Menu
Rebels' softball tourney set on Saturday along with fireworks
McCOOK, Neb. — McCook gets an early start on America’s 250th birthday celebration with a fireworks show set for Saturday night following the McCook Rebels’ annual Firecracker Softball Classic.
Tourney director Easton Gillen says a field of 17 teams will take over the Jaycees Complex Saturday morning beginning at 9:30 a.m.
“Next year should be even bigger with the new (softball/baseball) complex,” he said about the construction project underway in north McCook.
Fastpitch action will continue all Saturday on those Jaycees diamonds until the “pool play” finales scheduled for 8 p.m.
That should lead into the glorious dark evening hours around 10 p.m. when a fireworks show is set to light up the summer sky.
Saturday’s games set up the tournament brackets on Saturday which begin at 8 a.m. Final games are set for mid to late afternoon.
The Rebels will enter three teams in different age divisions among those 17 competing.
McCook Rebels 18-and-under will play Saturday 11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. contests.
The oldest Rebels bring a three-game winning streak into their tournament for coach Kelsey Gillen, who helped direct McCook Community College’s softball to a second consecutive College World Series appearance.
The McCook Rebels 14-and-under Bortner team will play Saturday at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
They’re 19-7 this season with six wins in eight contests during June. These Rebels most recently competed at Brush, Colo., and won an 8-6 tourney finale over Colorado Wild-Scoope 14U.
The McCook Rebels14-U Koebel team are 13-7-1 featuring six consecutive victories over North Platte Sensations, Hastings Heat and Cheyenne, Wyo.
On Saturday, these Rebels are scheduled to play at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.