Four seniors lead the Neligh-Oakdale football team this fall. They are Jayden Arehart, Tucker Knust, Andrew Herley and Austin Rice.
Get to know the entire team here. Three seniors lead the Neligh-Oakdale volleyball team this fall. They are Kristen Snodgrass, Haley Kerkman and Ayspen Tarker.
Get to know the entire team here. ![]() Neligh-Oakdale debuted its new offense Friday night and picked up a big win over Clearwater/Orchard. Fans packed the Orchard gym after the afternoon football game to watch the all-Antelope County battle. Neligh-Oakdale won 25-19, 19-25, 25-23, 25-12 over the Cyclones, who were without three of their starters due to various circumstances. The Warriors switched to a 6-2 offense this fall after years of running a 5-1. Coach Hannah Hoefer said her team has two great setters in senior Haley Kerkman and sophomore Claire Whitesel and is taking advantage of the hitting opportunities, especially with co-captain Kerkman in the front row. “You can tell she wants to hit,” Hoefer said. “She’s an all-around player. She wants to hit, wants to set, wants to serve. She’s not afraid to go after it.” Neligh-Oakdale pulled ahead early in the first set and held a 21-12 lead, but the Cyclones didn’t give up and battled back to 24-19. At set point, Kerkman spiked the ball hard from the left side, but JoCee Johnston dug it from the backrow to set up the Cyclone offense. A hard hit by the Cyclones just outside the back line gave Neligh-Oakdale the set win. “I love hitting, so this is a blessing for me,” said Kerkman, who led the Warriors with 15 kills, 10 set assists, 4 digs and 3 ace serves. “All setters get excited to get that hit, and now I get to do that in a game and work it. I’ve never really known the high hitters get from getting those hits, so now I know that and am liking it. It’s all back to Claire and (libero) Kristen (Snodgrass). They’ve been doing great on their passes, and Claire’s been doing great on those sets to the right side. We couldn’t do it without the whole team.” The Cyclones started to find their grove a little more in the second set as they looked more comfortable with the personnel changes. Julian Tuttle had strong sets as she found familiar hitters Johnston and Avery Cheatum often. Johnston led the Cyclones with 11 kills, 3 ace serves, 3 blocks and 14 digs. Juniors Lauren Behnk and Brooke Knievel, along with senior Taylor Sanne, kept the offense clicking. Cyclone coach Sierra Summers said she quickly changed her rotation due to the missing players, and her team adapted to the circumstances and filled roles. “I’m just really proud of how they’re working together,” Summers said. "I like seeing new people and how they contribute to the team at all times. When we play our best, we’re always working together and communicating.” The third set proved to be the difference in the match as to which team could overcome early-season errors at the right time. Neligh-Oakdale was up 23-21, but a service error by the Warriors brought OC to within 23-22. Then the Cyclones duplicated the error with a long serve of their own to make it 24-22. At set point, the Warriors served long for the second straight time. Needing just one more point to extended the set, Sanne served well and put the ball in play. A poor Warrior pass from the back row kept Whitesel from setting the ball to her hitters, and she instead bumped it over to Kerkman, who then caught OC off guard with a tip across the next to seal the 25-23 win. Neligh-Oakdale dominated the fourth set primarily due to errors continuing to plague the Cyclones, who were not only without three starters but were playing their third match in two days. OC opened the season on the road Thursday in Atkinson. Friday's match ended on a Cyclone passing error, giving Neligh-Oakdale the 25-12 set win. “It’s been a long week, but the girls worked really hard,” Summers said. “We’ve been playing really hard and competitively for the most part, but we have a lot of things we can work on.” The Warriors rotated in all nine varsity players throughout the match. Also hitting the court were juniors Amanda Dietz and Shelby Pitzer, sophomores Paige Furstenau, Trinity Kurpgeweit, Brooke Frey and Aubrie Klabenes. “We have nine girls on my varsity, and all nine are showing they’re good teammates. They’re playing well together and are supporting one another,” Hoefer said. “They’re ready at the drop of a dime to come in and pick up where they need to. We’re filling roles right now, and we’re just getting started and ironing out the kinks.” Both teams will be back in action on their home court Thursday. The Cyclones (1-2) will have yet another all-Antelope County matchup as they host Elgin Public/Pope John and then Stuart. Neligh-Oakdale (1-0) will celebrate homecoming by hosting Boyd County and Santee. Neligh-Oakdale (1-0): Shelby Pitzer 1d; Trinity Kurpgeweit 2k, 9d, 2a; Amanda Dietz 10k; Haley Kerkman 15k, 10sa, 4d, 3a; Brooke Frey 2k, 1a; Aubrie Klabenes 3b, 2d; Paige Furstenau 11d, 3a; Kristen Snodgrass 4s, 11d; Claire Whitesel 15sa, 5d, 3a. Clearwater/Orchard (1-2): Avery Cheatum 5k, 3a, 11d; Julian Tuttle 4k, 1a, 17d, 21sa; JoCee Johnston 11k, 3a, 3b, 14d; Brooke Knievel 2k, 13d, 1sa, Lauren Behnk 1a, 3d; Taylor Sanne 1b, 5d. The Elgin Public/Pope John football team grinded out a 40-32 victory over Elkhorn Valley Friday in their season opener.
"It always feels good to get that win," stated EPPJ coach Randy Eisenhauer. "It's been a couple of years in the making. I go back to the summer. These kids worked hard, harder than the past. These kids had something they wanted to do. They wanted to get that win, they battled and we went through some injuries, but so did they (Elkhorn Valley). Give them credit, they played hard as well. To get that first W is great." "I'm completely proud of my team," commented Elkhorn Valley coach Brendan Dittmer. "We only have 12 on the team, but only 11 were eligible to play tonight. To ask the boys to stand on the football field and make the plays they did, I'm proud of them. They're going to be thinking about the one or two plays they didn't make, but I told them to think about the 25 plays they made when they didn't have the energy to make those plays. We asked a lot of these kids and they rose to the occasion. It just didn't happen to go our way." The Falcons got off to a hot start. After picking off the first pass of the game, Josh MacFarland scored on a 13-yard TD run. EPPJ answered with Conor Ramold and Kyle Schumacher touchdown runs and two point conversions to take a 10-point advantage. Following a Wolfpack turnover on downs, Braedyn Ollendick connected on a 43-yard scoring pass to Brock Schaecher, cutting the deficit to four. Ramold responded with a 12-yard TD run to push the EPPJ lead back up to double-digits. MacFarland found pay dirt on a one-yard run to make the score 24-20 Wolfpack at half. Elkhorn Valley retook the lead to start the second half when Carter Rautenberg broke free for a 43-yard touchdown scamper. "To Elgin's credit, when we intercepted them and scored, it was a huge momentum shift," Dittmer spoke. "They responded, played smash-mouth football and took it to us there for a while. We did the same to start the third quarter. We didn't say much at halftime, but we came out and played smash-mouth football and did exactly what I wanted them to." The lead did not last, as Hunter Reestman found Adam Dreger for a 19-yard scoring pass to reclaim the lead. "We battled adversity the whole game," Reestman remarked. "We had guys go down (get injured). We were down, but we got that gut feeling that we couldn't quit. That's why we run extra in practice. We run sprints twice for that reason. We have to finish the game." The Wolpack appeared to ice the game with Reestman's five-yard touchdown run with under eight minutes to play. The Falcons did not go away and came within one score after a one-yard TD strike from Ollendick to Schaecher. "They did everything I asked of them and more," Dittmer responded. "I told some of the seniors that was the hardest football game you have ever played in your lives. Building from there, the underclassmen will always play the game of football that way because of their effort tonight." On EPPJ's next possession, the Wolpack fumbled the ball and the Falcons pounced on it. Facing a fourth down in EPPJ territory, Reestman made the play of the game by picking off Ollendick's pass with 4:23 remaining. "We were in our 4-2 defense," Reestman recalled. "I saw they were rolling to the left and Josh (MacFarland) is a great player and their go-to guy. He started leaking across and the quarterback kind of flipped it. That's when I knew that ball was mine and he cannot catch that. I either had to bat it down or catch it. Once I saw that thing in the air, I knew there was no way I was going to bat it down, that thing was mine." Elkhorn Valley never got the ball back as the Wolfpack sealed the win. Their first win in over two years. "It's unbelievable," Reestman added. "Me and Kyle (Schumacher) worked (hard) every single day. Our freshman year, we lost our last game to Clearwater and said 'We want to come back.' For two years we didn't have the work ethic that we do now. Those guys worked as hard as they could and that's what got us this win." A big key to EPPJ's win was its stellar running attack. The Wolpack rushed for 320 yards led by Schumacher's 157 yards and one touchdown. Ramold ran for 86 yards and two TDs, while Reestman added 56 yards on the ground. "This summer I did a lot of thinking," Eisenhaurer noted. "The last couple of years I've tried so many different things (offensively). I went back to what got us success before. We went back to our option game and sweeps. We're going to ground-and-pound and see what happens. It worked tonight." The potent running attack opened up the passing game for EPPJ. After throwing a pick on his first pass, Reestman ended the game going five-of-eight for 95 yards and a score. "Hunter is something and right now I'm in love with him," Eisenhaurer continued. "Hunter had a pretty good eye mess with an injury and could hardly see. He put some good passes in, but that doesn't happen without our running game. Our kids ground-and-pound and we got one over top." MacFarland led the Falcons with 137 yards of total offense and two rushing TDs. Ollendick passed for 147 yards and two touchdowns and Schaecher caught four passes for 82 yards and two scores. Both teams have a bye next week. Elkhorn Valley (0-1) travels to Niobrara/Verdigre Sept. 7. "We have a good opportunity in two weeks," Dittmer stated. "We are hurting, but we can have that feeling of victory in two weeks if we keep the momentum of the effort we wanted to give and the reason for the emotion." Elgin Public/Pope John goes to Chambers/Wheeler Central Sept. 7. "First thing is first, we're going to take care of ourselves next week," Eisenhaurer concluded. "This game banged up quite a few kids. We'll work next week, come back and work on the things we need to improve on. We'll watch film, figure out things we need to work on in practice all week and get ready for CWC the following week." The Clearwater/Orchard football team excelled in all phases of the game, as the Cyclones routed Neligh-Oakdale, 68-14, on Friday.
"What I was most pleased with today was the way we started off the game," stated OC coach Jeff Shabram. "We have traditionally been a slow starting team. I was very encouraged by the way we started the game." "They are a very good football team," commented N-O coach Ron Beacom. "They are very physical and have some good skill kids. We knew coming in what we were coming up against. It's on film now and it is something we can grow from and get better with. Hopefully we get a couple of kids back, but I'm not going to use that as an excuse. They would have been a load even if we were fully loaded ourselves. I like this team and I think we'll be alright." It was a great start for OC, and a terrible start for the Warriors, to open the contest. On the second play from scrimmage for N-O, the snap went over Hunter Charf's head and the Cyclones' Clay Thiele pounced on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. "We started fast and kept going fast the whole game," Thiele noted. "It takes big plays to get the team going and that really helped. It kept us going." Following a three-and-out by N-O, Jacob Long broke free for a 54-yard TD run to extend OC's lead to 14. The Warriors had two touchdowns called back on their next drive. Andrew Herley appeared to break loose on a screen and score, but a block in the back was called against N-O, and Austin Rice's touchdown grab was negated by a holding call. "There were some good things out there," Beacom spoke. "We had a couple of touchdowns called back and that would have made things different. We probably wouldn't have been so aggressive with a couple of the things we were trying to do." A sack on fourth down by Gage Switzer ended the Warrior's promising drive in Cyclone territory. OC responded with a 10-play, 65 yard drive, ending in a Eli Macke 13-yard scoring run. The Warriors got on the board halfway through the second quarter when Austin Rice took a screen pass and ran 51-yards for a TD. The Cyclones answered with a 27-yard Thiele touchdown catch from from Blake Hoke on their ensuing drive. N-O's next three drives ended in interceptions with Long and Macke scoring on TD runs and Hoke scoring on a pick-six from 40 yards out to give the Cyclones a 52-6 halftime advantage. Hoke found Chris Kester for a 20-yard TD pass on OC's opening drive of the second half and Houston Marino found the end zone on a 50-yard run in the fourth. With the second string in for N-O, the Warriors drove 55 yards and scored when Brock Kester connected on a 20-yard TD pass to Carson Jones. "We talk all the time that everyone of our kids have to practice hard because everyone of them are a play away from getting a chance to go on the field," Beacom said. "Fortunately for us, some of these young kids have prepared well. They may not have the physical tools yet, but mentally they can execute everything we ask of them to do. The young kids did what we wanted them to do and we got a touchdown out of it." The OC defense was dominant in the win, forcing four Warrior turnovers and scoring on all four takeaways. "I was very pleased with the defense," Shabram remarked. "We had a good idea that we would be able to control the line of scrimmage. I was very impressed with our coverage. There were a couple of breakdowns and some things to work on, but I was impressed with our coverage. We had three interceptions and I was pleased." The Cyclones outgained N-O, 422-190, and scored on all but two drives. "That's what we talk about all the time on offense; we need to control the line of scrimmage and we're so versatile," Shabram continued. "Guys are interchangeable and that helps with our depth and versatility. It is just one game, but it's a good start." Long led the rushing attack with 91 yards on the ground and two scores, while Macke added 43 yards rushing and two TDs. Chris Kester gained 114 yards of total offense and caught a touchdown pass and Hoke went six-for-eight passing for 73 yards and two scores. "It took the linemen making big holes for the running backs, it took the quarterbacks to read passes and it was a team effort," Thiele commented. "We came together and did it." Charf threw for 101 yards, threw a TD pass and rushed for 36 yards. Rice caught three passes for 88 yards and a score. Neligh-Oakdale (0-1) looks to bounce back Friday in the Warriors' homecoming game against Ainsworth at 7 p.m. "Hopefully we found out we have to be more physical," Beacom stated. "That's the bottom line, we have to make an effort to practice every day like we want to be the best. Not only on our practice field, but the best on any practice field. We have to be more physical. There's a lot of growth yet and we have to improve. Once these kids get older and get more experienced, we'll be a pretty good football team." Clearwater-Orchard (1-0) travels to Creighton to take on the D1 powerhouse Friday at 7 p.m. "Creighton is No. 1 in the state in D1," Shabram concluded. "They have a wonderful backfield and a nice quarterback. They have a lot of nice offensive weapons. We're going to have to control the line of scrimmage next Friday night if we're going to want a chance at that one." The Elgin Public/Pope John volleyball team started the 2018 season with a three-set loss to Lutheran High Northeast Thursday.
Lutheran High Northeast won 25-22, 25-11 and 25-16 to open the year 1-0. Kayce Kallhoff and Haley Zegers each recorded three kills, Anna Heilhecker tallied 14 digs, Kirsten Krebs accounted for 11 digs and Allyson Wemhoff had 14 assists to go along with 12 digs. EPPJ (0-1) looks to bounce back at Chambers Thursday against Chambers/Wheeler Central and Clearwater/Orchard. The Elkhorn Valley volleyball team opened up the 2018 campaign with two straight-set victories over West Holt and Clearwater/Orchard Thursday.
The Lady Cyclones started the evening with a 2-0 win over West Holt. OC captured the first set 25-22 and the second set 28-26. JoCee Johnston led the team with nine kills. Avery Cheatum recorded four kills and three aces, while Julian Tuttle added three aces and 14 assists. The Lady Falcons swept OC, 2-0, in game two. Elkhorn Valley won the first set 25-22 and the second set 25-20. Hannah Ollendick led the way with 10 kills, nine digs and three blocks. Amber Miller had 15 assists in the contest Johnston scored nine kills and Cheatum accumulated six digs for the Lady Cyclones. In the final match of the day, the Lady Falcons cruised to a two-set triumph over West Holt, 25-9 and 25-12. Miller accounted for three aces, nine digs and seven assists. Ollendick recorded a team-high seven kills, while Olivia Nall and Sierra Rystrom each tallied three kills. Elkhorn Valley (2-0) hosts its home opener Thursday against Wausa and Winside at 5 p.m. Clearwater/Orchard (1-1) welcomes county foe Neligh-Oakdale to Orchard Friday at 5 p.m. Elgin Public/Pope John upgraded its athletic facilities by adding a four-lane asphalt track to the Wolfpacks’ football stadium this summer.
“The benefits of have the track are huge,” said Elgin athletics director Michael Becker. “They first, and most important, is the safety of the kids. It will allow all of our athletes to be centrally located and have supervision throughout all of practice. Previously, lots of track practice would be done by running on streets throughout town. The track eliminates the hazard of traffic or accidents that could happen while running throughout town. The next is it gives all of our activities a location to use for running purposes no matter what the weather is like, spring weather can be unpredictable so to have a location that our kids can practice and our coaches not having to worry about whether or not it is to muddy to practice outside will be very beneficial. The last added benefit would be the fact that it allows all of our programs as well as members of the community a space to use to be active. Our volleyball team has already used it this year for some conditioning and there have been numerous members from town that been using it for exercise.” EPPJ purchased the track and Schmitt Construction installed the track over the summer. “It is wonderful,” said EPPJ track and field coach Sandi Henn. “We finally have a real track, we aren’t guessing and kids aren’t running around the football field. Sometimes we didn’t even know if we ran an exact 400 (meters). At least we know if we run 100 or 200 sprints, we will know we are running the right distance. It will be nice to space out the hurdles on the track and it will a big benefit. One of the biggest benefits will be exchange zones as well.” Although the Wolfpack cannot host any meets since the track is an asphalt surface, the new addition helps EPPJ athletic teams grow and improve. “I believe it will help to prepare our athletes on a daily basis so that when they are competing at a meet they have a great chance to be as successful as possible,” Becker said. “It will teach our younger athletes the basic of a track before their first track meet to help them be as prepared as possible. Many athletes at the Junior High level have never been on a real track before so they will be able to learn about exchange zones, and what races they have to stay in their lane and even where the starting and finishing line of a race are. It might also help to spark more interest in our track and field program.” Henn believes the EPPJ track and field team will take a big step forward as a track program thanks to the new addition. “Most of our junior high athletes have never been on a track,” Henn said. “So being able to run on a track before their first meet will be great and we can finally have all the spacing and distances accurate for each race.” For the first time in four seasons, the Elkhorn Valley girls golf team has a full team to compete in the 2018 campaign.
“We’ve been hitting the ball pretty well for not having hit the ball as much as we would have like to over the summer,” said EV golf coach Scott Klein. “We focused more on chipping and putting and at the driving range we’re using more medium irons to get used to the swing. It looks like they picked up where they left off last year.” With five golfers on the roster, the Lady Falcons can now record a team score at matches and tournaments. “It will give us an idea of where we stand against other schools,” Klein said. “We’ve had one or two golfers each of the last three years. No team score has been our team score, so it will be nice to get a feel for where we are at compared to other schools. The three (players) that made us up are freshmen, so we have some work to get them where they need to be.” Senior Kimberly Frey and junior Angel Qualset are the two returning letterwinners who are tasked with leading the three freshmen. “The main thing is getting them acclimated to golfing with other people from other schools,” Klein added. “When you go to a golf meet, you’re not golfing with people from your team. You have to be comfortable golfing with other girls and not put too much stress on themselves in those situations. Elkhorn Valley opens its season Friday at the Wayne Invitational. “The experience level is not high enough to put a goal at let’s go to state as a team,” Klein said. “I’m hoping all these girls improve their scores and golfing ability every week throughout the season. They need to find what makes their score high and fix it to become better golfers.” Class: D1
Coach: Ron Beacom 2017 record: 4-5 2017 playoffs: Lost to Lourdes Central Catholic in the first round Returning letter winners: Andrew Herley Sr., Hunter Charf Jr., Colton Klabenes So., Garret Belitz, Colby Sehi Jr., Caleb Payne So., Austin Rice Sr., Neven Kline Jr., Ashton Shabram Jr., Jayden Arehart Sr., Andrew Jacobsen So., Tucker Knust Sr., Dawson Kaup So., Cameron Wiseman Jr., Kaleb Pofahl Jr., Brock Kester So. Players to watch: Bradyn Tschirren Fr., Carson Jones Fr., Talon Krebs Fr., Conor Dempsey So., Jackson Snyder So. 2018 outlook: “We have to stay healthy because we are not terribly deep with 20 kids. I’m not making any excuses because every D1 and D2 school is going to say the same thing. Our execution has to be at a high level. I love our schedule and it has a premium amount of challenges. We’re going to have to go out and work hard every week to get better. Hopefully that will build us into the football team we want to be in the end.” Coach Ron Beacom Our take: With plenty of experience back for Beacom, the 2018 year has the chance to be a solid season for the Warriors. A tough schedule will help Neligh-Oakdale prepare for a potential postseason berth, but the Warriors will have to bring their A-game week in and week out. The Elgin Public/Pope John, Clearwater/Orchard and Elkhorn Valley volleyball teams had their final preseason preparation Monday night before the start of the 2018 campaign.
"What's great about the (Volleyball) Jamboree is you can get all the bugs worked out and the jitters out before the first game," commented EPPJ volleyball coach Tina Thiele-Blecher. "It was definitely good to come out and play. It's different than a practice and that's the biggest thing. We got the little things down now and we're good to go." At Elgin, the Lady Wolfpack and Lady Falcons competed against each other and Laurel. "We had moments where we did really well," stated Elkhorn Valley volleyball coach Emily Vaughn. "We need to get our passes a little bit more accurate. We didn't pass as well as I would have liked. We had some good touches at the net to slow stuff down, but serve receive broke down a little bit. I was pleased with our serving and we did a lot of things well for the first time out." In the first match, EPPJ split with Laurel, 1-1. "Our serving in the first set was ugly, Yikes," Thiele-Blecher spoke. "We missed eight serves and we pride ourselves on better serving." The second match saw the Lady Falcons sweep the Lady Bears, 2-0. EPPJ and Elkhorn Valley split the final match of the evening, 1-1. "The girls need to work on our competitiveness," Vaughn noted. "I want to see more spirit out of them on the court and we need to communicate, communicate, communicate. We were a very quite team and no one was being very vocal. We'll just have to work on that." The Lady Cyclones hosted Madison at Orchard in their final scrimmage before Thursday's opener. Three of the four Antelope County teams begin the regular season Thursday. OC and Elkhorn Valley travel to West Holt for a 5 p.m. tri-match, while EPPJ goes to Lutheran High Northeast for a 5 p.m. match. "We're going to watch a little bit of game tape and I think we need to move our feet a little more, get low on defense, transition faster and work on our attack game," Thiele-Blecher said. "We kept hitting it to the same spot every time and teams are going to start to pick up on that. We're going to work on those things." "We need to stay more consistent in the back-court," Vaughn concluded. "It all comes from each other and talking to each other and believing in each other. I think we can get a little bit more offense going once we do that." Class: C2
Coach: Hannah Hoefer 2017 record: 10-19 2017 playoffs: N/A Returning letter winners: Kristen Snodgrass Sr., Haley Kerkman Sr., Amanda Dietz Jr., Shelby Pitzer Jr., Trinity Kurpgeweit So., Paige Furstenau So. Players to watch: Brooke Frey, Aubrie Klabenes, Claire Whitesel 2018 outlook: “I feel we have the defense to hang with a lot of teams this season and I feel our offense will continue to grow and get stronger throughout the season to really help us challenge other teams. If we continue to grow and learn every practice and every game we will be sitting real nice come NVC and district time.” Coach Hannah Hoefer Our take: With quality competition in the immediate area it will be survival of the fittest on the hardwood this volleyball year. At times last season, the Lady Warriors showed they can hang with the best of the best. If N-O can become more consistent, the 2018 campaign could be a memorable season. Class: D
Coach: Rick Eickholt 2017 record: N/A 2017 playoffs: N/A Returning letter winners: Cole Belitz Sr., Christian Carothers Sr., Griffin Claussen So., Cameron Wilkinson Sr., Logan McConnell Sr., Jose Luna Sr., Emma Bixler Jr., Hailey Bixler Jr. Runners to watch: Thomas Johnson, Ashton Higgins, Dallas Snyder, Anthony Wright, Isaias Juarez, Parker Tinsley, Sydney Olson 2018 outlook: “The boys have some definite goals they want to accomplish this year. They’ll have to work hard to achieve those goals. They are very determined to make certain things happen throughout the year and at the end of the year. This is the first time that I can’t remember when that we’re ot fielding a girls team. That disappointing, but the individuals we have are very hard working. We have some talent on the girls side and they will be ambitious to accomplish their individual goals and work (hard) throughout the season.” Coach Rick Eickholt Our take: Looking at the boys squad, Neligh-Oakdale has big expectations with several returning letter winners back and some promising youth to go along with those returners. The upperclassmen will be heavily leaned on to help guide the talent this year. Quality over quantity will be the theme for the girls team this year with only three girls out this season, but all three girls expect to have strong years for the Lady Warriors. Class: D2
Coach: Jeff Shabram 2017 record: 6-3 2017 playoffs: First round loss to Perkins County Returning letter winners: Jacob Long Sr., Clay Thiele Sr., Chris Kester Sr., Blake Hoke Sr., Ryan Wilhelm Sr., Zach Kings Sr., Tommie Peed Sr., Donaven Nolze Sr., Austin Pokorny Sr., Jaccob Bennett Sr., Tristian Ahlers Sr., Eli Macke Jr., Gage Switzer Jr., Houston Marino Jr., Anthony Umphress So. Players to watch: Colton Thiele, Logan Mueller, Alex Arroyo 2018 outlook: “We have a nice group of 16 returning lettermen this season, including 12 seniors. We will look to those seniors for leadership. This will be crucial as we also have 11 freshmen on the roster. We are excited to see what the 2018 football season has in store for us.” Coach Jeff Shabram Our take: The Cyclones have been a very popular pick to be one of the top teams in the area and there is little reason why with seven returning starters on both sides of the ball. This can be a big year for OC, but it will be interesting seeing how the Cyclones handle the big expectations from the area. As long OC continues to do the little things right and use its experience to their advantage, 2018 may be a long and prosperous season. Class: D1
Coach: Sierra Summers 2017 record: 19-11 2017 playoffs: N/A Returning letter winners: Jocee Johnston Sr., Julian Tuttle sr., Katie Sterns Sr., Taylor Sanne Sr., Avery Cheatum So. Players to watch: Maryssa Long 2018 outlook: “We intend to be one of the teams to be reckoned with as long as we continue on the path we are on with teamwork, consistency and work ethic.” Coach Sierra Summers Our take: OC knows how stiff the competition is in the area on the volleyball court. In order to be consider one of the elite teams in the area, the Lady Cyclones must continue their upward swing and be more consistent. When everything is clicking for Clearwater/Orchard, they are a hard team to beat. Class: D2
Coach: Randy Eisenhauer 2017 record: 0-8 2017 playoffs: N/A Returning letter winners: Kyle Schumacher Sr., Hunter Reestman Sr., R.J. Lierman Sr., Ervin Dohmen Sr., Conor Ramold Jr., Adam Dreger Jr. Players to watch: Cory Romej, Lane Bartak 2018 outlook: “We look to begin the season with a lot more energy and want to improve each day to have a successful season.” Coach Randy Eisenhauer Our take: Despite winless seasons in the past two years, the Wolfpack have high hopes with six returning lettermen back. With only 13 players on the team, staying healthy will be a big key to EPPJ’s success this season. Class: D1
Coach: Tina Thiele-Blecher 2017 record: 25-6 2017 playoffs: District runner-up Returning letter winners: Ally Wemhoff Sr., Kaylee Martinsen Sr., Anna Heilhecker Sr. Players to watch: Grace Rittscher, Kirsten Krebs, Hayley Zegers, Kayce Kallhoff, Ally Selting, Harlie Bode 2018 outlook: “We will be okay, we get our rotation figured out and a couple of games under our belt these girls will do some good things.” Coach Tina Thiele-Blecher Our take: The Lady Wolfpack have proved the saying ‘Tradition never graduates’ is true. Despite losing six seniors each of the past few seasons. EPPJ expects to be back in the district title game for the fifth time in six seasons, and this time bringing home the district title. The Clearwater and Orchard communities we're treated to a preview of what they will be seeing this fall Friday as the Cyclone football and volleyball teams hosted soap and Gatorade inter-squad scrimmages at Clearwater.
The OC volleyball team played a three-set split team match. "They looked really competitive," said OC volleyball coach Sierra Summers. "They came out, had fun and they worked together really well. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season." In their first competitive match outside of practice, the Lady Cyclones showed promise, but still have some work to do. "Our game isn't perfect by any means, but perfect is hard to obtain," Summers said. "Communication is decent, but it is always something we can amp up." On the gridiron, the Green team defeated the White team, 14-12. "You figure early in the season the defense is going to dominate," said OC football coach Jeff Shabram. "Our offenses had a tough time and our defense did well. When you get your eight-on-eight evens like that, it's going to be a stalemate." Shabram knows his team still has a long way to go if they want to accomplish their hefty goals this year. "We need to polish a lot up on offense," added the OC mentor. "We've had our team separate for two weeks with White team vs. Green team. Now we can blend out No. 1 offense together. We'll get clicking now." The Lady Cyclone volleyball team competes in the Jamboree Monday before opening the season at West Holt Thursday. "I enjoyed seeing them have fun," Summers said. "They were smiling and having a good time together, but they still had a competitive edge." The OC football team kicks off the 2018 campaign Friday against Neligh-Oakdale at 2:30 p.m. "It's just a practice and it's nice we got out of here healthy," Shabram said. "We just need to focus on Neligh now." Volleyball season will get an early start in Elgin as the Wolfpack prepares to host a jamboree.
Elgin Public/Pope John will hold a Volleyball Jamboree Varsity Triangular on Monday, Aug. 20 in the Elgin Public Gym. EPPJ will take the court first as the home team against Laurel-Concord-Coleridge in a 5:30 p.m. match. The second game will begin at 6:30 p.m. with L-C-C as the home team vs Elkhorn Valley. The final game of the night will be an all-Antelope County match up at 7:30 p.m. as EV is tabbed as the home team against EPPJ. Games will be two sets played to 25. Admission will be $5 for adults and $4 for students. No passes will be accepted. A concession stand will be available. With plenty of talent back and promising newcomers, the 2018 volleyball campaigns for Antelope County have the potential to notch their top seasons.
Elkhorn Valley returns six letterwinners off of last season’s district champion team. “It was an amazing feeling for these girls,” said Elkhorn Valley volleyball coach Emily Vaughn. “They had never been in a district final and we broke it down one match a time. We peaked at the right time. It was a strong team last year and the one thing we learned is everyone has a role, everyone has to fulfill that role and do their best to make the team better. Whether that’s being a practice player or being the one to lead the team in some of the statistical categories. It was a really fun experience that they will never forget. Hopefully they keep building and they can have a couple of return trips (to state) in the next couple of years.” The Lady Falcons also add 13 freshmen to the roster, giving them a total of 20 players. “They have always been a really good group,” Vaughn said. “They have done a really good job throughout junior high. It’s one of those things if you do well and have a successful team, you can get a few extras (players) to join the team. They want to be a part of a winning team and a successful group. It’s been fun having them and we have a great group of leaders in the upperclassmen to help show the way.” After falling in the district championship to Elkhorn Valley, Elgin Public/Pope John looks to finally get over the hump this year and win a district title. The Lady Wolfpack have played for a district crown in four of the last five years, but finished as district runners-up four times. “The girls have shown up ready to practice,” said EPPJ volleyball coach Tina Thiele-Blecher. “They have pushed through, been working hard and we have gotten a lot out of them. Being around Wolfpack volleyball, they know the tradition and they are hungry for that tradition. We have had great groups in the past that have led us to this spot. The seniors have taken on that role of keeping it going.” Despite losing six seniors in each of the past two seasons, Thiele-Blecher still has high expectations for EPPJ. “The girls want to return to Lincoln (for state) and I do too,” Thiele-Blecher said. “They are definitely working hard and they want it. As long as you get the girls wanting to win and on board, I think we got it here with the tradition.” EPPJ boasts the largest roster with 22 players. “Having 22 out is a nice number,” Thiele-Blecher added. “It’s one of those things that competition within your own team makes you better. They are all fighting for positions because we don’t know who is playing where yet. They are all fighting and working hard to get those positions on varsity.” While the Lady Wolfpack and Lady Falcons hope to continue their success, Clearwater/Orchard and Neligh-Oakdale are trying to continue their upward swings. “We are looking good,” said OC volleyball coach Sierra Summers. “We have very high, intense practices where the girls are working together as a team. We’re incorporating a lot of high-fiving and teamwork so we can be more consistent.” “We have had some intense practices and they are handling it very well,” said Neligh-Oakdale volleyball coach Hannah Hoefer. “We have some good leaders on the court and some competitors. They are competing every day to get better and working hard.” Summers will rely heavily on her four seniors to lead the squad this season. “The seniors are doing a great job of constantly encouraging the underclassmen and helping each other out,” Summers said. “They are being the girls that we can go to.” Hoefer hopes the Lady Warriors will use last year’s hardships as motivation for this season. “I think they’ll use (last year) a lot,” Hoefer said. “They grew a lot over the course of the season. Where we grew on last year, we’re bringing that into this year. We graduated some seniors. We have some underclassmen who are stepping up their game to fill those roles. Our letterwinners are really directing those who are trying to fill those shoes.” With two potential district finalists in the area, along with two upcoming programs, the competition will be fierce on the hardwood in Antelope County. “It benefits us because we know they are in their gym working just as hard as we are,” Hoefer said. “It’s a good reminder that we have to work hard in our gym if we want to compete in those games. Last year, we went up against those teams, competed and sometimes came out on top. That gives the girls the confidence to continue to work hard, and knowing other girls are working hard in their gym, it keeps us working hard each day.” All four teams participate in a scrimmage or Volleyball Jamboree Aug. 20 before starting their seasons on Aug. 23. A Neligh native and Wayne State College track athlete was recently recognized with a national academic honor.
Dylan Kaup, the son of Chad and Beth Kaup, was one of 308 men who earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors during the 2017-18 track & field seasons. USTFCCA is the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. To qualify for USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, student-athletes must have compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and have reached a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either the indoor or outdoor seasons. Orchard’s Kirby Willats made his mark on the Creighton Senior Legion baseball program beyond the diamond. Willats has done everything asked of him, and them some, during his career and his unselfishness has been big reason for Creighton’s success.
"He's not the best baseball player on the team, but he has played a lot of baseball for us," said Creighton coach Russ Diedrichsen said. "It doesn't matter what we need him to do. He warms guys up in practice or shags balls from the outfield. He has played third, short, second, right and left for us this year. He is an older kid and he has played on the field where we needed him to and he's never questioned it. He'll do whatever it takes to help the team out." Willats, a graduate of Orchard this past year, has been a member of the Creighton baseball program since Pony League. Willats followed in his brother’s footsteps who also played for Creighton. "I started (playing for Creighton) in Ponys," Willats said. "My brothers went there to play baseball and they offered me to play there too. Since they were the closest town by a half mile we figured why not. It's fun getting to hang out, getting to know the Creighton guys and building friendships." Despite not seeing the field every game, Willats kept his head up and has been a great role model for the younger players, and even the parents. "If he's in the game, great, and if he's not, he is still there for the team," Diedrichsen said. "That says a lot. There are a lot of people and parents that can learn a lot from Kirby. When he isn't in the ball game, he isn't pouting. He's waiting his turn and is ready to go, no matter what position we play him. That tells the character of the young man." Willats had to step up this season and be a leader on the Creighton squad, which is full of players from several different high schools. "It's a lot of fun personalities and loose personalities with guys who just want to have fun, playing baseball," Willats said. "We have fun with it. I be supportive in there to help pick them up when they make a mistake. I let them know it's not the end of the game and there are still more plays to be made." Willats’ baseball career comes to an end at the state tournament this week. "We expected Creighton to make it to state," Willats said. "We're happy with being here, but we're not satisfied. We want to continue to do our best here. It's fun coming to state, seeing the competition and competing with them." The Orchard Public valedictorian plans to attend Northwestern College in Iowa in the fall and he will be surely missed in the Creighton dugout. "Kirby is a great person and a great kid," said Diedrichsen. "That's a young man that everyone should be proud of. He's the ultimate teammate. He is just a great person." All four Antelope County football teams hit the field Monday morning for their first official practice of the 2018 season.
The Clearwater/Orchard team opened up its fall practices in Clearwater. “It was a good first day,” said OC’s 17th-year coach Jeff Shabram. “(We had) a lot of energy and eagerness.” OC has the largest team of the area with 29 players out for the squad. “It is a huge benefit having nearly 30 players,” Shabram said. “It promotes competitive drills and allows us to have very intense practices.” To go along with their large team, the bulk of the Cyclones’ lineup is upperclassmen with 12 seniors leading the way. “Having 12 seniors is a huge benefit,” Shabram continued. “They've heard the same speeches, been drilled on a lot of the same schemes, and are physically and mentally mature enough to push themselves to another level at practice. We hope the underclassmen can learn good habits from them and we can have the same effect in another three years.” Neligh-Oakdale hit the ground running Monday with its practice, installing the offense and defense on the first day. “I thought we did a nice job,” said N-O coach Ron Beacom. “It’s early, we are young and we have a lot to work on, but for a first day I thought our execution was pretty good. We brought a good energy level and that’s all we can ask for this early (in the season).” Despite having a relatively inexperienced team, the fifth-year mentor still expects to run practice at a high rate for the 21 players listed on the roster. “We had a summer camp to bring everyone up to speed so we won’t slow down (practice) a lot,” Beacom said. “That’s not our philosophy and the way we want to deal with this. This week is all about teaching and install, so we’ll do whatever we have to do those two things. Everyone came with a pretty good learning attitude today.” While the Warriors and Cyclones have an abundance of players, Elkhorn Valley and Elgin Public/Pope John XXIII Central Catholic have to deal with smaller squads. The Falcons have the smallest team with 11 players. “We’re going to have to be creative with how we approach practice,” said EV third-year coach Brendan Dittmer. “Being physical will be a little bit limited, but the amount of reps they get is going to be more. There are going to be some advantages and disadvantages, but with the creativity we come up with in practice for our defensive and offensive preparations, it might benefit our kids. I’m looking forward to it.” The Wolfpack lists 13 players on their roster. “This is something we have had to deal with the last three or four years,” said 15th-year mentor Randy Eisenhauer. “We’ve had 15 to 16 kids out at the most. We’re looking at doing a lot more half-line stuff. We work on the right side for 15 or 20 minutes, then the other side for 15 or 20 minutes so each kid gets reps against a quality opponent. We’re also doing a lot of reps so they get into a routine, so that when a play is called, they know what they’re going to do. We’re doing a lot of things on bags, keep kids healthy and get through the year.” The good news for the Wolfpack is six of their 13 players have two-plus years of playing experience. “A lot of these kids have played the past two or three years,” Eisenhauer continued. “They played their freshman or sophomore year. They know everything we expect and we’re throwing in a couple of new things. The kids know what they are doing and the younger kids are gaining knowledge. The kids are picking up and we’re trying to go more up-tempo to get them in shape.” Both coaches still saw potential on day one from their teams despite the low numbers. “We did a really good job of doing exactly what we talked about as far as effort in drills,” Dittmer said. “To and from (drills), and even getting a drink, they were jogging and had a purpose in what they were doing. I was pleased with the first day of practice.” “You never know about the first practice, but the kids were excited,” Eisenhauer added. “The kids worked hard today and came out with a great attitude. Even with 13 guys we pushed them and we’re going to have to push them quite hard to get them in football shape. Their energy and effort went a long ways today.” Although all Monday’s practices were held in the morning, some of the coaches will shift to more afternoon practices and will deal with the heat as well. “This time of year is no different than any other year,” Beacom said. “It gets hot, it gets sticky and those types of things. We constantly remind kids to hydrate, get sleep at night and do the things they have to do to take care of their body. On our (the coaches) end, we have to be smart how we structure our practices. All of our coaches had to do a heat acclimatization class, a concussion class and a cardiac arrest class. I feel comfortable with the guys I work with and I think the kids are comfortable enough to let us know if something is not right.” “In the past we have been good at preparing our kids for the heat in August,” Dittmer said. “In July, we hit five-on-five hard. It’s more of the kids getting together and playing flag football, but it also gets them conditioned for the heat and the ability for their bodies to bounce back and withstand the temperatures.” All four county squads square off in week one on August 24 with Neligh-Oakdale facing OC at 2:30 p.m. at Clearwater, and the Wolfpack hosting the Falcons at 7 p.m. Missed opportunities and mistakes cost the Nebraska Lawdawgs in their regular-season finale against the Midwest Chaos, 18-8, Saturday at Warrior Field in Neligh.
"You can't come out after two weeks of sloppy practice sessions and try to turn it on," said Lawdawg coach Jordan Taylor. "There were times tonight where our defense was slapping them (Midwest) around and no one can stop our running game when we are focused. We gave it all we could, but you can't turn the ball over that many times. The fact it was 18-8 is ridiculous." Two turnovers on their first two drives put the Dawgs in an early 12-0 hole to start. A fumble on the second play of the game, gave the Chaos the ball inside Nebraska’s own 30-yard line. Midwest found the end zone on a 23-yard touchdown strike. The two-point conversation was no good. After a 23-yard pass from Andrew Lund to Caleb Hahne’s started the second drive, a Midwest defensive back picked off Lund’s pass and took it 68 yards to the house. The Chaos were once again stopped on their two-point conversion. The Chaos pushed their lead to 18 after two-yard TD plunge in the second quarter, but failed to convert the two-point conversion. The Lawdawgs had two golden opportunities to find pay dirt to end the half, but were turned away. A fumble inside Midwest’s 15-yard line halted a Nebraska drive and the Dawgs were unable to score before the half ended after starting the drive at the Chaos’ 20. "These are simple things," Taylor said about the Lawdawgs' sloppy play. "It should have been 0-0 at half. The first touchdown pass was a horrible pass. We should have picked it off. We dropped a pick and you have to make those plays. You have to be in shape and be ready, but we were dogging it and we were tired. We're going to learn and we're going to get better." A fumble inside Midwest territory ended Nebraska’s first drive of the second half on what was a promising start to the third. The Lawdawgs finally scored with under six minutes to go in the game when Lund connected on a 28-yard scoring pass to Spencer Volden. Nebraska has two more opportunities, but were stopped as the Dawgs fell in their final home contest of the year. Eli Schreier led the offense with 165 yards on the ground, including 130 yards in the second half. Lund went nine of 12 passing for 86 yards, a touchdown and an interception, while Volden accounted for 62 yards of total offense and a score. "Eli (Schreier) and Spencer (Volden) are flat out beast," Taylor said. "Andrew (Lund) is learning and he is young. He will come along. These guys are young, They're learning and they're going to get better. When they've been in the league for five years, that team (Midwest), won't stand a chance." Midwest ends its season with a 4-6 record. The Nebraska Lawdawgs (5-4) enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed and travel to Des Moines, Iowa to take on the Capital City Command. "The one good thing is we've been pushing all year for the players to stand up and start leading," Taylor said. "Every team I played on, there is veteran leadership and we're starting to get to that, which is what we need. We played with less than we should have numbers wise (tonight). We were at half-mast. If we go out there at full strength, every game should be a win. We're going to prepare this week at practice to win and we're going to go out there to win because that's what we're suppose to do." The Neligh Senior Legion baseball team has had one of its best seasons in recent years. A big key to Neligh’s success has been its pitching, and Neligh’s secret weapon has not thrown a pitch in a game all season.
Assistant coach Boyd Batenhorst of Tilden has served as Neligh’s pitching coach for the last five seasons. Batenhorst was a former pitcher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the ‘70s. “A lot of these kids, especially the younger kids, throw really screwy and it’s really hard to change them once they’re that old,” Batenhorst said. “The older kids throw better and have better form. That’s what I help with, making sure they get their form and follow through. Most of them want to mess around and throw a curveball and then they can’t throw strikes. I try to help them be mentally tough and have confidence. If they screw up, or somebody else screws up, they can’t be thinking about that or get mad. They still have to do their job.” Neligh coach Dan Murray said he is grateful for Batenhorst’s pitching expertise. “Boyd has forgotten more about baseball than I will ever know,” Murray said. “He is the reason Beau (Murray) and Jayden (Arehart) are throwing so hard this year. We start the offseason in November, and Beau and Jayden have gained so much more speed this year. These kids need to listen to him more. He is great with kids and great for the kids.” Batenhorst was heavily recruited out of high school, but his college career got off to a rocky start. Batenhorst started at Morehead State, in Kentucky, but transferred back to his home state for several reasons. “Our assistant basketball coach went to Morehead and knew the baseball coach real well,” Batenhorst said. “Supposedly I was going to get a scholarship to go there. I was a pretty naive kid and I figured that’s what was going to happen. It didn’t, and by time I found out, it was too late. I thought I would go anyways because they had an assistant coach in the winter that was a pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. I thought that was pretty neat. They had tryouts and there was one freshman kid better than me, and I was better than the rest of them, but they kept the rest of the scholarship people and not me. I wasn’t happy about that. So I transferred back.” After having to sit out a year for transferring, Batenhorst once again had to watch from the sidelines after not making the travel squad his junior year. He finally got his chance as a Husker in 1975 as a relief pitcher. The Blair native led the team in appearances with 20 games pitched. Batenhorst earned a spot in University of Nebraska’s rotation his senior season and led the team with 12 games pitched. “Starting was what I wanted to do,” he said. “All my life I had thrown full games. It was what I was used to and what I liked. I didn’t like sitting around the whole game, warming up, then not knowing if you’re going to go in or not and coming in with people usually on base. The funny part was I didn’t think I was all that good, but my stats and my record looked really good because we weren’t a really good team. If I came in relief, most always we were behind. If we lost, I didn’t get the loss because we were behind already. If we won, I got the win because I was in there.” Although Batenhorst had a strong final two years in Lincoln, he knew it was time to start thinking about life after baseball. “I knew I probably wouldn’t make it (to the pros),” he said. “There were some pitchers in the league that were really good and I don’t think they ever made it (to the majors). They were really good pitchers that threw harder than I did, but I never heard anything about them. When I was a kid, I threw way harder than anyone around here and I thought I would like to play pro. By college, I figured it wasn’t going to happen and I eased away as college went on, plus I was going to med school.” The Nebraska graduate started helping with Tilden’s Pony team and the Neligh Legion coach took notice of Batenhorst and wanted him on his staff. “I coached Ponys in Tilden forever and helped with the younger kids for a while,” Batenhorst said. “Then they didn’t have Ponys there anymore. I didn’t do anything for a little bit and then they (the Neligh coaches) wanted me to come up here and work with pitchers. You know how it goes, once you start you’re never done.” “He enjoys it and loves the game,” Murray said. “He knows the game inside and out. He likes working with the kids and the kids that listen to him benefit a lot. He is good to be around.” Batenhorst has helped numerous pitchers on the Neligh roster improve this season. “He is pretty good and on us all the time,” Jayden Arehart said. “He tells us how to fix our swings to hit better and improve our pitching so we can save our arms and pick up some speed. He helps us learn different pitches and see what we are comfortable with. He’s pretty good.” His teammate Beau Murray agreed. “He has really helped with my accuracy, how to place the ball, how to shut batters down and increase my speed,” Beau Murray said. “Every practice they have me pitch and they give me advice every day. They tell me how to fix my throwing and help me out all the time. He knows a lot about baseball and is probably one of the most knowledgeable coaches around here. He’s a big help to the team.” Batenhorst said not much has changed in the pitching realm since the right-hander took the field in the ‘70s, except for the amount of stress on pitch counts and rest needed for pitchers. “When I was a kid, you could throw 12 innings every three days,” he said. “With pitch counts now, you could throw 45 pitches and that might be two innings and then you can’t throw for a whole day. You can nowhere near throw a full game. If you do, you’re shot for the tournament. That’s the biggest difference and it’s hard for these small towns to divide it out.” Although Batenhorst has not pitched in a game since 1976, he still gets his pitching fix at practice. “It is fun and I still like it,” he said. “I get to come out and throw at batting practice. I still enjoy that." |
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