State

Aurora senior Elena Kuehner, pictured middle, heads for the first curve in a sea of runners vying for position at the start of the state cross country meet.

Aurora senior Elena Kuehner, pictured middle, heads for the first curve in a sea of runners vying for position at the start of the state cross country meet.

State medal fulfills Kuehner goal in last high school race

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Four years of training, learning and competing as a cross country runner came down to one final day for Aurora senior Elena Kuehner, who capped her high school career by earning a medal at the Class C state meet in Kearney.
In an amazing display of sportsmanship, Aurora’s Tyson Kottwitz encourages Brandon Fye to finish the race as the Central City runner had started to go down just before the finish line.

In an amazing display of sportsmanship, Aurora’s Tyson Kottwitz encourages Brandon Fye to finish the race as the Central City runner had started to go down just before the finish line.

Huskies qualify for state in tight district race

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Every single point matters in district cross country competition and the Aurora Huskies learned that the hard way Thursday, coming up one point shy of a team title but still confidently punching their ticket to this week’s Class C state meet in Kearney for the eighth straight year.
The overhead tramway provided a different perspective of the Nebraska State Fair, showing a fairgrounds full of people, ag equipment, food vendors and carnival rides.

The overhead tramway provided a different perspective of the Nebraska State Fair, showing a fairgrounds full of people, ag equipment, food vendors and carnival rides.

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State Fair ‘has a lot to celebrate’

Kurt Johnson
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Final numbers aren’t yet in for this year’s Nebraska State Fair, but the early consensus is that the turnout was strong as the showcase event in Grand Island returned to pre-COVID activity levels.
Tracy Wiles finished ninth in the Class D girls pole vault with a mark of 8-06 during her first appearance at the state meet.

Tracy Wiles finished ninth in the Class D girls pole vault with a mark of 8-06 during her first appearance at the state meet.

Several Hornets hit PR marks at state competition

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
While Giltner’s state championship streak came to an end over the weekend, its flag flew proudly one last time as several Hornets set new PRs.  Of Giltner’s four athletes who competed at Omaha Burke, two of them set new personal records while a third tied a previous best mark.
Tanner Wood set a new PR for himself in the pole vault, finishing ninth with a mark of 12-foot.

Tanner Wood set a new PR for himself in the pole vault, finishing ninth with a mark of 12-foot.

Wood rounds out HPC career with highlight performance

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Tanner Wood closed out his High Plains athletic career in impressive fashion.  Wood set a new PR in the pole vault while just missing out on the medalstand and helped the 400 relay team to one of its best times of the season during the state track and field meet last week.
HPC’s lone state qualifier on the girls side is Brianna Wilshusen in the shot put after winning the event at the D-2 District meet with a throw of 35-11.

HPC’s lone state qualifier on the girls side is Brianna Wilshusen in the shot put after winning the event at the D-2 District meet with a throw of 35-11.

Storm send five to state track meet

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Throughout most of the 2021 track season, a couple events have become staples for the High Plains track team. For the most part, those events will be well represented by the Storm in Omaha this week.
Giltner’s Jacob Smith shares an emphatic hug with Hornet throwing coach Chip Bartos after Smith qualified for the state track meet in the discus.

Giltner’s Jacob Smith shares an emphatic hug with Hornet throwing coach Chip Bartos after Smith qualified for the state track meet in the discus.

Hornets punch five tickets to state track meet in Omaha

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
One thing that had Giltner assistant track coach Chip Bartos smiling from ear to ear last week was the turnout from the Hornet boys in the throws.  At day’s end, two Giltner boys qualified for state in the throws while the Lady Hornets added a couple representatives as well.
Aurora’s Brekyn Papineau had an eventful state championship event, recording his 100th career victory while finishing third at 195 as one of five medalists for the Huskies.

Aurora’s Brekyn Papineau had an eventful state championship event, recording his 100th career victory while finishing third at 195 as one of five medalists for the Huskies.

Papineau, Jividen finish state championships with medals

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
On paper, it was Aurora’s best state championship run since 2005. The Huskies had five semifinalists, three finalists and two state champions.  The two wrestlers who didn’t come out on the right side of semifinal matches were Brekyn Papineau and Aaron Jividen.
Ethan Shaw comforts fellow senior Jameson Herzberg after they each received silver medals.

Ethan Shaw comforts fellow senior Jameson Herzberg after they each received silver medals.

Battle in the trenches

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
As the final seconds ticked away in one of the toughest situations for any athlete, Ethan Shaw never put his head down in defeat.
Aurora senior Riley Darbro launches a near-perfect second shot with a hybrid on the 9th hole at Jackrabbit Run in Grand Island during the B-3 district meet last week.

Aurora senior Riley Darbro launches a near-perfect second shot with a hybrid on the 9th hole at Jackrabbit Run in Grand Island during the B-3 district meet last week.

Darbro qualifies for state tourney

Richard Rhoden
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
As if she didn’t have enough to fret about already, Riley Darbro played the final few holes of the B-3 district meet at Jackrabbit Run into a gusting headwind.