Sports

McCOOK, Neb. — Junior Conner Kleckner sees comfort throughout all the collisions of a Friday night at Weiland Field. “I’ve got Colin Giron on the right, Gabe Sehnert on the left and DJ Gross behind me,” McCook’s starting defensive end said. “I’m part of the best defense in the state.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — All the McCook leaders from Friday’s win over Gering at Weiland Field: TEAM STATS Rushing yards: McCook 395, Gering 25. Passing yards: Gering 77, McCook 53. First downs: McCook 19, Gering 6. Total yards: McCook 448, Gering 102. Penalty yards: McCook 35, Gering 10...

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook Community College volleyball team knocked off Otero Junior College Friday in what Hayley Kobza hopes will be a signature win with four games left in the regular season. The Lady Indians won 25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-27, 18-16 on Sophomore Night and Pink-Out Night...

LINCOLN, Neb. — McCook junior Logan Barenberg and freshman Isaac Hinze capped a terrific No. 2 doubles season with their Class B top five finish on Friday. Barenberg and Hinze teamed for one final win at the Lincoln Woods Tennis Center. They delivered an 8-5 victory over Hastings’ Adynn Kusek and Brayden Schramm. Watch for more details...

CURTIS, Neb. — Quarterback Sam Heapy rushed for 201 yards and threw a 71-yard touchdown pass in Medicine Valley’s 46-30 win over Garden County Friday. The Raiders (5-2 record) took down a Garden team that knocked off unbeaten Wauneta-Palisade one week earlier...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — A fantastic battle featuring six lead changes ended with Spencer Rice’s seven-yard run giving Cambridge its 39-34 win over Dundy County-Stratton Friday. The Trojans (4-3) earned their third consecutive win behind another dynamite performance from junior quarterback Paxton Ross...

ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Arapahoe followed an 8-6 first half with a 38-6 second to finish the 46-12 home win over Hitchcock County Friday night. Senior Gentry Anderson shook off an injury against Southwest last week in fine fashion, rushing for 245 yards with three touchdowns against the Falcons...

STAPLETON, Neb. — Senior Ethan Broker completed 60 of his passes while junior Tyler Schleeman averaged seven yards a carry despite Maywood-Hayes Center losing 36-12 to McPherson County Saturday night. Broker was nine-for-15 throwing (95 yards) as the Wolves (1-6) kept battling despite a 28-0 deficit...

STAPLETON, Neb. — Senior Ethan Broker completed 60 of his passes while junior Tyler Schleeman averaged seven yards a carry despite Maywood-Hayes Center losing 36-12 to McPherson County Saturday night. Broker was nine-for-15 throwing (95 yards) as the Wolves (1-6) kept battling despite a 28-0 deficit...

LAMAR, Colo - It was more of the “second-day-blues” for the McCook Community College golf team as the team finished the final tournament of the Fall with a second place finish after leading the first round. “It was much better weather today, just not better scoring from us,” MCC Coach Tyler Loop said. “It was still a good tournament though, especially since most of the team has been under the weather this week.”...

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook ran one offensive play and had two touchdowns as senior Morgan Fawver's two early interceptions included a pick six en route to the 61-12 Bison victory over Gering Friday night. Class B No. 1 and No. 2-ranked McCook (8-0 record) — depending on whether you check Omaha or Lincoln ratings — scored 28 first-quarter points for the second consecutive week

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — The last three lines on his Warrior t-shirt said it all: Run as one. Work as a team. Finish as a family. That’s exactly how the D-5 district cross country meet went for Arapahoe state qualifier Brandon Tucker. All the Warriors huddled, hollered and inspired each other before this ultimate challenge to reach the Nebraska State Championships...

McCOOK, Neb. — For the sixth straight game, the McCook Community College Lady Indians went to a fifth set but came up a winner Thursday night in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center over Trinidad State Junior College. MCC won 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 22-25, 15-8 to improve to 6-0 at home this year...

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The North Platte Bulldogs swept McCook 25-21, 25-11, 25-13, in varsity volleyball that could determine a subdistrict tournament host later this month. McCook (9-14 record) forced 10 ties during a tight first set but rarely led during those next two. The Bulldogs earned their 10th (10-19 overall) and perhaps a huge tie-breaker edge in district standings...

OGALLALA, Neb. — Freshman Grace Cappel captured Class B’s final individual state spot at the B-4 district cross country meet on Thursday and joins two other McCook Bison in Kearney next week. Senior Riley Mai (ninth/17:07.09) will represent the Bison boys as expected since he’s been a been consistent top 10 placer all season...

LINCOLN, Neb. — McCook’s Logan Barenberg and Isaac Hinze have earned a Class B state medal shot after their No. 2 doubles victory this morning. Barenberg-Hinze raised their awesome season record to 27-3 with an 8-3 consolation win over Adams Central No. 9-seed Gavin Lipovsky/Travis Niemeyer (21-12)...

McCOOK, Neb. — The future can only be bright for McCook Bison softball following a consolation championship at last week’s B-6 district tournament. McCook (10-21 record) finished strong, winning five of eight after a 5-18 start. The Bison also lose just one excellent senior in outfielder Laurel Schmidt...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Catholics controlled Cross Creek Golf Course as talented North Platte St. Pat’s ran away with a D-5 district cross-country championship Thursday afternoon. The Irish dominated on a weekend where undefeated Notre Dame ranks among college football’s top five football teams...

OGALLALA, Neb. — Dundy County-Stratton sophomore Sable Lambley added a D-6 district to her list of impressive cross country championships this season. Lambley won the cross-country showdown on Thursday with her 19:51 time 48 full seconds ahead of top challenger Karissa Benavides from Bridgeport (20:39)...

OGALLALA, Neb. — The Chase County Longhorns completed a sweep of girls and boys’ team titles at Thursday’s D-6 district cross country meet. Chase girls scored 33 points to top other state-qualifying teams Bayard (42) and Bridgeport (46). Junior Madison Brown led the Longhorns (sixth/21:21) with freshman Caelyn Long (12th/21:55) also earning what would have been an individual trip to state...

LINCOLN, Neb. — Today’s weather has improved and the McCook High tennis players are celebrating with Class B state tournament wins. Junior Zion Moyer (29-5 record) showed why he’s a top nine seed at No. 1 singles as he swept past Omaha Brownell-Talbot/Concordia’s Conner Crosby 6-3, 6-1...

McCOOK, Neb. —The McCook Bison have been taking a good look at themselves all week while preparing for Gering’s invasion of Weiland Field Friday night. “They (Gering) do a lot of the same stuff we’ve seen a bunch this year,” coach Jeff Gross said this morning. “So what we’d done this week is focus on individual technique, reading our keys, a lot of other things to make us better. It’s been a really good week of practice.”...

Coach Lyle Calvert (left) saw his entire Cambridge girls’ golf lineup earn a top five Class C state finish at North Platte this week. Play was cancelled on Tuesday due to cold, wet weather so Cambridge’s fifth place among 15 teams became final. From left are Calvert, Karinne Jurey, Taylor Sayer, Lexie Sines, Ryann Lewis and Maria Jauken. Trojan scores and other Class C results were included in Tuesday’s Gazette sports pages. They can also be seen on nsaahome.org...

McCOOK, Neb. — The Cambridge Trojans and Dundy County-Stratton Tigers will be top seeds when RPAC volleyball tournament action begins on Monday. Cambridge (18-3) has won 20 consecutive sets while the DC-S Tigers own a strong 14-6 record so far this season...

LINCOLN, Neb. — All-class gold Benkelman High athlete Danis (Richards) Willet was recently inducted into Nebraska’s High School of Fame. Willet joined other greats like Cambridge High’s Christina (Houghtelling) Hudson and Kansas City Royal World Series champ Alex Gordon (Lincoln Southeas)...