Sports – Page 500 – North Platte Post Archive

Three First Nationals Players to Participate in Cornhusker League All-Star Game

Posted on July 8, 2014July 8, 2014

The North Platte First Nationals will be well represented at the 2014 Cornhusker League All-Star Game in Grand Island Tuesday.

North Platte head coach Rick Ostergard will be coaching the West Team, which consists of North Platte, Columbus, Kearney, Grand Island, Hastings, Norfolk and Gretna. The East Team will be made up of players from the Lincoln teams. The head coach of the teams rotate each year.

The head coach selects the players for his team with input from the other coaches in the league. The First Nationals will have three players, Luke Volz, Darian Allberry and Jack Kenny, competing in Tuesday night’s game.

Volz leads North Platte with a .382 batting average and 12 doubles. He is also tied for the team lead with four triples this season to go along 33 RBI and 33 runs scored. Volz also pitches for the First Nationals and has a 3-0 record with one save and a 4.87 ERA. He has 12 strikeouts compared to 10 walks for the season.

Allberry leads North Platte in runs batted in with 34 so far this season. He is batting .286 with nine doubles and 36 runs scored. On the mound Allberry boasts a 2.39 ERA and a 3-2 record. He has 33 strikeouts compared to just 12 walks this season.

Kenny is second on the team with a .344 batting average and is tied for the team lead with four triples. He also has eight doubles, 21 RBI and 32 runs scored. Kenny has also pitched seven and one-third innings this season for the First Nationals. He has yet to give up an earned run and has a 1-0 record with three saves. He has seven strikeouts compared to three walks.

The roster for the West Team can be seen below.

The Cornhusker League All-Star Game will be played in Grand Island with a 7:00 pm first pitch Tuesday.

West Roster

MATT MOORE (KEARNEY)

PEYTON POCOCK (KEARNEY)

CHRIS LANGIN (KEARNEY)

CALVIN HEHNKE (GRAND ISLAND)

KEVIN CAHOY (GRAND ISLAND)

PHOENIX STEVENSON (GRAND ISLAND)

RILEY BAASCH (GRAND ISLAND)

TYLER MORTON (COLUMBUS)

BLAKE BUBAK (COLUMBUS)

LUKE VOLZ (NORTH PLATTE)

JACK KENNY (NORTH PLATTE)

DARIAN ALLBERRY (NORTH PLATTE)

ALEX PANGANIBAN (HASTINGS)

MASON SPILINEK (HASTINGS)

ZACH HOWELL (GRETNA)

JACOB BLANK (GRETNA)

Mark Pelini Named to Rimington Watch List

Posted on July 8, 2014

Nebraska senior Mark Pelini is one of 66 centers who have been named to the official watch list for the 2014 Rimington Trophy announced Tuesday morning.

The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top center. The award is named in honor of Dave Rimington who twice won the Outland Trophy and captured the Lombardi Award during his All-America career at Nebraska.

Pelini has been a valuable member of the Husker offensive line each of the past two seasons. A year ago, he saw extensive time at center and his role increased in the second half of the year when injuries hit the offensive front.

The 6-0, 290-pound Pelini helped Nebraska feature one of the nation’s top running attacks in 2013. Behind the play of the offensive line, I-back Ameer Abdullah racked up 1,690 rushing yards, the most by a Nebraska player since 1997.

Pelini will also be counted on for leadership on the offensive line in 2014. The Huskers graduated five seniors from its 2013 offensive line, leaving Pelini as one of the most experienced members of the position group.

Pelini is one of 10 Big Ten centers on the watch list. The winner of the 2014 Rimington Trophy will be honored at a banquet in Lincoln on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015.

Kennedy Pitches Padres past Rockies 6-1

Posted on July 7, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Ian Kennedy pitched seven sharp innings, Rene Rivera hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the sixth and the San Diego Padres beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1 on Monday night in a game that included a 56-minute weather delay.

Chase Headley added four hits for San Diego, including a two-run triple in the seventh inning to break open a close game.

Kennedy seemed to gain strength the deeper he got into the game, striking out five of the last six batters he faced before wind, rain and lightning forced the delay heading into the eighth inning. Kevin Quackenbush stepped in for Kennedy when play resumed.

Kennedy finished with nine strikeouts, boosting his team-leading total this season to 125.

Sleeping Yankees Fan Sues TV Announcers

Posted on July 7, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — A Yankees fan has filed a $10 million lawsuit against two ESPN announcers contending they mocked him when he was caught on national television sleeping in his seat during a game at Yankee Stadium.

Andrew Robert Rector admits in court documents he “napped” during a game against the Boston Red Sox on April 13, but says commentators Dan Shulman and John Kruk unleashed an “avalanche of disparaging words” against him. The suit says they used words like “fatty” and “stupid.”

Rector says he suffered “substantial injury” to his “character and reputation” and “mental anguish, loss of future income and loss of earning capacity.”

The lawsuit filed in Bronx Supreme Court Thursday also names ESPN, Major League Baseball and the Yankees as defendants. They didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Royals’ Shields Fans 10, Shuts Down Rays

Posted on July 7, 2014

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Kansas City’s James Shields sparkled in his return to Tropicana Field, limiting the Tampa Bay Rays to three hits and striking out 10 over seven innings and the Royals beat his former team 6-0 on Monday night.

Shields (9-4) spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Rays before being dealt to the Royals in December 2012 as part of a seven-player trade in which Kansas City sent 2013 AL rookie of the year Wil Myers and another top young prospect, Jake Odorizzi (4-8), to Tampa Bay.

The right-hander allowed singles to Ben Zobrist and James Loney in the first two innings, then worked through a jam in the third after giving up a one-out double to Kevin Kiermaier. He retired 10 straight, six by strikeout, before hitting Evan Longoria with a pitch leading off the seventh.

NPCC Lady Knights Volleyball Announces 2014 Schedule

Posted on July 7, 2014

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Lady Knights volleyball team announced their schedule for the 2014 season on Monday. The Knights open up their season on August 22 and 23 as they host their annual Subway Invite at McDonald-Belton Gymnasium. The schedule for the tournament will be announced later. The schedule includes seven homes game after the opening tournament.

The Lady Knights schedule also includes four tournaments at McCook Community College in McCook, Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo., Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan. and Central Community College in Columbus. The Lady Knights look to improve on their 22-15 record and Region IX Division II Tournament Runner-Up Finish.

“We are excited for the schedule we have put together,” said head coach Sally Thalken. “It will test our team and give us plenty of opportunities to play great competition and improve.”

October 23 will see the Lady Knights close the regular season with Sophomore Night against Eastern Wyoming College before heading to Columbus for the Region IX Division II Tournament on October 31 and November 1. The Division II Tournament Champion will then host the District G Playoff with the Division II National Tournament being played in Toledo, Ohio.

Lady Knights’ Jordan Dickerson Receives Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence

Posted on July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

North Platte – Jordan Dickerson of the women’s basketball team at North Platte Community College was awarded the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence after finishing her two year career as a Lady Knight with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Dickerson is the second Pinnacle Award winner for head coach Richard Thurin, joining Maggie Carson who received the award following the 2010-2011 school year. The Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence is the highest academic award the National Junior College Athletic Association gives out.

Dickerson started all 29 games for the Lady Knights during her sophomore season in which she averaged 8.5 points and 3.4 rebounds. Dickerson led the Lady Knights with 3.9 assists per game while playing 32.9 minutes per game which was also a team high.

“We are very proud of Jordan for her accomplishments off the court,” said head coach Thurin. “It is a testament to her hard work and dedication that she earned such a great GPA. I know that Jordan will be successful in whatever she decides to do.”

Jordan Dickerson was also named to the All-Region and All-Conference Academic teams for her stellar academic performance. Jordan was joined by her sister Briana Dickerson on both teams for her academic performance.

14 Storm Players Attending NHL Prospect Camps

Posted on July 7, 2014

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Storm are well represented among this summer’s NHL development camps with 14 total players, past and present, receiving invites to play among other elite prospects.

All three of Tri-City’s picks in June’s NHL Draft will participate with their respective teams. Austin Poganski will be with the St. Louis Blues, while Sam Lafferty will be in Pittsburgh with the Penguins and Alec Dillon in Los Angeles with the Kings.

Forward Patrick Newell, who is expected to be with the Storm during the 2014-15 season, has also received an invite to join Dillon in Los Angeles with the Stanley Cup Champion Kings.

Newell was with the Indiana Ice a year ago, helping the team to a Clark Cup Championship by scoring 16 goals and 42 assists in a total of 72 games played. The Thousand Oaks, Calif. native is committed to play collegiately at St. Cloud State.

Goaltender Blake Weyrick, who the Storm drafted in Phase II of the 2014 USHL Draft, will participate in mini-camp with the New York Islanders from July 8-12.

In addition, nine Tri-City alumni received development camp invites from nine different NHL organizations.

The alums include forward Torin Snydeman with the Arizona Coyotes, goaltender Christian Frey with the Dallas Stars, forward Michael Vecchione with the Florida Panthers, forward Grant Opperman with the Minnesota Wild, defenseman Donovan Gardiner with the New York Islanders, forward Nick Lappin with the Pittsburgh Penguins, defenseman Rick Pinkston with the San Jose Sharks, goaltender Adam Wilcox with the Tampa Bay Lightning and goaltender Pheonix Copley with the Washington Capitals.

A full list of the players participating in camps, along with their colleges, is below.

Season tickets for the 2014-15 season are on sale now with packages as low as $375. Call the Storm office today at 308.338.8011 or visit stormhockey.com for more information.

2014 Development Camp Players

Arizona Coyotes: Torin Snydeman (Northeastern University)
Dallas Stars: Christian Frey (Ohio State University)
Florida Panthers: Mike Vecchione (Union College)
Los Angeles Kings: Alec Dillon, Patrick Newell (Tri-City Storm)
Minnesota Wild: Grant Opperman (Dartmouth College)
New York Islanders: Donovan Gardiner, Blake Weyrick (Tri-City Storm)
Pittsburgh Penguins: Sam Lafferty, Nick Lappin (Tri-City Storm, Brown University)
San Jose Sharks: Rick Pinkston (Dartmouth College)
St. Louis Blues: Austin Poganski (Tri-City Storm)
Tampa Bay Lightning: Adam Wilcox (University of Minnesota)
Washington Capitals: Pheonix Copley (Michigan Tech)

Lawyers: Judge Approves NFL Concussion Settlement

Posted on July 7, 2014

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal judge has granted preliminary approval to a deal that would compensate former NFL players for concussion-related claims.

Attorneys Sol Weiss and Christopher Seeger said in a statement that Monday’s decision represents “an extraordinary settlement” for the plaintiffs.

The NFL last month agreed to remove a $675 million cap on damages after U.S. District Judge Anita Brody questioned whether there would be enough money to pay all claims.

The settlement is designed to last at least 65 years and cover retirees who develop Lou Gehrig’s disease and other neurological problems.

More than 4,500 former players have filed suit, some accusing the league of fraud for its handling of concussions.

Boldt Earns Third Freshman All-America Honor

Posted on July 7, 2014

Lincoln – Nebraska freshman outfielder Ryan Boldt earned his third freshman All-America honor on Friday, as was a second-team pick by Perfect Game. Following a stellar freshman season in 2014, Boldt has also been named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was a second-team selection by Baseball America.

A native of Red Wing, Minn., Boldt is the 12th Husker freshman since 2000 to earn freshman All-America honors and the first do so since 2012 when Pat Kelly and Kyle Kubat were both tabbed as freshman All-Americans. Boldt’s selection by three different publications is the most since Kelly, when he was picked by four publications, including Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America, Perfect Game and NCBWA.

Boldt is currently playing summer baseball for the Rochester Honkers in the Northwood’s League and earlier this summer he was invited to Team USA’s Collegiate National Team Training Camp.

An unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten Freshman team and a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree in 2014, Boldt started in center field in 55 of NU’s 62 games. The freshman hit leadoff for the Huskers 29 times on the year, including the final 28 games of the season. NU posted a 22-7 record on the year with Boldt in the leadoff spot.

Boldt finished the year third on the team with 74 hits, two shy of Kelly’s team-high 76 hits. Boldt led NU in runs scored (47), triples (6) and stolen bases (7). He ranked second on the team with 12 doubles and notched 31 RBIs, including a team-high 20 RBIs with two outs.

Tabbed as the No. 2 freshman in the country prior to the 2014 season by Baseball American, Boldt excelled in the postseason with a .462 average. With the Huskers playing in their first NCAA Regional since 2008, Boldt led the team in hits (6) and runs (5). Half of his hits in NU’s three games in Stillwater were for extra bases, as he roped a pair of triples and notched a double.