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  • Talking Sports: Caught up in it all

    Stephen McKay|Nov 7, 2013

    If you were at Weymouth Field last Friday night you got a pretty good dose of how excited Sidney is about its Red Raiders football team. If your were at Cabela’s Athletic Facility on Tuesday night, you got a pretty good dose of how excited Sidney is about its Red Raiders volleyball team. A large and raucous crowd helped power the gridders to a 10-point win over the eastern invaders from Blair. Another boisterous crowd assisted the netters to six set wins without a loss as the volleyball team captured a district title. The results of these w...

  • Second Round Send Off

    Stephen McKay|Nov 7, 2013

    Students from Central Elementary lined Illinois St. on Thursday morning to cheer the Red Raiders on their way...

  • Raiders crowned as district champs

    Stephen McKay|Nov 6, 2013

    Much like the wild scene at Weymouth Field that followed the Sidney football team's district championship nearly two weeks ago, a similar celebration broke out Tuesday night at the Cabela's Athletic Facility. Once the final point was scored in Tuesday's District B-8 championship game, the student section poured onto the court in celebration of the Red Raiders 3-0 victory over the Gering Bulldogs. Head Coach Sarah Wilson dispensed with her usual post-game players meeting - which was instead condu...

  • Potter-Dix ambushes sub district field

    Stephen McKay|Nov 5, 2013

    The Potter-Dix Coyotes emerged from the third seed to take the crown in the Class D1 District 12 sub district tournament Monday night at Bayard High School. The Coyotes (11-13) ended the season of #2 seed Hemingford (17-13) with a thrilling five-set victory (18-25, 25-18, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12) in their opening match. In the championship, which was nearly as close, Potter-Dix turned back the top seeded Creek Valley Storm (15-10) in four sets by scores of 25-19, 25-21, 23-25 and 25-22. The Storm...

  • Raiders advance with 36-26 win in opener

    Stephen McKay|Nov 4, 2013

    As Sidney Red Raiders Head Football Coach Todd Ekart walked over to meet with his players at the south end of Weymouth Field after Friday night's playoff win over Blair, a puzzled look came over his face. Something seemed to be missing. With a sideways glance towards the home sideline, he spotted the missing ingredient. "C'mon!," he called with a big arm wave. The summons being answered, a flood of students suddenly rushed southward where coaches, parents, students, fans and players alike gather...

  • Eads ends Bulldogs' playoff run

    Stephen McKay|Nov 4, 2013

    As is usually the case in six-man football the action was fast and furious from the opening kickoff Saturday afternoon. Though there was plenty of action in the quarterfinal game of the Colorado High School Activities Association's A-6 Football Championships, the #6 Peetz Bulldogs came out on the short end of a 64-36 final at #3 Eads, Colo. Despite the season-ending loss, the young Bulldogs (6-4) team continued an unbroken four-year progression of improving win totals. This is the first Peetz...

  • Warriors knocked from playoffs after tough second half battle

    Stephen McKay|Nov 1, 2013

    Though the Warriors (7-2) fell out of the hunt for a state championship with their 36-16 loss to the Hawks (7-2) of Hay Springs, Leyton's loyal followers who traveled 100 or more miles to bear witness had to have considered the drive well worth it. For the Warriors faithful, it is the second time this season they had traveled to Hay Springs to watch their boys tussle with the Hawks. On the last occassion, the hometown Hawks sent the Leyton throng home smarting from a 58-18 whipping. That...

  • Bulldogs prepare for the unknown entering second round game

    Stephen McKay|Nov 1, 2013

    For the seniors of the Peetz Bulldogs football team they've already been to a place they've never been. Tomorrow at #3 Eads (8-1) the #6 Bulldogs hope to find themselves in another Land of Oz. The last time Peetz participated in a playoff game prior to last week at Arickaree, the Bulldogs seniors were in eighth grade. The 2009 Peetz team lost a wild one at Otis 76-67 in round one to finish at 5-3. Since then Peetz has not had a winning season. Last year, however, the signs for future success...

  • Raiders sweep Kimball in home finale, prepare for sub district tourney

    Stephen McKay|Oct 30, 2013

    With a 3-0 win over Kimball last night at the Cabela's Athletic Facility, the Sidney volleyball team has clinched home-court advantage for the upcoming sub-district tournament. The Red Raiders were never in danger as they stopped Kimball (Class C2) by set scores of 25-14, 25-17 and 25-16 in this non-district match. Though the official pairings and rankings will not be released until tomorrow, Sidney (20-10) presently finds itself in 10th place among all Nebraska Class B schools. With an average...

  • District Champs!

    Stephen McKay|Oct 28, 2013

    "How fun was that?" yelled Sidney Red Raiders Head Coach Todd Ekart to a large group of jubilant students who crashed his traditional post-game meeting with players. In response, Ekart received an ear-splitting chorus of screams, whoops and hollers that that might have been heard in Scottsbluff ... or at least by the large group of Bearcat fans that had come to support their hometown players. For the Raiders faithful it was an emotional release of uninhibited, boundless, pent-up joy that could...

  • Raiders topple district foe Alliance

    Stephen McKay|Oct 25, 2013

    When Sidney’s Sarah Mahr passed to her sister Emily who set up Cody Rowley’s kill shot, it was just the beginning of what would become a rough night for the host Alliance Bulldogs. The Raider volleyball team parlayed that opening point into a 25-6 opening-set victory enroute to a 3-0 district win over Alliance. Despite a blowout in the opener, however, the Bulldogs refused to go quietly. In withstanding a teanacious Alliance comeback attempt, Sidney finally wore down their rivals 25-23 and 25-...

  • Going to State!

    Stephen McKay|Oct 24, 2013

    The Sidney High School Cross Country qualifiers are from left Hayden Lienemann, Abby Heller, Maddie Stafford and Jachob Wiedeburg....

  • Sidney powers to 54-28 win at Gering to set up battle for district title

    Stephen McKay|Oct 21, 2013

    It may be that the only ones more exhausted than the Raiders football players after Friday night’s road win were the Sidney cheerleaders. Once Logan Lewis was sprung for an 81-yard touchdown run with the help of a Lucas Rosenbaum block 1:46 into the first quarter, the Sidney Red Raiders put themselves in front for good - and were also well on their way to exhausting the already tired muscles of their cheerleaders. Powered by a 545-yard rushing attack the Raiders blew past the Gering Bulldogs at...

  • Coyotes drop MAC opener in two sets

    Stephen McKay|Oct 21, 2013

    After two close set losses to the Garden County Eagles, the Potter-Dix Coyotes suffered an early exit at the MAC tournament on Saturday. The Coyotes fell by set scores of 25-22 and 25-23. “We didn’t play our best,” said Potter-Dix Head Coach Kristi Jung. “We weren’t agressive enough and we simply made too many errors.” The Eagles went on to win the third-place match against host South Platte. The Eagles lone loss in the tournament was to tournament winner Leyton in straight sets. “We played...

  • Leyton captures MAC crown for eighth time

    Stephen McKay|Oct 21, 2013

    Putting in a strong all-around effort the Leyton Warriors won their eighth consecutive MAC Tournament with convincing straight-set victories over Garden County and Creek Valley. With a 2-1 record, the Storm earned runner-up honors. As the top seed, the Warriors (24-2) were given a bye in the first round and then polished off their first opponent, Garden County, 25-9 and 25-20. The win propelled Leyton into the championship match. The Creek Valley Storm, installed as the second seed, meanwhile...

  • Peetz comes from behind to quell Storm

    Stephen McKay|Oct 18, 2013

    After falling behind by two sets, the Peetz Bulldogs volleyball team rallied to take three-straight sets and the match from the Creek Valley Storm in Chappell on Thursday night. The Bulldogs evened their record at 9-9 while the Storm slipped to 9-6 after the non-league match. Peetz lost the first two games 25-23 and 25-18 before sweeping the final three 25-19, 25-22 and 15-11. "We seemed to come out a little flat but then began to pick it up," said Bulldogs head coach Lori Heller. "We had kind of a rough last week, losing to Weldon Valley and...

  • Four Sidney runners qualify for Kearney

    Stephen McKay|Oct 18, 2013

    Though agonizingly close, neither the boys or girls teams were able to earn a trip to state at Thursday's Class B4 District cross country meet in Ogallala. Despite some disappointment, however, there was plenty of good news for the Raiders, as well. By virtue of their top-15 finishes four Sidney runners earned individual placement in the state field. Sophomore Abby Heller (20:57) and junior Maddie Stafford (21:17) finished in 12th and 15th place respectively to earn their spots. Alli Ehler...

  • Raiders hit the road for the first of two critical district match ups

    Stephen McKay|Oct 17, 2013

    As district play enters its second week, the Sidney Red Raiders will spend another week on the road, this time to meet the Gering Bulldogs. Gering, which lost to the Raiders 44-24 last season, will have more than revenge on its mind when it hosts the Raiders at 7 p.m. After falling to Scottsbluff last week 42-12, the Bulldogs (2-5, 0-1) can't afford to lose another district game. Especially to a team that hasn't lost. The Raiders (4-3, 1-0) opened their district season with a 52-42 thriller at A...

  • Listening to the right people

    Stephen McKay|Oct 17, 2013

    Thank you Bob Costas. You've finally helped me better understand an issue that has had me scratching my head for several months now. During the Sunday Night Football telecast on NBC between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins earlier this week, Bob Costas did his weekly soliloquy. Of course we are all fourtunate to have the benefit of his remarkable genius. Not only does he know all, but fortunately for the rest of us, he tells all. Early in Costas' remarks he said something like - as best as can be determined, only a small number...

  • Raiders take fifth at state

    Stephen McKay|Oct 16, 2013

    The Sidney Red Raiders golf team apparently found cold and wind just a little more to its liking than the combination of cold, wind and rain, as the squad moved up a spot to finish the 2013 Class B State Championships in fifth place in drier conditions. Though the team upped its status slightly, the Raiders leading player Rachel Petik dropped back a few spots to finish just out of the medals in a tie for 17th. Petik still led the Raiders with rounds of 88 and 95 for a 183 total. The other...

  • Potter-Dix tops Garden County, falls to Wallace in triangular

    Stephen McKay|Oct 15, 2013

    The Coyotes split a triangular with Wallace and Garden County on Monday night. Their mark for the season keeps pace at 7-12. Potter-Dix is 2-2 in district play. In the opener, Wallace challenged the Coyotes' back line, testing left, right and middle on the serve. Kinley Vowers responded by receiving 19 serves, while Dawson Sharman and Regyn Hicks initiated 17 and 16 volleys, respectively. Potter-Dix was active digging out kill attempts, as well. Sharman and Regyn Hicks shared much of the duty, with Alexus Rozelle filling in the gaps. In the...

  • Raiders 1-2 at Western Conference tourney

    Stephen McKay|Oct 14, 2013

    It was a long day for the Sidney Red Raiders volleyball team at the Western Conference Volleyball Tournament on Saturday. Not only was it a long round-trip drive to Chadron, but Sidney finished fourth in the tournament with a 1-2 record. The host Chadron Cardinals won the affair while the Mitchell Tigers followed in second. The Raiders day included two games against district foes. Sidney opened the competition with a straight-set win (25-20, 25-16) over Alliance. The day ended with a 25-14,...

  • Sidney knocks off district foe Alliance on road

    Stephen McKay|Oct 14, 2013

    The way things were going when Sidney's Tyler Wintholz broke up a two-point conversion late in the third quarter, it looked as though it would mark the final margin of victory. But as the Raiders offense continued to roll and the defense stiffened when it mattered most, two points was as close as the Alliance Bulldogs (3-4, 0-1) could get the rest of the way. The Raiders (4-3, 1-0) went on to stop their district opponents with a 52-42 victory on the Bulldog's home turf Friday night. The win...

  • Warriors disappointed with split at Pine Bluffs

    Stephen McKay|Oct 14, 2013

    The Leyton volleyball team dropped just its second match of the year in a Saturday triangular at Pine Bluffs, Wyo. with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the hosts. In its other match, the Warriors swept Hay Springs 2-0. The Warriors (21-2) won the first set 25-18 over the Pine Bluffs Hornets (6-11) but were knocked off 25-23 and 25-20 in the final two. In the match over the Hay Springs Hawks (11-6), Leyton won 25-10 and 25-22. "This was a dissapointing loss for all of us," said the Warriors Head...

  • Sidney plans Saturday send off for golf squad

    Stephen McKay|Oct 11, 2013

    For the seventh time in the last eight years the Sidney Red Raiders girls golf team has qualified for the Class B Nebraska State Championship. The community will give the Raiders a proper send off as they depart from the high school parking lot on Saturday morning. The team, families and anyone else who would like to attend will gather at 10 a.m. With a police escort the team plans to begin their journey to Lincoln at 10:30 a.m. for the two-day event. Sidney qualified for states by virtue of...

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