[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 50 (Tuesday, April 13, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E614-E615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RAIDERS TAKE CURTIN CALL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BRUCE F. VENTO

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 13, 1999

  Mr. VENTO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the Record this 
article from the February 21, 1999 edition of the St. Paul Pioneer 
Press which recounts the exciting victory of Roseville High School's 
girls hockey team. Impressively, this is Roseville's second state 
championship title in four years. Amazingly enough, they have only had 
a womens' hockey program for four years. This is yet another example of 
the young people in the Fourth District of Minnesota accomplishing many 
special goals.
  The coach of this mighty team, Rich Kuehne, will be departing now 
that the season is over. After 33 years of coaching hockey, including 
four years with Roseville's girls hockey team, Mr. Kuehne is retiring. 
Additionally, their star player, Ms. Ronda Curtin will be graduating 
and attending the University of Minnesota where she will continue her 
hockey career as a member of the Gopher's team. I wish both of them 
continued success in their endeavors and congratulate them on an 
outstanding season.
  The Roseville girls hockey team has demonstrated, once again with an 
undefeated season, that hard work and dedication always lead to 
success. I wish them luck in future seasons and congratulate them on 
their superior performance.


[[Page E615]]



            [From the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Feb. 21, 1999]

                        RAIDERS TAKE CURTIN CALL

                             (Tim Leighton)

       Years from now, Ronda Curtin will be remembered as one of 
     the pioneers of girls hockey in Minnesota.
       Saturday night, Roseville's star left a more immediate but 
     very lasting impression that typified her dominance of the 
     sport the past four years.
       The senior center and all-time leading scorer in state 
     history scored four goals and assisted on one to power the 
     top-ranked Raiders to an 8-2 victory over Bloomington 
     Jefferson in the championship game of the state girls hockey 
     tournament at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum.
       The state championship is Roseville's second in just four 
     years of sponsoring girls hockey. It also is the second time 
     in four years the Raiders (27-0-1) finished a season 
     undefeated. They were undefeated when they won the state 
     title in 1996.
       Jefferson (22-4-1) was making its second state tournament 
     appearance and first in a championship game.
       ``Ronda Curtin has been an ambassador for girls hockey the 
     past four years,'' Jefferson coach Dave Irvin said. ``There 
     is no question she should be the Ms. Hockey award winner.
       ``We're glad she's leaving; she can take her sister with 
     her.''
       Curtin will play for the University of Minnesota next 
     season. But her sister, Renee, will remain a potent scorer 
     for the Raiders for two more seasons. And Ronda, who could be 
     named the recipient of the Ms. Hockey award today, will leave 
     with her name all over the Roseville record book.
       ``It was a wonderful way to end my career,'' Ronda Curtin 
     said. ``I'm really fortunate. I was able to come in with a 
     bang by winning a state title in our first year, and now I'm 
     going out with a bang. I don't know how anyone can top that. 
     Playing girls hockey in Minnesota has provided me with lots 
     of memories.''
       Curtin's four goals gave her seven for the tournament and 
     249 for her career. She finished her career with a state-best 
     (boy or girl) 456 points.
       Her pure hat trick in the second period blew open a close 
     game and gave the Raiders a commanding 6-2 lead.
       ``Oh, those goals were fun to watch, weren't they?'' 
     Roseville coach Rich Kuehne said.
       Curtin showed the flair and intelligence that became 
     indelible to Roseville's opponents.
       She started her second-period spree with a power-play goal 
     at 6:41. She streaked down the left side, sped around a 
     defender and stuffed a shot past Jefferson goalie Dana 
     Hergert.
       ``Her reach is incredible,'' Irvin said. ``We think she can 
     stand at center ice and touch the sideboards. That is just 
     one of the reasons why she is so tough to defend.''
       Less than two minutes later, while Roseville was trying to 
     kill a Jefferson power play, Curtin zipped around defender 
     Chrissie Norwich and had a breakaway.
       Just when it appeared Curtin would ram into Hergert, she 
     ripped a hard shot that hit the crossbar and bounced down 
     into the net, giving the Raiders a 4-1 lead.
       ``We really came ready to play,'' said Renee Curtin, who 
     assisted on two of her sister's goals. ``We were very focused 
     and didn't let up.''
       Well, they did momentarily because Jefferson answered 34 
     seconds later. Bethany Petersen trimmed Roseville's lead to 
     4-2 with a wicked wrist shot from just inside the blue line.
       Ronda Curtin restored the Raiders' three-goal advantage 
     with a blast from the right circle that sailed past Hergert.
       ``We really came ready to play,'' she said.
       Erika Mortenson gave Roseville a 6-2 lead with her second 
     goal of the game with 27 seconds remaining in the second 
     period.
       Three goals were scored in just more than a minute midway 
     through the first period. Roseville scored two of them, 31 
     seconds apart.
       Lindsay O'Keefe gave the Raiders the lead after firing a 
     wrist shot from the slot. Seconds earlier, Mortenson scored 
     her first goal of the tournament, to go with four assists, on 
     a tap-in from in close.
       Jefferson opened the scoring on a goal by Emily Naslund at 
     6:34 after bottling up the Raiders in their zone. For about a 
     minute, Roseville was unable to clear the puck out of its 
     end.
       The Raiders ultimately paid the price when Naslund, in 
     heavy traffic in front of the goal, slid a short shot under 
     the pads of Roseville goalie Jodi Winters.
       ``I was a little concerned in the early going,'' Kuehne 
     said, ``Jefferson came out hard, and we looked a little 
     tentative. I started to relax and enjoy things a little more 
     when we perked up.''
       Saturday's game ended Kuehne's 33-year hockey coaching 
     career. He plans to retire to his cabin on Leech Lake. He 
     compiled a 103-4-3 record in four years as Roseville's first 
     girls hockey coach.
       ``That's the kids' record, though, not mine,'' he said. 
     ``They've given me many wonderful memories.''

     

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