He’s learned a lot from basketball
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Tollefson completes senior season at Gustavus-Adolphus
EYES ON THE FUTURE — NRHEG graduate Spencer Tollefson recently completed his senior season of college basketball. (Submitted photo)
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
The NRHEG High School boys’ basketball team has enjoyed great success in recent years, including a state consolation championship just two seasons ago.
But it wasn’t always that way.
Ups and downs, inevitable in life as well as basketball, caught up with the Panthers, and they sometimes struggled to win games prior to their glory seasons.
Spencer Tollefson remembers it well. He joined the varsity as a freshman and, as a sophomore, the Panthers won six games. They won 23 his senior year.
Now poised to graduate after four years of college basketball, Tollefson reflected on his seasons with the Panthers and his post-high school playing days.
“Some of my best memories relating to basketball come from high school,” said Tollefson. “I was fortunate enough to play for a great coach and play with great teammates. I like to think my grade had a huge impact in turning around the program. We had a lot of guys who put in a lot of work over the years. There is nothing like high school sports, playing with your best friends in front of people who truly want you to be successful. It’s a euphoric feeling.”
Schanil seeks new challenge at Vista
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New pastor comes to area from Northern Minnesota
WELCOME TO NEW RICHLAND — Brian Schanil is the new pastor at Vista Evangelical Covenant Church. (Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud)
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Contributing Writer
Pastor Brian Schanil just started ministering at Vista Evangelical Covenant a few weeks ago.
One of Schanil’s impressions of the New Richland area so far is that it’s warmer than his previous pastoral call in Warren, MN, just 60 miles south of the Canadian border. He served as a pastor there for 21 years. Schanil says he accepted the call at Vista because he needed a different challenge.
Schanil is a second-career pastor with two Bachelor of Science degrees in microbiology and biochemistry. Does he find that useful in his sermons? “Not a bit,” laughs Schanil, who likes to joke that believers are called to “magnify the Lord.” Until 1986, Schanil sold microscopes for Leeds Precision Instruments, whose clientele consists of schools, industries, medical companies, etc. “It was the largest microscope dealer west of the Mississippi at the time.” Schanil made good money there, but he said after a while, it wasn’t fulfilling.
Truly the land of 10,000 Schlaaks
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NR youth wrestling tournament named after Harlan Schlaak
THE CREW — Members of the Schlaak family gathered for a photo during last month’s Harlan Schlaak Wrestling Tournament in New Richland. All last names are Schlaak unless otherwise noted. Front from left: Nathan, Carol, David and Nolan. Row two: Dustin, Loren, Aiden, Paul, Jack VanHal, Owen, Dakota, Ryan, Steve, Memphis, Brandon, Tony, Kelli, Justin and Gaven. Back: Keith, Chad and Gary. Not pictured: Eugene, Neil, Colton, Anna and Kordell. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher
If there’s one thing you can say about the New Richland area, it’s that there are a lot of Schlaaks.
The Schlaak (rhymes with lake) family has brought numerous sports accolades to NRHEG, but its biggest contribution has been in wrestling.
Now, the wrestling community has given something back, with the New Richland Area Wrestling Club naming its annual mid-winter tournament after Harlan Schlaak.
Harlan, who died last April, and his wife Carol were founders of the NRAWC in 1967. Harlan and Carol had five children — Gary, Neil, Keith, Donna and Linda, producing 15 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, with another on the way.
As they said at the conlusion of a recent wrestling presentation in New Richland, that’s a lot of Schlaaks. The area has been referred to as the land of 10,000 Schlaaks.
Boogie fever
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NREHG holds inaugural Daddy-Daughter Dance
A father boogies with his daughter during the inaugural Daddy-Daughter Dance for girls age 3-10 and their father figure at NRHEG High School Friday, Feb. 15. See the Feb. 21 edition of the Star Eagle for a photo page devoted to the Daddy-Daughter Dance. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
Snow Week royalty
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Jacob, Karenna wear crowns
NRHEG Snow Week royalty was crowned Friday, Feb. 15 in the high school gymnasium. From left: Devin Buendorf, Andre Hill, Spencer Tufte, Aaron Fleming, Jack Hogstad, King Jacob Schuller, Queen Karenna Strom, Sydney Schlinger, Darian Pearson, Caty Nelson, Caitlin Goette, Hannah Budach. See the Feb. 21 edition of the Star Eagle for coverage of the Snow Week talent show and coronation and a Snow Week photo page. ( Star Eagle photo by Jim Lutgens)