AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will play high school football this fall with some changes that will delay the season for large schools and limit fan attendance. The University Interscholastic League announced Tuesday a one-month delay into late September for football and volleyball at the state's largest schools. Smaller schools can start on time in August if local rules allow. 

The UIL said the delay for large schools focuses on the state's largest population areas that have been hit hardest in the coronavirus pandemic. Texas joins about a dozen states in ordering some sort of delay for fall high school sports.&nbsp;

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas will play high school football this fall with some changes that will delay the season for large schools and limit fan attendance. The University Interscholastic League announced Tuesday a one-month delay into late September for football and volleyball at the state's largest schools. Smaller schools can start on time in August if local rules allow. The UIL said the delay for large schools focuses on the state's largest population areas that have been hit hardest in the coronavirus pandemic. Texas joins about a dozen states in ordering some sort of delay for fall high school sports.&nbsp;

Texas delays large-school sports, smaller schools moving ahead on schedule

Nebraska high school sports starting on time this fall

The Nebraska School Activities Association announced Monday afternoon that it is planning to begin high school sports practice and competitions on time this fall.

Check back with Panhandle Post for more on this developing story.

By: Dave Collins, Sports Director<h2>Nebraska high school sports starting on time this fall</h2>The Nebraska School Activities Association announced Monday afternoon that it is planning to begin high school sports practice and competitions on time this fall.Check back with Panhandle Post for more on this developing story.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The NSAA is preparing to begin the 2020 fall sports season as currently scheduled. Please read the full statement here - <a href="https://t.co/6xMA92fdtF">https://t.co/6xMA92fdtF</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nebpreps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nebpreps</a> <a href="https://t.co/OA75fYvuQJ">pic.twitter.com/OA75fYvuQJ</a>&mdash; NSAA (@nsaahome) <a href="https://twitter.com/nsaahome/status/1285315223990173696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Major conferences in college football are considering schedule flexibility to maintain attractive match-ups, keep players and teams safe with less travel, and finding ways to simply have as full a season as possible.

Sports Director Dave Collins offered some interesting thoughts on Twitter as to how Chadron State could bring back a match-up with arch rival Nebraska-Kearney this year.&nbsp; 

While it would take some drastic moves to actually happen, if we've learned anything in the sports world of 2020, anything is possible...

Major conferences in college football are considering schedule flexibility to maintain attractive match-ups, keep players and teams safe with less travel, and finding ways to simply have as full a season as possible.Sports Director Dave Collins offered some interesting thoughts on Twitter as to how Chadron State could bring back a match-up with arch rival Nebraska-Kearney this year.&nbsp; While it would take some drastic moves to actually happen, if we've learned anything in the sports world of 2020, anything is possible...<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">(2/2) ▪ CSC at Missouri S&amp;T on 9/12 (833m) would have to be canceled. Possible if RMAC goes to regional sked flex due to covid concerns. ▪ CSC could host/travel to play Kearney (324m) on 11/7. Is it possible?🤷‍♂️ How many things have happened in 2020 we never thought we&#39;d see?..&mdash; Dave Collins (@DMCbroadcasting) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMCbroadcasting/status/1284158807384436740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Could Chadron State football face arch-rival UNK this year?  One scenario makes it seem possible...

Junior Panhandle COVID Conference - District Tournament

Chadron 4, Sidney 3 - Championship Game 2

&nbsp;(1) Sidney 10, (5) Sheridan County 0

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: Monday, 8:00 amJunior Panhandle COVID Conference - District TournamentMaurice Horse Field - Chadron, NESundayChadron 7, Alliance 4 - Elimination GameChadron 9, Sidney 7 - ChampionshipChadron 4, Sidney 3 - Championship Game 2Friday&nbsp;(1) Sidney 10, (5) Sheridan County 0(3) Chadron 8, (4) Gering 0Saturday&nbsp;(2) Alliance 5, Chadron 4Gering 11, Sheridan County 1Sidney 11, Chadron 3Chadron 9, Gering 7

⚾| Chadron Wins Legion Baseball JR Districts

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Thursday, July 16

Casper Kelly Walsh 4, Chadron SRs 2

Casper Kelly Walsh 12, Chadron SRs 4

Alliance SRs 9, Rapid City Expos 4

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire &amp; Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Thursday, July 16Casper Kelly Walsh 4, Chadron SRs 2Casper Kelly Walsh 12, Chadron SRs 4Alliance SRs 9, Rapid City Expos 4Sioux Falls 10, Alliance SRs 7Bridgeport 13, Scottsbluff 2Bridgeport 19, Scottsbluff 7

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is the conference governing body that includes Chadron State athletics, has delayed a decision on whether or not to alter fall sports schedules, which include football and volleyball.

So, as of today Chadron State is still scheduled to open the football season on September 5 against Western Colorado at Don Beebe Stadium.

As the RMAC stated in its update Thursday late afternoon the Presidents' Council will meet again at a yet-undetermined date to make any additional decisions on the fall schedules or to leave them unchanged.

The conference stated on June 30 that it would make its final decision by Friday, July 17.&nbsp; However, with new COVID-19 information and a delay in getting the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sports guidelines the conference is taking more time to determine if fall sports need to be pushed back or postponed.

We will have more on this developing story Friday.

By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorThe Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which is the conference governing body that includes Chadron State athletics, has delayed a decision on whether or not to alter fall sports schedules, which include football and volleyball.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">RMAC update regarding Fall return to play. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverythingElevated?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverythingElevated</a> <a href="https://t.co/yuPYtQoaFD">pic.twitter.com/yuPYtQoaFD</a>&mdash; RMAC Sports (@RMAC_SPORTS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RMAC_SPORTS/status/1283918090846089217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>So, as of today Chadron State is still scheduled to open the football season on September 5 against Western Colorado at Don Beebe Stadium.As the RMAC stated in its update Thursday late afternoon the Presidents' Council will meet again at a yet-undetermined date to make any additional decisions on the fall schedules or to leave them unchanged.The conference stated on June 30 that it would make its final decision by Friday, July 17.&nbsp; However, with new COVID-19 information and a delay in getting the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sports guidelines the conference is taking more time to determine if fall sports need to be pushed back or postponed.We will have more on this developing story Friday.

Game on! For now... RMAC delays making any changes to fall sports schedules

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Wednesday, July 15

EJ Gomez threw a gem for Alliance in the Spartans second straight shutout victory.&nbsp; Gomez limited Sidney to a pair of hits in his five innings for the complete game win.&nbsp; Gomez struck out six.

Alliance broke open a 1-0 game with four in the third inning to lead 5-0.&nbsp; Six more runs scored in the fourth frame, which sealed the run-rule shortened victory.

Jakob Callan drove in two runs and scored twice. Chase King had three RBIs and Caeson Clarke chipped in a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

Two Alliance pitchers limited Sidney to three hits in a 10-0 juniors game victory.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa threw the first four innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven. Mario Garza struck out two of the four hitters he faced to cap the win.

After a quick top of the first, Alliance got out to a fast start in the bottom half to take a 5-0 lead.&nbsp; Following a walk and two singles Kellon Muhr cleared the bases with a three-run triple for a 3-0 Spartans lead.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa followed with a two-run homer and the rout was on.

The Alliance JRs improve to 12-7 for the season.

Gering turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead and went on to defeat Chadron Wednesday 11-3.

Gering scored twice on bases-loaded walks and got RBI singles from Keenan Allen and Ryan Johnston in their six-run second inning to take control.

Allen was the starter on the mound and pitched three innings of two-hit ball. Keigin Shapland and Keagan Shifflet finished it out and allowed only two more hits. Only one of Sidney's runs was&nbsp; earned.

Dalton Wiese had two RBIs, Allen and Johnston two RBIs apiece, and Chris Bliss made it four Gering hitters to drive in multiple runs.

Gering rallied in the bottom of the final inning to win a thriller Wednesday night 7-6.

Trailing 6-5 entering the seventh Gering loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit batter. With one out Riley Hoke reached on a bunt single that tied the game 6-6. Adreick Conn was next in the box and was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run.

Chadron got off to a great start on the road scoring five times before Gering got a chance to swing the bats. But Gering chipped way in the bottom half with two to make it 5-2, and three more in the third to get within 6-5 before the rally late.

Tate Ryan and Garrett Reece each had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals in the loss.

Blake Greene pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing only three earned runs of the six he gave up total. Hoke got the final two outs in the seventh.

The scoreboard lit up with crooked numbers all over the place in game one of a doubleheader that Bridgeport won in the final at-bat. Tied 14-14 in the fifth, Ethan Eckhart drive in the winning run with an RBI single to walk-off the Regulators.

Sheridan County built a 7-1 lead in the second inning only to see Bridgeport answer seven times to go up 8-7 into the third.

The Regs slapped home plate five more times to lead 12-8, but again Bridgeport would answer with six to lead 14-12 heading into the fourth.

Five Regs had multi-RBI games led by Traiton Starr with three.&nbsp; Stunningly no one in the Regs lineup had more than one hit, but they drew eight walks and only three of their 15 runs were earned as Bridgeport committed 4 errors.

KJ Bush led Bridgeport with three RBIs.&nbsp; Eckhardt and Scout Gamble each drove in two.&nbsp; Bridgeport worked 12 walks and capitalized on six Sheridan County miscues.

Bridgeport 8, Sheridan County 6 (Game 2)

Cheyenne Indians 8, Scottsbluff JRs 0

Chappell (Buckley) SRs 12, Scottsbluff 11

Chappell touched home plate five times in
the bottom of the eighth inning and hung on to stun Scottsbluff 12-11.

After giving
up its 9-7 lead, the Zephyrs came within a run on a two-run single from Jerod
Balthazor, but he was thrown out trying to advance on the play to end the game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorUpdated: 8:30 am 7/16⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Wednesday, July 15Alliance SRs 11, Sidney 0EJ Gomez threw a gem for Alliance in the Spartans second straight shutout victory.&nbsp; Gomez limited Sidney to a pair of hits in his five innings for the complete game win.&nbsp; Gomez struck out six.Alliance broke open a 1-0 game with four in the third inning to lead 5-0.&nbsp; Six more runs scored in the fourth frame, which sealed the run-rule shortened victory.Jakob Callan drove in two runs and scored twice. Chase King had three RBIs and Caeson Clarke chipped in a pair of hits, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.Alliance is 19-9 this summer.Alliance JRs 10, Sidney 0Two Alliance pitchers limited Sidney to three hits in a 10-0 juniors game victory.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa threw the first four innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven. Mario Garza struck out two of the four hitters he faced to cap the win.After a quick top of the first, Alliance got out to a fast start in the bottom half to take a 5-0 lead.&nbsp; Following a walk and two singles Kellon Muhr cleared the bases with a three-run triple for a 3-0 Spartans lead.&nbsp; Vic Hinojosa followed with a two-run homer and the rout was on.The Alliance JRs improve to 12-7 for the season.Gering JRs 11, Chadron 3Gering turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead and went on to defeat Chadron Wednesday 11-3.Gering scored twice on bases-loaded walks and got RBI singles from Keenan Allen and Ryan Johnston in their six-run second inning to take control.Allen was the starter on the mound and pitched three innings of two-hit ball. Keigin Shapland and Keagan Shifflet finished it out and allowed only two more hits. Only one of Sidney's runs was&nbsp; earned.Dalton Wiese had two RBIs, Allen and Johnston two RBIs apiece, and Chris Bliss made it four Gering hitters to drive in multiple runs.Gering is now 9-7.Gering SRs 7, Chadron 6Gering rallied in the bottom of the final inning to win a thriller Wednesday night 7-6.Trailing 6-5 entering the seventh Gering loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit batter. With one out Riley Hoke reached on a bunt single that tied the game 6-6. Adreick Conn was next in the box and was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run.Chadron got off to a great start on the road scoring five times before Gering got a chance to swing the bats. But Gering chipped way in the bottom half with two to make it 5-2, and three more in the third to get within 6-5 before the rally late.Tate Ryan and Garrett Reece each had two hits and an RBI for the Nationals in the loss.Blake Greene pitched 6 2/3 innings for the win, allowing only three earned runs of the six he gave up total. Hoke got the final two outs in the seventh.Gering is 14-8 heading into Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical High School Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>Bridgeport 15, Sheridan County 14The scoreboard lit up with crooked numbers all over the place in game one of a doubleheader that Bridgeport won in the final at-bat. Tied 14-14 in the fifth, Ethan Eckhart drive in the winning run with an RBI single to walk-off the Regulators.Sheridan County built a 7-1 lead in the second inning only to see Bridgeport answer seven times to go up 8-7 into the third.The Regs slapped home plate five more times to lead 12-8, but again Bridgeport would answer with six to lead 14-12 heading into the fourth.Five Regs had multi-RBI games led by Traiton Starr with three.&nbsp; Stunningly no one in the Regs lineup had more than one hit, but they drew eight walks and only three of their 15 runs were earned as Bridgeport committed 4 errors.KJ Bush led Bridgeport with three RBIs.&nbsp; Eckhardt and Scout Gamble each drove in two.&nbsp; Bridgeport worked 12 walks and capitalized on six Sheridan County miscues.Bridgeport 8, Sheridan County 6 (Game 2)Cheyenne Indians 8, Scottsbluff JRs 0Chappell (Buckley) SRs 12, Scottsbluff 11Chappell touched home plate five times in
the bottom of the eighth inning and hung on to stun Scottsbluff 12-11.After giving
up its 9-7 lead, the Zephyrs came within a run on a two-run single from Jerod
Balthazor, but he was thrown out trying to advance on the play to end the game.

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard & Recaps - Wednesday, July 15

By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/college-football-schedules-unsettled-coronavirus-cases-spike-kansas-and-us">Kansas News Service</a>

BALDWIN CITY, Kansas — College athletics departments
 in Kansas are needing to make a call as the number of coronavirus cases
 climb across the country and in their own ranks: Cancel fall sports, 
delay them until the spring, try in-conference games only or something 
in between.

At the center of it all is football — the 
high-contact sport that brings in money from the top college level to 
the small schools.&nbsp;

Dozens of schools have reported coronavirus 
cases among team members at voluntary workouts. And earlier this summer,
 Kansas State became one of the first major college teams in the country
 to shut the workouts down because of a high number of positive tests. 
The University of Kansas soon followed suit.

Already, three of 
the five major college conferences (Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference 
and Pac-12) have said they’ll only play against teams in their 
conference. The Ivy and Patriot leagues are calling off their fall 
seasons entirely. The National Junior College Athletic Association voted
 to move football to the spring.

The Big 12, which includes KU and K-State, is expected to make its decision at the end of the month.

Without
 the money from big-time sports, universities that are already hurting 
financially after having to shift fully online in the spring will 
suffer. But so will the college towns.

Baker University drives 
the economy in Baldwin City, Kansas, a town of more than 4,700 that’s 
about a half-hour from Lawrence. Of the roughly 800-plus students on 
campus at Baker, 66% play one of the school’s 24 varsity sports.

In
 early June, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 
(NAIA) announced that all of its schools — Baker included — would be 
reduced to nine regular-season games from 11. It’s still uncertain if 
fans will be allowed to attend the home games because the NAIA is 
leaving it up to schools to follow state and local requirements.

“The potential of not having our family at games, it’s something 
that’s going to be very, very different,” Baker athletics director Nate 
Houser said.

Already, Baldwin City’s 63rd annual Maple Leaf 
Festival has been cancelled for the fall. Apryl Strawn, the manager of 
Jo’s Diner in town, said the possibility of football without fans could 
be devastating to their business.&nbsp;

“It’ll be awful,” Strawn said. “It’ll be absolutely awful.”&nbsp;

The athletes’ health vs. financial health&nbsp;

Whether
 football is played in Baldwin City or at KU, the issue is the same: How
 do you avoid transmission of coronavirus in a sport where you’re lined 
up next to each other and hit other players constantly?

It’s a question KU Director of Athletics Jeff Long has been pondering all summer, and hasn’t been able to answer.

"We
 don’t know what the impact of practicing, closed-quarters hitting, 
tackling, all those things will have on a team,” Long said during a 
Kansas City Public Library virtual forum last month.

Players came
 back to campus for voluntary workouts from all over the country, 
including Texas, which has seen a dramatic spike in cases.&nbsp;

But epidemiologist Dr. Chris Hostler, who is a consultant for the NFL
 and the Big 12 (which KU and K-State are a part of), said coronavirus 
can be anywhere.

“We’re going to continue to have athletes and 
staff who are positives, who are coming from different areas of the 
country,” said Hostler, who is based in Durham, North Carolina. “Or even
 just remaining in their communities.”

And there’s another thing 
to consider: If any scholarship athlete, man or woman, chooses to sit 
out this fall as a health precaution, would he or she lose that full 
ride to college? The Pac-12 says no. With the Big 12 leaving it up to 
its members — K-State says it will honor scholarships but is still 
working out the terms of the language, while KU hadn’t provided its 
policy by the time this story went to print.&nbsp;

But more than 
anything, college administrators are aware of the added financial pinch 
if there are no college football games this fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“When people 
ask, ‘Why is it so important for you to play football, play basketball?”
 It’s to generate the revenue to fund that program,” Long said.

A major college football program like KU or K-State generates an average of $78 million according to a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2020/04/14/college-football-major-programs-could-see-billions-revenue-go-away/2989466001/">recent study by USA Today</a>.

Within
 the Big 12, the Texas schools (Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU) 
figure to already see less money. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently 
mandated that no schools can have more than 50% fan capacity at home 
games.

But Hostler said what’s happening in Texas won’t dictate a uniform set of recommendations.

“What
 happens in West Virginia is going to be very different than what 
happens a couple states away in Iowa or in Oklahoma,” he said.

Greg Echlin is a freelance sports reporter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758329334.png" alt=" Kansas State's football team had several players test positive for COVID-19 this summer. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo" />
 <figcaption> Kansas State's football team had several players test positive for COVID-19 this summer. Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG ECHLIN <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/college-football-schedules-unsettled-coronavirus-cases-spike-kansas-and-us">Kansas News Service</a>BALDWIN CITY, Kansas — College athletics departments
 in Kansas are needing to make a call as the number of coronavirus cases
 climb across the country and in their own ranks: Cancel fall sports, 
delay them until the spring, try in-conference games only or something 
in between.At the center of it all is football — the 
high-contact sport that brings in money from the top college level to 
the small schools.&nbsp;Dozens of schools have reported coronavirus 
cases among team members at voluntary workouts. And earlier this summer,
 Kansas State became one of the first major college teams in the country
 to shut the workouts down because of a high number of positive tests. 
The University of Kansas soon followed suit.Already, three of 
the five major college conferences (Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference 
and Pac-12) have said they’ll only play against teams in their 
conference. The Ivy and Patriot leagues are calling off their fall 
seasons entirely. The National Junior College Athletic Association voted
 to move football to the spring.The Big 12, which includes KU and K-State, is expected to make its decision at the end of the month.Without
 the money from big-time sports, universities that are already hurting 
financially after having to shift fully online in the spring will 
suffer. But so will the college towns.Baker University drives 
the economy in Baldwin City, Kansas, a town of more than 4,700 that’s 
about a half-hour from Lawrence. Of the roughly 800-plus students on 
campus at Baker, 66% play one of the school’s 24 varsity sports.In
 early June, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 
(NAIA) announced that all of its schools — Baker included — would be 
reduced to nine regular-season games from 11. It’s still uncertain if 
fans will be allowed to attend the home games because the NAIA is 
leaving it up to schools to follow state and local requirements.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758388532.jpeg" alt=" Nate House is Baker University's athletic director. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption> Nate House is Baker University's athletic director. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>“The potential of not having our family at games, it’s something 
that’s going to be very, very different,” Baker athletics director Nate 
Houser said.Already, Baldwin City’s 63rd annual Maple Leaf 
Festival has been cancelled for the fall. Apryl Strawn, the manager of 
Jo’s Diner in town, said the possibility of football without fans could 
be devastating to their business.&nbsp;“It’ll be awful,” Strawn said. “It’ll be absolutely awful.”&nbsp;The athletes’ health vs. financial health&nbsp;Whether
 football is played in Baldwin City or at KU, the issue is the same: How
 do you avoid transmission of coronavirus in a sport where you’re lined 
up next to each other and hit other players constantly?It’s a question KU Director of Athletics Jeff Long has been pondering all summer, and hasn’t been able to answer."We
 don’t know what the impact of practicing, closed-quarters hitting, 
tackling, all those things will have on a team,” Long said during a 
Kansas City Public Library virtual forum last month.Players came
 back to campus for voluntary workouts from all over the country, 
including Texas, which has seen a dramatic spike in cases.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594758418685.jpeg" alt=" The field before last year's KU vs. K-State rivarly game. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo" />
 <figcaption> The field before last year's KU vs. K-State rivarly game. Credit Greg Echlin / KCUR 89.3 file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>But epidemiologist Dr. Chris Hostler, who is a consultant for the NFL
 and the Big 12 (which KU and K-State are a part of), said coronavirus 
can be anywhere.“We’re going to continue to have athletes and 
staff who are positives, who are coming from different areas of the 
country,” said Hostler, who is based in Durham, North Carolina. “Or even
 just remaining in their communities.”And there’s another thing 
to consider: If any scholarship athlete, man or woman, chooses to sit 
out this fall as a health precaution, would he or she lose that full 
ride to college? The Pac-12 says no. With the Big 12 leaving it up to 
its members — K-State says it will honor scholarships but is still 
working out the terms of the language, while KU hadn’t provided its 
policy by the time this story went to print.&nbsp;But more than 
anything, college administrators are aware of the added financial pinch 
if there are no college football games this fall.&nbsp;&nbsp;“When people 
ask, ‘Why is it so important for you to play football, play basketball?”
 It’s to generate the revenue to fund that program,” Long said.A major college football program like KU or K-State generates an average of $78 million according to a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2020/04/14/college-football-major-programs-could-see-billions-revenue-go-away/2989466001/">recent study by USA Today</a>.Within
 the Big 12, the Texas schools (Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and TCU) 
figure to already see less money. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently 
mandated that no schools can have more than 50% fan capacity at home 
games.But Hostler said what’s happening in Texas won’t dictate a uniform set of recommendations.“What
 happens in West Virginia is going to be very different than what 
happens a couple states away in Iowa or in Oklahoma,” he said.Greg Echlin is a freelance sports reporter.

College football schedules unsettled as virus cases spike

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Tuesday, July 14

Alliance took a modest 3-0 lead into the third inning then exploded with 13 more in a 16-0 rout over Bridgeport.

Collin Schrawyer, Brantz Halouska, and Tyzen Brown all drove in two Spartan runs.&nbsp; Schrawyer was a perfect 4/4 on the night at the plate.

Caeson Clarke pitched the first four innings and allowed the only two hits for Bridgeport.&nbsp; Clarke struck out three.&nbsp; Kirk Sanders and Joel Baker handled the final three outs.

Alliance improves to 18-9, while Bridgeport slips to 6-15.&nbsp;

Alliance and Bridgeport battled in a high-scoring affair Bridgeport won 13-10.

Alliance got it started early with a 2-0 lead in the first that became 6-0 after two. Vic Hinojosa smacked a solo homer and several singles led the charge in the second.

Bridgeport struck back in the third with five runs to make it 6-5 on a pair of RBI singles surrounding an error. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch made it 6-4 before an RBI ground out got Bridgeport within a run.

Bridgeport exploded for eight more runs in the fourth to take a 13-8 lead in an inning that saw Alliance commit three errors.

KJ Bush went 3/4 with four RBIs for the Bombers. Jonathan Kruse, Larry Lofton and Trenton Carrizales all drove in a pair.

Sheridan County rallied from an early deficit to lead 8-3 but saw Gering rally back and win in the final inning.

An error led to the winning run in the seventh.&nbsp; With one out Tanner Gartner stole second then advanced to third and home on a Regulators miscue for a 10-9 advantage.

Dalton Wiese led Gering with three RBIs.&nbsp; Gartner had a pair of doubles and scored three times.

Jace Freeseman went 2/4 with two RBIs for Sheridan County. Aydon McDonald had a two hit day and scored three times.

Gering scored 13 times in the fourth inning to take complete control of a 1-1 game.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brady Radzymski had two hits and drove in four runs to pace Gering. Riley Schanaman, Blake Greene and Anthony Walker all drove in two.

Quinton Janicek pitched all four innings of the run-rule shortened game.&nbsp; He allowed just two hits and struck out six.&nbsp; It took just 67 pitches to finish the job.

Gering is 13-8 this summer while Sheridan County falls to 7-11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard &amp; Recaps - Tuesday, July 14Alliance SRs 16, Bridgeport 0Alliance took a modest 3-0 lead into the third inning then exploded with 13 more in a 16-0 rout over Bridgeport.Collin Schrawyer, Brantz Halouska, and Tyzen Brown all drove in two Spartan runs.&nbsp; Schrawyer was a perfect 4/4 on the night at the plate.Caeson Clarke pitched the first four innings and allowed the only two hits for Bridgeport.&nbsp; Clarke struck out three.&nbsp; Kirk Sanders and Joel Baker handled the final three outs.Alliance improves to 18-9, while Bridgeport slips to 6-15.&nbsp;Bridgeport 13, Alliance JRs 10Alliance and Bridgeport battled in a high-scoring affair Bridgeport won 13-10.Alliance got it started early with a 2-0 lead in the first that became 6-0 after two. Vic Hinojosa smacked a solo homer and several singles led the charge in the second.Bridgeport struck back in the third with five runs to make it 6-5 on a pair of RBI singles surrounding an error. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch made it 6-4 before an RBI ground out got Bridgeport within a run.Bridgeport exploded for eight more runs in the fourth to take a 13-8 lead in an inning that saw Alliance commit three errors.KJ Bush went 3/4 with four RBIs for the Bombers. Jonathan Kruse, Larry Lofton and Trenton Carrizales all drove in a pair.The Alliance JRs drop to 11-6.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Gering JRs 10, Sheridan County 9Sheridan County rallied from an early deficit to lead 8-3 but saw Gering rally back and win in the final inning.An error led to the winning run in the seventh.&nbsp; With one out Tanner Gartner stole second then advanced to third and home on a Regulators miscue for a 10-9 advantage.Dalton Wiese led Gering with three RBIs.&nbsp; Gartner had a pair of doubles and scored three times.Jace Freeseman went 2/4 with two RBIs for Sheridan County. Aydon McDonald had a two hit day and scored three times.Gering SRs 14, Sheridan County 1Gering scored 13 times in the fourth inning to take complete control of a 1-1 game.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady Radzymski had two hits and drove in four runs to pace Gering. Riley Schanaman, Blake Greene and Anthony Walker all drove in two.Quinton Janicek pitched all four innings of the run-rule shortened game.&nbsp; He allowed just two hits and struck out six.&nbsp; It took just 67 pitches to finish the job.Gering is 13-8 this summer while Sheridan County falls to 7-11.Chadron SRs 10, Sidney 6

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard & Recaps - Tuesday, July 14

DENVER (AP) — All those fastballs that ended up bouncing around the water fall, fountains and pine trees at Coors Field during summer camp mean one of two things for the Colorado Rockies.

Either their pitchers are rusty and the team might be in for a long haul of a 60-game season or slugger Nolan Arenado is already in midseason form and opponents had better watch out.

“I’ve hit some mistakes,” Arenado acknowledged during a power surge that featured two moon-shot homers in an intrasquad scrimmage. “I think that’s hitting, right? You’ve got to be able to take advantage of the mistakes.”

Are the Rockies once again ready to rake at the plate but flounder from the mound?

Arenado said he wasn’t worried about seeing so many misplaced pitches in camp, suggesting it was just a case of him making them pay the price.

“They’re working on different pitches, they’re trying to get their pitch count up," Arenado said. "As we get closer, yeah, you want them to be better. But we’re all working on things.”

That includes All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Charlie Blackmon, the first Major League player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Blackmon got sick last month and returned to the Rockies on July 13 after getting the all-clear.

“I wasn’t worried. I felt sick, but it was nothing compared to me having the flu,” Blackmon said, adding he was only sick for about 36 hours. “Looking back on it, I wish I had gotten this months ago and felt crappy for a day and a-half and then got on with it and lived the rest of my life and not have tried to avoid it by canceling everything in the country.

“That’s only based on my experience. It can be much more serious for” others, Blackmon added.

Arenado was glad to have his fellow slugger back.

“We know how much we need him and how important he is to our group,” Arenado said. “It’s not like if Chuck’s out, you’re going to plug in a guy who does exactly what Chuck does. You know, what Chuck does is pretty special."

Blackmon hopes to be ready for the Rockies’ opener at Texas on July 24.

DENVER (AP) — All those fastballs that ended up bouncing around the water fall, fountains and pine trees at Coors Field during summer camp mean one of two things for the Colorado Rockies.Either their pitchers are rusty and the team might be in for a long haul of a 60-game season or slugger Nolan Arenado is already in midseason form and opponents had better watch out.The Rockies insist it’s the latter.“I’ve hit some mistakes,” Arenado acknowledged during a power surge that featured two moon-shot homers in an intrasquad scrimmage. “I think that’s hitting, right? You’ve got to be able to take advantage of the mistakes.”Are the Rockies once again ready to rake at the plate but flounder from the mound?Arenado said he wasn’t worried about seeing so many misplaced pitches in camp, suggesting it was just a case of him making them pay the price.“They’re working on different pitches, they’re trying to get their pitch count up," Arenado said. "As we get closer, yeah, you want them to be better. But we’re all working on things.”That includes All-Star outfielder&nbsp;Charlie Blackmon, the first Major League player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.Blackmon got sick last month and returned to the Rockies on July 13 after getting the all-clear.“I wasn’t worried. I felt sick, but it was nothing compared to me having the flu,” Blackmon said, adding he was only sick for about 36 hours. “Looking back on it, I wish I had gotten this months ago and felt crappy for a day and a-half and then got on with it and lived the rest of my life and not have tried to avoid it by canceling everything in the country.“That’s only based on my experience. It can be much more serious for” others, Blackmon added.Arenado was glad to have his fellow slugger back.“We know how much we need him and how important he is to our group,” Arenado said. “It’s not like if Chuck’s out, you’re going to plug in a guy who does exactly what Chuck does. You know, what Chuck does is pretty special."Blackmon hopes to be ready for the Rockies’ opener at Texas on July 24.

Rockies star recovering from COVID-19 against "canceling-everything strategy"

⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Monday, July 13

Alliance SRs 7, Chappell (Buckley) 6

Alliance didn't stop scoring runs from the third inning forward and defeated Chappell on a walk-off in the bottom of the eighth Monday.

Trevor Dubray broke a 6-6 tie when his liner was mishandled in center field bringing in Caeson Clarke with two outs as the winning run.

Down 2-0, Alliance scored one run in each inning to finish the game except for the fifth when two came across the plate.&nbsp; The Spartans were outhit 12-7.&nbsp; The teams committed seven errors with four on the Chappell side.

JJ Garza allowed four Bombers hits in his 4+ innings of work, striking out seven and walking just one.&nbsp; Chase King pitched three innings and DuBray got the final two outs.

Chappell starter Corbin Murphy allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings but only two were earned.&nbsp; He walked four and struck out five.

Alliance SRs 7, Chappell (Buckley) 3

Alliance swept the twin bill with a big sixth inning in Monday's nightcap.&nbsp; The first three batters reached to load the bases when JJ Garza's sac fly brought Alliance to within 4-3. The Spartans added runs on back to back singles for a 7-3 lead with Joel Baker's two-run knock and Caeson Clarke following with an RBI.&nbsp; Jakob Callan contributed two RBIs in the win.

Trevor DuBray and Collin Schrawyer split duties on the mound for the win.&nbsp; DuBray went four innings to start and only gave up one hit.&nbsp; Schrawyer allowed only two hits and the combo struck out eight in the game.

By sweeping the doubleheader Alliance raises its season mark to 17-9.&nbsp; Chappell slides to 14-10.

Two runs in the sixth won it for Gering to open a Monday doubleheader with Casper. Down 2-1 with an out, Riley Schanaman reached on an error and scored on Jack Franklin's RBI single that followed to tie the game. Franklin would come in to score on an error by the Casper catcher during the next at-bat to give Gering the 3-2 lead.&nbsp; Casper went down 1-2-3 in the seventh to end it.

Franklin pitched a complete game for the victory. He allowed four hits and struck out five without walking a batter.

Casper salvaged a split of the double header with a 12-2 win in game two.&nbsp; Gering had a 1-0 lead before Casper scored three times in the third and never trailed again.&nbsp; They added seven in the fourth to go up 10-2.

Shane Taggart had a 4/4 day with three runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Casper batting order. Braden Barr had three knocks, scored twice and collected a pair of RBIs.

Anthony Walker allowed nine Casper runs in his 3 1/3 innings on the mound for Gering, however only three of those runs were earned.&nbsp; Both teams committed a pair of errors.

Cyler Lewis threw a complete game victory and struck out six, walked two and only gave up three hits to Gering.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical&nbsp; High School Sports Scoreboard" />
 <figcaption>Fire-&amp;-Ice Mechanical&nbsp; High School Sports Scoreboard</figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Monday, July 13Alliance SRs 7, Chappell (Buckley) 6Alliance didn't stop scoring runs from the third inning forward and defeated Chappell on a walk-off in the bottom of the eighth Monday.Trevor Dubray broke a 6-6 tie when his liner was mishandled in center field bringing in Caeson Clarke with two outs as the winning run.Down 2-0, Alliance scored one run in each inning to finish the game except for the fifth when two came across the plate.&nbsp; The Spartans were outhit 12-7.&nbsp; The teams committed seven errors with four on the Chappell side.JJ Garza allowed four Bombers hits in his 4+ innings of work, striking out seven and walking just one.&nbsp; Chase King pitched three innings and DuBray got the final two outs.Chappell starter Corbin Murphy allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings but only two were earned.&nbsp; He walked four and struck out five.Alliance SRs 7, Chappell (Buckley) 3Alliance swept the twin bill with a big sixth inning in Monday's nightcap.&nbsp; The first three batters reached to load the bases when JJ Garza's sac fly brought Alliance to within 4-3. The Spartans added runs on back to back singles for a 7-3 lead with Joel Baker's two-run knock and Caeson Clarke following with an RBI.&nbsp; Jakob Callan contributed two RBIs in the win.Trevor DuBray and Collin Schrawyer split duties on the mound for the win.&nbsp; DuBray went four innings to start and only gave up one hit.&nbsp; Schrawyer allowed only two hits and the combo struck out eight in the game.By sweeping the doubleheader Alliance raises its season mark to 17-9.&nbsp; Chappell slides to 14-10.Gering SRs 3, Casper 2Two runs in the sixth won it for Gering to open a Monday doubleheader with Casper. Down 2-1 with an out, Riley Schanaman reached on an error and scored on Jack Franklin's RBI single that followed to tie the game. Franklin would come in to score on an error by the Casper catcher during the next at-bat to give Gering the 3-2 lead.&nbsp; Casper went down 1-2-3 in the seventh to end it.Franklin pitched a complete game for the victory. He allowed four hits and struck out five without walking a batter.Casper 12, Gering SRs 2Casper salvaged a split of the double header with a 12-2 win in game two.&nbsp; Gering had a 1-0 lead before Casper scored three times in the third and never trailed again.&nbsp; They added seven in the fourth to go up 10-2.Shane Taggart had a 4/4 day with three runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Casper batting order. Braden Barr had three knocks, scored twice and collected a pair of RBIs.Anthony Walker allowed nine Casper runs in his 3 1/3 innings on the mound for Gering, however only three of those runs were earned.&nbsp; Both teams committed a pair of errors.Cyler Lewis threw a complete game victory and struck out six, walked two and only gave up three hits to Gering.Gering's summer record is now 12-8.

(AP) The University of Texas has rejected calls by its athletes to change a school song that they believe has racist undertones. “The Eyes of Texas” has long been criticized for its connection to minstrel shows with characters in blackface in the early 1900s. The school says the song will remain. Texas interim president Jim Hartzell says the Texas community has the power to determine “what the ‘Eyes of Texas’ expect of us, what they demand of us.”&nbsp;

(AP) Now that the Washington Redskins have dropped their nickname, the spotlight has moved to other sports franchises under pressure to make changes amid a nationwide movement calling for racial justice. The NFL team said it is retiring its nickname, which had been in place since 1933. Several sponsors threatened to end partnerships if the team didn't change. 

(AP) The Cleveland Indians seem to be the next pro team in line for change. They are in preliminary discussions about a new name. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks said they have no plans to change their names or logos.

(AP) The University of Texas has rejected calls by its athletes to change a school song that they believe has racist undertones. “The Eyes of Texas” has long been criticized for its connection to minstrel shows with characters in blackface in the early 1900s. The school says the song will remain. Texas interim president Jim Hartzell says the Texas community has the power to determine “what the ‘Eyes of Texas’ expect of us, what they demand of us.”&nbsp;(AP) Now that the Washington Redskins have dropped their nickname, the spotlight has moved to other sports franchises under pressure to make changes amid a nationwide movement calling for racial justice. The NFL team said it is retiring its nickname, which had been in place since 1933. Several sponsors threatened to end partnerships if the team didn't change. (AP) The Cleveland Indians seem to be the next pro team in line for change. They are in preliminary discussions about a new name. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks said they have no plans to change their names or logos.

Longhorns not bowing to athletes' pressure to drop "The Eyes of Texas" song

⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Sunday, July 12

Mario Garza hit a walk-off two-run double to give Alliance a win over rival Scottsbluff Sunday.&nbsp; Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth Alliance started the frame with back-to-back singles, then Garza ended it quickly with his game-winning hit.

Garza was one of four Spartans with multi-hit games going 2/3 with two RBIs.&nbsp; Eli Blanco had a 3/4 day and drove in a run while scoring three times.

Errors by the Scottsbluff defense helped Alliance get to Express starter Cael Peters who allowed nine hits and five runs in his seven innings on the mound.&nbsp; Only two of the Spartans runs off Peters were earned.

Alliance earned its 11th win and is now 11-6 this summer.

Gering held off an Ogallala rally in the bottom of the final inning to preserve a 6-5 win Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gering led 6-3 when Ogallala started the bottom of the seventh with a hit batter surrounded by a pair of walks to load the bases.&nbsp; A fielder's choice brought home Ogallala's fourth run and a second hit batter made it a 6-5 game, but a strikeout and fly out ended Ogallala's threat with the winning run stranded at second.

Gering improves to 7-7 while Ogallala slips to 10-7.

Fort Morgan got a swift start in Scottsbluff Sunday with seven runs before the Zephyrs came to bat and went on to win 17-6.

Scottsbluff made a charge in the fourth inning to get back in it.&nbsp; Down 12-1 the Z's scored five times to cut it to 12-6.&nbsp; Chris Snelling and Jerod Balthazor had RBI singles and an error followed to cut it to 12-4. A bases loaded walk brought in another run and a hit batter sliced it to 12-6.

Fort Morgan would answer in the top half of the next inning with five runs to put the game away.

<figure>
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 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Scoreboard - Sunday, July 12Alliance JRs 7, Scottsbluff 6Mario Garza hit a walk-off two-run double to give Alliance a win over rival Scottsbluff Sunday.&nbsp; Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth Alliance started the frame with back-to-back singles, then Garza ended it quickly with his game-winning hit.Garza was one of four Spartans with multi-hit games going 2/3 with two RBIs.&nbsp; Eli Blanco had a 3/4 day and drove in a run while scoring three times.Errors by the Scottsbluff defense helped Alliance get to Express starter Cael Peters who allowed nine hits and five runs in his seven innings on the mound.&nbsp; Only two of the Spartans runs off Peters were earned.Alliance earned its 11th win and is now 11-6 this summer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Gering JRs 6, Ogallala 5Gering held off an Ogallala rally in the bottom of the final inning to preserve a 6-5 win Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gering led 6-3 when Ogallala started the bottom of the seventh with a hit batter surrounded by a pair of walks to load the bases.&nbsp; A fielder's choice brought home Ogallala's fourth run and a second hit batter made it a 6-5 game, but a strikeout and fly out ended Ogallala's threat with the winning run stranded at second.Gering improves to 7-7 while Ogallala slips to 10-7.Fort Morgan 17, Scottsbluff SRs 6Fort Morgan got a swift start in Scottsbluff Sunday with seven runs before the Zephyrs came to bat and went on to win 17-6.Scottsbluff made a charge in the fourth inning to get back in it.&nbsp; Down 12-1 the Z's scored five times to cut it to 12-6.&nbsp; Chris Snelling and Jerod Balthazor had RBI singles and an error followed to cut it to 12-4. A bases loaded walk brought in another run and a hit batter sliced it to 12-6.Fort Morgan would answer in the top half of the next inning with five runs to put the game away.Scottsbluff drops to 7-12 this summer.Torrington SRs 12, Wheatland 2

⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Friday, July 10

Sidney pieced together a huge first inning for a 7-0 lead and never came close to relinquishing it Friday afternoon in a 16-4 win over Sheridan County.

After Sheridan County loaded the bases but failed to score to begin the ballgame Sidney scored four times in the bottom half on a set of walks, singles and an error to go ahead 5-0. Another error on a grounder let two more come in for the big lead.&nbsp; Of Sidney's 16 runs none scored on an extra-base hit.

Nolan Hofrock compiled three hits on a 3/4 afternoon and had three RBIs. Ethan Reichman had a couple of hits and two RBIs.&nbsp; Ty Stettner drove in three Sidney runs and Austin Wolfe scored twice.

Wolfe, Stettner and Hofrock combined for the win on the mound. The trio struck out nine Regulators and walked only one.&nbsp; Sheridan County had three hits.

Rapid City (Post 22) 14, Alliance JRs 0

Rapid City Post 22 held the Spartan JRs to one hit in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, a 14-0 victory.

Kadin Nelson needed just 64 pitches to complete his seven-inning shutout.&nbsp; He struck out nine and didn't walk a batter. Mario Garcia was the lone Spartan to register a hit.

Wyatt Anderson led Rapid City with five RBIs in a 3/3 afternoon. Hayden Holec plated four runs with the bat.

Alliance trailed 4-0, 7-0 and 13-0 after three complete innings.

Rapid City (Post 22) 9, Alliance JRs 8

Game two was competitive through the final play when Rapid City scored the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth inning to break an 8-8 tie.

Alliance jumped out to a brief 2-0 lead to start the game with Kellon Muhr stealing second, third and home plate to go up 1-0 followed by an RBI single from Jakob Kallan.

Rapid City tied it 2-2 and Alliance answered in the second frame with Nic Wright scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-2 advantage.&nbsp; Wright reached on a walk and advanced to third on Muhr's double.

Rapid countered with a big second inning - scoring four times - leading 6-3 heading to the third. 

Alliance would tack on a run, then add two more in the fourth and finally tie the game with two in the seventh on Brantz Halouska's two-run single. The Spartans eventually sent it to extra innings but a pair of walks in the eighth and the two passed balls allowed the winning run to come across.

<h2>Fire-and-Ice Mechanical Scoreboard</h2>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Friday, July 10Sidney JRs 16, Sheridan County 4Sidney pieced together a huge first inning for a 7-0 lead and never came close to relinquishing it Friday afternoon in a 16-4 win over Sheridan County.After Sheridan County loaded the bases but failed to score to begin the ballgame Sidney scored four times in the bottom half on a set of walks, singles and an error to go ahead 5-0. Another error on a grounder let two more come in for the big lead.&nbsp; Of Sidney's 16 runs none scored on an extra-base hit.Nolan Hofrock compiled three hits on a 3/4 afternoon and had three RBIs. Ethan Reichman had a couple of hits and two RBIs.&nbsp; Ty Stettner drove in three Sidney runs and Austin Wolfe scored twice.Wolfe, Stettner and Hofrock combined for the win on the mound. The trio struck out nine Regulators and walked only one.&nbsp; Sheridan County had three hits.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Rapid City (Post 22) 14, Alliance JRs 0Rapid City Post 22 held the Spartan JRs to one hit in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, a 14-0 victory.Kadin Nelson needed just 64 pitches to complete his seven-inning shutout.&nbsp; He struck out nine and didn't walk a batter. Mario Garcia was the lone Spartan to register a hit.Wyatt Anderson led Rapid City with five RBIs in a 3/3 afternoon. Hayden Holec plated four runs with the bat.Alliance trailed 4-0, 7-0 and 13-0 after three complete innings.Rapid City (Post 22) 9, Alliance JRs 8Game two was competitive through the final play when Rapid City scored the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth inning to break an 8-8 tie.Alliance jumped out to a brief 2-0 lead to start the game with Kellon Muhr stealing second, third and home plate to go up 1-0 followed by an RBI single from Jakob Kallan.Rapid City tied it 2-2 and Alliance answered in the second frame with Nic Wright scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-2 advantage.&nbsp; Wright reached on a walk and advanced to third on Muhr's double.Rapid countered with a big second inning - scoring four times - leading 6-3 heading to the third. Alliance would tack on a run, then add two more in the fourth and finally tie the game with two in the seventh on Brantz Halouska's two-run single. The Spartans eventually sent it to extra innings but a pair of walks in the eighth and the two passed balls allowed the winning run to come across.Other Scores:Torrington 7, Cheyenne (Post 6) 3Wheatland 16, Cheyenne (Post 6) 6

Western Nebraska Community College's Cory Fehringer has resigned from his position of head men's basketball coach, effective immediately, according to WNCC Athletic Director Ryan Burgner.&nbsp;

"We appreciate Cory's commitment and dedication to the Cougars Men's Basketball program," Burgner said. "He is one of the great young coaches in the country and his presence in Cougar Palace and our community will be missed."

Fehringer took over the men's basketball program in the summer of 2016. In four seasons, he amassed a record of 91-39, and led the Cougars to the Region IX title in 2018, the program's first since 2001. Since 2016, nine players under Fehringer have been named to the All-Region honor list. He coached one All-American, Vinnie Shahid, who was named to the All-American Second Team in 2018.

Current assistant coach Billy Engel will serve as the interim head coach for the 2020-2021 season, until the position can be permanently filled. With restrictions still in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the job search will be delayed until a thorough, nation-wide search can be conducted.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Courtesy: WNCCWestern Nebraska Community College's Cory Fehringer has resigned from his position of head men's basketball coach, effective immediately, according to WNCC Athletic Director Ryan Burgner.&nbsp; "We appreciate Cory's commitment and dedication to the Cougars Men's Basketball program," Burgner said. "He is one of the great young coaches in the country and his presence in Cougar Palace and our community will be missed." Fehringer took over the men's basketball program in the summer of 2016. In four seasons, he amassed a record of 91-39, and led the Cougars to the Region IX title in 2018, the program's first since 2001. Since 2016, nine players under Fehringer have been named to the All-Region honor list. He coached one All-American, Vinnie Shahid, who was named to the All-American Second Team in 2018. Current assistant coach Billy Engel will serve as the interim head coach for the 2020-2021 season, until the position can be permanently filled. With restrictions still in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the job search will be delayed until a thorough, nation-wide search can be conducted.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WNCC men's basketball coach resigns

⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Thursday, July 9

Alliance SRs 6, Chappell (Buckley) 3

Alliance trailed 2-0 but rallied and opened it up with a big sixth inning to beat Chappell Thursday 6-3.

Alliance began the top of the sixth trailing 3-2 and made its winning comeback with two outs after the first two hitters failed to reach.&nbsp; Drew Romick doubled in a run to tie the game and Collin Schrawyer gave Alliance its first lead with an RBI single, 4-3. Joel Baker stepped in next and singled in another run for a 5-3 advantage.

Brantz Halouska pitched the first three innings for Alliance and gave up just one earned run.&nbsp; Chase King finished the final four frames and didn't allow Chappell to cross the plate.

Dillon Harshman threw all seven innings for Chappell.&nbsp; He allowed ten hits and all six Alliance runs were earned.

Chappell (Buckley) 8, Alliance SRs 7

Chappell wasted no time racing out to a big lead in game two of Thursday's doubleheader but had to hold off the Spartans mid-game rally to win.

The Bombers scored four in the first to go up 4-2, and four more in the second for an 8-2 lead. The big hit early came when Caleb Deaver tripled in two runs for a 3-2 advantage in the first. After a single and two walks to begin the second Sam Uyemura gave the Bombers a 5-2 lead with an RBI single. A two-run error and sac fly allowed Buckley to build its 8-2 lead.

Alliance roared back in the top of the fifth.&nbsp; Down six runs the Spartans rallied with two outs.&nbsp; After a pair of singles, Alliance scored twice on passed balls to make it 8-4.&nbsp; Following another walk, Kirk Sanders and Trevor DuBray scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 8-6.&nbsp; 

In the final inning JJ Garza led off with a triple and scored on a one-out grounder to cut the lead to 8-7, but a line-out then ended the game.

Alliance moves to 15-9 after Thursday's games.&nbsp; Chappell is 13-7.

Gering continued to tack on runs inning after inning and pulled away to beat rival Scottsbluff 6-4 Thursday.

Gering took a 2-1 lead after the first inning and went into the third tied 3-3 with the Zephyrs.&nbsp; Gering added a single run in each of the next three innings to end up on top for good.

Errors really hurt the Scottsbluff cause.&nbsp; Only one of Gering's six runs was earned as the Zephyrs committed five miscues.

Riley Schanaman pitched nearly a complete game for the win.&nbsp; He allowed seven hits, only two earned runs and struck out seven Z's.&nbsp;

Tate Carson had a two-hit night with two RBIs to lead the Scottsbluff bats.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Quinton Janicek had two hits and an RBI on the Gering side.

Gering improves to 9-7.&nbsp; Scottsbluff drops to 7-10.

<h2>Fire-and-Ice Mechanical Scoreboard</h2>By: Dave Collins, Sports Director⚾| Legion Baseball Recaps - Thursday, July 9Alliance SRs 6, Chappell (Buckley) 3Alliance trailed 2-0 but rallied and opened it up with a big sixth inning to beat Chappell Thursday 6-3.Alliance began the top of the sixth trailing 3-2 and made its winning comeback with two outs after the first two hitters failed to reach.&nbsp; Drew Romick doubled in a run to tie the game and Collin Schrawyer gave Alliance its first lead with an RBI single, 4-3. Joel Baker stepped in next and singled in another run for a 5-3 advantage.Brantz Halouska pitched the first three innings for Alliance and gave up just one earned run.&nbsp; Chase King finished the final four frames and didn't allow Chappell to cross the plate.Dillon Harshman threw all seven innings for Chappell.&nbsp; He allowed ten hits and all six Alliance runs were earned.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Chappell (Buckley) 8, Alliance SRs 7Chappell wasted no time racing out to a big lead in game two of Thursday's doubleheader but had to hold off the Spartans mid-game rally to win.The Bombers scored four in the first to go up 4-2, and four more in the second for an 8-2 lead. The big hit early came when Caleb Deaver tripled in two runs for a 3-2 advantage in the first. After a single and two walks to begin the second Sam Uyemura gave the Bombers a 5-2 lead with an RBI single. A two-run error and sac fly allowed Buckley to build its 8-2 lead.Alliance roared back in the top of the fifth.&nbsp; Down six runs the Spartans rallied with two outs.&nbsp; After a pair of singles, Alliance scored twice on passed balls to make it 8-4.&nbsp; Following another walk, Kirk Sanders and Trevor DuBray scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 8-6.&nbsp; In the final inning JJ Garza led off with a triple and scored on a one-out grounder to cut the lead to 8-7, but a line-out then ended the game.Alliance moves to 15-9 after Thursday's games.&nbsp; Chappell is 13-7.Gering SRs 6, Scottsbluff 4Gering continued to tack on runs inning after inning and pulled away to beat rival Scottsbluff 6-4 Thursday.Gering took a 2-1 lead after the first inning and went into the third tied 3-3 with the Zephyrs.&nbsp; Gering added a single run in each of the next three innings to end up on top for good.Errors really hurt the Scottsbluff cause.&nbsp; Only one of Gering's six runs was earned as the Zephyrs committed five miscues.Riley Schanaman pitched nearly a complete game for the win.&nbsp; He allowed seven hits, only two earned runs and struck out seven Z's.&nbsp;Tate Carson had a two-hit night with two RBIs to lead the Scottsbluff bats.&nbsp;&nbsp;Quinton Janicek had two hits and an RBI on the Gering side.Gering improves to 9-7.&nbsp; Scottsbluff drops to 7-10.More Scores Thursday:Gering JRs 6, Scottsbluff 3Ogallala JRs 6, Imperial 0

The Big Ten Conference is limiting fall sports to only conference games.&nbsp; 

By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorThe Big Ten Conference is limiting fall sports to only conference games.&nbsp; The announcement came on Thursday afternoon and means three of Nebraska's football games have been canceled, leaving nine games on the schedule to play.&nbsp; Over the next several weeks I imagine we will hear more about how the conference plans to fill the newly-open weeks by shuffling game dates, or adding conference opponents to those open slots.Nebraska has already removed games against Central Michigan, Cincinnati and South Dakota State from its official schedule on the team's website. The season opener is against Purdue on September 5, with the next game scheduled against Northwestern October 3.Other exciting non-con match-ups that will no longer happen this fall as of today due to the announcement: Ohio State at Oregon, Michigan vs. Washington, Wisconsin vs Notre Dame, Michigan State vs. Miami, FL, and Penn State vs. Virginia Tech.Here is the official statement from the Big Ten:&nbsp;We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority. To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports. Details for these sports will be released at a later date, while decisions on sports not listed above will continue to be evaluated. By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most&nbsp;current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic. This decision was made following&nbsp;many&nbsp;thoughtful conversations over several months between the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors, Directors of Athletics, Conference Office staff, and medical experts including the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee. In addition, the Conference announced that summer athletic activities will continue to be voluntary in all sports currently permitted to engage in such activities. Furthermore, Big Ten student-athletes who choose not to participate in intercollegiate athletics at any time during the summer and/or the 2020-21 academic year due to concerns about COVID-19 will continue to have their scholarship honored by their institution and will remain in good standing with their team.&nbsp; While Big Ten member institutions continue to rely on the most up-to-date medical information to establish the best protocols for voluntary workouts on their campuses, in compliance with local and state regulations, the Conference is working with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee to finalize Conference-wide protocols. As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts, we are also prepared not to play in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate.&nbsp;&nbsp;