High School Sports

St. Johns County homeless encampment being monitored by sheriff's office highlights …

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A homeless encampment behind Publix on Wildwood Drive is receiving attention from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, highlighting how local organizations and law enforcement are addressing homelessness in the area. RELATED: Three Generations, One Housing Crisis: What ‘Affordable’ means in 2025 Tents and backpacks line the area, creating a […]

Published

1 month ago

June 6, 2025

Your Sports Nation

St. Johns County homeless encampment being monitored by sheriff's office highlights ...

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A homeless encampment behind Publix on Wildwood Drive is receiving attention from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, highlighting how local organizations and law enforcement are addressing homelessness in the area.

Tents and backpacks line the area, creating a makeshift walkway that leads into the woods on Wildwood Drive.

Judith Dembowski, executive director of St. Augustine Society Inc., shared insights into the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness.

“Absolutely, everyone’s story is different,” she said.

Last year, the St. Augustine Society Inc. helped 250 people transition off the streets, some of whom were living in encampments like the one behind Publix.

“The overarching story is that we need more housing,” Dembowski said. “Our street outreach team picked up a mom with three adolescents who were living in a storage unit just three weeks ago.”

She highlighted the struggles of young adults, stating that among those aged 18 to 24, 68 individuals are in their program, with 60 actively working but lacking stable housing.

“It’s hard to live here. It’s hard to afford to live here,” Dembowski said.

The encampment is also being monitored by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Sergeant Mike Clark leads the reentry and outreach program.

“What we do from reentry and outreach is go and address that, see if there are homeless individuals in that camp, and offer them opportunities to get off the streets,” Clark said.

This includes programs like Operation New Hope, transitional housing, and substance abuse treatment. Clark said that while they have not yet made contact with the individuals living in the encampment, they are committed to following up and providing assistance.

“I’m trying to keep you from coming to jail. That’s our objective. We don’t want you to come to jail,” he said, noting that many individuals end up incarcerated for minor offenses like trespassing.

He further explained the housing challenges in St. Augustine.

“You’re getting somebody a job for $18 an hour, they may not afford the rent in St. Johns County,” he said.

Both Clark and Dembowski are dedicated to helping those in need and cleaning up areas like the encampment.

“Homelessness is more than just what you’re seeing on the street corner. It is a much bigger issue,” Clark said.

According to Northeast Florida Realtors, the median sales price for a home in St. Johns County exceeds $500,000, while the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,400, as reported by Apartments.com.

High School Sports

Florida high school softball

High school softball on the First Coast has produced highlights by the hundreds throughout the 21st century. During the seasons from 2000-01 to 2024-25, Northeast Florida high school softball has crowned several state champions, produced countless future college standouts and paved the path for an Olympian to Team USA. The next question: Which of these […]

Published

7 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

High school softball on the First Coast has produced highlights by the hundreds throughout the 21st century.

During the seasons from 2000-01 to 2024-25, Northeast Florida high school softball has crowned several state champions, produced countless future college standouts and paved the path for an Olympian to Team USA.

The next question: Which of these players is the best of the quarter-century across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida?

Here’s your chance to vote for the top high school softball player in Northeast Florida from 2000-01 to 2024-25. Participants can vote once per hour. The poll will remain open until 10 a.m. Saturday, July 12.

We reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or declare a vote “no contest” if tampering such as bots or offering to pay for voting is evident. Please respect the integrity of the vote the way these athletes respect the integrity of the game.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

High School Sports

South Dakota Junior Golf highlights from Mitchell and Watertown

MITCHELL — Gabi Olson, who will be a junior this fall at Watertown High School, put herself in the state record book on the way to winning the South Dakota Golf Association-Sanford International Series event at the Lakeview Golf Course on Monday, July 7, 2025. Olson of Watertown fired a 3-under par 68 to win […]

Published

11 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Your Sports Nation

South Dakota Junior Golf highlights from Mitchell and Watertown

Olson of Watertown fired a 3-under par 68 to win the girls division title by five shots.

She made her mark on the back nine at Lakeview, shooting a 7-under par 28. According to SDGA officials, it’s certainly the lowest nine-hole score in South Dakota Junior Golf history and maybe in the entire history of South Dakota golf. Olson birdied the first six holes and added another birdie and two pars down the stretch.

Chloe Attema of Harrisburg took second with a 73. Aberdeen golfers Olivia Braun (tied for third at 74) and Claire Crawford (tied for fifth at 75) each added top 5 finishes in the girls division.

Asher Dannenbring of Mitchell won a one-hole playoff over Tyson Blom of Sioux Falls to win the boys division. They each shot 4-under 67s.

Jaden Solheim of Watertown and Jonathan DeBoer of Twin Brooks each tied for sixth with 69s.

The tourney inluded 28 girls and 66 boys.

Gabi Olson not only won the girls division title in the South Dakota Golf Association/Sanford International Series event at the Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell on Monday, July 7, 2025, but also carded what is certainly the lowest 9-hole score in South Dakota Junior Golf history (and maybe all of South Dakota competive golf history). Olson birdied the first six holes on the back nine at Lakeview and later added another birdie for a 7-under par 28. Olson, who will be a junior at Watertown High School this fall, finished with a 3-under 68 for 18 holes and won the girls division by five shots.

SDGA Junior Tour

WATERTOWN — Ninety-seven golfers (21 girls and 76 boys) competed on Monday, July 7, and 96 (24 girls, 72 boys) on Tuesday, July 8, in South Dakota Golf Association 2025 Junior Tour events at Watertown’s two courses.

The golfers played Monday at the Prairie Winds Golf Club and Tuesday at Cattail Crossing Golf Course in SDGA Junior Tour Northeast Division tournaments.

The 9-and-under and 10-11 divisions featured nine holes of play each day. The 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18 divisions included 18 holes each day.

The final Northeast Division event of the 2025 SDGA Junior Tour is scheduled for Monday, July 14, at the Lake Region Golf Course at Lake Poinsett. The SDGA Adult Junior Championship is slated for Sunday, July 20 and the SDGA Junior Championship Monday through Wednesday, July 21-23 at the Lakeview Golf Course in Mitchell,

The SDGA Junior Tour Cup will be held Monday, Aug. 4 at the Hillsview Golf Course in Pierre. It features the top two points leaders (boys and girls) in each age group, except 9-and-under), for the Southeast, Northeast and West Divisions of the SDGA Junior Tour. Luke VanLaecken of Watertown (9-and-under boys) tees off on No. 7 during the South Dakota Golf Association Junior Tour event on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Prairie Winds Golf Club. Prairie Winds Golf Club (July 7)9-and-Under Girls — 1. Zoey Zeigler, Winner, 51 (15-over par); 2. Anna Lunzman, Watertown, 58.9-and-Under Boys — 1. Lowen Kulesa, Pierre, 43 (7-over); 2. Sean Lockner, Brandon, 45; 3. Ethan Stein, Watertown, 50; 4. Theodore Weischedel, Elk Point, 51; 5. Camdyn Phillips, Watertown, 53; 6. (Tie) Ian Hansen, Brookings, and Otto Weischedel, Elk Point, 54; 8. Andrew Stein, Watertown, 55; 9. Ryker Walder, Watertown, 56; 10. Carson Wahl, Watertown, 60; 11. Luke VanLaecken, Watertown, 63.10-11 Girls — 1. Paisley Neale, Watertown, 47 (11-over); 2. Lydia Schafer, Watertown, 53; 3. Riley Jacobson, Bryant, 56.10-11 Boys — 1. Braxton Merideth, Vermillion, 38 (2-over); 2. Nick Brown, Sioux Falls, 44; 3. Madden Stein, Watertown, 45; 4. (Tie) Luke Snyder, Aberdeen, and Logan Baszler, Brookings, 47; 6. Gunnar Lesnar, Webster, 48; 7. Lincoln Zeigler, Winner, 59; 8. Sam VanLaecken, Watertown, 53; 9. Brody Palmquist, Watertown, 54; 10. Reid Melius, Brookings, 55; 11. Sam Gulsvig, Sioux Falls, 65; 12. Brody Sternhagen, Watertown, 68; 13. Cole Neal, Aberdeen, 72.12-13 Girls — 1. Genevieve Golz, Aberdeen, 83 (11-over); 2. Carli Withers, Aberdeen 99; 3. Kinzley Ronne, Goodwin, 113; 4. Maria Enderson, Brookings, 114; 5. Reese Jacobson, Bryant, 116.12-13 Boys — 1. Jack Baszler, Brookings, 74 (2-over); 2. Logan Borns, Clark, 79; 3. Braylen Liebl, Aberdeen, 85; 4. Adam Hettick, Roscoe, 90; 5. (Tie) Ty Sylliaasen and Matthew Darling, Aberdeen, 92; 7. (Tie) Brady Baumann, Selby, and Eli Bradley, Aberdeen, 99; 9. (Tie) Oliver Steffensen, De Smet, and Cade Ritter, Sioux Falls, 100; 11. Sam Knox, Doland, 106; 12. Hudson Dunsmoor, Watertown, 108. (Holden Remmers, Sioux Falls, WD).14-15 Girls — 1. Mackenzie Wegehaupt, Aberdeen, 83 (11-over); 2. Sage Gaikowski, Waubay, 85; 3. (Tie) Taylor Bastian, Volga, and Emma Olson, Watertown, 96; 5. Ava Bain, Sioux Falls, 97; 6. Ava Crooks, Astoria, 101; 7. Sienna Boyden, Hartford, 113.14-15 Boys — 1. Seth Lesnar, Webster, 80 (8-over); 2. (Tie) Jack Johnson, Vermillion; Drew Easter Sioux Falls; and Kaden Wookey, Clark, 81; 5. Riley Randall, Watertown, 84; 6. Rigley Kulesa, Pierre, 85; 7. (Tie) Luke Nielsen, Sisseton; Brecken Jungen, Watertown; and Landon Krzmarzick, Sioux Falls, 86; 10. Atticus Eyjolfson, Hendricks, 87; 11. (Tie) Hayden Liebl, Aberdeen; Hunter Bushkofsky, Egan; and Lincoln McInerney, Brandon, 88; 14. Kooper Wookey, Clark, 90; 15. Judah Fargher, Eureka, 91; 16. Max Schumaker, Howard, 94; 17. (Tie) Jackson Ahmann, Watertown; Skylar Thielbar, Huron; Braxton Yackley, Selby; and Blake Bjorgaard, Aberdeen, 96; 21. Kroix Larson, Brandon, 97; 22. (Tie) Ridgly Wasem, Aberdeen, and Braxton Tronbak, Brookings, 102; 24. Westyn Kizer, Howard, 106; 25. Noah Hansen, Brookings, 115.16-18 Girls — 1. Olivia Knox, Doland, 96 (14-over); 2. Gracelyn Boyden, Hartford, 89; 3. Kreu Johnson, Watertown, 100; 4. Madeline Enderson, Brookings, 106.16-18 Boys — 1. (Tie) Seth Hettick, Roscoe, and Drake Mueller, Faulkton, 77 (5-over); 3. (Tie) Kalen Larson, Aberdeen, and Will Lockner, Brandon, 81; 5. Emmett Schwiesow, Clear Lake, 84; 6. Harrison Beyers, Roscoe, 85; 7. Trent Beyers, Roscoe, 90; 8. Jace Johnson, Groton, 92; 9. (Tie) Jace Byram and Wyatt Kiesz, Aberdeen, 95; 11. Jayden Schwan, Groton, 96; 12. Joshua Fargher, Eureka, 97; 13. Grayson Rehder, Aberdeen, 99; 14. Wyatt Rahm, Turton, 102. Mackenzie Wegehaupt of Aberdeen (14-15 girls) drains a putt on No. 2 during the South Dakota Golf Association Junior Tour event on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Prairie Winds Golf Club. Cattail Crossing Golf Course (July 8)9-and-Under Girls —1. Merrick Boyden, Hartford, 44 (8-over); 2. Anna Lunzman, Watertown, 48; 3. Zoey Zeigler, Winner, 54;9-and-Under Boys — 1. Brodie Winn, Marshall, MN, 44 (8-over); 2. Lowen Kulesa, Pierre, 45; 3. Sean Lockner, Brandon, 46; 4. Ian Hansen, Brookings, 47; 5. Ethan Stein, Watertown, 50; 6. Carson Wahl, Watertown, 51; 7. Andrew Stein, Watertown, 53; 8. Ryker Walder, Watertown, 58; 9. Luke VanLaecken, Watertown, 65.10-11 Girls — 1. Paisley Neale, Watertown, 49 (13-over); 2. Lydia Schafer, Watertown, 50; 3. Riley Jacobson, Bryant, 53.10-11 Boys — 1. Lincoln Zeigler, Winner, 39 (3-over); 2. Madden Stein, Watertown, 50; 3. Boedy Gatzke, Volga, 41; 4. Gunnar Lesnar, Webster, 43; 5. (Tie) Luke Snyder, Aberdeen, and Brody Palmquist, Watertown, 56; 7. Sam Gulsvig, Sioux Falls, 50; 8. Sam VanLaecken, Watertown, 51; 9. Brody Sternhagen, Watertown, 55.12-13 Girls — 1. Genevieve Golz, Aberdeen, 93 (21-over); 2. Emma Reineisch, Mitchell, 102; 3. Kinsley Ronne, Goodwin, 104; 4. Reese Jacobson, Bryant, 105.12-13 Boys — 1. Logan Borns, Clark, 78 (6-over); 2. Rigley Kulesa, Pierre, 79; 3. Braylen Liebl, Aberdeen, 82; 4. Hudson Prunty, Fort Pierre, 83; 5. Ty Sylliaasen, Sioux Falls, 87; 6. (Tie) Matthew Darlihng, Aberdeen, and Adam Hettick, Roscoe, 92; 8. (Tie) Arie Olson, Onida, and Brady Baumann, Selby, 99; 10. Parker Serr, Aberdeen, 105; 11. Sam Knox, Doland, 107; 12. Eli Bradley, Aberdeen, 109; 13. Hudson Dunsmoor, Watertown, 115; 14. Jacob Hofer, Doland, 129.14-15 Girls — 1. Mackenzie Wegehaupt, Aberdeen, 84; 2. Carley Roiger, Dell Rapids, 88; 3. Taylor Bastian, Volga, 92; 4. Emma Olson, Watertown, 93; 5. Addyson Weidenbach, Sioux Falls, 95; 6. Lauren Roerig, Sioux Falls, 106; 7. (Tie) Ava Bain, Sioux Falls, and Sienna Boyden, Hartford, 110.2025 STATE B BOYS-GIRLS GOLF: Clark-Willow Lake golf’s Brynn Roehrich repeats as Class B state champion

14-15 Boys — 1. Braxton Holland, Siou Falls, 72 (even par); 2. Jack Johnson, Vermillion, 73; 3. Seth Lesnar, Webster, 75; 4. Tate Stoeser, Fort Pierre, 76; 5. Jeran Carr, Vermillion, 77; 6. (Tie) Brecken Jungen, Watertown, and Lincoln McInerney, Brandon, 81; 8. (Tie) Hayden Liebl, Aberdeen; Riley Randall, Watertown; and Aiden Hernandez, Abrerdeen, 84; 11. Kooper Wookey, Clark, 85; 12. Matthew Gerlach, Aberdeen, 86; 13. (Tie) Jackson Ahmann, Watertown; Braxton Yackley, Selby; and Kaden Wookey, Clark, 87; 16. Ridgly Wasem, Aberdeen, 88; 17. Liam Heiberger, Brookings, 89; 18. Huntre Bushkofsky, Egan, 90; 19. Blake Bjorgaard, Aberdeen, 91; 20. (Tie) Hudson Palmquist, Watertown, and Owen Dravland, Harrisburg, 93; 22. Judah Fargher, Eureka, 97; 23. Lincoln Olson, Onida, 100; 24. Kroix Larson, Brandon, 101; 25. Noah Hansen, Brookings, 103; 26. Gus Mack, Watertown, 106.
16-18 Girls — 1. Josephine Bertrand, Brookings, 80; 2. Aryn Roering, Sioux Falls, 84; 3. Olivia Knox, Doland, 87; 4. Abbie Westra, Sioux Falls, 92; 5. Addison Kaltved, Sioux Falls, 93; 6. Carmen Bertrand, Willow Lake, 107.
16-18 Boys — 1. (Tie) Will Lockner, Brandon, and Quinton Hollan, Sioux Falls, 78 (6-over); 3. (Tie) Seth Hettick, Roscoe, and Kaiden Weinreis, Doland, 81; 5. (Tie) Easton Schelhaas, Yankton; Max Kees, De Smet; and Jesse Hernandez, Aberdeen, 82; 8. (Tie) Joshua Fargher, Eureka and Grayson Rehder, Aberdeen, 86; 10. Keegan Fossum, Marshall, MN, 87; 11. Sam Baruth, Alpena, 90; 12. Wyatt Kiesz, Aberdeen, 93; 13. Wyatt Rahm, Turton, 101; 14. Jayden Schwan, Groton, 104.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com