By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information

Chadron State College senior football student-athlete&nbsp;Jake Norris, of Fort Morgan, Colorado, was named to the 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in a release Wednesday from the American Football Coaches Association.

Twenty-two college football players are commended annually by the AFCA for their performance off the field and in their communities. Of those chosen, 11 are from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the remaining 11 come from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and NAIA. Additionally, one honorary head coach is selected.

Norris was nominated by the CSC sports information office, and endorsed by CSC Vice President of Human Resources Anne DeMersseman,&nbsp;for his work in the community of Chadron.&nbsp;

He created the Eagle Effort Award to acknowledge Chadron Primary School students who show academic improvement and demonstrate a "helping hand" attitude with their peers. In his award program, teachers vote for a student to be recognized at each home football game during the first media timeout.

Norris also created a volunteerism opportunity for his teammates at CPS that includes tutoring, assisting in physical education, and supporting students seeking advice in the classroom.

He volunteers&nbsp;annually during The Big Event&nbsp;campus community service campaign, and he frequently volunteers for snow removal at CSC athletic fields.

"I'm honored to be part of a team whose focus is to better our communities," said Norris. "I plan on expanding the Eagle Effort Award to neighboring communities and schools to recognize more students who are taking the next step in their education. The Eagle Effort Award is something I hope will become a tradition here at Chadron State College."

As a member of the Good Works Team, Norris receives national publicity at ESPN.com and will be invited to participate in a Zoom conference with current and former members of the team, including former two-time Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow.

Additionally, Norris will be on a ballot to select a team captain, which is selected by voters nationwide in an online poll.

"I'm extremely proud of Jake for being selected to the Good Works Team," said CSC Head Football Coach&nbsp;Jay Long, who is also Norris's offensive line coach. " Of all the players I've coached, Jake is probably one of the top three people, in terms of character, I've ever had the pleasure of working with."

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.

At ESPN.com/Allstate, fans can vote for the 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once a day now through Nov. 22.



<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600892482454.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports InformationChadron State College senior football student-athlete&nbsp;Jake Norris, of Fort Morgan, Colorado, was named to the 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in a release Wednesday from the American Football Coaches Association.Twenty-two college football players are commended annually by the AFCA for their performance off the field and in their communities. Of those chosen, 11 are from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, and the remaining 11 come from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and NAIA. Additionally, one honorary head coach is selected.Norris was nominated by the CSC sports information office, and endorsed by CSC Vice President of Human Resources Anne DeMersseman,&nbsp;for his work in the community of Chadron.&nbsp;He created the Eagle Effort Award to acknowledge Chadron Primary School students who show academic improvement and demonstrate a "helping hand" attitude with their peers. In his award program, teachers vote for a student to be recognized at each home football game during the first media timeout.Norris also created a volunteerism opportunity for his teammates at CPS that includes tutoring, assisting in physical education, and supporting students seeking advice in the classroom.He volunteers&nbsp;annually during The Big Event&nbsp;campus community service campaign, and he frequently volunteers for snow removal at CSC athletic fields.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598907367560.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"I'm honored to be part of a team whose focus is to better our communities," said Norris. "I plan on expanding the Eagle Effort Award to neighboring communities and schools to recognize more students who are taking the next step in their education. The Eagle Effort Award is something I hope will become a tradition here at Chadron State College."As a member of the Good Works Team, Norris receives national publicity at ESPN.com and will be invited to participate in a Zoom conference with current and former members of the team, including former two-time Heisman trophy winner Tim Tebow.Additionally, Norris will be on a ballot to select a team captain, which is selected by voters nationwide in an online poll."I'm extremely proud of Jake for being selected to the Good Works Team," said CSC Head Football Coach&nbsp;Jay Long, who is also Norris's offensive line coach. " Of all the players I've coached, Jake is probably one of the top three people, in terms of character, I've ever had the pleasure of working with."The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.At ESPN.com/Allstate, fans can vote for the 2020 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once a day now through Nov. 22.

CSC lineman Norris recognized nationally for community service efforts

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600867346761.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorB-5:<ol>
 <li>McCook&nbsp;(2-1, 0-0),&nbsp;41.3333</li><li>Lexington&nbsp;(1-2, 0-0),&nbsp;34.6667</li><li>Gering&nbsp;(0-4, 0-0),&nbsp;34.5000</li><li>Alliance&nbsp;(0-3, 0-0),&nbsp;33.0000</li><li>Scottsbluff&nbsp;(0-2, 0-0),&nbsp;33.0000</li>
 </ol>C1-8:<ol>
 <li>Mitchell&nbsp;(4-0, 0-0),&nbsp;42.2500</li><li>Ogallala&nbsp;(3-0, 0-0),&nbsp;42.0000</li><li>Chadron&nbsp;(3-0, 0-0),&nbsp;41.6667</li><li>Sidney&nbsp;(1-3, 0-0),&nbsp;35.0000</li><li>Gothenburg&nbsp;(1-3, 0-0),&nbsp;35.0000</li>
 </ol>C2-6:<ol>
 <li>Bridgeport&nbsp;(3-0, 0-0),&nbsp;44.6667</li><li>North Platte St. Patrick's&nbsp;(2-1, 0-0),&nbsp;38.3333</li><li>Gordon-Rushville&nbsp;(1-3, 0-0),&nbsp;38.2500</li><li>Chase County&nbsp;(0-4, 0-0),&nbsp;35.7500</li><li>Hershey&nbsp;(0-4, 0-0),&nbsp;31.2500</li><li>Valentine&nbsp;(0-1, 0-0),&nbsp;29.0000</li>
 </ol>D1-11:<ol>
 <li>Hemingford&nbsp;(3-1, 0-0),&nbsp;40.7500</li><li>Perkins County&nbsp;(3-1, 1-0),&nbsp;39.5000</li><li>Sutherland&nbsp;(2-2, 1-0),&nbsp;39.0000</li><li>Bayard&nbsp;(1-3, 0-1),&nbsp;38.5000</li><li>Kimball&nbsp;(0-4, 0-1),&nbsp;34.2500</li>
 </ol>D2-10:<ol>
 <li>Leyton&nbsp;(4-0, 1-0),&nbsp;41.0000</li><li>Garden County&nbsp;(2-2, 1-0),&nbsp;40.0000</li><li>Hyannis&nbsp;(1-3, 0-1),&nbsp;38.5000</li><li>Mullen&nbsp;(2-2, 0-1),&nbsp;37.7500</li><li>Morrill&nbsp;(1-3, 0-0),&nbsp;37.5000</li>
 </ol>D6-6:<ol>
 <li>Potter-Dix&nbsp;(3-0, 0-0),&nbsp;41.6667</li><li>Arthur County&nbsp;(4-0, 0-0),&nbsp;41.2500</li><li>South Platte&nbsp;(2-1, 0-0),&nbsp;37.6667</li><li>Creek Valley&nbsp;(3-1, 0-0),&nbsp;37.0000</li><li>Banner County&nbsp;(0-3, 0-0),&nbsp;28.0000</li>
 </ol>D6-7:<ol>
 <li>Cody-Kilgore&nbsp;(1-2, 0-0),&nbsp;38.6667</li><li>Hay Springs&nbsp;(0-3, 0-0),&nbsp;38.0000</li><li>Sioux County&nbsp;(0-2, 0-0),&nbsp;38.0000</li><li>Minatare&nbsp;(1-2, 0-0),&nbsp;37.0000</li><li>Crawford&nbsp;(1-2, 0-0),&nbsp;35.3333</li>
 </ol>(Source: NSAA)

🏈| Western Nebraska High School Football District Standings

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Jamal Murray had 28 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 114-106 to cut the Lakers' lead to 2-1 in the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets lost almost all of a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter but held on to win, avoiding a 3-0 hole that would have been daunting even for a team that's rallied from big deficits throughout the playoffs. Jerami Grant added a playoff career-high 26 points and Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. LeBron James had 30 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Lakers.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Jamal Murray had 28 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds and the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 114-106 to cut the Lakers' lead to 2-1 in the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets lost almost all of a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter but held on to win, avoiding a 3-0 hole that would have been daunting even for a team that's rallied from big deficits throughout the playoffs. Jerami Grant added a playoff career-high 26 points and Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. LeBron James had 30 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the Lakers.

Nuggets get back in West Finals after hanging on to huge 4th quarter lead

By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information Director

For the first time since 2011, the Chadron State College football team has scheduled a game against its nearest in-state rival, the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The kickoff is set for November 7, at 3 p.m. Central time, at Cope Stadium in Kearney, Nebraska. No specifics are available at this time, but fans are expected to be allowed, in some capacity. Tickets will likely be made available near the week of the game.

The intra-state series, played annually from 1960 to 1980 and from 1996 to 2011, will be renewed for the first time since UNK left the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2012. Dating back to the first meetup in 1921, Kearney holds a 49-21-1 advantage over the CSC program.

Guided by fourth-year coach Josh Lynn, who holds a coaching record of 15-19 at his current school, the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;are coming off the program's&nbsp;winningest&nbsp;season since they last met the Eagles. In 2019 they defeated seventh-ranked Northwest Missouri State en route to a 6-5 regular season record, before winning the Mineral Water Bowl over Winona State, by a score of 50-33.&nbsp; UNK finished tied for fifth in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;standings, and returns six starters on each side of the ball from last year's team.

CSC returns eight starters on offense, including four of five on the offensive line, and six on defense, from a team that also went 6-5 in the 2019 regular season.

The Eagles started the season 1-4 before rallying to win five straight and preserve their third consecutive winning season. Senior quarterback Dalton Holst returns for his fourth season as starter, and Cole&nbsp;Thurness, the fifth-leading receiver in the&nbsp;RMAC&nbsp;last season, also returns as a senior. 

Defensively, the Eagles are led by the league's leading tackler, Travis Wilson.

Both schools recently announced an abbreviated fall season, in which games will count toward NCAA statistics and win-loss records, but not toward any conference or NCAA championships.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600800703696.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information DirectorFor the first time since 2011, the Chadron State College football team has scheduled a game against its nearest in-state rival, the University of Nebraska at Kearney.The kickoff is set for November 7, at 3 p.m. Central time, at Cope Stadium in Kearney, Nebraska. No specifics are available at this time, but fans are expected to be allowed, in some capacity. Tickets will likely be made available near the week of the game.The intra-state series, played annually from 1960 to 1980 and from 1996 to 2011, will be renewed for the first time since UNK left the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 2012. Dating back to the first meetup in 1921, Kearney holds a 49-21-1 advantage over the CSC program.Guided by fourth-year coach Josh Lynn, who holds a coaching record of 15-19 at his current school, the&nbsp;Lopers&nbsp;are coming off the program's&nbsp;winningest&nbsp;season since they last met the Eagles. In 2019 they defeated seventh-ranked Northwest Missouri State en route to a 6-5 regular season record, before winning the Mineral Water Bowl over Winona State, by a score of 50-33.&nbsp; UNK finished tied for fifth in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;standings, and returns six starters on each side of the ball from last year's team.CSC returns eight starters on offense, including four of five on the offensive line, and six on defense, from a team that also went 6-5 in the 2019 regular season.The Eagles started the season 1-4 before rallying to win five straight and preserve their third consecutive winning season. Senior quarterback Dalton Holst returns for his fourth season as starter, and Cole&nbsp;Thurness, the fifth-leading receiver in the&nbsp;RMAC&nbsp;last season, also returns as a senior. Defensively, the Eagles are led by the league's leading tackler, Travis Wilson.Both schools recently announced an abbreviated fall season, in which games will count toward NCAA statistics and win-loss records, but not toward any conference or NCAA championships.

Rivalry Renewed: Chadron State adds UNK Lopers to November football schedule

🏐| High School Volleyball - Tuesday, September 22

F| Alliance def. Cozad, 25-7, 25-10 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Ogallala def. Alliance, 25-12, 25-18 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Ogallala def. Cozad, 25-13, 25-4 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Leyton def. Bayard, 26-28, 25-20, 25-21 (2-1)

F|&nbsp;Garden County def. Bayard, 25-12, 25-19 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Hershey def. Kimball, 25-3, 25-12, 25-8 (3-0)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Crawford def. Edgemont, SD, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12 (3-2)

F|&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Morrill, 25-19, 25-19 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Hemingford, 25-10, 25-16 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Scottsbluff def. Gering, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 (3-0)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Sidney def. Chase County, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 (3-1)

F|&nbsp;Potter-Dix def. Wallace, 25-18, 25-23

F|&nbsp;Wauneta-Palisade def. Potter-Dix, 25-16, 25-16

🥎| High School Softball - Tuesday, September 22

Game Notes: Avery Fox doubled twice and drive in four Scottsbluff runs...Kymber Shallenberger pitched all four innings for the victory and allowed five Alliance hits...

F|&nbsp;Scottsbluff 17, Alliance 2

Game Notes: The Bearcats homered twice...Brady Laucomer went 3/4 with a two-run homer and five RBIs...Sasha Perez blasted a two-run shot and drove in three on the night...

F|&nbsp;Gering 17, Chadron 1

Game Notes: Gering built a 7-0 lead that included four innings where the Bulldogs scored exactly one run...The top of the seventh was huge for Gering's offense with ten runs...Three Bulldogs drove in three runs led by Brylee Dean who went 3/5 at the plate with three doubles...Gering doubled nine times...Madeline Weise won the game in the pitching circle with six innings of work, 13 strikeouts and allowing just one run...Wiese also doubled, tripled and drove in two runs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600826233472.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: Wednesday, 6:55 a.m.🏐| High School Volleyball - Tuesday, September 22F| Alliance def. Cozad, 25-7, 25-10 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Ogallala def. Alliance, 25-12, 25-18 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Ogallala def. Cozad, 25-13, 25-4 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Leyton def. Bayard, 26-28, 25-20, 25-21 (2-1)F|&nbsp;Garden County def. Bayard, 25-12, 25-19 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Hershey def. Kimball, 25-3, 25-12, 25-8 (3-0)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Crawford def. Edgemont, SD, 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-12 (3-2)F|&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Morrill, 25-19, 25-19 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Hemingford, 25-10, 25-16 (2-0)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Scottsbluff def. Gering, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20 (3-0)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;Sidney def. Chase County, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 (3-1)F|&nbsp;Potter-Dix def. Wallace, 25-18, 25-23F|&nbsp;Wauneta-Palisade def. Potter-Dix, 25-16, 25-16<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600826269710.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>🥎| High School Softball - Tuesday, September 22F| Scottsbluff 13, Alliance 3Game Notes: Avery Fox doubled twice and drive in four Scottsbluff runs...Kymber Shallenberger pitched all four innings for the victory and allowed five Alliance hits...F|&nbsp;Scottsbluff 17, Alliance 2Game Notes: The Bearcats homered twice...Brady Laucomer went 3/4 with a two-run homer and five RBIs...Sasha Perez blasted a two-run shot and drove in three on the night...F|&nbsp;Gering 17, Chadron 1Game Notes: Gering built a 7-0 lead that included four innings where the Bulldogs scored exactly one run...The top of the seventh was huge for Gering's offense with ten runs...Three Bulldogs drove in three runs led by Brylee Dean who went 3/5 at the plate with three doubles...Gering doubled nine times...Madeline Weise won the game in the pitching circle with six innings of work, 13 strikeouts and allowing just one run...Wiese also doubled, tripled and drove in two runs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🏐🥎 | Update: Tuesday's Western Nebraska High School Scoreboards

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Denver Broncos may have to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole without quarterback Drew Lock. Lock exited a 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a right shoulder injury. The second-year starter was running to his right when he was hit hard by Pittsburgh linebacker Bud Dupree. Dupree drove Lock's throwing shoulder into the ground. He fumbled on the play then went to the medical tent to get evaluated and did not return. Jeff Driskel threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in place of Lock despite absorbing six sacks. The Broncos host Tampa Bay next week.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Denver Broncos may have to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole without quarterback Drew Lock. Lock exited a 26-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers with a right shoulder injury. The second-year starter was running to his right when he was hit hard by Pittsburgh linebacker Bud Dupree. Dupree drove Lock's throwing shoulder into the ground. He fumbled on the play then went to the medical tent to get evaluated and did not return. Jeff Driskel threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns in place of Lock despite absorbing six sacks. The Broncos host Tampa Bay next week.

Broncos lose game at Steelers, QB Lock to injury

Updated: 9:18 a.m. Saturday, September 19

🏈| High School Football - Friday, September 18

❌ Hastings at Alliance - Canceled (Covid 19) - 📻 KCOW&nbsp;

F|&nbsp;Scottsbluff 35,&nbsp;Custer, SD 0

◼ Gordon/Rushville at Bennett County, SD - 7:00

F|&nbsp;Mitchell 56, Chase County 8

F|&nbsp;Garden County 44, Mullen 34

F|&nbsp;Perkins County 43, Bayard 8

F|&nbsp;Hemingford 54, Morrill 30 -&nbsp;📻 KAAQ 105.9 FM - 7:00

F|&nbsp;Creek Valley 63, Minatare 22

F|&nbsp;South Platte 58, Hay Springs 42

F|&nbsp;Wauneta-Palisade 75, Banner County 0

❌ Kearney Catholic at Ogallala -(Canceled Covid-19)

❌ Guernsey-Sunrise, WY at Sioux County (Canceled Covid-19)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600528709223.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: 9:18 a.m. Saturday, September 19🏈| High School Football - Friday, September 18❌ Hastings at Alliance - Canceled (Covid 19) - 📻 KCOW&nbsp;F| Chadron 16, Gering 14F|&nbsp;Scottsbluff 35,&nbsp;Custer, SD 0F|&nbsp;Holdrege 34, Sidney 10F|&nbsp;Bridgeport 27, Gibbon 0◼ Gordon/Rushville at Bennett County, SD - 7:00F|&nbsp;Mitchell 56, Chase County 8F|&nbsp;Garden County 44, Mullen 34F|&nbsp;Perkins County 43, Bayard 8F|&nbsp;Hemingford 54, Morrill 30 -&nbsp;📻 KAAQ 105.9 FM - 7:00<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600090232888.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>◼ Leyton at Hyannis - 7:00F|&nbsp;Potter-Dix 46, Crawford 8F|&nbsp;Sutherland 56, Kimball 20F|&nbsp;Creek Valley 63, Minatare 22F|&nbsp;South Platte 58, Hay Springs 42F|&nbsp;Wauneta-Palisade 75, Banner County 0❌ Kearney Catholic at Ogallala -(Canceled Covid-19)❌ Guernsey-Sunrise, WY at Sioux County (Canceled Covid-19)

🏈| High School Football Scoreboard - Friday, September 18

Tonights Alliance vs Hastings football game at Bulldog Stadium has been cancelled.&nbsp; AHS Activities Director Anita James says several AHS players have been exposed to Covid-19 and will need to be&nbsp;quarantined.&nbsp; Alliance (0-3)&nbsp; was scheduled to play the Hastings Tigers (4-0) at 7 pm MT tonight...Friday, Sept. 18 in Alliance.&nbsp; The game has been cancelled and Hastings will return home. There is no word, at this time if this will effect future games.&nbsp; Several panhandle schools have had games cancelled already this season due to Covid exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By: Mike GlesingerTonights Alliance vs Hastings football game at Bulldog Stadium has been cancelled.&nbsp; AHS Activities Director Anita James says several AHS players have been exposed to Covid-19 and will need to be&nbsp;quarantined.&nbsp; Alliance (0-3)&nbsp; was scheduled to play the Hastings Tigers (4-0) at 7 pm MT tonight...Friday, Sept. 18 in Alliance.&nbsp; The game has been cancelled and Hastings will return home. There is no word, at this time if this will effect future games.&nbsp; Several panhandle schools have had games cancelled already this season due to Covid exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;

AHS Football vs Hastings Cancelled

Updated: 7:13 a.m. Friday, September 18

🏐| High School Volleyball- Thursday, September 17

F| Sidney def. Alliance, 13-25, 25-23, 24-26, 26-24, 15-11 (3-2)

F|&nbsp;Mitchell def. Southeast, WY, 25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 25-16 (3-1)

F|&nbsp;Potter-Dix def. Creek Valley, 3-1

F|&nbsp;South Platte def. Paxton, 25-20, 25-22 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Sioux County def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY, 25-20, 25-14, 25-11 (3-0)

F|&nbsp;Sutherland def. Kimball, 25-19, 25-5, 25-11

F|&nbsp;Gordon-Rushville def. Cody-Kilgore, 25-20, 26-24 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;Mullen def. Arthur County, 25-18, 25-8 (2-0)

🥎| High School Softball - Thursday, September 17

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: 7:13 a.m. Friday, September 18🏐| High School Volleyball- Thursday, September 17F| Sidney def. Alliance, 13-25, 25-23, 24-26, 26-24, 15-11 (3-2)F|&nbsp;Mitchell def. Southeast, WY, 25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 25-16 (3-1)F|&nbsp;Potter-Dix def. Creek Valley, 3-1F|&nbsp;South Platte def. Paxton, 25-20, 25-22 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Sioux County def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY, 25-20, 25-14, 25-11 (3-0)F|&nbsp;Sutherland def. Kimball, 25-19, 25-5, 25-11F|&nbsp;Gordon-Rushville def. Cody-Kilgore, 25-20, 26-24 (2-0)F|&nbsp;Mullen def. Arthur County, 25-18, 25-8 (2-0)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600089279473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>🥎| High School Softball - Thursday, September 17F|&nbsp;Scottsbluff 15, Gering 7

🏐🥎| High School Schedule & Scoreboard - Thursday, September 17

(AP) Big Ten is going to give fall football a shot after all. Less than five weeks after the conference announced it would push football and other fall sports to spring because of the pandemic, the conference changed course. The Big Ten plans to begin its season the weekend of Oct. 24 with an eight-game schedule for each team. The Big Ten says its Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to restart sports. Back in August, the conference voted to postpone fall sports.&nbsp;

(AP) Big Ten is going to give fall football a shot after all. Less than five weeks after the conference announced it would push football and other fall sports to spring because of the pandemic, the conference changed course. The Big Ten plans to begin its season the weekend of Oct. 24 with an eight-game schedule for each team. The Big Ten says its Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to restart sports. Back in August, the conference voted to postpone fall sports.&nbsp;

Breaking: Big Ten will kickoff football season October 24

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Just about everyone had L.A. vs. L.A. written in for the Western Conference finals. Then along came the upstart Denver Nuggets, who crashed the party. Behind Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2009. They will face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers starting Friday in Game 1. But this was no ordinary road. The Nuggets fell behind 3-1 in their first-round series against Utah before bouncing back with three straight victories. Then they went down 3-1 to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round before winning in Game 7 again.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Just about everyone had L.A. vs. L.A. written in for the Western Conference finals. Then along came the upstart Denver Nuggets, who crashed the party. Behind Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2009. They will face LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers starting Friday in Game 1. But this was no ordinary road. The Nuggets fell behind 3-1 in their first-round series against Utah before bouncing back with three straight victories. Then they went down 3-1 to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round before winning in Game 7 again.

Nuggets do it again! Rally from 3-1 deficit to win series; Lakers in West Finals next

DENVER (AP) — A day after Tom Brady’s dud of a debut for Tampa Bay, Stephen Gostkowski failed to put all that Patriots pedigree to work in his first game with the Tennessee Titans.

Unlike Brady, who lost his first game in a uniform other than New England's, Gostkowski prevailed Monday night when he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1305738816494301186?s=20">nailed a 25-yard field goal</a>&nbsp;with 17 seconds left, sending the Titans past the Denver Broncos 16-14 after he missed four kicks for the first time in his career.

“I really wanted to come out and make a strong first impression,” Gostkowski said. “I did the exact opposite.”

Gostkowski missed a kick in each quarter, including a blocked field goal and an errant extra point.

“We’re happy to get a win,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “Any win in the NFL is a good win. I’ll take it. They don’t put any asterisks on it in the win column.”

Titans coach and ex-teammate Mike Vrabel said he had no qualms about sending Gostkowski out for another try,

“Nope, and they did, obviously, because they weren’t using their timeouts and they were banking on him missing,” Vrabel said. “We've all got to do our job. And again, it’s not on just one player. We’ll get this stuff fixed. We've got a lot of faith in our players. Excited to get out of here with a win. This is a tough place to play.”

Gostkowski missed every way you can think of: wide left, wide right, a block and a shanked extra point that loomed large until he atoned for his awful night in the final seconds.

“You can’t expect him to miss them all,” said Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was traded from Tennessee in the offseason.

Gostkowski never missed three field goals in a game during his 14 seasons in New England, where he won three Super Bowl rings, made four Pro Bowls and left this offseason as the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer.

On Thursday he joined the Titans, who had the worst field goal unit in the NFL last year when their first four kickers combined to connect on only 44.4% of field goals (8 for 18).

The last Titans/Oilers kicker to miss three field goals and an extra point in a game was Skip Butler against the Jets in the 1977 season opener.

“I just got here and come out here and play like that? For the guys to still support me and still have my back was pretty good,” Gostkowski said. “That’s the cool thing about team sports — you win and lose as a team. A position like mine, everybody sees when you screw up.

“That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity at the end, because the guys deserved the win. We’re all pros here. We’ve all had our days. But the kicking position, you miss a couple of kicks, the camera follows you around, they talk about you the whole time, they watch you. It can get to a lonely spot. But you have to keep your head high and keep on going.”

Gostkowski, who had made 87.4% of his kicks coming into the game, a percentage that ranked fifth-best in NFL history, missed a 47-yarder in the first quarter and Shelby Harris blocked his 43-yarder just before halftime. Gostkowski's 42-yarder in the third quarter was wide left and he missed the PAT following Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown on Jonnu Smith’s catch from Ryan Tannehill on fourth-and-1 with 13:49 remaining.

Denver replied with a 75-yard drive, with Melvin Gordon taking it in from a yard out, and Brandon McManus’ extra point put the Broncos up 14-13 with 9 minutes left.

The Broncos punted on their next two possessions and the Titans made them pay with a 12-play, 83-yard, game-winning scoring drive.

The teams scuffled to a 7-all tie after an eventful first half that included an ejection, a goal-line stand and Gostkowski’s dismal debut four days after signing with the Titans. The 36-year-old kicker left New England with 1,775 points over 204 games.

Drew Lock threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant after Gostkowski’s first miss, and the Titans tied it on Tannehill’s 1-yard strike to MyCole Pruitt after a Denver turnover.

Gordon, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal in free agency, coughed up the ball at the Denver 23 on a hard hit by safety Kevin Byard, who leads the league with 17 interceptions since 2017 but had never forced a fumble. Jeffrey Simmons recovered for Tennessee.

The Broncos failed to punch it in on three tries from the Titans 1 in the second quarter. Lock overthrew a wide-open Nick Vannett, Gordon was stuffed for no gain and Lock’s shovel pass to Jake Butt came up a yard short of the goal line.

Butt was on the receiving end of Rashaan Evans’ punch that got the Titans linebacker ejected.

There were no paying spectators but about 500 guests of players and coaches were in the stands as a sort of trial run for the Broncos’ next home game, against Brady and Tampa Bay in two weeks, when 5,700 fans will be allowed into the 70,000-seat Empower Field at Mile High.

Lock missed having the home crowd’s energy in the fourth quarter.

“Yeah, that would have been sweet,” he said. “It was definitely weird out there tonight. No noise. The timeouts, it was just quiet. I wanted to call the plays quiet in the huddle because I didn’t know if they could hear us.”

DENVER (AP) — A day after Tom Brady’s dud of a debut for Tampa Bay, Stephen Gostkowski failed to put all that Patriots pedigree to work in his first game with the Tennessee Titans.Until the very end.Unlike Brady, who lost his first game in a uniform other than New England's, Gostkowski prevailed Monday night when he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1305738816494301186?s=20">nailed a 25-yard field goal</a>&nbsp;with 17 seconds left, sending the Titans past the Denver Broncos 16-14 after he missed four kicks for the first time in his career.“I really wanted to come out and make a strong first impression,” Gostkowski said. “I did the exact opposite.”Gostkowski missed a kick in each quarter, including a blocked field goal and an errant extra point.It didn’t matter in the end.“We’re happy to get a win,” Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “Any win in the NFL is a good win. I’ll take it. They don’t put any asterisks on it in the win column.”Titans coach and ex-teammate Mike Vrabel said he had no qualms about sending Gostkowski out for another try,“Nope, and they did, obviously, because they weren’t using their timeouts and they were banking on him missing,” Vrabel said. “We've all got to do our job. And again, it’s not on just one player. We’ll get this stuff fixed. We've got a lot of faith in our players. Excited to get out of here with a win. This is a tough place to play.”Gostkowski missed every way you can think of: wide left, wide right, a block and a shanked extra point that loomed large until he atoned for his awful night in the final seconds.“You can’t expect him to miss them all,” said Broncos defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, who was traded from Tennessee in the offseason.Gostkowski never missed three field goals in a game during his 14 seasons in New England, where he won three Super Bowl rings, made four Pro Bowls and left this offseason as the Patriots’ all-time leading scorer.On Thursday he joined the Titans, who had the worst field goal unit in the NFL last year when their first four kickers combined to connect on only 44.4% of field goals (8 for 18).The last Titans/Oilers kicker to miss three field goals and an extra point in a game was Skip Butler against the Jets in the 1977 season opener.Gostkowski appreciated the support.“I just got here and come out here and play like that? For the guys to still support me and still have my back was pretty good,” Gostkowski said. “That’s the cool thing about team sports — you win and lose as a team. A position like mine, everybody sees when you screw up.“That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity at the end, because the guys deserved the win. We’re all pros here. We’ve all had our days. But the kicking position, you miss a couple of kicks, the camera follows you around, they talk about you the whole time, they watch you. It can get to a lonely spot. But you have to keep your head high and keep on going.”Gostkowski, who had made 87.4% of his kicks coming into the game, a percentage that ranked fifth-best in NFL history, missed a 47-yarder in the first quarter and Shelby Harris blocked his 43-yarder just before halftime. Gostkowski's 42-yarder in the third quarter was wide left and he missed the PAT following Tennessee’s go-ahead touchdown on Jonnu Smith’s catch from Ryan Tannehill on fourth-and-1 with 13:49 remaining.Denver replied with a 75-yard drive, with Melvin Gordon taking it in from a yard out, and Brandon McManus’ extra point put the Broncos up 14-13 with 9 minutes left.The Broncos punted on their next two possessions and the Titans made them pay with a 12-play, 83-yard, game-winning scoring drive.The teams scuffled to a 7-all tie after an eventful first half that included an ejection, a goal-line stand and Gostkowski’s dismal debut four days after signing with the Titans. The 36-year-old kicker left New England with 1,775 points over 204 games.Drew Lock threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant after Gostkowski’s first miss, and the Titans tied it on Tannehill’s 1-yard strike to MyCole Pruitt after a Denver turnover.Gordon, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal in free agency, coughed up the ball at the Denver 23 on a hard hit by safety Kevin Byard, who leads the league with 17 interceptions since 2017 but had never forced a fumble. Jeffrey Simmons recovered for Tennessee.The Broncos failed to punch it in on three tries from the Titans 1 in the second quarter. Lock overthrew a wide-open Nick Vannett, Gordon was stuffed for no gain and Lock’s shovel pass to Jake Butt came up a yard short of the goal line.Butt was on the receiving end of Rashaan Evans’ punch that got the Titans linebacker ejected.There were no paying spectators but about 500 guests of players and coaches were in the stands as a sort of trial run for the Broncos’ next home game, against Brady and Tampa Bay in two weeks, when 5,700 fans will be allowed into the 70,000-seat Empower Field at Mile High.Lock missed having the home crowd’s energy in the fourth quarter.“Yeah, that would have been sweet,” he said. “It was definitely weird out there tonight. No noise. The timeouts, it was just quiet. I wanted to call the plays quiet in the huddle because I didn’t know if they could hear us.”

Poor clock management costs Broncos in opening night loss

Updated: 7:17 a.m. - Wednesday, September 16

🏐| High School Volleyball Scoreboard - Tuesday, September 15

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mitchell def. Bayard, 25-21, 25-20, 14-25, 25-10 (3-1)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Edgemont, SD def. Hemingford, 25-14, 16-25, 25-20, 25-23 (3-1)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gordon-Rushville def. Crawford, 25-16, 25-15, 25-16 (3-0)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hay Springs def. Cody-Kilgore, 16-25, 25-10, 25-16 (2-1)

F|&nbsp; Hay Springs def. Hyannis, 21-25, 25-20, 25-7 (2-1)

❌ Gering at Scottsbluff - PPD to 9/22 (Covid-19)

F| Chadron def. Bridgeport, 25-7, 25-7 (2-0)

F|&nbsp; Sidney def. Bridgeport, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18 (2-1)

F|&nbsp; Sidney def. Chadron, 24-26, 25-19, 25-19 (2-1)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mullen def. Sutherland, 25-12, 28-17 (2-0)

F|&nbsp; Mullen def. Wallace, 25-19, 25-23 (2-0)

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte def. Ogallala, 20-25, 25-14, 25-20 (2-1)

F|&nbsp; Northwest def. Ogallala, 25-23, 25-20 (2-0)

F|&nbsp; Sioux County def. Minatare, 25-17, 25-18 (2-0)

F|&nbsp; Sioux County def. Morrill, 25-13, 25-9 (2-0)

🥎| High School Softball Scoreboard - Tuesday, September 15

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron 6, Alliance 5

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gering 12, Chase County 0

F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte 11, Scottsbluff 5

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598923669137.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: 7:17 a.m. - Wednesday, September 16🏐| High School Volleyball Scoreboard - Tuesday, September 15F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mitchell def. Bayard, 25-21, 25-20, 14-25, 25-10 (3-1)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Edgemont, SD def. Hemingford, 25-14, 16-25, 25-20, 25-23 (3-1)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gordon-Rushville def. Crawford, 25-16, 25-15, 25-16 (3-0)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hay Springs def. Cody-Kilgore, 16-25, 25-10, 25-16 (2-1)F|&nbsp; Hay Springs def. Hyannis, 21-25, 25-20, 25-7 (2-1)❌ Gering at Scottsbluff - PPD to 9/22 (Covid-19)F| Chadron def. Bridgeport, 25-7, 25-7 (2-0)F|&nbsp; Sidney def. Bridgeport, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18 (2-1)F|&nbsp; Sidney def. Chadron, 24-26, 25-19, 25-19 (2-1)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mullen def. Sutherland, 25-12, 28-17 (2-0)F|&nbsp; Mullen def. Wallace, 25-19, 25-23 (2-0)F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte def. Ogallala, 20-25, 25-14, 25-20 (2-1)F|&nbsp; Northwest def. Ogallala, 25-23, 25-20 (2-0)F|&nbsp; Sioux County def. Minatare, 25-17, 25-18 (2-0)F|&nbsp; Sioux County def. Morrill, 25-13, 25-9 (2-0)<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600089279473.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>🥎| High School Softball Scoreboard - Tuesday, September 15F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Chadron 6, Alliance 5F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gering 12, Chase County 0F|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte 11, Scottsbluff 5

🏐🥎| High School Sports Scoreboard - Tuesday, September 15

Chadron State's new offensive coordinator updates fans on how the team is progressing through fall camp, staying safe in the pandemic and jokes about how his father Brad, a former CSC athletic director and football coach, is giving him pep talk tips...

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598907367560.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorChadron State's new offensive coordinator updates fans on how the team is progressing through fall camp, staying safe in the pandemic and jokes about how his father Brad, a former CSC athletic director and football coach, is giving him pep talk tips...<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cSbtQydhIl4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎥| Chadron State Offensive Coordinator Micah Smith shares an update from fall camp

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Led by senior Quincy Segelke, Chadron State rodeo contestants placed nine times during the college’s rodeo at the Dawes County Fairgrounds this past weekend.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Segelke won the breakaway roping with 3.0 and 3.1-second runs, also placed fifth in goat tying and sixth in barrel racing and was the runner-up all-around cowgirl.&nbsp; She’s a graduate of Brush High School in Colorado.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State team ropers Colton Storer of Arthur and Tanner Whetham of Morrill were the runners-up in that event.&nbsp; Their 7.3-second time was the fastest during the championship go-round on Sunday.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CSC also had two third-place finishers.&nbsp; They were Rowdy Moon of Sargent in bareback riding and Tanner McInerney of Hulett, Wyo., in tie down roping.&nbsp; Haley Reed of Arnold was fourth in breakaway roping and Taryn Underwood of Crawford placed fifth among the rodeo’s 102 barrel racers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tate Petrak of Martin, S.D., was sixth in steer wrestling.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Makenna Balkenbush of the University of Wyoming edged Segelke by five points (220-215) to win the all-around cowgirl title.&nbsp; The all-around cowboy was Kade Bruno of Sheridan College with 330 points.&nbsp; The runner-up was Chadron Coffield of the University of Wyoming with 305.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The next rodeo in the region will be this coming weekend at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne.

Courtesy: Con Marshall, CSC&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Led by senior Quincy Segelke, Chadron State rodeo contestants placed nine times during the college’s rodeo at the Dawes County Fairgrounds this past weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Segelke won the breakaway roping with 3.0 and 3.1-second runs, also placed fifth in goat tying and sixth in barrel racing and was the runner-up all-around cowgirl.&nbsp; She’s a graduate of Brush High School in Colorado.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron State team ropers Colton Storer of Arthur and Tanner Whetham of Morrill were the runners-up in that event.&nbsp; Their 7.3-second time was the fastest during the championship go-round on Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; CSC also had two third-place finishers.&nbsp; They were Rowdy Moon of Sargent in bareback riding and Tanner McInerney of Hulett, Wyo., in tie down roping.&nbsp; Haley Reed of Arnold was fourth in breakaway roping and Taryn Underwood of Crawford placed fifth among the rodeo’s 102 barrel racers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tate Petrak of Martin, S.D., was sixth in steer wrestling.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Makenna Balkenbush of the University of Wyoming edged Segelke by five points (220-215) to win the all-around cowgirl title.&nbsp; The all-around cowboy was Kade Bruno of Sheridan College with 330 points.&nbsp; The runner-up was Chadron Coffield of the University of Wyoming with 305.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The next rodeo in the region will be this coming weekend at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne.

Chadron State places nine times at weekend rodeo in Dawes County

Week 1: Tennessee Titans (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0) - 8:10 ESPN

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos are Derrick Henry’s kryptonite.

In two games against them, the Tennessee Titans star has averaged 2.5 yards a carry, about half of his 4.8-yard average across four NFL seasons.

When the teams meet Monday night, Henry will line up against former teammate&nbsp;Jurrell Casey, who’s clogging up the running lanes in Denver following his offseason trade from Tennessee.

Even with Casey on his side last year, Henry was stifled in a 16-0 loss at Denver, gaining just 28 yards on 15 carries. That was easily the low point in a season in which Henry ran for an NFL-best 1,540 yards.

“Really not dwelling on last year,” Henry said. “We know what type of game it was last year and move on from that. We’re preparing for this week, ready to travel to Denver, play against a good team, a good defense, a physical team, a pretty sound team and just compete this week.”

The Titans changed quarterbacks, benching Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill midway through their defeat in Denver last Oct. 13. They went 9-4 the rest of the way, ended Tom Brady’s career in New England and gave Kansas City a scare in the AFC championship. That run helped Tannehill earn a four-year, $118 million extension and Henry a four-year, $50 million deal.

Those big contracts undoubtedly played a role in Tennessee dealing Casey, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, to Denver for a seventh-round pick in one of the bigger shockers of the offseason.

“Jurrell is like a brother to me,” Henry said. “He’s a disruptive player, I think we all know what type of player he is. You’ve definitely got to prepare for him, and excited to go against him on Monday night.”

Casey has been looking forward to playing his former team even though he knows corralling Henry could be one of the tougher tasks in the league.

“The biggest thing is having all those guys to the ball. That’s one. When (Tannehill) hands the ball off to him, every guy’s on that pile, every guy’s tackling him. If we build a wall up front it makes the game a lot easier,” Casey said. “It’s when that dude gets the open lanes and starts hitting downhill and starts making those DBs and second-level guys miss is when you start getting in trouble.

“Our biggest thing is making sure we up front are building that wall, getting off blocks and making sure he’s not getting just one or two guys, little guys, trying to make tackles. Us big guys have to make sure we’re there.”

Denver’s defense took a huge hit last week when Super Bowl 50 MVP&nbsp;Von Miller sustained a major ankle tendon injury&nbsp;that required surgery and could sideline him for the entire season.

“Having a player of his caliber and his leadership not be out there with us is definitely going to be a blow to the team," Casey said. "At the end of the day this business is about adapting to situations. We’ve all been forced into having to adapt to something with the whole COVID that’s going on.

“It’s just another challenge and another hurdle we have to get over and come together as a team ... For me, it definitely sucks to have someone like that who you expect to be out there and take the pressure off you a little bit to get to the quarterback and help you set the edge, stuff the run up the middle.”

The Broncos tried to lure Clay Matthews III to Denver after Miller got hurt but he turned them down.

The Titans took several months to fill the void left by Casey’s departure but recently signed star free agent Jadeveon Clowney.

“He’s a game wrecker,” Henry said. “He can change the tone of the game by his play. Physically, he’s a big guy. He’s an impact player, somebody that you’re going to have to game plan for. ... I’m just excited he’s on our team now and he can help us win games.”

Casey wants to make sure when the game’s over Monday night, Henry is wishing that Casey was still in a Titans uniform.

Casey was bitter at first about how the Titans handled his departure, leaving it to his agent to inform him he was being shopped around. But he’s settled into his new surroundings and now all the buzz is about who will have the advantage Monday night.

“They know me well. I know them well,” Casey said. “But the thing is we didn’t have a preseason this year. They don’t know what I’ve been working on. I don’t know what they’ve been working on.

"Let’s just say we’re going to come into this game and make sure it’s a great battle. We’re going to get after it. At the end of the day, I’m going to make sure the Broncos are on top.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600091367157.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Week 1: Tennessee Titans (0-0) at Denver Broncos (0-0) - 8:10 ESPNDENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos are Derrick Henry’s kryptonite.In two games against them, the Tennessee Titans star has averaged 2.5 yards a carry, about half of his 4.8-yard average across four NFL seasons.When the teams meet Monday night, Henry will line up against former teammate&nbsp;Jurrell Casey, who’s clogging up the running lanes in Denver following his offseason trade from Tennessee.Even with Casey on his side last year, Henry was stifled in a 16-0 loss at Denver, gaining just 28 yards on 15 carries. That was easily the low point in a season in which Henry ran for an NFL-best 1,540 yards.“Really not dwelling on last year,” Henry said. “We know what type of game it was last year and move on from that. We’re preparing for this week, ready to travel to Denver, play against a good team, a good defense, a physical team, a pretty sound team and just compete this week.”The Titans changed quarterbacks, benching Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill midway through their defeat in Denver last Oct. 13. They went 9-4 the rest of the way, ended Tom Brady’s career in New England and gave Kansas City a scare in the AFC championship. That run helped Tannehill earn a four-year, $118 million extension and Henry a four-year, $50 million deal.Those big contracts undoubtedly played a role in Tennessee dealing Casey, a five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman, to Denver for a seventh-round pick in one of the bigger shockers of the offseason.“Jurrell is like a brother to me,” Henry said. “He’s a disruptive player, I think we all know what type of player he is. You’ve definitely got to prepare for him, and excited to go against him on Monday night.”Casey has been looking forward to playing his former team even though he knows corralling Henry could be one of the tougher tasks in the league.“The biggest thing is having all those guys to the ball. That’s one. When (Tannehill) hands the ball off to him, every guy’s on that pile, every guy’s tackling him. If we build a wall up front it makes the game a lot easier,” Casey said. “It’s when that dude gets the open lanes and starts hitting downhill and starts making those DBs and second-level guys miss is when you start getting in trouble.“Our biggest thing is making sure we up front are building that wall, getting off blocks and making sure he’s not getting just one or two guys, little guys, trying to make tackles. Us big guys have to make sure we’re there.”Denver’s defense took a huge hit last week when Super Bowl 50 MVP&nbsp;Von Miller sustained a major ankle tendon injury&nbsp;that required surgery and could sideline him for the entire season.“Having a player of his caliber and his leadership not be out there with us is definitely going to be a blow to the team," Casey said. "At the end of the day this business is about adapting to situations. We’ve all been forced into having to adapt to something with the whole COVID that’s going on.“It’s just another challenge and another hurdle we have to get over and come together as a team ... For me, it definitely sucks to have someone like that who you expect to be out there and take the pressure off you a little bit to get to the quarterback and help you set the edge, stuff the run up the middle.”The Broncos tried to lure Clay Matthews III to Denver after Miller got hurt but he turned them down.The Titans took several months to fill the void left by Casey’s departure but recently signed star free agent Jadeveon Clowney.“He’s a game wrecker,” Henry said. “He can change the tone of the game by his play. Physically, he’s a big guy. He’s an impact player, somebody that you’re going to have to game plan for. ... I’m just excited he’s on our team now and he can help us win games.”Casey wants to make sure when the game’s over Monday night, Henry is wishing that Casey was still in a Titans uniform.Casey was bitter at first about how the Titans handled his departure, leaving it to his agent to inform him he was being shopped around. But he’s settled into his new surroundings and now all the buzz is about who will have the advantage Monday night.“They know me well. I know them well,” Casey said. “But the thing is we didn’t have a preseason this year. They don’t know what I’ve been working on. I don’t know what they’ve been working on."Let’s just say we’re going to come into this game and make sure it’s a great battle. We’re going to get after it. At the end of the day, I’m going to make sure the Broncos are on top.”

New Broncos run-stuffer faces former teammate, Titans' star Henry tonight

(AP) The Big Ten presidents were presented a comprehensive plan to conduct a fall football season, but a final decision is still to come. 

A person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the full Council of Presidents and Chancellors heard from all the subcommittees of the conference’s Return to Competition Task Force over two and half hours. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making its return to competition plans public. 

The person said the meeting broke up without the presidents and chancellors voting and with no set plans for them to reconvene.

(AP) The Big Ten presidents were presented a comprehensive plan to conduct a fall football season, but a final decision is still to come. A person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the full Council of Presidents and Chancellors heard from all the subcommittees of the conference’s Return to Competition Task Force over two and half hours. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making its return to competition plans public. The person said the meeting broke up without the presidents and chancellors voting and with no set plans for them to reconvene.

No Big Ten football vote, no plans to reconvene

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Chadron girls and the Gering boys continued their winning ways during the Chadron High Invitational Cross Country Meet on Saturday morning.&nbsp; It was the third meet of the season in the Panhandle and both of Saturday’s winners also finished first at the Panhandle Classic and the Gering Invitational the previous two weeks.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron’s victory margin was much closer than it had been at the first two meets.&nbsp; The Lady Cardinals won the Panhandle Classic at Scottsbluff on Aug. 27 with 15 points while the host Bearcats accumulated 21.&nbsp; Chadron then took top honors by a 14-24 difference over Scottsbluff at the Gering Invite, but Saturday at their home meet the Cards were squeezed out a verdict of just a 33-34 over Sidney.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Gering with 39 points and Scottsbluff with 44 also were serious challengers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The girls’ individual winner was Gering sophomore Madison Seiler in 21:28.05, a bit more than 12 seconds ahead of Sidney’s Lydia Peters, a junior, and Talissa Tanquary, a freshman, whose times were 21:40.57 and 21:40.95.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Scottsbluff senior Brooke Holzworth was fourth in 22:05.40, followed by Gering’s second runner, Shailee Patton, in 22:48.99.&nbsp; Then came Chadron’s first two runners, freshman Grace Pyle in 23:04.00 and sophomore Makinley Fuller in 23:14.26.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron got a big boost Saturday from its leading runner last year, Mackenzie Anderson, now a junior.&nbsp; She had not finished among her team’s top four at the previous two meets this fall, but she was the Cards’ third runner Saturday with a time of 23:22.06, good for ninth place overall.

Chadron sophomore Emma Witte crossed the finish line just 10 seconds later while earning the 11th&nbsp;place in team scoring.&nbsp; None of the other teams had four runners place in the top dozen.

Gordon-Rushville freshman Tyrah American Horse and Scottsbluff senior Jamisyn Howard finished eighth and tenth, respectively, in the individual placings.

The Gering boys won their third team title this season by a wide margin again.&nbsp; Paced by senior Peyton Seiler, brother of the girls’ gold medalist, the Bulldogs tallied 27 points.&nbsp; Sidney was the runner-up with 46, Mitchell was third with 56, Chadron fourth with 64 and Scottsbluff fifth with 71.

Gering won the Panhandle Classic boys’ title by a 14-28 margin over Mitchell and took its own meet by a 27-34 difference over the Tigers.&nbsp;

Seiler’s winning time Saturday was 18:24.26 while Mitchell senior Ashtyn Martin was the runner-up in 19:32.31, a difference of almost exactly eight seconds.&nbsp; The pair were seven seconds apart while also finishing one-two at the Gering Invite.

Two Sidney entries, juniors Daniel Bashtovio and Mitchell Deer, were third and fourth at the Chadron Meet, in 18:38.15 and 18:51.15.&nbsp; Fourth place went to another Mitchell senior, Caden Knutson, followed by Gering seniors Tyler Nagel and Logan Andrews.&nbsp;

Scottsbluff freshman Hans Bastron was the first underclassman to complete the 5K race. He was eighth, one notch ahead of Chadron’s first finisher, Carter Ryan, a junior.

Garden County sophomore Nate Billey rounded out the boys’ top 10.

Alliance will host the next challenge for many of the same teams this coming Saturday, Sept. 19.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Girls’ Team Standings--1, Chadron, 33; 2, Sidney, 34; 3, Gering, 39; 4, Scottsbluff, 44; 5, Gordon-Rushville, 73; 6, Alliances, 109; 7, Mitchell, 114.

By: Con Marshall&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Chadron girls and the Gering boys continued their winning ways during the Chadron High Invitational Cross Country Meet on Saturday morning.&nbsp; It was the third meet of the season in the Panhandle and both of Saturday’s winners also finished first at the Panhandle Classic and the Gering Invitational the previous two weeks.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron’s victory margin was much closer than it had been at the first two meets.&nbsp; The Lady Cardinals won the Panhandle Classic at Scottsbluff on Aug. 27 with 15 points while the host Bearcats accumulated 21.&nbsp; Chadron then took top honors by a 14-24 difference over Scottsbluff at the Gering Invite, but Saturday at their home meet the Cards were squeezed out a verdict of just a 33-34 over Sidney.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gering with 39 points and Scottsbluff with 44 also were serious challengers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The girls’ individual winner was Gering sophomore Madison Seiler in 21:28.05, a bit more than 12 seconds ahead of Sidney’s Lydia Peters, a junior, and Talissa Tanquary, a freshman, whose times were 21:40.57 and 21:40.95.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Scottsbluff senior Brooke Holzworth was fourth in 22:05.40, followed by Gering’s second runner, Shailee Patton, in 22:48.99.&nbsp; Then came Chadron’s first two runners, freshman Grace Pyle in 23:04.00 and sophomore Makinley Fuller in 23:14.26.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chadron got a big boost Saturday from its leading runner last year, Mackenzie Anderson, now a junior.&nbsp; She had not finished among her team’s top four at the previous two meets this fall, but she was the Cards’ third runner Saturday with a time of 23:22.06, good for ninth place overall.Chadron sophomore Emma Witte crossed the finish line just 10 seconds later while earning the 11th&nbsp;place in team scoring.&nbsp; None of the other teams had four runners place in the top dozen.Gordon-Rushville freshman Tyrah American Horse and Scottsbluff senior Jamisyn Howard finished eighth and tenth, respectively, in the individual placings.The Gering boys won their third team title this season by a wide margin again.&nbsp; Paced by senior Peyton Seiler, brother of the girls’ gold medalist, the Bulldogs tallied 27 points.&nbsp; Sidney was the runner-up with 46, Mitchell was third with 56, Chadron fourth with 64 and Scottsbluff fifth with 71.Gering won the Panhandle Classic boys’ title by a 14-28 margin over Mitchell and took its own meet by a 27-34 difference over the Tigers.&nbsp;Seiler’s winning time Saturday was 18:24.26 while Mitchell senior Ashtyn Martin was the runner-up in 19:32.31, a difference of almost exactly eight seconds.&nbsp; The pair were seven seconds apart while also finishing one-two at the Gering Invite.Two Sidney entries, juniors Daniel Bashtovio and Mitchell Deer, were third and fourth at the Chadron Meet, in 18:38.15 and 18:51.15.&nbsp; Fourth place went to another Mitchell senior, Caden Knutson, followed by Gering seniors Tyler Nagel and Logan Andrews.&nbsp;Scottsbluff freshman Hans Bastron was the first underclassman to complete the 5K race. He was eighth, one notch ahead of Chadron’s first finisher, Carter Ryan, a junior.Garden County sophomore Nate Billey rounded out the boys’ top 10.Alliance will host the next challenge for many of the same teams this coming Saturday, Sept. 19.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Girls’ Team Standings--1, Chadron, 33; 2, Sidney, 34; 3, Gering, 39; 4, Scottsbluff, 44; 5, Gordon-Rushville, 73; 6, Alliances, 109; 7, Mitchell, 114.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Individual Top 20--1, Madison Seiler, Gering, 21:08.05; 2, Lydia Peters, Sidney, 21:40.57; 3, Talissa Tanquary, Sidney, 21:40.95; 4, Brooke Holzworth, Scottsbluff, 22:05.40; 5, Shailee Patton, Gering, 22:48.99; 6, Grace Pyle, Chadron, 23:04.00; 7, Makinley Fuller, Chadron, 23:14.26; 8, Tyrah American Horse, Gordon-Rushville, 23:20.77; 9, Mackenzie Anderson, Chadron, 23:22.06; 10, Jamisyn Howard, Scottsbluff, 23:27.77.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 11, Jillian Brennan, Crawford, 23:30.16; 12, Emma Witte, Chadron, 23:32.17; 13, Kaylee Charbonneau, Scottsbluff, 23:32.72; 14, Madison Herbel, Gering, 23:43.49; 15, Jenju Peters, Sidney, 24:02.19; 16, Rheo Dykstra, Sidney, 24:15.61; 17, Micaiah Fuller, Chadron, 24:26.07; 18, Katelyn Beshara, Rapid City Central, 24:36.40; 19, Brenna Bostock, Gordon-Rushville, 25:50.00; 20, Sunny Edens, Scottsbluff, 25:20.59.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Boys’ Team Standings--1, Gering, 27; 2, Sidney, 46; 3, Mitchell, 56; 4, Chadron, 64; 5, Scottsbluff, 71; 6, Garden County, 89; 7, Rapid City Christian, 131; 8, Alliance, 132; 9, Rapid City Central, 138.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Individual Top 20--1, Peyton Seiler, Gering, 18:24.26; 2, Ashtyn Martin, Mitchell, 18:32.31; 3, Daniel Bashtovio, Sidney, 18:38.15; 4, Mitchell Deer, Sidney, 18:51.34; 5, Caden Knutson, Mitchell, 19:04.94; 6, Tyler Nagel, Gering, 19:08.91; 7, Logan Andrews, Gering, 19:12.60; 8, Hans Bastron, Scottsbluff, 19:15.26; 9, Carter Ryan, Chadron, 19:17.90; 10, Nate Billey, Garden County, 19:20.72.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 11, Easton Anderson, Mitchell, 19:29.71; 12, Bennett Selfridge, Rapid City Christian, 19:30.86; 13, Jack Franklin, Gering, 19:33.63; 14, Caden Keller, Scottsbluff, 19:35.03; 15, Eli Marez, Gering, 19:33.51; 16, Caden Galbraith, Chadron, 19:39.09; 17, Jace Freeseman, Gordon-Rushville, 19:41.17; 18, Michael Christiansen, Garden County, 19:41.95; 19, Treyson Johnstone, Sidney 19:49.27; 20, Nathan Burch, Chadron, 19:55.78.