Red Raiders Gearing Up For Haymakers

SIDNEY--Friday, August 23, was a big day for Sidney High School sports, as the Lady Raider Volleyball Team and the Red Raider Football team each held scrimmages as part of their final preparations for the upcoming 2024 Fall Sports schedule. Weather forecasts showed big storms coming through the area Friday night, so the Football scrimmage started earlier than scheduled, at 5:30 p.m. rather than 6 p.m.

The Volleyball team got their scrimmage in and a lot of work was put in by a young Lady Raider squad that features a good amount of underclass talent to mix in with returning upper-class leaders. Seniors Kayla Westby, Carli Black, Deanna Horst, and Reagan Heckenlively will provide leadership and experience while a mix of talented juniors and sophomores will contribute and develop as the season progresses.

The Lady Raiders, coming off an 18-and-15 record last year, will open with a tough test as they open at home on Thursday against the Lady Tigers of Sterling, CO. The Lady Raiders will be well-prepared for this matchup as Head Coach Julie Smith had the girls participate in competitive camps with Sterling players during the summer. Thursday's contest should provide a good look into the strengths of the Lady Raider team and hopefully, a win will provide momentum as the Lady Raiders face three strong Colorado teams and then Ogallala to start the season.

Under threatening skies, the Red Raider football team got in as much work as possible before the lightning and rain hit Sidney. Head Coach Ryan Smith looks to get his squad back to the State Tournament, and the Red Raiders have the talent to achieve that goal. Although they will miss standouts lost to graduation like Isak Doty and Luke Holly, a good group of talented athletes will be stepping up to take their places. A good crowd came out to see the scrimmage, and as usual, the defense looked a little more settled than the offense. As the offense gets its timing down and play calling solidified, the Red Raiders should be on course for another strong season. First up they host Cozad on Friday, August 30. Sidney defeated Cozad at home last year, 26-to-21, but the Haymakers are always a tough team and should provide a strong opening game challenge. This will be another great test early on to see how the Red Raiders stack up against the toughest opponents in division C1.

The Sidney Athletic programs thank all those who came out to the scrimmages and donated Gatorade and other sports drinks for the athletes. The Sidney faithful are considered the best fans in the Panhandle, and their support for the teams is greatly appreciated.