Talking Sports: Head on a swivel

I guess I'm like at least a few others going to the 2014 NSAA State Track & Field Championships in Omaha this weekend who are a little obsessed with the coming weather out east. I've been visiting the Weather Channel website on a daily basis now for the past 10 days.

I don't suppose the report from 10 days out is especially accurate, but I've been looking anyway. For the record, the reports have been pretty consistent. The latest report from the Weather Channel indicates a 50-50 chance of decent weather.

Friday is expected to reach a high of 70 with a 50 percent chance of rain in the form of scattered thunderstorms. The wind is expected to come out of the ESE at 17 mph. Scattered thunder storms are again a 50-50 proposition for Saturday with the winds shifting somewhat to the SSE at 15 mph. The more southerly winds help raise the predicted temperature to 78.

Well, why not be optimistic? Expect sunny skies and be prepared for rain. But rain or shine it will be, as it always has been, quite a spectacle at Burke Stadium. For 39 local student athletes it will be an experience they will never forget. It will be much the same for hundreds more we've never heard of.

Of course the most important event of the entire two days are the ones in which your son or daughter participates. Or your friend or relative, or your friend's relative ... or just someone you know.

All are winners already because they made it. But there are a least a couple of events where some locals have a shot to bring home the gold - or at least a top three.

Sidney seniors Logan Lewis, Nick Conger and Lucas Rosenbaum are all seeded second in their respective field events.

In the high jump nobody in Class B has risen higher than Conger's 6-04. He is one of six, however, to have cleared that mark. Conger made his mark at districts, perhaps indicating he is in his best form of the year. He is seeded second in a talented field.

In the shot put only three Class B athletes have thrown beyond the 55-foot mark throughout the state in district competition this year. Two of them hail from Sidney - Logan Lewis and Jake Heeren. Like Lewis told me during the regular schedule, "districts for us will be like a mini state."

Tanner Borchardt of Gothenburg's hit a personal best at districts of 58-feet plus. Lewis and Heeren both exceeded 55 to finish second and third. There's no reason not to think Lewis and/or Heeren could take down Borchardt at the real state. Lewis, in fact, defeated the big Swede earlier this season. If Lewis can add three more inches to his personal best, he will break a SHS record (56-03). It's a mark not out of the question for Heeren either.

Rosenbaum, who is already the school record holder in the pole vault, is seeded second behind district rival Spencer Poewll of McCook. He cleared 14-05 while Rosenbaum has done 14-03. At districts, Rosenbaum was well over the bar at 14-05 when he bumped the bar on the way down.

In the Class D boys pole vault Bryant Knigge of Potter-Dix cleared 12-06 at districts, but he's equaled the top seed's height of 13-10. He medaled last year and has every right to believe he will do so again. There would seem to be a very close contest in the event - but there is in all events.

In the Class D girls discus there are a handful that have tossed the saucer beyond the 125-foot mark. One would think that freshman Alexus Rozelle of Potter-Dix and Kassandra Harris would need a personal best to win, but both are medal contenders. In the triple jump, Leyton's Kaitlyn Berner is in the mix for a top prize if she could match her personal best of better than 35 feet.

It's interesting that not many in the state have bettered Hayden Lienemann's fastest time in the 800. But those who have hail from District B-4. He will battle Levi Avila (Mitchell), Matthew Barraza (Scottsbluff) and Skyler Smith (Ogallala) once again. But nobody outside his district ran faster than Lienemann at districts - except the aforementioned three.

Sidney is sending five relay teams to the games. The 4x100 with Lewis, Rosenbaum, Chance Anglin and Alex Linneman are one of only two teams (Cozad) that broke 44 seconds at districts. Sidney's time was just a fraction slower than Cozad's.

The thing is, this could go on and on. There are so many tight races and exciting prospects ahead it's almost impossible to consider all the possibilities. I'm afraid too, that in mentioning some names, many more equally as worthy have been left out. Of course that's true.

But this is more about whetting the appetite of those heading to Omaha this weekend. Hopefully this will give you the idea that you'll need to keep your head on a swivel. For the action will be fast, exciting and furious.