By:&nbsp; Mike Glesinger Panhandle Post

Wednesday was a great day for Box Butte County Cross Country teams.&nbsp; Alliance competed in the C-5 District meet in Ogallala and Hemingford competed in the D-6 meet in Grant.&nbsp; These events were moved up one day due to the forecast of cold, wet weather on Thursday.

The Hemingford Girls team defended their District Title from 2022, taking the Championship with a team score of 10,&nbsp; ahead of Mullen, who finished 2nd,&nbsp; with a score of 18.&nbsp; Wallace was 3rd with 29 points.&nbsp; The Top 3 Teams qualify for State Competition.&nbsp; The Bobcats Girls also had three medalists with Sophomore Dakota Horstman finishing first with a time of 20:57.2.&nbsp; Junior Aurora Hinman was 3rd at 21:47.6 and Senior Carlye Kresl finished 7th at 22:30.5.&nbsp; Other team members were Teagan Thompson and Serenity Dillard.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Other Girls qualifiers from our area were...Tyrah American Horse (6th) and Rylie Barker (15th) from Gordon-Rushville.&nbsp; Cecilia Barron (5th)&nbsp; from Morrill. Taylor Bright (14th) from Bridgeport. The Top 15 Individuals also qualify for State.&nbsp;

Hemingford will also send their Boys team to State for a 2nd straight year. The Bobcat Boys finished 3rd in the team race with 69 points, behind North Platte St. Patrick's...1st with 11 points and Perkins County who was 2nd with 19 points.&nbsp; Hemingford junior, Boady Hunter was 12th at 18:57.0 and Freshman Austin Benda was 15th at 19:08.8. Other team members were Keirith Yale and Cody Penaluna.&nbsp; &nbsp;Jayme Clark is the Head Coach of Hemingford.

Other Boys qualifiers from our area were...Luke Laws (9th), Gordon-Rushville.&nbsp; Zeke Christiansen (10th), Garden County.&nbsp; Parker Wellnitz (11th), Hay Springs and Nathaniel Barker (13th), Bayard.

The Class C-5 Meet was held in Ogallala. The Alliance Boys Team qualified for State finishing 3rd in the team race with 73 points. Gothenburg was 1st with 16 points and Holdrege was the runner up with 41 points.&nbsp;

The Bulldogs top finisher was Sophomore Trevor Zurn who was 5th with a personal best time of 17:03.34.&nbsp; Other AHS team members were Freshman Asher Saka (19th), 18:04.24.&nbsp; Senior Ben Cassatt-Reina (24th), 18:17.32.&nbsp; &nbsp;Senior Mario Rodriquez (25th), 18:18.23.&nbsp; Sophomore Evan Merrihew&nbsp; (33rd), 18:50.30. Other team members.....Graydon Zahn and Devin Graham.&nbsp; &nbsp;Alliance is Coached by Kelly Erickson.&nbsp;

The remainder of the District Meets will be run on Thursday. The State Championships will be held at the Kearney Country Club on Friday, October 20.&nbsp; The schedule will go as follows.

 Class B Girls - 12:00 Noon.&nbsp; Class A Girls - 12:30 Pm.&nbsp; Class B Boys - 1 pm. Class A Boys-&nbsp; 1:30 pm.&nbsp; Class B/A&nbsp; Awards- 2 pm.&nbsp;

Class D Girls- 2:30 pm.&nbsp; Class C Girls - 3 pm.&nbsp; Class D Boys - 3:30&nbsp; pm.&nbsp; Class C Boys - 4 pm. Class D/C Awards- 4:30 pm.&nbsp; All Times are Central Time.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697118176387.jpeg" alt="Hemingford Cross Country Team members (courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Hemingford Cross Country Team members (courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp; Mike Glesinger Panhandle PostWednesday was a great day for Box Butte County Cross Country teams.&nbsp; Alliance competed in the C-5 District meet in Ogallala and Hemingford competed in the D-6 meet in Grant.&nbsp; These events were moved up one day due to the forecast of cold, wet weather on Thursday.The Hemingford Girls team defended their District Title from 2022, taking the Championship with a team score of 10,&nbsp; ahead of Mullen, who finished 2nd,&nbsp; with a score of 18.&nbsp; Wallace was 3rd with 29 points.&nbsp; The Top 3 Teams qualify for State Competition.&nbsp; The Bobcats Girls also had three medalists with Sophomore Dakota Horstman finishing first with a time of 20:57.2.&nbsp; Junior Aurora Hinman was 3rd at 21:47.6 and Senior Carlye Kresl finished 7th at 22:30.5.&nbsp; Other team members were Teagan Thompson and Serenity Dillard.&nbsp; &nbsp;Other Girls qualifiers from our area were...Tyrah American Horse (6th) and Rylie Barker (15th) from Gordon-Rushville.&nbsp; Cecilia Barron (5th)&nbsp; from Morrill. Taylor Bright (14th) from Bridgeport. The Top 15 Individuals also qualify for State.&nbsp;Hemingford will also send their Boys team to State for a 2nd straight year. The Bobcat Boys finished 3rd in the team race with 69 points, behind North Platte St. Patrick's...1st with 11 points and Perkins County who was 2nd with 19 points.&nbsp; Hemingford junior, Boady Hunter was 12th at 18:57.0 and Freshman Austin Benda was 15th at 19:08.8. Other team members were Keirith Yale and Cody Penaluna.&nbsp; &nbsp;Jayme Clark is the Head Coach of Hemingford.Other Boys qualifiers from our area were...Luke Laws (9th), Gordon-Rushville.&nbsp; Zeke Christiansen (10th), Garden County.&nbsp; Parker Wellnitz (11th), Hay Springs and Nathaniel Barker (13th), Bayard.The Class C-5 Meet was held in Ogallala. The Alliance Boys Team qualified for State finishing 3rd in the team race with 73 points. Gothenburg was 1st with 16 points and Holdrege was the runner up with 41 points.&nbsp;The Bulldogs top finisher was Sophomore Trevor Zurn who was 5th with a personal best time of 17:03.34.&nbsp; Other AHS team members were Freshman Asher Saka (19th), 18:04.24.&nbsp; Senior Ben Cassatt-Reina (24th), 18:17.32.&nbsp; &nbsp;Senior Mario Rodriquez (25th), 18:18.23.&nbsp; Sophomore Evan Merrihew&nbsp; (33rd), 18:50.30. Other team members.....Graydon Zahn and Devin Graham.&nbsp; &nbsp;Alliance is Coached by Kelly Erickson.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697118247985.jpeg" alt="Alliance Boys Cross Country Team Members&nbsp; (courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>Alliance Boys Cross Country Team Members&nbsp; (courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>The remainder of the District Meets will be run on Thursday. The State Championships will be held at the Kearney Country Club on Friday, October 20.&nbsp; The schedule will go as follows. Class B Girls - 12:00 Noon.&nbsp; Class A Girls - 12:30 Pm.&nbsp; Class B Boys - 1 pm. Class A Boys-&nbsp; 1:30 pm.&nbsp; Class B/A&nbsp; Awards- 2 pm.&nbsp;Class D Girls- 2:30 pm.&nbsp; Class C Girls - 3 pm.&nbsp; Class D Boys - 3:30&nbsp; pm.&nbsp; Class C Boys - 4 pm. Class D/C Awards- 4:30 pm.&nbsp; All Times are Central Time.&nbsp;

Hemingford Girls Cross Country -District Champs! Hemingford and Alliance Boys also State Qualifiers

Chadron State quarterback Preston Pearson joins Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins to talk about all kinds of things including his 5 touchdown game, medical career aspirations &amp; the growing fame of the Pearson Tailgate Trailer!

<div><iframe title="CSC Sports Journal - Preston Pearson - 10/11/23" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=q5xhc-14cb417-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Chadron State quarterback Preston Pearson joins Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins to talk about all kinds of things including his 5 touchdown game, medical career aspirations &amp; the growing fame of the Pearson Tailgate Trailer!<figure>
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🎙 CSC Sports Journal - Preston Pearson - 10/11/23

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle Post

Alliance Boys tennis finished the regular season at home yesterday in a triangular with Gering and Scottsbluff.&nbsp;

Alliance defeated Gering 3 to 1 and lost to Scottsbluff 0 to 4.

The Bulldogs got wins from #1 Singles Tony Escamilla, and #2 Singles Tre Red Bear.

 #2 Doubles Bryce Wade and Kash Shrewsbury also earned wins as well.

Alliance leaves Sunday for state tennis in Lincoln.&nbsp; Play starts at 9 am on Monday 10/16.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostAlliance Boys tennis finished the regular season at home yesterday in a triangular with Gering and Scottsbluff.&nbsp;Alliance defeated Gering 3 to 1 and lost to Scottsbluff 0 to 4.The Bulldogs got wins from #1 Singles Tony Escamilla, and #2 Singles Tre Red Bear. #2 Doubles Bryce Wade and Kash Shrewsbury also earned wins as well.Alliance leaves Sunday for state tennis in Lincoln.&nbsp; Play starts at 9 am on Monday 10/16.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Boys Tennis: Escamilla, Red Bear, lead Bulldogs Tennis 

&nbsp;The Bulldogs had a strong start to their home triangular on Tuesday night, as the Alliance beat 2-0 (25-12, 25-18). Senior Anna Cheek led Mitchell with five kills in the match.

In game number two, Alliance faced a stiff test in Panhandle power Scottsbluff, and the Bearcats pulled away in straight sets (25-15-25-15).

Ella Foote had a match high nine kills to lead Scottsbluff. Alliance's record is currently 15-14 with just two games remaining. The Bulldogs travel to Chadron on Thursday Oct. 19 before finishing the regular season against South Dakota power Hill City.&nbsp;

It was senior night for the Bobcats on Tuesday night as they faced one of the top teams in the state in Bayard, as the Tigers won (25-12, 25-6, 25-12)

Hemingford's overall record falls to 8-17 with two games against Minatare and Kimball in away matches on Thursday, Oct. 19th.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostAlliance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696432577756.jpeg" alt="Alliance Volleyball team photo 2023" />
 <figcaption>Alliance Volleyball team photo 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;The Bulldogs had a strong start to their home triangular on Tuesday night, as the Alliance beat 2-0 (25-12, 25-18). Senior Anna Cheek led Mitchell with five kills in the match.In game number two, Alliance faced a stiff test in Panhandle power Scottsbluff, and the Bearcats pulled away in straight sets (25-15-25-15).Ella Foote had a match high nine kills to lead Scottsbluff. Alliance's record is currently 15-14 with just two games remaining. The Bulldogs travel to Chadron on Thursday Oct. 19 before finishing the regular season against South Dakota power Hill City.&nbsp;Hemingford<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697038885822.jpeg" alt="Photo credit to Hemingford Public Schools" />
 <figcaption>Photo credit to Hemingford Public Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>It was senior night for the Bobcats on Tuesday night as they faced one of the top teams in the state in Bayard, as the Tigers won (25-12, 25-6, 25-12)Hemingford's overall record falls to 8-17 with two games against Minatare and Kimball in away matches on Thursday, Oct. 19th.

HS Volleyball: Alliance splits triangular, Hemingford loses to unbeaten Bayard

🏐⛳🥎 High School Scoreboard - October 10

Girls State Golf <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4442162">Class B Link</a> <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4444644">Class C Link</a>

State Softball Brackets <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/149AQObim_OQjIA2FF8_rtsHZrUw9fnKTIUq5zfNn8Dk/edit#gid=738769646">Class B - Scottsbluff</a>

Alliance def. Mitchell, 25-13, 25-18 (2-0)

Bayard def. Hemingford, 25-11, 25-7, 25-12 (3-0)

Gering def. Gordon-Rushville, 25-22, 25-22, 25-17 (3-0)

Hay Springs def. Hyannis, 25-8, 25-15 (2-0)

Leyton def. Peetz, CO, 25-14, 25-6, 25-16 (3-0)

Morrill def. Hay Springs, 26-24, 26-24 (2-0)

Ogallala def. North Platte St. Patrick's, 25-16, 25-12, 25-17 (3-0)

Paxton def. Kimball, 25-10, 25-14, 25-15 (3-0)

Potter-Dix def. Garden County, 25-13, 25-19 (2-0)

Scottsbluff def. Alliance, 25-15, 25-15 (2-0)

Scottsbluff def. Mitchell, 25-19, 25-17 (2-0)

Sidney def. Chadron, 24-26, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 16-14 (3-2)

Wallace def. Garden County, 25-7, 25-12 (2-0)

Wallace def. Potter-Dix, 25-22, 25-17 (2-0)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598923669137.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins Sports Director🏐⛳🥎 High School Scoreboard - October 10Girls State Golf <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4442162">Class B Link</a> <a href="https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4444644">Class C Link</a>State Softball Brackets <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/149AQObim_OQjIA2FF8_rtsHZrUw9fnKTIUq5zfNn8Dk/edit#gid=738769646">Class B - Scottsbluff</a>VolleyballAlliance def. Mitchell, 25-13, 25-18 (2-0)Bayard def. Hemingford, 25-11, 25-7, 25-12 (3-0)Gering def. Gordon-Rushville, 25-22, 25-22, 25-17 (3-0)Hay Springs def. Hyannis, 25-8, 25-15 (2-0)Leyton def. Peetz, CO, 25-14, 25-6, 25-16 (3-0)Morrill def. Hay Springs, 26-24, 26-24 (2-0)Ogallala def. North Platte St. Patrick's, 25-16, 25-12, 25-17 (3-0)Paxton def. Kimball, 25-10, 25-14, 25-15 (3-0)Potter-Dix def. Garden County, 25-13, 25-19 (2-0)Scottsbluff def. Alliance, 25-15, 25-15 (2-0)Scottsbluff def. Mitchell, 25-19, 25-17 (2-0)Sidney def. Chadron, 24-26, 22-25, 25-17, 25-22, 16-14 (3-2)Wallace def. Garden County, 25-7, 25-12 (2-0)Wallace def. Potter-Dix, 25-22, 25-17 (2-0)

🏐⛳🥎 High School Scoreboard - October 10

CSC football coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins break down the win over Fort Lewis, discuss the change to a one-QB system, Tommy Thomas taking RMAC Player of the Week, Adams State coming up and more!

<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - 10/10/23" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=v52aq-14c9901-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>CSC football coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins break down the win over Fort Lewis, discuss the change to a one-QB system, Tommy Thomas taking RMAC Player of the Week, Adams State coming up and more!<figure>
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🔊 Jay Long Show - 10/10/23

By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information Director

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Tommy Thomas, a sophomore from Fort Collins, Colorado, was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

Thomas recorded seven catches for 225 yards and four touchdowns in Chadron State's win over Fort Lewis on Saturday.

His four touchdowns tie the Chadron State record for most TD receptions in a game. He joins Duane Smith in 1985, Don Beebe in 1988, Matt Reader in 2015 and Max Gray in 2016.

Thomas's touchdown catches covered 78, 66, 12 and 29 yards.  He also caught three more passes for 40 yards giving him seven receptions for 225 yards, sixth highest all-time for the Eagles.

On the season, Thomas has 34 catches for 590 yards and eight touchdowns. He leads CSC receivers in receptions by 20, yards by 445 and touchdowns by six.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696956605136.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Tommy Thomas, a sophomore from Fort Collins, Colorado, was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.Thomas recorded seven catches for 225 yards and four touchdowns in Chadron State's win over Fort Lewis on Saturday.His four touchdowns tie the Chadron State record for most TD receptions in a game. He joins Duane Smith in 1985, Don Beebe in 1988, Matt Reader in 2015 and Max Gray in 2016.Thomas's touchdown catches covered 78, 66, 12 and 29 yards. He also caught three more passes for 40 yards giving him seven receptions for 225 yards, sixth highest all-time for the Eagles.On the season, Thomas has 34 catches for 590 yards and eight touchdowns. He leads CSC receivers in receptions by 20, yards by 445 and touchdowns by six.

CSC's Thomas named RMAC Player of the Week

LINCOLN, Neb - Nebraska junior outside hitter Lindsay Krause was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday by the conference office.

Krause sparked the Huskers to a 3-1 win at Michigan State and a 3-0 sweep at Michigan with 3.43 kills per set on a .458 hitting percentage. She also added a team-high four service aces. Krause had a season-high 15 kills and just one error on 27 swings for a .519 hitting percentage in Saturday's win at Michigan. The Papillion, Neb., natve also had two aces and five digs. On Friday night, Krause posted nine kills with four digs and two aces while hitting .381. For the weekend, Krause totaled 24 kills and just two hitting errors on 48 swings.

LINCOLN, Neb - Nebraska junior outside hitter Lindsay Krause was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday by the conference office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696884277541.jpeg" alt="Lindsay Krause 2023" />
 <figcaption>Lindsay Krause 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>Krause sparked the Huskers to a 3-1 win at Michigan State and a 3-0 sweep at Michigan with 3.43 kills per set on a .458 hitting percentage. She also added a team-high four service aces. Krause had a season-high 15 kills and just one error on 27 swings for a .519 hitting percentage in Saturday's win at Michigan. The Papillion, Neb., natve also had two aces and five digs. On Friday night, Krause posted nine kills with four digs and two aces while hitting .381. For the weekend, Krause totaled 24 kills and just two hitting errors on 48 swings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/lindsaykrause_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lindsaykrause_</a> calls it to complete the sweep in Ann Arbor! 🧹 <a href="https://t.co/V4xIV7JQ9o">pic.twitter.com/V4xIV7JQ9o</a>&mdash; Nebraska Volleyball (@HuskerVB) <a href="https://twitter.com/HuskerVB/status/1710841739005538757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Krause named Big Ten Player of The Week

In a game that the Hemingford Bobcats had to have to keep their post-season hopes alive, the Bobcats delivered their most dominant performance of the season in a 64-6 victory over Kimball.

The Bobcats defense stifled Kimble by forcing four turnovers and holding the Longhorns to just 131 yards of total offense.

"We really wanted to get a solid performance from the defensive unit heading into the final game of the regular season," Hemingford Head Coach Josh Dean said. "This was our best game defensively."&nbsp;

Hemingford had over 400 yards of total offense with 334 rushing yards in the win. Cody Galles had 119 yards rushing and four TD's, Jacob Bryner had two rushing scores and 103 yards and Ryan Ragsdale chipped in two rushing scores on the ground and 86 yards.&nbsp;

Hemingford moves to 4-3 with one game left against 0-7 Morrill. The Bobcats have to win to sneak into the 32-team playoffs and also need a team in front of them to stumble. Currently they are 33rd.

Despite two rushing touchdowns by senior quarterback Landen Crowe, the Alliance Bulldogs fell behind early 27-0 after the first quarter and never recovered, losing 57-16 at McCook.

Crowe completed 14 of 26 passes for 104 yards, with an interception, while being held without a passing touchdown for the first time this season.

Espen Lanik caught eight passes for 58 yards to lead the Bulldogs in receiving.

Carson Swenson had one of the highlights of the night for Alliance, with his first interception of the season.

Next up for the Bulldogs is their final home game this season on Friday as they host rival Chadron.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostHemingford 64, Kimball 6<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696868170411.jpeg" alt="Photo credit to Hemingford Public Schools" />
 <figcaption>Photo credit to Hemingford Public Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>In a game that the Hemingford Bobcats had to have to keep their post-season hopes alive, the Bobcats delivered their most dominant performance of the season in a 64-6 victory over Kimball.The Bobcats defense stifled Kimble by forcing four turnovers and holding the Longhorns to just 131 yards of total offense."We really wanted to get a solid performance from the defensive unit heading into the final game of the regular season," Hemingford Head Coach Josh Dean said. "This was our best game defensively."&nbsp;Hemingford had over 400 yards of total offense with 334 rushing yards in the win. Cody Galles had 119 yards rushing and four TD's, Jacob Bryner had two rushing scores and 103 yards and Ryan Ragsdale chipped in two rushing scores on the ground and 86 yards.&nbsp;Hemingford moves to 4-3 with one game left against 0-7 Morrill. The Bobcats have to win to sneak into the 32-team playoffs and also need a team in front of them to stumble. Currently they are 33rd.Alliance 16, McCook 57<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696868277955.jpeg" alt="Espen Lanik makes catch, Photo Courtesy of Karen Benzel.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Espen Lanik makes catch, Photo Courtesy of Karen Benzel.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite two rushing touchdowns by senior quarterback Landen Crowe, the Alliance Bulldogs fell behind early 27-0 after the first quarter and never recovered, losing 57-16 at McCook.Crowe completed 14 of 26 passes for 104 yards, with an interception, while being held without a passing touchdown for the first time this season.Espen Lanik caught eight passes for 58 yards to lead the Bulldogs in receiving.Carson Swenson had one of the highlights of the night for Alliance, with his first interception of the season.Next up for the Bulldogs is their final home game this season on Friday as they host rival Chadron.

HS Football: Hemingford stays in playoff race, Alliance stumbles at McCook

Coach Rhule's breakdown of the Illinois game

The Alliance volleyball team continued their string of recent success by finishing third at the Western Conference Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, as the Alliance Bulldogs got big wins over Chadron and Gering after losing the first match to Scottsbluff.&nbsp;

Alliance won their final two matches by scores of 2-0 and 2-0. The win over Gering was their 2nd straight over their rival Bulldogs in less than a week. Prior to that Gering had won four in a row over Alliance this season.

Alliance improves to 14-13 overall, as the Bulldogs host Mitchell and Scottsbluff in a home triangular on Tuesday starting at 5 p.m.&nbsp;

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostThe Alliance volleyball team continued their string of recent success by finishing third at the Western Conference Volleyball Tournament on Saturday, as the Alliance Bulldogs got big wins over Chadron and Gering after losing the first match to Scottsbluff.&nbsp;Alliance won their final two matches by scores of 2-0 and 2-0. The win over Gering was their 2nd straight over their rival Bulldogs in less than a week. Prior to that Gering had won four in a row over Alliance this season.Alliance improves to 14-13 overall, as the Bulldogs host Mitchell and Scottsbluff in a home triangular on Tuesday starting at 5 p.m.&nbsp;

Alliance Volleyball finishes 3rd at Western Conference; Bulldogs building confidence

Story by NU Athletic Communications

The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team remained perfect on the season, sweeping Michigan (29-27, 25-17, 25-14) Saturday night. The Huskers improved to 15-0 with their ninth sweep of the year.

Lindsay Krause had a big night for the Big Red, which moved to 6-0 in conference play. Krause had a season-high 15 kills, one kill shy of her career high of 16 which came in a pair of five-set matches against Creighton and Oregon last season. Krause produced her 15 kills on only 27 swings with just one error, hitting a career-high .519. She also tied her career high with two service aces and tied her season high with five digs.

Harper Murray had a successful homecoming in her return to her hometown, producing a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs. She hit .423 and added three blocks and a pair of aces while recording at least 10 kills for the 10th straight match. Merritt Beason also had double-figure kills, finishing with 10 kills on 25 swings.

Bergen Reilly directed a balanced Husker offense with 40 assists. She helped Nebraska hit .343 for the match, the Huskers' highest attack percentage in a Big Ten match this season. Nebraska had 18 more kills than Michigan (48-30), and the Huskers also finished with more digs (46-37), blocks (6-5) and service aces (6-4). Michigan (3-12, 1-5) hit .173 for the match and was led by eight kills from Valentina Vaulet.

Set 1:&nbsp;Michigan got off to a fast start in set one, building a 9-4 lead to force an early Husker timeout. &nbsp;The Huskers were able to pull to within two on several occasions but could get no closer until a Murray ace cut the Michigan lead to 21-20, marking the closest Nebraska had been since 2-1. Consecutive Husker errors gave the Wolverines a 23-20 advantage and Nebraska had to fight off five set points. Murray had a kill on Michigan’s fifth set point to tie the set at 27-27 before a Beason kill gave the Huskers their first lead of the set at 28-27. Allick then won the set with a kill on Nebraska’s first set point. NU had seven more kills than Michigan (19-12) in the opening set, but the Wolverines hit .286 to Nebraska’s .250. Krause led Nebraska with seven kills in the first set.

Set 2:&nbsp;It was Nebraska with the fast start in set two, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. The Huskers had five kills on their first six swings and Michigan called an early timeout with the Big Red on top, 8-2. The Wolverines won four of the next five points to cut the lead to 9-6. A 3-0 run then pulled Michigan within 14-12, forcing Nebraska to call a timeout. Following three straight sideouts, the Huskers won four straight rallies to take a 19-13 lead as Michigan used its final timeout. The Wolverines won the first three points after the timeout but the Huskers pulled away, winning the final five points to claim a 25-17 victory. Nebraska hit .324 in the second set while limiting Michigan to a .026 attack percentage.

Set 3:&nbsp;Neither team led by more than one until the 12th rally of set three. With the score tied, Nebraska won five straight rallies to take command of the set with a 10-5 lead. The Huskers continued to pull away, building a 16-8 advantage on Beason's ninth kill of the match. Nebraska earned a match point on a Murray ace and closed out the win on Krause's 15th kill of the match.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationsThe No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team remained perfect on the season, sweeping Michigan (29-27, 25-17, 25-14) Saturday night. The Huskers improved to 15-0 with their ninth sweep of the year.Lindsay Krause had a big night for the Big Red, which moved to 6-0 in conference play. Krause had a season-high 15 kills, one kill shy of her career high of 16 which came in a pair of five-set matches against Creighton and Oregon last season. Krause produced her 15 kills on only 27 swings with just one error, hitting a career-high .519. She also tied her career high with two service aces and tied her season high with five digs.Harper Murray had a successful homecoming in her return to her hometown, producing a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs. She hit .423 and added three blocks and a pair of aces while recording at least 10 kills for the 10th straight match. Merritt Beason also had double-figure kills, finishing with 10 kills on 25 swings.Bergen Reilly directed a balanced Husker offense with 40 assists. She helped Nebraska hit .343 for the match, the Huskers' highest attack percentage in a Big Ten match this season. Nebraska had 18 more kills than Michigan (48-30), and the Huskers also finished with more digs (46-37), blocks (6-5) and service aces (6-4). Michigan (3-12, 1-5) hit .173 for the match and was led by eight kills from Valentina Vaulet.Set 1:&nbsp;Michigan got off to a fast start in set one, building a 9-4 lead to force an early Husker timeout. &nbsp;The Huskers were able to pull to within two on several occasions but could get no closer until a Murray ace cut the Michigan lead to 21-20, marking the closest Nebraska had been since 2-1. Consecutive Husker errors gave the Wolverines a 23-20 advantage and Nebraska had to fight off five set points. Murray had a kill on Michigan’s fifth set point to tie the set at 27-27 before a Beason kill gave the Huskers their first lead of the set at 28-27. Allick then won the set with a kill on Nebraska’s first set point. NU had seven more kills than Michigan (19-12) in the opening set, but the Wolverines hit .286 to Nebraska’s .250. Krause led Nebraska with seven kills in the first set.Set 2:&nbsp;It was Nebraska with the fast start in set two, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. The Huskers had five kills on their first six swings and Michigan called an early timeout with the Big Red on top, 8-2. The Wolverines won four of the next five points to cut the lead to 9-6. A 3-0 run then pulled Michigan within 14-12, forcing Nebraska to call a timeout. Following three straight sideouts, the Huskers won four straight rallies to take a 19-13 lead as Michigan used its final timeout. The Wolverines won the first three points after the timeout but the Huskers pulled away, winning the final five points to claim a 25-17 victory. Nebraska hit .324 in the second set while limiting Michigan to a .026 attack percentage.Set 3:&nbsp;Neither team led by more than one until the 12th rally of set three. With the score tied, Nebraska won five straight rallies to take command of the set with a 10-5 lead. The Huskers continued to pull away, building a 16-8 advantage on Beason's ninth kill of the match. Nebraska earned a match point on a Murray ace and closed out the win on Krause's 15th kill of the match.

Nebraska Volleyball Sweeps Michigan to Improve to 15-0

Axtell, Neb. – Former Alliance Bulldog Taytom Timbers recorded two birdies over the course of two days, as the freshman finished tied for 40th individually at the Nebraska Intercollegiate golf tournament on Saturday.

"We had moments of very good golf," said head coach Will Peers. "The conditions were tough, but we compounded that with too many mental errors."

Teammate David Winkelmann opened the tournament with the third best round of any North Platte golfer. The freshman recorded 11 pars through 18 holes on the opening day, before following that up with nine pars in the final round to finish with a round score of 85.&nbsp;

Treyten York, Jayden Jones and Cole Kramer each closed out the two-day tournament by finishing in the top 50 amongst collegiate players.

The Knights will round out the opening half of their season at the McCook Community College Invite Oct. 12-13 at the Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook.

North Platte Community College - 679 (+103)

Axtell, Neb. – Former Alliance Bulldog Taytom Timbers recorded two birdies over the course of two days, as the freshman finished tied for 40th individually at the Nebraska Intercollegiate golf tournament on Saturday."We had moments of very good golf," said head coach Will Peers. "The conditions were tough, but we compounded that with too many mental errors."Teammate David Winkelmann opened the tournament with the third best round of any North Platte golfer. The freshman recorded 11 pars through 18 holes on the opening day, before following that up with nine pars in the final round to finish with a round score of 85.&nbsp;Treyten York, Jayden Jones and Cole Kramer each closed out the two-day tournament by finishing in the top 50 amongst collegiate players.The Knights will round out the opening half of their season at the McCook Community College Invite Oct. 12-13 at the Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook.North PlatteT40. Taytom Timbers – 83-86 (+25)T40. David Winkelmann – 84-85 (+25)T43. Treyten York – 86-84 (+26)T46. Jayden Jones – 83-88 (+27)T50. Cole Kramer – 92-92 (+40)Team StandingsBellevue University - 603 (+27)Southeast Community College - 613 (+37)Midland University - 622 (+46)Nebraska Wesleyan University - 623 (+47)Doane University - 626 (+50)Hastings College - 627 (+51)Concordia University - 634 (+58)Northeast Community College - 635 (+59)McCook Community College - 674 (+98)North Platte Community College - 679 (+103)

Alliance's Timbers leads NPCC at Nebraska Collegiate Golf Tourney

DENVER (AP) — For once, Nathaniel Hackett relished Russell Wilson's mistakes and basked in the boos raining down from the stands in Denver.

The former Broncos head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator was showered with hugs and handshakes from New York's players and staff Sunday after beating the Broncos 31-21 in his much-anticipated return.

They won behind Breece Hall's 72-yard touchdown run and Bryce Hall's 39-yard game-sealing scoop-and-score after Quincy Williams' second sack of the day, but it was Hackett who was presented with a game ball afterward.

“You know, it feels good to get a win in the league against anybody,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ”But it was a special game for Hack, obviously, being here a year ago. We racked up over 400 yards on them, put up 31 points.”

Hackett's return took on the feel of a grudge match after Payton criticized him and his staff for the job they did last year in Denver, where he went 4-11 and was fired, particularly the way he handled Wilson during the QB's dismal 2022 season.

“It was good, to be honest. Mostly for Coach Hackett, I wasn't really worried about myself today,” said Breece Hall, whose long touchdown run on the Jets' second snap of the second half gave them the lead for good. "He stayed quiet, he stayed humble, respectful. So we wanted to come in and get a win today for him and we did that.

The Jets (2-3) overcame a sloppy, chippy first half to snap a three-game skid and hand the Broncos (1-4) their third home loss in three tries under Payton, who drew widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-saleh-hackett-payton-wilson-preview-3b8d729d6b5a57f9b200fadd74bac4f5">criticism for excoriating Hackett</a>&nbsp;and also throwing shade at the Jets in an interview with USA Today in July.

Payton deflected questions about the brouhaha all week and again in his terse postgame news conference.

“It's a fair question, but I think we already addressed that the next day. All right, thank you guys," Payton said just before leaving the podium.

After the game, the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nyjets/status/1711162062758363474?s=20">Jets took their own swipe at Payton</a>&nbsp;in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “when you lose to the 'offseason champs'” — including a photo of comedian Kevin James, who portrayed Payton in a Netflix movie.

Although Wilson has mostly returned to form under Payton's tutelage, the Broncos are plagued by many of the same problems for which Payton blasted Hackett, and in the second half, the boobirds got as loud as they ever did last year.

The Broncos went three and out on four of their first five drives after halftime and the other possession resulted in a lost fumble on the second snap.

Then, Wilson led the Broncos to a touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 24-21 late in the fourth quarter. Patrick Surtain II’s interception of Zach Wilson’s pass to Garrett Wilson gave the Broncos the ball back at their 3 with 2:14 left.

“Big-time players gotta make big-time plays,” Surtain said, adding he felt the Broncos “had a tremendous amount of momentum going into that drive.”

The Broncos were moving toward in field goal range when Williams collected his second sack. The ball popped loose toward the Jets sideline and Bryce Hall left the receiver he was covering, scooped up the bouncing ball and sealed it with his touchdown return.

A frustrated Payton, who watched his offense produce a net 18-yard loss on its first five second-half drives,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PFN365/status/1711167690709078294?s=20">angrily addressed his quarterback</a>&nbsp;as Wilson retreated to the sideline, having gone 20 of 31 for 196 yards and two TDs with four sacks.

Russell Wilson is now 5-14 as Denver's starting quarterback after posting a 104-53-1 mark in Seattle.

Hall ran for 177 yards on 22 carries Sunday, a whopping 8 yards per carry. It was nearly a year ago when Breece Hall's promising rookie season ended at this very stadium when he blew out his left knee after scampering for a 62-yard score.

Zach Wilson, making his fourth straight start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, was 19 of 26 for 199 yards and the interception.

“You could see the emotion on his face a little bit,” Wilson said. "He was trying not to show it, but we all gave him big hugs. We told him we love him and we’re grateful to have him. Obviously, how things went for him this past year was tough. So you know it means a lot.”

Jets: RT Alijah Vera-Tucker left with a calf injury in the second half. “It’s a concern for sure,” Saleh said. When asked if it’s an Achilles tendon injury, Saleh said the Jets need to wait for the results of exams. Vera-Tucker was lost for the season last year in Denver when he tore a triceps.

Broncos: NT D.J. Jones injured a knee in the second quarter.

Jets: play the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.

Broncos: visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696824074914.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — For once, Nathaniel Hackett relished Russell Wilson's mistakes and basked in the boos raining down from the stands in Denver.The former Broncos head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator was showered with hugs and handshakes from New York's players and staff Sunday after beating the Broncos 31-21 in his much-anticipated return.They won behind Breece Hall's 72-yard touchdown run and Bryce Hall's 39-yard game-sealing scoop-and-score after Quincy Williams' second sack of the day, but it was Hackett who was presented with a game ball afterward.“You know, it feels good to get a win in the league against anybody,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. ”But it was a special game for Hack, obviously, being here a year ago. We racked up over 400 yards on them, put up 31 points.”Hackett's return took on the feel of a grudge match after Payton criticized him and his staff for the job they did last year in Denver, where he went 4-11 and was fired, particularly the way he handled Wilson during the QB's dismal 2022 season.“It was good, to be honest. Mostly for Coach Hackett, I wasn't really worried about myself today,” said Breece Hall, whose long touchdown run on the Jets' second snap of the second half gave them the lead for good. "He stayed quiet, he stayed humble, respectful. So we wanted to come in and get a win today for him and we did that.“Better coach, better team, won.”The Jets (2-3) overcame a sloppy, chippy first half to snap a three-game skid and hand the Broncos (1-4) their third home loss in three tries under Payton, who drew widespread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jets-broncos-saleh-hackett-payton-wilson-preview-3b8d729d6b5a57f9b200fadd74bac4f5">criticism for excoriating Hackett</a>&nbsp;and also throwing shade at the Jets in an interview with USA Today in July.Payton deflected questions about the brouhaha all week and again in his terse postgame news conference.“It's a fair question, but I think we already addressed that the next day. All right, thank you guys," Payton said just before leaving the podium.After the game, the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nyjets/status/1711162062758363474?s=20">Jets took their own swipe at Payton</a>&nbsp;in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “when you lose to the 'offseason champs'” — including a photo of comedian Kevin James, who portrayed Payton in a Netflix movie.Although Wilson has mostly returned to form under Payton's tutelage, the Broncos are plagued by many of the same problems for which Payton blasted Hackett, and in the second half, the boobirds got as loud as they ever did last year.The Broncos went three and out on four of their first five drives after halftime and the other possession resulted in a lost fumble on the second snap.Then, Wilson led the Broncos to a touchdown and 2-point conversion to make it 24-21 late in the fourth quarter. Patrick Surtain II’s interception of Zach Wilson’s pass to Garrett Wilson gave the Broncos the ball back at their 3 with 2:14 left.“Big-time players gotta make big-time plays,” Surtain said, adding he felt the Broncos “had a tremendous amount of momentum going into that drive.”The Broncos were moving toward in field goal range when Williams collected his second sack. The ball popped loose toward the Jets sideline and Bryce Hall left the receiver he was covering, scooped up the bouncing ball and sealed it with his touchdown return.A frustrated Payton, who watched his offense produce a net 18-yard loss on its first five second-half drives,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/PFN365/status/1711167690709078294?s=20">angrily addressed his quarterback</a>&nbsp;as Wilson retreated to the sideline, having gone 20 of 31 for 196 yards and two TDs with four sacks.Russell Wilson is now 5-14 as Denver's starting quarterback after posting a 104-53-1 mark in Seattle.Hall ran for 177 yards on 22 carries Sunday, a whopping 8 yards per carry. It was nearly a year ago when Breece Hall's promising rookie season ended at this very stadium when he blew out his left knee after scampering for a 62-yard score.Zach Wilson, making his fourth straight start in place of the injured Aaron Rodgers, was 19 of 26 for 199 yards and the interception.He, too, was happiest for Hackett.“You could see the emotion on his face a little bit,” Wilson said. "He was trying not to show it, but we all gave him big hugs. We told him we love him and we’re grateful to have him. Obviously, how things went for him this past year was tough. So you know it means a lot.”INJURIESJets: RT Alijah Vera-Tucker left with a calf injury in the second half. “It’s a concern for sure,” Saleh said. When asked if it’s an Achilles tendon injury, Saleh said the Jets need to wait for the results of exams. Vera-Tucker was lost for the season last year in Denver when he tore a triceps.Broncos: NT D.J. Jones injured a knee in the second quarter.UP NEXTJets: play the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday.Broncos: visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

Jets fly out of Denver with 31-21 win in Hackett's return

CHADRON, Neb. -- Quarterback Preston Pearson completed 14 of 16 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns Saturday as the Chadron State Eagles rolled up 559 total net yards while downing the Fort Lewis Skyhawks 57-20 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game before a huge homecoming crowd in Chadron.

Four of Pearson's touchdown passes were caught by wide receiver Tommy Thomas to tie the Chadron State record for most TD receptions in a game.

The two longest scoring passes were posted in the first 6 ½ minutes of the game. Pearson also connected with Grant Swenson on a 25-yard touchdown toss with 7 ½ minutes remaining in the opening frame on the first play after the Eagles recovered a Fort Lewis fumble.

Fort Lewis's first period points came on 20- and 27-yard field goals by Hunter Villavicencio.

A 32-yard run by Jake Marschall to the goal line and the 12-yard pass from Pearson to Thomas increased the Eagles lead to 35-13 at halftime.

In between, the Skyhawks scored their first touchdown on a direct snap to tight end Joseph Barreras at the four-yard line after teammate Juma Kashanda had returned a Chadron State fumble 68 yards to the Eagles 16.

Chadron State stretched its lead to 59-13 in the third period when Thomas went high to grab the 29-yard pass in the end zone and Marschall went the final yard after Pearson had hooked up with Swenson on a 32-yard pass.

Each team added one touchdown in the fourth frame.  Fort Lewis scored first after blocking Chadron State's only punt and began the drive at the Eagles' 23. Five plays later quarterback Brandon Wingle hit Peyton Monson with a five-yard toss.

CSC freshman Devyn Jones closed out the scoring on a 34-yard run with just 39 seconds remaining.  Wilson Yee kicked the PAT after the last seven Chadron State touchdowns. The Eagles passed for their first conversion.

Chadron State finished with 238 yards rushing, led by Marschall's 96 yards on 19 carries.

Thomas is the fifth CSC receiver to catch four touchdown passes in a game, preceded by Duane Smith in 1985, Don Beebe in 1988, Matt Reader in 2015 and Max Gray in 2016.

Wingle completed 21 of 26 passes for 193 yards to pace the Skyhawks' offense, but he was sacked five times for a minus 37 yards to reduce Fort Lewis' ground game to just 64 yards.

None of the quarterbacks threw an interception.

CSC safety Sutton Pohlman paced the Eagles in tackles with 10 while end Hunter O'Connor participated in nine, four of them for negative yards and forced the fumble that led to a TD.  Jacob Penney hade seven unassisted tackles to pace  the Fort Lewis defense.

The Eagles are now 2-4 for the season and 1-3 in the RMAC.  The Skyhawks are still looking for their first win and are 0-4 in the conference.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696824171806.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con MarshallCHADRON, Neb. -- Quarterback Preston Pearson completed 14 of 16 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns Saturday as the Chadron State Eagles rolled up 559 total net yards while downing the Fort Lewis Skyhawks 57-20 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game before a huge homecoming crowd in Chadron.Four of Pearson's touchdown passes were caught by wide receiver Tommy Thomas to tie the Chadron State record for most TD receptions in a game.Thomas's touchdown catches covered 78, 66, 12 and 29 yards. He also caught three more passes for 40 yards giving him seven receptions for 225 yards, sixth highest all-time for the Eagles.The two longest scoring passes were posted in the first 6 ½ minutes of the game. Pearson also connected with Grant Swenson on a 25-yard touchdown toss with 7 ½ minutes remaining in the opening frame on the first play after the Eagles recovered a Fort Lewis fumble.Fort Lewis's first period points came on 20- and 27-yard field goals by Hunter Villavicencio.A 32-yard run by Jake Marschall to the goal line and the 12-yard pass from Pearson to Thomas increased the Eagles lead to 35-13 at halftime.In between, the Skyhawks scored their first touchdown on a direct snap to tight end Joseph Barreras at the four-yard line after teammate Juma Kashanda had returned a Chadron State fumble 68 yards to the Eagles 16.Chadron State stretched its lead to 59-13 in the third period when Thomas went high to grab the 29-yard pass in the end zone and Marschall went the final yard after Pearson had hooked up with Swenson on a 32-yard pass.Each team added one touchdown in the fourth frame. Fort Lewis scored first after blocking Chadron State's only punt and began the drive at the Eagles' 23. Five plays later quarterback Brandon Wingle hit Peyton Monson with a five-yard toss.CSC freshman Devyn Jones closed out the scoring on a 34-yard run with just 39 seconds remaining. Wilson Yee kicked the PAT after the last seven Chadron State touchdowns. The Eagles passed for their first conversion.Chadron State finished with 238 yards rushing, led by Marschall's 96 yards on 19 carries.Thomas is the fifth CSC receiver to catch four touchdown passes in a game, preceded by Duane Smith in 1985, Don Beebe in 1988, Matt Reader in 2015 and Max Gray in 2016.Wingle completed 21 of 26 passes for 193 yards to pace the Skyhawks' offense, but he was sacked five times for a minus 37 yards to reduce Fort Lewis' ground game to just 64 yards.None of the quarterbacks threw an interception.CSC safety Sutton Pohlman paced the Eagles in tackles with 10 while end Hunter O'Connor participated in nine, four of them for negative yards and forced the fumble that led to a TD. Jacob Penney hade seven unassisted tackles to pace the Fort Lewis defense.The Eagles are now 2-4 for the season and 1-3 in the RMAC. The Skyhawks are still looking for their first win and are 0-4 in the conference.

Thomas reels in 4 TD catches as CSC crushes Fort Lewis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Chadron State College volleyball team swept the UCCS Mountain Lions and extended their win streak to five Friday night in Colorado Springs, Colorado, winning 25-19, 25-21 and 25-21.

The Eagles improve to 10-5 overall and 4-1 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.

In set one, Chadron State trailed 7-6 before three separate errors by the Mountain Lions gave CSC a 9-7 lead. The Eagles led for the remainder of the set.

After a slow start in set two, the Eagles tied the match at 10. Kills by Mayson Fago and Aiyana Fujiyama forced a UCCS timeout and CSC never trailed in the set again.

Both teams were tied at 16 in set three. A Rylee Greiman service ace gave CSC a one-point lead and they extended their lead to four. The Mountain Lions lowered the deficit to two at 23-21 but Chadron State scored the final two points of the set to win the match.

The Eagles registered a new season high hitting percentage in the match, finishing at .355. Their opponents hit .236.

Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado led CSC with 15 kills while hitting .414. Hurtado hit .417 while adding 12 kills.

Setter Kendyl Kirkwood finished the night with 28 assists.

Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah, had a team high 12 digs. Three other players had five or more digs while five others recorded digs.

Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii and Bella Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado each had 1.5 total blocks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696684824641.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Chadron State College volleyball team swept the UCCS Mountain Lions and extended their win streak to five Friday night in Colorado Springs, Colorado, winning 25-19, 25-21 and 25-21.The Eagles improve to 10-5 overall and 4-1 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.In set one, Chadron State trailed 7-6 before three separate errors by the Mountain Lions gave CSC a 9-7 lead. The Eagles led for the remainder of the set.After a slow start in set two, the Eagles tied the match at 10. Kills by Mayson Fago and Aiyana Fujiyama forced a UCCS timeout and CSC never trailed in the set again.Both teams were tied at 16 in set three. A Rylee Greiman service ace gave CSC a one-point lead and they extended their lead to four. The Mountain Lions lowered the deficit to two at 23-21 but Chadron State scored the final two points of the set to win the match.The Eagles registered a new season high hitting percentage in the match, finishing at .355. Their opponents hit .236.Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado led CSC with 15 kills while hitting .414. Hurtado hit .417 while adding 12 kills.Setter Kendyl Kirkwood finished the night with 28 assists.Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah, had a team high 12 digs. Three other players had five or more digs while five others recorded digs.Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii and Bella Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado each had 1.5 total blocks.

Chadron State wins 5th straight volleyball match

🏈 Week 7 High School Football Scoreboard

Gordon-Rushville at West Holt - 6:00 (MT)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661175116215.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins Sports Director🏈 Week 7 High School Football Scoreboard Ogallala 22, Chadron 14 McCook 57, Alliance 16Hastings 29, Scottsbluff 28GI Northwest 32, Gering 31Sidney 26, Cozad 21Mitchell at Chase County - 5:00 (MT)Gordon-Rushville at West Holt - 6:00 (MT)Cambridge 36, Bayard 34Bridgeport 90, Morrill 20<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594305682636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hemingford 64, Kimball 6Hay Springs 53, Crawford 14Garden County 56, Banner County 0Anselmo-Merna 44, Hyannis 6Cody-Kilgore 36, Sioux County 8Sandhills/Thedford 74, Leyton 8Potter-Dix 80, Creek Valley 0Minatare at South Platte - 7:00Mullen at South Loup - 2:00 (MT)

UPDATE: 🏈 Week 7 High School Football Scoreboard

CHICAGO (AP) — Dick Butkus, a fearsome middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, has died, the team announced Thursday. He was 80.

According to a statement released by the team, Butkus' family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.

Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind.

He was a first-team All-Pro selection five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced his retirement at age 31. Despite a short career, Butkus came to define his position. He routinely ranks among the NFL’s top 100 players.

CHICAGO (AP) — Dick Butkus, a fearsome middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, has died, the team announced Thursday. He was 80.According to a statement released by the team, Butkus' family confirmed that he died in his sleep overnight at his home in Malibu, California.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/BxVt7EfV9Q">pic.twitter.com/BxVt7EfV9Q</a>&mdash; Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1710063953781440885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Butkus was a Hall of Famer whose bone-rattling tackles made him one of the most intimidating players in NFL history. He was the quintessential modern linebacker, a disruptive force who roamed sideline to sideline and left a trail of broken opponents behind.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Dick Butkus was a legend who embodied what it means to be a Chicago Bear. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. <a href="https://t.co/8UEVuuZLwi">pic.twitter.com/8UEVuuZLwi</a>&mdash; Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagoBears/status/1710063847359287777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He was a first-team All-Pro selection five times and made the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons before knee injuries forced his retirement at age 31. Despite a short career, Butkus came to define his position. He routinely ranks among the NFL’s top 100 players.

Dick Butkus, Hall of Fame Chicago Bear, dies at 80

Big Ten Unveils Future Football Opponents

The Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons. The Big Ten will maintain a nine-game conference schedule with the expansion of the conference to 18 schools beginning with the 2024 season.

Nebraska will continue to play Iowa each year in the new scheduling cycle, with the Heroes Game one of 12 protected annual matchups across the conference.&nbsp; The Big Ten’s scheduling model also ensures that all 18 schools play each conference opponent at least twice—one home and one away—in the five-year period. Nebraska faces eight teams twice in the five-year cycle and eight opponents three times in addition to the annual matchups with Iowa.

In the first season of the five-year schedule in 2024, Nebraska will play host to Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA and Wisconsin in Big Ten home games, while traveling to Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue and USC.&nbsp; The game dates for the 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule are expected to be announced later this fall.

Below is the yearly breakdown of Nebraska’s Big Ten opponents from 2024 to 2028, and a listing of how many times Nebraska faces each Big Ten school between 2024 and 2028.

Home:&nbsp;Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin

Away:&nbsp;Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC

Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USC

Away:&nbsp;Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA

Home:&nbsp;Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington

Away:&nbsp;Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers

Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers

Away: Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin

Home:&nbsp;Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin

Away:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

Big Ten Unveils Future Football OpponentsThe Big Ten Conference announced on Thursday the football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons. The Big Ten will maintain a nine-game conference schedule with the expansion of the conference to 18 schools beginning with the 2024 season.Nebraska will continue to play Iowa each year in the new scheduling cycle, with the Heroes Game one of 12 protected annual matchups across the conference.&nbsp; The Big Ten’s scheduling model also ensures that all 18 schools play each conference opponent at least twice—one home and one away—in the five-year period. Nebraska faces eight teams twice in the five-year cycle and eight opponents three times in addition to the annual matchups with Iowa.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668135507264.jpeg" alt="Memorial Stadium will host Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA &amp; Wisconsin next season |Photo from Nebraska Athletics Department" />
 <figcaption>Memorial Stadium will host Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA &amp; Wisconsin next season |Photo from Nebraska Athletics Department</figcaption>
 </figure>In the first season of the five-year schedule in 2024, Nebraska will play host to Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA and Wisconsin in Big Ten home games, while traveling to Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue and USC.&nbsp; The game dates for the 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule are expected to be announced later this fall.Below is the yearly breakdown of Nebraska’s Big Ten opponents from 2024 to 2028, and a listing of how many times Nebraska faces each Big Ten school between 2024 and 2028.Future Nebraska Big Ten Opponents2024Home:&nbsp;Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, WisconsinAway:&nbsp;Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC2025Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USCAway:&nbsp;Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA2026Home:&nbsp;Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, WashingtonAway:&nbsp;Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers2027Home:&nbsp;Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, RutgersAway: Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin2028Home:&nbsp;Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, WisconsinAway:&nbsp;Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

Nebraska Football Conference schedule for 2024-2028 released

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Randy Gregory missed more games than he played during his 18-month stint in Denver, where he had almost as many surgeries (two) as sacks (three).

The Broncos (1-3) parted ways with the immensely talented but often-unavailable pass rusher Wednesday, deciding to release him — even though they're on the hook for the $10.9 million remaining on his 2023 salary — if they couldn't find a trade partner.

“We just felt with some of our younger players and where we're going, it was best for our team right now,” said coach Sean Payton, who disputed any notion that Gregory had asked for his release. “We just felt like these other guys were playing better.”

Gregory's departure came 72 hours after he appeared disinterested in a game at Chicago after losing his starting job to second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto, who ignited Denver's first victory of the season with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack</a>&nbsp;of Justin Fields that turned into the game-tying touchdown from Jonathon Cooper.

Gregory's benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-broncos-dolphins-tyreek-hill-tua-tagovailoa-7b63c4ac5c48e0f4156a8a4574de5c72">Dolphins' 70-20 onslaught</a>&nbsp;in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.

Several Broncos said there were no hard feelings toward Gregory, whom they affectionately called by his initials.

“R.G. for me has been a great teammate,” safety Justin Simmons said. “He's been a great friend and it was awesome just watching him play in Dallas all those years he was going crazy. So, a great man and teammate. It's just the business side of the NFL. And I'm always rooting for R.G.”

Another veteran pass rusher, Frank Clark, expressed similar sentiments, calling Gregory “a great player, obviously a great teammate. He’s done a great job ever since he’s been in the league of being a pro. He had some mistakes here and there just like all of us, but a hell of a player, hell of a teammate.”

Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-dallas-cowboys-von-miller-nfl-sports-d05b6860f8096affbae9a7d123ccc46e">five-year, $70 million deal</a>&nbsp;that included $28 million in guarantees.

Much of the fanbase preferred a reunion with Von Miller, who had expressed a desire to return to Denver after helping the Rams win the Super Bowl following his midseason trade to Los Angeles in 2021.

Paton said at the time that Gregory was his top choice in free agency and he never called Miller, who wound up signing a megadeal with the Bills, where his productive 2022 season was cut short by a knee injury.

Paton's prized free agent, however, missed 11 games last season and he proved a bad fit for Payton and his staff this year.

Gregory played in just 10 of a possible 21 games during his time in Denver. He was limited to a half dozen games last season because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.

Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.

Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.

The Broncos' pass rush is expected to get a boost with Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) close to returning to action, although it's unlikely they'll play Sunday against the New York Jets (1-3) in a game that features the return of Nathaniel Hackett, whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">Payton trashed</a>&nbsp;in July for the work he did in Denver last season, particularly with quarterback Russell Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696473833731.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Randy Gregory missed more games than he played during his 18-month stint in Denver, where he had almost as many surgeries (two) as sacks (three).The Broncos (1-3) parted ways with the immensely talented but often-unavailable pass rusher Wednesday, deciding to release him — even though they're on the hook for the $10.9 million remaining on his 2023 salary — if they couldn't find a trade partner.“We just felt with some of our younger players and where we're going, it was best for our team right now,” said coach Sean Payton, who disputed any notion that Gregory had asked for his release. “We just felt like these other guys were playing better.”Gregory's departure came 72 hours after he appeared disinterested in a game at Chicago after losing his starting job to second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto, who ignited Denver's first victory of the season with a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/1708564432043811257?s=20">strip-sack</a>&nbsp;of Justin Fields that turned into the game-tying touchdown from Jonathon Cooper.Gregory's benching came a week after he was shut out at Miami, where he failed to register a single tackle and had no sacks or pressures of Tua Tagovailoa, who led the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-broncos-dolphins-tyreek-hill-tua-tagovailoa-7b63c4ac5c48e0f4156a8a4574de5c72">Dolphins' 70-20 onslaught</a>&nbsp;in one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.Several Broncos said there were no hard feelings toward Gregory, whom they affectionately called by his initials.“R.G. for me has been a great teammate,” safety Justin Simmons said. “He's been a great friend and it was awesome just watching him play in Dallas all those years he was going crazy. So, a great man and teammate. It's just the business side of the NFL. And I'm always rooting for R.G.”Another veteran pass rusher, Frank Clark, expressed similar sentiments, calling Gregory “a great player, obviously a great teammate. He’s done a great job ever since he’s been in the league of being a pro. He had some mistakes here and there just like all of us, but a hell of a player, hell of a teammate.”Gregory was close to re-signing with Dallas last year before Broncos general manager George Paton offered him a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-broncos-dallas-cowboys-von-miller-nfl-sports-d05b6860f8096affbae9a7d123ccc46e">five-year, $70 million deal</a>&nbsp;that included $28 million in guarantees.Much of the fanbase preferred a reunion with Von Miller, who had expressed a desire to return to Denver after helping the Rams win the Super Bowl following his midseason trade to Los Angeles in 2021.Paton said at the time that Gregory was his top choice in free agency and he never called Miller, who wound up signing a megadeal with the Bills, where his productive 2022 season was cut short by a knee injury.Paton's prized free agent, however, missed 11 games last season and he proved a bad fit for Payton and his staff this year.Gregory played in just 10 of a possible 21 games during his time in Denver. He was limited to a half dozen games last season because of a knee injury after he missed all of training camp following shoulder surgery. He had two sacks last year and one this season.Gregory has stayed out of trouble since being activated from the commissioner’s exempt list on Oct. 20, 2020, the last of his four substance-abuse suspensions including one that sidelined him for the entire 2019 season.Although Gregory didn’t have any off-the-field issues in Denver like he did during his suspension-filled seven-year stint in Dallas, his production on the field never lived up to his lofty contract.The Broncos' pass rush is expected to get a boost with Clark (hip) and Baron Browning (knee) close to returning to action, although it's unlikely they'll play Sunday against the New York Jets (1-3) in a game that features the return of Nathaniel Hackett, whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">Payton trashed</a>&nbsp;in July for the work he did in Denver last season, particularly with quarterback Russell Wilson.