Bison spring team heat up

McCook senior Adam Dugger’s working to get strong and healthy for a chance at repeating his Nebraska All-Class Gold medal-winning effort at Omaha Burke Stadium in May. The Bison track-field teams are close to their season debut.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — Oh my, the McCook Bison spring sports teams are looking fast and strong with first challenges this season not far away.

McCook’s High girls return three state medalists from the Class B top eight team last season.

Coach Matt Wiemers welcomed 31 players into pre-season practice featuring No. 1 doubles Abbie Johnson and Izzy Claus winning 35 matches in 2022.

The McCook High tennis senior girls from left are Abbie Johnson, Paige Wolcott, Sabrina Vrbas, Jaci Meyers, Harper Stevens, Laci Stewart and Carsyn Craig. They’ll start their season on March 21.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

Both earned Class B medals as did No. 2 doubles player Jaci Meyers.

Yet that’s an even more dominant theme for both McCook track and field teams.

McCook coach Tom Sughroue believes his boys could be even better than last year’s team that took fourth in Class B.

They return 11 state qualifiers and five medalists including Nebraska All-Class Gold Champion Adam Dugger.

Dugger’s getting stronger in quest to break Chris Hoehner’s McCook High School record of 23’7” set 42 years ago. Dugger cleared 23’5 3/4” to lead all four Nebraska classes last May.

The boys still can’t quite match 13 Bison girls who qualified for state 10 months ago.

There are multiple athletes for coach Brent May who appear on McCook High’s all-time record charts.

Senior Shawna Wilkinson has reached that goal in four events and she’s eager for another Class B state title to go with her 2021 400-meter championship.

McCook High’s golf boys are younger yet have gained confidence while playing several summer events.

Coach Ben Vetrovsky sees “an extremely motivated group” which includes two returning Southwest Conference top-five medalists in sophomores Reid Loop (third) and Landon Kmoch (fifth).

Junior Cole Graham was the golf “sixth man” while keeping an eye on Class B and C-1 All-State football lineman Eli Kehler as he took to the golf links. Watch for more details in upcoming Gazette editions.

Gazette.