High Plains Storm

High Plains senior Carson Swedenburg (10) makes this first quarter interception during the team’s game at Elba on Friday afternoon. Also pictured is Camden Mattox (20) and Colin Howell (11). PCN photo by Ken Kush

High Plains senior Carson Swedenburg (10) makes this first quarter interception during the team’s game at Elba on Friday afternoon. Also pictured is Camden Mattox (20) and Colin Howell (11). PCN photo by Ken Kush

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STORM THROTTLES ELBA IN SIX-MAN OPENER

Ken Kush
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
ELBA- A year ago at this time the High Plains Storm were already dealing with injuries to key players and by the time the end of the eight-man season rolled around the Storm was a pretty beat up team.Fast forward one year to Friday afternoon, a hot one in Elba the debut of the High Plains Storm...
Members of the High Plains Storm Volleyball team include front (L-R): Tessa Morris. Kinley Spurling, HallieJo Urkoski, Bailey Gress, Jacey Dubas. Middle Row: PaytonAckerson, Elle Warnick, Taya Hans, Brooklynn Welch, Ava Lindburg. Back row: Aubree Pike, Josie Spurling, Mykel Brown, Peyton Van Pelt, Izabella Helgoth, Angie Ayala. PCN photo by Ken Kush

Members of the High Plains Storm Volleyball team include front (L-R): Tessa Morris. Kinley Spurling, HallieJo Urkoski, Bailey Gress, Jacey Dubas. Middle Row: PaytonAckerson, Elle Warnick, Taya Hans, Brooklynn Welch, Ava Lindburg. Back row: Aubree Pike, Josie Spurling, Mykel Brown, Peyton Van Pelt, Izabella Helgoth, Angie Ayala. PCN photo by Ken Kush

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HIGH PLAINS STORM VOLLEYBALL

Ken Kush
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
POLK- The High Plains Storm volleyball team was hit hard by graduation, but second year head coach Haylee Sandman enters the year with a lot of optimism and girls who are willing to work hard to achieve goals.“One of the biggest things I learned about this team during the off-season and summer...
Members of the High Plains Storm Football team include front (L-R): Aaron Brown, Kyler Hans, Jacob Lesiak, Carson Swedenburg. Back Row: Stockton Helgoth, Carlos Acuna-Vargas, Landon Church, Bowdy Glasser, Colin Howell, Blake Urkoski, Jerry Carlson, Camden Mattox PCN photo by Ken Kush

Members of the High Plains Storm Football team include front (L-R): Aaron Brown, Kyler Hans, Jacob Lesiak, Carson Swedenburg. Back Row: Stockton Helgoth, Carlos Acuna-Vargas, Landon Church, Bowdy Glasser, Colin Howell, Blake Urkoski, Jerry Carlson, Camden Mattox PCN photo by Ken Kush

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HIGH PLAINS STORM FOOTBALL

Ken Kush
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
POLK- The first thing that High Plains head coach Greg Wood wanted to make sure his team understood was that they would have to remember things about the rules and they would have to adapt to changes that the six-man football game would throw at them.This will be the team’s first season competing...
High Plains senior Hallie Jo Urkoski recorded 185 kills (second on the team) in 2026 and will be relied on heavily this year with the graduation of six seniors. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

High Plains senior Hallie Jo Urkoski recorded 185 kills (second on the team) in 2026 and will be relied on heavily this year with the graduation of six seniors. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

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Rebuild, Reload and Replace- the Task at Hand for Storm Volleyball

Ken Kush
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
CLARKS- Rebuild, Reload and Replace those three R’s pretty much sums up what lies ahead this season for the High Plains girls volleyball and second year head coach Haylee Sandman.The last few days of June and the first day of July, the Storm held their team camp in Clarks at Clarks Elementary due...
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.
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 May 28, 2026

News Staff
Wednesday, May 27, 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 thee fine sponsors.
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 43-7.75 while teammate sophomore Colin Howell...
Osceola’s Alexis Burritt picked up the only medal for area Class D girld as she cleared 5-1 in the high jump and tied for seventh. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

Osceola’s Alexis Burritt picked up the only medal for area Class D girld as she cleared 5-1 in the high jump and tied for seventh. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

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CLASS D GIRLS STATE TRACK AND FIELD

Ken Kush
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
OMAHA- Area athletes came away with just one medal in the Class D girls section at the Nebraska State Track and Field Championships.Osceola’s Alexis Burritt cleared 5-1 in the high jump and tied for seventh scoring the Bulldogs’ only points of the meet.Osceola’s Halee Peterson was part of the pole...
The finals of the girls 100 meters was won by Natalie Laubers (far left) with Osceola’s Camryn Peterson (next to her) taking second. Also pictured is Riverside’s Ella Molt and Osceola’s Jadelynn Gifford (far right). Laubers and Peterson both qualified for state. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

The finals of the girls 100 meters was won by Natalie Laubers (far left) with Osceola’s Camryn Peterson (next to her) taking second. Also pictured is Riverside’s Ella Molt and Osceola’s Jadelynn Gifford (far right). Laubers and Peterson both qualified for state. PCN photo by Ken Kush.

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Osceola Girls Runner-Up at D-2 Track and Field District

Ken Kush
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
OSCEOLA- The Osceola Bulldogs and the Nebraska Lutheran Knights girls track and field teams combined to score more points than the rest of the 10 team field at the D-2 District Track Meet in Osceola on Wednesday.Lutheran came away as the team champion as they rolled up 146.33 points, Osceola was...
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 May 7, 2026

News Staff
Wednesday, May 6, 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.