Stories from Friday, February 18, 2022

OMAHA, Neb. — McCook High sophomore Makayla Pate (left, 21-4 season record) pinned Omaha North's Mellissa Smith to win the historic first Bison girls state wrestling match today at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. Pate finished the Omaha metro foe in 2:28 and will wrestle another 152-pound match so watch for updates. Senior district champion Gwyneth Davis (138) is also set to wrestle for the Bison today...

OMAHA, Neb. — Makyala Pate's parents are probably releasing a few more tears of happiness tonight. Pate revealed earlier this week that both mom and dad have cried about her success as a first-year high school wrestler. She admitted "I was expecting a lot of losses initially, maybe one or two wins. One day at the state tourney and M.P. has three more wins to her amazing 20 during this first season of McCook High girls wrestling. With only seven seconds remaining, Bison sophomore Pate pinned Bellevue East's Jada Parker for a third state tournament win today and a spot in Saturday's 152-pound Nebraska championship match. Pate (23-4 record) has earned another shot at undefeated Yolanda Quinones (24-0) from South Sioux City, who pinned Pate during their A3 district title match on Feb. 5. Quinones finished a 49-second victory over Omaha North's La'Nie Green during tonight's other 152-pound semifinal...

OMAHA, Neb. — Complete results from Class D area state qualifiers through Thursday’s matches in the CHI Health Center. Top five Class D teams: 1. Sutherland 62, 2. Winside 43.5, 3. Thayer Central 43, 4. Mullen 30, 5. Howells-Dodge 29. ARAPAHOE The Warriors scored 25 points with Tristian White and Levi Kerner advancing into today’s state semifinals...

Wauneta-Palisade senior Alexa Sandman (second from right) recently signed to join the Hastings College volleyball program where she’ll play with older sister Haylee starting this fall. Alexa’s currently playing for the talented Broncos basketball team which has reached the D-2 district finals next week. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — The YMCA of McCook (YMCA) is happy to announce that it has partnered with the McCook Midget Baseball Association (MMBA) to host youth softball in 2022. Registration is now open for the following leagues to be held in 2022: Girls TSoftball (Pre-K/Kindergarten) and Girls Sluggers Machine-pitch Softball (1st-3rd Grade)...

McCook senior Isaac Hinze (seated center) will continue his stellar tennis career as he signed to play for NCAA Division III Coe College in Iowa during a ceremony at McCook High on Thursday. Hinze reached the Class B No. 1 singles title match last fall while helping McCook’s boys to an awesome state runner-up team finish. ...

CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Come on, could favorite singer Taylor Swift really attack rivals like the Cambridge Trojans did Thursday night? Playground quarterback Schyler Hobarty was certainly impressed as she joined in picking apart talented but young Southwest during a 58-45 subdistrict finals victory...

COZAD, Neb. — McCook’s 56-48 win over Cozad Thursday night was perhaps a fitting finale to the boys’ historic first Southwest Conference regular-season title. It was a grind. The Bison fell behind 6-0, only led 10-9 after one quarter and were tied 21-21 at halftime...

OMAHA, Neb. — McCook junior Alex Anthony pinned Omaha Skutt Catholic's Benidetto Aburumuh in 2:22 during consolations tonight and will enter Saturday with his sights on a second state medal Saturday morning. More details will appear soon. A recap of how the two Bison boys have fared during Class B state wrestling competition at the CHI Health Center:...

OMAHA, Neb. — Arapahoe's Levi Kerner and Southern Valley's Braxton Hammond have earned a shot at Class D state championships on Saturday after advancing through semifinals Friday evening. Several other area qualifiers will compete for higher medals. A complete recap of Class D and C matches involving them:...

OMAHA, Neb. — McCook junior Alex Anthony pinned his way into range for a second Class B state medal during today’s consolation matches at CHI Health Center. Anthony (36-10 record) took on Waverly Viking Aden Smith in the 160-pound division this morning...

McCOOK, Neb. — The effects of the pandemic on public schools continues to unfold, nationwide as well as locally. The McCook School District lost about 50 students in 2020-21, the majority due to students choosing home school rather than returning to public school from online learning, McCook Public School Superintendent Grant Norgaard said in his annual report to the school board Monday night. ...

Kaydence Steinbeck, left, gets some cake decorating tips from Dian Trail at a “Bison Days” class on Feb. 14. Kaydence said she took the cake decorating class last year at Bison Days and liked it, so she signed up for it again this year. McCook High School students had over 170 classes to choose from at the two-day event...

McCOOK, Neb. — A total of six parking lots in the McCook School District will be re-done this summer, the most expensive at $127,625. That’s the parking lot that joins the YMCA parking lot on West E. Total costs of improving the parking lots came to $343,845, approved by the McCook Board of Education Monday night at its regular meeting. Contractor for the project is Shelco, Inc. of Paxton, Neb...

McCOOK, Neb. — How to buy a car, rent an apartment and other financial decisions will be part of the curriculum next year of a new personal finance class at McCook High School. The class, required for graduation by the Nebraska Legislature, will be offered to juniors and first semester seniors, said MHS Superintendent Grant Norgaard at the regular school board meeting Monday night during a discussion of facilities and activities...

Dear Editor, Hillcrest Nursing Home became my second home when administrative duties began in 1987. Over the years at Hillcrest in McCook, and in former homes at Indianola, Cambridge, and Curtis, there is one similar thing that has helped me throughout life. ...

At the request of Governor Ricketts, Speaker Mike Hilgers introduced LB 1015. This bill intends to protect Nebraska’s water supply by giving the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources the ability to build a canal and reservoir system that would be tied to the South Platte River. ...

For better or worse, I have returned. I should begin by thanking all of you all for your support and good wishes during my absence. Much has happened since our last chat, and I am naturally tempted to discuss the Ukraine situation. The information coming from that part of the world is, whether by accident or intent, unreliable and unlikely to remain unstable in the coming days. ...

Sharlene Janet Schrock Nov. 29, 1931 - Feb. 13, 2022  ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Sharlene Janet Schrock, age 90, of Arapahoe, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, at the Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Neb., surrounded by her three daughters. She was born Nov. 29, 1931, to Albert and Maude (Rhoten) Garrett at her Grandpa Rhoten’s house in Rexford, Kan...

90th birthday The family of Jean Kirkus of McCook Neb., is hosting an open house/card shower in honor of her 90th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, from 2-5 p.m., in her home. Her family includes daughters, Terrie Unger and Kathy Kirkus of McCook; 3 granddaughters; 8 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson. Her address is 1401 West H, McCook, NE 69001...

I got a really nice letter from Janet Felt after my columns on Stratton and I’d like to share it with you so that the update gives you an idea of how a small community can create great historical sites. “I read your column on the early Stratton homesteader. ...

McCOOK, Neb. — Taryn and Joel Arterburn have taken the classic American snack up a notch with their new “Poppin’ on the Bricks” popcorn store in downtown McCook. Offering premium popcorn in a wild assortment of flavors and gift baskets, it’s the family-owned business of the Arterburn’s, along with a little help from their three kids...

WAUNETA, Neb. — It still wasn’t a breeze, but Wauneta-Palisade girls fought off Wallace to win 50-45 in Thursday’s subdistrict title game. The Broncos (18-5) avenged an overtime loss against talented Wallace with senior Mariah Gardner. They’ll play for a district title and state tourney spot next week...

MAYWOOD, Neb. — The Maywood-Hayes Center girls are one win from a third straight state basketball tournament following their 49-34 win over Medicine Valley Thursday evening. Coach Kim Stengel’s wolves (23-3 record) showed their usual championship toughness during this D2-8 subdistrict final...