Top-flight athletes give area a boost

In our little corner of the world, it is exciting to watch gifted young athletes develop their skills, then go on to compete in the highest levels of intercollegiate sports.

It's happening with increased regularity. Most notably this season, the spotlight is shining on Christina Houghtelling, the volleyball standout from Cambridge who is starring as a member of the No. 1 ranked University of Nebraska volleyball team.

On a team power-packed with talent, Christina plays one of the most prominent roles, consistently ranking among the Husker leaders in spikes.

The respect Christina's teammates have for her is shown by the fact that, as a junior, she was chosen to join two seniors as captains.

For many friends, family members and fans in Southwest Nebraska, it's thrilling to see Christina in action in televised matches and to read of her exploits in newspaper accounts of the Husker games.

Area fans also are thrilled to watch Ben Eisenhart, the Culbertson grad who is making a name for himself as a special teams player for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team. In almost every game, Ben's speed and determination results in his appearance on the Huskers' tackle charts.

With two more years of eligibility remaining, Ben will continue to make contributions to the Huskers' football program.

Christina and Ben have shown that athletes from this area can compete successfully at the Division I college level. That provides a nice sendoff for McCook senior Brandon Crick, who Wednesday accepted a scholarship to play Division I golf at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash.

Brandon is a role model for athletes in all sports. He developed an early passion for the game of golf, starting play with a cut-down set of clubs when he was 3 years old. But what really paid off for Brandon was relentless practice and play at Heritage Hills, combined with top-level competition at high school and summer tournaments.

We will continue to follow the college careers of Christina, Ben and Brandon, as well as the dozens of other area players who continue their athletic careers in college. While this area is limited in population, it is limitless in the desire and determination of young athletes to succeed.