The National Junior College Athletic Association announced Tuesday the names of the 2012-13 NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards. Ben Wilson of the Men’s Basketball Team earned the NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence while Tiffany Brasby of the Softball Team earned the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement.
More than 1,600 NJCAA student-athletes met the requirements for individual academic honors, including 169 that earned the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (4.0 GPA). Superior Academic Achievement (3.8+ GPA) honors went to 592 student-athletes and over 900 met the standard for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.6+ GPA).
This season, close to 60,000 student-athletes competed in the NJCAA across 3,500 teams in 28 different sports.
Wilson earned the NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence, the highest academic honor bestowed by the NJCAA. Wilson finished his career with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Wilson was a sophomore captain on the Knights basketball team that won a school record 30 games on its way to the Region IX Championship and reached the second-round of the NJCAA National Tournament. Wilson averaged 9.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Wilson, originally from Brisbane, Australia has signed with Division I Idaho State University to continue his career.
Brasby earned the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement with her 3.9 GPA. The award is given to students who finish with a GPA between 3.80 to 3.99. Brasby played in all 43 games as a sophomore for the Knights. She led the team with 48 hits on a .361 batting average. Brasby, originally from North Platte, has signed with NAIA Morningside College to continue her career.
LINCOLN- The policy and procedures for addressing participation of transgender students in activities of the NSAA member schools will be officially placed on the Board of Director’s agenda as an action item at the regular meeting of the Board on August 21, 2013.
“Placing the proposal on the August Board agenda as an action item, will eliminate any confusion on the transparency of the Association or myself to formally address procedures for transgender participation within our Board procedures,” NSAA Executive Director Rhonda Blanford-Green said.
TORONTO (AP) — Maicer Izturis hit a two-run single in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays won their sixth consecutive game Monday night, beating the Colorado Rockies 2-0 behind Josh Johnson and two relievers.
Johnson struck out a season-high 10 over 7 1-3 innings but remained winless in seven starts with Toronto, having received only 13 runs of support. Brett Cecil (3-0) got two outs for the victory and Casey Janssen finished for his 14th save in 15 chances.
Izturis had two of Toronto’s three hits as the Blue Jays won six straight for the first time since May 10-16, 2011.
Johnson, who allowed five hits and walked two, lowered his ERA from 5.40 to 4.38.
The North Platte St. Patrick’s girls athletic and fine arts programs finished in the top 10 of the U.S. Cellular Cup standings for the 2012-13 school year.
The Nebraska School Activities Association is pleased to announce the final standings for The U.S. Cellular® Cup, the NSAA All-Activities Award for Nebraska high schools. The annual awards program, which began in 2007 to recognize the state’s most successful high school athletic and fine arts programs, is presented 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 U.S. Cellular 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.
U.S. Cellular® Cup Details & Point System Each year the NSAA and U.S. Cellular recognize the most successful activities programs in the state with the U.S. Cellular Cup. U.S. Cellular 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 case of coed schools, the fine arts activity performance points are divided equally among a school’s boys and girls U.S. Cellular Cup totals. 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.
St. Pat’s girls programs finished tied for sixth in the Class C girls division with 142.5 points. Columbus Scotus won the girls division with 265 points. The overall Class C winner for both divisions combined is Kearney Catholic with 370 points. The Class A overall winner is Lincoln Pius X with 642.5 points. North Platte High School did not crack to the top ten in any division. Class B winner is Omaha Skutt Catholic with 620 points and Class D winner is St. Mary’s with 315 points.
TheNorth Platte Community College men’s basketball team’s Reath Jiech has signed with William Jewell College located in Liberty, Mo. just outside of Kansas City.
Jiech was the second leading scorer at 11.0 points per game for the Region IX Champion Knights who finished with a school record 30 wins. Jiech shot 44 percent from the field, 37 percent from the 3-point line and 74 percent from the free throw line. Jiech also contributed 3.4 rebounds per game. Jiech scored a season-high 25 points in the second round of the Region IX Tournament against Gillette College topping his earlier high of 22 points and season-high 8 rebounds against Central Community College in a game that saw Jiech go a perfect 4-4 from behind the 3-point line.
Jiech was named to the 2012-13 All Nebraska Community College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Second Team and to the 2012-13 All Region IX Tournament Team.
Jiech joins a Cardinals team that competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference which has produced the last two Division II National Champions.
“Reath has been a great player for us the past two years and helped us get back to being a championship caliber team,” said North Platte Knights head coach Kevin O’Connor. “Reath brought a steadiness to our program and was one of the hardest workers I have ever coached. We will miss his leadership and wish him the best at William Jewell.”
Steven Peebles scores 88 points at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte to win the bareback riding. (Photo by George Hipple)
The bareback riders might want to look
over their shoulder, because Steven Peebles is gaining ground on them.
The Redmond, Ore. cowboy won the bareback riding at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo,
continuing the momentum he started two weeks ago, and in less than a month’s
time, has jumped from the top fifty in the world standings to thirtieth.
He’s coming off four months of rehab, after surgery to fix torn cartilage in
his hip and labrum, and he’s “knocked the rust out of it,” he joked.
The North Platte rodeo is his fourth win in two weeks, following wins at
Central Point, Ore., Coulee City, Wash., and Sisters, Oregon.
Peebles, 24, suffered the hip injury after calcium buildups in his femur
bone tore the ligaments and cartilage. He took injections for the pain,
competing for several months last fall and at the Wrangler National Finals
Rodeo (WNFR). The pain was so bad, that after Peebles won the ninth round at
the WNFR, he had to take three breaks as he walked to the other side of the
Thomas and Mack Arena. “But it’s all good now. Everything’s feeling good,
there’s no hurt.”
Peebles has competed at four WNFRs, from 2009-2012.
The saddle bronc riding title went to twelve-time WNFR qualifier Jesse Bail.
The Camp Crook, S.D. cowboy scored 83 points on the horse 7 Dirty Joke, and
he had to earn it. The horse “was supposed to be a little nicer to ride,”
Bail said. “He bailed out of there and really bucked, turned back, and tried
bucking me off through most of (the ride.) Shoot, I just kept gassing it and
it felt good. He bucked a lot harder than I thought. He threw some
“dirties”, and it made me work a little harder than I was planning.”
In the early days of the 33 year-old’s career, he steer wrestled and rode
bulls, with six of his WNFR qualifications in the bull riding. But after
getting hurt in the bull riding a few years ago, he hasn’t gotten back on.
The desire is still there, though. “I want to, I just don’t know if my body
wants to.” Bail won the Linderman Award in 2000 and 2001, the award given to
a cowboy who wins at least $1,000 in each of three events, with the
requirement that one event must be a roughstock event and one must be a
timed event. Bail can’t choose one favorite event: “whatever I’m winning
in,” he laughed.
The annual Trail Boss Award was given to Larry Gosnell during tonight’s
performance. Gosnell, who joined the Buffalo Bill Rodeo committee in 1989,
has been instrumental in nearly every aspect of the rodeo, said Jerry
Woodruff, another committee member. “Everything east of the grandstands: the
arena fence, bleachers, crow’s nest, bucking chutes, rodeo office and
roughstock pens, he’s had a hand in it.” Gosnell, who handles the
promotions, marketing and sponsorship parts of the rodeo, also is friends
with many cowboys and cowgirls. “Nearly all of the major cowboys in the last
twenty years have a good idea who Larry Gosnell is,” Woodruff said. “He’ll
seek them out, shake their hand, and thank them for coming to North Platte.
And if he’s at another rodeo, he’ll ask them to come to North Platte.”
In other events, the steer wrestling average title was split between two
men: Reed Petersek, Colome, S.D., and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. Tie-down roping
average winner is Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, and team roping
champions are Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo., and Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D.
Barrel racing champion is Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, and the bull
riding buckle went to Tyler Smith, Fruita, Colo.
More NEBRASKAland Days activities take place from now until June 22. The
U.S. Cellular Summer Jam Concert Series takes place Fri., June 21 with Kid
Rock and special guests Lee Brice and Thomas Rhett. The Sat., June 22
concert Halestorm and Sick Puppies. For more information, visit www.NebraskaLandDays.com.
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Final results, Buffalo Bill Rodeo, June 12-15, 2013
North Platte, Nebraska
Bareback Riding Champion – Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore.
1 Steven Peebles, Redmond, Ore. 88 points on 663 Hollywood Hills; 2 tie Ty
Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 85 and Justin McDaniel, Porum, Okla. 85; 4 tie Caine
Riddle, Vernon, Texas 84 and Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 84; 6 Austin Foss,
Terrebonne, Ore. 83; 7 tie Wes Stevenson, Lubbock, Texas, 82 and Tom
McFarland, Bowie, Texas 82
Steer wrestling – 1st go round
1 tie Bray Armes, Gruver, Texas 3.8 and Joe Buffington, Wheatland, Wyo. 3.8;
3 tie Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla., 4.0, Wyatt Johnson, Hoyt, Colo. 4.0, Tee
Hale, White Owl, S.D. 4.0, and Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. 4.0; 7 Aaron Vosler,
Cheyenne, Wyo. 4.1; 8 tie John Franzen, Riverton, Wyo. 4.2 and Reed
Petersek, Colome, S.D. 4.2
Steer wrestling -2nd go round
1 Reed Petersek, Colome, S.D. 3.6 and Chancey Larson, Manhattan, Kan. 3.6; 3
Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis. 3.8; 4 Chance Campbell, Alpine, Texas 3.9; 5 Trevor
Duhon, Phoenix, Ariz. 4.0; 6 tie Forest Sainsbury, Camp Crook, S.D. 4.1 and
Dillon Simonson, Purdum, Neb. 4.1 and Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. 4.1;
Steer Wrestling Average Champions – tie – Reed Petersek, Colome, S.D. and
Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis.
1 tie Reed Petersek, Colome, S.D. 7.8 seconds on 2 head and Nick Guy,
Sparta, Wis. 7.8 seconds on 2 head; 3 Chad Van Campen, Granada, Colo. 8.6; 4
Stockton Graves, Alva, Okla. 8.9; 5 tie Brent Sutton, Onida, S.D. 9.0 and
Wyatt Johnson, Hoyt, Colo. 9.0; 7 Joe Buffington, Wheatland, Wyo. 9.2; 8
Wacey Real Bird, Garryowen, Mont. 9.4
Team Roping Champions – Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo. and Matt Zancanella,
Aurora, S.D.
1 Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. 5.2; 2 Paul
David Tierney, Oral, S.D./Jared Bilby, Bridgeport, Neb. 5.3; 3 Colby
Siddoway, Hooper, Utah/Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo. 5.5 seconds; 4 Garrett
Tonozzi, Fruita, Colo./York Gill, Stephenville, Texas 5.6; 5 tie Jay Tittel,
Pueblo, Colo./Wade Masters, Durango, Colo. 5.7 and Cole Dorenkamp, Lamar,
Colo./Ryon Tittel, Pueblo, Colo. 5.7; 7 tie Blaine Vick, Dublin, Texas/Chad
Williams, Stephenville, Texas 6.0 and Ryan Von Ahn Sac City Iowa/JW Beck,
Wright City, Okla. 6.0;
Saddle Bronc Riding Champion – Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D.
1 Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 84 points on 7 Dirty Joke; 2 Ty Atchison,
Jackson, Mo. 81; 3 Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. 80; 4 tie Isaac Diaz,
Desdemona, Texas 79 and Taos Muncy, Corona, N.M. 79; 6 Clay Schaeffer,
Dickinson, N.D. 78; 7 tie Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 77 and Steven Dent,
Mullen, Neb. 77
Tie Down Roping 1st go round
1 Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La. 9.1; 2 tie Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas
10.1 and Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 10.1; 4 Paul David Tierney, Oral,
S.D. 10.7; 5 tie Cody McCartney, Ottawa Lake, Mich. 10.8 and Mesquite
Mahaffey, Sweetwater, Texas 10.8
(AP) — Tyler Chatwood pitched five effective innings in his return from a triceps injury, Tyler Colvin homered during Colorado’s six-run first, and the Rockies snapped a three-game losing streak with a 10-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.
The Rockies also relied on solid defense to end a six-game skid against the Phillies, turning three double plays and getting a gem from third baseman Nolan Arenado, who snared Jonathan Pettibone’s sharply hit grounder in the second with a diving stop and made a one-hop throw from his backside to get the Phillies pitcher.
Wilin Rosario had three hits, all for extra bases, Arenado was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, and Chatwood pitched in with two hits, including an RBI single.
Chatwood (4-1) boosted his average to .437 (7 for 16) with 5 RBIs in his first game since June 3, when he left after four innings at Cincinnati because of right triceps soreness.
(AP) — The Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) says no students have exercised a policy approved in December that opens the door for participation in high school athletics by transgender students.
The policy requires students who want to participate in a sport with members of the opposite sex to prove their gender identity through the testimony of experts, such as psychologists.
NSAA Executive Director Rhonda Blanford-Green says no such requests have been made. She says the association passed the policy in December in anticipation of the issue eventually arising.
The association’s board plans to vote next month to finalize adoption of the policy.
When the dust cleared after Thursday’s
rodeo performance and morning slack, Chancey Larson was left holding the
leading time in the steer wrestling in North Platte.
The 36 year old cowboy turfed his second-round steer in a time of 3.6
seconds to be on the top of the leader list at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.
“I had a really good steer,” he said. “I missed the barrier a little, but he
was so good, he waited on me.”
Larson, Manhattan, Kan., was looking to do well after having a no-time on
his first steer yesterday, and today’s run is an indication the tide is
turning for him. “We’ve been rodeoing some and haven’t been doing good,” he
said. “I won second at Strong City (Kan.) last weekend, so hopefully I’m
starting on a little roll.”
He rodeos on weekends and works weekdays as a partner with his dad in a
backhoe business. Sharing focus with work and rodeo isn’t always easy,
Larson said. “For those guys rodeoing non-stop, all the time, they think
about rodeo all day. Me, I work, go to a rodeo, it can be tough to get in
the (rodeo) groove. It’s a lot mentally, to get on a roll.” And with the
event of steer wrestling, the stars all have to align to win. “In our event,
there are five different animals: two horses, a steer, and two cowboys. If
one is out of place, it can make you fall from first to fifth.”
Larson is still young, but looks at the next generation of cowboys with a
twinge of envy. “Them (younger) boys are so athletic, and so strong. Just
the talent that is coming up is unreal. When I was 23 or 24, I jumped out of
bed. Now I roll out of bed,” he laughed. “The steers are smaller, and the
big brute strength (to steer wrestle) isn’t needed as much. It still helps,
but there’s a lot of talent coming up.”
He travels with Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala., Stockton Graves, Newkirk,
Okla., and Kody Woodward, Dupree, S.D., and all four men are riding Larson’s
horse and sharing expenses. “It’s so darn expensive to rodeo,” he said.
“With $400 in fuel and $221 fees, if I traveled by myself, this would be a
thousand-dollar week.”
Dakota cowboys dominated the night’s roughstock events. Ty Breuer, Mandan,
N.D., took the lead in the bareback riding with an 85 point ride. Jesse
Bail, Camp Crook, S.D., was the high score in the saddle bronc riding with
83 points, and bull rider Corey Maier, Timber Lake, S.D., was 80 points.
Team ropers Colby Siddoway, Hooper, Utah, and Shay Carroll, La Junta, Colo.,
were 5.5 seconds for the night’s fastest time, and tie-down roper Josh Peek,
Pueblo, Colo., was 8.7 seconds for fast time. In this morning’s slack, Kelly
Kennedy-Joseph, Berthoud, Colo, was 17.96 seconds for today’s leading barrel
racing time.
Tonight was Tough Enough to Wear Pink night at the rodeo. Donations were
accepted for the Callahan Cancer Center at the Great Plains Regional Medical
Center, and cancer survivors were recognized.
Night number three of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place on Friday, June 14
at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. Tickets are available online at www.NebraskaLandDays.com, at the NLD office or at the gate.
– ### –
Results, 2nd Performance and slack, June 13, 2013
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback Riding
1 Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 85 points on 205 Crossfire; 2 tie Joe Gunderson,
Agar, S.D. 77 and Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn. 77; 4 tie Jet Price,
Buffalo, S.D. 70 and Logan Glendy, Oconto, Neb. 70
Steer Wrestling – 2nd go round
1 Chancey Larson, Manhattan, Kan. 3.6; 2 Nick Guy, Sparta, Wis., 3.8; 3
Chance Campbell, Alpine, Texas 3.9; 4 tie Forest Sainsbury, Camp Crook, S.D.
4.0 and Dillon Simonson, Purdum, Neb. 4.0 and Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala.
4.0
A trip to North Platte did wonders to
boost Shane Hanchey’s confidence.
The Sulphur, La. man was sure of his tie-down roping skills and sure of his
horse’s ability, but he just needed to have everything come together.
Hanchey, a three time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, won the first
go-round of the tie-down roping at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo tonight. His 9.1
second run was on the horse he’s had since high school, a quarter horse
gelding named Reata.
Reata underwent colic surgery last November, and North Platte was his second
rodeo back. After his win tonight, Hanchey was pleased. “It’s good to get a
good run kicked off to start this long summer run.”
Hanchey and his traveling partners, Cory Solomon and 2012 World Champion
Tie-down Roper Tuf Cooper, are on their way to Canada. It’s Hanchey’s and
Cooper’s first trip to compete in North Platte. “Cory talked good about the
rodeo, and it’s on our way (to Canada.) We were at Weatherford (Texas), last
night, drove all night, got here at noon, napped, and got ready for tonight.
We’ll rope in the morning (at slack) and head up to Canada.”
Hanchey says the summer rodeo run is perfect for tie-down roping. “Our type
of roping is in the summer, to where we can rope every day, get in the
groove, get everything going. When you get out here (on the road) in the
summer, you can keep your head down and the gas pedal down and keep racking
up money.”
Getting in the “groove” can be tough, Hanchey said. The three men watch film
of their runs, critique them, and “if we did something wrong, we’ll point it
out to each other. That’s how you stay positive. You have to travel with a
group of people who know your roping well and know your horses well. It
keeps your attitude good. The mental game of rodeo is the most underrated
part from outsiders looking in. It’s not just about backing (your horse into
the box) and roping, or having a good calf. It’s a lot more than that.”
But either way, it’s worth it, Hanchey said. “The win is rewarding.”
After slack this morning and the evening performance, other leaders include
bareback rider DV Fennell, Inola, Okla., 79 points, steer wrestlers Bray
Armes, Gruver, Texas and Joe Buffington, Wheatland, Wyo., 3.8 seconds,
saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, team ropers Ryan Von Ahn,
Sac City, Iowa and J.W. Beck, Wright City, Okla., 6.0 seconds, barrel racer
Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, 17.40 seconds and bull rider Tyler Smith,
Fruita, Colo., 88 points.
The 2013 Miss Rodeo Nebraska was crowned, with the tiara going to Gina
Jespersen, Hemingford, Neb. Robin Ferguson, Gordon, Neb., is the new Miss
Teen Rodeo Nebraska.
The second of four nights of rodeo takes place Thursday, June 13 at 8 pm.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to show awareness of breast cancer, and
proceeds will be donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte.
Tickets are $13 for adult general admission and upper grandstand and $7 for
kids. Reserved seating in the lower grandstand is $20 per ticket.
– ### –
Results, 1st Performance and slack, June 12, 2013
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1 DV Fennell, Inola, Okla. 79 points on 103 Regulator; 2 Zachariah Phillips,
Casper, Wyo. 76; 3 Mac Erickson, Sundance, Wyo. 75; 4 Tyler Scales,
Severance, Colo. 70
Tie-down roping – 1st round
1 Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Okla. 9.1; 2/3 tie Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, OK
10.1 and Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 10.1; 4 Paul David Tierney, Oral,
S.D. 10.7
Steer wrestling – 1st round
1/2 tie Bray Armes, Gruver, Texas 3.8 and Joe Buffington, Wheatland, WY
3.8; 3/4/5 tie Tee Hale, White Owl, SD 4.0, Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla.
4.0 and Wyatt Johnson, Hoyt, CO 4.0
The National Junior College Athletic Association announced Tuesday the names of the 2012-13 NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards. Ben Wilson of the Men’s Basketball Team earned the NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence while Tiffany Brasby of the Softball Team earned the NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement.
