow Kiddie Parade down 3rd Avenue – from Peterson Thrifty White Drug & Gifts to Mountain Lake City Park, 5:30 p.m.
+ Antique, Classic, Hot Rod Car & Tractor Parade and Park-N-Show – down 3rd Avenue, 6 p.m. (Registration begins at 5 p.m. at Town’s Edge Auto, located on 3rd Avenue at the east edge of Mountain Lake. Rubber tires only allowed. First 60 line-up participants receive a Dash Plaque.)
+ Mountain Lake Ministerial Association-sponsored event at – Mountain Lake City Park Bandstand, 7 p.m.
Monday, June 19
+ Food Stands open in Mountain Lake City Park, 10 a.m.
+ Commercial Stands open in Mountain Lake City Park, 10 a.m.
+ Rush Adventures Bungee Trampoline opens in Mountain Lake City Park, 10 a.m.
+ Mountain Lake Area Booster Club Dunk Tank in Mountain Lake City Park, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
+ Midway (Midwest Rides) opens in Mountain Lake City Park, 2 p.m.
+ Grande Parade down 3rd Avenue, 7 p.m.
+ Mountain Lake Area Booster Club Dunk Tank in Mountain Lake City Park, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
+ After the Grande Parade – Summerline Groove (a percussion academy located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and The Wendinger Band erform at the Mountain Lake City Park Band Shelter.
Tuesday, June 20
+ Kids Medallion Hunt in Mountain Lake City Park, at Poet Corn Wagon 11 a.m., for kids age 10 and under.
+ Food/Commercial Stands, Midway (Midwest Rides) and Rush Adventures Bungee Trampoline open in Mountain Lake City Park, 11 a.m.
+ Free Midway (Midwest Rides) Ticket Drawing – for kids ages 10 and under, every half-hour from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (must be present to win).
+ Mountain Lake Area Booster Club Dunk Tank in Mountain Lake City Park, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
+ Georgia’s Dance Elements performance – Mountain Lake City Park Band Shelter, 5 p.m.
+ Mountain Lake Fire Department Water Fight – on 10th Street, 5:30 p.m.
+ Bob & The Beachcombers – Mountain Lake City Park Band Shelter, 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
+ Raffle Drawing for $1,000 grand prize, two $500 cash prizes and other prizes donated by local businesses – Mountain Lake City Park Bandstand, 9:30 p.m.
