PAGE 4 Yankton’s 2007 Victory Over Roosevelt A Memorable One Hoeck Experiences ‘Crane-Youngworth Magic’ For First Time BY JEREMY HOECK jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net My first real taste of the Crane-Youngworth magic — probably an appropriate term, wouldn’t you say? — was in the fall of 2007. I experienced for the first time what can happen to an opposing team in the intimate venue. The Yankton Bucks were hosting Sioux Falls Roosevelt, ranked No. 2 at the time, for Jeremy the Pioneer Days on homecoming. It was a game the Bucks weren’t supposed to win. Remember, at the time, there was no ‘AAA’ class in 11-man football; the Riders were a team the Bucks would have to go through for a title. On this Friday night, though, Yankton pulled the upset, 10-7. My most vivid memory from that game was the Yankton students rushing the field. I was on the sidelines as the final horn surrounded, and I clearly remember weaving my way through the crowd to reach the Roosevelt sidelines. I was looking for Roosevelt head coach Brent HOECK DeBoer; both to conduct a short interview and to say hi (I had grown up with his children up in Sioux Falls and knew him really well). He was quick to credit the Bucks, but it was clear, he and his players were a little shell-shocked. That’s one that stood out to me at the time. The Riders, if I remember correctly, were averaging something like 50 points a game. It was a huge upset. At the time, I knew that, but as someone who didn’t live in Yankton (I moved to town the following spring), I didn’t quite understand HOW much of an upset it was. That night was one of my first extended stays at Crane-Youngworth, and so I really had no idea how that atmosphere tends to swallow you up. You’re surrounded by trees on three sides and by the concrete bleachers on the south end. And no matter where you stand, there are typically fans and students all around you — especially, as I remember, on that night. I know I’m preaching to choir on this one (you all understand the Crane-Youngworth ‘magic’), but all these years later, that’s my most vivid memory. Some of the playoff games over the last two years have reminded me of that night. Long live, Crane-Youngworth. It should never be replaced. P&D FILE PHOTO Layne Somsen sets a Yankton High School record with a 53-yard field goal during the Bucks’ upset of Sioux Falls Roosevelt during the 2007 season. MATT BARRY DAVE SPENCER Yankton High School Grad Parent Of YHS Grads “Favorite Crane memory was when I played for the 2007 Bucks. The Bucks played the number 1 team in the state and won on homecoming. Layne Somsen went into the record books that night kicking 53-yard field goal after i jumped off sides. After the Bucks won everyone in the crowd rushed the field and celebrated with us on the 50 yard line. I have never seen Crane so rocking until that night and will be a memory I think of the rest of my life.” “My Memorable Crane Moment came in the Homecoming game of I believe 2007, when Bucks hosted SF Roosevelt. The Bucks were to attempt a 48 yard FG when the right guard moved causing an illegal procedure penalty. That guard was Matthew Barry. So, the Bucks backed up five yards and attempted a 53-yard FG a and it was good, setting a school record by kicker Layne Somsen. Matthew Barry still today, takes credit for helping Layne set that record, by causing the illegal procedure penalty. The Bucks went on to a 10-7 win over a very good SF Roosevelt team.” ‘91 ‘Snow Bowl’ A Vivid Memory For ‘99 Semifinal A Fond Memory For Likness P&D’s Hertz, KYNT’s Kooistra ARLIN LIKNESS YHS Head Football Coach BY KELLY HERTZ kelly.hertz@yankton.net There’s a reason — a real good reason — why virtually everyone who revels in the history of Crane Youngworth Field remembers the “blizzard bowl” game of 1991. The reason is that the game — a playoff contest between Yankton and a heavilyfavored Brandon valley — was absolutely surreal. For me, it was unlike anything I’d seen before or will likely ever see again in a sports contest. It was crazy. The background makes it even more compelling. The game took place on Halloween night, just as some band, wintry weather — which I still remember as the “Halloween Blizzard” — was moving into the area. The forecasts suggested the storm would move in later in the evening, so several schools (not just Yankton) tried to play their playoff games that night. Vermillion played that night, too, because I Kelly was supposed to be there with one of my sports writers. (I was the sports editor at that time. As we were creeping east out of Yankton, conditions deteriorated before we could even get to the Kelly Inn, so we decided to give up on making the 7 p.m. game in the DakotaDome. Then we had a brilliant idea. Yankton had pushed the start of its game up to something like 5:30 p.m., so we decided to head to Crane Youngworth to catch that action. HERTZ An eerie glow floated through the naked trees as we walked up to the gate after parking the requisite three blocks from the stadium. The light of the football field was reflecting off the snow, which was falling heavily by this time. Once in the stadium, there were still a lot of fans there — a sea of people encased in parkas, scarves and gloves. When something happened in Yankton’s favor, a cascade of glove-muffled applause came down from the stands. Our photographer, Val Hoeppner, was on the sidelines, and her hair was a frozen helmet. (Hod Nielsen was covering the game, but instead of walking the sidelines as he usually did, he was tucked away up in the warm, cozy press box. Thereafter, he was always referred to as “the smart one.”) HERTZ | PAGE 5 ‘Voice Of The Bucks’ Recalls Playoff Game With Lynx SCOTT KOOISTRA KYNT Sports Director “My most vivid memory of Crane-Youngworth Field didn’t involve the best game, but it certainly involved the craziest weather…the infamous “Snow Bowl” from October 31, 1991 and I hope you can use some, or all, of this story! “It was Halloween in 1991 and the South Dakota High School football playoffs were about to begin. And, also beginning was the famous Halloween Blizzard of 1991. By the way, ten years later the Halloween Blizzard of 1991 was selected as the # 3 Top Weather Event of the entire 20th Century. Duluth, Minnesota received 37 inches of snow! “But back to football. Of course as this massive storm was hitting South Dakota all of the football playoff games were postponed that night. Except one! The Yankton Bucks were set to host the two-time defending state champion Brandon Valley Lynx in the AA state playoffs. The Lynx left early and made it through the storm to Yankton, so the game was on at historic Crane-Youngworth Field. “My good friend Dave Tschetter always video-taped the Bucks football games and plugged into my KYNT radio broadcast at the same time. So, he picked me up in his powerful truck and we drove the few blocks through more than a foot of snow to CraneYoungworth. A first memory of that night is that the Yankton High School maintenance staff was so busy trying to clear the field that they were only able to open up one door to the press box at the top of the bleachers. It was the only time in my memory that I broadcast from the east end of the booth. The maintenance guys headed up by Chuck Turner did everything they could with their snow-blowers to clear five yard stripes on the field before and during the game. Another thing I remember was that Tschetter and I were easily able to count the attendance at the game who sat in the snowdrifts in the bleachers, there were 28 people who attended. That doesn’t count the few of us in the booth, as well as the MR. Golf Car, Inc. Dr. James Torsney 605-369-2625 1708 Main Street Tyndall, SD 605-589-3406 Sales, Service & Leasing www.mrgolfcar.net KOOISTRA | PAGE 5 Optometrist Open Monday-Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday by appointment “I have several great memories at Crane Field from the first game I got to coach there with Max Hawk to the wins over Harrisburg the last two years. But my favorite memory at Crane Field is the semi-final game in the fall 1999. Yankton is playing Sioux Falls Roosevelt for the second time beating Roosevelt earlier in the season by blocking a field-goal and winning 13-12. The second time Crane is sold out with tons of people standing all around the field. In the fourth quarter Mike Stotz passes to Adam Kniffen for the go ahead score and looking up I realized how many people where at the game. I had been so focused that I had not noticed until the group went wild with the score. After that season Yankton put a fence around the field to keep people back and Yankton went on to win the Championship against S.F. O’Gorman.” Nielsen FROM PAGE 3 one occassion.) In those days they were unyielding rivals — neither would give way to the other. In some telephone discussions during that wintry Halloween, 1991 morning, several alternatives had been discussed, but they were all subject to the fact that the playoffs were dictated by the SDHSAA and the dates were firm, with the DakotaDome already booked for the finals. Finally, Hawk told his administration to see if the Lynx could get here for a 2 p.m. kickoff — but that plan was nixed by coach Klinesdinst, who commented that “Hawk wanted to play us when the wind was blowing and make it hard for our passing game.” That remark upset coach Hawk and he said, “We are scheduled to kick off at seven tonight, tell them to be here ready to go,” and the die was cast. Both teams, with their sideline coats on, showed up — as did the officials and the hardy group of fans. CROSBY-JAEGER FUNERAL HOME INC. Avon, SD 119 N. Poplar St. Wagner, SD 124 E. Hwy 50 384-3781 Springfield, SD 604 8th St. 369-2488 The field was readied by a hard-working crew headed by an expert with the snow plow, Lloyd Meng, who spent the night keeping track of the whereabouts of the sidelines and the goal lines, with an occasional run over the 20-yard lines and, if he could find it — the 50-yard line. Hawk recalls that after the game he awarded Meng the “Most Valuable”” award — and no one argued that call. It was an experience to remember — that Halloween night in 1991. The Bucks won the game on Lefdahl’s clutch interception, although they fell to eventual champion O’Gorman in the semifinals. It was an experience that will never be forgotten by those who were involved. BON HOMME Volleyball 8/23 vs. Winner 6:15 p.m. 8/25 at Avon 6:15 p.m. 8/30 at Andes Central-Dak. Christian (Lake Andes) 6:30 p.m. 9/3 at Gregory Tourn. 9 a.m. 9/6 vs. Vermillion 6:15 p.m. 9/8 at Platte-Geddes (P) 6:15 p.m. 9/13 vs. Tripp-Delmont-Armour 6:15 p.m. 9/15 vs. Irene-Wakonda 6:15 p.m. 9/17 Cavalier Clash (Tyndall) TBA 9/20 vs. Wagner 6:30 p.m. 9/22 vs. Burke-South Central 6:15 p.m. 9/27 at Dakota Valley 7:15 p.m. 9/29 at Menno 6:15 p.m. 10/6 vs. Freeman 6:15 p.m. 10/11 vs. Scotland 6:15 p.m. 10/13 at Corsica-Stickney (C) 6:30 p.m. 10/18 at Parkston 6:30 p.m. 10/21 vs. Viborg-Hurley 6:15 p.m. 10/22 SESD (Wagner) TBA 8/27 9/10 10/1 10/10 10/15 Competitive Cheer Gregory Inv. Winner Inv. Dakota Valley Inv. Bon Homme Inv. Platte-Geddes Inv. TABOR LUMBER COOP 11 a.m. TBA 11 a.m. 6 p.m. Noon 8/26 9/9 9/16 9/23 9/30 10/7 10/14 10/20 Football vs. Miller at Gregory vs. Kimball-White Lake vs. Menno-Marion at Colman-Egan (C) vs. Wolsey-Wessington at Platte-Geddes (P) at Canistota 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. Cross Country 8/26 Beresford Inv. 10 a.m. 8/30 McCook Central-Montrose Inv. (Salem) 10 a.m. 9/6 Scotland Inv. 4:15 p.m. 9/12 Wagner Inv. (Pickstown) 4:15 p.m. 9/24 Platte-Geddes Inv. (Platte) 10 a.m. 9/29 South Central Inv. (Burke) 4:15 p.m. 10/3 SESD (Winner) 3 p.m. 10/6 Parkston Inv. 4:15 p.m. Follow The Cavaliers All Season Long In The Press & Dakotan And At www.yankton.net K A A Kaul’s Ag & Auto, Inc. Tabor, SD Your Complete Parts & Service Center Lumber Co-op 463-2565 Petro Dept. 463-2251 Lesterville Dept. 364-7522 1414 Walnut • Springfield, SD 605-369-5411 Jim & Julie Jaeger and Chad Peters Bon Homme – Yankton Electrical Association, Inc. Tyndall Motors, Inc. 605-589-3350 In Christ’s Love, Everyone Is Someone