Sports – Page 496 – North Platte Post Archive

Storm Introduce Premium Season Ticket Option

Posted on July 11, 2014

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm have introduced a new premium season ticket option for fans who wish to receive an added value as a season subscriber.

The premium option includes an all-inclusive meal plan that will not be available in the Viaero Event Center’s public concessions. The meal will be served in an exclusive area that is only open to premium subscribers.

“We wanted to bring something of this value to Storm fans in Central Nebraska, both existing and new,” said Storm President Greg Shea. “This level of ticket is a trend in the sports business and is showing up at all levels. We also believe that this form of ticket in an exclusive setting provides more than just a game experience, it offers a business-to-business setting.”

With a rotating menu each game, the meal will include one drink of the ticket holder’s choice. Options will include spirits, draft beer or soft drink.

For additional information and to purchase the new premium season ticket, please contact Dustin Favinger in the Viaero Event Center Box Office by calling 308-338-8144.

The Storm’s full 60-game schedule for the 2014-15 USHL season is posted on the team’s website, stormhockey.com.

Tri-City will host the Sioux Falls Stampede to open their home schedule on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

The Storm’s full promotional schedule and single game ticket information will be released later this summer.

Rockies Owner Says He’s Sorry for Prickly Emails

Posted on July 11, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort says he’s sorry for his testy reactions to disgruntled fans, including telling one of them that maybe Denver doesn’t deserve a Major League Baseball team anymore.

In a statement released by the club Friday, Monfort said he has no intention of moving the team and formally apologized for his prickly email replies.

In a series of responses to fans unhappy with the bad baseball they’ve been witnessing, Monfort suggested they not come out to Coors Field if they’re that mad and suggested that Denver might not deserve a team.

Royals Activate OF Aoki, Option INF Colon to Omaha

Posted on July 11, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals activated outfielder Nori Aoki from the disabled list and optioned infielder Christian Colon to Triple-A Omaha before Kansas City’s game Friday night against Detroit.

Aoki had been sidelined since June 21 with a strained left groin. He was 1 for 10 during a three-game rehab assignment for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Colon was 4 for 12 with two doubles and a triple in his first big league stint.

Where Aoki will fit back in remains to be seen. Jarrod Dyson and Lorenzo Cain have played well since he has been out, and Aoki could eventually platoon in right field.

He was starting Friday night, but that was partly because left fielder Alex Gordon remains out with a sprained right wrist. Dyson was starting in his place.

Gold Medalist Burroughs Hired As Assistant Coach

Posted on July 11, 2014

Nebraska Wrestling Head Coach Mark Manning announced the hiring of Husker legend and Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs as an assistant coach for the team on Friday.

“We are pleased to announce Jordan as one of my top assistants,” Manning said. “Jordan is one of the best wrestlers in the world and his accomplishments speak for themselves. We want him to continue to win World and Olympic titles until he completes his career. Jordan and his wife Lauren have made a commitment to be a part of Nebraska Athletics for a very long time. I along with the wrestlers and staff are glad to have the influence, mentorship and knowledge that Jordan brings to Nebraska wrestling. He has been a part of Nebraska wrestling for the last eight years and will continue to be a tremendous ambassador for the University of Nebraska.”

Burroughs previously served on the Nebraska wrestling staff as an administrative assistant for the 2012-13 season. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in sociology in May 2011.

“This is a huge stepping stone for my career and for Nebraska wrestling,” Burroughs said. “These are great facilities, people and tradition, and I’m extremely happy to continue to be a part of it. Now I get to look at things from the inside-out, whereas before it was from the outside-in. I want us to win team championships.”

A native of Sicklerville, N.J., Burroughs joins the staff in the midst of one of the most successful international freestyle wrestling careers in U.S. history. In addition to claiming the 74-kilogram Olympic Gold Medal at the 2012 Games in London, England, Burroughs won a pair of FILA World Championships in 2011 and 2013. He is also the three-time defending U.S. Open champion and two-time reigning World Cup champion.

Burroughs has earned several other titles during his post-collegiate career, including the 2011 Pan American Championships, 2011 U.S. World Team Trials, 2012 Olympic Trials, 2013 Alexander Medved Championships and 2013 Stephan Sargsyan Championships. In addition, he won his first 69 matches on the senior circuit.

Following the IOC’s initial recommendation to drop wrestling from the Olympics in February 2013, Burroughs became a key advocate to keeping the sport in the Games. In September 2013, the decision was overturned and wrestling will remain in the Olympics.

In 2011, Burroughs completed his decorated collegiate career with a second national title and claimed the Hodge Trophy Award. He went 36-0 as a senior at 165 pounds and also captured 2011 InterMat Wrestler-of-the-Year honors.

Burroughs’ first NCAA crown came in 2009, when he posted a perfect 35-0 record at 157 pounds. In 2009-10, his season was cut short by a torn PCL and LCL after racing to a 7-0 start.

The three-time All-American finished third at the 2008 NCAA Championships with a 34-6 record. He won a Big 12 title during the same season and added conference crowns in 2009 and 2011. Burroughs completed his college career with a 128-20 record, the fourth-most victories in school history. He also holds the fifth-best career winning percentage in Nebraska history at .865.

The First Nationals Hammer Hershland

Posted on July 10, 2014

The North Platte First Nationals beat Hershland 17-0 at Bill Wood Field Thursday.

North Platte (27-17) wasted no time jumping out to an early lead by scoring five runs in the first inning, including a two RBI triple by Luke Volz. The First Nationals scored 10 more runs in the second inning and two in the third inning to get the 17-0 run-rule victory.

Ty Brockmoller returned from an injury to start the game on the mound for North Platte. He went three and two-third innings and gave up just two hits, struck out four batters and walked two. Devan Hovden pitched the final one and one-third inning and only allowed two batters to reach base on walks.

Volz led the way at the plate by going 2-3 with a triple, four RBI and three runs scored. Riley Vierya had North Platte’s only other extra-base hit with a double. Jack Kenny, Darian Allberry and Drew Callaghan each drove in two runs in the win.

North Platte’s next game is Friday against Ogallala at Bill Wood Field. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 pm first pitch.

Tigers Maul Second-Place Royals in 16-4 Romp

Posted on July 10, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Everybody in Detroit’s lineup had at least one hit and scored one run, the season-best offensive onslaught spurring the Tigers to a 16-4 rout of the Kansas City Royals in the opener of their four-game series Thursday night.

The Tigers established a season-high for runs just two days after their 14-5 blitzing of the Dodgers, and took a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place Royals in the AL Central.

Drew Smyly (5-8) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk in 6 2-3 innings for Detroit.

Jeremy Guthrie (5-8) gave up a career-worst eight earned runs on eight hits, three walks and two hit batters. He was mercifully pulled with no outs in the fifth, which means the Royals’ veteran has now allowed 16 earned runs in eight-plus innings covering his last two starts.

College Football Hall of Fame Opening Aug. 23

Posted on July 10, 2014

ATLANTA (AP) — The new College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta will open on Aug. 23.

The date was announced Thursday.

The opening of the 94,000-square-foot facility was timed to coincide with two games at the Georgia Dome to begin the college football season: Mississippi vs. Boise State on Aug. 28, followed two days later by Alabama vs. West Virginia.

The hall was previously located in South Bend, Indiana, but was plagued by poor attendance. Five years ago, the National Football Foundation announced a deal to move it to Atlanta, on a site near the Georgia Dome and overlooking Centennial Olympic Park.

Also Thursday, the foundation announced a lead sponsor for the facility, which will be known officially as the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience.

NPCC Knights Softball Signs Larissa Fornwalt of Colorado

Posted on July 10, 2014

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Knights softball team announced the signing of Larissa Fornwalt to a Naional Letter of Intent. Fornwalt is a graduate of Chaparral High School in Parker, Colo. and played on the Twister travel team.

Fornwalt is a pitcher and corner infielder who throws in the high 50s. “Larissa hits her spots well and does a good job keeping batters off balance,” said head coach Janelle Higgins. “She will also help our depth in the batting line up as she has great power and adjusts very well to pitchers.”

“I am excited to begin college at NPCC and continue to play the game I love,” said Fornwalt. “During this time I plan on bettering myself and gaining more knowledge of the game. I have heard great things about Coach Higgins and what she brings to the game of softball and I am excited to be a part of her team.”

“I am excited to get Larissa on campus this fall,” said Higgins. “She has a great personalit and humor that she brings with her from Colorado and will fit in very well with current and new NPCC Knights.”

“Larissa is hard working, dedicated and an extremely competent and gifted pitcher,” said her travel team coach Charlie Williams. “I am excited about Larissa fulfilling her dream and goal to play college softball and earn a degree.”

Webster Heads to New Zealand to Earn National Team Spot

Posted on July 10, 2014

Lincoln – Sophomore Tai Webster begins a busy summer this weekend, as he returns to New Zealand in hopes of making the senior team’s roster for the FIBA World Cup.

Webster, who hails from Auckland, New Zealand, is one of 17 players selected to the camp. He has been in Lincoln training and taking summer classes which end this week. The competition begins for Webster next week, as New Zealand hosts Korea in a three-game series beginning on July 15 in Wellington. It is one of five events that New Zealand will participate in prior to the FIBA World Cup in late August.

New Zealand will play in the Three Nations Tournament in Korea, travel through China, Lithuania and Serbia before opening the 2014 FIBA World Cup on Aug. 30 against Turkey.

“What we have identified is we are maybe a little thin in the guard line,” Nenad Vucinic said after trimming the roster from 24 to 17 players this week. “Tai (Webster) boosts our stocks in that regard when he arrives on Monday. He was with us a couple of years ago and enjoyed a good season with Nebraska, and we are hoping that he comes back in good shape and good form and is able to slot in quickly.”

If Webster makes the World Cup roster, he will be tested in a six-team bracket that includes Team USA (Sept. 2), Turkey (Aug. 30), Dominican Republic (Aug. 31), Ukraine (Sept. 3) and Finland (Sept. 4)

Webster started 30 games for the Huskers in 2013-14, helping Nebraska make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. He averaged 3.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He topped the Huskers with 63 assists and reached double figures four times as a true freshman.

Webster made his national team debut in 2012, leading New Zealand in scoring three times in six contests in his first competition on the senior national team. He averaged 13.5 points per game in the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. He made his debut at age 17, becoming the youngest player to make the New Zealand National Team.

Royals’ Gordon to Miss All-Star Game with Injury

Posted on July 10, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals outfielder Alex Gordon will miss next week’s All-Star game after visiting with a hand specialist and receiving an injection Thursday for his sprained right wrist.

Angels shortstop Erick Aybar was added to the roster as Gordon’s replacement.

Gordon said he still plans to attend the game at Target Field in Minneapolis, and that he’s looking forward to rooting on fellow All-Stars Greg Holland and Salvador Perez.

Holland, the Royals’ closer, and Perez, their catcher, are also making their second straight appearances.

Royals manager Ned Yost said he’s holding off on putting Gordon on the disabled list in hopes that rest during the All-Star break will be enough. It’s possible he could be used as a defensive replacement during a four-game series against Detroit starting Thursday night.