212 ATHLETIC CONFERENCE HISTORY

1947 - 1974

YEAR BY YEAR:
1970 - 1971

Football

Wrestling

Basketball

Track

Baseball

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Football        Back To Top

1970 212 Conference Football Champion:  Renville Indians

First Row: M.Waller, C.Raske, P.Olson, D. Metag, M.Rosaasen, D.Bratsch, D.Wolter, C. Johnson.
Second Row: M.Kashmark, L. Abbas, M.MaGuire, J.Lenz, J.Freiborg, T.Eekhoff, L.Bratsch, G.Eeckhoff, D.Dolan.
Third Row: D.Reetz, B.Schmidt, C.Raske, A.Rosaasen, S.Kleinhuizen, R.Berger, J.Smith, D.Wertish, J.Peterson, R.Santjer, Mgr.
Fourth Row: P.Peterson, S.Habben, G.Mulder, L.Hoffman, L.Mulder, P.Brettin, P.Degree, Coach Vanek, Ass’t Coach Sylvester

       The Renville Indians won their second consecutive football championship with a very convincing victory over Brownton.  On the final week end of scheduled play, Renville had a 6-0 record compared to Brownton and Bird Islands a 4-1-1 record.  Renville beat Brownton 68-8 to go 7-0 in the conference and 9-0 over all. The Indians scored 276 points for a 39.4 average on offense.  Runner up, Bird Island, scored 243 and averaged 34.7 on offense.  Renville also led the conference on defense with a 6.9 points per game average.  Bird Island gave up 13.7 points per game.  Their toughest game of the year was 18-14 victory over arch rival Danube.  Renville's outstanding all around athlete, Doug Wertish, set the 212 Conference record in scoring when he scored 19 touchdowns and 10 extra points for a total of 134 points.  The old record was 109 points set in 1962 by Bob Bruggers of Danube.  Hector junior quarterback, Steve Hage, broke the passing yardage record with a total of 1002 yards.  The record was 905 yards, set by Mike Dolan of Renville in 1969.  Steve Hage was the son of Hector coach, Bob Hage.  Steve Hage was a very unique quarterback as he would throw with either hand, depending on which way he would roll out.  In baseball, Hage would play second base right handed and pitched left handed.  Danube's Galen Swoboda led the conference in total offensive yardage with 887 yards.    

Wrestling        Back To Top

1971 212 Conference Wrestling Champions:  Brownton Bears

First Row: S.Alsleban, P.Guerrero, C.Spiering, R.Guerrero, M.Katzenmeyer.
Second Row: Coach Reopke, E.Alsleben, F.Bipes, V.Koepp, Coach Beshey: Third Row:D.Solomon, C.Kloempkin, J.Lietz, T.Decker, R.Zaske.

     The Brownton Bears won the 1971 212 Conference Dual Meet title and the Conference Tournament Championship that was held in Bird Island. The Bears repeated as dual meet champions, and replaced Bird Island as the tournament champion.  Bird Island won the tournament for the past three years.  Brownton placed eight boys in the finals but only came out with 3 champions. The Olivia Wildcats dominated the 1971 District 12 Wrestling meet by scoring 112 points.  With the meet even going into the semi-final round, all eight of Hutchinson's wrestlers lost and all eight of Olivia’s wrestlers won.  Hutchinson set a District 12 record by having eight 3^rd places.

     In the Region 3 meet held at Montevideo, Canby won easily over District 12 Champion, Olivia, by scoring 64 points compared to 50 for Olivia.  District 12 had six of the twelve individual champions and four runners-up.

212 Conference Place Winners
95-1st-Scott Setzephant, Bird Island dec Gary Karns, Renville 4-0
    3rd-Keith Holien, Sacred Heart dec. Sid Alsleban, Brownton 3-0
103-1st-Ricky Beckler, Bird Isalnd dec. Phil Guerro, Brownton, 9-0
    3rd-Jerry Skalbeck, Sacred Heart dec. Dale Walter, Hector 10-1
112-1st-Mark Poortvilet, Danube dec. Charles Spiering, Brownton, 11-1
    3rd-Curt Johnson, Renville, dec. Keith Fischer, Buffalo Lake, 6-0
120-1st-Roy Guerro, Brownton, dec. Jeff Beckler, Bird Island, 8-3
    3rd-Paul Dokken, Buffalo Lake pinned Rich Aalderks, Sacred Heart, 3.41
127-1st-Wayne Anderson, Sacred Heart dec. Vern Koepp, Brownton, 5-0
    3rd-Gary Abel, Hector dec. Keith Buboltz, Bird Island, 7-0
133-1st- Paul Olson, Renville, dec. Tim Decker, Brownton, 11-1
    3rd-Bill Williams, Sacred Heart dec. Brian Sportel, Danube, 6-2
138-1st-Bill Schmidt, Renville, dec. Joel Lietz, Brownton, 10-0
    3rd-Jerry Lingl, Bird Island dec. Keith Peterson, Hector, 4-2
145-1st-Jerry Frieborg, Renville, dec. MyronMinkel, Danube, 6-0
    3rd-Rod Kurth, Buffalo Lake, dec. Paul Anderson, Sacred Heart, 10-5
154-1st-Wayne Walter, Hector, dec. Ralph Windschitl, Stewart, 2-1 OT
    3rd-Breg Bleck, Buffalo Lake dec. Perry Caspets, Bird Island
165-1st-Glenn Alsleben, Brownton, dec. Jeff Ercikson, Bird Island, 4-2
    3rd-Deland Kortgard, Sacred Heart, dec. Dave Maurice, Danube, 6-2
175-1st-Bob Siedl, Bird Island pinned Greg Markgraf, Buffalo Lake, .40
    3rd-Bruce Lenz, Renville, dec. Harlan Huisman, Sacred Heart, 9-5
Hwt.-1st-Fred Bipes, Brownton, forfeit, Dale Hotovec, Danube
    3rd-Rich Roste, Sacred Heart, dec. Charles Melberg, Hector, 6-1
 

Basketball        Back To Top

1971 212 Conference Basketball Champions:  Renville Indians

Front Row: D.Randleman, D.Wertish, D.Smith, M.Dolan, M.Santjer, D.Reetz, K.Mulder, Mgr.
Back Row: Asst. Coach Sorenson, K.Raske, S.Mulder, P.Brettin, L.Hoffman, L.Mulder, D.Agre, Coach Jerry Vanek.

     The Renville Indians won the 1971 Conference title with a perfect 13-0 record.  The 1970 Champion, Bird Island, finished runner up.  Due to bad weather, two of the scheduled games were canceled.  Renville went through the entire regular season schedule with a 17-0 record.  Both Renville and Bird Island dominated the conference statistically as Bird Island averaged 88.2 points per game on offense, compared to 86.9 for Renville.  The Indians only gave up 50.8 points per game on defense, compared to Bird Island's 62.0.  The number one seed in District 12, Renville (17-0), and number 2 seed, Bird Island (17-2) met in the finals as Renville defeated Lester Prairie 93-72, and Bird Island getting past Olivia, 73-70.  Renville beat Bird Island 76-63 in the finals.  It was the third time that Renville defeated Bird Island in the season, all by 13 points.  Third year Head Coach, Jerry Vanek, brought his team into Region 3 play with a tall and talented team.  Many believe that the 1971 Renville team was as good as any team in the history of the 212 Conference.  Senior guard, Doug Wertish led the team in scoring with 18.0 average. 6’6 junior, Larry Mulder averaged 15.9, 6’4, freshman center, Greg Mulder, averaged 11.8, Doug Reetz, 10.8, and 6’5 Lowell Hoffman 9.1. In Region 3 play, Renville defeated Montevideo in the first game, and then struggled to a 52-50 win over Tracy in the finals.  It was the first close game that Renville played over the 22 games.  In the State Tournament, the Indians won their first game against Luverne, 74-55, and lost to Red Wing, 76-65 in the semi-finals.  In the 3^rd place game they were defeated,  80-77 by East Grand Forks to finish their season at 23-2.  This was the first year that the Minnesota State High School League would have the State Tournament in the two class system.  Doug Wertish finished his career at RHS with 1104 points.

Track             Back To Top

1971 212 Track Champions:  Renville Indians

First Row: D.Reetz, L.Throngard, L. Bratsch, S.Link, J.Freiborg, K.Branick, C.Olson. 
Second Row: S.Kleinhuizen, S.Dueth, J.Larkin, J.Ruter, L.Hemmingson, M.Santjer, D.Vanden Einde. 
Third Row: J.Smith, K.Raske, D.Agre, P.Brettin, S.Mulder, P.Haug, D.Wertish, D.Smith, Coach Sorenson

     The Renville Indians ran away from the field in the 212 Conference track meet by scoring more points than the other seven teams combined.  The Indians won 11 of the 16 events and finished one-two in four events.  The only records that were broken were the sprint medley relay and the mile relay.  Three Renville athletes were double winners in the meet: Doug Wertish in high jump and pole vault, Jim Ruter in the high and low hurdles, and Paul Brettin in the shot put and discus. Renville also dominated the District 12 Track Meet at Glencoe.  They scored more points than runner-up, Hutchinson, and last years champion, Glencoe, combined.  Montevideo won the Region 3 meet held at Winthrop with the Indians finishing fourth.

Baseball        Back To Top

1971 212 Conference Baseball Champion:  Bird Island Panthers

Front Row: Tom Smith, Mark Bauman, Gary Manderscheid, Jerry Peterson, Rick Beckler, Brad Schmoll, Dale Lidbeck. 
Second Row: Steve Kroehler, Jerry Lingl, Jon Maier, Dale Mahlow, Jeff Beckler, Keith Sharpe.
Third Row: Coach Gomarko, Wayne Weis, Mark Olson,Mark Coil, Bryan Flann, Otto Naujokas, Jon Coil

     The Bird Island Panthers won the 1971 212 Conference Baseball Championship by going 6 and 1 in the conference.  On the last week of the conference schedule, Bird Island had a one game lead over Renville in the standings.  Sacred Heart upended the Panthers, but Renville also lost to Brownton to give Bird Island their second consecutive championship.  In District 12 Tournament play Bird Island was upset by Hutchinson in the 2^nd round of the tournament.  In the semi- final round, Hector beat Hutchinson and Olivia got by Glencoe.  In the finals Olivia beat Hector, 4-3, to advance to the Region 3 Tournament.  Olivia lost to Montevideo in the first round of the region tournament, and upset New Ulm for the Region 3 Championship.