Rod's Thursday Afternoon Sports Blog

Clayton Etzkorn of Ft. Pierre has qualified to compete in the College National Finals Rodeo next week in Caspar, Wyoming. Etzkorn, a Stanley County High School graduate and Ft. Pierre Native, just concluded his sophomore year at Miles City, Montana Community College and has qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in Saddle Bronc Riding. This is the first time that Etzkorn has qualified for the College National Finals. This years Rodeo will be the 63rd annual CNFR and the 13th straight year that the Rodeo has been held in Caspar, Wyoming.

Several Pierre youth golfers competed in the South Dakota Golf Association's Austads Junior Golf Tour at Brookings today. Karissa Guthrie and Tatum Richards each fired 105's to finish 2nd and third in the girls 14-15 age division and Paige Lonbakken had a 114 to finish 4th in the division. Paige Erickson had an 88 to finish third in the girls 16-18 division. In the boys 12-13 age group, Andrew Van Gerpan fired an 84 to finish second. Connor Lonbakken had a 126 in that age division.

The South Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors gave a first reading approval to a proposal to reduce the maximum number of contests varsity teams can play at it's meeting this week in Pierre. Assistant Executive Secretary Bob Lowery says a majority of administrators responding to a survey want to schedule fewer games to save money. Second reading, and action, on the proposal is scheduled for the August 31st – September first meeting: Lowery says a lower percentage of athletic directors, and coaches, responding to the survey favored dropping the number. A few years ago, the board voted to increase the number of basketball games and volleyball matches from 18 to 20.

At 5:30 p.m., at the beginning of Monday’s Post 8 doubleheader against Mitchell, Pierre Post 8 head coach Bob Sullivan will present a $1,374 donation from Rapid City Post 22 to the Oahe Flood Relief Fund. The money was generated through a pass-the-hat fundraiser during the June 7th doubleheader between Post 8 and Post 22 at Fitzgerald Stadium in Rapid City.  Laura Schoen Carbonneau, CEO of the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to accept the check. The chamber set up the Oahe Flood Relief fund through Bankwest in Pierre to provide financial assistance to people as they deal with the affects of the Missouri River flood. Once the water recedes, a task force will be assembled to review and disperse funds to those with unmet needs in the communities.