By: Con Marshall CSC Sports Information

CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State College football team built a 21-point halftime lead and executed enough down the stretch to hold off rivals Black Hills State 31-28 and win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Elliott Field in Chadron.

The Eagles scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead, added two more touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 28-7 at halftime, but had to fight for dear life in the second half to remain ahead of the Yellow Jackets, sealing victory after recovering an onside kick with just under two minutes to play.

The victory snapped the Eagles' three-losing streak in the rivalry that dates back to 1912. Each team entered the game with 0-2 records after playing rugged non-conference opponents. 

Chadron State Coach Jay Long called the win "awesome" for his team, but also commended the Yellow Jackets for their exceptional effort in the second half when they threatened to deal the Eagles a heart-breaker.

The Eagles built early momentum, going 82 yards in seven plays and 98 yards in eight plays on their first two drives of the game. After CSC received the kickoff, quarterback DJ Ralph completed four passes for 63 yards and threw a fade to wide receiver Tommy Thomas in the end zone for a three-yard TD.

Soon afterwards, Black Hills punted and forced the Eagles to take possession at their own two.  They got out of the hole on the second play from scrimmage when redshirt freshman running back Quincey Ryker broke loose on a 56-yard romp. CSC had a couple more good-sized gains before Ralph ran the final nine yards to the end zone to make it 14-0 with 3:52 left in the opening quarter. 

Early in the second frame, Black Hills went 79 yards in 10 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Luke Duby completed three passes for 38 yards and chipped in a 15-yard run, but the Yellow Jackets mixed in plenty of Wildcat snaps to running back Danny Davis, who scored the touchdown on a direct snap from center and went the last 15 yards to cut the Eagles' lead in half.

After a Ryker 42-yard run on the Eagles' ensuing possession was erased by a penalty, CSC had to punt the ball away. Black Hills took over on its own 30, but on the first play, Duby's short pass was intercepted by CSC linebacker Logan O'Brien, who was blitzing on the play, caught the ball at full stride and took it to the end zone for his team's third touchdown. It was the first turnover forced this season by the Chadron State defense and the first defensive TD, one year after they ranked fifth in all of Division II with five. 

Chadron State scored again with just 11 seconds left before halftime when Ralph threw a two-yard pass to tight end Preston Pearson in the corner of the end zone after the CSC quarterback had hit Devon Sundgren with a 27-yard strike down the middle of the field. That drive was a 70-yarder in 10 plays.

The Eagles had a 28-7 lead and 244 yards of total offense at halftime. They added just 50 yards and three points in the second half while Black Hills rolled up 254 yards and 21 points in the game's final 30 minutes.

The Jackets got their second TD midway in the third quarter when alternate quarterback Kade Weber ran the final eight yards to cap a 50-yard drive. They also scored on the first play of the fourth frame by capping an 11-play, 98-yard drive when Duby connected with his favorite target, TJ Chukwurah, on a 43-yard strike to make the score 28-21. 

In between those BHSU touchdowns, Ralph exited the game while on a rushing play, and the graduate student from San Diego did not return to action. Alternate quarterback Aidan Thompson took over and directed a 10-play, 53-yard march that took nearly six minutes off the clock and led to Wilson Yee's 29-yard field goal with nine minutes left to play. Those three points ended up being the margin of victory.  

The Yellow Jackets got two more possessions after CSC went ahead 31-21. The first drive covered 72 yards and reached the Eagles' 11-yard line, but was stopped there on fourth down with five minutes left to play.

A couple minutes later, the South Dakota team cashed in on its second late opportunity. A 53-yard pass from Duby to Chukwurah, the RMAC's leading passing duo entering the game, was the major reason, with CSC safety Tucker Peterson finally stopping the Jackets' star at the CSC three. Two plays later, the Jackets scored on a three-yard Duby to Davis toss that made the score 31-28 with 1:54 seconds left to play and the Yellow Jackets out of timeouts.

Chadron State thought they had sealed the game when BHSU's first onside kick did not go the required 10 yards and was jumped on by linebacker Liam Blaser, but the officials said that one of them had blown an inadvertent whistle during the play and allowed the Yellow Jackets to re-kick. This time, the squib traveled 17 yards, with wide receiver Tommy Thomas corralling it and enabling the Eagles to kneel out the clock for a hard-fought win.

Black Hills finished with 380 total net yards and the Eagles with 294. The visitors also ran 77 plays and had possession of the ball 37 minutes and 13 seconds while the hosts had 56 plays and owned the ball just 22:47.

Twenty-six penalties were called, 14 of them against the Yellow Jackets for 140 yards and 12 against the Eagles for 141 yards.

Ralph had completed 16 of 25 passes for 152 yards before he left the game. Preston Pearson was CSC's top receiver with five catches for 70 yards. Ryker had nine rushes for 60 yards.

CSC safety Sutton Pohlman was the game's leading tackler with 10, followed by Logan O'Brien with eight stops to go with his dramatic interception that he turned into a touchdown.  

For Black Hills, Duby completed 24 of 33 passes for 229 yards with Chukwurah catching seven of them for 147 yards. Davis was the Black Hils' leading rusher with 11 carries for 72 yards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757896202554.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationCHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State College football team built a 21-point halftime lead and executed enough down the stretch to hold off rivals Black Hills State 31-28 and win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Elliott Field in Chadron.The Eagles scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead, added two more touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 28-7 at halftime, but had to fight for dear life in the second half to remain ahead of the Yellow Jackets, sealing victory after recovering an onside kick with just under two minutes to play.The victory snapped the Eagles' three-losing streak in the rivalry that dates back to 1912. Each team entered the game with 0-2 records after playing rugged non-conference opponents. Chadron State Coach Jay Long called the win "awesome" for his team, but also commended the Yellow Jackets for their exceptional effort in the second half when they threatened to deal the Eagles a heart-breaker.The Eagles built early momentum, going 82 yards in seven plays and 98 yards in eight plays on their first two drives of the game. After CSC received the kickoff, quarterback DJ Ralph completed four passes for 63 yards and threw a fade to wide receiver Tommy Thomas in the end zone for a three-yard TD.Soon afterwards, Black Hills punted and forced the Eagles to take possession at their own two. They got out of the hole on the second play from scrimmage when redshirt freshman running back Quincey Ryker broke loose on a 56-yard romp. CSC had a couple more good-sized gains before Ralph ran the final nine yards to the end zone to make it 14-0 with 3:52 left in the opening quarter. Early in the second frame, Black Hills went 79 yards in 10 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Luke Duby completed three passes for 38 yards and chipped in a 15-yard run, but the Yellow Jackets mixed in plenty of Wildcat snaps to running back Danny Davis, who scored the touchdown on a direct snap from center and went the last 15 yards to cut the Eagles' lead in half.After a Ryker 42-yard run on the Eagles' ensuing possession was erased by a penalty, CSC had to punt the ball away. Black Hills took over on its own 30, but on the first play, Duby's short pass was intercepted by CSC linebacker Logan O'Brien, who was blitzing on the play, caught the ball at full stride and took it to the end zone for his team's third touchdown. It was the first turnover forced this season by the Chadron State defense and the first defensive TD, one year after they ranked fifth in all of Division II with five. Chadron State scored again with just 11 seconds left before halftime when Ralph threw a two-yard pass to tight end Preston Pearson in the corner of the end zone after the CSC quarterback had hit Devon Sundgren with a 27-yard strike down the middle of the field. That drive was a 70-yarder in 10 plays.The Eagles had a 28-7 lead and 244 yards of total offense at halftime. They added just 50 yards and three points in the second half while Black Hills rolled up 254 yards and 21 points in the game's final 30 minutes.The Jackets got their second TD midway in the third quarter when alternate quarterback Kade Weber ran the final eight yards to cap a 50-yard drive. They also scored on the first play of the fourth frame by capping an 11-play, 98-yard drive when Duby connected with his favorite target, TJ Chukwurah, on a 43-yard strike to make the score 28-21. In between those BHSU touchdowns, Ralph exited the game while on a rushing play, and the graduate student from San Diego did not return to action. Alternate quarterback Aidan Thompson took over and directed a 10-play, 53-yard march that took nearly six minutes off the clock and led to Wilson Yee's 29-yard field goal with nine minutes left to play. Those three points ended up being the margin of victory. The Yellow Jackets got two more possessions after CSC went ahead 31-21. The first drive covered 72 yards and reached the Eagles' 11-yard line, but was stopped there on fourth down with five minutes left to play.A couple minutes later, the South Dakota team cashed in on its second late opportunity. A 53-yard pass from Duby to Chukwurah, the RMAC's leading passing duo entering the game, was the major reason, with CSC safety Tucker Peterson finally stopping the Jackets' star at the CSC three. Two plays later, the Jackets scored on a three-yard Duby to Davis toss that made the score 31-28 with 1:54 seconds left to play and the Yellow Jackets out of timeouts.Chadron State thought they had sealed the game when BHSU's first onside kick did not go the required 10 yards and was jumped on by linebacker Liam Blaser, but the officials said that one of them had blown an inadvertent whistle during the play and allowed the Yellow Jackets to re-kick. This time, the squib traveled 17 yards, with wide receiver Tommy Thomas corralling it and enabling the Eagles to kneel out the clock for a hard-fought win.Black Hills finished with 380 total net yards and the Eagles with 294. The visitors also ran 77 plays and had possession of the ball 37 minutes and 13 seconds while the hosts had 56 plays and owned the ball just 22:47.Twenty-six penalties were called, 14 of them against the Yellow Jackets for 140 yards and 12 against the Eagles for 141 yards.Ralph had completed 16 of 25 passes for 152 yards before he left the game. Preston Pearson was CSC's top receiver with five catches for 70 yards. Ryker had nine rushes for 60 yards.CSC safety Sutton Pohlman was the game's leading tackler with 10, followed by Logan O'Brien with eight stops to go with his dramatic interception that he turned into a touchdown. For Black Hills, Duby completed 24 of 33 passes for 229 yards with Chukwurah catching seven of them for 147 yards. Davis was the Black Hils' leading rusher with 11 carries for 72 yards.

CSC holds off Black Hills State to open RMAC play with Battle for the Buckle victory

MANKATO, Minn. – Chadron State volleyball earned two wins in style Friday at the Maverick Invite, hosted by Minnesota State, as the Eagles swept Upper Iowa 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 before another three-set win over Minnesota-Crookston by nearly identical scores of 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. 

The two wins raise Chadron State's record to 3-4 on the season. The 2025 Eagles are already halfway to matching last season's win total before first serve of the RMAC conference season. 

Mataya Ward had two games with double-digit kills while Kally Kirkwood posted a team-high 15 in the Crookston win. Avery Lacy continued her season-long streak of double-digit digs in every contest while Gibson Beckler had a Chadron State career-high of 21 digs in CSC's second match of the day.

Against Upper Iowa, the Eagles fell behind 3-0 and remained in the set until a kill from Ward tied the score 17-17. Chadron State took the lead with a four-point run featuring two kills from Adams, one from Kirkwood and one from Ward. The Peacocks tried to catch up but fell short when the set ended 25-22 with a kill from Hazlitt. 

The Eagles carried their momentum through the second set, opening up a four-point lead to start the period. Chadron State kept a narrow lead through the set until the Peacocks tied the score 16-16. The two schools continued to stay within two points of each other before the Eagles took the last three points of the set with two kills from Ward and one from Gibson Beckler, ending the set 25-21. 

Chadron State quickly took the lead in the third set and leaned on Mataya Ward, who racked up six kills in the third frame alone. Upper Iowa made their last attempt to stay in the match with a three point run that cut the Eagle lead to 23-22, but Ward's sixth kill and an attack error sealed the sweep.

Ward led the team with 17 kills against the Peacocks, followed by Kally Kirkwood and Bella Adams with eight. Shelby Harding and Ward also led the team with two aces each. Shelbi Hazlitt led the team with four blocks, followed by Ward and Adams with three. 

The Eagles then faced Minnesota-Crookston, a team entering at 5-0 with four wins from a classic in New Hampshire and an earlier win against the same Upper Iowa side. Minnesota-Crookston, whose nickname is the Golden Eagles, took an early 5-2 lead in the first set before a 6-2 CSC run with two kills from Bella Adams, two from Kirkwood and two attack errors put the Eagles in front. The Eagles took control of the set with a decisive 4-0 run holding a 21-20 lead, with Shelbi Hazlitt and Ward hammering home kills before an Avery Lacy ace and a Ward/Adams combo black helped CSC seal its fourth set win in a row. 

The other two sets were similarly hard-fought, but the Eagles executed down the stretch to win both sets and emerge unscathed. The Eagles swung the second set with a 6-0 run to turn a 15-9 deficit into a tie game, featuring back-to-back aces from Gibson Beckler. Another 4-0 run gave the Eagles a 22-18 lead and a kill by Ward finished it off. 

The third and final set featured a 10-1 CSC scoring run that allowed the Eagles to open a 14-5 lead as Ward, Adams and Beckler all had multiple kills. Although the Golden Eagles whittled down the lead and fought all the way back to tie the score 22-22, a service error handed the side out back to CSC and a Minnesota-Crookston attack error and Kirkwood kill closed out the match. 

Against Minnesota-Crookston, Kirkwood led with 15 kills while Ward had 10. Bella Adams smashed home nine kills with just one hitting error and a .421 hitting percentage. While Avery Lacy racked up 15 digs, Beckler emerged with 21 to become the first player other than Lacy to lead the team in a single game. 

The Eagles will play early at 9 a.m. MT against No. 22 Northern State, who previously swept CSC last weekend in Chadron.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757771493006.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: CSC Sports InformationMANKATO, Minn. – Chadron State volleyball earned two wins in style Friday at the Maverick Invite, hosted by Minnesota State, as the Eagles swept Upper Iowa 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 before another three-set win over Minnesota-Crookston by nearly identical scores of 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. The two wins raise Chadron State's record to 3-4 on the season. The 2025 Eagles are already halfway to matching last season's win total before first serve of the RMAC conference season. Mataya Ward had two games with double-digit kills while Kally Kirkwood posted a team-high 15 in the Crookston win. Avery Lacy continued her season-long streak of double-digit digs in every contest while Gibson Beckler had a Chadron State career-high of 21 digs in CSC's second match of the day.Against Upper Iowa, the Eagles fell behind 3-0 and remained in the set until a kill from Ward tied the score 17-17. Chadron State took the lead with a four-point run featuring two kills from Adams, one from Kirkwood and one from Ward. The Peacocks tried to catch up but fell short when the set ended 25-22 with a kill from Hazlitt. The Eagles carried their momentum through the second set, opening up a four-point lead to start the period. Chadron State kept a narrow lead through the set until the Peacocks tied the score 16-16. The two schools continued to stay within two points of each other before the Eagles took the last three points of the set with two kills from Ward and one from Gibson Beckler, ending the set 25-21. Chadron State quickly took the lead in the third set and leaned on Mataya Ward, who racked up six kills in the third frame alone. Upper Iowa made their last attempt to stay in the match with a three point run that cut the Eagle lead to 23-22, but Ward's sixth kill and an attack error sealed the sweep.Ward led the team with 17 kills against the Peacocks, followed by Kally Kirkwood and Bella Adams with eight. Shelby Harding and Ward also led the team with two aces each. Shelbi Hazlitt led the team with four blocks, followed by Ward and Adams with three. The Eagles then faced Minnesota-Crookston, a team entering at 5-0 with four wins from a classic in New Hampshire and an earlier win against the same Upper Iowa side. Minnesota-Crookston, whose nickname is the Golden Eagles, took an early 5-2 lead in the first set before a 6-2 CSC run with two kills from Bella Adams, two from Kirkwood and two attack errors put the Eagles in front. The Eagles took control of the set with a decisive 4-0 run holding a 21-20 lead, with Shelbi Hazlitt and Ward hammering home kills before an Avery Lacy ace and a Ward/Adams combo black helped CSC seal its fourth set win in a row. The other two sets were similarly hard-fought, but the Eagles executed down the stretch to win both sets and emerge unscathed. The Eagles swung the second set with a 6-0 run to turn a 15-9 deficit into a tie game, featuring back-to-back aces from Gibson Beckler. Another 4-0 run gave the Eagles a 22-18 lead and a kill by Ward finished it off. The third and final set featured a 10-1 CSC scoring run that allowed the Eagles to open a 14-5 lead as Ward, Adams and Beckler all had multiple kills. Although the Golden Eagles whittled down the lead and fought all the way back to tie the score 22-22, a service error handed the side out back to CSC and a Minnesota-Crookston attack error and Kirkwood kill closed out the match. Against Minnesota-Crookston, Kirkwood led with 15 kills while Ward had 10. Bella Adams smashed home nine kills with just one hitting error and a .421 hitting percentage. While Avery Lacy racked up 15 digs, Beckler emerged with 21 to become the first player other than Lacy to lead the team in a single game. The Eagles will play early at 9 a.m. MT against No. 22 Northern State, who previously swept CSC last weekend in Chadron.

🏐 Eagles sweep through Upper Iowa, Minnesota-Crookston Friday

🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - Scoreboard

◼ Bridgeport at Sandhills Valley - 6:00 (MT) in Tryon, NE

◼ Chase County 49 @ Gordon-Rushville 30

◼ North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599863764079.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - ScoreboardThursday, September 11◼ Garden County 73 @ Medicine Valley 6Friday, September 12◼ Gering 28 @ Alliance 6&nbsp;◼ Chadron 32 @ Mitchell 26◼ Scottsbluff 56 vs Crete 0◼ Cozad 17 @ Ogallala 12◼ Sidney 40 @ Holdrege 7◼ Bridgeport at Sandhills Valley - 6:00 (MT) in Tryon, NE◼ Chase County 49 @ Gordon-Rushville 30◼ North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8◼ Hemingford 64 vs Bayard 0◼ Hyannis 56 @ Morrill 0◼ Potter-Dix 63 @ Hay Springs 36◼ Leyton 85 vs Crawford 38◼ Paxton 56 vs Minatare 6◼ South Platte at Wallace - 7:00 MT

🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - Scoreboard

Two winless, but hungry, football teams will be colliding Saturday evening when the Chadron State Eagles host the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets at Elliott Field in Chadron. Kickoff will be at 6 o’clock. It will be the 81st time the teams from the institutions have met on the gridiron. 

                Both teams are 0-2, but have shown promise against tough opponents and each will be going all out  to launch its RMAC schedule with a victory.

                The Eagles have fallen 17-3 to Division I Northern Colorado and lost to Nebraska-Kearney 41-21 last Saturday night, but have out-gained their foes 639 to 597 yards.

                Meanwhile, Black Hills has given two tough teams all they wanted.  Sioux Falls edged the Yellow Jackets 27-21 in their opener, and national-ranked and perennial-power Grand Valley State of Michigan won by just 48-36 over the Jackets last Saturday in Grand Rapids.

                Grand Valley won its first game 45-9 while Sioux Falls defeated arch-rival Northern State 42-28 in its second game.

                What can fans expect Saturday night?  It may be an aerial circus.

                In its two games, Black Hills has rushed for just 79 yards, but quarterback Luke Duby has completed 62 of 87 passes (71.3%) for 607 yards.  Duby, a 6-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, has a favorite target.

                He’s TJ Chukwurah, a 5-11, 190-pound junior, who has already caught 22 passes for 291 yards and six touchdowns.  Statistically, both Duby and Chukwurah are leading the RMAC by significant margins after all the teams have played two non-conference foes.

                Chukwurah has played against the Eagles in two previous games. In 2022, he caught one pass for 28 yards and the next year one for 16.  He did not play against the Eagles in last year’s game at Spearfish in late October, but has been a terror for the opponents so far in 2025.

                In the game at Grand Valley last Saturday, both teams went wild through the air and barely moved the ball on the ground.  Black Hills got just 21 yards rushing and the Michigan team only 44.

                However, the Yellow Jackets completed 38 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Chukwurah, who caught a dozen tosses for 182 yards. Grand Valley completed 23 of 34 passes for 392 yards and four TDs. Eleven Lakers caught passes. Five of them had catches that were at least 29 yards long.

                Last year’s Chadron State-Black Hills State game also featured lots of passing, particularly by the Eagles. They definitely had difficulty rushing against the Yellow Jackets, earning just two net positive yards on the ground when sacks and losses are factored in. CSC’s two running backs combined to carry 20 times for just 33 yards.

                Thus, the Eagles were forced to throw the ball.  Quarterback DJ Ralph completed 33 of 47 passes for 408 yards.  It was 10th time a CSC quarterback had thrown for more than 400 yards, but it took a toll on Ralph.  He was sacked five times for 44 negative yards and it was the last game he played in 2024 before having surgery to repair his left shoulder.

                Ralph has returned as the Eagles’ primary quarterback and has thrown the ball well when he’s protected, but he has frequently been under siege.  So far, he has competed 32 of 57 tosses for 367 yards, but has been intercepted three times and has been sacked eight times, including five by Kearney, in the two contests. 

                Last year, the Eagles outgained the Jackets 410 to 279, but lost 21-18 when Black Hills running back Cameron Goods broke loose on a 45-yard jaunt and scored with 2:46 left to play. 

                Goods, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, is still playing.  So far this season, he has carried 16 times for 46 yards.  Danny Davis, a 6-2, 215 junior, leads the team with 13 rushes for 62 yards.

                CSC’s top ball rushers so far have been junior transfer Daytuawn Pearson with 16 carries for 107 yards and redshirt freshman Quincey Ryker with 26 totes for 103 yards.              

                The Chadron State-Black Hills series dates back to 1912, the second year Chadron State was in operation.  Although the rivalry was interrupted by both World War I and II, the football teams generally met annually and sometimes twice a year in the 1920s until 1952. That’s when an 11-year lull began for reasons no one can explain since the institutions are just 150 miles apart and had similar enrollments.

                Beginning in 1964 and through 1995, the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets met on the gridiron every autumn.  In the early ‘90s, Chadron State joined the RMAC and soon was playing a full slate of conference games. So, beginning in 1996, the CSC-BHSU rivalry was suspended again until 2012 when the Yellow Jackets also became a conference member.

                CSC has won eight of the 12 games since then and holds a 60-18-2 margin in the all-time series. But the Yellow Jackets have won the last three games. Prior to last year’s donnybrook, when the Eagles missed two field goals and an extra point and also lined up for another field goal, but problems with the snap and hold kept the ball from being kicked,  Black Hills won 32-23 in 2022 and 55-19 in ’23 when the Jackets finished with 556 yards of offense and threw for five touchdowns. 

                As most fans know, Chadron State Head Coach Jay Long and Black Hills mentor Josh Breske are well acquainted. Beske was a four-year starter in the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line 2006 through 2009.  Long was the Jackets’ offensive line coach the first three years and the head coach when Breske was a senior and earned NAIA All-American honors.  Breske was the first All-American that Long coached.

                After three years as the Jackets’ head mentor, Long returned to his alma mater as Chadron State’s head coach in 2012.  That fall, Breske joined the Eagles’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant and earned his master’s degree from CSC in 2013.            

                Breske became Black Hills State’s head coach in December 2019.  Because of the COVID pandemic, the Yellow Jackets played just two games in the fall of 2000, neither of them against CSC as both that were scheduled ended up being canceled.   Black Hills had a 4-7 record in 2021, reversed that mark the next year and has finished 6-5 each of the last two seasons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757612799453.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationTwo winless, but hungry, football teams will be colliding Saturday evening when the Chadron State Eagles host the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets at Elliott Field in Chadron. Kickoff will be at 6 o’clock. It will be the 81st time the teams from the institutions have met on the gridiron. Both teams are 0-2, but have shown promise against tough opponents and each will be going all out to launch its RMAC schedule with a victory. The Eagles have fallen 17-3 to Division I Northern Colorado and lost to Nebraska-Kearney 41-21 last Saturday night, but have out-gained their foes 639 to 597 yards. Meanwhile, Black Hills has given two tough teams all they wanted. Sioux Falls edged the Yellow Jackets 27-21 in their opener, and national-ranked and perennial-power Grand Valley State of Michigan won by just 48-36 over the Jackets last Saturday in Grand Rapids. Grand Valley won its first game 45-9 while Sioux Falls defeated arch-rival Northern State 42-28 in its second game. What can fans expect Saturday night? It may be an aerial circus. In its two games, Black Hills has rushed for just 79 yards, but quarterback Luke Duby has completed 62 of 87 passes (71.3%) for 607 yards. Duby, a 6-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, has a favorite target. He’s TJ Chukwurah, a 5-11, 190-pound junior, who has already caught 22 passes for 291 yards and six touchdowns. Statistically, both Duby and Chukwurah are leading the RMAC by significant margins after all the teams have played two non-conference foes. Chukwurah has played against the Eagles in two previous games. In 2022, he caught one pass for 28 yards and the next year one for 16. He did not play against the Eagles in last year’s game at Spearfish in late October, but has been a terror for the opponents so far in 2025. In the game at Grand Valley last Saturday, both teams went wild through the air and barely moved the ball on the ground. Black Hills got just 21 yards rushing and the Michigan team only 44. However, the Yellow Jackets completed 38 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Chukwurah, who caught a dozen tosses for 182 yards. Grand Valley completed 23 of 34 passes for 392 yards and four TDs. Eleven Lakers caught passes. Five of them had catches that were at least 29 yards long. Last year’s Chadron State-Black Hills State game also featured lots of passing, particularly by the Eagles. They definitely had difficulty rushing against the Yellow Jackets, earning just two net positive yards on the ground when sacks and losses are factored in. CSC’s two running backs combined to carry 20 times for just 33 yards. Thus, the Eagles were forced to throw the ball. Quarterback DJ Ralph completed 33 of 47 passes for 408 yards. It was 10th time a CSC quarterback had thrown for more than 400 yards, but it took a toll on Ralph. He was sacked five times for 44 negative yards and it was the last game he played in 2024 before having surgery to repair his left shoulder. Ralph has returned as the Eagles’ primary quarterback and has thrown the ball well when he’s protected, but he has frequently been under siege. So far, he has competed 32 of 57 tosses for 367 yards, but has been intercepted three times and has been sacked eight times, including five by Kearney, in the two contests. Last year, the Eagles outgained the Jackets 410 to 279, but lost 21-18 when Black Hills running back Cameron Goods broke loose on a 45-yard jaunt and scored with 2:46 left to play. Goods, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, is still playing. So far this season, he has carried 16 times for 46 yards. Danny Davis, a 6-2, 215 junior, leads the team with 13 rushes for 62 yards. CSC’s top ball rushers so far have been junior transfer Daytuawn Pearson with 16 carries for 107 yards and redshirt freshman Quincey Ryker with 26 totes for 103 yards. The Chadron State-Black Hills series dates back to 1912, the second year Chadron State was in operation. Although the rivalry was interrupted by both World War I and II, the football teams generally met annually and sometimes twice a year in the 1920s until 1952. That’s when an 11-year lull began for reasons no one can explain since the institutions are just 150 miles apart and had similar enrollments. Beginning in 1964 and through 1995, the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets met on the gridiron every autumn. In the early ‘90s, Chadron State joined the RMAC and soon was playing a full slate of conference games. So, beginning in 1996, the CSC-BHSU rivalry was suspended again until 2012 when the Yellow Jackets also became a conference member. CSC has won eight of the 12 games since then and holds a 60-18-2 margin in the all-time series. But the Yellow Jackets have won the last three games. Prior to last year’s donnybrook, when the Eagles missed two field goals and an extra point and also lined up for another field goal, but problems with the snap and hold kept the ball from being kicked, Black Hills won 32-23 in 2022 and 55-19 in ’23 when the Jackets finished with 556 yards of offense and threw for five touchdowns. As most fans know, Chadron State Head Coach Jay Long and Black Hills mentor Josh Breske are well acquainted. Beske was a four-year starter in the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line 2006 through 2009. Long was the Jackets’ offensive line coach the first three years and the head coach when Breske was a senior and earned NAIA All-American honors. Breske was the first All-American that Long coached. After three years as the Jackets’ head mentor, Long returned to his alma mater as Chadron State’s head coach in 2012. That fall, Breske joined the Eagles’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant and earned his master’s degree from CSC in 2013. Breske became Black Hills State’s head coach in December 2019. Because of the COVID pandemic, the Yellow Jackets played just two games in the fall of 2000, neither of them against CSC as both that were scheduled ended up being canceled. Black Hills had a 4-7 record in 2021, reversed that mark the next year and has finished 6-5 each of the last two seasons.

🏈 Con Marshall's Rivalry Night Preview: CSC and BHSU set to tangle Saturday

Panhandle Post by Jake Schrantz<div><iframe title="Alliance Bulldogs Coach's Show (09-10-25) - Football & Volleyball" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=qasgz-1961713-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=2&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=5" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Alliance Bulldogs Coach's Show - 9/10/25 (Football & Volleyball)

Former Chadron State College star athlete Isaac Grimes will be representing the United States in the long jump at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this coming week. He was both a conference champion and an All-American four times as CSC.

                Since then, after being the runner-up at several large meets during his star-studded career, Grimes won the long jump at the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Eugene, Ore., on Aug. 1 with a leap of 26-feet, 9 inches, or 8.15 meters.

                That earned him the spot on the U.S. team for the World Championships, which begin Saturday, Sept. 13 and run through Sept. 21.  The long jump qualifying competition is Monday and the finals are Wednesday.  

A native of Moreno Valley, Calif., Grimes long jumped almost as far as his USA Championship mark while competing for the Eagles six years ago. His best at CSC was 26-6 ¼, which was good for the silver medal at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at Kingsville, Texas, in May 2019.

                After spending three years at Chadron State, that was the last time Grimes jumped for the Eagles. He had used just two years of athletic eligibility at CSC, but transferred to Florida State so he could compete in Division I.  He continued to excel in the long jump there and now at age 27 is a pro and has the opportunity to win the world championship.

                It’s an intriguing story how Grimes came to Chadron State. He had shown promise in track while attending Rancho Verde High. Although he recalled long jumping more than 20 feet only once in high school, he high jumped 6-foot-6  and triple jumped 47-9 ½.  He also ran on a 4x400 relay team that was timed in 3:14.02, the fastest in California and third fastest in the nation his senior year in 2016.  However, prior to the state meet, one of the relay runners was injured, ending the bid for more national acclaim.

                Since Grimes’ high school grades were not spectacular, he did not receive much attention from college coaches. However, Brad Gamble, then the Eagles’ track coach, connected with him by telephone, liked his potential and attitude persuaded him to enroll at Chadron State.

                The lanky Californian could not compete his first year on campus in 2016-17. But he became a dedicated student, made the Dean’s List and was a full-fledged member of the team the next year.

                Grimes won both the long and triple jumps at his first collegiate meet with marks of 23-11and 47-9 and continued to place high with similar marks throughout the indoor season. However, he also had hamstring issues and could not compete at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Indoor Meet.

                The good news was he had previously qualified to long jump at the NCAA Division II National Meet and placed sixth there by going 24-9.  His previous best was 23-9 ¾ and he exceeded that mark during all six of his jumps at nationals.

                  It was an excellent start, and many more great jumps would follow whenever Grimes’s hamstrings cooperated.

                By then, Riley Northrup had replaced Gamble as the Eagles’ head coach, and limited his budding star’s competition.  The highlights occurred at the RMAC Outdoor Championships, where Grimes won the gold medal in both jumps. He long jumped 25-6, the third longest in the DII that season, and triple jumped 49-8 ½ to set the Chadron State record.

                The twin wins netted him the meet’s Field Athlete of the Year award and he also was voted the conference’s Male Freshman of the Year.

                Even though he had set the CSC triple jump record, it did not qualify him for the national meet.   But he long jumped 24-6 ½ and placed fifth, his first All-American honor.

                Grimes also got his second season of competition at Chadron State in 2019 off to a great start. At the first indoor meet hosted by Colorado School of Mines, he won the long jump at 26-1and had automatic national qualifying marks on all six of his attempts. He also won the triple jump at 49-3 ¾ to set the Eagles’ indoor record.

                Grimes continued to long jump during the indoor season, setting both meet and facility records at the Chadron State Invitational (25-11 ½) and at South Dakota State (25-7 ¾), but he seldom triple jumped again that winter.  Since he was already qualified for nationals in both, he skipped the triple jump at the RMAC Meet, but won the long jump by going 25 feet even. 

                Nationals at Pittsburg, Kan., were next and Grimes was remarkable.  He was the long jump gold medalist by leaping 25-8 ¾ and the triple jump silver medalist at 51-8 ½. The latter is Chadron State’s indoor record that still stands.

                Shortly after the meet concluded, the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association selected Grimes as its DII National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for 2019.

                The outdoor season had its ups and downs. Northrup and Grimes were cautious.  Grimes primarily competed at big meets. He won the long jump at two early meets in Colorado with marks of 25-4 ¾ and 25-7 ¼, skipped the rest of the outdoor schedule before winning the event at the RMAC Meet with a pedestrian mark of 24-10. He never triple jumped, even at the RMAC Meet, but the next week qualified for Nationals by going 49-3 ¾ at a Last Chance Meet.

                Texas A&amp;M-Kingsville hosted the National Meet. He placed second in the long jump by going a career-best 26-6 ½ on his final jump, and it was just three inches shy of his winning jump at the recent USA Nationals.  There were 20 contestants at the DII Meet and he was the only one to exceed 25 feet on all six attempts.

                The next day he triple jumped just once and had to withdraw. His hamstring tightened again.  

                That also was the last time he competed for Chadron State.  He transferred to Florida State, saying he wanted to go to a place with a larger environment, much to the disappointment of his CSC coaches and teammates.

                However, Grimes didn’t go away unhappy. He realized his time at Chadron State had been beneficial, and gave CSC Sports Information Director Kaleb Center the following statement.

                “Chadron has been a great experience for me.  It grew me into the person I am today.  I was blessed by the opportunity to come here. Family, friends, coaches—everybody has been so helpful, pushing me to be the best person I can be.  It’s a blessing to be an All-American and also a national champion at any NCAA level.” 

                While he apparently never triple jumped again, Grimes’s long jumping career continued to blossom at Tallahassee.  As a senior in 2021, he was the runner-up at both the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Meets with marks of 27-4 ¾ and 26-5 ½, respectively.  

                The indoor jump is the Seminoles’ record.

                After turning pro, Grimes leaped 26-5 ½ and was the runner-up at the USA Indoor Championships in 2024.  He also was second at the World Athletics Indoor Tour in Belgium with a jump of 26-8 ½ earlier this year.

                Then came his winning jump of 26-9 at the USA Championships last month, which gave him the opportunity to compete at the World Championships in Tokyo this coming week. 

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationFormer Chadron State College star athlete Isaac Grimes will be representing the United States in the long jump at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this coming week. He was both a conference champion and an All-American four times as CSC. Since then, after being the runner-up at several large meets during his star-studded career, Grimes won the long jump at the 2025 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Eugene, Ore., on Aug. 1 with a leap of 26-feet, 9 inches, or 8.15 meters. That earned him the spot on the U.S. team for the World Championships, which begin Saturday, Sept. 13 and run through Sept. 21. The long jump qualifying competition is Monday and the finals are Wednesday. A native of Moreno Valley, Calif., Grimes long jumped almost as far as his USA Championship mark while competing for the Eagles six years ago. His best at CSC was 26-6 ¼, which was good for the silver medal at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships at Kingsville, Texas, in May 2019. After spending three years at Chadron State, that was the last time Grimes jumped for the Eagles. He had used just two years of athletic eligibility at CSC, but transferred to Florida State so he could compete in Division I. He continued to excel in the long jump there and now at age 27 is a pro and has the opportunity to win the world championship.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757612371592.jpeg" alt="Isaac Grimes runs relay for CSC&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Isaac Grimes runs relay for CSC&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure> It’s an intriguing story how Grimes came to Chadron State. He had shown promise in track while attending Rancho Verde High. Although he recalled long jumping more than 20 feet only once in high school, he high jumped 6-foot-6 and triple jumped 47-9 ½. He also ran on a 4x400 relay team that was timed in 3:14.02, the fastest in California and third fastest in the nation his senior year in 2016. However, prior to the state meet, one of the relay runners was injured, ending the bid for more national acclaim. Since Grimes’ high school grades were not spectacular, he did not receive much attention from college coaches. However, Brad Gamble, then the Eagles’ track coach, connected with him by telephone, liked his potential and attitude persuaded him to enroll at Chadron State. The lanky Californian could not compete his first year on campus in 2016-17. But he became a dedicated student, made the Dean’s List and was a full-fledged member of the team the next year. Grimes won both the long and triple jumps at his first collegiate meet with marks of 23-11and 47-9 and continued to place high with similar marks throughout the indoor season. However, he also had hamstring issues and could not compete at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Indoor Meet. The good news was he had previously qualified to long jump at the NCAA Division II National Meet and placed sixth there by going 24-9. His previous best was 23-9 ¾ and he exceeded that mark during all six of his jumps at nationals. It was an excellent start, and many more great jumps would follow whenever Grimes’s hamstrings cooperated. By then, Riley Northrup had replaced Gamble as the Eagles’ head coach, and limited his budding star’s competition. The highlights occurred at the RMAC Outdoor Championships, where Grimes won the gold medal in both jumps. He long jumped 25-6, the third longest in the DII that season, and triple jumped 49-8 ½ to set the Chadron State record. The twin wins netted him the meet’s Field Athlete of the Year award and he also was voted the conference’s Male Freshman of the Year. Even though he had set the CSC triple jump record, it did not qualify him for the national meet. But he long jumped 24-6 ½ and placed fifth, his first All-American honor. Grimes also got his second season of competition at Chadron State in 2019 off to a great start. At the first indoor meet hosted by Colorado School of Mines, he won the long jump at 26-1and had automatic national qualifying marks on all six of his attempts. He also won the triple jump at 49-3 ¾ to set the Eagles’ indoor record. Grimes continued to long jump during the indoor season, setting both meet and facility records at the Chadron State Invitational (25-11 ½) and at South Dakota State (25-7 ¾), but he seldom triple jumped again that winter. Since he was already qualified for nationals in both, he skipped the triple jump at the RMAC Meet, but won the long jump by going 25 feet even. Nationals at Pittsburg, Kan., were next and Grimes was remarkable. He was the long jump gold medalist by leaping 25-8 ¾ and the triple jump silver medalist at 51-8 ½. The latter is Chadron State’s indoor record that still stands. Shortly after the meet concluded, the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association selected Grimes as its DII National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for 2019. The outdoor season had its ups and downs. Northrup and Grimes were cautious. Grimes primarily competed at big meets. He won the long jump at two early meets in Colorado with marks of 25-4 ¾ and 25-7 ¼, skipped the rest of the outdoor schedule before winning the event at the RMAC Meet with a pedestrian mark of 24-10. He never triple jumped, even at the RMAC Meet, but the next week qualified for Nationals by going 49-3 ¾ at a Last Chance Meet. Texas A&amp;M-Kingsville hosted the National Meet. He placed second in the long jump by going a career-best 26-6 ½ on his final jump, and it was just three inches shy of his winning jump at the recent USA Nationals. There were 20 contestants at the DII Meet and he was the only one to exceed 25 feet on all six attempts. The next day he triple jumped just once and had to withdraw. His hamstring tightened again. That also was the last time he competed for Chadron State. He transferred to Florida State, saying he wanted to go to a place with a larger environment, much to the disappointment of his CSC coaches and teammates. However, Grimes didn’t go away unhappy. He realized his time at Chadron State had been beneficial, and gave CSC Sports Information Director Kaleb Center the following statement. “Chadron has been a great experience for me. It grew me into the person I am today. I was blessed by the opportunity to come here. Family, friends, coaches—everybody has been so helpful, pushing me to be the best person I can be. It’s a blessing to be an All-American and also a national champion at any NCAA level.” While he apparently never triple jumped again, Grimes’s long jumping career continued to blossom at Tallahassee. As a senior in 2021, he was the runner-up at both the NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor Meets with marks of 27-4 ¾ and 26-5 ½, respectively. The indoor jump is the Seminoles’ record. After turning pro, Grimes leaped 26-5 ½ and was the runner-up at the USA Indoor Championships in 2024. He also was second at the World Athletics Indoor Tour in Belgium with a jump of 26-8 ½ earlier this year. Then came his winning jump of 26-9 at the USA Championships last month, which gave him the opportunity to compete at the World Championships in Tokyo this coming week. Stay tuned!

Former Eagle star in the field, Grimes hopes to make mark at World Championships

🏐🥎 Softball / Volleyball Scoreboard - Tuesday, Sept. 9

◼ Bayard def. Banner County 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 (3-0)

◼&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Kimball 25-17, 19-25, 25-15 (2-1)

◼&nbsp;Chadron def. Alliance 25-13, 17-25, 25-6, 25-16 (3-1)

◼&nbsp;Crawford def. Hemingford 25-14, 25-20 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Crawford def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY 25-14, 25-19 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Garden County def. Bridgeport 25-18, 25-20 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Garden County def. Kimball 25-18, 25-18 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Gering def. North Platte 25-22, 22-25, 25-15, 25-21 (3-1)

◼&nbsp;Hemingford def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY 22-25, 25-22, 25-13 (2-1)

◼&nbsp;Morrill def. Arthur County 25-21, 25-16 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Morrill def. Creek Valley 25-15, 25-12 (2-0)

◼&nbsp;Prairie, CO def. Potter-Dix 25-20, 25-12, 25-14 (3-0)

◼&nbsp;Sidney def. Mitchell 25-10, 25-14, 25-12 (3-0)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599013294122.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>🏐🥎 Softball / Volleyball Scoreboard - Tuesday, Sept. 9Softball 🥎◼ Scottsbluff 16, Alliance 3◼ Gering 10, Chadron 4Volleyball&nbsp;🏐◼ Bayard def. Banner County 25-15, 25-14, 25-15 (3-0)◼&nbsp;Bridgeport def. Kimball 25-17, 19-25, 25-15 (2-1)◼&nbsp;Chadron def. Alliance 25-13, 17-25, 25-6, 25-16 (3-1)◼&nbsp;Crawford def. Hemingford 25-14, 25-20 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Crawford def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY 25-14, 25-19 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Garden County def. Bridgeport 25-18, 25-20 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Garden County def. Kimball 25-18, 25-18 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Gering def. North Platte 25-22, 22-25, 25-15, 25-21 (3-1)◼&nbsp;Hemingford def. Lusk (Niobrara County) WY 22-25, 25-22, 25-13 (2-1)◼&nbsp;Morrill def. Arthur County 25-21, 25-16 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Morrill def. Creek Valley 25-15, 25-12 (2-0)◼&nbsp;Prairie, CO def. Potter-Dix 25-20, 25-12, 25-14 (3-0)◼&nbsp;Sidney def. Mitchell 25-10, 25-14, 25-12 (3-0)

🏐🥎 Softball / Volleyball Scoreboard - Tuesday, Sept. 9

Our weekly CSC football chat with Eagles Head Coach Jay Long focuses on how the UNK game swung, lockdown corners, a strong rush attack, the Game 2 Hammer winner and a new trophy for this week's rivalry game with BH!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666116284028.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Our weekly CSC football chat with Eagles Head Coach Jay Long focuses on how the UNK game swung, lockdown corners, a strong rush attack, the Game 2 Hammer winner and a new trophy for this week's rivalry game with BH!<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - 9/9/25" 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=h79sm-195d88d-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>

🔊 PODCAST: Jay Long Show - 9/9/25

LINCOLN, Neb. – A 14-year-old who defied all odds and a volunteer with her own amount of accomplishments are among several outstanding Nebraska athletes earning recognition as 2025 Cornhusker State Games (CSG) Athletes of the Year.

In all, six athletes were chosen from among 7,745 total participants to be honored at the Nebraska Sports Council (NSC) awards banquet on Nov. 4 at the Grand Manse. Lincoln Federal Savings Bank is the Awards sponsor.

2025 honorees include: Wrestler Brylee Irsik, 12, Omaha; Hockey player Eastyn Munhall, 14, Omaha; Triathlon participant Hilary Catron, 48, Omaha; Fencer Brad Tucker, 38, Lincoln; Indoor Volleyball player DeAnn Korinek, 64, Lincoln; and BMX Freestyle &amp; Racing participant Wade Uldrich, 55, Lincoln.

Irsik, a standout wrestler, set the Iron Man points record last year and continued her dominance in 2025 as a sixth grader. Competing in both her age group and the high school girls division, she earned six gold medals, one bronze, and was named Outstanding Wrestler for the second year in a row.

Munhall made an inspiring return to the ice after a near-fatal battle with West Nile virus and ataxia. Following nearly two weeks in the hospital and extensive rehabilitation to relearn how to walk and skate, he led his hockey team to a silver medal at the 2025 State Games—scoring two goals in his first game back. His journey is a powerful testament to perseverance and determination.

Catron has been a dedicated participant in the Cornhusker State Games for decades, competing in events such as Taekwondo, Karate, Cycling, Open Water Swimming and Triathlon. In 2025, she added to her impressive CSG resume with a strong showing in the triathlon, continuing a multi-year streak of podium finishes. As the longtime Taekwondo Sport Director, Catron has volunteered countless hours to ensure smooth, fair competitions and was honored as the 2024 Sport Director of the Year for her outstanding service and leadership.

Tucker is a highly accomplished fencer and a leader in the Lincoln fencing community. He claimed victories in all three fencing weapon events and also serves as the head coach of the Lincoln Fencing Club, where he builds community and mentors the next generation of fencers.

Korinek has been a dedicated participant in the Cornhusker State Games for 40 years, consistently medaling in Indoor Volleyball. In 2025, she added to her legacy by earning gold in both the Women’s C Division and COED C Division, showcasing her continued passion and excellence in the sport. In addition to being a participant, she also assist her husband in running the tournament and keeping it a running success.

Uldrich is a dedicated figure in the BMX community, consistently volunteering his time to support both freestyle and racing events in Lincoln. From helping in maintaining facilities to mentoring young riders, he plays a key role in developing the sport locally. In addition to his volunteer work, Uldrich found personal success at the 2025 State Games, earning a silver medal in BMX Racing and a bronze in BMX Freestyle.

NSC Officials reported that 82 counties were represented in 2025, with top five including Lancaster—2,248, Douglas—1,147, Sarpy—548, Lincoln—117, and Hall—115. Carter Wallen, just 2 years old from Unadilla, was the youngest participant. The oldest participant, 91-year-old Caroline Caauwe from Lincoln, took part in WalkLincoln-Indoor.&nbsp;Top five sports in participation were Hockey - 580, Track and Field - 540, Shooting Sports - 467, Volleyball - 460, and Basketball - 449. More statistics can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6gO7TUm5Br80LSKaWUUacYIzSG6N0t2urOEE5cMMtCCOYH6ExW070pZVc16NDkmVAhEoNzus29z6dWmeCoMEuZk7WzWP5qFaBQmHjcwefwExsuA3GaHqD7UtD1jX3om0Wth62ZBDliGNjCqUXR66Bpx3qC_zEcpIekkWaCJKzusHQkRjHI9eYpIzXxFYoC4zLlaSuMJzAvv2IdARYihGwqTpKgj3hGPwWtW0nDG7qOWXlLSvUqqMXG_rOrIY9Pb&amp;c=vIlUoo1ylqdZtZZ7EDItvDxEjXE2pfQc16wbpp8FPBNgCAkQr4WUBg==&amp;ch=O6XztV_eFrQj6c9NtwEC0-m5G_a-ohXYl6eV7NbSSTbvXqWwdBvrmA==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.

The 42nd annual Cornhusker State Games will be held July 9-19, 2026.

The Nebraska Sports Council, which conducts the Cornhusker State Games, Omaha and Lincoln Corporate Games, the Pumpkin Run, NetFest Volleyball and Pickleball, Heartland Havoc, the WellPower Movement, Nebraska Showdown, and Nebraska DiamondFest is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with platinum partners including FMNE, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, and Grand Island Tourism. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6gO7TUm5Br80LSKaWUUacYIzSG6N0t2urOEE5cMMtCCOYH6ExW07zM5DDc29VRIj8nKq8p1a0LQbs1EUUa5QwF8ttQ1EGlHJR4OUMPZilSprlKBmGBHuPwXTPJVhc5sajaa7lWAZ0n6vFptqdRxgZfLw2BJO130rz_909T8TG26KkPkoDvo91JdGaRoIt03gIhsU9EgP6_J8DISWW6ptorqEtDhPa35&amp;c=vIlUoo1ylqdZtZZ7EDItvDxEjXE2pfQc16wbpp8FPBNgCAkQr4WUBg==&amp;ch=O6XztV_eFrQj6c9NtwEC0-m5G_a-ohXYl6eV7NbSSTbvXqWwdBvrmA==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

By Cornhusker State Games<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757432603811.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. – A 14-year-old who defied all odds and a volunteer with her own amount of accomplishments are among several outstanding Nebraska athletes earning recognition as 2025 Cornhusker State Games (CSG) Athletes of the Year.In all, six athletes were chosen from among 7,745 total participants to be honored at the Nebraska Sports Council (NSC) awards banquet on Nov. 4 at the Grand Manse. Lincoln Federal Savings Bank is the Awards sponsor.2025 honorees include: Wrestler Brylee Irsik, 12, Omaha; Hockey player Eastyn Munhall, 14, Omaha; Triathlon participant Hilary Catron, 48, Omaha; Fencer Brad Tucker, 38, Lincoln; Indoor Volleyball player DeAnn Korinek, 64, Lincoln; and BMX Freestyle &amp; Racing participant Wade Uldrich, 55, Lincoln.Irsik, a standout wrestler, set the Iron Man points record last year and continued her dominance in 2025 as a sixth grader. Competing in both her age group and the high school girls division, she earned six gold medals, one bronze, and was named Outstanding Wrestler for the second year in a row.Munhall made an inspiring return to the ice after a near-fatal battle with West Nile virus and ataxia. Following nearly two weeks in the hospital and extensive rehabilitation to relearn how to walk and skate, he led his hockey team to a silver medal at the 2025 State Games—scoring two goals in his first game back. His journey is a powerful testament to perseverance and determination.Catron has been a dedicated participant in the Cornhusker State Games for decades, competing in events such as Taekwondo, Karate, Cycling, Open Water Swimming and Triathlon. In 2025, she added to her impressive CSG resume with a strong showing in the triathlon, continuing a multi-year streak of podium finishes. As the longtime Taekwondo Sport Director, Catron has volunteered countless hours to ensure smooth, fair competitions and was honored as the 2024 Sport Director of the Year for her outstanding service and leadership.Tucker is a highly accomplished fencer and a leader in the Lincoln fencing community. He claimed victories in all three fencing weapon events and also serves as the head coach of the Lincoln Fencing Club, where he builds community and mentors the next generation of fencers.Korinek has been a dedicated participant in the Cornhusker State Games for 40 years, consistently medaling in Indoor Volleyball. In 2025, she added to her legacy by earning gold in both the Women’s C Division and COED C Division, showcasing her continued passion and excellence in the sport. In addition to being a participant, she also assist her husband in running the tournament and keeping it a running success.Uldrich is a dedicated figure in the BMX community, consistently volunteering his time to support both freestyle and racing events in Lincoln. From helping in maintaining facilities to mentoring young riders, he plays a key role in developing the sport locally. In addition to his volunteer work, Uldrich found personal success at the 2025 State Games, earning a silver medal in BMX Racing and a bronze in BMX Freestyle.NSC Officials reported that 82 counties were represented in 2025, with top five including Lancaster—2,248, Douglas—1,147, Sarpy—548, Lincoln—117, and Hall—115. Carter Wallen, just 2 years old from Unadilla, was the youngest participant. The oldest participant, 91-year-old Caroline Caauwe from Lincoln, took part in WalkLincoln-Indoor.&nbsp;Top five sports in participation were Hockey - 580, Track and Field - 540, Shooting Sports - 467, Volleyball - 460, and Basketball - 449. More statistics can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6gO7TUm5Br80LSKaWUUacYIzSG6N0t2urOEE5cMMtCCOYH6ExW070pZVc16NDkmVAhEoNzus29z6dWmeCoMEuZk7WzWP5qFaBQmHjcwefwExsuA3GaHqD7UtD1jX3om0Wth62ZBDliGNjCqUXR66Bpx3qC_zEcpIekkWaCJKzusHQkRjHI9eYpIzXxFYoC4zLlaSuMJzAvv2IdARYihGwqTpKgj3hGPwWtW0nDG7qOWXlLSvUqqMXG_rOrIY9Pb&amp;c=vIlUoo1ylqdZtZZ7EDItvDxEjXE2pfQc16wbpp8FPBNgCAkQr4WUBg==&amp;ch=O6XztV_eFrQj6c9NtwEC0-m5G_a-ohXYl6eV7NbSSTbvXqWwdBvrmA==" target="_blank">HERE</a>.The 42nd annual Cornhusker State Games will be held July 9-19, 2026.The Nebraska Sports Council, which conducts the Cornhusker State Games, Omaha and Lincoln Corporate Games, the Pumpkin Run, NetFest Volleyball and Pickleball, Heartland Havoc, the WellPower Movement, Nebraska Showdown, and Nebraska DiamondFest is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization with platinum partners including FMNE, Nebraska Orthopaedic Center, Pepsi-Cola of Lincoln, and Grand Island Tourism. Learn more at&nbsp;<a href="https://b8oyr9bab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6gO7TUm5Br80LSKaWUUacYIzSG6N0t2urOEE5cMMtCCOYH6ExW07zM5DDc29VRIj8nKq8p1a0LQbs1EUUa5QwF8ttQ1EGlHJR4OUMPZilSprlKBmGBHuPwXTPJVhc5sajaa7lWAZ0n6vFptqdRxgZfLw2BJO130rz_909T8TG26KkPkoDvo91JdGaRoIt03gIhsU9EgP6_J8DISWW6ptorqEtDhPa35&amp;c=vIlUoo1ylqdZtZZ7EDItvDxEjXE2pfQc16wbpp8FPBNgCAkQr4WUBg==&amp;ch=O6XztV_eFrQj6c9NtwEC0-m5G_a-ohXYl6eV7NbSSTbvXqWwdBvrmA==" target="_blank">NebraskaSportsCouncil.com</a>.

Athletes of the Year Announced for Cornhusker State Games

ALLIANCE, Neb. - After finding just one win all last year, the Alliance Bulldogs football team has started the 2025 campaign off with a balanced combination of bark and bite.

After a week one offensive onslaught - scoring 72 points in a road win over Gordon-Rushville - the Bulldogs returned to Bulldog Stadium for the home opener of the 2025 football season on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. After the showcase of scoring prowess from third year head coach, Tristin Stein, and his team in the season opener, Alliance looked to prove that the rout of the Gordon-Rushville Mustangs was no fluke. And did they ever.

A final score of 28-14 over the Holdrege Dusters saw Alliance earn its first 2-0 start since the 2011 season. That year saw Alliance make it to the Class B state football playoffs for a first round matchup with McCook, in which the Bulldogs lost 37-14.

The significance to this start to the season cannot be overstated. Alliance found just four combined wins in the previous five seasons, with two winless years in 2021 and 2022. Dating back to the 2015 season, the Bulldogs have strung two wins in a row just six times, and have not won three consecutive games in a single season since 2007.

Alliance worked hard in developing young talent over the past few years, and it is clear that development time is paying off. On offense, the ground game has carried the team to victory in both games this season. Junior running back Trini Trejo leads all players in Nebraska high school football, regardless of class, in rushing yards. His 519 yards on the ground through the first two games of the season edge out the next closest runner,&nbsp;Jaydon Sutko of Elkhorn South, by 10 yards.

The 5-foot-6 tailback has gone for over 250 rushing yards in each of the Bulldogs' first two games of the season, including a career-best 265 yards and four rushing touchdowns on just 13 carries against Gordon-Rushville. Trejo had an incredible sophomore season in 2024, eclipsing 1,000 yards for the first time in his young career. However, he is certainly on pace to blow last year's numbers out of the water. Going into week three against Gering, Trejo needs just one rushing touchdown to match last year's career-best total of seven scores in a single season.

Even though Trejo has been the headliner in 2025, sophomore Caysen Robertson has been menacing as a two-way game wrecker. He has rushed for over 170 yards as the secondary back for Alliance so far this season, but has been even more impressive as a linebacker living in opposing teams' backfields.

Robertson's four sacks through the first two games is second-most among players in Class C-1, only trailing Brownell Talbot's Sean Webster (5.0 sacks). Coming off a freshman season where Robertson landed in the top-20 in tackles, regardless of class, in the state, 2025 has been just as dominant defensively for him.

The 5-foot-10 linebacker's six tackles for loss leads the Bulldogs defense, which has made huge strides in terms of getting to the quarterback and making tackles in the backfield. After recording just 25 tackles for loss a season ago, Alliance is off to a blazing start in 2025 - recording 14 TFLs in the first two contests. Other defensive standouts, like Jett Herian, Ethan Schulze, Lucas Weber, Cole Stoike, Nason Robertson, Jadon Guerra and Mikey Johnson have helped that total against Gordon-Rushville and Holdrege over the past two weeks.

Pounding the rock on offense has been the bread and butter for Alliance when they are not wrapping up ball carriers in the backfield defensively. However, the passing attack has flashed some really impressive ability early in the 2025 season. The connection between sophomore signal caller Jay Shelmadine and senior pass catcher Espen Lanik has found pay dirt three times already in 2025.

Lanik entered his senior season with some high expectations. As a two-sport athlete, who is a career 16.3 ppg scorer with Bulldogs hoops, he showed his ability to impact the game as a receiver in 2024. He followed up a career-best 46 receptions in 2023 with just under 400 yards receiving in 2024 on 40 catches. In 2025, Lanik looks ready to obliterate both of those previous seasons.

In the first two games for Alliance this year, Lanik has scored three times as a receiver, leaving him just one score shy of tying his previous single-season career-best total of four touchdowns in 2023. Shelmadine has found his favorite target nine times for 128 yards through two games, including a key 37-yard strike over the middle that went for six against Holdrege this past Friday.

Overall, the Bulldogs seem to be playing with an improved level of energy, aggressiveness and confidence. Coach Stein has said multiple times this season that his team needs to "just be bullies," on the field. It is the combination of those traits that has the 'dogs barking at opposing teams looking to take them down. However, some other dogs are ready to bark back this coming Friday, as the undefeated Gering Bulldogs step into Bulldog stadium for a matchup of two 2-0 teams.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT, and the game can be heard on AM 1400 and 92.5 KCOW, or streaming on <a href="https://kcowradio.com/">www.kcowradio.com</a>

Panhandle Post by Jake Schrantz<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757349224596.jpeg" alt="Bulldog Stadium, 2025 (photo courtesy Jake Schrantz, Panhandle Post)." />
 <figcaption>Bulldog Stadium, 2025 (photo courtesy Jake Schrantz, Panhandle Post).</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLIANCE, Neb. - After finding just one win all last year, the Alliance Bulldogs football team has started the 2025 campaign off with a balanced combination of bark and bite.After a week one offensive onslaught - scoring 72 points in a road win over Gordon-Rushville - the Bulldogs returned to Bulldog Stadium for the home opener of the 2025 football season on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. After the showcase of scoring prowess from third year head coach, Tristin Stein, and his team in the season opener, Alliance looked to prove that the rout of the Gordon-Rushville Mustangs was no fluke. And did they ever.A final score of 28-14 over the Holdrege Dusters saw Alliance earn its first 2-0 start since the 2011 season. That year saw Alliance make it to the Class B state football playoffs for a first round matchup with McCook, in which the Bulldogs lost 37-14.The significance to this start to the season cannot be overstated. Alliance found just four combined wins in the previous five seasons, with two winless years in 2021 and 2022. Dating back to the 2015 season, the Bulldogs have strung two wins in a row just six times, and have not won three consecutive games in a single season since 2007.Alliance worked hard in developing young talent over the past few years, and it is clear that development time is paying off. On offense, the ground game has carried the team to victory in both games this season. Junior running back Trini Trejo leads all players in Nebraska high school football, regardless of class, in rushing yards. His 519 yards on the ground through the first two games of the season edge out the next closest runner,&nbsp;Jaydon Sutko of Elkhorn South, by 10 yards.The 5-foot-6 tailback has gone for over 250 rushing yards in each of the Bulldogs' first two games of the season, including a career-best 265 yards and four rushing touchdowns on just 13 carries against Gordon-Rushville. Trejo had an incredible sophomore season in 2024, eclipsing 1,000 yards for the first time in his young career. However, he is certainly on pace to blow last year's numbers out of the water. Going into week three against Gering, Trejo needs just one rushing touchdown to match last year's career-best total of seven scores in a single season.Even though Trejo has been the headliner in 2025, sophomore Caysen Robertson has been menacing as a two-way game wrecker. He has rushed for over 170 yards as the secondary back for Alliance so far this season, but has been even more impressive as a linebacker living in opposing teams' backfields.Robertson's four sacks through the first two games is second-most among players in Class C-1, only trailing Brownell Talbot's Sean Webster (5.0 sacks). Coming off a freshman season where Robertson landed in the top-20 in tackles, regardless of class, in the state, 2025 has been just as dominant defensively for him.The 5-foot-10 linebacker's six tackles for loss leads the Bulldogs defense, which has made huge strides in terms of getting to the quarterback and making tackles in the backfield. After recording just 25 tackles for loss a season ago, Alliance is off to a blazing start in 2025 - recording 14 TFLs in the first two contests. Other defensive standouts, like Jett Herian, Ethan Schulze, Lucas Weber, Cole Stoike, Nason Robertson, Jadon Guerra and Mikey Johnson have helped that total against Gordon-Rushville and Holdrege over the past two weeks.Pounding the rock on offense has been the bread and butter for Alliance when they are not wrapping up ball carriers in the backfield defensively. However, the passing attack has flashed some really impressive ability early in the 2025 season. The connection between sophomore signal caller Jay Shelmadine and senior pass catcher Espen Lanik has found pay dirt three times already in 2025.Lanik entered his senior season with some high expectations. As a two-sport athlete, who is a career 16.3 ppg scorer with Bulldogs hoops, he showed his ability to impact the game as a receiver in 2024. He followed up a career-best 46 receptions in 2023 with just under 400 yards receiving in 2024 on 40 catches. In 2025, Lanik looks ready to obliterate both of those previous seasons.In the first two games for Alliance this year, Lanik has scored three times as a receiver, leaving him just one score shy of tying his previous single-season career-best total of four touchdowns in 2023. Shelmadine has found his favorite target nine times for 128 yards through two games, including a key 37-yard strike over the middle that went for six against Holdrege this past Friday.Overall, the Bulldogs seem to be playing with an improved level of energy, aggressiveness and confidence. Coach Stein has said multiple times this season that his team needs to "just be bullies," on the field. It is the combination of those traits that has the 'dogs barking at opposing teams looking to take them down. However, some other dogs are ready to bark back this coming Friday, as the undefeated Gering Bulldogs step into Bulldog stadium for a matchup of two 2-0 teams.Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT, and the game can be heard on AM 1400 and 92.5 KCOW, or streaming on <a href="https://kcowradio.com/">www.kcowradio.com</a>

Alliance Bulldogs Football Starts Season 2-0 For First Time In Over a Decade

CHADRON, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney cashed in on four Chadron State turnovers and miscues to score 24 second-half points while posting a 41-21 win over CSC in an in-state rivalry football contest played in Kearney on Saturday night. The outcome allowed the Lopers to retain the Good Life Trophy, which was unveiled last year after it was agreed that the teams would meet annually.

A blocked punt by UNK late in the second quarter set off a chain reaction that transformed a low-scoring game into a high scoring one, as the Lopers used the short field to take a two-score lead just before halftime, then forced two CSC interceptions plus a fumble in the second half as the Eagles pressed to try to get back in the game. Those short fields for UNK were the difference, as the Lopers won by 20 points despite UNK and CSC having the exact same amount of total yards (306). Chadron State outgained the Lopers by two yards on the ground (134 to 132) while the home team had a two-yard advantage through the air (174 to 172). 

DJ Ralph had a day under duress, as the Eagles QB was sacked five times while completing 12 of 24 passes for 137 yards, a touchdown and two picks. Daytwaun Pearson led the Eagles on the ground with 83 yards rushing on 12 carries while Quincey Ryker added 56 yards on 12 carries of his own. Nebraska-Kearney had four different players score a rushing touchdown plus a pick-six and two Trey Prichard field goals. 

Chadron State had the lead at the end of the first quarter. Kearney kicked a 45-yard field goal during its first possession, but the Eagles answered with a 10-play, 88-yard drive that included five first downs before Ralph rushed for a seven-yard touchdown with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Wilson Yee kicked the extra point to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead. 

That score stood until about five minutes remained in the second quarter, when freshman tailback Jahmez Ross scored on a five-yard run to cap a 57-yard drive that put Kearney ahead 10-7. A 22-yard rush by senior tailback Isaiah Harris was the big gainer in the drive.

With Chadron State set to punt with under a minute to go in the first half, UNK's Trey Kennedy blocked the CSC punt attempt and the Lopers recovered at the Chadron State 16-yard line. The Lopers then went ahead 17-7 just 23 seconds before halftime when quarterback Abram Scholting ran the final four yards into the endzone.  

CSC Coach Jay Long said postgame that that touchdown forced his Eagles to abandon their game plan and "play from behind,." Both of Kearney's next two touchdowns were set up by interceptions and a third followed the recovery of a Chadron State fumble. Midway in the third period during a promising Eagle drive which had picked up two first downs, UNK's Ife Current read a screen pass perfectly, intercepting Ralph and taking it to the end zone to put the hosts ahead 24-7.

The Eagles answered quickly when sophomore and Bakersfield College transfer Devon Sundgren caught a pass near the sideline, broke a tackle and romped 51 yards to make the score 24-14. That was the longest play of the game for either team and was Sundgren's only catch of the contest.  

Kearney outscored Chadron State 17-7 in the fourth quarter, with all final-period points posted in the final 5:45. Pritchard initially kicked a 25-yard field goal after the Lopers had a first and goal but could not reach paydirt against the stingy CSC defense, but on Chadron State's first play following the ensuing kickoff, a miscommunication led to Ralph's pass going directly to linebacker Parker Wise, who returned it about 25 yards before he was stopped at the CSC three. Harris crossed the goal line on the next play to make the count 34-14.

The Eagles gave Oklahoma Baptist transfer Aidan Thompson some late-game snaps at quarterback, but Thompson and Ryker fumbled a handoff exchange and the Lopers claimed it. On the fourth play on the ensuing drive, UNK's backup signal caller, Ken Smith, took it the final eight yards to the end zone. 

The Eagles demonstrated that they still had moxie and were able to tally the game's final touchdown. With Thompson back at the controls, he completed two passes for 35 yards while Anthony McMillan was given his first three carries of the game, breaking off a 16-yard run to put the Eagles in plust territory and eventually going the final two yards for a touchdown (his first with CSC) with about a minute left on the clock. From there, however, UNK was able to take a knee.

Defensively, CSC's leading tacklers were linebacker Logan O'Brien, a Kearney native, and safety Sutton Pohlman each with seven. Griffin Clubb, Dax Yeradi and Liam Blaser each had six.  CJ Kuehl paced Kearney with eight stops.

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationCHADRON, Neb. – Nebraska-Kearney cashed in on four Chadron State turnovers and miscues to score 24 second-half points while posting a 41-21 win over CSC in an in-state rivalry football contest played in Kearney on Saturday night. The outcome allowed the Lopers to retain the Good Life Trophy, which was unveiled last year after it was agreed that the teams would meet annually.A blocked punt by UNK late in the second quarter set off a chain reaction that transformed a low-scoring game into a high scoring one, as the Lopers used the short field to take a two-score lead just before halftime, then forced two CSC interceptions plus a fumble in the second half as the Eagles pressed to try to get back in the game. Those short fields for UNK were the difference, as the Lopers won by 20 points despite UNK and CSC having the exact same amount of total yards (306). Chadron State outgained the Lopers by two yards on the ground (134 to 132) while the home team had a two-yard advantage through the air (174 to 172). DJ Ralph had a day under duress, as the Eagles QB was sacked five times while completing 12 of 24 passes for 137 yards, a touchdown and two picks. Daytwaun Pearson led the Eagles on the ground with 83 yards rushing on 12 carries while Quincey Ryker added 56 yards on 12 carries of his own. Nebraska-Kearney had four different players score a rushing touchdown plus a pick-six and two Trey Prichard field goals. Chadron State had the lead at the end of the first quarter. Kearney kicked a 45-yard field goal during its first possession, but the Eagles answered with a 10-play, 88-yard drive that included five first downs before Ralph rushed for a seven-yard touchdown with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Wilson Yee kicked the extra point to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead. That score stood until about five minutes remained in the second quarter, when freshman tailback Jahmez Ross scored on a five-yard run to cap a 57-yard drive that put Kearney ahead 10-7. A 22-yard rush by senior tailback Isaiah Harris was the big gainer in the drive.With Chadron State set to punt with under a minute to go in the first half, UNK's Trey Kennedy blocked the CSC punt attempt and the Lopers recovered at the Chadron State 16-yard line. The Lopers then went ahead 17-7 just 23 seconds before halftime when quarterback Abram Scholting ran the final four yards into the endzone. CSC Coach Jay Long said postgame that that touchdown forced his Eagles to abandon their game plan and "play from behind,." Both of Kearney's next two touchdowns were set up by interceptions and a third followed the recovery of a Chadron State fumble. Midway in the third period during a promising Eagle drive which had picked up two first downs, UNK's Ife Current read a screen pass perfectly, intercepting Ralph and taking it to the end zone to put the hosts ahead 24-7.The Eagles answered quickly when sophomore and Bakersfield College transfer Devon Sundgren caught a pass near the sideline, broke a tackle and romped 51 yards to make the score 24-14. That was the longest play of the game for either team and was Sundgren's only catch of the contest. Kearney outscored Chadron State 17-7 in the fourth quarter, with all final-period points posted in the final 5:45. Pritchard initially kicked a 25-yard field goal after the Lopers had a first and goal but could not reach paydirt against the stingy CSC defense, but on Chadron State's first play following the ensuing kickoff, a miscommunication led to Ralph's pass going directly to linebacker Parker Wise, who returned it about 25 yards before he was stopped at the CSC three. Harris crossed the goal line on the next play to make the count 34-14.The Eagles gave Oklahoma Baptist transfer Aidan Thompson some late-game snaps at quarterback, but Thompson and Ryker fumbled a handoff exchange and the Lopers claimed it. On the fourth play on the ensuing drive, UNK's backup signal caller, Ken Smith, took it the final eight yards to the end zone. The Eagles demonstrated that they still had moxie and were able to tally the game's final touchdown. With Thompson back at the controls, he completed two passes for 35 yards while Anthony McMillan was given his first three carries of the game, breaking off a 16-yard run to put the Eagles in plust territory and eventually going the final two yards for a touchdown (his first with CSC) with about a minute left on the clock. From there, however, UNK was able to take a knee.Defensively, CSC's leading tacklers were linebacker Logan O'Brien, a Kearney native, and safety Sutton Pohlman each with seven. Griffin Clubb, Dax Yeradi and Liam Blaser each had six. CJ Kuehl paced Kearney with eight stops.

Blocked punt flips game in UNK's direction in 41-21 win over Chadron State

By: Daphne LaVigne CSC Sports Information

CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State volleyball team played two games on Friday at the Eagle Classic, one against Augustana College and the other against Northern State University. The Eagles played a thrilling five-set match against Augustana, taking the first two sets before the Vikings came back for a 23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-11 win. The Eagles then fell against nationally ranked Northern State University in three sets, 25-20, 25-11, 25-22.

Augustana and the Eagles were back and forth most of the game, the ending score being within five points of each other for all sets. Augustana won its second straight five-set match after beating Black Hills State in five on Thursday.

Kally Kirkwood led the team against Augustana with 19 kills, followed by Mataya Ward with 13. Kirkwood also led the team with three blocks, tying with Shelbi Hazlitt. 

Augustana opened the first set by scoring three points before an attack error put the Eagles on the board. The set continued to change leads until a four point streak from Chadron put the Eagles ahead 12-10. Kally Kirkwood took over with five kills in the set, with her final one giving CSC a 21-19 lead. With the score tied at 23, an Augustana service error followed by an ace from Avery Lacy ended the set for the Eagles. 

After the Eagles scored the first point of the second set with a kill from Hazlitt, the Vikings answered with their own four point run to lead 4-1. The Eagles tied the score again at 7-7 after a kill from Kirkwood and a bad set from the Vikings. After back-to-back kills from Mataya Ward gave the Eagles a 23-22 lead, CSC's Gibson Beckler scored the last two points with a kill and an ace, ending the set 25-23. 

The beginning of the third set bounced back and forth until the Vikings went on a five point run, making the score 9-3. Augustana continued to lead the rest of the set despite the attempts of Chadron State, including a five point streak from the Eagles that cut the lead to 21-18. Ultimately the Vikings took the third set, 25-20, sending the game into a fourth set. 

The Eagles came into the fourth set fighting, starting with kills from Hazlitt and Kirkwood. The Eagles were able to hold onto this lead until Augustana tied it 7-7 from an attack error. Augustana grew their lead with multiple 4-0 scoring runs, eventually taking the set with a 25-20 finish, tying the set scores. 

Augustana carried the momentum from the past two sets into the finishing set. The Eagles fought hard going on a four point streak to tie the score 7-7. Augustana pulled ahead, winning four of the last five points to win the set 15-11 and win the match 3-2. 

In the Eagles' following game against Northern, the first set began with a kill from Beckler before the Wolves took control, keeping the lead the rest of the set. The Eagles had a four point run with kills from Ward and Beckler and an ace from Shelby Harding, cutting the lead to 18-15. Despite the run, the set ended 25-20, Northern. 

The Wolves came in hot for the second set, scoring six straight points to open. The Eagles tried to respond, but Northern won the second set handily, 25-11. 

CSC fought back in the third set, going on a six point run in the beginning, with kills from Bella Adams and Jillian Donovan and an ace from Beckler to take the lead 8-4. The teams continued to compete, with Northern scoring five points in a row to take the lead before a kill from Hazlitt and another ace from Harding gave the Eagles the lead back at 14-13. The set was neck to neck before Northern pulled away, ending the set 25-22, and winning in straight sets. 

Ward led the team against Northern State with seven kills, followed by Kirkwood and Beckler with five. Harding led the team in serving, scoring three aces. Adams, Ward and Hazlitt all tied with three blocks. 

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757166456376.png" alt=" " />
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 </figure>By: Daphne LaVigne CSC Sports InformationCHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State volleyball team played two games on Friday at the Eagle Classic, one against Augustana College and the other against Northern State University. The Eagles played a thrilling five-set match against Augustana, taking the first two sets before the Vikings came back for a 23-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20, 15-11 win. The Eagles then fell against nationally ranked Northern State University in three sets, 25-20, 25-11, 25-22.Augustana and the Eagles were back and forth most of the game, the ending score being within five points of each other for all sets. Augustana won its second straight five-set match after beating Black Hills State in five on Thursday.Kally Kirkwood led the team against Augustana with 19 kills, followed by Mataya Ward with 13. Kirkwood also led the team with three blocks, tying with Shelbi Hazlitt. Augustana opened the first set by scoring three points before an attack error put the Eagles on the board. The set continued to change leads until a four point streak from Chadron put the Eagles ahead 12-10. Kally Kirkwood took over with five kills in the set, with her final one giving CSC a 21-19 lead. With the score tied at 23, an Augustana service error followed by an ace from Avery Lacy ended the set for the Eagles. After the Eagles scored the first point of the second set with a kill from Hazlitt, the Vikings answered with their own four point run to lead 4-1. The Eagles tied the score again at 7-7 after a kill from Kirkwood and a bad set from the Vikings. After back-to-back kills from Mataya Ward gave the Eagles a 23-22 lead, CSC's Gibson Beckler scored the last two points with a kill and an ace, ending the set 25-23. The beginning of the third set bounced back and forth until the Vikings went on a five point run, making the score 9-3. Augustana continued to lead the rest of the set despite the attempts of Chadron State, including a five point streak from the Eagles that cut the lead to 21-18. Ultimately the Vikings took the third set, 25-20, sending the game into a fourth set. The Eagles came into the fourth set fighting, starting with kills from Hazlitt and Kirkwood. The Eagles were able to hold onto this lead until Augustana tied it 7-7 from an attack error. Augustana grew their lead with multiple 4-0 scoring runs, eventually taking the set with a 25-20 finish, tying the set scores. Augustana carried the momentum from the past two sets into the finishing set. The Eagles fought hard going on a four point streak to tie the score 7-7. Augustana pulled ahead, winning four of the last five points to win the set 15-11 and win the match 3-2. In the Eagles' following game against Northern, the first set began with a kill from Beckler before the Wolves took control, keeping the lead the rest of the set. The Eagles had a four point run with kills from Ward and Beckler and an ace from Shelby Harding, cutting the lead to 18-15. Despite the run, the set ended 25-20, Northern. The Wolves came in hot for the second set, scoring six straight points to open. The Eagles tried to respond, but Northern won the second set handily, 25-11. CSC fought back in the third set, going on a six point run in the beginning, with kills from Bella Adams and Jillian Donovan and an ace from Beckler to take the lead 8-4. The teams continued to compete, with Northern scoring five points in a row to take the lead before a kill from Hazlitt and another ace from Harding gave the Eagles the lead back at 14-13. The set was neck to neck before Northern pulled away, ending the set 25-22, and winning in straight sets. Ward led the team against Northern State with seven kills, followed by Kirkwood and Beckler with five. Harding led the team in serving, scoring three aces. Adams, Ward and Hazlitt all tied with three blocks.

🏐 CSC drops to 0-3 with losses at Eagle Classic Friday

🏈 Week 2 - Nebraska High School Football Scoreboard

Dundy County Stratton 42 vs Bridgeport 16

Northern Valley, KS at Crawford - 11:00 Saturday

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 </figure>🏈 Week 2 - Nebraska High School Football Scoreboard◼ Thursday, September 4Wallace 48 @ Creek Valley 12Garden County 52 vs Cody-Kilgore 15South Platte 50 vs Paxton 7Mullen 35 @ Maywood-Hayes Center 16◼ Friday, September 5Alliance 28 vs Holdrege 14Chadron 34 vs Valentine 0Scottsbluff 56,Lincoln Northwest 7Gering 46 vs Mitchell 14Dundy County Stratton 42 vs Bridgeport 16O'Neill 63,&nbsp;Gordon-Rushville 8 Sidney 20 vs Minden 0Ogallala 18 vs Broken Bow 7Hemingford 58 @ Hyannis 8Kimball 50 @ Bayard 0Potter-Dix 66 @ Sterling 32Brady 85 vs Morrill 8Minatare 43 @ Banner County 24Leyton 52 vs Sioux County 12Northern Valley, KS at Crawford - 11:00 Saturday

🏈 Week 2 - Nebraska High School Football Scoreboard

🏐 Western Nebraska Prep Volleyball Scoreboard - Sept. 2

Bayard def. Creek Valley 25-17, 25-12, 25-10 (3-0)

Brady def. South Platte 25-12, 25-7 (2-0)

Bridgeport def. Gordon-Rushville 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10 (3-2)

Gering def. Morrill 25-15, 25-19, 25-13 (3-0)

Hay Springs def. Banner County 25-15, 25-15 (2-0)

Hay Springs def. Garden County 25-22, 22-25, 25-17 (2-1)

Kimball def. Leyton 25-22, 25-9, 26-24 (3-0)

Mullen def. Anselmo-Merna 18-25, 25-23, 25-16 (2-1)

Mullen def. South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 25-14, 25-20 (2-0)

Ogallala def. Hershey 25-23, 25-10, 25-14 (3-0)

Peetz, CO def. Potter-Dix 25-19, 11-25, 25-23, 25-17 (3-1)

Perkins County def. South Platte 25-20, 25-14 (2-0)

Scottsbluff def. Alliance 25-20, 24-26, 25-20, 25-16 (3-1)

Sidney def. Yuma, CO 25-27, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20 (3-1)

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598923669137.jpeg" alt=" " />
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 </figure>🏐 Western Nebraska Prep Volleyball Scoreboard - Sept. 2Bayard def. Creek Valley 25-17, 25-12, 25-10 (3-0)Brady def. South Platte 25-12, 25-7 (2-0)Bridgeport def. Gordon-Rushville 25-19, 24-26, 25-22, 22-25, 15-10 (3-2)Gering def. Morrill 25-15, 25-19, 25-13 (3-0)Hay Springs def. Banner County 25-15, 25-15 (2-0)Hay Springs def. Garden County 25-22, 22-25, 25-17 (2-1)Kimball def. Leyton 25-22, 25-9, 26-24 (3-0)Mullen def. Anselmo-Merna 18-25, 25-23, 25-16 (2-1)Mullen def. South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 25-14, 25-20 (2-0)Ogallala def. Hershey 25-23, 25-10, 25-14 (3-0)Peetz, CO def. Potter-Dix 25-19, 11-25, 25-23, 25-17 (3-1)Perkins County def. South Platte 25-20, 25-14 (2-0)Scottsbluff def. Alliance 25-20, 24-26, 25-20, 25-16 (3-1)Sidney def. Yuma, CO 25-27, 26-24, 25-16, 25-20 (3-1)

🏐 Western Nebraska Prep Volleyball Scoreboard - Sept. 2

Chadron State Coach Jay Long breaks down the opener at UNC, highlights key plays and performers, announces the first Hammer Award winner and takes a peek ahead at the UNK showdown!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666116284028.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Chadron State Coach Jay Long breaks down the opener at UNC, highlights key plays and performers, announces the first Hammer Award winner and takes a peek ahead at the UNK showdown!<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - 9/2/25" 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=gkdge-19512a1-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>