Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper

Articles written by stephen mckay


Sorted by date  Results 26 - 50 of 747

Page Up

  • Sidney aims for 2-0 start on road

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Sep 3, 2015

    After traveling the long road to Chadron to win its football opener 41-7 last week, Sidney High will aim to make it two straight road wins this week. Sidney will take another long bus ride this Friday when it heads eastward to meet the Adams Central Patriots (0-1) in Hastings at 7 p.m. CDT (6 p.m. MDT). The Patriots play in Class B District 7 with McCook, Hastings and Lexington – all of which are on the Raiders' schedule this season. Adams Central stumbled in its season opener against the G...

  • Raiders, Storm compete at Kimball Invite

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Sep 2, 2015

    KIMBALL - Both the Sidney Red Raiders junior varsity team and the Creek Valley Storm golf team came home from the Kimball Invite on Thursday with an individual medalist. Raiders' freshman Tiara Ginther improved her previous best competitive score by 20 strokes to finish in seventh place. Ginther carded a 109 at Four Winds Golf Course. The Four Winds layout is a tree-lined, 5,400-yard par-72 with an abundance of rolling hills. "I'm really happy to get a personal best," said Ginther. "My driving w...

  • Peetz JV team opens season with win

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Sep 1, 2015

  • Raiders top Chadron in season opener

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 31, 2015

    CHADRON - When the Chadron Cardinals began Friday's season opener with a 68-yard touchdown drive over the Sidney Red Raiders, the large home crowd was brought to its collective feet in excited approval. Fortunately for the Raiders, a large group of their own fans made the long drive northward - and it was they who ultimately had the most to cheer about. Despite yielding an early touchdown, the Red Raiders (1-0) quickly recovered and went on to post a 41-7 victory over Chadron (0-1), of Class...

  • Raiders conference runners-up

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 31, 2015

    Even though Sidney sophomore Emma Alexander had already completed a remarkable day after tying for the lead in the Western Conference tournament Saturday, she found herself with a little more work to do when her round of 82 was complete. Outwardly calm and collected, Alexander punctuated her day by defeating Scottsbluff senior Hannah Holloway on the second playoff hole to become the Western Conference champion at Hillside Golf Course on Saturday. The veteran Holloway finished in eighth place at...

  • Scrimmage helps Raiders set lineups for X-County opener

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 28, 2015

    The Sidney High School cross country teams gathered at the soccer fields near WNCC on Thursday for their annual scrimmage. More than just a friendly outing, the 5K run was the tool by which head coach Ryan Plummer set his varsity lineups for the Red Raiders' first meet. The six fastest times for both boys and girls will represent the Raiders' varsity on Sept. 4 at Gering. The season opener will be run at Monument Shadows Golf Course. The competition for a varsity spot was extremely competitive...

  • Talking Sports: The Eagle – and this writer – have landed

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 27, 2015

    There's only one thing that's ever been on my bucket list. But I did it well before the term bucket list was ever coined. When the 1990s began, I believed I should commit myself to achieving the goal, before the decade was out, of jumping out of a plane and returning safely to earth. No single space project in that period would be more impressive to me, or more important, to my long-range exploration of space; and none would be so difficult or expensive to accomplish. President John Kennedy's...

  • Red Raiders set for kickoff

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 27, 2015

    For the passionate football fans of Sidney, the long wait for action is nearly over. Sidney becomes reaquainted with Friday night lights on the road against the tradition-rich Chadron Cardinals at 7 p.m. this Friday. Though the Red Raiders throttled the Cards 48-0 at Weymouth Field in the 2014 opener, Chadron then went on to win eight straight games before being eliminated in the second round of the Class C1 playoffs by Cozad, 41-17. For Chadron, it was the 12th straight year they had made the...

  • Head coach, four players suspended at Peetz

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 27, 2015

    Peetz High School head football coach Scott Sorensen and four of his players have been suspended for the Bulldogs’ season opener this Friday evening against North Park. Seniors Jordan Nelson and Wolf Wenneker, junior Cody Wilson and freshman Bryson Long each attended a second football camp over the summer and used school equipment – a violation of Colorado High School Activities Association rules. The players and their coach all received a one-game suspension from the CHSAA. “I am going to be under restriction for this game, that’s for sure,” S...

  • Raider golfers open strong in season opener

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 26, 2015

    As the Sidney High School girls' golf team was completing a fourth-place finish at the NSAA Class B Girls State Championships last season, they finished with scores of 395 and 396 for a two-day total of 791. That left them 39 strokes behind the state champion Scottsbluff Lady Bearcats. While Sidney had the benefit of calmer weather and a home-course advantage, the Red Raiders made a strong early-season statement by finishing as the runner-up to Scottsbluff by a mere three strokes at the Sidney...

  • Lady Raiders hone skills at annual Gatorade event

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 24, 2015

    In front of a sizable crowd at the Cabela's Athletic Facility on Friday night, the Sidney High volleyball team took to the court for the first time this season at the annual Gatorade Scrimmage. Decked out in tie-die shirts and big smiles, Sidney's freshmen, junior varsity and varsity squads did battle against themselves in what was most of all a light-hearted and informal practice 13 days before their season opener. The Raiders will open at home on Sept. 3 in a triangular against North Platte...

  • Raiders put on show for fans in scrimmage

    Stephen McKay|Aug 24, 2015

    Before a crowd of several hundred, the Sidney High School football team took to the field Friday evening for its annual Gatorade scrimmage at Weymouth Field. With new Red Raiders' head coach Chris Koozer on the sidelines, Sidney first put its freshmen and junior varsity squads on display before the varsity took to the field. For the Sidney varsity team, it will attempt to return to the Class B playoffs for the third time in as many years. Despite the departure of some talented seniors who made...

  • Raiders hold concussion awareness event

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 21, 2015

    Not long ago, having one’s “bell rung” in an athletic contest was was not necessarily viewed as a serious matter. In fact, a player having his or her bell rung could even inspire amused responses from coaches, teammates and even close friends or family. Such reactions, however, weren’t inspired by malice – they were more the result of ignorance. As part of a continuing effort by Sidney High School and the Sidney Regional Medical Center to educate the local public on the dangers of concussion, Dr. Brandon Brown spent nearly an hour Wednesday...

  • Talking Sports - Fall is here: Let the high school games begin

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 20, 2015

    I'm sure you've all felt it – that touch of fall that has been in the air for a few days this week. Of course, it will be over 90 degrees on Friday – but that can't erase the recent warning by mother nature that the football, volleyball, cross country and girls' golf seasons are near at hand. The cool mornings, the odor of decaying leaves, the beginning of school and wildly fluctuating temperatures are all signs summer is on the slow ride to fall. I love summer, but I'm ready for fall – at least...

  • BACK IN THE SWING

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 19, 2015

    Members of the Sidney High School girls' golf team have been practicing at Hillside Golf Course as they prepare for the fall season....

  • BULLDOG BEGINNINGS

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 18, 2015

    Peetz High School began practice on Monday for its fall sports programs....

  • Red Raiders get chance to do some hitting

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 17, 2015

    With 100 or more spectators watching from the stands, the Sidney High School football team donned full pads for the first time on Saturday for a Red-White scrimmage just 13 days before its scheduled season opener at Chadron. Dressed and ready to go, the players arrived at Weymouth Field about 8:45 a.m. The morning began with stretching execises and warm-ups before the action began shortly before 9:30. The freshmen team took the field first and the game progressed toward those likely to be in...

  • POTPOURRI OF PRACTICES

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 14, 2015

  • Talking Sports: Gifford will be missed by many

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 13, 2015

    I was sorry to hear about the death of Frank Gifford earlier this week. He was the last surviving member of the greatest sports broadcast booth there ever was. Gifford's playing days with the New York football Giants was before my time. I remember him as a broadcaster for ABC Sports. He covered the Olympic Games, basketball, golf and even a number of offbeat "sports" for ABC's Wide World of Sports. As a matter of fact, Gifford was there to describe the action when motorcycle daredevil Evel...

  • PREPARING FOR BATTLE

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 12, 2015

  • FALL SPORTS PRACTICES UNDERWAY

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 10, 2015

    Lanie Thies, a returning starter for the Potter-Dix volleyball team, works on a conditioning drill on the first day of practice at the high school on Monday morning. The Coyotes open their season Sept. 4 against Morrill at home. For more photos, see page 8A....

  • FALL SPORTS PRACTICES UNDERWAY

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 10, 2015

    Monday was the first official day of fall sports practices in Nebraska. The Potter-Dix High School volleyball team started early in the morning with conditioning and skills drills....

  • Championship play

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 7, 2015

    Brandon Segelke of Radtke Home Daycare, puts the tag on Sabra Peetz of Sidney Regional Medical Center in the championship game of the Cheyenne County Community Center co-ed softball championships at Legion Park on Thursday night. Sami Schmit is at left. See Sports, page 10A for results and more photos....

  • CHEYENNE COUNTY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 7, 2015

    The Cheyenne County Community Center co-ed softball championships were decided at Legion Park on Thursday night....

  • Talking Sports: Fear of water should be halted early in life

    Stephen McKay, Sports Writer|Aug 6, 2015

    I came across a several-year old story in Slate magazine that discussed the drowning deaths of six teenagers in Louisiana. None of the victims or the adult bystanders knew how to swim. The article went on to state that it was likely that one-third to about one-half of Americans couldn't swim. Further, a 1994 survey was cited in which 37 percent of American adults said they couldn't swim 24 yards. A University of Memphis study revealed that 54 percent of children between the ages of 12 and 18...

Page Down