DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic couldn’t take his gaze off the NBA championship trophy sitting next to his arm.

The Denver Nuggets big man stared and stared at the list of teams engraved on the shiny gold prize, before something suddenly hit him.

“They didn’t put our name on here,” he said Monday at media day.

Actually, it was — on the very front, where Jokic couldn’t quite see.

What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba?tab=nba-finals">can see quite clearly is a path toward</a>&nbsp;repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency.

That's provided, of course, they can guard against one thing — complacency.

“No one cares what you did last season,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-nba-finals-jokic-murray-943bee928eb27e9406e23c1522e41add">whose team beat Miami in five games to win the NBA title</a>. “We had success in that moment. But that moment is gone. We have a new opportunity and challenge in front of us.”

The Nuggets certainly enjoyed the summer after winning the franchise's first NBA crown. There were parades and parties before scattering for the offseason.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cte1kQ-xTgE/">Jokic headed</a>&nbsp;back to Sombor, Serbia, where he did a little bit of everything. He was spotted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23u4sa2eTZk">doing flips into a river off a</a>&nbsp;rubber raft, dancing at a party with family and friends, hanging out with Aaron Gordon who paid him a visit and watching his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikola-jokic-serbia-horse-racing-denver-nuggets-6746cf1e531a09bbba49c680dc11680a">beloved horses race</a>.

“A couple times,” Jokic said. “Not much.”

“No, he didn’t,” point guard Jamal Murray playfully chided.

The team simply trusts Jokic to be his triple-double self come the season. He averaged 30 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the postseason on his way to winning the Finals MVP. It more than made up for the fact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2023.html">he lost out to</a>&nbsp;Philly's Joel Embiid in his bid to win a third straight NBA MVP.

“I never tell Nikola to go home and work on a lefty jump hook," Malone said. “The greatest challenge for Nikola is to continue to find ways to be a leader and to be more vocal.”

Just before camps opened, the NBA saw the landscape dramatically change with some big names being traded. Damian Lillard is now with Milwaukee and Jrue Holiday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jrue-holiday-boston-portland-trade-c58bb1411b447443326256b315318859">wound up with Boston</a>. Holiday's older brother, Justin, plays for the Nuggets and said their dad sent a message on the family's text chain.

“Something like, ‘I’m excited for you. Congrats. You all are going to get a championship,’” Justin Holiday recounted with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘Hold on.’ I mean, I’m excited for him, but ...”

The Nuggets have a void to fill with the departure of Brown, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-free-agent-brown-b3539abc65343ce45459a796548e1f5c">signed a two-year, $45-million deal with the Indiana Pacers</a>. Christian Braun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-braun-heat-nba-finals-ba755d799b7ff171413219972453166a">will see a bump in minutes</a>&nbsp;after his dependable play last season as a rookie. So, too, will veteran guard Reggie Jackson. The team also lost the leadership of Jeff Green and Ish Smith.

“I think right now a lot of teams view the league, quite frankly, as wide open,” general manager Calvin Booth said. “We’re going to be hunted — can we still have a hunter’s mindset?"

Murray definitely believes so. So does Michael Porter Jr., who pointed out that Denver won even with Murray (knee) and Porter (back) pretty much rehabbing throughout last season.

“To have this summer to make some steps has been amazing,” Porter said.

Murray raised his game in the postseason, averaging 26.1 points and 7.1 assists.

Next step, carry it through an entire season and earn accolades such as All-Star, which Malone fully believes Murray can.

It would be nice and all, but reaching All-Star status is down on his priority list.

“I’d rather be a champion,” Murray said. “A lot of guys are All-Stars, but not champions.”

Josh Kroenke, the president/governor of the Nuggets, has recently seen how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles. One of his other teams, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, won the Stanley Cup in 2022 but was eliminated in the first-round last season.

“Not to allow complacency to set in,” Kroenke said. “When you achieve the ultimate goal, your natural reaction is to ... relax a little bit. We don’t have the exact same rosters we did last year. We have the same starting five, which we feel is the best in the NBA.”

Kroenke said the team is exploring all avenues to remedy the fact that many Nuggets and Avalanche fans can’t watch their teams on local television.

In 2019, the region’s biggest cable operator, Comcast, stopped carrying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-nuggets-denver-kroenke-owner-billionaire-c08605d1e08f5566dc6f419d879a5ad3">Altitude due to a</a>&nbsp;disagreement over fees the cable giant was charging to carry the network. The ensuing legal battle has kept the Nuggets off the local airwaves in millions of homes for the last four seasons.

“I can assure you that we’re doing all we can,” Kroenke said. “We want the best for the fans to see their teams.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696303554585.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic couldn’t take his gaze off the NBA championship trophy sitting next to his arm.The Denver Nuggets big man stared and stared at the list of teams engraved on the shiny gold prize, before something suddenly hit him.“They didn’t put our name on here,” he said Monday at media day.Actually, it was — on the very front, where Jokic couldn’t quite see.What the two-time NBA MVP and the Nuggets&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba?tab=nba-finals">can see quite clearly is a path toward</a>&nbsp;repeating, despite losing veteran leader/sixth-man Bruce Brown through free agency.That's provided, of course, they can guard against one thing — complacency.“No one cares what you did last season,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-nba-finals-jokic-murray-943bee928eb27e9406e23c1522e41add">whose team beat Miami in five games to win the NBA title</a>. “We had success in that moment. But that moment is gone. We have a new opportunity and challenge in front of us.”The Nuggets certainly enjoyed the summer after winning the franchise's first NBA crown. There were parades and parties before scattering for the offseason.<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cte1kQ-xTgE/">Jokic headed</a>&nbsp;back to Sombor, Serbia, where he did a little bit of everything. He was spotted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23u4sa2eTZk">doing flips into a river off a</a>&nbsp;rubber raft, dancing at a party with family and friends, hanging out with Aaron Gordon who paid him a visit and watching his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikola-jokic-serbia-horse-racing-denver-nuggets-6746cf1e531a09bbba49c680dc11680a">beloved horses race</a>.Any chance to touch a basketball?“A couple times,” Jokic said. “Not much.”“No, he didn’t,” point guard Jamal Murray playfully chided.The team simply trusts Jokic to be his triple-double self come the season. He averaged 30 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the postseason on his way to winning the Finals MVP. It more than made up for the fact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2023.html">he lost out to</a>&nbsp;Philly's Joel Embiid in his bid to win a third straight NBA MVP.“I never tell Nikola to go home and work on a lefty jump hook," Malone said. “The greatest challenge for Nikola is to continue to find ways to be a leader and to be more vocal.”Just before camps opened, the NBA saw the landscape dramatically change with some big names being traded. Damian Lillard is now with Milwaukee and Jrue Holiday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jrue-holiday-boston-portland-trade-c58bb1411b447443326256b315318859">wound up with Boston</a>. Holiday's older brother, Justin, plays for the Nuggets and said their dad sent a message on the family's text chain.“Something like, ‘I’m excited for you. Congrats. You all are going to get a championship,’” Justin Holiday recounted with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘Hold on.’ I mean, I’m excited for him, but ...”The Nuggets have a void to fill with the departure of Brown, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-pacers-free-agent-brown-b3539abc65343ce45459a796548e1f5c">signed a two-year, $45-million deal with the Indiana Pacers</a>. Christian Braun&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-nuggets-braun-heat-nba-finals-ba755d799b7ff171413219972453166a">will see a bump in minutes</a>&nbsp;after his dependable play last season as a rookie. So, too, will veteran guard Reggie Jackson. The team also lost the leadership of Jeff Green and Ish Smith.“I think right now a lot of teams view the league, quite frankly, as wide open,” general manager Calvin Booth said. “We’re going to be hunted — can we still have a hunter’s mindset?"Murray definitely believes so. So does Michael Porter Jr., who pointed out that Denver won even with Murray (knee) and Porter (back) pretty much rehabbing throughout last season.“To have this summer to make some steps has been amazing,” Porter said.Murray raised his game in the postseason, averaging 26.1 points and 7.1 assists.Next step, carry it through an entire season and earn accolades such as All-Star, which Malone fully believes Murray can.It would be nice and all, but reaching All-Star status is down on his priority list.“I’d rather be a champion,” Murray said. “A lot of guys are All-Stars, but not champions.”Josh Kroenke, the president/governor of the Nuggets, has recently seen how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles. One of his other teams, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, won the Stanley Cup in 2022 but was eliminated in the first-round last season.His advice?“Not to allow complacency to set in,” Kroenke said. “When you achieve the ultimate goal, your natural reaction is to ... relax a little bit. We don’t have the exact same rosters we did last year. We have the same starting five, which we feel is the best in the NBA.”Kroenke said the team is exploring all avenues to remedy the fact that many Nuggets and Avalanche fans can’t watch their teams on local television.In 2019, the region’s biggest cable operator, Comcast, stopped carrying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-finals-nuggets-denver-kroenke-owner-billionaire-c08605d1e08f5566dc6f419d879a5ad3">Altitude due to a</a>&nbsp;disagreement over fees the cable giant was charging to carry the network. The ensuing legal battle has kept the Nuggets off the local airwaves in millions of homes for the last four seasons.“I can assure you that we’re doing all we can,” Kroenke said. “We want the best for the fans to see their teams.”

Nuggets gearing up to defend NBA title

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Winning does not cure all ills in the view of Sean Payton, who isn’t about to let the Denver Broncos feel too good about themselves after his first win as their coach.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bears-russell-wilson-58a7eb938682ad1b500d6c3dd5d80249">Beating the sad-sack Chicago Bears</a>&nbsp;31-28 on Sunday sure beats giving up 10 touchdowns in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-after-blowout-loss-51f97421e605a1ae7d8e892f6344bdfe">50-point loss</a>&nbsp;at Miami a week earlier, but the celebration was muted when the Broncos watched the video Monday and found that the blunders exceeded the highlights.

Denver only allowed one sack, but guard Ben Powers was the only O-lineman who didn't get flagged as the Broncos committed five false starts.

Russell Wilson had his best passer rating as a Bronco, but the offense went into sleep mode for much of the game between an opening-drive touchdown and Denver rattling off 24 unanswered points to edge a team that hasn't won since last October.

Denver's much-maligned defense allowed both a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver for the second straight week and allowed Justin Fields to record his first career 300-yard, four-touchdown game before coming up with two takeaways in the fourth quarter.

“I said this to the team just 15 minutes ago, I said, ‘Look, I’m encouraged. We fought back into that game. But man, let's not ... feel like we're content at all with how we played,'” Payton said Monday. “There are too many things that still are disappointing or things that we have to clean up” both defensively and offensively.

“We stalled there after the first touchdown. We went a third of the game struggling,” Payton said. "But that sense of urgency has to exist again this week. We're going to play against a lot better teams here in the next month, month and a half.”

That stretch begins with a visit from the New York Jets, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-jets-mahomes-kelce-swift-rodgers-6e217106cf593473d811cbe21e331857b">made Patrick Mahomes look ordinary</a>&nbsp;Sunday night and who are still chafed over Payton's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">disparaging remarks</a>&nbsp;about them and their offensive coordinator, former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, over the summer.

After the upcoming grudge match, Denver faces its nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, twice, sandwiched around a game against Green Bay. The Broncos haven't beaten the Chiefs since Week 2 of the 2015 season.

Falling behind by 21, drawing so many whistles, getting gashed up the middle and burned in the injury-riddled secondary are all things that could spell doom against better competition.

"I think it was great pulling out that win, it shows that we don’t have no quit in us,” running back Jaleel McLaughlin said. “But there’s a lot of things that we have to clean up on the tape.”

Wilson. He has nine touchdown passes and two interceptions through four games. Last year, it took until Week 14 for him to throw his ninth TD pass. His 133.5 passer rating Sunday was his best as a Bronco.

Stopping the run. Although linebacker Alex Singleton made the play of the day by shooting the gap to stuff Khalil Herbert on fourth-and-1 from the Denver 18 in the closing minutes, the Broncos aren't sound enough along the defensive front.

Starting in place of Randy Gregory, second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto had 2 1/2 sacks, including a strip-sack that led to Jonathan Cooper's scoop-and-score for the game-tying touchdown. He also had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.

“Nik's definitely a big-time player for us,” defensive end Zach Allen said. “He's an elite rusher. He has all the athletic ability in the world. I haven't played with someone like that since I played with Haason Reddick. I think they're very similar players. So, he's growing, still learning, so it's exciting to see where he'll be.”

Gregory. He had three tackles in 33 snaps Sunday, better than the zeros he put up in 34 snaps at Miami, but that's not the production everyone expected when general manager George Payton signed him to a five-year, $70 million contract last year.

RB Javonte Williams (hip) got hurt Sunday, opening the door for McLaughlin, who led the team with 72 yards on just seven carries (a 10.3-yard average) and had three catches for 32 yards, including an 18-yard score.

24 — The Broncos' run of unanswered points to rally from a 28-7 deficit. That's tied for the second-biggest comeback in franchise history behind only their 24-point comeback to beat the Chargers on Oct. 15, 2012.

32 — The number of career fourth-quarter comebacks by Wilson, moving him into the top 10 and surpassing Joe Montana and Eli Manning at 31.

After surviving the Basement Battle and avoiding an 0-4 start, the Broncos host the Jets (1-3) on Sunday in a showdown spiced up by Payton calling the coaching job Hackett and his staff did in Denver last year one of the worst in NFL history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696303322542.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Winning does not cure all ills in the view of Sean Payton, who isn’t about to let the Denver Broncos feel too good about themselves after his first win as their coach.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bears-russell-wilson-58a7eb938682ad1b500d6c3dd5d80249">Beating the sad-sack Chicago Bears</a>&nbsp;31-28 on Sunday sure beats giving up 10 touchdowns in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-after-blowout-loss-51f97421e605a1ae7d8e892f6344bdfe">50-point loss</a>&nbsp;at Miami a week earlier, but the celebration was muted when the Broncos watched the video Monday and found that the blunders exceeded the highlights.Denver only allowed one sack, but guard Ben Powers was the only O-lineman who didn't get flagged as the Broncos committed five false starts.Russell Wilson had his best passer rating as a Bronco, but the offense went into sleep mode for much of the game between an opening-drive touchdown and Denver rattling off 24 unanswered points to edge a team that hasn't won since last October.Denver's much-maligned defense allowed both a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver for the second straight week and allowed Justin Fields to record his first career 300-yard, four-touchdown game before coming up with two takeaways in the fourth quarter.“I said this to the team just 15 minutes ago, I said, ‘Look, I’m encouraged. We fought back into that game. But man, let's not ... feel like we're content at all with how we played,'” Payton said Monday. “There are too many things that still are disappointing or things that we have to clean up” both defensively and offensively.“We stalled there after the first touchdown. We went a third of the game struggling,” Payton said. "But that sense of urgency has to exist again this week. We're going to play against a lot better teams here in the next month, month and a half.”That stretch begins with a visit from the New York Jets, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-jets-mahomes-kelce-swift-rodgers-6e217106cf593473d811cbe21e331857b">made Patrick Mahomes look ordinary</a>&nbsp;Sunday night and who are still chafed over Payton's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-payton-broncos-hackett-777e12db30ef1b6f776ad524403494ef">disparaging remarks</a>&nbsp;about them and their offensive coordinator, former Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett, over the summer.After the upcoming grudge match, Denver faces its nemesis, the Kansas City Chiefs, twice, sandwiched around a game against Green Bay. The Broncos haven't beaten the Chiefs since Week 2 of the 2015 season.Falling behind by 21, drawing so many whistles, getting gashed up the middle and burned in the injury-riddled secondary are all things that could spell doom against better competition."I think it was great pulling out that win, it shows that we don’t have no quit in us,” running back Jaleel McLaughlin said. “But there’s a lot of things that we have to clean up on the tape.”WHAT'S WORKINGWilson. He has nine touchdown passes and two interceptions through four games. Last year, it took until Week 14 for him to throw his ninth TD pass. His 133.5 passer rating Sunday was his best as a Bronco.WHAT NEEDS WORKStopping the run. Although linebacker Alex Singleton made the play of the day by shooting the gap to stuff Khalil Herbert on fourth-and-1 from the Denver 18 in the closing minutes, the Broncos aren't sound enough along the defensive front.STOCK UPStarting in place of Randy Gregory, second-year linebacker Nik Bonitto had 2 1/2 sacks, including a strip-sack that led to Jonathan Cooper's scoop-and-score for the game-tying touchdown. He also had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits.“Nik's definitely a big-time player for us,” defensive end Zach Allen said. “He's an elite rusher. He has all the athletic ability in the world. I haven't played with someone like that since I played with Haason Reddick. I think they're very similar players. So, he's growing, still learning, so it's exciting to see where he'll be.”STOCK DOWNGregory. He had three tackles in 33 snaps Sunday, better than the zeros he put up in 34 snaps at Miami, but that's not the production everyone expected when general manager George Payton signed him to a five-year, $70 million contract last year.INJURIESRB Javonte Williams (hip) got hurt Sunday, opening the door for McLaughlin, who led the team with 72 yards on just seven carries (a 10.3-yard average) and had three catches for 32 yards, including an 18-yard score.KEY NUMBERS24 — The Broncos' run of unanswered points to rally from a 28-7 deficit. That's tied for the second-biggest comeback in franchise history behind only their 24-point comeback to beat the Chargers on Oct. 15, 2012.32 — The number of career fourth-quarter comebacks by Wilson, moving him into the top 10 and surpassing Joe Montana and Eli Manning at 31.NEXT STEPSAfter surviving the Basement Battle and avoiding an 0-4 start, the Broncos host the Jets (1-3) on Sunday in a showdown spiced up by Payton calling the coaching job Hackett and his staff did in Denver last year one of the worst in NFL history.

Now with a win, where do Broncos go from here?

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports Information

SHERIDAN, Wyo. -- Some Chadron State College ropers made their loops fit well this past weekend while winning the men's team title at the Sheridan College rodeo.

Senior Grant Turek of St. Paul, Neb., and junior Jake Chasek of Mitchell joined forces to win the team roping.  Another CSC senior, Tanner Whetham of Morrill, was the heeler on the second place team roping entry.

Chasek also earned points by placing fourth in tie down roping, and so did freshman teammate Layne Palmer of Kadoka, S.D., who was fifth.

The CSC men tallied 520 points in the team standings. Gillette College the runner-up with 440.

Turek and Chasek finished their team roping runs in 7.2 and 6.5 seconds.  They tied for second and third in the first go-round and won the finals Sunday.

Whetham and his partner, John Jensen of the University of Wyoming, were fourth in the first go in 7.3 seconds and second in the finals in 6.7 seconds.

Sixty-nine teams entered the event at Sheridan.

Chasek roped and tied his calves in 10.8 and 12.0 seconds for his fourth place tie down finish. Palmer's times were 10.7 and 12.2 seconds.

CSC freshman Morgan Rosander of Wolbach placed sixth in the finals of the barrel race with an identical time of 17.90 seconds on the two runs.  Sophomore Mekenna Fisher of Sutherland was seventh in goat tying. Her times were 8.6 and 10.0 seconds.

This weekend's rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region will be at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696304033703.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationSHERIDAN, Wyo. -- Some Chadron State College ropers made their loops fit well this past weekend while winning the men's team title at the Sheridan College rodeo.Senior Grant Turek of St. Paul, Neb., and junior Jake Chasek of Mitchell joined forces to win the team roping. Another CSC senior, Tanner Whetham of Morrill, was the heeler on the second place team roping entry.Chasek also earned points by placing fourth in tie down roping, and so did freshman teammate Layne Palmer of Kadoka, S.D., who was fifth.The CSC men tallied 520 points in the team standings. Gillette College the runner-up with 440.Turek and Chasek finished their team roping runs in 7.2 and 6.5 seconds. They tied for second and third in the first go-round and won the finals Sunday.Whetham and his partner, John Jensen of the University of Wyoming, were fourth in the first go in 7.3 seconds and second in the finals in 6.7 seconds.Sixty-nine teams entered the event at Sheridan.Chasek roped and tied his calves in 10.8 and 12.0 seconds for his fourth place tie down finish. Palmer's times were 10.7 and 12.2 seconds.CSC freshman Morgan Rosander of Wolbach placed sixth in the finals of the barrel race with an identical time of 17.90 seconds on the two runs. Sophomore Mekenna Fisher of Sutherland was seventh in goat tying. Her times were 8.6 and 10.0 seconds.This weekend's rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region will be at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne.

CSC cowboys take team title at Sheridan College Rodeo

⛳ High School Girls Golf District Tournament Results

<a href="https://secure.nsaahome.org/nsaaforms/go/finaldistresults.php?sport=go_g&amp;distid=98">Class C-5 Tournament</a> in Ogallala, Monday

<a href="https://secure.nsaahome.org/nsaaforms/go/finaldistresults.php?sport=go_g&amp;distid=93">Class B-4 Tournament</a> in McCook, Monday

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629461621684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>⛳ High School Girls Golf District Tournament Results<a href="https://secure.nsaahome.org/nsaaforms/go/finaldistresults.php?sport=go_g&amp;distid=98">Class C-5 Tournament</a> in Ogallala, Monday<a href="https://secure.nsaahome.org/nsaaforms/go/finaldistresults.php?sport=go_g&amp;distid=93">Class B-4 Tournament</a> in McCook, Monday<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633474113203.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>

⛳ Girls Golf District Tournament Results

It took a total team effort, but the Hemingford Bobcats got back in the win column on Friday with a 44-42 win over Bayard.&nbsp; The offensive line of Drew Varner, Gavin Bell, Theron Miller, Owen Plog, Aiden Benda, and Anthony Haas paved the way for Bobcats ball carriers Jacob Bryner, Zaine Feist, Cody Galles, Ryan Ragsdale, and Talon Payne, who ran for over 300 yards and five touchdowns as a team.

Hemingford had 78 plays to Bayard's 43, largely to the Bobcats dominating on the ground while Bayard had success through the air, passing for 241 yards. While Hemingford did not play a perfect game, they found a way to pull out the victory.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"Mistakes are going to happen in a game, but I'm proud of the different ways our guys responded to the mistakes throughout the afternoon," Coach Josh Dean said.&nbsp; "I never hear the guys getting down on each other, that is so important for holding everything together in tight games."

Feist had 91 yards rushing and two touchdowns, but all Hemingford rushers had at least one run over ten yards.&nbsp;

The win for Hemingford evens their record to 3-3 and puts themselves in a better position for a run to a potential spot in the playoffs.

The Bulldogs have one of the top passing offenses in Nebraska, and that was on full display on Friday night as Senior quarterback Landen Crowe threw for three touchdowns and 257 yards, but Alliance had no answers for the Mitchell running game as the Tigers ran for 480 rushing yards in their 65-30 win.

The game was extremely competitive early on as Alliance and Crowe threw a pair of TD passes to Jonah Amill and Seth Meyring to help the Bulldogs lead 16-13 after the first quarter. Tristen Timbers had an interception as well to help give the Bulldogs a big defensive stop in the red zone in the first half.

A pair of 2nd quarter TD runs from Dez Smith and Ace Hobbs gave the Tigers a 28-16 cushion midway through the 2nd quarter. Crowe though found the endzone with just nine seconds to play in the half to get the Bulldogs within four points, 28-24.

Alliance received the 2nd half and minutes later, Crowe threw his 3rd touchdown of the game, a 66-yard strike to Espen Lanik to give the Bulldogs a 30-28 lead.

The rest of the game belonged mostly to Mitchell and their running game, as Smith went on to score four second half touchdowns and 247 rushing yards as Mitchell went on to score 47 unanswered points.

The loss drops the Bulldogs to 2-3 as they travel to fellow 2-3 team McCook for a big test for both the teams.&nbsp;

Hemingford 44, Bayard 42<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696208458669.jpeg" alt="Hemingford tackle (Photo Credit to Hemingford Schools)" />
 <figcaption>Hemingford tackle (Photo Credit to Hemingford Schools)</figcaption>
 </figure>It took a total team effort, but the Hemingford Bobcats got back in the win column on Friday with a 44-42 win over Bayard.&nbsp; The offensive line of Drew Varner, Gavin Bell, Theron Miller, Owen Plog, Aiden Benda, and Anthony Haas paved the way for Bobcats ball carriers Jacob Bryner, Zaine Feist, Cody Galles, Ryan Ragsdale, and Talon Payne, who ran for over 300 yards and five touchdowns as a team.Hemingford had 78 plays to Bayard's 43, largely to the Bobcats dominating on the ground while Bayard had success through the air, passing for 241 yards. While Hemingford did not play a perfect game, they found a way to pull out the victory.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mistakes are going to happen in a game, but I'm proud of the different ways our guys responded to the mistakes throughout the afternoon," Coach Josh Dean said.&nbsp; "I never hear the guys getting down on each other, that is so important for holding everything together in tight games."Feist had 91 yards rushing and two touchdowns, but all Hemingford rushers had at least one run over ten yards.&nbsp;The win for Hemingford evens their record to 3-3 and puts themselves in a better position for a run to a potential spot in the playoffs.Alliance 30, Mitchell 65<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696208324989.jpeg" alt="Angel Trejo, Matthias Benzel help to make a tackle (Photo Courtesy of Karen Benzel)" />
 <figcaption>Angel Trejo, Matthias Benzel help to make a tackle (Photo Courtesy of Karen Benzel)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Bulldogs have one of the top passing offenses in Nebraska, and that was on full display on Friday night as Senior quarterback Landen Crowe threw for three touchdowns and 257 yards, but Alliance had no answers for the Mitchell running game as the Tigers ran for 480 rushing yards in their 65-30 win.The game was extremely competitive early on as Alliance and Crowe threw a pair of TD passes to Jonah Amill and Seth Meyring to help the Bulldogs lead 16-13 after the first quarter. Tristen Timbers had an interception as well to help give the Bulldogs a big defensive stop in the red zone in the first half.A pair of 2nd quarter TD runs from Dez Smith and Ace Hobbs gave the Tigers a 28-16 cushion midway through the 2nd quarter. Crowe though found the endzone with just nine seconds to play in the half to get the Bulldogs within four points, 28-24.Alliance received the 2nd half and minutes later, Crowe threw his 3rd touchdown of the game, a 66-yard strike to Espen Lanik to give the Bulldogs a 30-28 lead.The rest of the game belonged mostly to Mitchell and their running game, as Smith went on to score four second half touchdowns and 247 rushing yards as Mitchell went on to score 47 unanswered points.The loss drops the Bulldogs to 2-3 as they travel to fellow 2-3 team McCook for a big test for both the teams.&nbsp;

HS Football: Hemingford gets huge win, Alliance loses high scoring battle

CHICAGO (AP) — Bears coach Matt Eberflus praised his team's passion and energy. He said the team's execution was “really good in spots,” and that was “a big improvement.” He pointed to what he called “a lot good moments in there.”

It was quite the take on Chicago's 14th consecutive loss dating to last season, one in which the Bears blew a 21-point lead during an ugly finish that included a couple of questionable decisions by Eberflus and his coaching staff.

Justin Fields passed for a career-high 335 yards and four touchdowns, but he also had a fumble returned for a score and threw an interception on Chicago's final drive in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bears-russell-wilson-58a7eb938682ad1b500d6c3dd5d80249">31-28 loss</a>&nbsp;to Denver on Sunday. The Bears led 28-7 after Khalil Herbert's 2-yard TD reception with 4:11 left in the third quarter.

“Obviously we're all very disappointed in this hard-fought battle that we had today and the outcome,” Eberflus said. “But I certainly can see things moving in the right direction for our football team.”

Chicago had a 28-21 lead when Fields was stripped on a sack by Nik Bonitto. Jonathan Cooper returned the fumble 35 yards for a tying touchdown with 6:55 left.

But the Bears (0-4) bounced right back, driving down the field on their next possession. Facing a third-and-5 at the Broncos 22, Herbert rushed for 4 yards with about three minutes to go.

After Denver (1-3) called timeout, Chicago lined up to go for it but then called timeout when it was unable to draw an offsides penalty.

“You get him up there like you’re going for it right away and you freeze, and you call timeout right before,” Eberflus said. “And then you get your best play available, because it gives you a little bit more time to get that best play going and making sure that ... we’re all good, and we’re set up for that moment.”

Instead of trying a tiebreaking field goal, the Bears had Fields line up in the shotgun for a read option. The quarterback handed the ball to Herbert, who was stuffed for no gain.

“Just didn’t go our way,” Fields said. “Missed the block back side, and just got to execute in that situation.”

Eberflus said he decided to go for it because he liked the way the team was running the ball. Asked about the decision to run out of shotgun instead of having Fields under center, Eberflus said they felt that was the best play at the time.

“Just because you know it’s about moving people off the ball and as we’ve been doing all day,” Eberflus said, “and we’ve just got to execute in that moment.”

After Wil Lutz kicked a 51-yard field goal for Denver with 1:46 left, Chicago had one last chance. But Fields was picked off by Kareem Jackson when the QB tried to find Cole Kmet over the middle on third-and-13.

What was left of a Soldier Field crowd of 62,220 booed vociferously as the final seconds ticked off.

“It hurts. ... We were on our way there at the end of the fourth but we just couldn’t get it done,” Kmet said.

Chicago and Carolina are the last winless teams in the NFL through Week 4, and the Bears own the Panthers' first-round selection in the 2024 draft. But that's cold comfort for a Bears franchise dealing with all sorts of issues.

Wide receiver Chase Claypool was a healthy scratch after he told reporters during the week that he was not being put in the best position to succeed. He was acquired from Pittsburgh for a second-round draft pick last season.

The 25-year-old Claypool did not attend the game. After Eberflus indicated it was the receiver's choice, a team spokesman said the Bears asked him to stay home.

“Chase, he’s a weapon. He’s passionate,” Fields said. “He just has to work on his display of his emotions, and you know me and him have had multiple conversations with that. But I mean as far as do I want him on the team, that’s an easy answer. Yes, of course.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696255862538.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — Bears coach Matt Eberflus praised his team's passion and energy. He said the team's execution was “really good in spots,” and that was “a big improvement.” He pointed to what he called “a lot good moments in there.”It was quite the take on Chicago's 14th consecutive loss dating to last season, one in which the Bears blew a 21-point lead during an ugly finish that included a couple of questionable decisions by Eberflus and his coaching staff.Justin Fields passed for a career-high 335 yards and four touchdowns, but he also had a fumble returned for a score and threw an interception on Chicago's final drive in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/broncos-bears-russell-wilson-58a7eb938682ad1b500d6c3dd5d80249">31-28 loss</a>&nbsp;to Denver on Sunday. The Bears led 28-7 after Khalil Herbert's 2-yard TD reception with 4:11 left in the third quarter.“Obviously we're all very disappointed in this hard-fought battle that we had today and the outcome,” Eberflus said. “But I certainly can see things moving in the right direction for our football team.”Chicago had a 28-21 lead when Fields was stripped on a sack by Nik Bonitto. Jonathan Cooper returned the fumble 35 yards for a tying touchdown with 6:55 left.But the Bears (0-4) bounced right back, driving down the field on their next possession. Facing a third-and-5 at the Broncos 22, Herbert rushed for 4 yards with about three minutes to go.After Denver (1-3) called timeout, Chicago lined up to go for it but then called timeout when it was unable to draw an offsides penalty.“You get him up there like you’re going for it right away and you freeze, and you call timeout right before,” Eberflus said. “And then you get your best play available, because it gives you a little bit more time to get that best play going and making sure that ... we’re all good, and we’re set up for that moment.”Instead of trying a tiebreaking field goal, the Bears had Fields line up in the shotgun for a read option. The quarterback handed the ball to Herbert, who was stuffed for no gain.“Just didn’t go our way,” Fields said. “Missed the block back side, and just got to execute in that situation.”Eberflus said he decided to go for it because he liked the way the team was running the ball. Asked about the decision to run out of shotgun instead of having Fields under center, Eberflus said they felt that was the best play at the time.“Just because you know it’s about moving people off the ball and as we’ve been doing all day,” Eberflus said, “and we’ve just got to execute in that moment.”After Wil Lutz kicked a 51-yard field goal for Denver with 1:46 left, Chicago had one last chance. But Fields was picked off by Kareem Jackson when the QB tried to find Cole Kmet over the middle on third-and-13.What was left of a Soldier Field crowd of 62,220 booed vociferously as the final seconds ticked off.“It hurts. ... We were on our way there at the end of the fourth but we just couldn’t get it done,” Kmet said.Chicago and Carolina are the last winless teams in the NFL through Week 4, and the Bears own the Panthers' first-round selection in the 2024 draft. But that's cold comfort for a Bears franchise dealing with all sorts of issues.Wide receiver Chase Claypool was a healthy scratch after he told reporters during the week that he was not being put in the best position to succeed. He was acquired from Pittsburgh for a second-round draft pick last season.The 25-year-old Claypool did not attend the game. After Eberflus indicated it was the receiver's choice, a team spokesman said the Bears asked him to stay home.“Chase, he’s a weapon. He’s passionate,” Fields said. “He just has to work on his display of his emotions, and you know me and him have had multiple conversations with that. But I mean as far as do I want him on the team, that’s an easy answer. Yes, of course.”

Broncos rally from 21 down to top winless Bears, 31-28

CHADRON, Neb. -- The Chadron State College volleyball team extended their win streak to four after sweeping the Black Hills State Yellowjackets in three sets Saturday, winning 25-21, 25-16 and 25-20.

CSC improves to 9-5 overall with the victory. The Yellow Jackets are now 5-9 overall.

Chadron State hit .194, while their opponent hit .113 in the match.

In set one, Black Hills State led 21-19 before the Eagles scored the last six points of the set. The Eagles opened set two leading 5-1 and extended their lead to 16-6. CSC's lead never fell below seven in the set.

The two teams were tied at 12 in the third and final set before Chadron State scored five straight points to gain the lead. A Maddison Wright kill was the final point of the set and match.

Mayson Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado led both teams with 10 kills. Lexi Hurtado and Bella Adams each added seven. Setter Kendyl Kirkwood, a junior from Fleming, Colorado recorded 22 assists.

Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado, remained a force at the net defensively with eight blocks. Hurtado, a graduate student from Aurora, Colorado and Fago each had four.

Libero Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah led the Eagles with 14 digs in the victory.

The Eagles resume RMAC play at UCCS on Friday at 7 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696255720645.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: John MurphyCHADRON, Neb. -- The Chadron State College volleyball team extended their win streak to four after sweeping the Black Hills State Yellowjackets in three sets Saturday, winning 25-21, 25-16 and 25-20.CSC improves to 9-5 overall with the victory. The Yellow Jackets are now 5-9 overall.Chadron State hit .194, while their opponent hit .113 in the match.In set one, Black Hills State led 21-19 before the Eagles scored the last six points of the set. The Eagles opened set two leading 5-1 and extended their lead to 16-6. CSC's lead never fell below seven in the set.The two teams were tied at 12 in the third and final set before Chadron State scored five straight points to gain the lead. A Maddison Wright kill was the final point of the set and match.Mayson Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado led both teams with 10 kills. Lexi Hurtado and Bella Adams each added seven. Setter Kendyl Kirkwood, a junior from Fleming, Colorado recorded 22 assists.Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado, remained a force at the net defensively with eight blocks. Hurtado, a graduate student from Aurora, Colorado and Fago each had four.Libero Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah led the Eagles with 14 digs in the victory.The Eagles resume RMAC play at UCCS on Friday at 7 p.m.

Red Hot! Chadron State volleyball enters week on four match win streak

GOLDEN, Colo. -- The Colorado Mines Orediggers, ranked No, 2 nationally in NCAA Division II, continued their winning ways Saturday afternoon while downing the Chadron State Eagles 35-7 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game played in Golden.

After being forced to punt on their first possession, the Orediggers scored the next four times they had the ball by driving 92, 80, 80 and 68 yards. They also competed a 65-yard drive late in the second quarter to take a 35-0 halftime lead.

The Orediggers' offense is led by senior quarterback John Matocha, who is bidding to win his second straight Harlon Hill Award as the outstanding player in Division II.  He had a great day, racking up 356 yards of total offense, most of it in the first half.

He was still in the game midway in the fourth quarter, when Eagles freshman Tucker Peterson picked off his pass at the seven-yard line to blunt Mines' only long drive in the second half.

For the game, Matocha completed 28 of 44 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 72 yards. Two of his scoring tosses of one and 18 yards were caught by wide receiver Zach Hoffman. The other went 16 yards to running back Noah Roper.

Roper also scored on runs of 38 and three yards and was the game's leading rusher with 11 carries for 110 yards.

Now 5-0, the Orediggers had 546 yards of offense--244 on the ground and 302 through the air.  Max McLeod was Matocha's favorite target with 10 receptions for 103 yards. Hoffman had seven for 84.

If they were giving one, the Eagles' player of the game award would likely go to sophomore Brodie Eisenbraun. He averaged 48.2 yards on nine punts, picked up a first down on a fake punt and scored Chadron State's touchdown.

The TD came early in the fourth period when Eisenbraun, as the holder for placekicks, crossed up the Orediggers again by taking the snap from center when CSC was lined up to kick a field goal, raised up from his kneeling position, tucked the ball under his arm and ran 13 yards to the end zone.

It's probably the first time Chadron State has scored in that manner.

The Eagles also threatened early when on their second play from scrimmage, wide receiver Rollin George took a handoff from quarterback Preston Pearson and raced 44 yards to the Mines' 13-yard line.  But Pearson's pass on the next play was picked off by safety Jaden Williams.  That was the Eagles' only turnover.

Pearson completed 21 of 48 passes for 154 yards.  Another sophomore, Tommy Thomas, was CSC's leading receiver with nine catches for 59 yards. George's 44-yard sprint made him the Eagles' leading rusher.  The team finished with just 93 yards rushing after the 13 yards lost when Pearson was sacked five times were deducted.

Chadron State intercepted two of Matocha's passes. Safety Sutton Pohlman swiped one late in the second quarter to go with the fourth period pick by Peterson, who also forced a fumble.

Pohlman was the game's busiest tackler, participating in eight. Dax Yeradi and Joey Geil each had seven.

Now 1-4, the Eagles will host the Fort Lewis Skyhawks this coming Saturday, Oct. 7 on

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696255615395.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con MarshallGOLDEN, Colo. -- The Colorado Mines Orediggers, ranked No, 2 nationally in NCAA Division II, continued their winning ways Saturday afternoon while downing the Chadron State Eagles 35-7 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game played in Golden.After being forced to punt on their first possession, the Orediggers scored the next four times they had the ball by driving 92, 80, 80 and 68 yards. They also competed a 65-yard drive late in the second quarter to take a 35-0 halftime lead.The Orediggers' offense is led by senior quarterback John Matocha, who is bidding to win his second straight Harlon Hill Award as the outstanding player in Division II. He had a great day, racking up 356 yards of total offense, most of it in the first half.He was still in the game midway in the fourth quarter, when Eagles freshman Tucker Peterson picked off his pass at the seven-yard line to blunt Mines' only long drive in the second half.For the game, Matocha completed 28 of 44 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 72 yards. Two of his scoring tosses of one and 18 yards were caught by wide receiver Zach Hoffman. The other went 16 yards to running back Noah Roper.Roper also scored on runs of 38 and three yards and was the game's leading rusher with 11 carries for 110 yards.Now 5-0, the Orediggers had 546 yards of offense--244 on the ground and 302 through the air. Max McLeod was Matocha's favorite target with 10 receptions for 103 yards. Hoffman had seven for 84.If they were giving one, the Eagles' player of the game award would likely go to sophomore Brodie Eisenbraun. He averaged 48.2 yards on nine punts, picked up a first down on a fake punt and scored Chadron State's touchdown.The TD came early in the fourth period when Eisenbraun, as the holder for placekicks, crossed up the Orediggers again by taking the snap from center when CSC was lined up to kick a field goal, raised up from his kneeling position, tucked the ball under his arm and ran 13 yards to the end zone.It's probably the first time Chadron State has scored in that manner.The Eagles also threatened early when on their second play from scrimmage, wide receiver Rollin George took a handoff from quarterback Preston Pearson and raced 44 yards to the Mines' 13-yard line. But Pearson's pass on the next play was picked off by safety Jaden Williams. That was the Eagles' only turnover.Pearson completed 21 of 48 passes for 154 yards. Another sophomore, Tommy Thomas, was CSC's leading receiver with nine catches for 59 yards. George's 44-yard sprint made him the Eagles' leading rusher. The team finished with just 93 yards rushing after the 13 yards lost when Pearson was sacked five times were deducted.Chadron State intercepted two of Matocha's passes. Safety Sutton Pohlman swiped one late in the second quarter to go with the fourth period pick by Peterson, who also forced a fumble.Pohlman was the game's busiest tackler, participating in eight. Dax Yeradi and Joey Geil each had seven.Now 1-4, the Eagles will host the Fort Lewis Skyhawks this coming Saturday, Oct. 7 onhomecoming.

#2 Colorado Mines shuts down CSC  35-7

🏈 Week 6 High School Football Scoreboard, September 29

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663982235627.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>🏈 Week 6 High School Football Scoreboard, September 29Sidney 40, Chadron 21Mitchell 65, Alliance 30Waverly 27, Scottsbluff 14Bridgeport 68, Kimball 17Gordon-Rushville 35, Valentine 32Cody-Kilgore 44, Crawford 0Garden County 44, South Platte 15Gering 35, Lexington 9Mullen 48, Leyton 14Hemingford 44, Bayard 42Ogallala 34, McCook 14Banner County 54, Creek Valley 8Hay Springs 52, Minatare 4

🏈 Week 6 High School Football Scoreboard

By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information Director

CHADRON, Neb. -- Mayson Fago eclipsed 1000 career kills and the Eagles defeated South Dakota Mines in three sets Thursday evening, 25-18, 26-24, and 25-16.

Since the matches are played in a pod with CSC, South Dakota Mines and Blacks Hills State, they do not count against conference records. The Eagles improved to 8-5 overall and remain at 3-1 in RMAC play.

Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado, finished with a team high 12 kills and hit .478 while the Eagles hit .252 as a team.

The Hardrockers led set one 8-6 before the Eagles manufactured a 11-2 scoring run to gain the lead and win the set.

The Eagles once again overcame an early deficit in set two. After trailing 5-1, CSC tied the set at ten and the two teams stayed within two points for the remainder of the set. The Hardrockers led 24-23 but CSC scored the next three points after two attack errors by their opponent and a Fago kill.

Set three saw the two teams tied at 14 before Chadron State had a 14-2 run to win the set and match.

Lexi Hurtado, a graduate student from Aurora, Colorado finished second for CSC with nine kills while Aiyana Fujiyama and Bella Adams each added eight. Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii, hit an outstanding .800, while Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado hit .400.

Setter Kendyl Kirkwood, a junior from Fleming, Colorado had 36 assists in the match.

Defensively, three Eagles finished with double-digit digs. Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah led the team with 15 in the victory. Rylee Greiman, a graduate student from Windsor, Colorado and Kirkwood each added 11.

Kally Kirkwood, a freshman from Fleming, Colorado led the team with four blocks while Fujiyama and Adams each had two.

Tomorrow, the Chicoine Center will be the location for a matchup between South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State at 6 p.m. The Eagles return to action at 3 p.m., Saturday when the host the Yellow Jackets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696043165690.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: John Murphy CSC Sports Information DirectorCHADRON, Neb. -- Mayson Fago eclipsed 1000 career kills and the Eagles defeated South Dakota Mines in three sets Thursday evening, 25-18, 26-24, and 25-16.Since the matches are played in a pod with CSC, South Dakota Mines and Blacks Hills State, they do not count against conference records. The Eagles improved to 8-5 overall and remain at 3-1 in RMAC play.Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado, finished with a team high 12 kills and hit .478 while the Eagles hit .252 as a team.The Hardrockers led set one 8-6 before the Eagles manufactured a 11-2 scoring run to gain the lead and win the set.The Eagles once again overcame an early deficit in set two. After trailing 5-1, CSC tied the set at ten and the two teams stayed within two points for the remainder of the set. The Hardrockers led 24-23 but CSC scored the next three points after two attack errors by their opponent and a Fago kill.Set three saw the two teams tied at 14 before Chadron State had a 14-2 run to win the set and match.Lexi Hurtado, a graduate student from Aurora, Colorado finished second for CSC with nine kills while Aiyana Fujiyama and Bella Adams each added eight. Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii, hit an outstanding .800, while Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado hit .400.Setter Kendyl Kirkwood, a junior from Fleming, Colorado had 36 assists in the match.Defensively, three Eagles finished with double-digit digs. Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah led the team with 15 in the victory. Rylee Greiman, a graduate student from Windsor, Colorado and Kirkwood each added 11.Kally Kirkwood, a freshman from Fleming, Colorado led the team with four blocks while Fujiyama and Adams each had two.Tomorrow, the Chicoine Center will be the location for a matchup between South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State at 6 p.m. The Eagles return to action at 3 p.m., Saturday when the host the Yellow Jackets.

Eagles sweep rival SD Mines, host Black Hills State Saturday

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle Post

Softball sub-districts have been announced and the #3 seeded Alliance Bulldogs will be traveling to Gering to face #2 Scottsbluff at 3:00 p.m. on Monday.&nbsp;

If Alliance wins, they will play the #1 seed and host Gering at 5 p.m.

KCOW and Panhandle Post will broadcast sub-district game or games on Monday starting at 2:50 on Monday.

Alliance wraps up the regular season by hosting Bayard in a double-header on Thursday and then a triangular on Saturday with Chase County and Saturday.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostSoftball sub-districts have been announced and the #3 seeded Alliance Bulldogs will be traveling to Gering to face #2 Scottsbluff at 3:00 p.m. on Monday.&nbsp;If Alliance wins, they will play the #1 seed and host Gering at 5 p.m.KCOW and Panhandle Post will broadcast sub-district game or games on Monday starting at 2:50 on Monday.Alliance wraps up the regular season by hosting Bayard in a double-header on Thursday and then a triangular on Saturday with Chase County and Saturday.

Alliance Softball sub-district pairings announced 

He's a sharp student, pilot, pianist, singer... Oh, and he kicked a school record 61-yard field goal for Chadron State Saturday! Meet one of the most eclectic &amp; impressive Eagles we've ever had on the show - Wilson Yee chats with Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins!

<div><iframe title="CSC Sports Journal - Wilson Yee, September 27, 2023" 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=tiedy-14b5fb4-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>He's a sharp student, pilot, pianist, singer... Oh, and he kicked a school record 61-yard field goal for Chadron State Saturday! Meet one of the most eclectic &amp; impressive Eagles we've ever had on the show - Wilson Yee chats with Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins!<figure>
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🎙 CSC Sports Journal - Wilson Yee, September 27, 2023

The Alliance Bulldogs were looking for an upset win over one of the top teams in Class B this season, while there were many positives, Gering used strong pitching from Sarah Weise in a 5-0 win.

There were no runs until Gering plated two in the 3rd and three more in the 4th for the only scoring of the game.

Hannah Schneider had another strong game in the circle for Alliance, striking out six Gering batters over seven innings, while allowing 11 hits and two walks.

Gering pitcher Sarah Wiese had a whopping 16 strikeouts in the win, allowing just four hits in the victory. Hallie Schneider, Alivia Osborn, Kyra Jesperson and Maci Cornish all had one hit for Alliance.

Next up for Alliance is a home double-header against Bayard, followed by a home triangular on Saturday against Chadron and Chase County.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle Post The Alliance Bulldogs were looking for an upset win over one of the top teams in Class B this season, while there were many positives, Gering used strong pitching from Sarah Weise in a 5-0 win.There were no runs until Gering plated two in the 3rd and three more in the 4th for the only scoring of the game.Hannah Schneider had another strong game in the circle for Alliance, striking out six Gering batters over seven innings, while allowing 11 hits and two walks.Gering pitcher Sarah Wiese had a whopping 16 strikeouts in the win, allowing just four hits in the victory. Hallie Schneider, Alivia Osborn, Kyra Jesperson and Maci Cornish all had one hit for Alliance.Next up for Alliance is a home double-header against Bayard, followed by a home triangular on Saturday against Chadron and Chase County.

Alliance softball falls short to Gering at Hal Murray

CSC Head Coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins revisit CSC's school-record 61-yard field goal, break down the Western Colorado game and look ahead to the showdown at #2 Colorado Mines this week!

<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - September 26, 2023" 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=8hy9x-14b5d49-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 Head Coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins revisit CSC's school-record 61-yard field goal, break down the Western Colorado game and look ahead to the showdown at #2 Colorado Mines this week!<figure>
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🔊 Jay Long Show - September 26, 2023

The Alliance Bulldogs boy's tennis team faced stiff competition at the Hastings Invite on Friday, as the Bulldogs placed 10th at the invite. Here are the results:

#1 Singles Tony Escamilla went 0 - 4.&nbsp; &nbsp;

 &nbsp;#2 Singles Tre Red Bear went 1- 3 getting a win over Norfolk's Shaun Gustman 8-3.

#1 Doubles Landyn Branstiter and Kade Richey went 0 - 4

# 2 Doubles Bryce Wade and Kash Shrewsbury went&nbsp;0 - 4.

Bulldogs Head Coach Scott Mills said the effort from his team was strong.&nbsp; "They all played better and much smarter, but we were definitely playing some top players in the area, Mills said. "I was proud of the way they played and kept fighting; I saw some improvements across the board at Hastings."

Varsity team is back at it on Tuesday at Gering on Tue.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostThe Alliance Bulldogs boy's tennis team faced stiff competition at the Hastings Invite on Friday, as the Bulldogs placed 10th at the invite. Here are the results:#1 Singles Tony Escamilla went 0 - 4.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;#2 Singles Tre Red Bear went 1- 3 getting a win over Norfolk's Shaun Gustman 8-3.#1 Doubles Landyn Branstiter and Kade Richey went 0 - 4# 2 Doubles Bryce Wade and Kash Shrewsbury went&nbsp;0 - 4.Bulldogs Head Coach Scott Mills said the effort from his team was strong.&nbsp; "They all played better and much smarter, but we were definitely playing some top players in the area, Mills said. "I was proud of the way they played and kept fighting; I saw some improvements across the board at Hastings."Varsity team is back at it on Tuesday at Gering on Tue.

Tre Red Bear earns win at Hastings to lead Alliance Tennis

Alliance, NE - The Bulldogs offense at times were clicking, but the defense was unable to contain the running attack of Ogallala in a 48-22 loss at Bulldog Stadium.

"It's a tough game, we knew it was going to be a tough game because they're a tough team who is very physical," Alliance Head Coach T.D Stein said.

Ogallala rushed for 430 yards, but the Bulldogs offense did have their moments as Landen Crowe completed 15 of 26 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Tristen Timbers and Espen Lanik each had a receiving TD while Timbers added a fumble recovery for the score. Alliance next faces 4-1 Mitchell at Bulldog Stadium on Friday at 7 pm.

Maxwell, NE - The Hemingford Bobcats battled Maxwell early, but three straight touchdowns in the fourth quarter for Maxwell helped them pull away 36-14. Here are post-game remarks from Hemingford Head Coach Josh Dean.

"Credit Maxwell for the win, however, it was more about what we did to ourselves than what they did to us," Dean said.&nbsp; Defensively, we did really well about 80-90% of the game. Even that high of a percentage is typically not going to win you a game against a good opponent."

Offensively, the Bobcats fumbled three times and threw two interceptions while also giving up an onside kick on special teams, but still played well enough to give themselves a chance in the fourth quarter.

Jacob Bryner had a 6-yard rushing touchdown to cut Maxwell's lead to 8-6. Bobcats trailed 16-6 at halftime before scoring first in the 4th quarter with a Zane Feist rushing score that got Hemingford within two points 16-14. However, 3 straight rushing touchdowns were the difference for Maxwell.

Hemingford falls to 2-3 and looks to get on track against Bayard at home at 2 pm on Friday.

By Alex Benzegala Panhandle PostAlliance, NE - The Bulldogs offense at times were clicking, but the defense was unable to contain the running attack of Ogallala in a 48-22 loss at Bulldog Stadium. "It's a tough game, we knew it was going to be a tough game because they're a tough team who is very physical," Alliance Head Coach T.D Stein said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695659152752.jpeg" alt="Landen Crowe throws to a receiver on Friday. (Photo credit to Karen Benzel)" />
 <figcaption>Landen Crowe throws to a receiver on Friday. (Photo credit to Karen Benzel)</figcaption>
 </figure>Ogallala rushed for 430 yards, but the Bulldogs offense did have their moments as Landen Crowe completed 15 of 26 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. Tristen Timbers and Espen Lanik each had a receiving TD while Timbers added a fumble recovery for the score. Alliance next faces 4-1 Mitchell at Bulldog Stadium on Friday at 7 pm.Maxwell, NE - The Hemingford Bobcats battled Maxwell early, but three straight touchdowns in the fourth quarter for Maxwell helped them pull away 36-14. Here are post-game remarks from Hemingford Head Coach Josh Dean.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695659292263.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy of Hemingford Public Schools" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy of Hemingford Public Schools</figcaption>
 </figure>"Credit Maxwell for the win, however, it was more about what we did to ourselves than what they did to us," Dean said.&nbsp; Defensively, we did really well about 80-90% of the game. Even that high of a percentage is typically not going to win you a game against a good opponent."Offensively, the Bobcats fumbled three times and threw two interceptions while also giving up an onside kick on special teams, but still played well enough to give themselves a chance in the fourth quarter.Jacob Bryner had a 6-yard rushing touchdown to cut Maxwell's lead to 8-6. Bobcats trailed 16-6 at halftime before scoring first in the 4th quarter with a Zane Feist rushing score that got Hemingford within two points 16-14. However, 3 straight rushing touchdowns were the difference for Maxwell.Hemingford falls to 2-3 and looks to get on track against Bayard at home at 2 pm on Friday.

High School Football: Alliance & Hemingford drop tough games

The Chadron State College football team was defeated 35-17 by Western Colorado Mountaineers at home Saturday, but the Eagles had bright spots, giving hope that the Eagles are improving.

              The Eagles’ highlights included three field goals by Wilson Yee and an 80-touchdown pass play by a pair of sophomores.

              Yee’s field goals included a school-record 61-yarder that a referee who was underneath the crossbar said would have been good from another five yards away.  It came early in the third period. He initially kicked a 25-yard field goal in the first period and also booted a 36-yard third three-pointer with just over four minutes left in the third frame.

              The perfectly-executed touchdown pass play occurred midway in the fourth period, when quarterback Preston Pearson hooked up with Tommy Thomas, who was running full speed in the middle of the field and made the over-his-head grab. The ball was in the air about 40 yards and Thomas took it the remaining 40 yards to the end zone

Thomas also caught the two-point conversion pass that was thrown by another receiver, Grant Swenson.  The eight-point burst cut Western’s lead to 28-17, putting the Eagles within striking range of the Colorado visitors.

However, on their next possession, Mountaineers’ quarterback Drew Nash completed four of six passes, including a 39-yard connection with Cole Ritters that carried to the Eagles’ three-yard line. Running back Dayvon Butler scored on the next play and placekicker Adam Tasei added the extra point to pretty well secure the victory.

Western took a 7-0 lead on its first possession by completing a 53-yard pass play began when Nash threw an overhand lateral to Butler in the left flat. Butler then connected with wide receiver Andrew Montez on a 53-yard run-and-catch for a touchdown with less than three minutes gone off the clock. 

Yee’s first field goal, which was set up when CSC linebacker Hunter O’Connor punched the ball out of Nash’s grasp and the fumble was recovered by Eagles’ lineman Kien Martin, cut Western’s lead to 7-3.

However, the Mountaineers dominated the second period and scored three touchdowns to take a 28-3 halftime lead.

Following a 67-yard punt by the Eagles’ Brodie Eisenbraun, the visitors initially drove 99 yards on 16 plays with Nash going the final two yards with 5:42 left in the quarter.  Two minutes later, Nash hit wide receiver Victory David, who was running a fly pattern, on a 77-yard scoring strike.

Western added its final TD of the quarter was set up when linebacker Kendall Lightfoot intercepted a CSC pass at the Chadron State 37. Nash’s five-yard toss to running back Braeden Hogan netted the touchdown with nine seconds left on the first half clock.  

Nash, a sophomore, completed 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards and two TDs. Montez was his favorite target with eight catches for 111 yards. Five other Mountaineers caught at least two passes for 30 yards or more yards. Butler was the game’s leading rusher with 17 carries for 56 yards.

Pearson competed five of 12 passes for 99 yards while starter Heath Beemiller was four of eight for 24 yards. Jeydon Cox had nine rushes for 33 yards to pace CSC on the ground.

By: Con MarshallThe Chadron State College football team was defeated 35-17 by Western Colorado Mountaineers at home Saturday, but the Eagles had bright spots, giving hope that the Eagles are improving. The Eagles’ highlights included three field goals by Wilson Yee and an 80-touchdown pass play by a pair of sophomores. Yee’s field goals included a school-record 61-yarder that a referee who was underneath the crossbar said would have been good from another five yards away. It came early in the third period. He initially kicked a 25-yard field goal in the first period and also booted a 36-yard third three-pointer with just over four minutes left in the third frame. The perfectly-executed touchdown pass play occurred midway in the fourth period, when quarterback Preston Pearson hooked up with Tommy Thomas, who was running full speed in the middle of the field and made the over-his-head grab. The ball was in the air about 40 yards and Thomas took it the remaining 40 yards to the end zoneThomas also caught the two-point conversion pass that was thrown by another receiver, Grant Swenson. The eight-point burst cut Western’s lead to 28-17, putting the Eagles within striking range of the Colorado visitors.However, on their next possession, Mountaineers’ quarterback Drew Nash completed four of six passes, including a 39-yard connection with Cole Ritters that carried to the Eagles’ three-yard line. Running back Dayvon Butler scored on the next play and placekicker Adam Tasei added the extra point to pretty well secure the victory.Western took a 7-0 lead on its first possession by completing a 53-yard pass play began when Nash threw an overhand lateral to Butler in the left flat. Butler then connected with wide receiver Andrew Montez on a 53-yard run-and-catch for a touchdown with less than three minutes gone off the clock. Yee’s first field goal, which was set up when CSC linebacker Hunter O’Connor punched the ball out of Nash’s grasp and the fumble was recovered by Eagles’ lineman Kien Martin, cut Western’s lead to 7-3.However, the Mountaineers dominated the second period and scored three touchdowns to take a 28-3 halftime lead.Following a 67-yard punt by the Eagles’ Brodie Eisenbraun, the visitors initially drove 99 yards on 16 plays with Nash going the final two yards with 5:42 left in the quarter. Two minutes later, Nash hit wide receiver Victory David, who was running a fly pattern, on a 77-yard scoring strike.Western added its final TD of the quarter was set up when linebacker Kendall Lightfoot intercepted a CSC pass at the Chadron State 37. Nash’s five-yard toss to running back Braeden Hogan netted the touchdown with nine seconds left on the first half clock. Nash, a sophomore, completed 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards and two TDs. Montez was his favorite target with eight catches for 111 yards. Five other Mountaineers caught at least two passes for 30 yards or more yards. Butler was the game’s leading rusher with 17 carries for 56 yards.Pearson competed five of 12 passes for 99 yards while starter Heath Beemiller was four of eight for 24 yards. Jeydon Cox had nine rushes for 33 yards to pace CSC on the ground.Altogether, the Mountaineers out-yarded the Eagles 506 to 228. They finished with 24 first downs and the Eagles just 10. Western was 10 of 17 on third down conversions and CSC four of 14.Both safety Sutton Pohlman and linebacker Joey Geil led CSC in tackles with 10. Lightfoot had eight stops besides his interception to pace the visitors’ defense. Cy Shope was next with seven tackles. Yee’s CSC-record 61-yard field goal comes after Gunnar Jones kicked two 57-yard field goals last fall against Adams State to match Aaron Turner’s 57-yarder that was also against Adams State in 2000. Now 1-3, the Eagles will visit defending RMAC champion and No. 2 nationally-ranked Colorado School of Mines in Golden next Saturday, Sept. 30. WSU CSCFirst Downs 24 10Total Net Yards 506 228Rushes, Yards 35-133 34-105Passing Yards 373 123Passing 29-42-0 9-20-1Return Yards 39 49Punts, Average 4-35.2 6-43.3Fumbles, Lost 2-2 1-1Penalties, Yards 6-40 7-44Western Colorado 7 21 0 7 ----35Chadron State 3 0 6 8 ---17WCU—Andrew Montez 53 pass from Deyvon Butler (Adam Tasei kick)CSC—Wilson Yee 25 field goalWCU—Drew Nash 2 run (Tasei kick)WCU—Victory David 77 pass from Nash (Tasei kick)WSU—Braeden Hogan 5 pass from Nash (Tasei kick)CSC—Yee 61 field goalCSC—Yee 36 field goalCSC—Tommy Thomas 80 pass from Preston Pearson (Thomas pass from Grant Swenson)WSU—Butler 3 run (Tasei kick)