Sports

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From the Corn Rows/Stalks

Ken Kush
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Who are We Kidding- Amateur Sports No Longer Exists!I should have just waited until Tuesday morning to write my column because I started the thing over three times before I settled on this version.The on-going battle between players who were on professional rosters this past few months during NFL...
The Blue River Panthers defeated O’Neill, Boone Central and Malcolm on Saturday to capture the top prize at the NEN Invite held in Wisner. Photo was provide.

The Blue River Panthers defeated O’Neill, Boone Central and Malcolm on Saturday to capture the top prize at the NEN Invite held in Wisner. Photo was provide.

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Blue River Caps 5-0 Week With NEN Tournament Title

Ken Kush
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
DAVID CITY- The start of another busy week got underway with Boone Central the opponent for Blue River in their home opener.Arlington will visit on Thursday and the Panthers head north to the Wisner Invite on Saturday.The Panthers made it a 5-0 week as they picked up wins over O’Neill 10-2, Malcolm...
Top- Freshman setter Josie Spurling sets up the offense in the Storm’s season opener at Nebraska Lutheran. Above- Senior HallieJo Urkoski looks for the tip winner against Lutheran. PCN photos by Beth Sparrow.

Top- Freshman setter Josie Spurling sets up the offense in the Storm’s season opener at Nebraska Lutheran. Above- Senior HallieJo Urkoski looks for the tip winner against Lutheran. PCN photos by Beth Sparrow.

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Lady Storm Loses First Game By a Nickel

Beth Sparrow
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
WACO - The Lady Storm traveled to Waco to take on Nebraska Lutheran for their first game. It was a close one, going five sets, but they lost with the last set a 15-12 Knight victory.The Storm lost most of their starters to graduation, so two freshmen and three sophomores started this first game.
Senior Carter Eickmeier tries to turn the corner on the Fullerton defense in Friday night’s season opener in Shelby. Eickmeier ran for a team-high 93 yards on 17 carries in the team’s 42-6 win. PCN photo by Travis Lane.

Senior Carter Eickmeier tries to turn the corner on the Fullerton defense in Friday night’s season opener in Shelby. Eickmeier ran for a team-high 93 yards on 17 carries in the team’s 42-6 win. PCN photo by Travis Lane.

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Huskies Open D2 Action

Trevor Blevins
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Last Friday night The Shelby- Rising City Huskies opened their 2026 football season by welcoming in Fullerton.The two teams traded punts on each of their opening drives and it seemed that this would be a defensive game, however the Huskies had other plans.With 8:51 left in the first quarter Dylan...
Cross County junior quarterback Eli Greenwall (3) turns the corner against the Thayer Central defense last Friday night in Hebron. Greenwall ran for three scores, returned a kickoff and finished with 156 yards on the ground. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

Cross County junior quarterback Eli Greenwall (3) turns the corner against the Thayer Central defense last Friday night in Hebron. Greenwall ran for three scores, returned a kickoff and finished with 156 yards on the ground. PCN photo by Beth Sparrow.

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Cougars Get First Win Back in 8-Man

Beth Sparrow
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
HEBRON – The Cougars started with a bang, winning their first game against the Thayer Central Titans, 42-18.The Cougars started with the ball, pushed down the field and got on the board first with a 17-yard touchdown run by Tyion Francis. The two-point conversion was run in by Eli Greenwall.
Hadley Larson (23) and Cortina Donnelly (12) combine on the block set up against the Fullerton attack. PCN photo by Rick Holtz.

Hadley Larson (23) and Cortina Donnelly (12) combine on the block set up against the Fullerton attack. PCN photo by Rick Holtz.

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Cross County Volleyball Rallies To Win Season Opener

Rick Holtz
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
STROMSBURG — They were down, but never out.Despite falling behind two sets to one to Fullerton, Cross County never gave up.
Top- Osceola senior Kenzie Bartling had three ace serves and a game-high 13 kills last Thursday night as the Bulldogs opened the season with a three set sweep of Palmer.

Top- Osceola senior Kenzie Bartling had three ace serves and a game-high 13 kills last Thursday night as the Bulldogs opened the season with a three set sweep of Palmer.

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Bulldogs Get Out of the Gates with Dominating Win over Palmer

Trevor Blevins
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
OSCEOLA- On Thursday the Osceola Lady Bulldogs welcomed in Palmer for their first volleyball match of the year.Osceola prevailed after a shaky first set winning the match 25-15, 25-4 and 25-11.In the first set you could tell both sides were feeling a little jittery and that it was the first match...
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...
SHELBY-RC HUSKIES FOOTBALL team photo

SHELBY-RC HUSKIES FOOTBALL team photo

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SHELBY-RC HUSKIES FOOTBALL

Ken Kush
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
SHELBY- The 2025 Shelby-RC Huskies (11-1) came up one game short of making a November trip to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln to play for a Class D1 State championship.The 2026 team is still hungry and with a great core returning, a move down to D-2 and several younger players ready to contribute at...