THE DUTCHMEN TOURNAMENT RUN

Edgerton's tournament run began less than a week after defeating Luverne in wire-to-wire fashion to complete an 18-0 regular season record. Behind the Flying Dutchmen was the first undefeated season, but ahead was the tournament season in which the school had never gone beyond a District Eight championship game. Edgerton's chances of advancing beyond the district tournament appeared slim considering that Pipestone had one of the best teams in years and the fact that the Arrows hadn't lost to Edgerton since the early 1950s. The thought of the Flying Dutchmen reaching the state tournament was virtual fantasy in that beyond all-state center Dean Veenhof, Dean Verdoes, Darrell Kreun, Bob Wiarda, and LeRoy Graphenteen, the team lost reserve forward Jim Roos through injury, leaving Daryl Stevens as the lone experienced player on the bench. But after defeating Pipestone in the district semifinals, the Flying Dutchmen could not be stopped, outdistancing schools from towns much larger than Edgerton. Not only did they win the state championship, they landed an unprecedented four spots on the all-tournament team, with Bob Wiarda the lone starter to be overlooked, a fact that took a trace of gloss off the team's brilliant finish.

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*** DISTRICT EIGHT 8 TOURNAMENT ***

EDGERTON 66, MAGNOLIA 53

One of seven Minnesota teams to complete the regular season unbeaten, joined by Cloquet, Dodge Center, Duluth Central, Esko, Forest Lake, and Renville, the Flying Dutchmen rocketed to a 15-point halftime lead and cruised to an easy victory in their sub-district opener. Five Dutchmen finished in double figures, including Dean Verdoes' 21, Darrell Kreun's 17, Dean Veenhof's 15, Bob Wiarda's 13, and LeRoy Graphenteen's 10.

EDGERTON 72, HILLS 41

Hills, coached by the venerable Hugo Goehle, was the only team to seriously challenge Edgerton during the regular season, losing by only four points in the first of two Tri-County League games, but Edgerton took charge early in this sub-district final. Coach Rich Olson was able to use his entire roster in the romp, but before bowing out Veenhof rolled up 26 points. Reserve Daryl Stevens scored 12 points in the eight minutes he played.

EDGERTON 66, PIPESTONE 52

In one of the state's marquee district tournament matchups, Edgerton defeated Pipestone, highly-regarded in the state because of 6-4 Sid Bostic, an all-state selection. Pipestone, whose four regular-season losses by a combined 12 points, jumped to a 9-0 lead before the Flying Dutchmen gained their footing. Bostic scored 26 points, but Veenhof had 32, Kreun 14, and Wiarda 10. Verdoes failed to score in double figures, but kept Bostic off the boards in this District 8 semifinal.

EDGERTON 84, WORTHINGTON 65

Matched against District 8's largest school, Edgerton led by one after the first quarter in this championship game, but extended their lead to 10 by halftime and then breezed to the school's first district title, a major triumph in light of the previous season's last-second loss to Jasper in the tourney final. Veenhof scored a season-high 34 points, giving him a four-game tournament total of 108 points.

*** REGION TWO TOURNAMENT ***

EDGERTON 73, MANKATO 44

In one of the state tournament series' most stunning upset, Edgerton overwhelmed two-time defending Region Eight champion Mankato. The Scarlets were physically more striking than the Flying Dutchmen and even the Scarlets players sensed an easy time, but Edgerton slipped to an 11-7 first-quarter lead and then surged to the most decisive victory in Region Two history. Four Flying Dutchmen finished in double-figures including Veenhof's 24, Kreun's 17, and 11 each for Verdoes and Graphenteen - the latter's 19-point total over a seven-game span compared to 20 in his first 16 regular-season contests.

EDGERTON 61, MOUNTAIN LAKE 55

Edgerton led all the way, but the pesky Mountain Lake, coming off a semifinal double-overtime victory over Sherburn, did not go out without a major challenge. Trailing 53-32 after three quarters, the Lakers applied pressure and close the margin, but the Flying Dutchmen held on with uncanny accuracy at the free throw line. Veenhof once again led the Dutchmen with 24 points, while Kreun had 16 and Wiarda 12.

STATE TOURNAMENT at Williams Arena

QUARTERFINALS

EDGERTON 65, CHISHOLM 54

In a closely-fought first period, Edgerton wrestled its way to a 20-15 lead, but were confronted by a second-period problem when Veenhof received his four foul and was pulled until the fourth quarter when he rounded out his scoring total to 24. Kreun and Verdoes picked up much of the slack and Chisholm was hindered late when starters Bob Dropp, Bradley Skarich and Jasper Brancich fouled out. Chisholm finished the season 22-2.

SEMIFINALS

EDGERTON 63, RICHFIELD 60

(OT) Cooler than the March evening, the Flying Dutchmen went toe to with consensus favorite Richfield, a bigger, stronger, and overall taller team and emerged with an overtime winner. Regulation ended with a tie at 54, but Edgerton's seven free throws - four by Kreun and three by Graphenteen capped the victory. Edgerton appeared to have major problems in regulation when Veenhof fouled out, but senior forward Stevens provided stellar support, sharing defensive coverage of the Spartans' celebrated 6-foot-5 center Bill Davis. In overtime, Flying Dutchmen forward Verdoes fouled out for the first time in his career, but seldom-used sophomore reserve Larry Schoolmeester helped Stevens guard Davis until the Spartans' massive center fouled out. Once Davis Fouled out, Kreun and Graphenteen took charge at the free throw line to secure the victory.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME EDGERTON 72, AUSTIN 61

Smaller towns had played in the tournament's showcase game, but Edgerton became the smallest to win the coveted championship trophy to the delight of most among the sellout crowd of 19,019. Graphenteen, the lowest-scoring Flying Dutchmen regular was left alone and he nailed five of six outside shots from outside that put Edgerton ahead for keeps. Veenhof vowed before the game to avoid foul problems and the center delivered en route to what would be a 27-point performance against Austin, seeking its second state basketball championship in three years. Packers' Coach Ove Berven made no excuse for his team's loss, saying that he didn't believe any team would have beaten Edgerton on that night.