Sports – Page 256 – North Platte Post Archive

Storm Raise Funds For Ag Scholarship

Posted on March 18, 2015

KEARNEY, Neb. – During the annual Ag Appreciation Night last Saturday, the Tri-City Storm raised $622 for the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Scholarship Fund.

The KACC Ag Committee scholarship will go to a current high school senior wishing to pursue a career in agriculture.

For the third consecutive year the Storm partnered with the chamber and committee members to provide a rebate on a percentage of tickets purchased.

A reception sponsored by Landmark Implement was held prior to the game with over 150 attendees.

Corporations that helped contribute to this fund include Bank of the West, Contryman & Associates, CW Farms, Edward Jones, Farm Credit Services, First National Bank, Heartland Bank, Landmark Implement, NebraskaLand National Bank, NU Tech Seed, Town & Country Bank, and UNL Extension.

Tri-City is currently at the top of the USHL’s Western Conference with 70 points, one ahead of second place Sioux City.

The Storm will have a chance to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, hosting Des Moines for two games. Friday’s contest begins at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s is at 7:05.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

Big Ten Wrestling Set to Compete in NCAA Championships

Posted on March 18, 2015

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Wrestlers from all 14 Big Ten schools will head to Scottrade Center in St. Louis this weekend to compete in the 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships, which begin Thursday morning and conclude on Saturday evening. The Big Ten is sending 96 wrestlers, including 58 seeded grapplers, and four No. 1 seeds across the 10 weight classes.

All six sessions of the NCAA Wrestling Championships will be streamed on ESPN3.com, and will provide live mat-by-mat coverage. Thursday’s sessions, along with Fridayand Saturday’s first session, will air on ESPNU. Friday and Saturday’s second session, featuring the championship bouts, will be broadcast on ESPN.

Eighty-six Big Ten wrestlers earned spots in the NCAA Championships field by virtue of their Big Ten Championships finish, while 10 others received at-large bids. The conference is sending at least seven wrestlers in each weight class, including 10 grapplers in the 141-, 174-, 184- and 197-pound bracket, 11 wrestlers in the 285-pound weight class and 12 participants in the 133-pound bracket.

Four Big Ten wrestlers hold the top seed in their respective weight classes, including Minnesota’s Chris Dardanes (133), Ohio State’s Logan Stieber (141), Illinois’ Isaiah Martinez (157) and Nebraska’s Robert Kokesh (174). Stieber (141) looks for his fourth consecutive national title, while Dardanes, Martinez and Kokesh will look to claim their first individual national championship.

Five Big Ten schools have claimed NCAA Championships, led by Iowa with 23. Penn State is the four-time defending national champion and has won five national championships. Minnesota boasts three national titles, while Indiana and Michigan State have each earned one NCAA Championship. A Big Ten school has taken home the national title in each of the past eight years.

The three-day, six-session event will begin with preliminary matches at Noon ET on Thursday and will continue into the evening session beginning at 7 p.m. The third session will begin Friday at 11 a.m., with quarterfinal action and wrestlebacks highlighting the schedule. The fourth session begins at 8 p.m. and will feature semifinal action.

Saturday morning marks the conclusion of the consolation bracket as third-, fifth- and seventh-place winners will be decided beginning at 11 a.m. The sixth and final session is scheduled for Saturday evening at 8 p.m., where NCAA weight class champions will be crowned.

SPVA All-Conference Teams Announced

Posted on March 18, 2015

The SPVA announced its All-Conference teams on Wednesday and 17 players from area schools were on them.

The St. Pat’s boys basketball teams had four players honored. Senior Andrew O’Neill led the way as a first team selection. Senior Drew McClellen and junior Cory Clinch are both on the second team and junior Bryce Byrn is on the honorable mention list.

The Hershey Panthers had three players make All-Conference. Senior Josh Margritz was named to the second team and sophomores Baylor Hellmuth and Jason Davis are on the honorable mention list.

The state-qualifying Sutherland Sailors had two players receive awards. Junior Kadin Copeland was named to the second team and junior Brook Blomstedt is on the honorable mention list.

Maxwell had one player honored. Junior Marcus Miller was named to the honorable mention list, representing the Wildcats.

The entire list can be seen by clicking on the link below.

In girls basketball St. Pat’s led the way with two girls honored, both of them first team selections. Seniors Anna O’Malley and Toni Caudillo represented the Irish as All-SPVA players.

Sutherland senior Kaley Stokey was named to the first team and sophomore teammate Haeven Schuster is on the honorable mention list.

Hershey was represented by junior Taylor Mustion on the first team and junior Hannah Johnson on the honorable mention list.

Maxwell once again had one player make All-Conference with junior Josie Cox earning second team honors for the Wildcats.

The full list can be seen by clicking on the link below.

SPVA All-Conference BBB 2014-15

SPVA All-Conference GBB 2014-15

Significant Replay Rules Changes Proposed

Posted on March 18, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Significant changes to the use of video replay, including reviewing all fouls called by game officials, will be proposed by the NFL’s competition committee at next week’s owners meetings.

The committee is presenting a proposal by the Detroit Lions that would permit the instant replay system to correct an officiating error. That would include such controversial calls as pass interference.

Also to be discussed in Phoenix will be a proposal by the New England Patriots to place fixed cameras on all boundary lines. That would guarantee coverage of those lines regardless of where network cameras are positioned.

Tri-City Hopes To Earn Playoff Spot This Weekend

Posted on March 18, 2015

KEARNEY, Neb. – With a win in either game this weekend against the Des Moines Buccaneers at the Viaero Event Center, the Tri-City Storm will secure a spot in the 2015 USHL Clark Cup Playoffs.

It would be the team’s first playoff berth since 2012, when they finished in sixth place in the Western Conference before a first round exit at the hands of the Waterloo Black Hawks.

A spot in this year’s postseason would also secure the team’s first home playoff game since April 9, 2010, a 5-4 overtime loss to the Omaha Lancers.

Through 52 games this season, the Storm have an overall record of 32-14-6 and have 70 points, which puts them at the top of the West.

The last time the team topped the 30-win mark during the regular season was in the 2006-07 campaign, finishing with 36 wins and in second place in the West Division. Tri-City defeated Sioux City in a seven game series in the first round before falling in a Round Robin Quarterfinal series.

Tri-City is currently tied with Cedar Rapids for second in the Anderson Cup race, with both teams trailing Youngstown by one point.

Five of the team’s final eight contests will be played in Kearney against Des Moines, Fargo and Cedar Rapids.

The USHL regular season ends on April 11, with the Clark Cup Playoffs set to begin the following week.

Friday’s game with Des Moines begins at 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s gets underway at 7:05.

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

51,500 Tickets Sold for Riley’s 1st Spring Game at Nebraska

Posted on March 18, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has sold 51,500 tickets for new coach Mike Riley’s first spring football game in three weeks.

Athletic department spokesman Keith Mann said Wednesday that all sections of Memorial Stadium would be open for seating at the April 11 event.

The Nebraska record for spring-game attendance was 80,149 in 2008. Last year’s event drew 61,772.

Huskers Hold On for 4-3 Win Over Indiana State

Posted on March 17, 2015

Lincoln – The Indiana State Sycamores (8-8, 0-0 MVC) had the tying run on base in the top of the ninth, but Josh Roeder closed out a 4-3 win with a strikeout for his sixth save of the season. It was the Huskers’ sixth straight victory, as they improved to 13-6 on the year.

The Huskers were outhit on the day, 8-6, but worked eight walks off the Sycamores’ pitching staff, while Nebraska’s staff issued just one free pass and struck out eight. Junior Jeff Chesnut earned the win and improved to 3-0 on the year following two innings of perfect relief with four strikeouts.

Ryan Boldt and Jake Placzek each notched two hits, with Boldt chipping in a pair of RBIs.

Placzek picked up NU’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the third with a leadoff single and later scored the game’s first run on a RBI single by Boldt. The Huskers pushed their lead to 2-0 when Jake Schleppenbach scored on a wild pitch from Indiana State starter David Stagg.

The Sycamores tied the game with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, including a solo home run from Jacob Hayes in the fourth that bounced off the right-field foul pole.

After Chesnut retired the Sycamores in order in both the sixth and seventh innings, the Huskers regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out single by Boldt that scored Jake Meyers. Meyers got the two-out rally started when he worked a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a balk. After Boldt’s single the Huskers loaded the bases with another single and a walk before Greg Kuhlman put an end to the threat with a ground out.

Colton Howell retired the Sycamores in order in the eighth and then the Huskers added an important insurance run on a one-out single by Placzek that put the Huskers in front 4-2.

Roeder took the mound in the ninth and got a pop out from the first batter he faced, but then Andy Young gave the Sycamores life when he doubled off the left-field wall. Roeder bounced back and struck out Andy DeJesus looking for the second out of the inning. Down to their last out, Indiana State got a RBI single from Kaden Moore and then had the tying run at first base, but Roeder struck out Connor McClain swinging to end the game.

The Huskers and Sycamores wrap up their two-game midweek series tomorrow at 1:35 p.m. Freshman Zack Engelken is scheduled to start for the Huskers, while lefty Trent Lunsford is scheduled to start for Indiana State.

Huskers Clash with Syracuse in NCAA First Round Friday

Posted on March 17, 2015

The Nebraska women’s basketball team made history by earning its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament and will take on Syracuse Friday in the first round at Columbia, S.C.

Tip-off between the ninth-seeded Cornhuskers (21-10, 10-8 Big Ten) and eighth-seeded Orange (21-9, 11-5 ACC) at Colonial Life Arena is set for 6:30 p.m. (central) with live national television coverage provided by ESPN2. Husker fans may not be able to see the game in its entirety on ESPN2 because of tournament whip-around coverage, so fans can seek more complete coverage on ESPN3.com or the WatchESPN app. Pam Ward and Carolyn Peck will be on the television call for ESPN2.

Live radio coverage from the Husker Sports Network is available with Matt Coatney and Jeff Griesch on stations across the network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln, 93.3 FM in Omaha and 880 AM KRVN in Lexington. Free live audio is available on Huskers.com.

Nebraska seniors Emily Cady, Brandi Jeffery, Tear’a Laudermill and Hailie Sample made history by advancing to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. The seniors, who all came to Nebraska as true freshmen in the same recruiting class prior to NU’s first season in the Big Ten in 2011-12, are also the first class in Husker history to produce four straight 20-win campaigns.

They will try to add to a school-record 96 career victories – an average of 24 wins per season. Prior to their arrival in Lincoln, only one Nebraska team had ever won more than 23 games – the 2010 Huskers who went 32-2 to claim an NCAA No. 1 seed.

Cady, a four-year starter from Seward, Neb., is set to tie a Nebraska record with her 132nd consecutive start on Friday. The 6-2 forward also needs just five rebounds to catch 2014 first-team All-American Jordan Hooper at No. 2 on the Nebraska career rebounds list (1,110). Cady ranks sixth among active NCAA rebounders with 1,105 in her career. She has added 1,441 points and 303 assists, while ranking among the top five players in school history with 114 career blocks.

Sample, a 6-1 forward from Flower Mound, Texas, has started 131 games alongside Cady, while Laudermill (Moreno Valley, Calif.) has made 61 straight starts. Jeffery (Vacherie, La.) has added 38 career starts to give the seniors more than 300 combined career starts.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-10, 10-8 Big Ten)
3 – Hailie Sample – 6-1 – Sr. – F – 7.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg
23 – Emily Cady – 6-2 – Sr. – F – 12.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg
1 – Tear’a Laudermill – 5-9 – Sr. – G – 13.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg
5 – Natalie Romeo – 5-7 – Fr. – G – 8.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg
13 – Brandi Jeffery – 5-7 – Sr. – G – 7.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg
Off the Bench
33 – Rachel Theriot (OUT) – 6-0 – Jr. – G – 16.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg
22 – Allie Havers – 6-5 – So. – C – 4.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg
31 – Anya Kalenta – 6-3 – Jr. – F – 3.2 ppg, 1.4 rpg
30 – Chandler Smith – 6-0 – Fr. – G – 1.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg
34 – Jasmine Cincore – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.3 ppg, 0.2 rpg
12 – Emily Wood – 5-5 – Fr. – G – 0.2 ppg, 0.5 rpg
11 – Esther Ramacieri – 5-8 – So. – G – 0.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg
50 – Darrien Washington – 6-2 – Fr. – F – Redshirting
Head Coach: Connie Yori (Creighton, 1986)
13th Season at NU (262-152); 25th Season Overall (457-292)

Syracuse Orange (21-9, 11-5 ACC)
1 – Alexis Peterson – 5-7 – So. – G – 15.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg
11 – Cornelia Fondren – 5-8 – Jr. – G – 7.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg
13 – Brianna Butler – 5-11 – Jr. – G – 13.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
10 – Isabella Slim – 6-0 – So. – F – 1.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg
50 – Briana Day – 6-4 – So. – C – 9.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg
Off the Bench
0 – Diamond Henderson (OUT) – 5-6 – Sr. – G – 10.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg
22 – Taylor Ford – 6-0 – Jr. – F – 6.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg
4 – Maggie Morrison – 5-8 – Sr. – G – 2.8 ppg, 1.1 rpg
55 – Bria Day – 6-4 – So. – F – 1.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg
44 – Amber Witherspoon – 6-4 – Fr. – C – 0.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg
21 – Danielle Minott – 5-8 – Fr. – G – 1.4 ppg, 1.0 rpg
Head Coach: Quentin Hillsman (St. Mary’s, Md., 1993)
8th Season at Syracuse (167-99); 8th Season Overall (167-99)

Attorney: NCAA Decision Conflicts with Previous Rulings

Posted on March 17, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An attorney for the NCAA says a ruling that opened the door for college football and basketball players to be paid goes against previous court rulings, including a 1984 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The NCAA is appealing a decision last year that the organization violated antitrust laws by limiting student-athlete compensation.

Seth Waxman told a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday that courts have never said the rules meant to protect student-athletes’ amateur status violated antitrust law. He cited a 1984 Supreme Court ruling that said athletes must not be paid in order to preserve the character and quality of college athletics.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Michael Hausfeld told the appeals court the Supreme Court’s comment about paying athletes was made in passing and was not integral to the outcome of that case.

22 Named to University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Inaugural Class

Posted on March 17, 2015

The University of Nebraska proudly announced the inaugural class of the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame on Tuesday, March 17. A total of 22 distinguished student-athletes will be enshrined this fall in conjunction with the Huskers’ season-opening football game with BYU on September 5th, 2015.

The creation of the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame serves to honor Husker Athletics programs and student-athletes who have won 25 team national championships, captured 156 individual NCAA titles and lead the nation with 315 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 17 NCAA Top 10 Award winners. The inaugural Hall of Fame class includes one inductee from every current Nebraska sport, plus an honoree from the men’s swimming program, which was a recognized varsity sport from 1921 to 2001.

“The University of Nebraska has an outstanding history and tradition of excellence in athletics, and our talented student-athletes have played a pivotal role in forging this reputation,” Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst said. “Therefore, it is with great enthusiasm and respect that we have created the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame and now proudly honor an elite group of student-athletes.”

The distinguished student-athletes who make up Nebraska Athletics’ inaugural Hall of Fame class include: Steve Friesen (men’s golf); Alex Gordon (baseball); Charlie Greene (men’s track and field); Jim Hartung (men’s gymnastics); Penny Heyns (women’s swimming and diving); Karen Jennings (women’s basketball); Steve Jung (men’s tennis); Joe Kirby (men’s cross country); Christine Latham (soccer); Liz (Mooney) Shaffer (women’s tennis); Eric Piatkowski (men’s basketball); Adam Pine (men’s swimming and diving); Shannon Pluhowsky (bowling); Merlene Ottey (women’s track and field); Dave Rimington (football); Sarah Sasse-Kildow (women’s golf); Bill Scherr (wrestling); Richelle Simpson (women’s gymnastics); Lori Sippel (softball); Fran (ten Bensel) Benne (women’s cross country); Amanda (Trujillo) Scrivner (rifle); and Allison Weston (volleyball).

The highly decorated class of 22 combined for eight national player-of-the-year awards, 127 All-America certificates, 32 individual NCAA titles and 11 team national championships. Hartung was a part of four men’s gymnastics national championship teams, Ottey (women’s track and field) and Pluhowsky (bowling) each led three Husker teams to national titles, and Weston was a member of Nebraska’s first national champion volleyball team in 1995. In the classroom, the inductees produced a total of three CoSIDA Academic All-American-of-the-Year accolades, seven Academic All-America honors and two NCAA Top 10 Awards.

The inductees also excelled internationally and in the professional ranks. Eight members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class were Olympians, competing in a combined 19 Olympic Games and winning 15 Olympic Medals, including five Gold Medals. Among the major professional sports, Gordon, Piatkowski and Rimington were all first-round draft picks. Gordon enters his ninth year in Major League Baseball in 2015 as a two-time all-star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner. Piatkowski enjoyed a 14-year NBA career, while Rimington played seven seasons in the NFL.

Several members of the inaugural class have been enshrined in other halls of fame. Rimington and Jennings are members of the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame, while Rimington is also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Greene is a member of the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame, and Hartung has been inducted into the United States Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. Heyns is enshrined in the International Swimming Hall of Fame, Pluhowsky in the International Bowling Hall of Fame and Sippel in the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame. Greene, Hartung, Heyns and Pine are proud owners of Olympic Gold Medals, while Ottey participated in nine Olympic Games, winning three Silver and six Bronze Medals.

The inaugural class was selected by a 12-person committee consisting of seven members of the Nebraska Athletics staff and five prominent former Husker student-athletes: Nicole Ali (women’s track and field); Frosty Anderson (football); Karen Jennings (women’s basketball); Janet (Kruse) Sellon (volleyball); and Al Maxey Sr. (men’s basketball).

“We greatly appreciate the Hall of Fame Committee for the hard work and thoughtful consideration in putting together this inaugural class,” Eichorst said. “With the number of exceptional student-athletes who have matriculated at Nebraska, limiting the first class to just one inductee per sport was no easy task. We are especially grateful to our five former student-athletes who volunteered their time for this worthy endeavor. They helped establish Nebraska’s tradition through their achievements as student-athletes and now have played a significant role in building the legacy of our Hall of Fame.”

Criteria considered for the Hall of Fame included: 1) the nominee must have completed his or her Nebraska athletic career at least 10 years prior to the current academic year; 2) the nominee must have demonstrated exceptional performance in his or her sport(s) and earned at least one varsity letter; and 3) the nominee must have demonstrated good character and citizenship.

The 22 members of the inaugural class will be enshrined at a private ceremony on Friday, September 4th, before being recognized in Memorial Stadium during Nebraska’s season-opening football game against BYU the next day.

The University is in the process of constructing an Athletics Hall of Fame plaza to serve as the permanent home honoring the Hall of Fame members. When completed this fall, the plaza will be accessible to the public every day of the year at no charge. The plaza will be located on a renovated walkway, stretching from the columns above the Ed Weir Outdoor Track and Field Stadium and continuing to the historic NU Coliseum. The University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame plaza will serve as a grand entryway to the Ed Weir Stadium and will complement Memorial Stadium’s East side. The plaza will recognize each annual Hall of Fame class and will also highlight the history and successes of Nebraska’s athletics programs.

Following this year’s class, a new Hall of Fame class will be selected annually. While the inaugural class includes an inductee from every sport, future classes will seek to recognize the most distinguished student-athletes regardless of sport and future classes will be limited to fewer inductees.

Inaugural 2015 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame Class

Steve Friesen, Men’s Golf (1996-99)

Alex Gordon, Baseball (2003-05)

Charlie Greene, Men’s Track and Field (1965-67)

Jim Hartung, Men’s Gymnastics (1979-82)

Penny Heyns, Women’s Swimming and Diving (1993-96)

Karen Jennings, Women’s Basketball (1990-93)

Steve Jung, Men’s Tennis (1986-89)

Joe Kirby, Men’s Cross Country (1987-90)

Christine Latham, Soccer (1999-2002)

Liz Mooney, Women’s Tennis (1983-86)

Eric Piatkowski, Men’s Basketball (1991-94)

Adam Pine, Men’s Swimming and Diving (1997-2000)

Shannon Pluhowsky, Bowling (2001-02; 2004-05)

Merlene Ottey, Women’s Track and Field (1980-84)

Dave Rimington, Football (1979-82)

Sarah Sasse, Women’s Golf (1999; 2000-03)

Bill Scherr, Wrestling (1981-84)

Richelle Simpson, Women’s Gymnastics (2002-05)

Lori Sippel, Softball (1985-88)

Fran ten Bensel, Women’s Cross Country (1989-92)

Amanda Trujillo, Rifle (2000-03)

Allison Weston, Volleyball (1992-95)

For more information on the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame please go to: https://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=209958590#top