POST SENTINEL FALL-WINTER 2025

Fall/Winter 2025

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Ruzek leads foundation

By Tim Ruzek APEF Executive Director

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Packer Classic Golf Tourney

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Greetings from the Alumni Chair

jeni.lindberg@austin.k12.mn.us

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Dr. Sharon Adams, AHS Class of 1972

Thomas Herrera, AHS Class of 2011

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Patrick Geraghty G

Lori Bergstrom Rhynda (Simonson) Dulas

of her AHS athletic career was “making it to State in a relay with my twin sister.” She and her husband, Ben, live in Austin, with their daughter and son. Tisha is an Austin High science teacher.

Mike Hirsch

Jeremy Dudycha

Hirsch lettered in football three years; wrestling four years; and track four years. In football, he was AllConference. In wrestling, he was awarded all-conference honors three times.

Hirsch participated in the state wrestling tournament three times, finishing second his senior year.

He was also a high school All-American his senior year and Tisha (Simonson) Pischke awarded academic All -State. In track, ischke lettered in swimming six years; Hirsch was All-Conference two years basketball one year; and track five years. and participated in the state tournament two years. Hirsch said his favorite In swimming, she was memory of his AHS athletic career was the Big Nine champi“creating and doing chants with my on in her event. She teammates during sporting events!” also participated in the Mike and his wife, Erin, live in Holmen, state tournament and Wis., with their two children. He is a was an academic Allconstruction foreman for a large compaAmerican. In track, ny in La Crosse, Wis.

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Class of 1965

Leah (DeVries) Ferch Class of 2004

Tom Klapperich Class of 1983

Ian Caruso and Troy Tigner

Will Bjorndal

Jim Halsey

Tom Dankert

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Chris Harder This summer, Harder was inducted into the Minnesota Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame, where he joins the late Larry Gilbertson, a legendary AHS cross country and track coach.

Since 1997, Harder, a 2003 AHS Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, has coached Rosemount’s boys cross country, and he coached girls cross country there from 1998 to 2021. Harder’s boys teams have qualified 15 times for the state competition; his girls teams have qualified six times for state.

In the Progress 2025 magazine by the Austin Daily Herald, Meza was highlighted for being known as a “champion of communities.” Meza was recognized for her work at

Brady Mallory

the Torres family’s Alicia Bakery on Austin’s east side that opened in 2003 and her work in the main

School.

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Liz (Vogel) Kellner

Alayna (Loveland) Moser

On the first day of school in late August, Austin Public Schools highlighted Moser while reading to her class of kindergartners at Southgate Elementary School.

Hardy, a social studies teacher at Austin High, was interviewed this fall by a crew from the national PBS News Hour program that visited Austin for a segment

on the city’s transformation since the 1985-86 Hormel strike. His late father, William, (Class of 1948), worked 47 years at the Hormel plant and then 15 years as a teacher’s aide in Austin Public Schools.

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Ronald Anderson, teacher, died Aug. 6.

Lisa Beschnett, teacher, died July 17.

Joan Eidem, teacher, died Oct. 19.

John Steffen, teacher/coach, died July 4.

“Reflections: A History of Austin High School” DVD To order, send $20 (plus $3 shipping and handling) to the address below.

Make your check payable to:

AHS Alumni & Friends Association P.O. Box 878 ∙ Austin, MN 55912 (507) 460-1938

____________________________________________________________ Help expand our membership! Let your family and friends know about the Austin Alumni and Friends Association. A one-year membership is

AHS Alumni & Friends Association

P.O. Box 878 ∙ Austin, MN 55912-0878 ∙ (507) 460-1938 email: jeni.lindberg@austin.k12.mn.us

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