A look back at some of the sports happenings during the week of March 10-16:

Last year on March 11, 2023: Jordan Belka’s basketball career has ended as his Northern State Wolves lost their first-round game in the NCAA DII national tourney to Emporia State of Kansas. The Rogers, MN, native appeared in a record 149 games for NSU from 2018-23, starting 84. He ended with 1,314 points, 686 rebounds, 172 assists, 85 steals and 75 blocked shots. The Wolves went 115-44 during Belka’s five seasons, including 81-21 in the conference and 58-11 at home, and won four conference titles, four North
Division titles, three conference tournaments and made four national tourney appearances.

10 years ago on March 11, 2014: Custer coach, Britton native and NSU graduate Larry Luitjens ended his 46- year boys’ basketball career as the winningest boys’ basketball coach in state history with 748 wins and seven state titles.

20 years ago on March 13, 2004: The Spirit of Su winner at the girls’ basketball Class A tourney was Laura Big Crow, who led Pine Ridge to a state runner-up finish. Winning the award was a special moment because the award was established in honor of SuAnne Big Crow of Pine Ridge, one of the best players in state history who died in a car accident on Feb. 9, 1992. SuAnne was Laura’s first cousin.

30 years ago on March 15, 1994: Northern State lost the NAIA DII national basketball championship to Eureka (CA) 98-95 despite 22-point performances each from Lance Luitjens, Eric Kline and Kevin Burckhard as well as 12 from Paul Sather. This is the sixth season in a row that Luitjens, a sophomore from Custer, has ended his year in a championship game. The Wolves were national runners-up last year and Custer won two state titles and finished as state runners-up twice during Luitjens’ high school years.

40 years ago on March 10, 1984: Mobridge twin brothers and University of Nebraska wrestlers Jim Scheer (177 pounds) and Bill Scheer (190 pounds) won NCAA DI titles at East Rutherford, N.J.

50 years ago on March 16, 1974: Aberdeen is building a new 6,000-seat, $500,000 football and track facility in the northeast part of the city. The city donated the land for the project which will feature an eight-lane track with an artificial running surface. The complex will become known as Swisher Field.