YMCA SENIOR DAY
The Southern Prairie YMCA will be recognizing National Senior Health Day Wednesday with several events planned at its facility. See more information on page 2A of today’s paper. >>
CRESTON MAGAZINE
A 40-page Creston Living magazine produced by the Creston News Advertiser will soon arrive in local mailboxes. The magazine features the city’s best spring/summer shopping, services, events and more.
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STATE TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2015
MOUNT AYR TIES FOR THIRD IN CLOSE 1A TEAM RACE > 7A
WOLFE REPEATS
By SCOTT VICKER
CNA sports editor svicker@crestonnews.com
Creston senior becomes school’s third repeat state champion.
DES MOINES — Jay Wolfe had one mission on his mind here Saturday. The Creston senior completed that mission by repeating as the Class 3A 800 meter state champion at the 2015 Coed State Track Meet. “Last year was really exciting to get the first one,” Wolfe said. “This year, I came in expecting that I couldn’t lose. I needed to go get that second one, end my career on a high note. I didn’t want to be that kid that wins a state title as a junior, comes back and gets
upset in my last race ever, so I knew I had to gut it out.” Wolfe led the race from the gun all the way until he crossed the finish line in 1:55.18, while holding two fingers up on his left hand, signifying his backto-back state titles. He broke away from Algona’s Bo Hjelle on the third 200 and was never challenged in the final 200 meters of the race. “I came around that first lap perfectly,” said Wolfe, who ran a 56-second first quarter.
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Memorial Day:
“That third 200, I was looking up at the video board. I knew Bo Hjelle from Algona was right behind me. I was looking up to see. I was trying to break him off that third 200. I feel like that’s what I did.” Hjelle finished third, as Center Point Urbana’s Wyatt Gatrost charged past the Algona senior in the final 100 meters to take second in 1:56.80, giving Wolfe a 1.62-second margin of victory. Panther senior Bryce Briley finished eighth in 1:59.68,
earning his first career individual state meet medal. “We had talked about just run their race,” Creston head coach Pat Schlapia said. “It’s not like it’s the first time they were ever on that track. This was nothing new for them. They knew this was going to be their last high school race, leave it out there on the blue. They did that.” Briley made a move into third place on the third 200, but saw a pack of runners pass him in the final 100 meters. “I thought I got out quick, Please see WOLFE, page 8A
Schools in wait and see mode as debate drags on DES MOINES (AP) — As budget talks drag on in the state Capitol, educators are stuck in a holding pattern waiting to find out how much new funding is coming to K-12 education. Just how long they’ll hold is anyone’s guess. School funding has been a central point of conflict throughout the legislative session, with the Democratic-led Senate seeking to provide more new dollars than the Republican-controlled House for the 2015-2016 academic year. Lawmakers have still not reached a compromise on this or on an overall budget. Daily expense payments for lawmakers ended May 1, but they cannot adjourn until they reach a budget deal for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Many lawmakers didn’t report to the Capitol during the past week, as legislative leaders tried to negotiate.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal and Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen said Thursday they were making progress, but had no agreement to report. “We feel that we have made progress,” Gronstal said. “We are not there yet, but we made real progress and think we’re coming closer together.” School district leaders described the situation as frustrating. Paul Gausman, superintendent of the Sioux City Community School District, said his district removed about 20 instructional assistant jobs from its payroll as it waits for word about additional money. He is also fearful lawmakers ultimately could end up providing no new money for schools. “It does appear that this is going on long enough Please see DEBATE, Page 2A
SEE VIDEO ONLINE
The Rev. Jim Morris begins a prayer during Memorial Day services Monday at Graceland Cemetery in Creston. Pictured behind is veteran and VFW member Bob Jungst. Memorial Day services were also held at Calvary Cemetery and McKinley Park in Creston Monday. Creston Mayor Warren Woods was the guest speaker at the service. See a video clip from Woods’ speech online at www. crestonnews.com.
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
Bringing sunshine: Veteran Dennis Loudon of Creston hugs Iris Smith — president of
the Afton Sunshine Society — after the group presented him with a quilt of valor during Memorial Day services Monday morning at Graceland Cemetery in Creston. Loudon was honored with the quilt for his service in the Vietnam War where he was awarded three purple hearts. Also pictured are Sunshine members Sharon Ducommun and Pat Smith. The group also makes quilts for those who lose their home in fires and make lap robes for the elderly in care centers.
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
Diagonal, EU archers compete at nationals By IAN RICHARDSON
CNA staff reporter irichardson@crestonnews.com
When archers from Diagonal and East Union nocked their arrows May 7-9 at the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) national tournament in Louisville, Ky., the two programs represented a wide range of experience. For the Maroons high school team, it was the seventh year in a row qualifying for the tournament. For Eagles eighth-grader Rak-
enzy Pryor, it was her first year qualifying — and her first year competing in EU’s new program. Diagonal’s top 12 archers shot a Pryor combined 3,204 out of a possible 3,600, ranking 127 of 192 overall. The highest of the team’s individual scores belonged to senior Layne Ruby, who shot 291 out of a possible 300 and finished 37
out of 1,954 high school boys. Out of 12th graders, he placed 12th out of 371. He placed 51 of 6,570 boys. Pryor, who competed individually, shot a 274 and finished 272 out of 2,190 middle school girls, 134 out of 848 eighth-grade girls and 647 out of 5,474 girls overall.
Seven in a row Jim Norris, who coaches Diagonal’s team along with his wife, Lori, and Doug Ruby, said the team’s 3,204 showing at nationals was not necessarily its best score, falling
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short of its state performance by more than 70 points. “We qualified at the state shoot with a score of 3,277, so we were a little off our game,” he said. However, Norris said the consistency the team has had over the years is encouraging as a coach. “It means quite a bit,” Norris said. “It feels like we’re doing something right.” Ruby, who has received all-state honors ever since his first-place finish in the 2009 elementary state tournament, said the national tour-
nament was a good way to end his senior year. He said he could have done better — he’s shot as high as a 295 — but is still pleased with his 291. “I felt like I could have done a lot better — a couple points anyways,” Ruby said. “(But) if you’re 9 points from perfect, it’s not a bad score at all.” Ruby is one of five seniors graduating from the program this year, Please see ARCHERY, Page 2A
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