MINNEOTA, MINN. – The last piece of driving from the Twin Cities to Minneota, a village of 1,350 in Lyon County, was taking a right off State Highway 23 onto County Road 24.
Winter was arriving in southwest Minnesota on Wednesday, based more on the cold and howling wind than a smattering of snow. The starlings were mining for gravel next to the paved road, waiting until the last instant and then jumping into the wind in flocks of 20 or more.
Sad to report, I heard a few bird collisions with the vehicle over those mostly flat and straight 12 miles into Minneota.
This was from the East. You have to be entering from the South to see the large sign declaring: “Minneota Vikings State Champions.”
For now, the team championships listed are nine for football, four for volleyball, three for girls basketball, and one each for wrestling, girls cross-country and boys cross-country.
Earlier this month, there were hopes that two sign updates would be required, but then tall and powerful Mayer Lutheran defeated the Vikings in a sweep in the Class 1A volleyball title match.
The fall sports season is not over yet. The hope is that there will be an update needed in the second football column, although Minneota must defeat Springfield in the Class 1A title game for a third consecutive late November to make that happen.
This will be the Prep Bowl opener at 10 a.m. Friday.