The third annual Final Leg Torch Run 5K in New Prague, sponsored by Electromed, was held the morning of Tuesday, June 18, and drew 36 people. Adults and children were traveling the route by bike and rollerblades as well as running and walking it. The Torch Run is to raise awareness for Special Olympics and is done around the state. The run goes through 65 cities and covers more than 1,000 miles. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Kymberli (Kym) Ann El-Wailli, age 51, of New Prague, MN passed away unexpectedly on June 16, 2019.  She was born October 16, 1967, to parents, Ronald (RJ) and Frances Sticha (Lonsdale, MN).

The Minnesota State High School League’s four state championship baseball games are scheduled for Thursday, June 20, at Target Field in Minneapolis
The schedule (subject to change due to weather or lenth of games)
10 a.m. Class A - BOLD vs. New York Mills
1 p.m. Class AA - Minnehaha Academy vs. Duluth Marshall
4 p.m. - Class AAA - St. Thomas Academy vs. Benilde-St. Margeret’s
7 p.m. - Class AAAA - New Prague vs. East Ridge
Tickets can be purchased at Target Field. Price is $12 for adults, $8 for students, and are good for all four games.

On June 14, 2019, Darla Michele Thoen (Ambroz), age 56 and loving mother of three children, passed away suddenly and was surrounded by her family. She was born on April 28th, 1963 in Minneapolis, MN to Robert and Darlyne Thoen. She graduated from Eden Prairie High School in 1981 and later from the University of Minnesota in 1985. After graduating, she worked at JC Penney Corporate.

Jerry K. Most, age 81, of New Prague, died suddenly of a massive heart attack on Friday, June 14, 2019 at his home at Praha Village. Jerry was born on April 20, 1938, in Ellsworth, Wisconsin to Stanley and Marguerite (Melgaard) Most. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Ellsworth, graduated from Ellsworth High School, and entered the US Navy, having come from a proud military family. Jerry married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Mary Lou Rosenberg, on July 7, 1956 in Ellsworth.

Keith R. Pieper, age 72 of Henderson, died Sunday, June 16, 2019 at the Ridgeview Nursing and Rehab Center in Le Sueur. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 22 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Henderson. Fr. Sam Perez will officiate the Mass. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, June 21 and one hour prior to Mass on Saturday, all at the church in Henderson. Interment will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Henderson.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.

Trojan Baseball Send-off will take place at 3:00 pm on Thursday, June 20. The team will exit the school at the bus loop doors and board the bus for their 7 pm State Championship game at Target Field in Minneapolis. Parents/Fans are encouraged to park in the student/staff lots and walk behind the high school for the ceremony.
 
Trojan Baseball Fan Bus sign-up is in the NPHS Main Office, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Cost is $8/person and must have a minimum of 40 people in order to take a bus. NPHS Office Hours are 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.
 

Joe Weiers went 4-for-4 and Collin Dorzinski 3-for-5 as New Prague banged out 13 hits in a 12-7 win over Rogers in the State Class AAAA baseball tournament Saturday, June 15. Dorzinski, Cade Pavek and Spencer Kajer each had three RBIs
The win puts them in the State Championship game against East Ridge, which defeated defending state champion Stillwater 6-5 in extra innings in the other semifinal game. The championship game will be played at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at Target Field.

John Krocak of Montgomery, center, races for home plate during a costumed obstacle course at the third annual Home Run Derby the evening of Saturday, June 15, at Union Hill. The event was a fundraiser for Aurora Jesperson, daughter of Nate and Sarah Jesperson of Elko New Market. Despite the rain, many people showed up for the fun filled event. In the background, from left, are Ted Nytes, owner of Nytes Cabinets and Home Town Bats, sponsor of the Home Run Derby, Michael McCrady of St.

The New Prague Trojans took a big lead, saw Rogers pull to within a run, then scored four runs in the seventh to claim a 12-7 win in the State Class AAAA tournament Saturday at CHS Field in St.Paul.
New Prague will face East Ridge in the State championship game, scheduled for 7 pm Thursday, June 20, at Target Field in Minneapolis.
See more on the game , including photos, later tonight and in the print edition of The New Prague Times.

Jake Deutsch made a big defensive play in the bottom of the sixth to stop a Blaine threat, then singled and scored the winning run in the seventh as the New Prague Trojans upset the No. 2 seed Blaine Bengals 7-6 in the quarterfinals of the State Class AAAA baseball tournament Friday, June 14, at CHS Field in St. Paul.
The Trojans scored a run in the second when Cade Pavek scored on a base hit by Sam Novak.

Members of the New Prague High School baseball team got a big sendoff Thursday afternoon, June 13, as they left for the State Class AAAA baseball tournament in St. Paul. A big crowd of fans, including family members and players with the New Prague Youth Baseball Association, cheered them on as they boarded a bus. New Prague is scheduled to face Blaine at 3 p.m. Friday, June 14, at CHS Field in St. Paul in a first-round game.

Who will step up to bat for a local family’s little princess?
The third annual Home Run Derby sponsored by Ted Nytes, owner of Nytes Cabinets and Home Town Bats, will be held this Saturday, June 15 at Union Hill ballpark west of New Prague, starting at 5 p.m. The event will benefit a little girl named Aurora and her family, who could use a boost of spirits and funds at this time.

Television news and daily papers have been talking about a series of car break-ins and burglaries that have been occurring late at night in communities around the Twin Cities. One report says that it appears to be an organized burglary ring, with as many as a dozen communities around the Twin Cities seeing a rise in such thefts.

New Market is now the lone undefeated Class C team in the Dakota-Rice- Scott League, as they won three games during the week, upping their record to 13-0. The Muskies have a 3-1/2 game lead over second-place St. Patrick, which lost their first game of the season to Faribault.
Faribault, Elko and Prior Lake all won two games as well during the past week.

Russell Harry Dietz, 72, of Montgomery, passed away after a long battle with cancer on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, surrounded by family at Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital in Mankato. Visitation will be held Thursday, June 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery with a funeral service following. Interment will be at a later date.
Russell was born on September 30, 1946, to Harry and Leota (Busta) Dietz. He graduated from Montgomery High School. He was in the US Army Reserves and Montgomery Police Reserves.