American Legion Baseball Scoreboard - June 15

◼ Alliance Juniors 7, Twin Cities Scottsbluff 3

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623028024068.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>American Legion Baseball Scoreboard - June 15</h2>◼ Alliance Juniors 7, Twin Cities Scottsbluff 3◼ North Platte Seniors 2, Broken Bow 0◼ Cozad Juniors 7, Ogallala 6

DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon homered, tripled and drove in four runs as the Colorado Rockies rallied from an early deficit to beat the skidding San Diego Padres 8-4. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his NL-leading 20th home run of the season for San Diego, which has lost 11 of 15. McMahon went 3 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and Yonathan Daza had three hits. Raimel Tapia doubled twice and drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh. The Padres gave starter Yu Darvish a 4-0 lead after two innings, but he couldn’t hold it. He allowed four runs and five hits in five-plus innings.

DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon homered, tripled and drove in four runs as the Colorado Rockies rallied from an early deficit to beat the skidding San Diego Padres 8-4. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his NL-leading 20th home run of the season for San Diego, which has lost 11 of 15. McMahon went 3 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and Yonathan Daza had three hits. Raimel Tapia doubled twice and drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh. The Padres gave starter Yu Darvish a 4-0 lead after two innings, but he couldn’t hold it. He allowed four runs and five hits in five-plus innings.

After rocky start Colorado pounds Padres 8-4

The College World Series hits the diamond at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha starting Saturday.&nbsp; If you're traveling out to the tournament here's a look at the opening weekend schedule of games:

6:00 - (2) Texas vs (7) Mississippi State

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623767737220.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorThe College World Series hits the diamond at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha starting Saturday.&nbsp; If you're traveling out to the tournament here's a look at the opening weekend schedule of games:Times are CT, local to Omaha.Saturday1:00 - NC State vs (9) Stanford6:00 - (5) Arizona vs (4) VanderbiltSunday1:00 - Virginia vs (3) Tennessee6:00 - (2) Texas vs (7) Mississippi State

Field is set for College World Series openers in Omaha this weekend

DENVER (AP) — Austin Gomber continued his dominance at hitter-friendly Coors Field with eight shutout innings, and the Colorado Rockies held on to beat the scuffling San Diego Padres 3-2. Gomber improved to 3-1 at home, where he hasn’t allowed an earned run in 23 1/3 innings. He held the Padres to three hits and didn’t walk a batter. San Diego has lost 10 of its last 14. Gomber retired the first nine batters he faced before Tommy Pham led off the fourth with an infield single, but he was erased on a double play.

DENVER (AP) — Austin Gomber continued his dominance at hitter-friendly Coors Field with eight shutout innings, and the Colorado Rockies held on to beat the scuffling San Diego Padres 3-2. Gomber improved to 3-1 at home, where he hasn’t allowed an earned run in 23 1/3 innings. He held the Padres to three hits and didn’t walk a batter. San Diego has lost 10 of its last 14. Gomber retired the first nine batters he faced before Tommy Pham led off the fourth with an infield single, but he was erased on a double play.

Pitcher in Arenado trade looks great in Rockies win over Padres

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Three Chadron State College rodeo contestants got off to their starts at the College National Finals Rodeos in Casper on Sunday.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rowdy Moon of Sargent, Neb., scored 68.5 points while riding his bareback and both Quincy Segelke of Rozet, Wyo., and Brianna Williams of Buffalo, S.D., caught their first calves in breakaway roping.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Segelke’s time was 3.2 seconds, good for a tie for 13th&nbsp;and 14th&nbsp;in the opening go-round. Williams was next in 15th&nbsp;place in 3.4 seconds.&nbsp; CSC’s third breakaway entry at nationals, Phannette Gray of Ridgeview, S.D. did not catch her calf.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The breakaway leader in the first go was Winter Williams of Southwest Oklahoma State in 1.9 seconds.&nbsp; Thirty-four breakaway ropers caught their calves, 22 of them in 4.3 seconds or faster. The remaining 24 missed.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moon’s points placed him 22nd&nbsp;among the 30 bareback riders who made it to the eight-second whistle on Sunday. Only five others failed to get a score.&nbsp; The first round leader is Cole Franks of Clarendon College in Texas with 83.5 points.&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There are three go-rounds to determine the dozen entries in each event in the finals on Saturday night.

By: Con Marshall, CSC Sports Information&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Three Chadron State College rodeo contestants got off to their starts at the College National Finals Rodeos in Casper on Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rowdy Moon of Sargent, Neb., scored 68.5 points while riding his bareback and both Quincy Segelke of Rozet, Wyo., and Brianna Williams of Buffalo, S.D., caught their first calves in breakaway roping.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Segelke’s time was 3.2 seconds, good for a tie for 13th&nbsp;and 14th&nbsp;in the opening go-round. Williams was next in 15th&nbsp;place in 3.4 seconds.&nbsp; CSC’s third breakaway entry at nationals, Phannette Gray of Ridgeview, S.D. did not catch her calf.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The breakaway leader in the first go was Winter Williams of Southwest Oklahoma State in 1.9 seconds.&nbsp; Thirty-four breakaway ropers caught their calves, 22 of them in 4.3 seconds or faster. The remaining 24 missed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moon’s points placed him 22nd&nbsp;among the 30 bareback riders who made it to the eight-second whistle on Sunday. Only five others failed to get a score.&nbsp; The first round leader is Cole Franks of Clarendon College in Texas with 83.5 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There are three go-rounds to determine the dozen entries in each event in the finals on Saturday night.

Trio of CSC pokes get College National Finals rodeo started

When Alliance High School students return in the fall they will see some big changes to the main building.&nbsp; Besides the usual clean up and spruce up that goes on every summer, the students will see a bright, fresh , new look to the AHS&nbsp;Gymnasium.&nbsp; The gym floor has been striped of the top layer of varnish,&nbsp; sanded down to the bare wood.. and then repainted, varnished and sealed.&nbsp; &nbsp;AHS Activities Director Anita James says the project has been going on for the past week or so and is nearing completion....&nbsp; "The company we went through has done a great job of sticking to the design we wanted and it's going to look different, that's for sure......"Our floor has been slick for the past few years, so with the help of Dr Unzicker,&nbsp; our School Board approved it to be sanded down and completely redone...and we are hoping that fixes the issue...it brightens the gym up a lot and it will be a different look when fans walk in this fall."

Anita says the new floor will keep the unique parquet look of the old floor and will feature bright, blue boundaries along the basketball court.&nbsp; Bulldogs,&nbsp; printed on the baselines.&nbsp; &nbsp;The area between the free throw lane and the 3 point line shaded in a light brown.&nbsp; Alliance painted in large, blue, capital letters, along the south sideline and in the center a large, blue, Bulldog paw....Anita says&nbsp; "that paw is really going to stand out along with the other features...it's pretty cool!"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anita says up next, the floor needs to be clear waxed and coated and then has to set for a few weeks, but will be ready when the students return and begin to prepare for the new school year,&nbsp; and athletes, coaches and fans are really going to like what they see .... ."when I saw it for the first time, it gave me goosebumps...it is going to be great for our students, which is what it's all about".&nbsp;

By: Mike Glesinger<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623702057888.jpeg" alt="looking east from the balcony" />
 <figcaption>looking east from the balcony</figcaption>
 </figure>When Alliance High School students return in the fall they will see some big changes to the main building.&nbsp; Besides the usual clean up and spruce up that goes on every summer, the students will see a bright, fresh , new look to the AHS&nbsp;Gymnasium.&nbsp; The gym floor has been striped of the top layer of varnish,&nbsp; sanded down to the bare wood.. and then repainted, varnished and sealed.&nbsp; &nbsp;AHS Activities Director Anita James says the project has been going on for the past week or so and is nearing completion....&nbsp; "The company we went through has done a great job of sticking to the design we wanted and it's going to look different, that's for sure......"Our floor has been slick for the past few years, so with the help of Dr Unzicker,&nbsp; our School Board approved it to be sanded down and completely redone...and we are hoping that fixes the issue...it brightens the gym up a lot and it will be a different look when fans walk in this fall."Anita says the new floor will keep the unique parquet look of the old floor and will feature bright, blue boundaries along the basketball court.&nbsp; Bulldogs,&nbsp; printed on the baselines.&nbsp; &nbsp;The area between the free throw lane and the 3 point line shaded in a light brown.&nbsp; Alliance painted in large, blue, capital letters, along the south sideline and in the center a large, blue, Bulldog paw....Anita says&nbsp; "that paw is really going to stand out along with the other features...it's pretty cool!"&nbsp;&nbsp;Anita says up next, the floor needs to be clear waxed and coated and then has to set for a few weeks, but will be ready when the students return and begin to prepare for the new school year,&nbsp; and athletes, coaches and fans are really going to like what they see .... ."when I saw it for the first time, it gave me goosebumps...it is going to be great for our students, which is what it's all about".&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623702128630.jpeg" alt="View from the center balcony" />
 <figcaption>View from the center balcony</figcaption>
 </figure>

AHS Gym will sport a new look this fall

MIAMI (AP) — Starling Marte had four hits, including a homer and double, and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4. Adam Duvall and Jazz Chisholm also went deep for the Marlins, who had 16 hits. Trevor Rogers allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. Miami’s rookie left-hander struck out eight, walked one and has yielded two runs or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts. The homers from Duvall, Chisholm and Marte off starter Chi Chi González keyed a six-run second inning.

MIAMI (AP) — Starling Marte had four hits, including a homer and double, and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4. Adam Duvall and Jazz Chisholm also went deep for the Marlins, who had 16 hits. Trevor Rogers allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. Miami’s rookie left-hander struck out eight, walked one and has yielded two runs or fewer in 12 of his 13 starts. The homers from Duvall, Chisholm and Marte off starter Chi Chi González keyed a six-run second inning.

Marte mashes Marlins past Rockies 11-4

Golden Knights knock Avalanche out of Stanley Cup Playoffs

MIAMI (AP) — Raimel Tapia hit two doubles, singled and scored twice, and the Colorado Rockies earned a rare road victory, beating the Miami Marlins 4-3. Charlie Blackmon had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, who are a major league-worst 5-23 on the road — compared to 20-14 at Coors field. Tapia has eight doubles in June after he hit four over the first two months of the season. Winning pitcher Austin Gomber allowed one run in five innings. The left-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth after he scattered five hits and struck out eight on 84 pitches.

MIAMI (AP) — Raimel Tapia hit two doubles, singled and scored twice, and the Colorado Rockies earned a rare road victory, beating the Miami Marlins 4-3. Charlie Blackmon had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, who are a major league-worst 5-23 on the road — compared to 20-14 at Coors field. Tapia has eight doubles in June after he hit four over the first two months of the season. Winning pitcher Austin Gomber allowed one run in five innings. The left-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth after he scattered five hits and struck out eight on 84 pitches.

Raimel leads Rockies to rare road win Wednesday

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning was elected to the Broncos&nbsp;Ring of Fame&nbsp;on Wednesday in recognition of his record-breaking four-year run in Denver that culminated with a victory in Super Bowl 50.

Manning will be honored during a game against Washington at Empower Field at Mile High on Halloween, less than three months after his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8.

“From Floyd Little to Karl Mecklenburg to Steve Atwater to many others, I’ve always looked up at the names around the stadium and admired the great players the Broncos have had over the years," Manning said in a statement. “I’m very humbled to now join them as a Ring of Famer.”

The six-member selection committee&nbsp;unanimously&nbsp;selected Manning as the 35th member of the team’s Ring of Fame. Last year’s honoree, former coach&nbsp;Mike Shanahan, also will be honored this season after the pandemic prevented his ceremony in 2020.

Manning joins Champ Bailey (2019) as the only Broncos selected to the team’s Ring of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the same season.

Manning's four seasons in Denver from 2012-15 “were marked by record-setting individual success and exceptional leadership that helped the Broncos to multiple Super Bowls and one of the winningest periods in team history,” team CEO and President Joe Ellis said.

Manning joined the Broncos as a free agent on March 20, 2012, after his release from the Colts following a 14-year run in Indianapolis that included a win in Super Bowl 41.

At the time, his future in football was cloudy because he was coming off multiple neck fusion surgeries that left him with numbness in his throwing hand and he had missed the entire 2011 season.

He replaced Tim Tebow and took over a Broncos team that had gone 8-8 the year before his arrival and led them to two Super Bowls and one championship over the next four seasons.

Along the way, Manning won Comeback Player of the Year, his record fifth MVP award, two AP First-Team All-Pro honors and three Pro Bowl honors.

The Broncos lost Super Bowl 48 to Seattle but returned two years later and beat Carolina for the franchise's third Super Bowl title.

“He just kind of created this sense of energy for everybody — not just the offense or the defense but even the janitors and coaches,” said linebacker Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP. “The coaches started coaching different, the janitors, the cooks, they all had this sort of spark, and it was the Peyton Manning Effect."

A month after Denver's 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Manning retired a champion just as his boss, John Elway, had done following his second straight Super Bowl title in 1999.

“When Peyton arrived in 2012, his impact and standard was felt throughout our team, the entire organization and in the community," Ellis said. “Coming back from a serious injury — with a new team in a new city — to not only win MVP but to have one of the greatest single seasons ever by any player was a remarkable feat.”

Manning is the fifth QB elected to the team's Ring of Fame, joining Elway, Craig Morton, Charley Johnson and Frank Tripucka.

Manning was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor in 2017, the same year he was a College Football Hall of Fame inductee for his success at Tennessee before Indianapolis made him the top overall draft pick in 1998.

Kicker Brandon McManus, the only active Bronco other than Miller who played with Manning, called the five-time MVP "an incredible competitor, probably more than athlete. I don't think he was the greatest athlete per se. But he was the best competitor in the world, and he knew how to win.”

Manning, who still lives in Denver, said the city and the Broncos were everything he'd hoped for when he arrived in 2012 and “once I got my confidence we went on a heckuva run and never looked back.”

He credited his “many great teammates and coaches” and singled out Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders on offense along with defensive stars Miller, Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware.

“It ended up being a great decision to come here not only to play for the Broncos but to be part of this special community,” Manning said. "Denver is a destination city. Our family is proud to call Denver our home and live in this community even after football. I’m very appreciative and grateful for my time with the Broncos. It’s a tremendous honor to be named to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Peyton Manning was elected to the Broncos&nbsp;Ring of Fame&nbsp;on Wednesday in recognition of his record-breaking four-year run in Denver that culminated with a victory in Super Bowl 50.Manning will be honored during a game against Washington at Empower Field at Mile High on Halloween, less than three months after his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8.“From Floyd Little to Karl Mecklenburg to Steve Atwater to many others, I’ve always looked up at the names around the stadium and admired the great players the Broncos have had over the years," Manning said in a statement. “I’m very humbled to now join them as a Ring of Famer.”The six-member selection committee&nbsp;unanimously&nbsp;selected Manning as the 35th member of the team’s Ring of Fame. Last year’s honoree, former coach&nbsp;Mike Shanahan, also will be honored this season after the pandemic prevented his ceremony in 2020.Manning joins Champ Bailey (2019) as the only Broncos selected to the team’s Ring of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the same season.Manning's four seasons in Denver from 2012-15 “were marked by record-setting individual success and exceptional leadership that helped the Broncos to multiple Super Bowls and one of the winningest periods in team history,” team CEO and President Joe Ellis said.Manning joined the Broncos as a free agent on March 20, 2012, after his release from the Colts following a 14-year run in Indianapolis that included a win in Super Bowl 41.At the time, his future in football was cloudy because he was coming off multiple neck fusion surgeries that left him with numbness in his throwing hand and he had missed the entire 2011 season.He replaced Tim Tebow and took over a Broncos team that had gone 8-8 the year before his arrival and led them to two Super Bowls and one championship over the next four seasons.Along the way, Manning won Comeback Player of the Year, his record fifth MVP award, two AP First-Team All-Pro honors and three Pro Bowl honors.The Broncos lost Super Bowl 48 to Seattle but returned two years later and beat Carolina for the franchise's third Super Bowl title.“He just kind of created this sense of energy for everybody — not just the offense or the defense but even the janitors and coaches,” said linebacker Von Miller, the Super Bowl 50 MVP. “The coaches started coaching different, the janitors, the cooks, they all had this sort of spark, and it was the Peyton Manning Effect."A month after Denver's 24-10 win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50, Manning retired a champion just as his boss, John Elway, had done following his second straight Super Bowl title in 1999.“When Peyton arrived in 2012, his impact and standard was felt throughout our team, the entire organization and in the community," Ellis said. “Coming back from a serious injury — with a new team in a new city — to not only win MVP but to have one of the greatest single seasons ever by any player was a remarkable feat.”Manning is the fifth QB elected to the team's Ring of Fame, joining Elway, Craig Morton, Charley Johnson and Frank Tripucka.Manning was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor in 2017, the same year he was a College Football Hall of Fame inductee for his success at Tennessee before Indianapolis made him the top overall draft pick in 1998.Kicker Brandon McManus, the only active Bronco other than Miller who played with Manning, called the five-time MVP "an incredible competitor, probably more than athlete. I don't think he was the greatest athlete per se. But he was the best competitor in the world, and he knew how to win.”Manning, who still lives in Denver, said the city and the Broncos were everything he'd hoped for when he arrived in 2012 and “once I got my confidence we went on a heckuva run and never looked back.”He credited his “many great teammates and coaches” and singled out Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders on offense along with defensive stars Miller, Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware.“It ended up being a great decision to come here not only to play for the Broncos but to be part of this special community,” Manning said. "Denver is a destination city. Our family is proud to call Denver our home and live in this community even after football. I’m very appreciative and grateful for my time with the Broncos. It’s a tremendous honor to be named to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame.”

Peyton Manning, Mike Shanahan elected to Broncos Ring of Fame

The Box Butte County Bad Boys continued their winning ways over the weekend finishing 5-0 and taking home the championship in the Sidney Wood Bat Tournament.&nbsp; The Bad Boys opened pool play on Friday night with a decisive 7-1 win over Westco.&nbsp; Fletcher Moseman earned the win on the mound going 3 1/3, allowing one run on three hits and striking out seven.&nbsp; Logan Freiberger closed it out recording the last five outs for the bad boys.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman was 2-2 at the plate and recorded 4 stolen bases.

Pool play continued on Saturday as the Bad Boys defeated Sidney 8 to 1 to open the day.&nbsp; A five run third was highlighted by RBI’s from Miguel Galvan, Casyn Nelson and Fletcher Moseman.&nbsp; Jace Jensen contributed with a solo inside the park homerun.&nbsp; Cormic Stark was the winning pitcher for the Bad Boys allowing only one hit while striking out four.&nbsp; Jace Jensen closed out the game recording the last four outs.&nbsp; Pool play concluded with a dominating win over Yuma, Colorado highlighted by a lights out pitching performance from Miguel Galvan.&nbsp; Galvan threw a complete game shutout striking out nine.&nbsp; The win was secured after a six run fourth inning with RBI singles by Casyn Nelson, Carsen Bunnell, and Dixon Baer.&nbsp;

The tournament began on Sunday morning and saw the Bad Boys defeat Brush, Colorado in the semi-final game.&nbsp; Casyn Nelson secured the win on the mound going three innings and striking out seven.&nbsp; The Bad Boys knocked out 13 total hits.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman and Izzy Garcia each notched 3.&nbsp; The Bad Boys also tore up the base paths with six players stealing at least two bases.&nbsp; Jace Jensen led the way with 3 stolen bases.&nbsp;

The championship game saw a rematch between the Bad Boys and Yuma, Colorado.&nbsp; The Bad Boys beat Yuma once again this time by a score of 11 to 0.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman was on the mound throwing a complete game shutout.&nbsp; He allowed no runs on 2 hits while striking out seven.&nbsp; The Bad Boy bats remained on fire as the Boys scored six runs in the first inning.&nbsp; Dixon Baer, Casyn Nelson, Fletcher Moseman and Cisco Cody all had RBI’s in that first inning.&nbsp; Jace Jensen ended the game with the mercy rule on his second inside the park homer run of the tournament.

Team members include....Teagen O'Gorman, Carsen Bunnell, Jace Jensen, Isreal Garcia, Miguel Galvan, Logan Freiberger, Casyn Nelson, Fletcher Moseman, Cisco Cody, Cormic Stark, and Dixon Bair. The team is coached by Head coaches: Chris Jensen and Jaime Galvan and assistant coaches: Travis O'Gorman, Denny Stark, Josh Freiberger, and Jesse Bunnell.&nbsp;

The Bad Boys will be back in action in a Father’s Day Tournament in Scottsbluff.

The Alliance 12 year old team also competed in a wood bat tournament in Sidney the same weekend and also won first place in their age division.

Thanks to Kevin Horn and Erin Bunnell

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623265402915.jpeg" alt="Box Butte Bad Boys" />
 <figcaption>Box Butte Bad Boys</figcaption>
 </figure>The Box Butte County Bad Boys continued their winning ways over the weekend finishing 5-0 and taking home the championship in the Sidney Wood Bat Tournament.&nbsp; The Bad Boys opened pool play on Friday night with a decisive 7-1 win over Westco.&nbsp; Fletcher Moseman earned the win on the mound going 3 1/3, allowing one run on three hits and striking out seven.&nbsp; Logan Freiberger closed it out recording the last five outs for the bad boys.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman was 2-2 at the plate and recorded 4 stolen bases.Pool play continued on Saturday as the Bad Boys defeated Sidney 8 to 1 to open the day.&nbsp; A five run third was highlighted by RBI’s from Miguel Galvan, Casyn Nelson and Fletcher Moseman.&nbsp; Jace Jensen contributed with a solo inside the park homerun.&nbsp; Cormic Stark was the winning pitcher for the Bad Boys allowing only one hit while striking out four.&nbsp; Jace Jensen closed out the game recording the last four outs.&nbsp; Pool play concluded with a dominating win over Yuma, Colorado highlighted by a lights out pitching performance from Miguel Galvan.&nbsp; Galvan threw a complete game shutout striking out nine.&nbsp; The win was secured after a six run fourth inning with RBI singles by Casyn Nelson, Carsen Bunnell, and Dixon Baer.&nbsp;The tournament began on Sunday morning and saw the Bad Boys defeat Brush, Colorado in the semi-final game.&nbsp; Casyn Nelson secured the win on the mound going three innings and striking out seven.&nbsp; The Bad Boys knocked out 13 total hits.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman and Izzy Garcia each notched 3.&nbsp; The Bad Boys also tore up the base paths with six players stealing at least two bases.&nbsp; Jace Jensen led the way with 3 stolen bases.&nbsp;The championship game saw a rematch between the Bad Boys and Yuma, Colorado.&nbsp; The Bad Boys beat Yuma once again this time by a score of 11 to 0.&nbsp; Teagen O’Gorman was on the mound throwing a complete game shutout.&nbsp; He allowed no runs on 2 hits while striking out seven.&nbsp; The Bad Boy bats remained on fire as the Boys scored six runs in the first inning.&nbsp; Dixon Baer, Casyn Nelson, Fletcher Moseman and Cisco Cody all had RBI’s in that first inning.&nbsp; Jace Jensen ended the game with the mercy rule on his second inside the park homer run of the tournament.Team members include....Teagen O'Gorman, Carsen Bunnell, Jace Jensen, Isreal Garcia, Miguel Galvan, Logan Freiberger, Casyn Nelson, Fletcher Moseman, Cisco Cody, Cormic Stark, and Dixon Bair. The team is coached by Head coaches: Chris Jensen and Jaime Galvan and assistant coaches: Travis O'Gorman, Denny Stark, Josh Freiberger, and Jesse Bunnell.&nbsp;The Bad Boys will be back in action in a Father’s Day Tournament in Scottsbluff.The Alliance 12 year old team also competed in a wood bat tournament in Sidney the same weekend and also won first place in their age division.Thanks to Kevin Horn and Erin Bunnell

BBCO Bad Boys play Good in Sidney, 12 yr olds also Champs

The Big Red Blitz presented by FNBO heads to all corners of Nebraska on Wednesday, June 16, with 10 groups hitting 20 stops across the state. Tentative details for each stop are now set, and all Big Red Blitz events are free to the public.&nbsp; Capacity is limited for each event, and fans will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional details about each event are now posted on the Huskers’ Facebook page.

<a>Group 1</a> Alliance&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Newberry’s (110 West 4th Street) Scottsbluff&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gering Civic Center (1050 M Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Athletic Director Bill Moos, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Armon Gates, Head Wrestling Coach Mark Manning

Emcee:&nbsp;Mattie Fowler, Huskers Athletic Fund, Huskers Radio Network Softball Analyst

Group 2 Chadron&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Country Kitchen Restaurant (1250 West 10th Street) Valentine&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bolo Brewing Company (420 East 1st Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Head Volleyball Coach John Cook, Assistant Football Coach Tony Tuioti, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Matt Abdelmassih

Emcee:&nbsp;Jessica Coody, Huskers Radio Network

Group 3 Ogallala&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Open Range Grill (1108 North Spruce Street)

Imperial&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Broken Arrow Cellars (73892 332 Avenue) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Football Offensive Coordinator Matt Lubick, Special Assistant to Head Men’s Basketball Coach Doc Sadler, Garrett Klassy, Senior Deputy Athletic Director

Group 4 North Platte&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11:30 a.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte Community College Gymnasium&nbsp;(601 W. State Farm Road) Kearney&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Younes Conference Center South (416 West Talmadge Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Head Football Coach Scott Frost, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Nate Loenser, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development Ben Murray

Emcee:&nbsp;Greg Sharpe, Huskers Radio Network Football and Baseball Play-by-Play

Group 5 Columbus&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frankfort Square (13th Street and 26th Avenue) David City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Butler County Fair Grounds (62 L Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Women’s Basketball Head Coach Amy Williams, Football Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander, Assistant Football Coach Mario Verduzco

Emcee:&nbsp;Jeff Griesch, Athletic Communications/Huskers Radio Network Women’s Basketball Analyst

Group 6 Grand Island&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bosselman Conference Center (700 East Stolley Park Road) Hastings&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lochland Country Club (601 West Lochland Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Men’s Basketball Head Coach Fred Hoiberg, Assistant Football Coach Travis Fisher, Senior Deputy Athletic Director John Johnson

Emcee:&nbsp;Kent Pavelka, Huskers Radio Network Men’s Basketball Play-by-Play

Group 7 Norfolk&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Midtown Events Center (1102 Riverside Boulevard) Fremont&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Christensen Field Auditorium (1914 Christensen Field Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Greg Austin, Assistant Football Coach Mike Dawson, Associate Athletic Director for Football Matt Davison, Head Bowling Coach Paul Klempa

Emcee:&nbsp;Matt Davison, Huskers Radio Network Football Analyst

Group 8 Lexington&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Nautical Rose at Johnson Lake (2 Lakeview Acres Drive, #13) Holdrege&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JB Sport’s Bar and Grill (302 East Avenue) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Sean Beckton, Men’s Basketball Director of Player Development Buzzy Caruthers

Emcee:&nbsp;Brenden Stai, Huskers Athletic Fund/Huskers Radio Network

Group 9 Loup City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Loup City Community Center (803 O Street)

Broken Bow&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kinkaider Brewing (43860 Paulsen Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Ryan Held, Football Head Strength Coach Zach Duval, Senior Offensive Analyst Ron Brown

Emcee:&nbsp;Keith Zimmer, Senior Associate AD/Life Skills

Group 10 So. Sioux City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Covington Links Golf Course (497 Golf Road)

West Point&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; West Point High School (1200 E Washington Street)

Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Football Assistant Coach Barrett Ruud, Associate Women’s Basketball Head Coach Chuck Love, Baseball Head Coach Will Bolt

Emcee:&nbsp;Derek Engelbart, Assistant General Manager of Huskers Athletic Partners&nbsp;

Additional updates or changes to the Big Red Blitz schedule will be posted on Huskers.com. FNBO is the Official Bank of Husker Nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623253420867.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>(NU Athletic Communications)The Big Red Blitz presented by FNBO heads to all corners of Nebraska on Wednesday, June 16, with 10 groups hitting 20 stops across the state. Tentative details for each stop are now set, and all Big Red Blitz events are free to the public.&nbsp; Capacity is limited for each event, and fans will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional details about each event are now posted on the Huskers’ Facebook page.<a>Group 1</a> Alliance&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Newberry’s (110 West 4th Street) Scottsbluff&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gering Civic Center (1050 M Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Athletic Director Bill Moos, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Armon Gates, Head Wrestling Coach Mark ManningEmcee:&nbsp;Mattie Fowler, Huskers Athletic Fund, Huskers Radio Network Softball AnalystGroup 2 Chadron&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Country Kitchen Restaurant (1250 West 10th Street) Valentine&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bolo Brewing Company (420 East 1st Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Head Volleyball Coach John Cook, Assistant Football Coach Tony Tuioti, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Matt AbdelmassihEmcee:&nbsp;Jessica Coody, Huskers Radio NetworkGroup 3 Ogallala&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 a.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Open Range Grill (1108 North Spruce Street)Imperial&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. MT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Broken Arrow Cellars (73892 332 Avenue) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Football Offensive Coordinator Matt Lubick, Special Assistant to Head Men’s Basketball Coach Doc Sadler, Garrett Klassy, Senior Deputy Athletic DirectorEmcee:&nbsp;Garrett KlassyGroup 4 North Platte&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11:30 a.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;North Platte Community College Gymnasium&nbsp;(601 W. State Farm Road) Kearney&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Younes Conference Center South (416 West Talmadge Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Head Football Coach Scott Frost, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Nate Loenser, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development Ben MurrayEmcee:&nbsp;Greg Sharpe, Huskers Radio Network Football and Baseball Play-by-PlayGroup 5 Columbus&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frankfort Square (13th Street and 26th Avenue) David City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Butler County Fair Grounds (62 L Street) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Women’s Basketball Head Coach Amy Williams, Football Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander, Assistant Football Coach Mario VerduzcoEmcee:&nbsp;Jeff Griesch, Athletic Communications/Huskers Radio Network Women’s Basketball AnalystGroup 6 Grand Island&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bosselman Conference Center (700 East Stolley Park Road) Hastings&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lochland Country Club (601 West Lochland Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Men’s Basketball Head Coach Fred Hoiberg, Assistant Football Coach Travis Fisher, Senior Deputy Athletic Director John JohnsonEmcee:&nbsp;Kent Pavelka, Huskers Radio Network Men’s Basketball Play-by-PlayGroup 7 Norfolk&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Midtown Events Center (1102 Riverside Boulevard) Fremont&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Christensen Field Auditorium (1914 Christensen Field Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Greg Austin, Assistant Football Coach Mike Dawson, Associate Athletic Director for Football Matt Davison, Head Bowling Coach Paul KlempaEmcee:&nbsp;Matt Davison, Huskers Radio Network Football AnalystGroup 8 Lexington&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Nautical Rose at Johnson Lake (2 Lakeview Acres Drive, #13) Holdrege&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JB Sport’s Bar and Grill (302 East Avenue) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Sean Beckton, Men’s Basketball Director of Player Development Buzzy CaruthersEmcee:&nbsp;Brenden Stai, Huskers Athletic Fund/Huskers Radio NetworkGroup 9 Loup City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Loup City Community Center (803 O Street)Broken Bow&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kinkaider Brewing (43860 Paulsen Road) Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Assistant Football Coach Ryan Held, Football Head Strength Coach Zach Duval, Senior Offensive Analyst Ron BrownEmcee:&nbsp;Keith Zimmer, Senior Associate AD/Life SkillsGroup 10 So. Sioux City&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noon CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Covington Links Golf Course (497 Golf Road)West Point&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; West Point High School (1200 E Washington Street)Coaches/Staff:&nbsp;Football Assistant Coach Barrett Ruud, Associate Women’s Basketball Head Coach Chuck Love, Baseball Head Coach Will BoltEmcee:&nbsp;Derek Engelbart, Assistant General Manager of Huskers Athletic Partners&nbsp;Additional updates or changes to the Big Red Blitz schedule will be posted on Huskers.com. FNBO is the Official Bank of Husker Nation.

Big Red Blitz coming to Western Nebraska

Courtesy: NU Athletic Cmmunications

Fayetteville, Ark. – No. 19 Nebraska pushed top-ranked Arkansas to the brink, but the Razorbacks used a two-out, eighth-inning rally to break open a 2-2 deadlock and punched their ticket to the Super Regional with a&nbsp; 6-2 victory,&nbsp; Monday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium.

Nebraska, which reached the regional final round for the first time since 2007,&nbsp; jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Arkansas closer Kevin Kopps slammed the door with seven shutout innings of relief to improve to 12-0 on the season.

With the loss, the Huskers end their season with a 34-14 record after nearly becoming the fourth team since 1999 to knock off the No. 1 national seed in regional play.&nbsp; Arkansas improved to 49-11 and will host NC State in a Super Regional this weekend.

Luke Roskam belted his 10th&nbsp; homer of the year, while Jaxon Hallmark drove in the Huskers' other run, as Nebraska was limited to four hits. Kopps, who went 2-0 with a save in the regional, fanned eight over a career-high 7.0 innings of work, kept the hosts in the game until Arkansas rallied in the later innings.

Kopps, who entered the game in a two-on, no-out situation in the third, allowed one inherited runner to score before getting stronger as the game progressed, retiring 13 of the final 14 Huskers he faced.

Arkansas finally broke through in the eighth with two outs against the Husker bullpen. Three straight walks by Koty Frank (3-1) loaded the bases before Jake Bunz uncorked a wild pitch to allow Christian Franklin to score the go-ahead run. Pinch hitter Charlie Welch then gave Arkansas breathing room with a three-run homer to make it 6-2.

Early on, it looked to be the Huskers' night, as the Huskers pushed across runs in the second and the third and got a strong bounce back performance from Cade Povich, who took a shutout into the fifth. The left-hander, who threw 64 pitches over a 3.1-inning start against Northeastern on Friday, allowed one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. The first-team All-Big Ten pitcher struck out six and walked two over a 65-pitch effort.

The Huskers touched up Arkansas starter Jaxon Wiggins, who lasted just 2.0 innings.&nbsp; Roskam led off the second with a monster home run to right field that gave NU a 1-0 lead, as the senior sent a 3-1 offering over the wall in right.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wiggins opened the third by walking Mogo Hagge and Logan Foster, Nebraska's No. 8 and 9 hitters before the Razorbacks called on Kopps.&nbsp; Joe Acker's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position before Hallmark's groundout plated Hagge to give NU a 2-0 lead.&nbsp; NU had a chance to do further damage, as Spencer Schwellenbach put a good swing on a 1-2 pitch,&nbsp; but was robbed of extra bases on a diving catch from center fielder Christian Franklin.

Arkansas broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff homer from Casey Optiz for his second round tripper of the year. Arkansas threatened with a one out double by Janel Battles&nbsp; and a&nbsp; walk to Zack Gregory to chase Povich,&nbsp; but Cam Wynne retired the next two hitters to escape unscathed.

The Razorbacks used the long ball to tie the score in the sixth, as Robert Moore's two-out homer, his 14th&nbsp; of the season, tied the score at two.

Kopps retired his seventh straight Husker in the top of the seventh and the Huskers brought in freshman Emmett Olson in the bottom of the inning.&nbsp; The lefty got a leadoff pop out and then gave up an infield single to Battles.&nbsp; With the go-ahead run on base, the Huskers brought in Frank, who got a pair of fly outs to keep the game tied after seven frames.

2021 NCAA Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament Team

Courtesy: NU Athletic Cmmunications Fayetteville, Ark. – No. 19 Nebraska pushed top-ranked Arkansas to the brink, but the Razorbacks used a two-out, eighth-inning rally to break open a 2-2 deadlock and punched their ticket to the Super Regional with a&nbsp; 6-2 victory,&nbsp; Monday evening at Baum-Walker Stadium.Nebraska, which reached the regional final round for the first time since 2007,&nbsp; jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Arkansas closer Kevin Kopps slammed the door with seven shutout innings of relief to improve to 12-0 on the season.With the loss, the Huskers end their season with a 34-14 record after nearly becoming the fourth team since 1999 to knock off the No. 1 national seed in regional play.&nbsp; Arkansas improved to 49-11 and will host NC State in a Super Regional this weekend.Luke Roskam belted his 10th&nbsp; homer of the year, while Jaxon Hallmark drove in the Huskers' other run, as Nebraska was limited to four hits. Kopps, who went 2-0 with a save in the regional, fanned eight over a career-high 7.0 innings of work, kept the hosts in the game until Arkansas rallied in the later innings.Kopps, who entered the game in a two-on, no-out situation in the third, allowed one inherited runner to score before getting stronger as the game progressed, retiring 13 of the final 14 Huskers he faced.Arkansas finally broke through in the eighth with two outs against the Husker bullpen. Three straight walks by Koty Frank (3-1) loaded the bases before Jake Bunz uncorked a wild pitch to allow Christian Franklin to score the go-ahead run. Pinch hitter Charlie Welch then gave Arkansas breathing room with a three-run homer to make it 6-2.Early on, it looked to be the Huskers' night, as the Huskers pushed across runs in the second and the third and got a strong bounce back performance from Cade Povich, who took a shutout into the fifth. The left-hander, who threw 64 pitches over a 3.1-inning start against Northeastern on Friday, allowed one run on three hits over 4.1 innings. The first-team All-Big Ten pitcher struck out six and walked two over a 65-pitch effort.The Huskers touched up Arkansas starter Jaxon Wiggins, who lasted just 2.0 innings.&nbsp; Roskam led off the second with a monster home run to right field that gave NU a 1-0 lead, as the senior sent a 3-1 offering over the wall in right.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wiggins opened the third by walking Mogo Hagge and Logan Foster, Nebraska's No. 8 and 9 hitters before the Razorbacks called on Kopps.&nbsp; Joe Acker's sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position before Hallmark's groundout plated Hagge to give NU a 2-0 lead.&nbsp; NU had a chance to do further damage, as Spencer Schwellenbach put a good swing on a 1-2 pitch,&nbsp; but was robbed of extra bases on a diving catch from center fielder Christian Franklin.Arkansas broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff homer from Casey Optiz for his second round tripper of the year. Arkansas threatened with a one out double by Janel Battles&nbsp; and a&nbsp; walk to Zack Gregory to chase Povich,&nbsp; but Cam Wynne retired the next two hitters to escape unscathed.The Razorbacks used the long ball to tie the score in the sixth, as Robert Moore's two-out homer, his 14th&nbsp; of the season, tied the score at two.Kopps retired his seventh straight Husker in the top of the seventh and the Huskers brought in freshman Emmett Olson in the bottom of the inning.&nbsp; The lefty got a leadoff pop out and then gave up an infield single to Battles.&nbsp; With the go-ahead run on base, the Huskers brought in Frank, who got a pair of fly outs to keep the game tied after seven frames.2021 NCAA Fayetteville Regional All-Tournament TeamMVP – Kevin Kopps, ArkansasC – Griffin Everitt, Nebraska1B – Luke Roskam, Nebraska2b – Robert Moore, ArkansasSS – Jalen Battles, Arkansas3B – Brice Matthews, NebraskaOF – Matt Goodheart, ArkansasOF – Christian Franklin, ArkansasOF – Joe Acker, NebraskaDH – Charlie Welch, ArkansasSP – Ryan Fischer, NJITSP – Patrick Wicklander, ArkansasRP – Kevin Kopps, ArkansasRP – Spencer Schwellenbach, Nebraska

Huskers fall in Regional Final

The Annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball and Football games will be held this Saturday, June 12 in Scottsbluff.  The Volleyball match is set for 2 pm&nbsp; (MT) at Cougar Palace at Western Nebraska Community College.  Coaches and rosters are listed below.&nbsp; Subject to change.

Asst Coach: Lisa Hughes-Merritt (Hay Springs)

The Football game is set for Saturday evening at 7 pm (MT) at Scottsbluff High School's Bearcat Stadium.&nbsp; Football Coaches and rosters are listed below.&nbsp; Subject to change.

Asst Coaches: Jake Harvey (Lexington), Brendan Johnsen (Alma), Matt Berry (McCook)

The Annual West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball and Football games will be held this Saturday, June 12 in Scottsbluff. The Volleyball match is set for 2 pm&nbsp; (MT) at Cougar Palace at Western Nebraska Community College. Coaches and rosters are listed below.&nbsp; Subject to change.EAST VOLLEYBALL ROSTERAshley Brown, Elm CreekJadeyn Bubak, South LoupTrinity Christophersen, BradyAleya Hueftle, BertrandHalle Jacobsen, Broken BowAcelyn Klein, Medicine ValleyAlivia Knoerzer, Hi-LineSamantha Moore, MullenChiara Richeson, GothenburgHaylee Sandman, Wauneta-PalisadeEmma Schall, Broken BowKali Staples, Broken BowJaycee Widener, Maywood-Hayes CenterHead Coach: Skylar Morris (Broken Bow)Asst Coach: Bryson Mahlberg (Gothenburg)WEST VOLLEYBALL ROSTERJayla Brehmer, Gordon-RushvilleAnika Burke, ChadronEmma Cogdill, ChadronMilan Coggins, OgallalaJenna Curtis, OgallalaEmma Foote, ScottsbluffMorgan Jaggers, SidneyJosie Jenkins, MitchellKyla Knight, GeringMaddie Lake, Garden CountyKarly Sylvester, SidneyJoce Varvel, Hay SpringsCambrea Vogel, CrawfordHead Coach: Julie Smith (Sidney)Asst Coach: Lisa Hughes-Merritt (Hay Springs)The Football game is set for Saturday evening at 7 pm (MT) at Scottsbluff High School's Bearcat Stadium.&nbsp; Football Coaches and rosters are listed below.&nbsp; Subject to change.EAST FOOTBALL ROSTERGunner Armagost, CozadRiley Baker, GothenburgKeegan Benson, ArapahoeKyle Borland, CambridgeClayton Berry, Southern ValleyCarter Bose, Southern ValleyNoah Converse, LexingtonAlex Davies, North Platte St. Pat’sTrenton Defruiter, Medicine ValleyBlake Denson, Broken BowJacob Engel, CozadTorrington Ford, McCookOwen Geiken, GothenburgEddie Hatch, North PlatteKody Keller, Hi-LineJake Kohler, North PlatteAlec Langan, McCookBryce McIntosh, MullenXavier Perez, Elm CreekJaden Dike, North PlatteHarold Pineda, LexingtonAlex Ramos, LexingtonJulio Rodriguez, LexingtonCarson Rohde, Sumner Eddyville MillerKade Safranek, Anselmo-MernaMason Schmoker, McCookConner Schutz, Hi-LineEthan Sides, CambridgeCamron Sutherland, North PlatteTrayton White, North Platte St. Pat’sIsaiah Wiemers, McCookBrody Yant, Southern ValleyHead Coach: Jayce Dueland (Elm Creek)Asst Coaches: Jake Harvey (Lexington), Brendan Johnsen (Alma), Matt Berry (McCook)WEST FOOTBALL ROSTERRylan Aguallo, MitchellGrant Ahlstrom, Sandhills-ThedfordBrayton Branic, Sandhills-ThedfordNathan Coley, MitchellZack Burke, SidneyJavon Coyle, Potter-DixSerbando Diaz, Dundy County StrattonColton Doneson, OgallalaCole Faessler, BridgeportMario Garza, AllianceCade Goings, Gordon-RushvilleIsaiah Guerue, MorrillSawyer Haag, ChadronDelton Haines, Dundy County StrattonZack Henke, LeytonBrett Hill, ScottsbluffColin Hillis, OgallalaJack Kildow, BayardBrandon Knoles, Perkins CountyKeegan Krutsinger, Dundy County StrattonChristian Leonard, BayardReed McFadden, Sandhills-ThedfordTony Mokeac, ScottsbluffTy Monie, SutherlandBrady Newkirk, BridgeportBrady Robb, SidneyTyler Smith, ScottsbluffCarter Snyder, SutherlandDana Storer, PaxtonBrian Turek, HemingfordCharles Twarling, Hay SpringsChris Williams, ValentineHead Coach: Mike Lecher (Chadron)Asst Coaches: Chad Dormann (Garden County), Dan Lenners (Chase County), Jonn McLain (Chadron)

West Nebraska All-Star Volleyball and Football games set for Saturday

Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications

<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42662">Kyle Perry</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42667">Spencer Schwellenbach</a>&nbsp;limited No. 1 Arkansas to four hits, as No. 19 Nebraska rallied back to force a decisive game seven in the Fayetteville Regional with a 5-3 win Sunday night. The Huskers (34-13) trailed 3-2 after four frames, but used a three-run fifth inning and Schwellenbach slammed the door with a career-best 4.2 shutout innings to silence a Baum-Walker Stadium crowd of 11,084. The Big Ten Player of the Year, who also had an RBI single, fanned four and allowed just one hit - lowering his season ERA to 0.57. The Huskers will look to become the fourth team to knock off the No. 1 overall seed in regional play since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1999. Monday's first pitch between the Huskers and Razorbacks (48-11) is set for 6 p.m. (CT). Of the previous three teams to eliminate the No. 1 national seed in regionals, two have been from the Big Ten (Michigan, 2007 and Maryland, 2015). <a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42677">Griffin Everitt</a>&nbsp;had the game's biggest hit, a two-out, two-run single in the fifth to give the Nebraska the lead for good and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42657">Jaxon Hallmark</a>&nbsp;homered for the second straight game and had two RBI, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42678">Brice Matthews</a>&nbsp;also added two hits for the winners. While Schwellenbach earned the win, the Huskers may not have gotten to Monday without a gutty performance from starter&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42662">Kyle Perry</a>. The left-hander, who had pitched just six innings all year after recovering from elbow surgery, went a season-high 4.1 innings and fanned seven while allowing three runs on three hits. Due to NCAA Tournament rules, Arkansas was the visitor on the scoreboard Sunday night and Perry put the Razorbacks down in order with a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a fly out to start the game. Nebraska's offense then jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Hallmark's 10th&nbsp;home run of the season. The senior from Midland, Texas, belted a 2-2 pitch from Lael Lockhart off the batter's eye in center field. It was Hallmark's second homer of the day, as he also hit a solo homer in NU's 18-4 win over NJIT. Perry retired the leadoff hitter in the third and then walked Battles before Matt Goodheart singled to left, Arkansas's first hit of the night. Cayden Wallace followed with an RBI single and a costly fielding error in center allowed him to take second. With two runners in scoring position Perry got a fly out, but then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Goodheart and on the play a throwing error by Everitt allowed Wallace to also score to give Arkansas a 3-1 lead. The Huskers got one run back in the bottom of the third, but made two outs on the base paths.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42654">Logan Foster</a>&nbsp;reached on a throwing error to start the frame and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42644">Joe Acker</a>&nbsp;followed with his 15th double of the year to put two runners in scoring position. Hallmark delivered a sacrifice fly and Nebraska had the tying run at third base with one out. Schwellenbach hit a hard ground ball to first and Acker tried to score, but was cut down at the plate.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42664">Luke Roskam</a>&nbsp;followed with an infield single, but on the play Schwellenbach tried to go 1st-to-3rd&nbsp;and was tagged out 6-3-1. Arkansas mounted a threat in the fifth when Battles worked a one-out walk and Goodheart followed with a single, putting runners on first and third. The Huskers went to Schwellenbach and the right hander struck out Wallace before getting a fly out to strand both runners. After getting the Huskers out of a jam in the top of the fifth, Schwellenbach tied the game in the bottom of the inning and then the Huskers retook the lead. Acker and Hallmark produced consecutive one-out singles before Schwellenbach's RBI single knotted the game at three. With a pair of Huskers in scoring position, the Razorbacks went to reliever Ryan Costeiu. The right hander struck out Roskam for the second out, but Everitt came through with a two-RBI single that put Nebraska back in front, 5-3 Lockhard (3-3) lasted 4.1 innings, but allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits to take the loss. Costeiu worked out of a jam in the sixth, stranding a pair of runners. Matthews drew a leadoff walk, Hagge laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reach on a fielding error, and then a wild pitch put both in scoring position with no out. Costeiu was able to escape unharmed with a strikeout, a pop out and a fly out. Both teams went down in order in the seventh, and the Huskers took a 5-3 lead to the eighth. Facing Arkansas's 2-3-4 hitters, Schwellenbach retired them in order, including an inning-ending strikeout. Arkansas threatened against the Husker closer in the ninth, putting runners on the corners with one out. Christian Franklin opened the frame with a walk and eventually got to third on a ground out and a wild pitch. With one out, Cullen Smith walked, but Schwellenbach fanned Casey Opitz for the second out and got Battles to pop out to first to end the game. Nebraska will be seeking its fifth regional title in program history and first since 2005.&nbsp; Monday night's with first pitch set for shortly after 5 p.m. (MT).&nbsp; The latest update shows the game will be televised on ESPN 2.&nbsp; Audio is available at Huskers.com

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623070990126.jpeg" alt="Photo by: Walt Beazley" />
 <figcaption>Photo by: Walt Beazley</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42662">Kyle Perry</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42667">Spencer Schwellenbach</a>&nbsp;limited No. 1 Arkansas to four hits, as No. 19 Nebraska rallied back to force a decisive game seven in the Fayetteville Regional with a 5-3 win Sunday night. The Huskers (34-13) trailed 3-2 after four frames, but used a three-run fifth inning and Schwellenbach slammed the door with a career-best 4.2 shutout innings to silence a Baum-Walker Stadium crowd of 11,084. The Big Ten Player of the Year, who also had an RBI single, fanned four and allowed just one hit - lowering his season ERA to 0.57. The Huskers will look to become the fourth team to knock off the No. 1 overall seed in regional play since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1999. Monday's first pitch between the Huskers and Razorbacks (48-11) is set for 6 p.m. (CT). Of the previous three teams to eliminate the No. 1 national seed in regionals, two have been from the Big Ten (Michigan, 2007 and Maryland, 2015). <a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42677">Griffin Everitt</a>&nbsp;had the game's biggest hit, a two-out, two-run single in the fifth to give the Nebraska the lead for good and finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42657">Jaxon Hallmark</a>&nbsp;homered for the second straight game and had two RBI, while&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42678">Brice Matthews</a>&nbsp;also added two hits for the winners. While Schwellenbach earned the win, the Huskers may not have gotten to Monday without a gutty performance from starter&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42662">Kyle Perry</a>. The left-hander, who had pitched just six innings all year after recovering from elbow surgery, went a season-high 4.1 innings and fanned seven while allowing three runs on three hits. Due to NCAA Tournament rules, Arkansas was the visitor on the scoreboard Sunday night and Perry put the Razorbacks down in order with a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a fly out to start the game. Nebraska's offense then jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Hallmark's 10th&nbsp;home run of the season. The senior from Midland, Texas, belted a 2-2 pitch from Lael Lockhart off the batter's eye in center field. It was Hallmark's second homer of the day, as he also hit a solo homer in NU's 18-4 win over NJIT. Perry retired the leadoff hitter in the third and then walked Battles before Matt Goodheart singled to left, Arkansas's first hit of the night. Cayden Wallace followed with an RBI single and a costly fielding error in center allowed him to take second. With two runners in scoring position Perry got a fly out, but then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Goodheart and on the play a throwing error by Everitt allowed Wallace to also score to give Arkansas a 3-1 lead. The Huskers got one run back in the bottom of the third, but made two outs on the base paths.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42654">Logan Foster</a>&nbsp;reached on a throwing error to start the frame and&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42644">Joe Acker</a>&nbsp;followed with his 15th double of the year to put two runners in scoring position. Hallmark delivered a sacrifice fly and Nebraska had the tying run at third base with one out. Schwellenbach hit a hard ground ball to first and Acker tried to score, but was cut down at the plate.&nbsp;<a href="https://huskers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=42664">Luke Roskam</a>&nbsp;followed with an infield single, but on the play Schwellenbach tried to go 1st-to-3rd&nbsp;and was tagged out 6-3-1. Arkansas mounted a threat in the fifth when Battles worked a one-out walk and Goodheart followed with a single, putting runners on first and third. The Huskers went to Schwellenbach and the right hander struck out Wallace before getting a fly out to strand both runners. After getting the Huskers out of a jam in the top of the fifth, Schwellenbach tied the game in the bottom of the inning and then the Huskers retook the lead. Acker and Hallmark produced consecutive one-out singles before Schwellenbach's RBI single knotted the game at three. With a pair of Huskers in scoring position, the Razorbacks went to reliever Ryan Costeiu. The right hander struck out Roskam for the second out, but Everitt came through with a two-RBI single that put Nebraska back in front, 5-3 Lockhard (3-3) lasted 4.1 innings, but allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits to take the loss. Costeiu worked out of a jam in the sixth, stranding a pair of runners. Matthews drew a leadoff walk, Hagge laid down a sacrifice bunt, but reach on a fielding error, and then a wild pitch put both in scoring position with no out. Costeiu was able to escape unharmed with a strikeout, a pop out and a fly out. Both teams went down in order in the seventh, and the Huskers took a 5-3 lead to the eighth. Facing Arkansas's 2-3-4 hitters, Schwellenbach retired them in order, including an inning-ending strikeout. Arkansas threatened against the Husker closer in the ninth, putting runners on the corners with one out. Christian Franklin opened the frame with a walk and eventually got to third on a ground out and a wild pitch. With one out, Cullen Smith walked, but Schwellenbach fanned Casey Opitz for the second out and got Battles to pop out to first to end the game. Nebraska will be seeking its fifth regional title in program history and first since 2005.&nbsp; Monday night's with first pitch set for shortly after 5 p.m. (MT).&nbsp; The latest update shows the game will be televised on ESPN 2.&nbsp; Audio is available at Huskers.com

Huskers still alive in NCAA Baseball Regional

Both teams scored four times in the third inning and a run-scoring error in the sixth gave enough insurance for Alliance to hold off Chadron 6-4.&nbsp; In an unusual game with 10 combined runs but no extra base hits, seven combined errors helped push the scoring along.&nbsp; Seth Morrison drive in two Alliance runs while Jordan Bissonette led Chadron with two RBIs.

◼ Alliance Seniors 10, Chadron 2

Alliance put together a pair of big run innings to topple rival Chadron 10-2.&nbsp; The Spartans took a 4-1 lead after the first on three run-producing singles including a two-RBI hit from Vic Hinojosa.&nbsp; Alliance broke open a 6-2 game with four more runs in the fifth inning to end it via the run rule.&nbsp; Nick Wright, Hinojosa and Brantz Halouska combined on the hill to limit Chadron to only two hits while striking out six.

◼ Gering Juniors 11, Bridgeport 1

Gering brought home seven runs in the fourth inning to open up a 3-0 game en route to the big victory. Mason Gaudreault went 2/4 with three RBIs and homered.&nbsp; Ryan Johnston and Keagan Shifflet split the game on the mound and struck out six Bridgeport hitters while allowing six hits to get the victory.

◼ Gering Seniors 10, Bridgeport 0

Gering slowly ran the scoreboard up each inning to put away Bridgeport 10-0 via the run rule in five.&nbsp; Gering scored each frame and was able to produce double-digit runs while only generating three hits.&nbsp; The Bridgeport pitching staff walked 13 while Gering starter Jack Franklin struck out 13 for a complete game win.

◼ Cheyenne Post 6 Juniors 9, Scottsbluff Twin Cities 4

◼ Cheyenne Post 6 Seniors 8, Scottsbluff Twin Cities 1

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1620818746001.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By: Dave Collins, Sports DirectorTuesday, June 1◼ Alliance Juniors 6, Chadron 4Both teams scored four times in the third inning and a run-scoring error in the sixth gave enough insurance for Alliance to hold off Chadron 6-4.&nbsp; In an unusual game with 10 combined runs but no extra base hits, seven combined errors helped push the scoring along.&nbsp; Seth Morrison drive in two Alliance runs while Jordan Bissonette led Chadron with two RBIs.◼ Alliance Seniors 10, Chadron 2Alliance put together a pair of big run innings to topple rival Chadron 10-2.&nbsp; The Spartans took a 4-1 lead after the first on three run-producing singles including a two-RBI hit from Vic Hinojosa.&nbsp; Alliance broke open a 6-2 game with four more runs in the fifth inning to end it via the run rule.&nbsp; Nick Wright, Hinojosa and Brantz Halouska combined on the hill to limit Chadron to only two hits while striking out six.◼ Gering Juniors 11, Bridgeport 1Gering brought home seven runs in the fourth inning to open up a 3-0 game en route to the big victory. Mason Gaudreault went 2/4 with three RBIs and homered.&nbsp; Ryan Johnston and Keagan Shifflet split the game on the mound and struck out six Bridgeport hitters while allowing six hits to get the victory.◼ Gering Seniors 10, Bridgeport 0Gering slowly ran the scoreboard up each inning to put away Bridgeport 10-0 via the run rule in five.&nbsp; Gering scored each frame and was able to produce double-digit runs while only generating three hits.&nbsp; The Bridgeport pitching staff walked 13 while Gering starter Jack Franklin struck out 13 for a complete game win.◼ Lexington Juniors 11, Ogallala 8◼ Sheridan County Juniors 10, Sidney 3◼ Sheridan County Seniors 4, Sidney 3◼ Cheyenne Post 6 Juniors 9, Scottsbluff Twin Cities 4◼ Cheyenne Post 6 Seniors 8, Scottsbluff Twin Cities 1

American Legion Baseball - June 1 Scoreboard

DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon scored on Brett Martin’s wild pitch in the 11th inning and the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 3-2. The Rangers have lost 13 in a row on the road. McMahon started the inning on second base, moved to third on a groundout and raced home when Martin bounced a pitch to Brendan Rodgers. Texas has lost seven in a row overall.

DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon scored on Brett Martin’s wild pitch in the 11th inning and the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 3-2. The Rangers have lost 13 in a row on the road. McMahon started the inning on second base, moved to third on a groundout and raced home when Martin bounced a pitch to Brendan Rodgers. Texas has lost seven in a row overall.

Rockies handcuff Rangers on wild pitch in 11th

DENVER (AP) — On&nbsp;Damian Lillard's record-breaking night&nbsp;when he was hitting one shot after another from behind the arc and almost beyond belief, it was Michael Porter Jr. who quietly sank the biggest basket of all.

MPJ's 3-pointer from the left corner barely fluttered the net with 1:33 left in the second overtime and proved the game-winner as the Denver Nuggets squelched an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night in Game 5 of their best-of-seven playoff series.

“That’s what playoff basketball is," Porter said after the thriller that included a dozen lead changes and 11 ties, including long 3s by Lillard that forced overtime and the second OT.

Lillard's night included a&nbsp;franchise playoff record 55 points&nbsp;and NBA playoff record 12 3-pointers. He eclipsed the mark of 11 set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson at Oklahoma City on May 28, 2016.

“It was the best playoff performance I’ve ever seen," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

"At this point, all that matters is we can’t lose another game in the series,” Lillard shrugged.

And he, for one, isn't going to dwell on his big night and even bigger letdown.

“If I don’t put it behind me, and hold onto it, it’s going to get in the way of what we need to do in the next one," Lillard said.

Lillard scored 17 of Portland's 19 points in the two overtimes, but he didn't score again after his 12th 3-pointer in 17 attempts put the Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left.

And his teammates didn't score again, either.

Nikola Jokic, who scored 38 points and came one assist shy of a triple-double, tied it at 140 with a layup and Porter broke the tie with a 3 from the left corner with 1:33 left off a sweet pass from Jokic.

The Blazers still were within three points — and Lillard's range — until a pair of costly mistakes sent them back to Portland for Game 6 on Thursday night trailing the Nuggets 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

First, Robert Covington missed a dunk with 41 seconds left and then CJ McCollum stepped out of bounds with 9.1 seconds left and Lillard setting up for another 3.

“It’s a shame we wasted one of the all-time best performances by not being more supportive of him,” McCollum said.

Monte Morris, who scored 28 points off the bench, hit a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds to seal it, and Shaq Harrison added two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining.

Lillard's 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation tied it at 121, capping a 22-point comeback. His 3 with 6.4 seconds left in the first overtime tied it at 135 and that capped Portland's comeback from a quick nine-point deficit in the extra period after Denver hit a trio of 3s.

“We won and lost that game so many times before ultimately winning it,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. ”... We never got down. Every time they threw a haymaker and got us down on the canvas, we got up and were able to pull it out in the end."

Porter, who finished with 26 points, said it wasn't hard to keep composed when Lillard kept hitting daggers to extend the game.

“It was 0-0. We knew there was only 5 minutes. We knew we couldn't hang our heads,” Porter said. “It was a big game and we needed it.”

When Jokic's precision pass found Porter in the left corner in the second overtime, “I said I’ve got to make up for that buzzer beater than Dame hit. I got to make up for it,” Porter recounted.

He sure did, and by holding on, Denver improved to 187-1 in games since April 2, 2008, in which they led at any point by 22 or more, including the postseason.

Jokic, who added 11 rebounds and nine assists, was amazed by Lillard's performance.

“It was a pleasure to be on the court,” he said, "just to witness that.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone had a strong reaction to the spate of bad fan behavior across the NBA, saying it “tarnishes the game.”

“People are acting the fool. That’s my reaction. And it’s almost like it’s a copycat thing now: who can one-up the other person?” Malone said. ”... I think some people are coming out of this COVID pandemic and maybe they just are trying to express themselves. But that’s not the way to do it. Let the players play the game, enjoy the game and keep your (rear) in the seat, keep your water bottles in your lap and please don’t spit or use any racist language to any player."

DENVER (AP) — On&nbsp;Damian Lillard's record-breaking night&nbsp;when he was hitting one shot after another from behind the arc and almost beyond belief, it was Michael Porter Jr. who quietly sank the biggest basket of all.MPJ's 3-pointer from the left corner barely fluttered the net with 1:33 left in the second overtime and proved the game-winner as the Denver Nuggets squelched an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night in Game 5 of their best-of-seven playoff series.“That’s what playoff basketball is," Porter said after the thriller that included a dozen lead changes and 11 ties, including long 3s by Lillard that forced overtime and the second OT.Lillard's night included a&nbsp;franchise playoff record 55 points&nbsp;and NBA playoff record 12 3-pointers. He eclipsed the mark of 11 set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson at Oklahoma City on May 28, 2016.“It was the best playoff performance I’ve ever seen," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said."At this point, all that matters is we can’t lose another game in the series,” Lillard shrugged.And he, for one, isn't going to dwell on his big night and even bigger letdown.“If I don’t put it behind me, and hold onto it, it’s going to get in the way of what we need to do in the next one," Lillard said.Lillard scored 17 of Portland's 19 points in the two overtimes, but he didn't score again after his 12th 3-pointer in 17 attempts put the Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left.And his teammates didn't score again, either.Nikola Jokic, who scored 38 points and came one assist shy of a triple-double, tied it at 140 with a layup and Porter broke the tie with a 3 from the left corner with 1:33 left off a sweet pass from Jokic.The Blazers still were within three points — and Lillard's range — until a pair of costly mistakes sent them back to Portland for Game 6 on Thursday night trailing the Nuggets 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.First, Robert Covington missed a dunk with 41 seconds left and then CJ McCollum stepped out of bounds with 9.1 seconds left and Lillard setting up for another 3.“It’s a shame we wasted one of the all-time best performances by not being more supportive of him,” McCollum said.Monte Morris, who scored 28 points off the bench, hit a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds to seal it, and Shaq Harrison added two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining.Lillard's 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation tied it at 121, capping a 22-point comeback. His 3 with 6.4 seconds left in the first overtime tied it at 135 and that capped Portland's comeback from a quick nine-point deficit in the extra period after Denver hit a trio of 3s.“We won and lost that game so many times before ultimately winning it,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. ”... We never got down. Every time they threw a haymaker and got us down on the canvas, we got up and were able to pull it out in the end."Porter, who finished with 26 points, said it wasn't hard to keep composed when Lillard kept hitting daggers to extend the game.“It was 0-0. We knew there was only 5 minutes. We knew we couldn't hang our heads,” Porter said. “It was a big game and we needed it.”When Jokic's precision pass found Porter in the left corner in the second overtime, “I said I’ve got to make up for that buzzer beater than Dame hit. I got to make up for it,” Porter recounted.He sure did, and by holding on, Denver improved to 187-1 in games since April 2, 2008, in which they led at any point by 22 or more, including the postseason.Jokic, who added 11 rebounds and nine assists, was amazed by Lillard's performance.“It was a pleasure to be on the court,” he said, "just to witness that.”ORDER ON THE COURTNuggets coach Michael Malone had a strong reaction to the spate of bad fan behavior across the NBA, saying it “tarnishes the game.”“People are acting the fool. That’s my reaction. And it’s almost like it’s a copycat thing now: who can one-up the other person?” Malone said. ”... I think some people are coming out of this COVID pandemic and maybe they just are trying to express themselves. But that’s not the way to do it. Let the players play the game, enjoy the game and keep your (rear) in the seat, keep your water bottles in your lap and please don’t spit or use any racist language to any player."

Nuggets overcome Lillard's record breaking night for 2 OT playoff win

&nbsp; By STEPHEN WADE - Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Will the postponed Tokyo Olympics open despite rising opposition and the pandemic?

The answer is almost certainly “yes.”

Senior International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound was emphatic in an interview with a British newspaper.

“Barring Armageddon that we can’t see or anticipate, these things are a go,” Pound told the Evening Standard.

Tokyo is under a COVID-19 state of emergency, but IOC Vice President John Coates has said the games will open on July 23 — state of emergency, or no state of emergency.

As an exclamation point, Australia’s softball team — the first major group of athletes from abroad to set up an Olympic base in Japan — arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday.

So the Olympics are barreling ahead. But why?

Start with billions of dollars at stake, a contract that overwhelmingly favors the IOC, and a decision by the Japanese government to stay the course, which might help Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga keep his job.

These factors have overridden scathing criticism from medical bodies that fear the Olympics may spread COVID-19 variants, and a call for cancellation from Asahi Shimbun, a games’ sponsor and the country’s second-largest selling newspaper. The United States Department of State has issued a Level-4 “Do not travel” warning for Japan with Tokyo and other areas under a state of emergency that expires on June 20.

And there’s saving face. Japan has officially spent $15.4 billion on the Olympics, but several government audits suggest it’s much more. All but $6.7 billion is public money. Geopolitical rival China is to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics just six months after Tokyo ends, and could claim centerstage should Tokyo fail.

A not-for-profit based in Switzerland, the IOC has ironclad control under terms of the so-called Host City Contract, and it’s unlikely to cancel on its own since it would lose billions in broadcast rights and sponsorship income.

Though it portrays itself as a sporting league of nations, the IOC is a multi-billion dollar sports business that derives almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights. Another 18% comes from 15 top sponsors.

Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College in Massachusetts who has written extensively about the Olympics, estimates the IOC could lose about $3.5 billion-$4 billion in broadcast revenue if the Tokyo Games were canceled. He suggested a small portion of this, between $400 million and $800 million, might be made up by cancellation insurance.

U.S. broadcaster NBCUniversal is the IOC’s largest single source of income.

“The IOC also feels a commitment by the momentum of history to do this,” Zimbalist said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Their whole DNA is saying: ‘do it, do it, do it.’ The Japanese government really does not have the right to cancel the games. They can go to the IOC and plead with them, and maybe they are doing that.”

Of course, the Japanese government could stop the Olympics. It would be a public-relations disaster for the IOC to get into a legal battle with Tokyo, so any such deal would be worked out in private.

The IOC’s lofty image belies myriad corruption scandals in the last several decades. The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee was forced to resign two years ago — he was also an IOC member — in a scandal linked to bribing IOC members. A similar scandal surrounded Rio de Janeiro’s bid to land the 2016 Olympics.

“The Olympics are a very, very strong brand. They’re a unique brand. They’re a monopoly,” Zimbalist said. “They are not regulated by any government. All of those things have created a sense of invulnerability, perhaps.”

The medical community has offered persistent but ineffective opposition. The 6,000-member Tokyo Medical Practitioners’ Association asked Prime Minister Suga to cancel. So did the Japan Doctors Union, whose chairman warned the Olympics could spread variants of the coronavirus. Nurses and other medical groups have also pushed back.

Last week in a commentary, the New England Journal of Medicine said the IOC’s decision to hold the Olympics was “not informed by the best scientific evidence.” And the The British Medical Journal in an editorial in April asked organizers to “reconsider” holding the games.

An online petition demanding cancellation gathered about 400,000 signatures in a few weeks, but several street protests have mostly fizzled. Depending on how the question is phrased, 50-80% oppose the games opening.

Suga is moving ahead despite the dissension.

“The fundamental situation is that the machine has been set in motion to make this happen and politically for everyone we have passed the point of no return,” Dr. Aki Tonami, who teaches international relations at the University of Tsukuba, wrote in an email to AP.

“The Japanese system is simply not geared to make a radical U-turn at such a late point.”

She said negative public opinion was partly the fault of Suga, who has failed to bolster the Olympics as effectively as former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“Politicians may well be aware of the risk they are taking but hope that once the Games begin the Japanese public will persevere ‘for the good of Japan’ and forget how we got here,” Tonami said.

The IOC always references the World Health Organization as the shield for its coronavirus guidance. The IOC has published two editions of so-called Playbooks — the final edition is out this month — spelling out protocols for athletes and everyone else during the Olympics.

Recent test events held under the protocols have faced few problems, but athletes will have to accept strict rules.

“I felt beyond safe,” American sprinter Justin Gatlin said at a test event last month in Tokyo. “I know a lot of athletes are not going to be happy with this but the measures are in place to keep everyone safe.”

Japan has had many fewer COVID-19 cases than the United States or Brazil or India. Cases have grown in the last several months but have begun to come down in the last few weeks, although worries persist about variants.

Athletes and others must pass two COVID-19 tests before leaving home, another upon arrival in Japan, and then undergo repeated testing. About 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, plus added staff, will live in a bubble at the Olympic Village, training sites, and venues.

Tens of thousands of others will have to enter Japan, which has largely been sealed off during the pandemic: judges officials, media, broadcasters and the so-called Olympic Family. Local organizers say that number is now 50% of the original 180,000. Fans from abroad have already been banned, and a decision on local fans is expected this month.

The IOC says more that 80% of the residents of the Olympic Village will be vaccinated. This compares with 2-3% of the Japanese population that is fully vaccinated, and most Japanese will not be when the games open.

Japan gave shots to 200 of its Olympic athletes on Tuesday, an event held behind closed doors without much fanfare.

Despite assurances that the Olympics will be “safe and secure,” athletes are required to sign a waiver and assume risks specific to COVID-19.

Waivers were used in previous Olympics, but this one is updated with COVID language.

AP obtained a copy of the waiver, which reads in part:

“I agree that I participate in the Games at my own risk and own responsibility, including any impact on my participation to and/or performance in the Games, serious bodily injury or even death raised by the potential exposure to health hazards such the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious disease or extreme heat conditions while attending the Games...”

Bob Costas, who covered the Olympics for NBC, suggested in a recent U.S. television interview that the games should be postponed until next year.

The IOC says the Olympics must happen this year or not at all. The delay has already cost $2.8 billion, and the main obstacle to another postponement is the Olympics Village, where thousands of apartments have already been sold with owners waiting to move in. Dozens of venues would also have to be rebooked, and a jammed 2022 global sports schedule would have to rejiggered again.

David Wallechinsky, one of the world’s best-known Olympic historians and author of the “Complete Book of the Olympics,” summed up the situation in an email to Associated Press.

&nbsp; By STEPHEN WADE - Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — Will the postponed Tokyo Olympics open despite rising opposition and the pandemic?The answer is almost certainly “yes.”Senior International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound was emphatic in an interview with a British newspaper.“Barring Armageddon that we can’t see or anticipate, these things are a go,” Pound told the Evening Standard.Tokyo is under a COVID-19 state of emergency, but IOC Vice President John Coates has said the games will open on July 23 — state of emergency, or no state of emergency.As an exclamation point, Australia’s softball team — the first major group of athletes from abroad to set up an Olympic base in Japan — arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday.So the Olympics are barreling ahead. But why?Start with billions of dollars at stake, a contract that overwhelmingly favors the IOC, and a decision by the Japanese government to stay the course, which might help Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga keep his job.These factors have overridden scathing criticism from medical bodies that fear the Olympics may spread COVID-19 variants, and a call for cancellation from Asahi Shimbun, a games’ sponsor and the country’s second-largest selling newspaper. The United States Department of State has issued a Level-4 “Do not travel” warning for Japan with Tokyo and other areas under a state of emergency that expires on June 20.And there’s saving face. Japan has officially spent $15.4 billion on the Olympics, but several government audits suggest it’s much more. All but $6.7 billion is public money. Geopolitical rival China is to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics just six months after Tokyo ends, and could claim centerstage should Tokyo fail.A not-for-profit based in Switzerland, the IOC has ironclad control under terms of the so-called Host City Contract, and it’s unlikely to cancel on its own since it would lose billions in broadcast rights and sponsorship income.Though it portrays itself as a sporting league of nations, the IOC is a multi-billion dollar sports business that derives almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights. Another 18% comes from 15 top sponsors.Andrew Zimbalist, an economist at Smith College in Massachusetts who has written extensively about the Olympics, estimates the IOC could lose about $3.5 billion-$4 billion in broadcast revenue if the Tokyo Games were canceled. He suggested a small portion of this, between $400 million and $800 million, might be made up by cancellation insurance.U.S. broadcaster NBCUniversal is the IOC’s largest single source of income.“The IOC also feels a commitment by the momentum of history to do this,” Zimbalist said in an interview with The Associated Press. “Their whole DNA is saying: ‘do it, do it, do it.’ The Japanese government really does not have the right to cancel the games. They can go to the IOC and plead with them, and maybe they are doing that.”Of course, the Japanese government could stop the Olympics. It would be a public-relations disaster for the IOC to get into a legal battle with Tokyo, so any such deal would be worked out in private.The IOC’s lofty image belies myriad corruption scandals in the last several decades. The president of the Japanese Olympic Committee was forced to resign two years ago — he was also an IOC member — in a scandal linked to bribing IOC members. A similar scandal surrounded Rio de Janeiro’s bid to land the 2016 Olympics.“The Olympics are a very, very strong brand. They’re a unique brand. They’re a monopoly,” Zimbalist said. “They are not regulated by any government. All of those things have created a sense of invulnerability, perhaps.”The medical community has offered persistent but ineffective opposition. The 6,000-member Tokyo Medical Practitioners’ Association asked Prime Minister Suga to cancel. So did the Japan Doctors Union, whose chairman warned the Olympics could spread variants of the coronavirus. Nurses and other medical groups have also pushed back.Last week in a commentary, the New England Journal of Medicine said the IOC’s decision to hold the Olympics was “not informed by the best scientific evidence.” And the The British Medical Journal in an editorial in April asked organizers to “reconsider” holding the games.An online petition demanding cancellation gathered about 400,000 signatures in a few weeks, but several street protests have mostly fizzled. Depending on how the question is phrased, 50-80% oppose the games opening.Suga is moving ahead despite the dissension.“The fundamental situation is that the machine has been set in motion to make this happen and politically for everyone we have passed the point of no return,” Dr. Aki Tonami, who teaches international relations at the University of Tsukuba, wrote in an email to AP.“The Japanese system is simply not geared to make a radical U-turn at such a late point.”She said negative public opinion was partly the fault of Suga, who has failed to bolster the Olympics as effectively as former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.“Politicians may well be aware of the risk they are taking but hope that once the Games begin the Japanese public will persevere ‘for the good of Japan’ and forget how we got here,” Tonami said.The IOC always references the World Health Organization as the shield for its coronavirus guidance. The IOC has published two editions of so-called Playbooks — the final edition is out this month — spelling out protocols for athletes and everyone else during the Olympics.Recent test events held under the protocols have faced few problems, but athletes will have to accept strict rules.“I felt beyond safe,” American sprinter Justin Gatlin said at a test event last month in Tokyo. “I know a lot of athletes are not going to be happy with this but the measures are in place to keep everyone safe.”Japan has had many fewer COVID-19 cases than the United States or Brazil or India. Cases have grown in the last several months but have begun to come down in the last few weeks, although worries persist about variants.Athletes and others must pass two COVID-19 tests before leaving home, another upon arrival in Japan, and then undergo repeated testing. About 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, plus added staff, will live in a bubble at the Olympic Village, training sites, and venues.Tens of thousands of others will have to enter Japan, which has largely been sealed off during the pandemic: judges officials, media, broadcasters and the so-called Olympic Family. Local organizers say that number is now 50% of the original 180,000. Fans from abroad have already been banned, and a decision on local fans is expected this month.The IOC says more that 80% of the residents of the Olympic Village will be vaccinated. This compares with 2-3% of the Japanese population that is fully vaccinated, and most Japanese will not be when the games open.Japan gave shots to 200 of its Olympic athletes on Tuesday, an event held behind closed doors without much fanfare.Despite assurances that the Olympics will be “safe and secure,” athletes are required to sign a waiver and assume risks specific to COVID-19.Waivers were used in previous Olympics, but this one is updated with COVID language.AP obtained a copy of the waiver, which reads in part:“I agree that I participate in the Games at my own risk and own responsibility, including any impact on my participation to and/or performance in the Games, serious bodily injury or even death raised by the potential exposure to health hazards such the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious disease or extreme heat conditions while attending the Games...”Bob Costas, who covered the Olympics for NBC, suggested in a recent U.S. television interview that the games should be postponed until next year.This has been ruled out.The IOC says the Olympics must happen this year or not at all. The delay has already cost $2.8 billion, and the main obstacle to another postponement is the Olympics Village, where thousands of apartments have already been sold with owners waiting to move in. Dozens of venues would also have to be rebooked, and a jammed 2022 global sports schedule would have to rejiggered again.David Wallechinsky, one of the world’s best-known Olympic historians and author of the “Complete Book of the Olympics,” summed up the situation in an email to Associated Press.“What a mess,” he wrote.