March 2015 – Page 40 – North Platte Post Archive

Kentucky goes Wire to Wire as No. 1 in AP Poll

Posted on March 16, 2015

Kentucky, the overall top seed in the NCAA Tournament, is the first team in 23 years to be No. 1 in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll from the preseason rankings to the final Top 25.

The Wildcats (34-0) are looking to become the first undefeated men’s national champion since Indiana in 1976. They were a unanimous No. 1 Monday for the seventh straight week and 11th overall this season. Kentucky received all 65 first-place votes from the national media panel to match Duke in 1992 as the last team to run the table at the top.

Villanova and Wisconsin, two of the other No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, were second and third in the poll. The Wildcats moved up two places, the Badgers three. Duke, the fourth No. 1 seed, dropped two spots to No. 4. Arizona stayed at No. 5.

Virginia, which dropped from third, was sixth followed in the top 10 by Gonzaga, Notre Dame, Iowa State and Kansas. Michigan State, at No. 23, and VCU, at 25th, moved into the rankings this week, replacing Davidson and Butler.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ final 2014-15 college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through March 15, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:

	Record	Pts	Prv
1. Kentucky (65)	34-0	1,625	1
2. Villanova	32-2	1,522	4
3. Wisconsin	31-3	1,460	6
4. Duke	29-4	1,406	2
5. Arizona	31-3	1,405	5
6. Virginia	29-3	1,333	3
7. Gonzaga	32-2	1,229	7
8. Notre Dame	29-5	1,178	11
9. Iowa St.	25-8	1,043	13
10. Kansas	26-8	995	9
11. N. Iowa	30-3	979	10
12. Maryland	27-6	935	8
13. Oklahoma	22-10	740	15
14. Wichita St.	28-4	737	12
15. North Carolina	24-11	703	19
16. Baylor	24-9	680	16
17. Louisville	24-8	614	14
18. SMU	27-6	485	20
19. Utah	24-8	455	17
20. West Virginia	23-9	398	18
21. Arkansas	26-8	373	21
22. Georgetown	21-10	177	23
23. Michigan St.	23-11	159	—
24. Butler	22-10	142	22
25. VCU	26-9	109	—

Others receiving votes: Oregon 91, Providence 62, Xavier 18, Davidson 16, Ohio St. 12, Stephen F. Austin 12, Wyoming 6, Boise St. 5, LSU 5, BYU 3, Valparaiso 3, Harvard 2, Murray St. 2, Wofford 2, Colorado St. 1, Dayton 1, Iowa 1, Purdue 1.

This Week in Nebraska Athletics

Posted on March 16, 2015

Monday, March 16 Women’s Basketball NCAA Selection Show (ESPN) Hendricks Complex 6 p.m.

Tuesday, March 17 Baseball Indiana State Hawks Field 4:05 p.m.

Wednesday, March 18 Baseball Indiana State Hawks Field 1:35 p.m.

Thursday, March 19 Men’s Golf at Denver Desert Shootout Goodyear, Ariz. 9 a.m.

Thursday, March 19 Wrestling at NCAA Championships St. Louis, Mo. 11 a.m.

Thursday, March 19 Swimming & Diving at NCAA Championships Greensboro, N.C. 12:45/6 p.m.

Thursday, March 19 Sand Volleyball vs. USC Honolulu, Hawaii 3 p.m.

Friday, March 20 Men’s Golf at Denver Desert Shootout Goodyear, Ariz. 10 a.m.

Friday, March 20 Women’s Golf at Mountain View Collegiate Tucson, Ariz. 10:30 a.m.

Friday, March 20 Women’s Tennis Indiana Lincoln, Neb. 11 a.m.

Friday, March 20 Wrestling at NCAA Championships St. Louis, Mo. 11 a.m.

Friday, March 20 Swimming & Diving at NCAA Championships Greensboro, N.C. 12:45/6 p.m.

Friday, March 20 Sand Volleyball at Queen of the Beach Challenge Honolulu, Hawaii 1 p.m.

Friday, March 20 Men’s Tennis at Wisconsin Madison, Wis. 3 p.m.

Friday, March 20 Softball Michigan State Bowlin Stadium 5:30 p.m.

Friday, March 20 Baseball Michigan Bowlin Stadium 6:35 p.m.

March 20-23 Women’s Basketball NCAA First & Second Rounds 16 Campus Sites TBA

Saturday, March 21 Men’s Golf at Denver Desert Shootout Goodyear, Ariz. 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 21 Women’s Golf at Mountain View Collegiate Tucson, Ariz. 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, March 21 Wrestling at NCAA Championships St. Louis, Mo. 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 21 Women’s Gymnastics at Big Ten Championships Ann Arbor, Mich. 3:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 21 Sand Volleyball at Queen of the Beach Challenge Honolulu, Hawaii 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 21 Softball Michigan State Bowlin Stadium 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 21 Baseball Michigan Hawks Field 2:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 22 Baseball Michigan Hawks Field 11:05 a.m.

Sunday, March 22 Softball Michigan State Bowlin Stadium Noon

Sunday, March 22 Men’s Tennis Minnesota Lincoln, Neb. Noon

Sunday, March 22 Sand Volleyball vs. California Honolulu, Hawaii 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 22 Sand Volleyball vs. Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Midnight

Snooze at NP Truck Stop Leads to Felony Drug, Child Abuse Charges for Holdrege Couple

Posted on March 16, 2015March 16, 2015

A mid-morning nap in the parking lot of a North Platte truck stop has led to felony charges for a Holdrege couple.

At around 10:00 a.m., on March 15, an officer with the North Platte Police Department responded to Flying J, 3400 South Newberry Road, to conduct a welfare check after police were notified that a man was slumped over the steering wheel of a silver Ford Taurus.

The officer located the vehicle and observed 45-year-old Jack Woodke, 21-year-old Michelle Grigg and two small children, ages one and two, asleep in the vehicle.

The officer made contact with the couple and learned they both had active warrants out of Phelps County.

After the duo was taken into custody, officers conducted a search of the vehicle and located a glass pipe containing marijuana, paraphernalia commonly used to consume methamphetamine and marijuana, paraphernalia used in the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana, 320 grams of marijuana, 11 grams of THC wax compound and 15 grams of methamphetamine.

In the end, Woodke and Grigg were transported to the Lincoln County Detention Center and charged with two counts of felony possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, felony child abuse, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Once at the jail, officers located more meth on Woodke’s person, along with around $1,500 cash.

The children were transported to Great Plains Health for basic medical care, and placed in the custody of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

As of Monday afternoon, Woodke and Grigg were being held at the LCDC without bond.

Williams and Thomas named to Region IX All Tournament Team

Posted on March 16, 2015

The National Junior College Athletic Association Region IX men’s Division I All-Tournament team was announced at the regional tournament in Powell, Wyoming. North Platte Community College Knights had two players selected to the team. They are Cameron Williams, a sophomore from Omaha South, and Matt Thomas, a freshman from Elkhorn South.

In the Region IX tournament games, Williams averaged 19 points per game in the three tournament games, had 5.3 rebounds per game, and 1.7 assists per game.

NPCC Freshman Matt Thomas goes up for a layup against Central Wyoming in the Region IX quarterfinals. / Photo Courtesy of NWC Sports Information.

Thomas averaged 12.3 points per game in the tournament. Thomas was instrumental in the Knights 16 – 0 run at the beginning of the second half against Northwest College scoring six points in the run.

The Knights finished the season 24 – 9 and was second in the Region IX South Sub-region.

NCAA Hoping New Travel Policy Will Help Avoid Problems

Posted on March 16, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA is ending most overnight travel in this year’s Division I basketball tournaments.

Under a new policy, teams that fly to tournament sites and have start times after 3 p.m. local time will spend the night, win or lose. Teams that take buses to games, within 350 miles, will have the option of driving home when they’re eliminated.

The changes come after several snafus last year led to complaints.

Teams making the men’s and women’s Final Four also will receive $3,000 per athlete from the NCAA for up to two family members to attend games. An additional $1,000 per player will be added for teams that advance. The family stipend is being used as a first-time pilot program.

Police: Man Walks Into Trooper’s Car, Gets Charged with DWI

Posted on March 16, 2015March 16, 2015

BRUNSWICK, N.Y. (AP) — It may have been the easiest driving while intoxicated arrest ever made by the New York State Police.

Authorities say a trooper was driving a marked patrol car Saturday night when he stopped to fill his gas tank at a convenience store in Brunswick, near Albany.

While the trooper was gassing up, state police say, a 50-year-old man from nearby Troy pulled in and parked next to the trooper’s car. Police say the man got out of his vehicle and walked directly into the trooper’s car.

Officials say the man showed obvious signs of intoxication and was questioned by the trooper. Police say the man failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for DWI. Trooper say his blood-alcohol content was 0.18 percent, more than twice the legal limit.

State Gets Nearly $4.5 Million to Help Businesses Grow

Posted on March 16, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The state of Nebraska has received nearly $4.5 million to help businesses grow and create jobs.

The U.S. Treasury Department recently awarded the money to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

The money will be used to help companies in the early stages of their development grow. The money will be used for loans and investments in businesses.

This is the third installment of money the state has received from the Treasury Department. Altogether, Nebraska has received $13.17 million since October 2011.

Work to Limit I-80 Traffic in Sidney Area, Department Says

Posted on March 16, 2015

SIDNEY, Neb. (AP) — Reconstruction work is scheduled to begin this week on eastbound and westbound Interstate 80 in western Nebraska.

The Nebraska Roads Department says the work area will run from Reference Post 51 to Reference Post 62 in the Sidney area.

Traffic will be reduced to head-to-head travel on the westbound lanes while work on the eastbound lanes is being performed. The eastbound construction work is expected to be finished by October 2016.

Flames Stop Short of Man’s Home Northwest of Fort Calhoun

Posted on March 16, 2015

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — A man, his neighbors and firefighters have stopped flames from reaching the man’s home and others northwest of Fort Calhoun in eastern Nebraska.

Val Goodman says his lawnmower burst into flames on Sunday, touching off the blaze. He called 911 and then used his garden hose to keep the blaze at bay. Neighbors soon joined him, and then firefighters arrived at the scene.

The wind-whipped flames charred an estimated 30 to 40 acres, and a shed containing two classic cars was destroyed.

No injuries have been reported.

Women, 2 Children Escape Fire at Wahoo Home

Posted on March 16, 2015

WAHOO, Neb. (AP) — A woman and her two children have escaped a fire that destroyed their home in Wahoo.

The fire was reported Sunday afternoon after the woman’s 8-year-old daughter ran to her and reported that the back porch was in flames.

The woman, Sheena Else, says she tried to put out the fire, but her efforts were thwarted by gusting winds. Else, the 8-year-old and a 2-year-old escaped without harm.

Firefighters say the home likely is a total loss.