The Edgerton Enterprise

05/09/2026

May is Pet Care Month!

Alyssa De Weerd owns Muddy Paws near Woodstock. She’s been in the pet grooming business for over a dozen years. She helps pet owners keep their furry babies looking good! She is pictured here with Mika, a Springer Spaniel. Alyssa said her favorite breed of dog to groom is probably a Maltese, but it is really hard for her to choose.

About four years ago, Alyssa expanded her business to include boarding. She has eight kennels and a spacious outdoor dog run where the critters can exercise and explore when they are in her care.

Alyssa and her husband Joseph have two children – Abigail is six years old and Lillian is one year old. Joseph works in maintenance at New Life Treatment Center in Woodstock.

05/08/2026

SWC and the three-pointer

(A note from the author, Mike Drooger: Several months ago, there was an article about the three-point shot at Edgerton Public in the Enterprise. This article explores the history of the trey at Southwest Christian. Many game recaps appeared in the newspaper for SW’s games over the years, but a lot did not include information on three-point baskets. That means some players have been overlooked, and I apologize for that.
I also must offer an apology to the Van’t Hof family, specifically Seth. I listed the EHS families that had multiple siblings make treys. I listed Alex, Kent, and Kendra, but I forgot to include Seth.)

Ross Kooiman made the first trey for the boys, hitting one in the third game of the 1987-’88 season in a 67-41 win over Chandler-Lake Wilson. Kooiman finished that season with four treys. Other boys to make treys for SW in that initial season of the three-pointer were Tim Nibbelink (1), Scott Spronk (2), Tim Prins (2), Darrin Tinklenberg (7), and Brad Vis (12). It took the SW girls 21 games to get their first trey. It came from Sheila Mouw in the second game of the 1988-‘89 season in a three-point loss to Adrian. Mouw finished the game with 19 points.

Kooiman lives in the D.C. area in Maryland. When he was contacted about his accomplishment from 1987, he questioned it, jokingly saying, “I was the 13th guy on a 12-man team. I was the first (to make a trey)? Are you sure?” When it was proven to him that he had hit the first shot from beyond the arc, he replied, “I didn’t make a lot of contributions other than that.” Kooiman was able to see the three-point shot’s effect on basketball from the viewpoint of an official. He refereed in Maryland for 11 years, doing over a thousand games in his career.

Sheila (Mouw) Momberg of Montevideo, Minnesota, talked about her first basket from downtown. “I do remember (Coach) Ulferts was so excited,” she emailed. “If I remember correctly, it was a shot from the corner baseline. That was my sweet spot. I don’t remember much else. There were lots of games, and they all ran together.” When Sheila was told her sister Pam had made a trio of treys in a game, and her sister Gina had also made a three-pointer, she replied, “We spent a lot of time shooting three-pointers in our machine shed.”

Darrel Ulferts shared his thoughts on the three-pointer via email. He recalled a game against Hull Western Christian shortly after the three-pointer was introduced. “They had a steal, and their player was sprinting for a layup (I thought) as a SWC player sprinted back to stop it, when the Western girl stopped short of the three-point line and let it fly. I couldn’t believe it, but she swished it. There was no one back, no reason to shoot it, but it was definitely a 3-pointer. I’ll never forget it.”

Ulferts, who won 441 games with the Eagles, also reported that the number of three-point shots taken has grown steadily to what the game is today. “I watched a game earlier this week where a team made 14 threes and 10 two-pointers.” When asked if he liked the three-point shot, Ulferts replied, “I think it has made the game more exciting and fun to watch. A team with three-point shooters can put a team away quickly or get back into a game with a quick series of three-pointers.” Ulferts also mentioned he feels that the game of basketball has changed significantly over the last 25-30 years. “The old style of play, which was common during most of my coaching career with two posts and three perimeter players, has been replaced by faster-paced play with a shot clock, which has improved the game overall, but I think there used to be more emphasis on defense.”

Brian Vander Berg was Ulferts’ assistant coach during the 1988-’89 season when the three-point shot was in its infancy. Vander Berg moved to Sioux Center in 1989 and was the Technology Coordinator at Sioux Center Christian School for 18 years. Currently, he is the Technical Support Supervisor at the internet provider, Premier Communications, in Sioux Center. When asked about his memory of the three-point shot, he emailed, “I coached at the junior varsity level, and we really did not change anything offensively to take advantage of the three. We did not believe at the JV level it was developmentally appropriate to have our players shoot from that distance, as it would lead to bad habits/shooting form. I also know that Darrel Ulferts did not do a lot with it that year. I think it was more of a “wait and see” attitude with the coaches. We can see it has become a huge part of the game now.”

Brad Vis was the first SW Christian Eagle to make three treys in a game. It happened vs. Hills-Beaver Creek. Other SW boys to make a trio of treys through the early stages of the shot were Scott Vis, Jared Pap, Jason Prins, Nathan Schelhaas, Troy Van D**e, and Eric Prins.
The SW boys advanced to the state tournament in 1988 behind the long-distance shooting of Brad Vis, who is currently the Director of Mission Advancement at Western Christian in Hull. He offered an overview of that 1988 Eagles team. “Everyone in our starting lineup was 6’2” or taller. Our point guard (Darrin Tinklenberg) was 6’4” and had many dunks that year. We were a difficult matchup for many teams. As the season went on, we faced many zones. This is where some of the three-point shots came from.”

Vis does not remember any specific plays run by the Eagles to get three-point shots, but he does recall a game in Jasper. “I had two three-point makes in that game. Coach (Cal) Hoek-stra asked me when I came out of the game if I realized these were three pointers.” Vis called his days of playing basketball “a different era,” which also includes tournament time. “We had to win five tournament games to get to State. Minnesota had just two classes at this time.”
Tim Nibbelink, a retired law enforcement professional in Minnesota, played with Vis. He made a trey, but he admits that it was unusual. “I wasn’t an outside shooter; I played more around the basket.” Nibbelink doesn’t think the three-point shot changed his team a lot because they were so big. “We pounded the ball inside. Defensively, I would say it changed us more (as the opponent spread out the tall Eagle defense).

Eric Prins had a high of six treys in games vs. Adrian and Tracy-Milroy. Prins said Coach Hoekstra told his players to shoot when they were open. “When I got the ball, I figured I was always open, so I let it fly,” Prins jokingly emailed. Then he said, “We were a running team and shot when we were open. We would have some plays set up once in a while (for a three-point attempt), like a double screen or just setting picks for each other.” Prins feels the trey did change the game. “Why go in for a layup or dunk when threes are worth more? I look at the game of basketball now, and it seems like nobody likes to post up anymore. It’s more of an outside game with a lot of teams playing five men out.”

Howard Schaap, Professor of English at Dordt University, remembers he didn’t shoot a lot of threes as a junior because, in his words, “We had Eric Prins on our team. He wrecked several teams and saved our necks against Central because he was so lights out.”
Schaap said SW did a lot of “three out, two in” offensively before the three-point line. After the long shot came to be, SW switched offensively to a “four out, one in” motion offense. “That made a lot more sense,” Schaap emailed, “because we spread the floor and made the defense come out. And it changed zone defenses. Generally, we wanted people to play man-to-man against us, and the three-point line helped that if we could hit them.”

Once Schaap felt comfortable shooting the trey in his senior year, it created mismatches because Schaap was able to hit from deep, but he could also post up. “That year, I definitely had the green light, for good and ill. At one point, my teammates called me the gunner for how often I shot! I may have been guilty of settling for a jab-step three-pointer a few too many times.”
Schaap also said he and his teammates were encouraged to be more aware of their position on the court and not be so concerned about whether they were shooting a two or a three. He doesn’t recall any specific plays the Eagles ran to attempt three-point shots other than the classic out-of-bounds play under the hoop, where a screen was set for the player throwing the ball inbounds to get him a shot from either corner.

Krista Baker made the second trey for SW Christian. Then came Amber Krosschell, Ly Nonginthirath, and Erica Prins, who made three treys in a game nine times. She also had a game of five three-pointers. Nonginthirath said three-pointers didn’t alter her team’s strategy because Coach Ulferts’ main focus was on defense. “It didn’t matter if the other team could make the three; if we played tough defense, they wouldn’t get those shooting chances,” Nonginthirath said. Ulferts gave her the go-ahead if she had an open three, but more than anything, he prioritized making good shot choices. “It didn’t matter if it was for two or three points,” she said.

Trey Huisken and Nate Pfeifle hold the SWC record for threes in a game with eight. Huisken achieved that mark vs. HBC in 2019 in a game won by SWC 92-58. Pfeifle’s eight also came against the Patriots when SW won 77-40 in 2013. Pfeifle scored 30 points; Huisken had 24.
Pfeifle, who is fifth all-time at SW for career threes with 132, said he was “feeling it” that night at Hills, which is shown by his going 8-for-9 from beyond the arc. “When I missed the one shot, there were some buddies of mine at the game who gave me a hard time for missing,” Pfeifle jokingly stated. Pfeifle, a versatile shooting guard and small forward who lives in Edgerton, also had three games with five treys and one with six in his senior season.

Huisken had seven treys at halftime. “We had a very good team that year, full of scorers who could have the hot hand. Right away, my first two shots went in. You get that feeling of flow when you get a hot hand like that. (The game) seems to slow down, and you find another level of focus. My teammates from there just seemed to keep finding me and helping me get open,” Huisken recalled via Facebook Messenger.

Huisken, now living in Sioux Falls, remembers the Eagles expected the game vs. HBC to be close and competitive, but as SWC’s lead continued to grow, he played very little in the second half. “I think I could have made that record much bigger if the game had stayed close. I know this record will be broken someday, seeing younger kids shooting the three-ball more. I’m surprised it has lasted this long,” Huisken messaged.

Entering the 2025-’26 season, the record for treys in a game at SWC and EPS was eight, done by two Eagles and five Dutchmen. As the old saying goes, “records are made to be broken,” and the player who did it was Kade Moffitt of EPS. He has made nine treys in a game twice this season. Will someone tie that mark? Will there be a day when a player makes 10?

Three treys in a game for SWC
Jazlynn Prins (16)
Jacob Van Dam (16)
Dominic Nibbelink (12)
Brooklyn De Kam (12)
Dawson Rieck (12)
Jeremy Vander Woude (10)
Carter Van Hulzen (10)
Erica De Kam (9)
Megan De Ruyter (9)
Nathan Pfeifle (9)
Kade Fey (9) 2000 graduate
Jared Vis (8)
Trey Huisken (8)
Dave Dreessen (6)
Nathan Schelhaas (5)
Jacob Uilk (5)
Trevin Prins (5)
Hannah Casperson (5)
Rylie Fey (5)
Sam Schelhaas (4)
Leah Buys (4)
Parker Kooiman (4)
Jacob Raak (4)
Gavin Rieck (4)
Madyson Fey (4)
Matt Mellema (3)
Mike Miedema (3)
John Top (3)
Shaun Prins (3)
Jenna Snyder (3)
Jacob Kreun (3)
Dayton Van Hulzen (3)
Clint Knutson (3)
Colby Den Herder (3)
Cybil Vander Top (3)
Morgan Pap (3)
Dustin Hamm (2)
Justin Snyder (2)
Mike Fransman (2)
Eric Prins (2)
Tadd Prins (2)
Al Top (2)
Ryan Pronk (2)
Mike Vander Veen (2)
Andrew Top (2)
Jake Robinson (2)
Savannah Tinklenberg (2)
Luke Nibbelink (2)
Alexis Knutson (2)
Emily Nerem (2)
Avery Pater (2)
Kelsi Van Santen (2)
Ryan Pap (2)
Myah Vander Maten (2)
Ana Veldkamp (2)
Allisson Vis
Brad Vis
Scott Vis
Jason Prins
Jared Pap
Troy Van D**e
Howard Schaap
Pam Mouw
Amber Krosschell
Ly Nonginthirath
Cody Kuipers
Christa Kuipers
Rob Holleman
Ross Reitsma
Jodi Schmidt
Wade Kreun
Evan Fey
Brent Van Schepen
Trent Ryswyk
Trevor Holm
Rob Van Hofwegen
Damon Vander Maten
Keeran Sampson
Jennifer Schmidt
Kaleb Schelhaas
Clayton Huisken
Silas Top
Grace Buys
Brevan Jasper
Kyle Van’t Hof
Jordan Ward
Sommer Schaap
Denver Decker
Cody Van’t Hof
Zach Prins
Hunter Vander Haar
Micah Schaap
Ethan Sas
Caden Sas
Grant Busker
Victoria Prins
Kinsie Nelson
Lindsey Fick
Kierra Binford


Four threes in a game
Dawson Rieck (13)
Jazlynn Prins (12)
Jeremy Vander Woude (9)
Nathan Pfeifle (7)
Dave Dreessen (6)
Dominic Nibbelink (6)
Trey Huisken (6)
Kade Fey (5) 2000 graduate
Jacob Van Dam (5)
Trevin Prins (5)
Madyson Fey (5)
Mike Fransman (4)
Mike Miedema (4)
Howard Schaap (4)
Megan De Ruyter (4)
Brooklyn De Kam (3)
Cybil Vander Top (3)
John Top (2)
Eric Prins (2)
Jenna Snyder (2)
Mike Vander Veen (2)
Alexis Knutson (2)
Dayton Van Hulzen (2)
Morgan Pap (2)
Ryan Pap (2)
Carter Van Hulzen (2)
Rylie Fey (2)
Matt Mellema
Nathan Schelhaas
Tyler Schelhaas
Troy Van D**e
Ginnie Vis
Dustin Hamm
AJ Pronk
Travis Vander Woude
Andrew Top
Savannah Tinklenberg
Jacob Kreun
Jared Vis
Clint Knutson
Parker Kooima
Cody Van’t Hof
Jacob Raak
Jacob Uilk
Makenzie Pap
Hannah Casperson

Five threes in a game
Jacob Van Dam (7)
Jeremy Vander Woude (6)
Brooklyn De Kam (5)
Jazlynn Prins (5)
Madyson Fey (5)
Nathan Pfeifle (4)
Eric Prins (3)
Dawson Rieck (3)
Carter Van Hulzen (3)
Mike Fransman (2)
Jenna Snyder
Mike Miedema
Erica De Kam
Howard Schaap
Ross Reitsma
Keeran Sampson
Brevan Jasper
Jared Vis
Clint Knutson
Trey Huisken
Morgan Pap
Jacob Raak
Trevin Prins
Hannah Casperson

Six treys in a game
Dawson Rieck (6)
Madyson Fey (4)
Eric Prins (2)
Jeremy Vander Woude (2)
Jacob Van Dam (2)
Carter Van Hulzen (2)
John Top
Mike Vander Veen
Damon Vander Maten
Nathan Pfeifle
Brooklyn De Kam
Trey Huisken
Jazlynn Prins
Kade Fey 2000 graduate
Jacob Raak
Gavin Rieck

Seven treys in a game
Mike Vander Veen
Jacob Van Dam
Carter Van Hulzen
Hannah Casperson

Eight treys in a game
Nathan Pfeifle
Trey Huisken

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

Sunshine and warmer temps pumped up the Dutchmen as they cruised to an 11-6 win over Adrian/Ellsworth on Thursday.

05/07/2026

Student Mental Health Awareness

As May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and students are entering the last month of school now is a good time to talk about something many families and schools are working through every day: student mental health. Teachers see it in their classrooms, parents notice it at home, and students themselves are more willing to talk about what they’re exper-iencing. In many ways, the conversation has shifted from whether mental health matters to how we can better support it.

Data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helps put that into perspective. One in six youth in the United States experiences a mental health disorder each year, and half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14.

Mental health plays a key role in how students learn, interact, and manage daily life. Information from the National Center for Biotechnology Information points out that emotional well-being is closely connected to focus, academic success, and long-term development. When students are struggling, it often shows up in ways that are easy to recognize, including difficulty concentrating, falling behind in schoolwork, or pulling away from activities they once enjoyed.

What makes things more challenging today is that students are dealing with several layers of pressure. Academic expectations continue to grow, and many students describe a constant sense of needing to keep up. That might mean maintaining grades, staying involved in activities, or thinking ahead about future plans. A certain amount of stress can be helpful, but when it becomes ongoing, it can affect both mental and physical health. Research on adolescent development has consistently shown that prolonged stress can interfere with learning, sleep, and emotional regulation.

Social dynamics add another layer. Friendships and peer relationships are central during the school years, but they can also bring pressure. Students often feel the need to fit in, to be accepted, and to measure up. Those feelings can be difficult to navigate, especially during the teen years when identity and confidences are still developing. Today, those pressures extend beyond the school day. Social media has become a major part of how students connect. Social worker Jackie Tinklenberg notes that more than 90 percent of teens ages 13 to 17 use social media, making it one of the most influential environments students experience each day. Tinklenberg is the PK-12 social worker at Southwest Christian. She notes that there are positives to social media. Students can stay in touch with friends, find support, and share their interests. For some, those connections are meaningful and encouraging. She added that many teens say social media helps them feel more connected, especially during times when in-person interaction is limited.

At the same time, social media can quietly shape how students see themselves. Much of what appears online reflects the best moments of people’s lives. Photos and posts tend to highlight achievements, celebrations, and carefully chosen snapshots. What is often missing are the ordinary, more difficult parts of life. For students, constantly seeing those polished images can lead to comparison. Over time, it can create the sense that others are doing better or living more exciting lives. Tinklenberg points out that this kind of comparison can contribute to lower self esteem and increased anxiety, especially for younger people who are still developing a sense of identity.

Social media platforms are designed to keep users engaged. Notifications, likes, and comments all trigger releases of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is is the same chemical linked to reward and pleasure. This can create a cycle where students feel compelled to check their devices repeatedly, sometimes without even realizing it.

Research continues to reflect these patterns. NAMI studies, and others, show that higher levels of social media use are associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents. Some students also report stress tied directly to their online interactions, including worrying about how posts will be received or dealing with negative comments. In more serious situations, cyberbullying can make it difficult for students to feel a break from those pressures.

Sleep is another important part of the conversation. Many adolescents are not getting the recommended amount of rest, which is between eight and ten hours per night. Busy schedules, stress, and time spent on devices all contribute to the problem. Research referenced through national health sources shows that inadequate sleep is linked to increased anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and reduced emotional control. When students are not getting enough sleep, it affects more than just how tired they feel. It can impact mood, focus, and the ability to manage emotions. Lack of sleep can also make existing stress feel more intense, creating a cycle that can be hard to break.

Daily habits like nutrition and physical activity also play a role. What students eat can affect energy levels and mood, and regular exercise supports both physical and mental health. These facts are often included in the broader research on adolescent well-being, which emphasizes that mental health is closely tied to overall lifestyle habits.

Tinklenberg also shares a simple way to understand how stress affects the brain, something she discusses with students as part of her work at school. She refers to it as “flipping your lid.” In moments of stress, the part of the brain responsible for thinking and decision-making becomes less active, while the emotional part takes over. For students, this can look like reacting more strongly than expected, feeling overwhelmed, or having difficulty calming down once emotions rise. Understanding what is happening in the brain can help both students and adults respond with more patience and awareness, rather than seeing those reactions as simply behavioral.

There are also signs that can point to when a student may be struggling. In the materials she shares with students, Tinklenberg highlights patterns such as spending more time online than interacting with others in person, frequently comparing themselves to others, changes in sleep habits, trouble focusing, or noticeable shifts in mood.

The encouraging thing is that there are practical steps that can help – small changes can make a difference! Tinklenberg’s resources encourage students to set boundaries around screen time, turn off notifications when possible, and take intentional breaks from social media. These steps can help reduce overstimulation and create space to recharge.

Paying attention to sleep, maintaining routines, and staying active are also important. Research consistently supports the idea that these daily habits play a meaningful role in emotional well-being. Just as important is making space for conversation. When students feel comfortable talking about what they are experiencing, it can reduce the sense of isolation that often comes with mental health challenges. Whether that conversation happens with a parent, teacher, or counselor, having someone to listen matters.

Schools and communities continue to look for ways to better support students, including expanding access to counseling and increasing awareness around mental health. While there is no single solution, there is a growing understanding that emotional well-being is essential to helping students succeed.

Mental Health Awareness Month provides an opportunity to keep that conversation going. The challenges students face are real, but so is the support available to them.

05/07/2026

The Dutchmen lost to Minneota 8-3 on a cold Tuesday evening.

05/02/2026

The Dutchmen lost a heartbreaker to TMB Friday night in 10 innings. Final score 8-9.