Hutchinson junior-to-be Showstopper Charmaine Villalon achieved a goal of making the varsity high kick dance squad last fall.

On Sunday, Aug. 17, she hopes to achieve another goal — winning the 2008 Miss Teen Minneapolis/St. Paul Nationals Pageant.

Villalon is among 80 contestants between the ages of 16 and 19 that will compete in the Pageant at Minneapolis Washburn High School.

Each contestant will meet a panel of judges in a personal interview designed to allow the personality of contestants to come out.

Last month, dozens of Hutchinson youth hockey players sharpened their skills at a three-week camp put on by the Hutch Hockey Association.

The hard work and dedication of the players through the years has led to numerous youth state championship banners that line the east wall at Burich Arena.

If not for former Hutchinson resident Bob Backlund, the strong youth programs that the city produces each season may have been years behind the competition.

Youth hockey gets a start

With two aces on the mound, it came down the team which made more plays. That team was No. 4 seed Maple Lake, which scored the final four runs of the Region 8B playoff game to beat top-seeded Hutchinson, 4-1.

The big blow came in the top of the eighth inning with runners on first and third with one out. Maple Lake catcher Cody Decker took the count full before jacking a fastball over the left-field fence for the 4-1 lead.

Hutchinson Horseshoe League
Week 11 08/04/08

High Game Actual
Gary Dietel........75
Rich Kurth.........61
Orville Kuiken.....60
Jim Benton.........59
Bruce Lickfelt.....56

High Game w/Hdcp
Orville Kuiken....104
Gary Dietel.......101
Rich Kurth.........99
Jim Benton.........99
Wally Sturges......98

High Series w/Hdcp
Wally Sturges.....369
Howard Brandon....366
Rich Kurth........363
Orville Kuiken....359
Gary Dietel.......350

High Series Actual
Gary Dietel.......246
Rich Kurth........211

League Name: Men's Monday Class B Slow Pitch

FINAL STANDING TEAM NAME WINS LOSSES TIES WIN PCT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Bar Hoppers 13 3 0 .812
Tie 1 Gold Coin/E Square 13 3 0 .812
3 U B C 10 6 0 .625
4 Blue Ridge Dairy 7 9 0 .438

Five games into the Region 8B playoffs, the odds-on favorite has won one game. The wildness of playoff baseball is just beginning.

The Hutchinson Huskies, which received a first-round bye after finishing the season with the top record of 6-2, the Huskies will take on No. 4 seed Maple Lake at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Delano.

Maple Lake, which defeated Hamel, 13-3, to advance to the region final four, split the season series with Hutchinson this season.

GROVE CREEK RACEWAY
Grove City, Minn. (July 26)
SUPER PRO
W: Myron Streit ('68 Camaro) - 7.56, 95.53 (7.55 dial).
R/U: Ryan Scheleck ('69 Chevelle) - 7.40, 105.64 (7.42 dial).
Semi's: Brian Johnson ('05 GSXR);

SPORTSMAN
W: Steve Brings ('64 Falcon) - 5.89, 115.97 (5.86 dial).
R/U: Andy Schmall ('71 Vega) - 6.58, 105.92 (6.56 dial).
Semi's: Mike Sonnek ('85 Mustang);

SUPER BIKE/SLED
W: Zack Schrupp ('05 Kawasaki) - 5.70, 117.78 (5.73 dial).
R/U: Mike Golaski ('07 Mach-Z) - 5.74, 127.90 (5.80 dial).
Semi's: Jim Armstrong ('02 Sportster);

PRO STREET

With a spot in the Northern Power Football League playoffs on the line, the Willmar Mustangs looked to be in good shape at halftime tied at 12.

Twenty-four minutes of football later, Willmar’s fate was sealed. Despite winning three more games than a season ago, the Mustangs’ 26-12 loss Saturday means no post-season football for the semi-pro team in its second year of existence.

With a first-round bye in Region 8B looming, Hutchinson used three non-league games during the weekend to prepare and tune-up for the upcoming playoff season.

The Huskies, who earned the No. 1 seed and won’t play in regions until Wednesday, Aug. 6 in Delano, went 2-1 to finish the regular season with a 23-11 record.

Hutchinson defeated Class B teams New Ulm Kaiserhoff, 8-6, and Soderville, 8-5. On the road at defending Class A state champion Minnetonka, Hutchinson came up short, 5-1.

When one team piles up 32 runs and 30 hits in a two-game series, and the other has five hits and one run, it’s clear who deserved to move on.

That team was Chaska, who moved onto the Second District playoffs in Eagan with a sweep of Hutchinson Legion Post 96, 13-0 and 19-1.

Chaska was seeded seventh in the 32-team district, while Hutch was No. 26. The 96ers finish the season with a record of 8-13.

Hutchinson never was able to get anything going against Chaska left-handers Shawn Riesgraf and John Straka in either game.