Hastings, Neb. (June 11, 2017) The entry list has been set for the Nebraska State High School Finals Rodeo, to be held in Hastings June 15-17 at the Adams County Fairgrounds.

Nearly 150 high school rodeo athletes will compete in twelve events. The top four competitors in each event at the state level will earn a berth at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Gillette, Wyo., July 16-22, where national champions will be crowned in each event.

Included in the contestant list are North Platte residents Trey Seevers, who enters finals first in the saddle bronc riding and second in the bareback riding, and Mason Ward, who leads the bull riding and will also team rope and participate in the boys cutting.

Sutherland sends two cowboys to finals: Colten Storer (boys cutting, team roping, tie-down roping and steer wrestling) and Kaine Stokey (boys cutting, team roping and bull riding).

Wallace’s Ansley Brown will compete in the pole bending and breakaway roping.

Four contestants from Sutherland have qualified for state: Tristan Haake (breakaway roping), Andrea Meyer (barrels, poles, breakaway and goat tying), Cauy Pokorny (steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping) and Arika Starr (barrels and poles.)

The twelve events include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing, boys cutting, girls cutting, and bull riding.

The Finals, the culmination of 29 regular season rodeos, will be held at 10 am and 6 pm on June 15-16, with the short round on June 17 at 1 pm. After Thursday and Friday’s performances, the top ten contestants in each event will advance to the short round on June 17. The cutting will be held at 7:30 am on June 15-16, with the short round at 8 am on June 17. The 2017-2018 Miss Nebraska High School Rodeo Queen will be crowned prior to the performance on June 17. For more information, visit www.AdamsCountyFairgrounds.com or call 402.462.3247. For information on the Nebraska State High School Rodeo Association, visit www.hsrodeo-nebraska.com.

Qualifying high school rodeo contestants for the 2017 Nebraska State High School Finals Rodeo (list and ranking of student athlete subject to change):

Bareback Riding
1. Gauge McBride, Kearney
2. Trey Seevers, North Platte
3. Ty Richardson, Ainsworth

Barrel Racing
1. Rachael Calvo, Bassett
2. Bailey Witt, Valentine
3. Brook Jamison, Ashby
4. Lexie Lowery, Burwell
5. Alison Stracke, Stuart
6. Sheyenne Hammond, Valentine
7. Taya McMillen, Lodgepole
8. Sydney Adamson, Cody
9. Jaylee Simonson, Dunning
10. Taelor Evenson, Lincoln
11. Macey Vonheeder, Ainsworth
12. Chesney Reeves, Central City
13. BrooklynLeach, Dunning
14. Savannah Jordan, Harrisburg
15. Mataya Eklund, Valentie
16. Madison Stracke, Stuart
17. Breann Becker, Hastings
18. Adeline Hobbs, Mitchell
19. Jacey Jensen, Burwell
20. Riata Day, Fleming, Colo.
21. Brittni McCully, Mullen
22. Josee Saults, Big Springs
23. Mable McAbee, Ansley
24. Shanna Bailey, Lakeside
25. Briana McKay, Spalding
26. Halli Haskel, Ainsworth
27. Briean Schipporeit,Ainsowrth
28. Arika Starr, Stapleton
29. Tallyn Simpson, Maxwell
30. Caity Hesseltine, Halsey
31. Anna Esch, Spalding

Boys Cutting
1. Mark Kasperbauer, Spalding
2. JT Bradley, Brewster
3. Mason Ward, North Platte
4. Kaine Stokey, Sutherland
5. Colten Storer, Sutherland
6. Ty Bass, Brewster
7. Josh Powers, Arthur
8. Chase Miller, Broken Bow
9. Wacey Flack, Maywood

Breakaway Roping
1. Maddee Doerr, Creighton
2. Brittni McCully, Mullen
3. Morgan Kessler, Callaway
4. Georgie Lage, Arthur
5. Brook Jamison, Ashby
6. Abby Meidell, Harrison
7. Mataya Eklund, Valentine
8. Britney Brosius, Ashby
9. Morgan Darnell, Gordon
10. Sydney Adamson, Cody
11. Danielle Wray, Ord
12. Jentri Hurlburt, Arcadia
13. AluxynHollenbeck, Valentine
14. Bailey Witt, Valentine
15. Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
16. Breann Becker, Hastings
17. Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
18. Mable McAbee, Ansley
19. Kenzie Mayer, Lincoln
20. Sheyenne Hammond, Valentine
21. Bailey Hurlburt, Norfolk
22. Raesha Warren, Thedford
23. Maddie Meidell, Harrison
24. Sydney Graff, Long Pine
25. Taylor Whetham, Morrill
26. Talli Pokorny, Bartlett
27. Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington
28. Clare Kohl, Surprise
29. Brooke Becker, Hastings
30. Maddie Stump, Elsmere

Bull Riding
1. Mason Ward, North Platte
2. Dillon Micheel, Ainsworth
3. Conner Halverson, Gordon
4. Dalton Harter, Minatare
5. BJ McAbee, Ansley
6. Gauge McBride, Kearney
7. Ben Wood, Greeley
8. Teran Sharman, Palmer
9. Kaine Stokey, Sutherland
10. Jared Shaw, Bassett

Girls Cutting
1. Morgan Kessler, Callaway
2. Concey Bader, Palmer
3. Brook Bushhousen, St. Libory
4. Bayli Bilby, Chadron
5. Ashton Troyer, West Point
6. Savannah Jordan, Harrisburg
7. Kesha DeGroff, Broken Bow
8. Maddee Doerr, Creighton
9. Skyler Swanson, Arthur
10. Alexis Rutar, Springview
11. Taya McMillen, Lodgepole

Goat Tying
1. Maddee Doerr, Creighton
2. Riata Day, Fleming, Colo.
3. Shelby Spanel, Anselmo
4. Jaylee Simonson, Dunning
5. Talli Pokorny, Bartlett
6. Britney Brosius, Ashby
7. Rachael Calvo, Bassett
8. Bailey Witt, Valentine
9. Gracie Pokorny, Bartlett
10. Mataya Eklund, Valentine
11. Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
12. Aluxyn Hollenbeck, Valentine
13. Mable McAbee, Ansley
14. Hanna Huffman, Burwell
15. Raesha Warren, Thedford
16. Peyton Flack, Maywood
17. Josceln Soncksen, Lexington
18. Calli Bauer, Arcadia
19. Savannah Jordan, Harrisburg
20. Shanna Bailey, Lakeside
21. Katie Miles, Arthur
22. Brooklyn Leach, Dunning
23. Kesha DeGroff, Broken Bow
24. Emma Hollenback, Ewing
25. Abby Meidell, Harrison
26. Josee Saults, Big Springs
27. Jordin Sole, Nelson
28. Maddie Stump, Elsmere

Pole Bending
1. Brook Jamison, Ashby
2. Brittni McCully, Mullen
3. Riata Day, Fleming, Colo.
4. Gracie Pokorny, Bartlett
5. Halli Haskel, Ainsworth
6. Jacey Jensen, Burwell
7. Jaylee Simonson, Dunning
8. Sydney Hollenbeck, Winner, S.D.
9. Chesney Reeves, Central City
10. Adeline Hobbs, Mitchell
11. Taelor Evenson, Lincoln
12. Jo Hummermeier, Chapell
13. Savannah Jordan, Harrisburg
14. Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
15. Britney Brosius, Ashby
16. Shanna Bailey, Lakeside
17. Lexie Lowery, Burwell
18. Rachael Calvo, Bassett
19. Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington
20. Macey Vonheeder, Ainsworth
21. Anna Esch, Spalding
22. Brieann Schipporeit, Ainsworth
23. Brooklyn Leach, Dunning
24. Sheyenne Hammond, Valentine
25. Shylo Paddock, Ainsworth
26. Aluxyn Hollenbeck, Valentine
27. Ansley Wood, Wallace
28. Caity Hesseltine, Halsey
29. Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
30. Clancy Hesseltine, Halsey

Saddle Bronc
1. Trey Seevers, North Platte
2. Wyatt Kunkee, Lexington
3. Sage Miller, Springview
4. Garrett Long, Valentine
5. Jack Skavdahl, Marsland

Steer Wrestling
1. Braydon Kalkowski, Wisner
2. Tyler Ravenscroft, Nenzel
3. Zane Patrick Bartlett
4. Chase Miller, Broken Bow
5. JT Bradley, Brewster
6. Zachary Hamar, Yuma, Colo.
7. Quade Potter, Cambridge
8. Talon Mathis, Atkinson
9. Gus Franzen, Kearney
10. Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton
11. Tori Huffman, Burwell
12. Marshall Still, Oconto
13. Corey Larsen, Whitman
14. Evan Hewett, Dunning
15. Blake Henry, Rushville
16. Tanner Whetham, Morrill
17. Ty Chasek, Mitchel
18. Sage Miller, Springview
19. Jackson Davis, Bingham
20. Tomas Margritz, Lexington
21. Jebb Ginkens, Harrison
22. Colton Storer, Sutherland
23. Zeb Heggem, Torrington, Wyo.

Team Roping
1. Rio Whited, Lincoln
2. Tee Whited, Lincoln
3. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk
4. Chance Williams, Ord
5. Wyatt Williams, Ord
6. Taylor Whetham, Morrill
7. Grant Turek, St Paul
8. Talon Petska, Ord
9. Tanner Whetham, Morrill
10. Clay Bauer, Arcadia
11. Morgan Kessler, Callaway
12. Tomas Margritz, Lexington
13. Gus Franzen, Kearney
14. Morgan Darnell, Gordon
15. Clayton Symons, Mitchell
16. Colton Storer, Sutherland
17. Nathan Poss, Scotia
18. Jade Buss, Atkinson
19. Kurtis Palmer, Madison
20. Ralph Saults, Big Springs
21. Tori Huffman, Burwell
22. Zane Patrick, Bartlett
23. Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton
24. Brook Jamison, Ashby
25. Georgie Lage, Arthur
26. Mitchell Tucker, North Platte
27. Quentin Anderson, Pierce
28. JT Bradley, Brewster
29. Wyatt Colman, O’Neill
30. Ryan Koenig, Ewing
31. Lane Chasek, Mitchell
32. Andrew Koenig, Ewing
33. Cameron Jensen, Bingham
34. Jackson Davis, Bingham
35. Blaine Flack, Crawford
36. Zachary Hamar, Yuma, Colo.
37. Corey Larsen, Whitman
38. Josh Powers, Arthur
39. Talon Mathis, Atkinson
40. Danielle Wray, Ord
41. Maddee Doerr, Creighton
42. Will Thiele, Atkinson
43. Brody Davis, Cody
44. Mable McAbee, Ansley
45. BJ McAbee, Ansley
46. Merit Van Horn, Page
47. Bernie Girard, Alliance
48. Marshall Still, Oconto
49. Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
50. Ty Bass, Brewster
51. Trent Marshall, Burwell
52. Emily Stewart, Beatrice
53. Sheyenne Hammond, Valentine
54. Seth Pearson, Oconto
55. Ty Chasek, Mitchell
56. Evan Hewett, Dunning
57. Jebb Ginkens, Harrison
58. Abby Meidell, Harrison
59. Clare Kohl, Surprise
60. Sydney Graff, Long Pine

Tie-Down Roping
1. Grant Turek, St Paul
2. Will Thiele, Atkinson
3. JT Bradley, Brewster
4. Tori Huffman, Burwell
5. Clayton Symons, Mitchell
6. Zachary Hamar, Yuma, Colo.
7. Kurtis Palmer, Madison
8. Corey Larsen, Whitman
9. Chase Miller, Broken Bow
10. Clay Bauer, Arcadia
11. Mitchell Tucker, North Platte
12. Quentin Anderson, Pierce
13. Merit Van Horn, Page
14. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk
15. Bernie Girard, Alliance
16. Gus Franzen, Kearney
17. Blaine Flack, Crawford
18. Tanner Whetham, Morrill
19. Talon Mathis, Atkinson
20. Colten Storer, Sutherland
21. Jackson Davis, Bingham
22. Ryan Koenig, Ewing
23. Ty Richardson, Ainsworth
24. Cameron Jensen, Bingham
25. Quade Potter, Cambridge
26. Cade Adamson, Valentine
27. Sean Miller, Callaway
28. Sage Miller, Springview
29. Tyler Ravenscroft, Nenzel
30. Brody Davis, Cody

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights basketball team has added a third new recruit, Nahatabaa Nacona, for the 2017-18 season.

Nacona, a point guard from Chinle, Ariz., goes by the nickname of Baa. Nacona has played basketball since she was in sixth grade and has played varsity basketball for Chinle High School the past two seasons. She also played softball and volleyball, but loved the sport of basketball more.

Nacona, in her senior season averaged 16.1 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 5.5 steals per game, and 6.0 assists per game. Nacona has led the Chinle High School Wildcats to the Arizona State 3A Tournament Final Four the past two seasons.

Nacona said, “I am honored and very excited to continue my education and basketball career with North Platte Community College.”

Nacona joins Tiara Hartfield, from Houston, Texas; and Jasmine Satterwhite, from Austin Texas on the Lady Knights basketball team for the 2017-18 season.

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights basketball team has signed Jasmine Satterwhite to a national letter of intent for the 2017-18 basketball season.

Lady Knights Interim Head Coach Ashley Bell said, “Jasmine has great potential. She is a hard worker on and off the court. Her quickness and defensive and ability to score will be a vital part of our program. I am very excited to have her aboard and watch her develop.”

Satterwhite a point guard from Austin, Texas. She played for the Del Valle High School Cardinals, where she shot 40.3 percent from the three-point line and 60 percent from the free throw line.

“Jasmine is an electric player who sees the floor extremely well as a point guard.”, Kandice Smith Del Valle Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach said, “Her ability to facilitate and keep the tempo of the game provided multiple sparks for the Cardinals this past season.”

Smith said, “Like other point guards Jasmine can finesse her way to the basket drawing in other defenders which disrupts the defense allows her to be a combo threat.”

Satterwhite joins fellow Texan Tiara Hartfield from Houston in the recruiting class of the Lady Knights.

Sargent cowboy Rowdy Moon will have an advantage when he climbs behind the chutes in Casper, Wyo. next week. He has been there before.

Moon qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo last year as a freshman at Mid-Plains Community College. He returns June 11-17 as a seasoned sophomore and the number one bareback rider in the Great Plains Region.

“Since I’ve been around that arena, I don’t think I’ll have quite the jitters,” said Moon. “I was pretty nervous last time. It’s a big stage.”

Moon was second in the region heading into nationals in 2016. He finished the CNFR in 19th place after riding broncs to scores of 65 and 68.

His competition included Wyatt Denny and Denny’s traveling partner Clayton Biglow. Denny won the bareback riding at the CNFR last year and Biglow came in second. The two competed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo later in the year, where Biglow finished seventh in the world and Denny ended up 10th.

Being up against that kind of competition pushed Moon to work harder and adjust his technique.

“I think I’ve gotten better,” said Moon. “I have faster feet and don’t lean into my free arm as much as I used to.”

The last time he rode a bronc was early May in Dickinson, N.D. Moon took some time off competing to recover from a groin injury, but hasn’t stopped practicing.

“I’ve been on the spur board and ride horses every other day so I can work on holding my feet in the right position,” said Moon. “I’d like to at least make the short round in Casper.”

His long-term goal is to one day travel the professional rodeo circuit, but until then, Moon plans to focus on college.

He graduated from MPCC with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business and a Business Administration emphasis in May. He will transfer to Chadron State College in the fall.

North Platte, Neb. – June 5, 2017 – A North Platte man will be recognized in August for his contributions to the rodeo world.

Randy Corley, who lived in North Platte for two decades, is an inductee into the 2017 Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Corley never thought he’d make a living as a rodeo announcer, and there was a teacher at Niobrara County High School in Lusk, Wyo., who concurred.

He was a high school kid, taking a speech class because it was an easy credit, and when he was asked to give a speech, it was always rodeo-related, about world champions like Larry Mahan or Jim Shoulders. The teacher did not approve. “She had threatened me a couple of times that I needed to talk about something different,” Corley recalled. “I’d always come back to rodeo.” One time, she couldn’t take it anymore. When he started yet another speech on rodeo, she “came running up and ripped the speech off the podium, and said, ‘you’ve got to think about your future. You’re not going to talk rodeo your whole life.’” Little did she know, Corley would make his living “talking rodeo.”

He was born in 1951 in Miles City, Mont., spending his school years mostly in Lusk and Lance Creek Wyo., and his summers with his granddad, Waldo Parsons, a cowboy who he idolized. “I spent every summer at his ranch, and when I got older, I’d go out in the winters and help feed cattle. He was everything to me.”

In 1977-78, he attended the Ron Bailey School of Broadcast in Seattle, then worked as a dj in Broken Bow before moving to North Platte, where he was on air at KODY AM and KX 104.

In 1979, world champion saddle bronc rider Bill Smith started a nightly rodeo series in North Platte and hired Corley to announce it. He was acquaintances with Michelle and Trent Barrett, the children of the legendary North Platte native Hadley Barrett, also a rodeo announcer. Michelle, who ran barrels, and Trent, who roped at the rodeo, insisted their dad, a rancher north of town, come to the rodeo to hear this young announcer. He did, and Corley was nervous; he knew who Hadley was, and his accomplishments in the music world and the rodeo world.

Hadley was impressed but wanted to hear Corley announce when he wasn’t aware of Hadley being in the audience. So the next week, Hadley made a trip to town for tractor parts, and again visited the rodeo, this time unannounced. He liked what he heard. A few weeks later, he asked Corley if he’d be interested in getting his PRCA card. Corley was, and Hadley assisted him in becoming a PRCA member.

That was in 1980, and four years later, Corley won the PRCA’s Announcer of the Year award, an honor he would win eleven more times throughout his career, the most of any other announcer, in 1990-1996, 1998, 2003, 2011 and 2015.

Throughout Corley’s career, he has announced rodeos across the nation: the big ones, and the little ones alike: North Platte; Puyallup, Wash.; Caldwell, Ida.; the RAM National Circuit Finals; Tucson, Ariz.; San Antonio, Texas; Phillipsburg and Pretty Prairie, Kan., and dozens more. He was selected to announce the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo sixteen times.

He worked alongside his father-in-law at five rodeos: North Platte, San Antonio and Waco, Texas, Caldwell, Idaho, and Puyallup, Wash., till Barrett passed away on March 2 of this year.

Corley vividly remembers what Barrett said after the final performance in San Antonio on Feb. 26, four days before he passed. “He laid his mike down, and said, that is the best rodeo I have announced in my life.”

Corley and Barrett were good friends as much as they were son-in-law and father-in-law, and Corley relates a funny story Barrett told years ago. When he first started, Barrett asked him to live in on the ranch, to help take care of things when Barrett was on the road. By that point, Corley and Michelle were dating; they married in 1984. “I thought it would be nice to have somebody to help out when I wasn’t around,” Barrett said. “I made Randy a deal, and I thought he had good values. What I didn’t realize was, his values were my valuables: my clothes, the food in my refrigerator, my rodeos, and my daughter.”

Barrett was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1999, and now eighteen years later, Corley follows him. The ceremony is the first weekend of August. It was a team effort, he insists, throughout his career. “I need about 500 or 600 people to come up to the podium with me,” he joked. “There are a lot of people to thank, more than I can pinpoint. It’s stock contractors, great committees, really good entertainers and rodeo clowns and bullfighters and sound people that I’ve gotten to work with. It’s all the people that make those rodeos happen, and have given me a place to shine. All of them exemplify what the announcer does.”

Corley knows the North Platte rodeo fans will miss Hadley; this will be the first time since 1964 that Hadley has not been behind the mike at the rodeo. He’s been preparing himself. “It’s something I’ve talked to God about every day,” he said. “I have to go into that rodeo, and make it good.” A special tribute will be done for Hadley; it won’t be sad, Corley said, but “we’ll pay tribute in a special way. We’ll hear Hadley.”

Corley and his wife Michelle moved to Silverdale, Washington in 2001. Corley has two daughters, Kassi and Amanda, and together the couple has a son, Cole, and a daughter, Brittany.

He is honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and thankful for his life. “I realize more and more every day, how we don’t have the control we think we do. You can place it all in God’s hands, and it’s how God planned it.”

The other inductees into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame are the late Buck Rutherford (all-around champion, 1954), Enoch Walker (saddle bronc riding champion, 1960), Tommy Puryear (steer wrestling champion, 1974), Mike Beers (team roping champion, 1984), Cody Custer (bull riding champion, 1992), Bob Ragsdale (22-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier), Christensen Bros.’ Smith & Velvet, (four-time bareback horse of the year), and the committee for the Ogden (Utah) Pioneer Days.

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place June 14-17 at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. It begins at 8 pm nightly. Tickets range in price from $7 to $20 and can be purchased online at www.NebraskalandDays.com, at the gate, or at the office at 2801 Charlie Evans Drive (at the Wild West Arena in North Platte.) For more information, visit the website or call 308.532.7939.

The Nebraska School Activities Association is pleased to announce the final standings for The NSAA Cup, the NSAA All-Activities Award for Nebraska high schools. The annual awards program began in the fall of 2006 to recognize the state’s most successful high school athletic and fine arts programs, presents awards to the 12 Nebraska high schools which earn the most points during the school year by participating in NSAA education-based activity programs.

This all-activities (fine arts and sports), all-school recognition platform recognizes the “Best of the Best” each year in NSAA programs. The NSAA Cup is presented to the winning schools in the four classes of the All-School Division, Girls Division and Boys Division during special ceremonies the following fall.

Each year the NSAA recognizes the most successful activities programs in the state with the NSAA Cup. Winners are determined by a point system based on participation in NSAA education-based activities and performance in state championship events within each division and class. Music, which does not have a state-level event, earns points based on participation at the district music contest.

The boys and girls competition in each class features schools earning participation and performance points from their respective activities. In the all-school division, schools receive participation points for each of its NSAA registered programs, and earn additional points for placing in NSAA championship events. All schools, which finish in the top eight positions (plus any ties) in a state championship event, receive points. In activities’ championships involving cooperative agreements, each of the schools in the cooperative will earn the points for that respective event providing they have at least one student participating on the cooperative varsity team.

In playoff events involving teams in a split classification, the same top eight positions in that event’s class (ex. D1 and D2) will earn full points for their class competition. If there are fewer than eight schools from a classification in the event, only those schools represented, are eligible to receive points.
Championship performance points are awarded for all activities championship events as follows:

First place – 50 points
Second place – 45 points
Third place – 40 points
Fourth place – 35 points
Fifth place – 30 points
Sixth place – 25 points
Seventh place – 20 points
Eighth place – 15 points

2016-17 Final NSAA Cup Standings

The Nebraska School Activities Association has awarded the community of North Platte the Class D Boys State Golf Championship for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020. North Platte has previously hosted the tournament in 2016 and 2017.

Visitors Bureau staff Courtney Fegter submitted the bid online to the NSAA Board of Directors. According to Fegter, Sports Tourism Specialist with the North Platte / Lincoln County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Championships will be played at Lake Maloney Golf Course.

“The community of North Platte and host course Lake Maloney Golf Club received high accolades from coaches and competitors in the past two tournaments we hosted,” says Fegter. “The enthusiasm and professionalism of our volunteers, and the well-run golf course all helped to convince the NSAA to award the tournament to North Platte for the next three years.”

Just under 100 competitors participated in the championship tournaments in 2016 and 2017. Class D, which is comprised of the smallest schools with boys’ golf programs, many located in out-state Nebraska, traditionally travels very well. Many fans, friends and family make the trip to North Platte to watch the competition. Based on a formula provided by the National Association of Sports Commissions, the participants and their followers account for an estimated $40,000 in direct travel spending in North Platte each year.

Lisa Burke, Executive Director of the Visitors Bureau said, “This tournament kicks off at the perfect time of year, when the peak summer travel season is just beginning. Attracting hundreds of additional visitors to our community, for two or three days in May, benefits our retail shops, service stations, restaurants and lodging. The money the visitors spend is respent a number of times throughout North Platte, benefiting the entire community.”

In addition to the award of the Class D championship to North Platte, the NSAA awarded Class A to Norfolk and Class B to Columbus, and Class C to Kearney. North Platte had previously been awarded the Class C Girls State Golf Championships for the years 2017 – 2019, after having hosted the October tournament in 2015 and 2016.

North Platte – Two sophomores from the Region IX Division II champion North Platte Community College Knights softball team, Shelby Belloni and Samantha Gill and have signed letters of intent to play at the next level for the 2017-18 season.

Shelby Belloni, who is from Wheat Ridge, Colo., has signed a letter of intent to play for the Friends University Falcons in Wichita, Kans. Friends is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics college that participates in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. They finished this past season with a 33-13 record and 16-6 in the KCAC. The Falcons finished in third place in the regular season KCAC standings.

Belloni, an outfielder, started in 100 games while at NPCC, batted .462 during her career with 20 doubles, four home runs, and 46 stolen bases in 48 attempts. Belloni also had an .874 fielding percentage with 161 total chances and 16 defensive assists.

Knights Head Coach Janelle Higgins said, “Our outfielders will have some big shoes to fill as Shelby heads on to Friends University. Shelby’s willingness to play wherever she was needed will be an adjustment, playing all over the outfield and even a few games on the infield was a huge advantage for us this year. In her two years here, she started almost every game and her bat and fielding will be missed. She has the determination and drive to be very successful at Friends.”

Samantha Gill, from LaSalle, Colo, signed a letter of intent to play for the Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets in Spearfish, S. D.

The Yellow Jackets are a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Two college, and are members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. They finished the 2017 season with a 7-37 record overall and 5-31 in the conference.

Gill, primarily played catcher for the Knights during her two years and a few games at first and second bases. Gill had a .454 batting average in her two years with the Knights, a .621 slugging percentage with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, and eight stolen bases in nine attempts.

Defensively, Gill had a career fielding percentage of .962, which is the best fielding percentage in the history of the Knights softball program. She had 343 total chances, 286 put outs, and 13 errors, which is the fewest in history of the school over two years.

“It will be an adjustment not to have Sami in our line up next year as she has been a consistent player for two years, her knowledge and game time experience will help her be an asset right away at BHSU.” Higgins said, “Her work ethic and commitment to the game and our program she has shown the last two years are leaving big shoes to fill by incoming freshman.”

Higgins said, “Both young ladies will be missed on and off the field as they gave so much to our community and our program as a whole.”

North Platte – North Platte Community College Lady Knight volleyball player MaKenna Ketter has signed a letter of intent to play for Benedictine College, located in Atchison, Kan., for the 2017 season.

Ketter, who is from Imperial, played the past two seasons for the Lady Knights. In her career, Ketter had 582 kills, 79 blocks, and 252 digs.

“I’m glad that MaKenna decided to play next year. I think she has recovered well from her shoulder surgery and deserves another attempt at volleyball.“, Lady Knight Head Coach, Alexa McCall said, “She is an athletic player and I think she will continue to get better. She does a great job in serve receive and I think she will continue to gain strength with her attacking.”

Benedictine College belongs to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and is a member of the Heart of America Conference. Benedictine finished last season at 8-19.