On Friday, July 11, 2025, the Chadron Police Department received several emergency calls for a disturbance that had happened in the Alley of the 200 block of Bordeaux Street. The callers reported a juvenile victim had been stabbed by another juvenile during an altercation.

Chadron Police and Chadron Fire and Rescue responded immediately to the area, where they located one juvenile male with wounds consistent with being stabbed with a knife. The juvenile male was transported to the Chadron Community Hospital for treatment of the injuries.

Approximately half and hour later, a second juvenile male, who had been involved in the altercation, was reported to be at a residence on the 500 block of Bordeaux Street. Chadron Police responded and upon their arrival learned the second juvenile male also had wounds consistent with being caused by a knife. Chadron Fire and Rescue was called and the juvenile male was transported to the Chadron Community Hospital for treatment of the injuries.

Chadron police officers obtained video of the altercation from local businesses and also video of the incident from witnesses who either filmed the altercation or had the video of the altercation sent to them. Witness statements were gathered and interviews conducted. As a result, it was learned there was a third juvenile male involved in the altercation, but the third juvenile male did not receive any known injuries and had left the Chadron area.

Both juvenile males taken to the hospital were issued citations. One juvenile male was issued a citation for Second Degree Assault for his involvement in the altercation and the other juvenile male was issued a citation for Third Degree Assault for his involvement.

The case remains under investigation. We would like to ask that anyone who may have information, video footage of the incident or other possible evidence to contact Sgt. Stolley at the Chadron Police Department, 308-432-0510.

Chadron police respond to reported stabbing Friday night

Avid Dischord to rock in Gering 

Jeremiah and His Guitar to perform in Scottsbluff 

Guttertown, Leftmore, Kalin Krohe Reference to play in Sidney 

Roger Dodger to play in Gering 



Catch Branson Anderson live at The Bean Broker&nbsp;Friday, July 11th at 6pm.&nbsp;

Branson Anderson to perform in Chadron 

Super Dope to play in Alliance

&nbsp; Thursday night - Loaded Dice ( Union patio ) Friday night- Guild of Ages ( Street next to Union ) Saturday night - The Grind 5280 ( Street next to Union )&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loaded Dice, Guild of Ages, Grind 5280 to play in Gering

Crazy Louie Band to perform in Chadron 

Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal, Amanda Mullen to play in Scottsbluff

Chadron Bands on Bordeaux schedule 

Matt and Cherry Martin have be crowned the 2025 Heritage Days Grand Marshals in Alliance.&nbsp;

The Martins owned and operated Martins Family Restaurant in Alliance for many years and have been huge supporters of the community.&nbsp;

Martin's crowned Alliance Heritage Days Grand Marshals

HEMINGFORD, Neb. — As the Box Butte County Fair prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary this August, one of its longest-standing and most beloved traditions will return to the fairgrounds — the Diorama Food Booth.

First believed to have been displayed more than 60 years ago at a downtown Hemingford intersection, the Diorama began as a small Nativity scene and has since expanded into a full biblical display, illustrating events from the Book of Genesis through Christ’s second coming in Revelation. Local accounts suggest the display may have originated as early as 63 to 70 years ago.

Carolyn Adams, whose mother assisted with the Diorama after moving to Hemingford as a nurse, said proceeds from the food booth help cover lighting and maintenance for the display.

“The Diorama is something people remember and look forward to each year,” Adams said. “It’s a labor of love for our community.”

The Diorama Food Booth will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6, through Saturday, Aug. 9, and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10. Breakfast will be served daily from 7 to 10:30 a.m., with lunch and dinner offerings available from 10:30 a.m. to close.

Menu items include biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, cinnamon rolls, hamburgers, hot dogs, Frito pies, pretzels, nachos, a variety of pies, drinks and more. Plus, a crowd favorite —Sloppy Joes — will also return to the menu this year.

Volunteers are needed to help stock supplies, prepare food, serve customers, and assist with pie donations and slicing. All help is volunteer-based, and shifts are flexible. Those interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Adams by text at 303-907-7970. Volunteers should

include their name, phone number, availability, and how they’d like to assist. Adams extended her gratitude to the many individuals who help make the booth possible year after year. Special thanks go to Samantha, who suggested her family lead the Diorama Food Booth for 2025 and is working alongside Adams this year; Johnna Wood for her recordkeeping and guidance; Mike Raben and Raben’s Market for providing supplies and the traditional 4-H Sloppy Joes; Jim Keegan and family for donating taco meat; Kenny Hucke for donating eggs; and the Box Butte County Fair Board for its century of dedication to the community.

“I’m so grateful for everyone who’s helped keep this tradition going,” Adams said. “This is truly what community and service is all about.”

Diorama Food Booth returns for 100th Box Butte Co. Fair; volunteers needed

-Victor Edward Shirk and Vivian Marie Spencer

-Rueben Julian James Mendez and Kisha Leticia Dominguez

-Trent Robert Phillips and Lisa Mari Hickman

-Cory Wayne Fraedrich and Shand Dyane Safren

Marriages, divorces June 2025

Friends separate trudging through the scorching desert sands – never the best idea even if you and your buddy are both made of metal and have no use for water. The taller, golden one finds “help” first. The shorter, cylindrical one rolls into an ambush by the same little folks with glowing eyes under the hoods of their dark robes. It seems AI failed to see the wisdom of electronics recycling even “a long time ago in a galaxy far far away”.

I could not help thinking of the jawas from “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” last month during the final outing on the agenda at the Keep Nebraska Beautiful conference. American Steed, which we visited in Lincoln on June 6 before everyone dispersed, is an R2 certified company offering I.T. disposition services. That certification, as well as three under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), 14001:2015, 45001:2018, and 9001:2015, have nothing to do with science fiction. Though, if C3PO were to walk in the door the owner/operators who showed us around could, in no time, securely erase his memory “using certified data destruction methods; document steps taken during the process while generating compliance reports”; “assess the potential value . . . refurbishing viable assets for resale or donation, and engaging with third-party vendors for asset sales.” If the droid was no good they could segregate him into “components for recycling, partnering with certified e-waste recyclers, and adhering to best practices for reducing environmental impact.” The above, taken from an informational handout, also explains how American Steed is “establishing metrics to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of ITAD (IT Asset Disposition)” and “providing secure and reliable pickup services for your excess and obsolete inventory”.

The company’s space was among other tenants in shop/warehouse type buildings on the outskirts of the city. Much of their well-organized inventory (in a space about a third the size of the KAB Recycling Center) is similar to what we have collected on a daily basis over the years. Although KAB is partnering with the city of Alliance for electronics recycling during the 2025 community cleanup (date TBA), we have elected to accept electronics year-round instead of during a concentrated drive the past several years. The volume American Steed handles dwarfs what we send to Colorado to be recycled. They mentioned a recent trip to Oklahoma that netted 25,000 pounds in a single day.

Most commendable from this operation, tucked away in a 6,400-square foot location, is that recycling is typically offered free of charge to organizations. Profit from the process allows them to service partners (schools, hospitals and NGOs) “in the middle of nowhere” and palletize and get it with their own truck. Items brought in otherwise may have a fee such as microwaves, which contain radioactive components, and large copiers and smartboards.

The owners said that what we were seeing was from a recent drive and would be gone in two weeks. They contract with sorters and processors. Everyone down the line they work with is also R2 certified, thereby held to the same standards to “be very careful with your personal data”.

Being connected pays dividends. American Steed is part of a network with this vendor taking all their televisions. Volume is also essential as they said, “We work on pennies.” Success out of Lincoln, since they began in March 2023, is the model as the company aims to expand to three

or four other locations throughout America. As of June 2025, they have processed roughly 2 million pounds of electronics.

The four men who told us about their company would not describe themselves foremost as recyclers. They, more than once, used the term technologists who focus on computers. “We don’t see ourselves as doing this for eternity,” one of the partners emphasized. “We see this as going back and helping the environment. Long term, our goal is to really focus on the data sanctification (and security).”

KAB: Responsible Electronics Recycling At American Steed

Alliance, NE – United Way of Western Nebraska is pleased to announce a new partnership with Food Bank of the Heartland in hosting mobile food pantries in their service area. The first pantry in partnership with AmeriCorps Seniors Box Butte County RSVP and Food Bank for the Heartland will be a drive-thru mobile food pantry on Wednesday, July 23 at 4:00 p.m. at the Alliance Senior Center, located at 212 Yellowstone Avenue. October 29th will be the next scheduled pantry in Alliance with plans to bring the mobile food pantry to other communities in Western Nebraska in 2026.

This free event is open to the public and provides food for families in need, with one distribution per household. The Mobile Pantry Program delivers fresh and shelf-stable food directly to communities with a high need but limited food resources. These one-day, drive-through distributions are free to attend. Community packs include various shelf-stable items. Along with community packs, other items distributed can include assorted produce, bread, and dairy products.

A brief intake form will be completed for each household receiving food.

If you are unable to attend, a proxy form is available to allow a family member or friend to pick up food on your behalf. Forms can be picked up in advance at:

· United Way Office: 723 Flack Ave or at uwwn.org/united-food-network

· Alliance Senior Center: 212 Yellowstone Ave

To request a proxy form by email or mail, please contact the United Way office at 308-635-2522.

To ensure safe and efficient access: Begin lining up at the northeast corner of East 2nd Street and Yellowstone Avenue.

· Traffic will proceed down East 2nd to Potash Avenue (north side of the street).

· Overflow traffic will continue on Potash Avenue to East 3rd Street, parking along the south curb.

Please remain in your vehicle during food delivery.

· United Way Office: 308-635-2522 · Jessie Lopez, Community Impact Coordinator: jlopez@uwwn.org

United Way of Western Nebraska is a nonprofit organization that unites people and resources to build a stronger, healthier and more compassionate community. Supporting 23 local nonprofit agencies and providing direct community impact services in the areas of youth opportunity, healthy community, community resiliency and financial security and reinvesting in Western Nebraska since their inception in 1945. For more information, visit www.uwwn.org

United Way Hosting Alliance Mobile Food Pantry

Scottsbluff, NE – United Way of Western Nebraska is thrilled to announce the launch of duck sales for the 28th Annual Duck Draw, proudly presented by Team Auto Center. As United Way’s largest fundraising event, the Duck Draw plays a vital role in supporting 22 local nonprofit programs that serve our community in the areas of healthy living, financial stability, youth opportunity, and community resiliency.

Each duck purchased is an entry into the Duck Draw and a chance to win one of 35 incredible prizes, generously donated by local businesses. This year’s Grand Prize is a brand-new 2025 Chevrolet Trax, courtesy of Team Auto Center. The Second Prize is a 2025 Honda Pioneer 500cc Side-by-Side, donated in part by Sandberg Honda. Additional prizes include cash, gift cards, and more, with a total prize value exceeding $45,000!

This year’s event will feature a Duck Draw Festival—a fun-filled, family-friendly celebration with games, food, and music at the 18th Street Downtown Plaza in Scottsbluff. The festival kicks off at 9:00 a.m., with the duck drawing beginning at 10:30 a.m. on event day.

Ducks can be purchased online at www.uwwn.org/duck using a debit card, or at the following locations:

· Scottsbluff/Gering: Team Auto Center, Riverstone Bank (both branches), Main Street Market (customer service desk), United Way Office (1517 Broadway, Suite #106)

· Sidney: Beans &amp; Steams Coffee House (610 Glover Rd, Suite #10), Sidney Federal Savings and Loan (1045 10th Ave)

· Chadron: The New Leaf (1002 East 3rd)

United Way volunteers and staff will also be selling ducks at various community locations in the coming weeks. Follow United Way of Western Nebraska on social media for the latest schedule.

· Quacky Combo (7 Ducks for the price of 6): $60

Purchasing a Quacky Trio or Combo includes a Quack Sack—a fun bonus featuring 3 pages of coupons to local merchants and a commemorative rubber duck. You do not need to be present to win.

Join us in making a difference—buy a duck, support your community, and win big!

United Way of Western Nebraska is a nonprofit organization that unites people and resources to build a stronger, healthier and more compassionate community. Supporting 23 local nonprofit agencies in the areas of youth opportunity, healthy community, community resiliency and financial security and reinvesting in Western Nebraska since their inception in 1945. For more information, visit www.uwwn.org.

United Way Announces 2025 Duck Draw

Leadership Box Butte, an exceptional community leadership development program brought to you by the Alliance Chamber of Commerce, is excited to announce that applications are now open for its highly anticipated, and revamped, 2025-2026 class. The Chamber has partnered with Box Butte Development Corporation and Western Nebraska Community College Alliance Campus to bring this immersive, 9-month program dedicated to empowering individuals with the skills, knowledge, and connections necessary to become impactful leaders and drive positive change within Box Butte County and beyond.

Building on a rich history of fostering community growth, Leadership Box Butte provides a comprehensive curriculum designed to broaden perspectives and enhance leadership capabilities. The program features nine monthly, morning sessions and an immersive 3-day trip to Lincoln for a legislative session. Each session delves into crucial aspects of leadership, including building community, navigating challenges, integrity, civic engagement, conflict management, and how to build your team.

Enriching Curriculum: Explore diverse sectors of the community, gaining insights from local experts and leaders.

· Skill Development: Enhance emotional intelligence, master effective communication for difficult conversations, and develop a personal leadership philosophy.

· Networking Opportunities: Build a robust and lasting network within the Class XX cohort and established community stakeholders.

· Community Impact: Gain the tools and inspiration to actively contribute to a united and thriving Box Butte County.

· Leadership Foundation: Learn the best practices for fostering collaboration, trust, and inclusion in all endeavors.

For a tuition fee of $550, participants gain access to comprehensive online training, engaging in-person sessions, a valuable workbook, and a unique 3-day trip to Lincoln, culminating in a certificate of recognition. The Alliance Chamber of Commerce, BBDC, and WNCC Alliance Campus strongly encourages all qualified and aspiring leaders to apply, as this unparalleled opportunity promises significant personal and professional growth that will ultimately enrich the entire Box Butte County.

“Leadership Box Butte is more than just a program; it’s an investment in the future of our community,” states Misty Curtis, the Alliance Campus Director at Western Nebraska Community College. “We urge anyone passionate about making a difference to seize this opportunity to develop the skills and connections needed to lead Box Butte County forward.” For questions about the program, please email director@alliancechamber.com or call 308.762.1520.

Leadership Box Butte Announces Call for Applications

Alliance Heritage Days schedule of events 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A domestic dispute turned deadly late Thursday night, leaving two brothers dead after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement in North Platte.

According to the North Platte Police Department, officers responded around 11:15 p.m. on July 11 to a residence in the 1600 block of West 2nd Street following a report that one brother had shot and killed the other inside the home they shared.

When officers arrived, the suspect initially came to the door but then shut it and barricaded himself inside. Members of the North Platte Police Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office secured the area and began negotiations with the suspect.

Investigators learned that an 11-year-old boy — believed to be the suspect’s son — was also inside the house. Negotiations continued overnight, and the suspect eventually confirmed to law enforcement that his brother was dead and the child was still with him.

Around 9:45 a.m. Friday, the suspect agreed to release the child, who was safely removed from the scene.

Shortly afterward, officers heard what they believed was a gunshot from inside the home. Law enforcement tactically entered and found the 39-year-old suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His 37-year-old brother was also located inside and appeared to have died from a gunshot wound.

Because the home was under law enforcement control at the time of the suspect’s death, the incident is considered an in-custody death and will be presented to a grand jury, per Nebraska law. The Nebraska State Patrol has taken over the investigation.

Two Dead After Standoff in North Platte Friday Morning

*All individuals included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law. The Panhandle Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. Any person who believes information provided is not accurate may submit a complaint via the “Contact Us” tab on the homepage.

Box Butte Co: (No new cases to report)

-Joseph Ojeda,&nbsp;Sexual Assault, Assault ofcr/hlth care

-Douglas Dishman,&nbsp;Poss Cont Sub, Poss drug para

-Daniel Robles,&nbsp;Poss Cont Sub x2, PWITD, No drug stamp,&nbsp;Escape, Tampering w/ evidence, Careless&nbsp;driving, Poss drug para

-Jacob Johnson,&nbsp;Poss cont sub, Poss drug para, DUS

-Sara Howell,&nbsp;Poss cont sub, Poss drug para

-Tristian Jackson,&nbsp;Poss cont sub, Theft by receiving&nbsp;&gt;$5,000.

-Bryan Sipes,&nbsp;Poss child Pornography

-Charles Canaday Jr., Class 4 Felony, Operate motor vehicle/avoid arrest-flny

-Summer Lame, Class 4 Felony, Drive while revoked from DUI/refusal

Panhandle police activity, July 4 - July 10 

 This year’s Colter Run on Saturday during Fur Trade Days was a popular event.  A total of 127 runners finished one of the two distance races, compared to just 86 a year ago.  This year’s contestants came from 14 states.

              The winners of both 5 kilometer races are from Chadron.  Drew Pope won the men’s race, finishing ahead of Andre Ditsch of Bee Cove, Texas, and Kim Dolatta was the women’s first place finisher, beating Haley Bidroski of Gordon by 20 seconds.  Third place among the women was Gracie Calkins, who will be a sophomore at Chadron High this fall.    

              Nick Kizzire of Alliance won the men’s 10 K race for the second year in a row and improved his winning time by 75 seconds.  He’s the cross country coach at Alliance High and finished one place ahead of his team’s best runner, Trevor Zurn.   Dylan Stansbury of Crawford, who won the 10K event six times in a row through 2021, finished third this year.

 Lydia Peters of Sidney, a distance runner at Chadron State College, won the women’s race, edging Kyndall Carnahan of Chadron, who also runs for the Eagles, by seven seconds.  Carnahan won last year’s 10K race. Her time was two minutes faster this year.

127 runners hit the course in Chadron's annual Colter Run

2025 Nebraska American Legion Baseball - Juniors B7 District Tournament Sidney, NE

July 11 #1 Alliance Post 7 - BYE (Game One) #5 Gering Post 36 8, #4 Imperial Post 304&nbsp;11 #3 Chadron Post 12 4, #6 Ogallala Post 135 1 #7 Hi-Line Post 0,&nbsp;#2 Sidney Post 17 15

July 12 Game One Loser - BYE - (Game Five) #1 Alliance 2, Imperial 0 Chadron 15, Sidney 4 Ogallala 10, Hi-Line 15

July 13 Quarterfinals: Alliance 9, Chadron 0 Elimination Game: Sidney vs Gering (Game Ten) Elimination Game: Imperial 17, Hi-Line 2

July 14 Semifinals: Alliance 9, Sidney 3 Elimination Game: Imperial 0,&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron 15

July 15 Championship: Alliance 15, Chadron 2

Alliance tops Chadron for title Tuesday: Nebraska American Legion Baseball - B7 Tournament 

2025 Nebraska Legion Baseball - C7 Juniors District Tournament Historic Modisett Ball Park, Rushville, NE

July 11 #1 DCB Post 201 18, #6 Kimball Post 292 0 #2 Valentine Post 90 13,&nbsp;#5 Bridgeport Post 29 0 #3 Sheridan County 14, #4 Orchard Tri-County 2

July 12 Elimination: Kimball 0,&nbsp;Bridgeport 13 Quarterfinals: DCB&nbsp;13, Orchard Tri-County 0 Quarterfinals: Valentine 15, Sheridan County 0

July 13 Semifinals: Valentine 1,&nbsp;DCB 9 Elimination Game: Sheridan County 16,&nbsp;&nbsp;Bridgeport 8

July 14 Elimination Game: Valentine 13, Sheridan County 5

July 15 Championship Game 1: DCB vs Valentine - 4:00 Championship Game 2 - If Necessary

DCB-Valentine advance to finals Tuesday: C7 Juniors Legion Baseball Districts

By: Paxton Ritchie CSC Sports Information Director

CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State College and athletic director Mannie Reinsch have announced the hiring of Jalen Little to lead the CSC women's basketball program as head coach. Little will be the 12th head coach in program history and the sixth in the program's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)/Division II history.

Little brings nearly a decade of coaching experience within the RMAC and will be a familiar name for many CSC fans after serving as an assistant for the Chadron State men's basketball program from 2016-2020 under former Eagles coach Houston Reed. 

"It is an incredible honor to be named the head coach of Chadron State College women's basketball," Little said. "Thank you to Mannie Reinsch and the search committee for the opportunity to be part of a culture that values community and relationships in addition to competitive excellence. I'm looking forward to building something special with our student-athletes, both on and off the court. We will Protect the Rock!" 

For the past five seasons, Little has served as the lead assistant women's basketball coach at RMAC foe CSU Pueblo. During Little's time on staff, the ThunderWolves qualified for four consecutive RMAC tournaments from 2022-25, including a fifth-place finish (18-11, 13-7 RMAC) in the league standings last year. He was instrumental in recruiting Alisha Little, the two-time reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Year who ranked second in Division II in scoring last season with 24.9 points per game. 

"I'd like to welcome Jalen and his family back to Chadron, Nebraska," Reinsch said. "Throughout the process, Jalen showcased his energy and passion for developing our student-athletes and building his culture the right way. After growing in his career and learning from some great leaders, I'm excited to see Jalen put his footprint on our women's basketball program."

Little began his coaching career by spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Chadron State men's basketball program under Houston Reed, who coached Little as a player. During Little's tenure, the Eagles had seven All-RMAC selections and 22 All-Academic Honor Roll selections.

"Houston Reed's belief in me and bringing me to Chadron laid out an unbelievable foundation for me as a coach," Little said. "He allowed me to find my coaching voice and showed me what pouring into student-athletes at an elite level looked like."

At CSU Pueblo, Little and head coach Tommie Johnson orchestrated a 20-win turnaround for the ThunderWolves in 2021-22, which was tied for the best in the NCAA that year. After the ThunderWolves went 3-13 in a COVID-19 impacted 2020-21 season, CSU Pueblo rallied to a 23-9 record the next year, highlighted by a third-place RMAC regular season finish, runner-up finish in the RMAC Tournament and a berth in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. 

"Learning from Tommie Johnson for the past five seasons was a blessing," Little said. "He always showed what it looked like to aim high in recruiting and the value of genuine relationships. He made my transition from coaching the men's side to the women's side seamless, and I wouldn't be in this position without his leadership." 

As a student-athlete, Little played one season at Alaska Anchorage (Division II, GNAC) before transferring to Otero Junior College, where he played for Houston Reed. In his one season with the Rattlers, Little averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 assists per game. 

Little closed his playing career at the Division I level for Abiliene Christian University (Texas), where he was the Wildcats' starter at point guard for two seasons. He finished among the top six in the NCAA Division I Southland Conference both seasons for assist-to-turnover ratio, carrying a combined 2.3 ratio through the end of his ACU career.

Immediately after his playing career, Little completed a fundraising internship with Abilene Christian athletic director Lee De Leon, who at the time was the youngest athletic director in NCAA Division I. 

A native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Little completed his Associate of Arts in psychology from Otero Junior College in 2014 and his Bachelor of Science in communications from Abilene Christian University in 2016. 

He and his wife Shantelle have two daughters, Nevaeh and Anaiya. 

Little's official start date will be July 1. A press conference introducing Little to the community will take place later this fall, with details announced at a later date.

Chadron State hires familiar coach to take over women's basketball program

LINCOLN, Neb - Playfly Sports and Nebraska Athletics announced Monday the hiring of Kyle Crooks as the new play-by-play voice of Nebraska Football. In his role as the Director of Broadcasting for the Huskers Radio Network, Crooks will also co-host the network’s Sports Nightly show.

Crooks comes to Nebraska after eight years as Broadcast Coordinator and play-by-play broadcaster at the University of Florida.&nbsp; In his time with the Gators, Crooks worked on the radio network's football, men's basketball, baseball, softball and soccer broadcasts.&nbsp; Additionally, he has broadcasted events for the SEC Network+ digital platform. Alongside his play-by-play work, Crooks helped guide the behind-the-scenes effort for the radio network's social media tasks and day-to-day operations.

“I am incredibly excited for this opportunity! It’s a dream come true to broadcast the great moments ahead for the Cornhuskers,” Crooks said. “I can’t wait to get to Lincoln and meet Husker Nation. It will be an honor to work alongside a talented team in the Greg Sharpe Radio Booth. Greg is a legend in the broadcast industry and beyond, and I will work passionately to continue his elite standard of excellence both in the booth and in the community.”&nbsp;

During his time in Florida, Crooks also became a voice for the ‘College Football Game of the Week’ on the National Sports Network. His national work also included play-by-play duties with SEC radio at the women's basketball and softball conference tournaments.&nbsp;

“Kyle Crooks is a rising star in the broadcast world, and we are thrilled to have him join the Huskers Radio Network and our Nebraska family,” Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “Kyle’s play-by-play abilities and voice speak for themselves, and I was equally impressed with his dedication to his craft and his energy.

“I would like to credit Playfly Sports for leading a successful search with many excellent candidates. Kyle will be a great lead voice on one of the nation’s best football broadcasts, and we are so fortunate to have him join our impressive group of play-by-play voices across all sports.”

Crooks will anchor the Huskers Radio Network football broadcast, with Damon Benning serving as analyst and Jessica Coody handling sideline duties, and several other voices being part of the pre and post-game shows. Crooks joins a group of play-by-play talent that includes Kent Pavelka in men’s basketball, John Baylor in volleyball, Matt Coatney in women’s basketball, Ben McLaughlin and Nick Handley on baseball and Nate Rohr on softball.&nbsp; Crooks will join Coody as the co-host of the Sports Nightly show.

“The radio and multi-media network at Nebraska is the standard bearer in the industry,” Playfly Vice President Andrew Waters said. “Kyle's experience and dedication will be an excellent match with one of the most passionate fan bases in the country. We are extremely excited to have Kyle represent the Huskers for many years to come.”

Before arriving in Gainesville in 2017, Crooks had NCAA Division I broadcasting stops at Fairleigh Dickinson and USC Upstate. In 2015, Kyle worked in minor league baseball as a Broadcast/Media Relations Assistant with the Jacksonville Suns, the double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.

As a 2014 graduate of William Paterson University, he also served as the Sports Director of the campus radio station WPSC 88.7 FM.&nbsp;Kyle was born and raised in Pompton Plains, N.J. His mother, Brenda, and brothers Jack, Mike, and Dan still reside in New Jersey. His late father, John, remains a main inspiration to this day.&nbsp;

Kyle Crooks Named Husker Football Play-by-Play Voice

Eight players, or one-fourth of the West Roster, for the 47th annual West Nebraska All-Star Football Game this year, are recent graduates of schools from along Highway 20. Kickoff will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7 at Bearcat Stadium in Scottsbluff.

              Three of the all-stars—Bryson Bickel, Caden Buskirk and Talon Jelinek—are from Chadron.  Hay Springs has four team members—Hunter McDonald, Dylan Raymer, Talan Smith and Dylan Young.  Lain Tausan of Gordon-Rushville also was chosen for the all-star contest.

              The other West team members follow:

              Bridgeport—Cole Katen; Chase County—Tristan Jablonski and Zach Tarin; Gering—Creighton Beals and Quinto Robbins; Mitchell—Adriane Garza, Landen Murphy and Wyatt Sauer; Mullen—Justin French; Ogallala—Ben Peters and Zach Plasch; Perkins County—Landon Noyes and Jackson Wykart; Scottsbluff—Julius Blanco, Chris Galindo, Ryan Hinman, Dez Smith and Jhett Webb; Sidney—Austin Christensen, Reid Fiscus, Owen Gillham, Shane Lilley and Pat McCartney; and Valentine—Cinch Miller.

              Chad Dormann of Garden County High at Oshkosh is the head coach. His assistants are Trevor Ginkens of Hay Springs, Scott Anderson of Sidney and Ian Bish of Valetine.

              The East’s roster follows:

              Ainsworth—Morgan Kinney; Anselmo-Merna—Josiah Griffith; Arapahoe—Wil Cacy, Alex Diaz, Grayson Koller, Eli Shafer and Jacen Smith; Arnold—AJ Starr; Cambridge—Jayden Ruf; Cozad—Jaydan Smith and Lane Wright;  Elm Creek—Brody Schopke; Gothenburg—Jackson Daum, Zander Hruza; Jackson Schwanz and Maxwell Wyatte; Hi-Line—Asher Hecox;  Lexington—Tony Espinoza; McCook—Beckett Heskett; North Platte—Eli Boman, Logan Bussard; Jaxon Halverson and Brecken Torrez; Overton—Hayden Muirhead; Sandhills Valley Co-op—Leyton Connell and Colton Miller; South Loup—James Tickle; Sumner-Eddyville-Miller—Maddox Jones and Cohen Rohde.

              The East’s head coach is Dustin Kronhofman of Arapahoe, assisted by John Strand, also of Arapahoe, and Andy Seaman of Brady.

West Nebraska All-Stars hit football field in Scottsbluff Saturday night

Chadron High School’s Kiara Haag and Gordon-Rushville’s Emma Martens will be members of the West team during the West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match on Saturday, June 7 starting at 3 p.m. in Cougar Palace at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.  

              Haag was a defensive specialist and Martens generally played in the front row. 

              The West squad also includes from Bridgeport—Aubrey Watts, Chase County---Landree McNair and Olivia Spady, Garden County—Payton Fornander, Gering—Abby Schaneman and MaKenzie Todd, Leyton—Shawnee Gamble and Kaydence Haupt, Perkins County—Libby Cole, Scottsbluff—Emma Hergenrader and Sidney—Kayla Westby.

              The West coaches are Natasha Haupt of Leyton and Kristi McNair of Chase County.

              The East roster follows: Brady—Taryn Stearns, Broken Bow—Maren Chapin and Addison Ellis, Elm Creek—Halle Knapp, Gothenburg—Taryn O’Hare, Lexington—Halle Sund and Ella Young, Loomis—Autumn Holt, Medicine Valley—Remington Stout, North Platte St. Pat’s—Reese Fleck and Cara Roberg, and Southwest—Atleigh Nelms and Allison VanPelt.

              The East coaches are Rebecca Stearns of Brady and Maddy Krebs of North Platte St. Pats.

West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match is Saturday

After having a terrific high school career as both a football player and a wrestler, recent Chadron High School graduate Quinn Bailey was the 31st former-Cardinals football player selected for the 67th annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl. That game will kick off at 3 p.m. MDT this Saturday, June 7 in Kearney.

              Bailey will play for the North team which, ironically, has Kevin Stein, a 1990 Chadron High graduate, as its head coach.  After teaching and coaching at Gordon for several years, Stein has been the football mentor at Grand Island Northwest since 2010.

In 1990—35 years ago—Stein was the primary quarterback for the North in the Shrine Bowl and was named its Most Valuable Offensive Player after leading the team to a 19-16 victory.

              The late Dick Stein, Kevin’s father and Chadron High’s head football coach for 22 years, compiling a 144-71 record, was the North’s head coach.

              Bailey is one of four players from the Panhandle on the North’s 45-man roster.  The others are Jackson Jenkins, a lineman from Mitchell, along with Landon Riddle of Sidney and Barron Williams of Gering, both wide receivers and defensive backs for their team last fall.

              Bailey, who is 5-foot-8 and was listed at 180 pounds last fall while playing football and won his third consecutive state wrestling championship as a 157-pounder, racked up amazing statistics in both sports for the Cardinals. 

              Last fall, he carried the football 356 times for 2,674 yards and scored 36 touchdowns to go with 20 two-point conversions for a total of 256 points.  He was the state’s second-leading 11-man rusher and was third in both touchdowns and points scored. 

              For his prep career, Bailey who will play college football at Western Colorado, rushed 848 times for 6,164 yards and scored 85 TDs and 558 points. He amassed 7,754 all-purpose yards.  All these statistics Chadron High records, as well as the most ever posted by a western Nebraska gridder. His career wrestling record is 181-10.

              Of course, the Shrine Bowl will have lots of outstanding players.  One of Bailey’s North teammates is Barrett Wilke of Stanton, the state’s leading 8-man ball carrier who played in 13 games in 2024 and rushed for 2,873 yards.  And, another Stanton standout, Becker Pohlman, a Chadron State College recruit who was a First Team All-State linebacker and also ran for 1,489 yards, is on the North roster.  

              The North’s quarterbacks include Braylon Anderson of Oakland-Craig, who threw for 3,055 yards in just nine games and was named the Class C-2 First-Team All-Stater at his position.  Another North signal caller is Nate Collins of Omaha Burke, who threw for 2,338 yards last fall, second highest in Class A.

              Both Sidney’s Riddle and Gering’s Williams could be targeted for passes.  Riddle became the Panhandle’s 11-man all-time single-season pass receiver last fall when he caught 59 tosses for 1,032 yards.  Williams had 51 receptions for 539 yards.

              The South’s leaders will likely include quarterback Dylan Van Dyke of Omaha Skutt, who threw for 3,457 yards while leading his team to the Class B state championship. Another South quarterback is Ethan Shaw, who led Sandy Creek to the D-1 8-man championship last fall while rushing for 1,700 yards and passing for 2,026. 

A third South quarterback is Chadron State recruit Noah Shoemaker of Cozad, the Class C-1 First Team All-State choice after throwing for 1,910 yards and tying the C-1 state record by throwing for eight touchdowns in on game last year.

Other Chadron State recruits in the game include Camden Walker, a wide receiver for Stein’s team at Grand Island Northwest, and Keagyn Linden of York, a lineman who will play for the South. 

Kevin Stein is hoping that his team Saturday will play as well as his dad’s team played in 1990.  As his MVP honor indicates, Kevin was among the reasons the North won the game.  He was the quarterback for most of the game, completing eight of 16 passes for 116 yards.

Five of those passes were caught by tight end Joe Planansky of Hemingford, including a 17-yarder that netted the North’s first touchdown in the opening quarter. Later in the game, the pair connected on passes of 15 and 21 yards during another scoring drive and they also hooked up on a 16-yard toss that helped the North post the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Stein and Planansky were teammates at Chadron State four years in the early 1990s.

Terry Connealy of Hyannis and Tom Hernandez of Gering were other players from the Panhandle on the North roster in the 1990 game.  A photo that Marcia Stein, Kevin’s mother, possesses from the game, shows that he wore Connealy’s helmet during the Shine Bowl because Hyannis is written on the helmet.

              There are a few other “Chadron connections” in this year’s Shrine Bowl.  One of the North assistant coaches is Kevin Stein’s nephew, TD Stein, also a former Chadron High and Chadron State quarterback, and now the head football coach at Alliance.   

 Also on the North coaching staff is Mike Kozeal, who played fullback for the Chadron State Eagles in the mid-1980 and has taught and coached at his hometown of Sargent, Neb., for at least 30 years.    The South’s coaching staff includes Jonn McLain, an all-star quarterback at both Chadron High and Chadron State and now an assistant football coach at Boys Town in Omaha.

(In addition, Tyler Marshall, a standout basketball player at Chadron High in the late 1980s, is a member of the Scottsbluff crew that will referee this year’s game.)

McLain passed up a chance to play in the Shrine Bowl after he graduated from Chadron High and chose to instead play for his high school coach, Mike Lecher, in the West Nebraska All-Star Game in Scottsbluff.

  It was a successful venture.  McLain completed 19 of 24 passes for a record 365 yards and five touchdowns during the West’s 48-22 victory over the East while easily winning the Most Valuable Offensive Player honors.

Chadron's Bailey continues Cardinals long tradition at Shrine Bowl all-star football game

Chadron State College has hired Skye Koehl (pronounced "sky kale") as the new head coach of the Eagle softball program following a national search, athletic director Mannie Reinsch announced Monday, June 2. 

Koehl will join CSC after two seasons as the head coach of Otero College, a junior college in La Junta, Colorado. Under Koehl's direction, the Rattlers finished in second place in NJCAA Region 9 in 2024, advancing to the regional championship game, and backed up a second-place regular season finish with a third-place tournament finish in 2025. Koehl's teams finished with a combined 34-14 record in conference play. 

"I am thankful and grateful to receive this opportunity to take the next step in my career," Koehl said. "I hope to continue to build the program and build a culture for success both in the classroom and on the field." 

Koehl will replace Dr. Robert Stack, who coached the 2025 season on an interim basis after previously piloting the CSC softball program from 2008-2017. Assistant coach Kayla Campuzano, who has been on staff at CSC since 2019, will remain with the program in that role. 

"Skye's track record of success and vision for mentoring our student-athletes stood out during the search process," Reinsch said. "We're very fortunate and lucky to have her lead our program at Chadron State."

As a student-athlete, Koehl was a junior college national champion with Temple College (Tex.) in 2018, a season in which she won both First Team All-Conference and Academic All-Conference honors. Koehl hit .392 with seven home runs, 26 RBI, six doubles, three triples and 20 walks during Temple's national championship season. 

Koehl transferred and played three years at Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi (NCAA Division I), appearing in 59 games and starting 34 for the Islanders from 2019-2021. Koehl's first Division I home run came in her final collegiate at-bat against Abilene Christian. 

Koehl began her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (NCAA Division III). She also coached with youth club programs in Texas, including the South Texas Prospects and Central Texas Buzz, and served as a strength and conditioning intern for the Scrap Yard Dawgs, a professional softball team in Houston.

She was hired as the assistant coach at Otero ahead of the 2022-23 academic year and immediately took over the team's strength and conditioning program as well as recruiting, fundraising, travel arrangements and statistics. Koehl was named the program's head coach the following year. 

A native of Columbus, Texas, Koehl graduated with her associates from Temple College in 2018, her bachelor's from Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi in 2020 and her master's from TAMUCC in 2022, all in kinesiology and exercise science. 

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