The 1960 Edgerton Season Game by Game
The Magical Journey
When the 1959-60 season began, Edgerton High School was without head coach Ken Kielty and two of the previous season’s taller Flying Dutchmen, 6-2 Harvey Eernisse and 6-2 Barney VanEssen, but first-year coach Rich Olson – less than two years out of Macalester College – had four starters back from a 17-5 team that reached the District 8 final before losing to Jasper on a last-second basket.
The returning starters included 6-5 Dean Veenhof, 6-2 Dean Verdoes, 6-foot Bob Wiarda, and 5-8 Darrell Kreun. Norm Fey returned with starting experience, Daryl Stevens was a seasoned reserve, as was Jim Roos, but the fifth starting spot would go to LeRoy Graphenteen, up from the previous season’s B Team.
Veenhof was the team’s leading scorer who was virtually certain to reach the 1,000-point career scoring mark during the season. Verdoes, the team captain, was the team leader and major rebounder. Kreun was an outside sharpshooter who could take some pressure off Veenhof inside. And Graphenteen was a capable outside shooter if left alone, but he preferred to play defense and did extremely well.
They all knew their roles and together combined for what would be a magical season in which they became only the fifth team in state history to finish undefeated and represented the smallest town ever to claim a state basketball title.
REGULAR SEASON
GAME ONE
Edgerton 82, Adrian 46
The Flying Dutchmen took a 17-point first-quarter lead and Rich Olson, coaching his first high school varsity game, used 11 players in the romp. Eight players shared in the Edgerton scoring including Veenhof with 24 points, Kreun with 20, and Verdoes 19.
GAME TWO
Edgerton 84, Lake Wilson 17
Neither team scored for the first 3 minutes and 11 seconds of the first quarter which Edgerton completed leading by only six. The Flying Dutchmen dominated the rest of the game, with four players finishing in double figures Veenhof the leader with 28 points, followed by Kreun and Verdoes with 12 each, and Roos 10.
GAME THREE
Edgerton 78, Ellsworth 51
Ellsworth, a team that defeated Edgerton twice during the previous regular season, but upset by the Flying Dutchmen in District 8 play, exacted no revenge in this Tri-County matchup.
Veenhoff sat out for much of the game with foul problems, but led the Edgerton scoring with 22 points. Kreun fouled out, but not before scoring 18 points and Verdoes added 12. Ten Dutchmen played, eight scored.
GAME FOUR
Edgerton 73, Hills 38
The Flying Dutchmen once again utilized balance scoring, with Kreun’s 19 points one of four double-figure efforts for the Flying Dutchmen, who led by 16 points at the half.
Veenhof had 18 points, Verdoes 14, and Wiarda – breaking into double figures for the first time this season – had 13. Eight players shared in the victory and they all scored.
GAME FIVE
Edgerton 92, Jasper 44
Edgerton not only exacted revenge for the previous season’s loss to Jasper in the District 8 final, the Flying Dutchmen did it with a school-record scoring total before the home crowd.
Eleven Flying Dutchmen scored led by Kreun’s 19, Veenhof’s 17, Verdoes 14, and Wiarda 11.
GAME SIX
Edgerton 93, Magnolia 67
Four nights after breaking the school scoring record, Edgerton broke the mark against previously undefeated Magnolia. Darrell Kreun had a 41 points on 15 field goals and 11 free throws, followed by Wiarda’s 16 and Veenhof and Verdoes 15 each.
While Lloyd Voss, one of the best all-around athletes in the region who would play football at Nebraska after high school, was tapping the Dutchmen defense with 31 points, Magnolia coach Jerrol Conley was attempting a variety of maneuvers to thwart the sharpshooting Kreun.
Through six games, Edgerton outscored its six opponents 502-263 and to this point, four Dutchmen remained perfect from the free throw line.
GAME SEVEN
Edgerton 38, Beaver Creek 27
Idle since December 15, the Dutchmen season resumed on January 5 and the Flying Dutchmen were greeted with Beaver Creek’s stall tactics reflected in the Beavers 6-2 first-quarter lead and 16-9 advantage at halftime.
Edgerton, however, started getting the ball inside to Veenhof who moved into a nine-point third-quarter lead and held on. Veenhof scored 30, while the five others who played combined for nine points.
GAME EIGHT
Edgerton 55, Chandler 35
The inside-outside combination of Veenhof and Kreun was the major factor in this victory, with Kreun scoring 18 points from the outside and Veenhof adding 16 from close range.
The starting unit played only 4 minutes in the second half and the reserves helped stretch an 11-point halftime lead to 23 points after three quarters. Les Van Dyke, despite Edgerton’s dominance, had a 20-point evening.
GAME NINE
Edgerton 70, Ellsworth 58
Ellsworth, the Tri-County’s defending champions had lost only to Edgerton at this point and led for the first six minutes of the first quarter, playing on its home court where the Dutchmen had won in four seasons.
The Flying Dutchmen led by only four points through three quarters, in large part because of Veenhof’s scoring and LeRoy Graphenteen’s defense. Veenhof, avoiding foul problems, finished with season-high 31 points and Graphenteen held Ellsworth ace LeRoy Vickers, who had been averaging 20 points per game, to seven points.
GAME TEN
Edgerton 73, Lake Wilson 45
Playing without Veenhof, who after 50 consecutive games was forced to sit out with a mild ankle sprain, the Flying Dutchmen still had no problem against Lake Wilson.
Edgerton jumped to a 16-point first-quarter lead and continued the surge behind a balanced scoring attack. Darrell Kreun led the way with 22 points while Verdoes added 17 and Wiarda and Roos with 11 each. Eight players scored.
GAME ELEVEN
Edgerton 70, Magnolia 58
What a difference six weeks or so meant for the Flying Dutchmen. In December, they defeated the Bulldogs by 26 points, but the hosts employed a stubborn zone defense and combined with Lloyd Voss’ 20 points played Edgerton close most of the way.
Up by seven points through three quarters, Edgerton finally gained a little breathing room in the final period. Veenhof, playing on a sore ankle, paced the victory with 25 poings and Kreun added 18. Reserves Stevens and Roos were the only Dutchmen who didn’t score, but were solid in relief.
GAME TWELVE
Edgerton 84, Chandler 31
Challenged in two of its last three games, Edgerton matched its third-highest scoring total of the season in which eleven Dutchmen saw action, all but two managing to score.
Chandler kept the game interesting through the first half, 36-23, but Edgerton went on a second-half scoring spree. Veenhof led the way with 27 points followed by Verdoes and reserve Roos with 14 each.
GAME THIRTEEN
Edgerton 59, Hills 55
Hills’ Hugo Goehle showed why he was one of the most respected coach’s in the area in coping with Edgerton’s high-scoring machine on the Bluejays’ home court, guiding his team to a 26-23 halftime lead with a ball-control offense.
What the Bluejays didn’t do was stop Dean Veenhof, who had 28 points, and they didn’t convert their free throw attempts, as did Edgerton. The Dutchmen were a combined 19 for 27 from the line, while Hills was 9 for 20. Hills led with 2 ½ minutes left in the third quarter, but Wiarda’s basket put Edgerton ahead to stay.
GAME FOURTEEN
Edgerton 68, Jasper 52
Veenhof’s season-high 33 and the Flying Dutchmen sank 32 free throws to defeat nemesis Jasper with relative ease. Graphenteen and Verdoes were perfect from the line, Graphenteen sinking eight attempts and Verdoes seven. Graphenteen had his first double-figure effort of the season with 10.
The 68 points pushed Edgerton over the 1,000-point mark for the season, the 1019 total giving the team a 73-point scoring average compared to less than a 44-point average for the opponents.
The only flaw in the evening was the B team’s first loss of the season.
GAME FIFTEEN
Edgerton 85, Adrian 53
The Flying Dutchmen reeled off 30 first-quarter point to lay the foundation for a fifteenth consecutive victory, matching a program record set by the 1932-33 Edgerton team and repeated in 1939-40.
Veenhof repeated his previous game’s season high of 33 points, lifting his career total to within eight of the 1,000 mark. Verdoes had 21 points, and Kreun 13,
Edgerton remained one of only seven undefeated teams in Minnesota, which began the season with 488 public schools participating.
GAME SIXTEEN
Edgerton 89, Beaver Creek 34
The team that held Edgerton to a pair of first-quarter points earlier in the season never had a chance to control the game’s tempo. The Dutch opened with a 20 first-quarter points and led 41-20 at halftime, holding the Beavers to only four third-quarter points.
Veenhof became a 1,000-point career scorer as a junior, his 18 points giving him 1,009 and the 1959-60 Flying Dutchmen now owned the school record of 16 consecutive victories. Verdoes led with 24 points and Kreun added 21.
Edgerton completed its Tri-County championship in perfect 14-0 fashion and had only dates against Slayton and Luverne to claim its first perfect regular season.
GAME SEVENTEEN
Edgerton 82, Slayton 47
Despite meeting the fourth-largest town in the district, Edgerton cruised to one of the easiest victories in the school’s non-conference history.
The only discouraging in a week in which Edgerton extended its school-record winning streak was the loss of stellar reserve Jim Roos who broke his arm in a Monday practice.
Veenhof and Verdoes shared scoring honors with 22 points, while Kreun and Graphenteen each added 15 points. For Graphenteen, it was a season high.
GAME EIGHTEEN
Edgerton 76, Luverne 65
In what had to be one of the most gratifying victories in school history, the Flying Dutchmen completed a perfect season by defeating host Luverne, a team that since the 1920s had dominated District 8 play.
Bob Wiarda scored the game’s opening basket and Edgerton never yielded the lead to the Cardinals. A capacity crowd, estimated to be the largest home turnout in Luverne history, saw the Dutchmen own quarter leads of 18-9, 39-24, and 52-45 before capping the mild upset.
Four Dutchmen finished in double figures. Kreun had 20, Wiarda 19 before fouling out, Veenhof 18, and Graphenteen 12.
The winners put on yet another brilliant demonstration from the line, converting 30 of 36 free throws, including 10 for Kreun. Edgerton finished the regular season with 1,351 points for a 79-point scoring average.
DISTRICT TOURNAMENT
FIRST ROUND, Sub-District
Edgerton 66, Magnolia 53
Edgerton began the game one of seven unbeaten teams in the state, joined by Cloquet, Dodge Center, Duluth Central, Esko, Forest Lake, and Renville.
The Flying Dutchmen quickly showed everyone why they were among the unbeaten, building a 15-point halftime lead and adding to the advantage in the final two periods. On the
Five Dutchmen finished in double figures, led by Dean Verdoes’ 21. Kreun had 17, Veenhof 15, Wiarda 13, and Graphenteen 10.
SUB-DISTRICT FINAL
Edgerton 72, Hills 41
In the regular season, Hills gave Edgerton the major challenge, losing by four points, but the Flying Dutchmen soared to a 20-point halftime advantage – holding Hills to 13 points – and breezed to their 20 th consecutive victory and the sub-district title.
Olson used his entire roster in the romp, but before bowing out early Veenhof rolled up 26 points, Verdoes 16, and reserve Stevens had 12 points in the eight minutes he played.
DISTRICT SEMIFINALS
Edgerton 66, Pipestone 52
In one of the state’s major district matchups, Edgerton defeated Pipestone, a team considered by many to be one of the region’s top teams because of 6-4 Sid Bostic, one of the state’s top inside players.
What the aficionados didn’t realize was the Bostic would be challenged defensively by Verdoes, who would deprive the Arrows’ standout any offensive putbacks.
Pipestone, 15-4, lost its four games by a 12-point total, jumped out to a 9-0 lead and Edgerton appeared to be headed home early, but by halftime the Flying Duchmen owned a 28-27 advantage and gradually pulled away. Bostic scored 26, but Veenhof scored 32 and was supported by Kreun’s 14 and Wiarda’s 10.
Verdoes kept Bostic in check, and he was charged with only two fouls.
DISTRICT FINALS
Edgerton 84, Worthington 65
Matched against District 8’s largest school, Edgerton slipped to an 11-10 first-quarter lead and then took charge with a 22-point second-quarter surge that gave them a 10-point advantage that Worthington never challenged.
For Edgerton, this was its first District 8 title and Veenhof was a major factor with a season-high 34 points. The big center finished the District 8 run with 108 points, but it was anything but a one-man show according to Hills’ coach Hugo Goehle who called Edgerton an extremely unselfish team.
The victory over Worthington gave Edgerton at least one victory over every team in the district, with the exception being Fulda who the Flyington Dutchmen didn’t play.
REGIONAL TOURNAMENT
At Gustavus Adolphus
Semifinal Game
Edgerton 73, Mankato 44
In what might be considered to be one of the greatest upsets in Minnesota’s postseason history, Edgerton overwhelmed two-time defending Region 2 champion Mankato with ease.
The Scarlets were bigger and most tournament tested than the Flying Dutchmen, but the small-town Edgerton didn’t blink. They slipped to an 11-7 first-quarter lead and then surged to the most decisive victory in Region 2 history over the Big Nine Conference runnerup and largest community in the region.
Veenhof had 24 points, Kreun 17, and Graphenteen. The latter had three field goals, giving him a total of 19 in his last seven games compared to only 20 in Edgerton’s first 16 regular-season contests.
REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
Edgerton 61, Mountain Lake 55
Edgerton led most of the way, but never were able to pull away from one of the region’s most successful towns which won the State Tournament in 1939 and was a frequent tournament entrant.
Mountain Lake , coming off a double-overtime over Sherburn, still looked fresh coming into the game, but trailed by six at the intermission and were no match in the third quarter in which Veenhof’s six consecutive field goals led Edgerton to a 53-32 third-quarter lead. Mountain Lake tried a full-court press to contain Edgerton’s versatile offense, but Olson’s charges held on despite utilizing only six players.
Veenhof was the leading scorer with 24 points. Kreun had 16 and Wiarda 12.
STATE TOURNAMENT
at Williams Arena
QUARTERFINALS
Edgerton 65, Chishom 54
The two teams tussled early, locked in a pair of ties, and Chisholm – the bigger team – briefly took a 16-15 lead, but Edgerton moved to a 20-15 first-period lead and held on.
Veenhof drew his fourth foul in the second period, but the Flying Dutchmen held on in his absence. He didn’t reappear until the fourth quarter, but still finished with 24 points while Kreun added 17 and Verdoes had 15.
In its feverish attempt to play catchup, standouts Bob Dropp, Bradley Skarich, and Jasper Brancich fouled out.
Chisholm’s season ended at 22-2, while Edgerton improved to 24-0.
SEMIFINALS
Edgerton 63, Richfield 60 (OT)
Cooler than a March afternoon, the Flying Dutchmen went toe-to-to with the pre-tournament favorite, Richfield, and emerged with on the tournament’s all-time upsets.
Edgerton’s top two players, Veenhof and Verdoes, wound up sitting on the bench during overtime, but the Flying Dutchmen – playing with one reserve who had only a couple minutes of meaningful playing time before the tournament season – somehow held on.
Edgerton, relying almost exclusively on free throws through most of the final period and all of the overtime, was tied with 1:36 left and Richfield had the ball, but turned it over on a lane violation. In the overtime, Edgerton outscored Richfield 7-4, with all seven points scored on free throws.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Edgerton 72, Austin 61
Smaller towns had played in the state’s showcase high school tournament, but Edgerton became the smallest to win the coveted championship trophy.
Matched against one of the state’s perennial powers, Edgerton – playing before a record crowd of 19,019 fans – took an early lead and stoically claimed the championship. Graphenteen, who hadn’t scored a field goal in the tournament, hit a series of key shots from long range, leading Edgerton to a 19-13 lead.
From that point, Austin couldn’t muster any type of a surge and Edgerton strolled in with the victory which many Minnesota fans will never forget. Veenhof promised after the Richfield game that he would not get into foul problems in the final, and he delivered. The big center finished with 27 points, followed by Graphenteen’s 15 and Verdoes’ 12.
Veenhof, Verdoes, Kreun, and Graphenteen were all named to the all-tournament team – an unprecedented number of selections – with Wiarda the only Dutchmen starter excluded.