Phil Johnson (right) of Sleepy Eye is greeted by teammate after banging two-run homer in team’s 10-run second inning. Even catcher Schiemmer of Redwood Falls extends a hand of congratulations.

SLEEPY EYE – In 1950, Don Boelter was a star performer for New Ulm High School baseball team that won the District 10championship. Seven years later, he became Sleepy Eye High School baseball coach, but that school didn’t win its first district diamond crown until Wednesday night.

And Sleepy Eye did it convincingly, 11-1 in five innings over Redwood Falls, another school blessed with good baseball teams over the years but unlucky in district finals. Redwood’s only district title came in 1951.

District 10 baseball tourneys have been held annually since 1946, but it took Sleepy Eye 30 years to get to the top.

The excitement was more like a peewee baseball team winning a championship the players, coaches and fans jumped for joy; they shook hands, they embraced (the bat girls, too) and they shouted with delight.

The players may have been around 16 or 17 years, but they’ve long heard about Sleepy Eye’s jinx in District 10; they wanted so badly to break that jinx this year with a senior-dominated team.

Randy Reinarts of Sleepy Eye gets a welcome at home plate after his two-run homer

COACH BOELTER was perhaps as excited as anyone. He went from player to player to offer congratulations: he hugged the bat girls: he shook hands with fans and his grin was ear to ear. And under one arm he carried the district trophy, something he hadn’t touched since 1950 in New Ulm.

Later, when the post-game excitement settled down, Boelter talked about the “Sleepy Eye jinx.” He even likened it in a way to the Vikings always doing well but not sinning the big one — Super Bowl.

For Sleepy Eye not to win a district baseball championship in 30years is unusual because of the fine baseball tradition in Sleepy Eye. A year ago, crosstown rival Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s won the District 10 championship, beating the public school in the finals.

Boelter passed on some of the credit to his assistant coach, Marv Berg, who is still active as a player with the Sleepy Eye town team.

Berg noted this SEHS team had more seniors than usual, eight, and the experience was a significant factor. Berg, too, sighed with relief over ending the long jinx in District 10.

THE INDIANS began the season touted as a good team and fulfilled the predictions. They won Tomahawk Conference honors with 8-0 record and take a 14-3 record into Region 3A play next Tuesday.

Sleepy Eye meets District 12 winner, Raymond or Renville, 3p.m. Tuesday at Cottonwood in Region 3A semifinals. Minnesota or Cottonwood of District 9 meets Montevideo of District 11 in the 7 p.m. game Tuesday. Title game is 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Boelter plans to scout the District 9 and 12 title games today. His aim now is a state tourney berth.

Redwood Falls took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on single by Mark Vanderwerf, stolen base and throwing error. That was all off Dean Deibele who scattered three hits, fanned seven and walked two in the five-inning game. Deibele has 7-0 mound record.

Sleepy Eye broke the game wide open in the second inning with 10 runs on six hits, one error and three walks. Big hits were three-run triple by Al Riederer, two-run homer over right field fence by Phil Johnson and two-run blast over the left field fence by Randy Reinarts, sophomore catcher who missed a month of play with a finger injury. Reinarts had two hits in the inning. He and Deibele batted 2-3.

Redwood Falls was led by Mark Vanderwerf with two singles in two trips. The Cardinals under Coach Paul Duckstad finished with 10-9 season record. Except for one bad inning, it was a 1-1 game.

Sleepy Eye’s starting lineup in the title game: Al Riederer, 1f; Brian Augustin, 2b;) Phil Johnson, SS; Dean Deibele, p; Brad Augustin, rf ; Reinarts, c; Greg Cook, 3b ; Tom Riebel, cf; Bruce Kuelbs 1b; Mathiowetz, designated hitter.

Redwood Falls 100 00 – 132

Sleepy Eye 0(10) 0 0x – 10 81

Zachow, Foy (2) Baker (2) and Schlemmer; Deibele and Reinarts.

New Ulm Daily Journal

May 27, 1976