Sports

The Avon Lady Pirate Volleyball team has put in a lot of work over the summer in order to get ready for this year’s season. Amy Tyler was invited to host a two-day skills camp to help sharpen the players’ skill sets and open gyms were a constant throughout the summer.

Unlike other deadly addictions that we hear about all the time, turkey hunting is an addiction bringing you more satisfaction as the caller brings the gobbler. I remember on my first spring turkey hunt, where I hunted with two friends, in Nebraska, which wasn’t successful.

Justin Lukkes is the new football coach. But how did he get to where he is today? Mr. Lukkes started playing football in sixth grade up until senior year of high school along with basketball, baseball, golf, swim team, and track.

On Thursday, August 17 the Pirates kicked off their season with a win against Colome. Right away in the game, Paxton Bierma took the opening kickoff 88 yards untouched to the end zone for a touchdown. At the end of the first quarter, the Pirates were up 14-0.

For the 2023 football season, Avon will see a new head coach take charge of the football program. The Pirates welcome new head coach, Justin Lukkes. Lukkes is a 2003 graduate of Avon High School. He grew up on a farm outside of Dante, and then moved to Avon when he started high school.

As I become more “mature', I find that being in the outdoors is more important to me each day. Much of it is just getting away from the office and the racket that’s associated with it! To me it’s an escape and a chance for me to get back to my roots.

The Andes Central/Dakota Christian Cross Country team is a very young team. They are coached by first year coach, Beth Harrington. There are no seniors or juniors on the team and only one sophomore and one freshman. Only one returning athlete has experience, and that is Eilie DeHaan.

On Saturday, August 26th the Wagner JV and Varsity teams traveled to Parkston to compete in the first tournament of the year. The JV team finished the day 1-3. Losses came from Parkston (15-25, 23-25), McCook Central/Montrose (17-25, 25-22, 7-15), and Warner (25-20, 13-25, 9-15).

The Lady Raider’s Volleyball team entered the 2023 season ranked #3 by the Midco Sports SD Class A Volleyball Media Poll. Last year the volleyball team ended the season playing in the State Tournament, bringing home 7th place and ending the season with a 32-5 record.