Stories from Friday, October 14, 2005

OMAHA -- The season came to a close for the McCook High School softball team Thursday at the Nebraska Class B state tournament. Classes A, B and C played their games at the Seymour Smith Park in Omaha. Chadron avenged a pair of district losses to McCook with a 2-1 win in the losers' bracket...

LINCOLN -- The McCook High School boys tennis team is in second place after the first day of competition at the Nebraska Class B state tournament. The Class B state tournament is being played at Woods Tennis Complex in Lincoln. The Bison team picked up 30 points on the strength of four first-round byes and victories at Nos. 1 and 2 singles in quarterfinals...

GERING -- The Bison boys and girls finished seventh in the Nebraska Class B-4 District Cross Country meet in Gering Thursday. The district meet took place at Monument Shadows Golf Course. Gering took first in the girls divison and third in the boys. Scottsbluff's boys finished first and the girls third...

The McCook girls volleyball team fell to North Platte, Thursday. The Bison are now 13-10. Allyx Shields, Erica Clapp and Lindsey Hazlitt led the Bison in serving. Clapp also had the most assists and digs. Shields had five kills and one block and Hazlitt had six kills and seven digs. Allison Smith led with seven kills and two blocks...

The McCook Community College volleyball team lost home matches Thursday night at True Hall Gymnasium to Hastings Junior Varsity and Western Nebraska. The Indians lost to the Hastings JV 30-18, 24-30, 15-10. Kayla Laird had 19 set assists for the Indians. Mary Gohl had 8 kills. Sara Cappel had 14 digs. Kate Voss had 4 ace blocks...

Bison JV spikers clip North Platte The McCook Bison junior varsity volleyball handed North Platte a 25-20, 27-25 setback Thursday at the MHS gymnasium. McCook's leading server was Sam Brown, who was 9-for-12 with 2 aces. Leading hitters were Audrey Hagan 18-for-19 with 7 kills and Betsy Kohmetscher, 11-for-12, 6 kills. Brianna Watkins was 48-for-50 setting with 22 assists...

July 28, 1957--Oct. 12, 2005 ELWOOD -- David Gene Mak, 48, died Wednesday (Oct. 12, 2005) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born July 28, 1957, in Lexington to Larry G. and Peggy J. (McGraw) Mak. He graduated from Elwood Public School in 1976...

Nov. 20, 1935--Oct. 8, 2005 COLLINS, Mo. -- Bobbie Jane Freeman, 69, died Saturday (Oct. 8, 2005) at her home near Collins, Mo., surrounded by her family and friends after a long battle with breast cancer. She was born Nov. 20, 1935, in Gatesville, Texas, to Robert and Jean Kitley...

When you look back over the history of school-naming in McCook, it becomes apparent that the community has a preference for what it calls educational buildings. Throughout the town's history, with very few exceptions, McCook has chosen to be plain and simple, clear and to-the-point in the naming of schools. ...

**Dear Editor, It happened during the winter of 1998, though now eight years later, it is still difficult for me to speak of without showing emotion. It was New Year's Eve. The call came as my mother and sister were chatting on the couch. The unalarming sound of the phone ringing suspended their conversation, my mom answered, a coarse but familiar voice, my uncle, was on the other end. "Kendall has been in a terrible accident," he said...

Everyone who is a die-hard, life-long procrastinator, raise your hands. Never mind. You can do that later if you would like. But I know I'm not alone in putting things off until the last moment. Some people thrive on the urgency of doing things with the pressure of a deadline over their heads. ...

A painter puts the final touches on the "McCook" on the east water tower Thursday, and within two weeks the project should be finished, weather permitting, said Jesse Dutcher, Utilities Superintendent. A little over 1000 gallons of paint were used on the project, with 440 gallons on the interior and 620 on the exterior, said Thaniel Monaco, engineer at Miller and Associates.The water tower, which holds 1 million gallons of water, should not have to be painted for at least 20 years, said Dutcher. ...

April 30, 1922--Oct. 13, 2005 OBERLIN -- Floyd "Smokey" Bryan, 83, died Thursday (Oct. 13, 2005) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. He was born April 30, 1922, in Traer, Kan., to Benjamin Lester Bryan and Birdie Mary Harshman. He attended Fairview District No. 98 and Traer and Decatur Community High School...

MAYWOOD -- Cambridge dominated Medicine Valley Maywood 56-20 in Friday night football. The Trojans took the lead in the first quarter with Lance Shifflet's 74 yard run and Anthony Hopkins' safety. Waid Vontz ran 20 yards with Josh Keener making the kick. Vontz then passed to Anthony Lytle for 13 yards with Keener making the kick again...

The No. 1-ranked McCook Bison football team overpowered the Sidney Red Raiders 37-6 Friday night at Weiland Field. The Bison improved to 7-0. Sidney dropped to 3-4. Offensively, McCook rolled up 365 yards rushing and added 47 passing, and the Bison defense limited Sidney to 32 yards rushing and 137 passing...