Cross County Cougars

Cross County head coach Dane McConnell overseas football camp at Cross County High School on Tuesday of last week. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

Cross County head coach Dane McConnell overseas football camp at Cross County High School on Tuesday of last week. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

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McConnell Steps Into new Role at Cross County

Ken Kush
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
STROMSBURG- This is about the time of the year for high school football coaches when their minds seem to wander towards just one thing.Wives and girlfriends have to understand there is a lot of information and play diagrams bouncing around in these guys’ heads as football season approaches.
New CC head volleyball coach Ashley Warren conducts camp on Monday at Cross County. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

New CC head volleyball coach Ashley Warren conducts camp on Monday at Cross County. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

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Warren Brings Winning Pedigree To Cross County

Ken Kush
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
STROMSBURG-After a season where the Cross County Cougars made the field for the Class D1 State Volleyball Tournament with a record of 26-9, they open the 2026 season with a new head coach, as Ashley Warren comes over from Newman Grove/St. Ed.
Olive Peterson drives to the basket against the Humphrey-Lindsay defense on Thursday. Peterson is the team’s leading returning scored at 6.7 points per game. PCN photos by Ken Kush

Olive Peterson drives to the basket against the Humphrey-Lindsay defense on Thursday. Peterson is the team’s leading returning scored at 6.7 points per game. PCN photos by Ken Kush

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Cougar Girls Basketball Undergoing Changes as Summer Camps Start

Ken Kush
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
STROMSBURG- Just a few days into June and summer vacation girls and boys basketball teams across Nebraska are hard at work as June is the time when coaches and players find out a little bit about themselves in getting ready for the high school basketball season which will start in December.
PCN Athletes of the Year

PCN Athletes of the Year

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PCN Athletes of the Year

News Staff
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Brodey SpurlingHigh Plains’ Brodey Spurling was one of the top three-sport athletes in the state. He will be following his love for the game of basketball to Doane University next fall. He averaged 15.7 points and 6.5 rebounds and was top 10 in most all of the other categories.
High Plains senior Brodey Spurling finished fourth in the triple jump on Friday at the Class D Boys State Track and Field Meet at Omaha Burke Stadium. Spurling also added a fifth place in the long jump to cap his high school career with five medals the last two seasons. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

High Plains senior Brodey Spurling finished fourth in the triple jump on Friday at the Class D Boys State Track and Field Meet at Omaha Burke Stadium. Spurling also added a fifth place in the long jump to cap his high school career with five medals the last two seasons. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

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STATE TRACK AND FIELD CLASS C AND D BOYS

Ken Kush
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
OMAHA- The Polk County area sent just two boys in Class D and three boys in Class D.After two days of competition in Class D, High Plains senior Brodey Spurling posted the top two performances as he placed fourth in the triple jump with a distance of 43-7.
Shelby-RC senior Danica Watts took home an eighth place medal in the 400 meters during the Class C State Meet this past weekend. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

Shelby-RC senior Danica Watts took home an eighth place medal in the 400 meters during the Class C State Meet this past weekend. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

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STATE TRACK AND FIELD CLASS C GIRLS

Ken Kush
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
OMAHA-The Kearney Catholic girls rolled to the team title in Class C as they racked up 79 points to second place Bishop Neumann who finished with 57.
With her hands on her head after running third in the 100 meter finals at the C-6 District, Cross County freshman Piyper Berggren relaizes she would need to wait and see if her time was good enough to qualify for state. As it turned out her 12.39 (best of the year) was best among the non-automatic qualifiers in Class C. PCN photo by Rick Holtz

With her hands on her head after running third in the 100 meter finals at the C-6 District, Cross County freshman Piyper Berggren relaizes she would need to wait and see if her time was good enough to qualify for state. As it turned out her 12.39 (best of the year) was best among the non-automatic qualifiers in Class C. PCN photo by Rick Holtz

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Cross County Girls ‘Q’ Five at C-6

Ken Kush
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
ALBION-The St. Paul Wildcat girls and the Boone Central boys both won team titles at the C2-6 in Albion last Thursday.The St.
Cross County’s Benson Seim was working his way to the No. 5 green, but played his second shot from below the No. 3 hole at the David City golf course last Wednesday. PCN photo by Ken Kush

Cross County’s Benson Seim was working his way to the No. 5 green, but played his second shot from below the No. 3 hole at the David City golf course last Wednesday. PCN photo by Ken Kush

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Cougars Battle Rough Conditions at David City Invite

Ken Kush
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
DAVID CITY- The David City Golf Course is a beautiful ninehole course located on the south side of the city.
Nebraska Lutheran’s Sam Hueske and Cross County’s Ansaldi VonHackewitz and Saphira Osentowski battle in a heat of the 100 meters in Friend. VonHackewitz was third and Osentowski seventh in the finals. Photo from Christian Horn, YNT.

Nebraska Lutheran’s Sam Hueske and Cross County’s Ansaldi VonHackewitz and Saphira Osentowski battle in a heat of the 100 meters in Friend. VonHackewitz was third and Osentowski seventh in the finals. Photo from Christian Horn, YNT.

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Cross County Girls Win EMF Invite

News Staff
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
FRIEND- The Cross County girls broke the run of two runner-up finishes in April with a win at the Exeter-Milligan/ Friend Invite held in Friend.The Cougars with 88 points held off Nebraska Lutheran (82) and McCool Junction (74) to win the invite.
Each week during the school year, the Polk County News will select a male and female Athlete of the Week.

Each week during the school year, the Polk County News will select a male and female Athlete of the Week.

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PCN Athletes of the Week for April 23, 2026

News Staff
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Each week during the school year, the Polk County News will select a male and female Athlete of the Week. Athletes of the Week are brought to you by these fine sponsors. Jett VrbkaShelby-RC junior Jett Vrbka helped the Huskies to a fourth place finish at the high Plains T and F Invite.