Rasmussen is in his 23rd year of coaching boys' basketball and is in his third season at Castlewood. He guided the Warriors to their second straight trip to the tournament. He has also coached at such places as South Shore and Brookings and has racked up over 250 career boys' basketball wins.
I have been all over, he said. That is the life of a basketball coach.
Sports writer Ryan Deal
Oltmanns enjoying his taste of the B
It has been a long-time coming, but Hanson coach Josh Oltmanns is finally getting to experience his first State B basketball tournament.
The former 1,200-point scorer at Hurley was tantalizingly close during his junior season. However, his team lost three times to Irene, including in the district tournament when Oltmanns missed a three-pointer that could have won it.
This is my first state tournament, Oltmanns said. Those kids will tell you I've been more excited than they have probably most of the time. This is a dream come true for me. It's fun.
Oltmanns did not get a chance to coach against Viborg-Hurley during the tourney.
He said it is bit different having those two schools form a cooperative.
I'm from Hurley and Viborg was our big rival when I was in high school, he said.
Still, Oltmanns has a nephew on the Viborg-Hurley junior varsity, and also has been able to reconnect with some old friends during the tourney.
I see lot of my old teammates that I played basketball with, Oltmanns said.
Sports writer Dave Vilhauer
Where are they now?
The Aberdeen Roncalli boys' basketball team graduated eight players from last year's squad. They are all currently attending college.
· Christian Cox attends Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in Hutchinson, Kan., and plays baseball. He is listed as a freshman left-handed pitcher and outfielder. Hutchinson is 6-5 after starting its season in February. Cox is hitting .300 (3-for-10) with a double and one RBI. He also has a 1-0 pitching record with a 3.09 ERA.
· Andrew Holmstrom attends the University of South Dakota and plans for a career in the medical field.
· Chris Malsam is a freshman at Northern State and a member of the indoor and outdoor track and field teams and the football squad. Malsam is listed as a sprinter and was a redshirt freshman for the football team as a defensive back.
· Chris Kolb is a freshman at Northern State.
· Jared Carrels is a freshman at Minnesota State, Moorhead.