WNCC baseball splits doubleheader with Miles Community College

Even though the Western Nebraska Community College baseball team pounded out 16 hits Sunday in a doubleheader against Miles Community College Sunday at Cleveland Field, they had to settle for a split in a pair of one-run games.

In the opener, the Cougars left the winning runs in scoring position in the seventh inning in suffering a 6-5 setback. In the nightcap, WNCC came back from a 7-3 deficit to claim a 9-8 win in the bottom of the seventh inning.

WNCC coach Mike Jones said the scraped out the win to get the split.

“Our offense bailed us out once again,” he said. “We didn’t pitch or play defense all that well. Offensively we are a pretty good ball club. We were able to put it together at the end to come out with a win.”

The Cougars definitely had plenty of firepower in the two games, especially in the second game where they 11 hits to get the win in thrilling fashion.

WNCC scored four times in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Aurelio Monteagudo started the inning with a solo home run. The Cougars continued their offense going with single by Rudy Soto, Dallas Liptac and Norbert Susini, and a double by David Monteagudo.

Miles City, who qualified for the NJCAA Division II World Series a year ago, came back with seven runs on four hits and two errors to take a 7-4 lead. The big hit was a 2-run triple by Brian Dukert. Also, the Pioneers scored five runs with two outs on two costly errors.

Miles City led 8-6 after four innings before the Cougars bats opened up again. WNCC tied the game in the sixth inning as Soto and Greg Crowe led off by drawing walks. Chris Hook then delivered a pinch-hit single to score one run and the Susini lofted a sacrifice fly to score Crowe with the tying run.

WNCC won the game in the seventh. With one out, Garcia delivered a double to left-centerfield. Aurelio Monteagudo was then intentional walked followed by Soto drawing a bases loaded with one out. Garcia later scored on a wild pitch to win the game.

Kyler Edgehouse picked up the win throwing the final four innings, allowing just one run, three hits and striking out two. Jake Vulk started the game and went three innings.

Susini and Soto paced the Cougars with two hits apiece. Susini went 2-for-3 with two singles, while Soto went 2-for-2 with two walks, a home run, three runs scored and two stolen bases.

Jones was pleased with how his team fought back.

“I am happy how we are playing offensively, we just need to get better with pitching and defense,” he said.
Sloppy defense was the reason the Cougars dropped the opener on the day. Miles City jumped on top 6-0 behind three errors and seven hits in four innings of work.

The Cougar bats started to wake up in the fifth as WNCC put up a four-spot in the fifth inning, scoring all the runs with two outs. The big hits were a run-scoring single by Rich Miller and then a run-scoring double by Luis Capriles to cut the lead to 6-4.

The score stayed that way until the seventh inning. Susini led off the inning with a triple followed by David Monteagudo and Miller loading the bases with no outs. Carlos Garcia then scored Susini with the first run on an infield fly out before the next two batters grounded out.

The first game, we made a lot of errors and didn’t pitch that well and they capitalized on a lot of scoring opportunities,” Jones said. “We tried to make a run late in the game, but we just quite couldn’t get it done.”

Todd Stachura took the loss on the mound, going four innings and giving up six runs on seven hits and striking out two. Jeff Fauss pitched the final three innings allowing three hits and no runs.

Susini led the team at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance, including a triple and run scored. Caprilas and Aurelio Monteagudo each had a double in the loss.

The Cougars, 4-4, will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to McCook Community College for a non-conference doubleheader before heading into Region IX competition next weekend at Lamar Community College and Otero Junior College.

“We open Region IX play Saturday and Sunday against Lamar and Otero, which will be tough match-ups. We have to get some stuff down this week,” Jones said. “We have to clean up our defense. It has been tough because we have been inside a lot and you can make all kind of excuses, but we definitely can play a lot better then how we are playing.”

Game One
Miles City 120 300 0 – 6 10 1
WNCC 000 040 1 – 5 5 3
WP – Kody Kennedy, LP – Stachura; 2B – WNCC 2 (Capriles, A. Monteagudo), Miles (Brian Dukart, Matt Newbold); 3B – WNCC 1 (Susini).

Game Two
Miles (1-3) 007 100 0 – 8 7 1
WNCC (4-4) 042 002 1 – 9 11 3
WP – Edgehouse, LP – Jason Mattila; 2B – WNCC 3 (D. Monteagudo, Garcia, Soto), Miles 1 (Brenton Oruillian); 3B – Miles 1 (Dukart); HR – WNCC 1 (A. Monteagudo).

WNCC softball sweeps Air Force in doubleheader

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – It took the Western Nebraska Community College softball team three inning to wake up offensively, but once they did, the Cougar women scored 19 runs and pounded out 18 hits in sweeping the Air Force Academy 8-1 and 11-2.

The Cougars’ Allie Griffin was a huge force on the day, earning the game one victory from the circle. The freshman also finished the doubleheader 3-for-5 with four RBIs, a run scored and a double.

Griffin threw a masterful game in the opener, scattering four hits, while striking out four Falcon batters.

Offensively, the Cougars had five extra base hits of their seven total. Lauren Mills had the big blast with a 2-run home run in the fifth inning. Also collecting extra base hits were Amanda Hensley with a triple, and Griffin, Lourdon and Jessie McNabb with doubles.

The Cougars continued their torrid offense in game two, scoring three times in the first and fourth and two times in the second and third on 11 hits.

WNCC had three players collect multiple hits. Griffin and Amanda Torimaru each went 2-for-3, while Hensley went 2-for-4. Torimaru had two runs scored, a RBI and a double, while Griffin had two runs scored and two RBIs.

Whittany Foster and Lauren Mills also had good games. Foster went 1-for-1 with a runs scored, two RBIs and two walks, while Mills had two walks and two RBIs.

Natasha Dypchey picked up the win going 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out five. Ashley Patton finished the game, scattering two hits, allowing two runs and striking out two.

WNCC, 6-3, will be back in action today when they face Trinidad State Junior College in a Region IX doubleheader. The Trojans enter the contest after falling twice to North Platte Community College in Region IX games on Saturday.

Game One
WNCC 000 35 – 8 7 1
Air Force 100 00 – 1 4 3
WP – Griffin; 2B – McNabb, Griffin, Bourdon; 3B – Hensley; HR – Mills.

Game Two
WNCC 322 31 – 11 11 1
Air Force 000 20 – 2 3 2
WP – Dypchey; 2B – Torimaru.

WNCC sweeps Miles City in baseball action

Western Nebraska Community College baseball team pounded out 12 extra base hits, including a walk-off 2-run home run by Carlos Garcia to help the Cougars earn a sweep over Miles Community College Saturday at Cleveland Field in the team’s home-opener.

The Cougars rode the pitching of sophomore Greg Crowe in game one in shutting out the Pioneers, before coming back to earn a thrilling 6-5 in game two. Both teams will be back at it at Cleveland Field beginning at noon with another doubleheader.

WNCC coach Mike Jones said his team played well on Saturday.

“We came out real strong in game one and put together a real good offensive game. Aurelio Monteagudo had a real nice game at the plate, having a break out game for us,” Jones said. “All the way through the line-up I thought we had disciplined at bats and found good pitches to hit. It was real nice to bust out and score a lot of runs early in the ball game.”

Monteagudo finished the double header going 4-for-8, including three doubles and three RBIs. He also scored two runs in the two wins.

The Cougars ran out to a 7-0 lead after three innings in the opening game. The Cougars blasted six extra base hits out of their 11 hits for the game. Monteagudo had two doubles, while David Monteagudo, Garcia, Charles Ocasio each had one double. Garcia also had triple in the first game.

Greg Crowe picked up the win, going four innings, while allowing two hits and striking out three. Eddie Vinas finished the game, throwing three innings of shutout work, while allowing one hit and striking out three.

"Greg Crowe pitched a good game for us and threw a lot of strikes,” Jones said. “He really threw a lot of fastballs on the outside of the plate and controlled the ball game for us. We played good defense behind him.”

In the second game, it was Garcia that proved the hero as his 7^th-inning home run proved the winner. Garcia finished the day going 3-for-6 with a double, triple, home run, and four RBIs.

In the nightcap, WNCC held a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth-inning. Miles City came back with two runs in the top of the inning to grab a 4-3 lead. WNCC, however, came right back to tie the game.

Jones said that David Monteagudo came off the bench and delivered the big hit in the sixth. After a sacrifice bunt, Luis Capriles delivered a pitch-hit single to score Monteagudo with the tying run.

WNCC couldn’t hold the lead in the seventh as the Pioneers scored once to hold a 5-4 lead. That is when the Cougars came back in the seventh. Rich Miller led off by drawing a walk. Jones then inserted pinch-runner Marco Jimenez. That was when Garcia took a 0-1 count over the rightfield fence for the game-winner.

“We played a decent ball game in the second game,” Jones said. “They [Miles] did a nice job of putting up some runs and their left-handed pitcher kept us off balance and we really couldn’t put anything together. Late in the game we really came up with some big hits when we needed them and able to come away with a win.”

The Cougars finished the game with six extra base hits out of their eight total. Norbert Susini led the offense with a 2-for-4 game, including two doubles, a RBI and run scored. Susini was 4-for-8 on the day.

Rudy Soto picked up the win, throwing the seventh inning. Eric Bissonette started the game and went four innings, allowing three hits, two runs, while striking out one.

WNCC, 3-3, and Miles City, 0-2, will face off again today beginning at noon. Jones said that Todd Stachura will throw the first game and Jake Vulk will start the second game.

“I am really proud of the team because they knew what they had to do to win the ball game,” he said. “That shows a real good sign for us. It makes the future look pretty bright for us to keep that mentality that will keep to fight and do to win ball games. That will carry us a long way.”

First Game
Miles City 000 000 0 – 0 3 0
WNCC 133 000 x – 7 11 1
WP – Crowe; LP – Tognetti; 2B - D Monteagudo, A Monteagudo(2), C Ocasio, C Garcia, ; 3B - C Garcia, ; HR - ; RBIs - L Capriles(2), N Susini(2), C Ocasio(2), R Soto, ; SB - R Soto.

Second Game
Miles City 020 002 1 – 5 8 1
WNCC 110 011 2 – 6 8 1
WP – Soto, LP Hanna; 2B – N Susini(2), J Guber, A Monteagudo, C Round; 3B - ; HR - C Garcia off J Hanna, ; RBIs – A Monteagudo(2), N Susini, J Guber, C Garcia(2), C Round, J Hanna(3); SB - C Hook

WNCC women topple Otero in home finale

It was Western Nebraska Community College’s final home game of the season and the Cougar women put together a balanced scoring attack in rolling over Otero Junior College 83-58. It was the Cougar’s 25th win of the season and eight straight win.

Well it was the last time the five sophomores will play in front of the home crowd, it was freshman Tawny Drexler that stepped up with a big performance. The 6-foot from Colorado Springs, Colo., finished the game with 22 points and six rebounds. She also was near perfect from the charity stripe going 12-of-13.

“I think we did really well. We had a few more turnovers then we should have, but that happens when you try to run and gun,” she said. “The key for us was playing really good defense. When we were down there we did not play defense very well at all.”

The Cougars domination in the home-finale was evident from the opening tip as Chelsea Lyles made the opening bucket just 25 seconds into the contest. The Cougars kept warming up racing out to an 8-0 lead Jenna Colwell bucket off an assist by sophomore Alison Cheney with 17:45 on the clock.

Otero finally took the goose-egg off the board on a Valma Cook basket with 17:19 to play. The Cougars responded back going on another 7-0 run highlighted by a Drexler old-fashioned 3-point play and steal and bucket by Lyles.

WNCC then heated up from the outside on three 3-pointers by sophomore Carly Glisan and a trey by sophomore Emma Beddome to help the Cougars lead 44-35 at the half.

The Cougars first half was highlighted on 55 percent shooting while Otero managed just 36 percent.

The second half was the same result for the Cougar women as they pushed the lead to 20 points on four points by Drexler at 48-27. The Cougars continued to widen the lead as Cheney scored seven points in a 2-minute period to put salt the game at 55-30 with 15 minutes to play.

Drexler said everyone played well and contributed in some fashion.

“It was a really good team effort. We just killed it on defense,” She said. “We moved the ball really well and that is really good.”

WNCC had three players finish in double figures. After Drexler’s 22 points, Cheney chipped in 13 points and Shaquilah Davis had 12.Beddome and Glisan also found the basket in their home finale finishing with nine points each.

The Cougars also received a huge game from freshman Michelle Lighthall, who finished with six points and six rebounds.

Otero also had three players in double figures. Lacee mapee led the way with 12 points followed by Natasha Anderson with 11 points and Rachelle Tialevea with 10 points.

The Cougars, 25-4, will have one regular season contest left when they travel to Torrington, Wyo., to face Eastern Wyoming College on Wednesday. After that, they will head to the Region IX tournament in Miles City, Mont. WNCC will open the regional tournament on March 1 at 10 a.m. against Western Wyoming. If they win, they will play Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m. against the Sheridan College and Lamar Community College winner.

Otero 25 33 -- 58
WNCC (25-5) 44 39 -- 83
OTERO JUNIOR COLLEGE
Heather Andersen 4, Michelle Ducy 8, Rachelle Tialavea 4, Lacee Mapee 10, Valma Cook 12, Amber Salaz 3, Natasha Anderson 11, Nicole Howe 6.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Cheri Palmer 2, Emma Beddome 9, Michelle Lighthall 6, Shaquilah Davis 12, Alison Cheney 13, Tawny Drexler 22, Jenna Colwell 4, Chelsea Lyles 6, Carly Glisan 9.

WNCC basketball teams set for final home games this weekend

The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams will have their final home games of the year Saturday and both teams are looking to get momentum heading into next weeks Region IX tournament.

The Cougar women will open things at 1 p.m. against Otero Junior College followed by the Cougar men tipping off at 3 p.m. against Lamar Community College.

Saturday’s home contests will the last for the eight sophomores on both teams. The Cougar women, 24-4 and winners of their last seven, will say goodbye to five players – Alison Cheney, Chelsea Lyles, Emma Beddome, Carly Glisan and Dana Iverson.

The men will lost three sophomores off of this year’s 15-13 team in Doradji Wilson, David Busma and Kelvin Franklin.

The Cougars will also the basketball booster families during pre-game festivities.

After Saturday’s home games, the Cougars will have one more regular season game left when they travel to Torrington, Wyo., to face Eastern Wyoming College in a men’s, women’s doubleheader.

WNCC baseball at home this weekend against Miles Community College

The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team is all set for their home-opener this weekend, and Cougar coach Mike Jones said the weather should hold out when the Cougars tangle with Miles (Mont.) Community College Saturday and Sunday.

“I think the weather will be O.K.,” Jones said. “It looks like we a slight chance of some moisture Saturday morning. I think the temperatures will be pretty good and the winds will stay fairly calm. I am looking forward to it. Over the years we have been on the road early, so it will be nice to get in a home weekend in February.”

Jones said the field should be in pretty condition when the first pitch is thrown at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“The team is excited. We had to do quite a bit of work there to get all the snow removed and get the field dried off,” he said. “But the playing service looks good. It is just the stuff around the perimeter that will cause us some problems.”

WNCC enters the contests after going 1-3 in games earlier this week. It will be the first games of the year for Miles City. Still, Jones isn’t taking the Pioneers lightly.

“I know they had a real good season a year ago. They have been putting back-to-back good seasons over the years, and I expect them to come in extremely excited to play. They haven’t had a whole lot of time to practice on the field. I expect the games to be pretty close and I expect pitching to dominate all the games.”

Sophomores Greg Crowe and Eric Bissonette, a Chadron High graduate, will get the nod on the mounds in Saturday’s action.

“Eric had an outstanding outing down in Kansas. Greg was shaky in his first inning, but after that he settled down and pitched well,” he said. “I look for both of them to come out and throw good for us.”

The Cougars opened up the spring season Monday splitting a doubleheader against No. 25 Seward County Community College before falling twice to Barton County Community College.

Still, Jones said this team is on pace to repeat as regional champions.

“We did fairly well and we showed signs of being a really good ball club,” he said. “I thought defensively we played much better then what I anticipated. Offensively, we had a lot of good at bats and we had a lot of bad at bats. We show signs of being a good offensive team.”

Rasnic inks York's Ivey to letter of intent

From the York Times-Herald Website

YORK -- Thursday afternoon York High senior Josh Ivey put pen to paper, signing to play soccer with the Cougars of Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.

Ivey has been a very solid member of the Duke soccer team for a while now. His current coach Rich Saxer had high praise for him.

"He's one of our strongest players. Last year he was hampered by some injury problems, but if he stays healthy he will be a good college player," Saxer said.

Todd Rasnic, head coach at WNCC is excited about having Josh on the team. He said, "I first heard about him when he sent me a letter asking about the program. Then I asked around and a few of my colleagues recommended him. He really seems like a good fit for us. He has good character and he is the right size physically for our league."

The Cougars are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association and they are a division one team. According to Rasnic they are on the same talent level as an NCAA D2 team.

"Josh is a very good defender," Rasnic said. "Most kids I see are playing defense because they don't have much skill, but Josh is a good defender."

Ivey visited multiple schools in his search this year but he felt that Western was a good fit for him.

"It was snowy and cold when I visited but I could tell it was a nice campus. I think I'll just be there for two years and then I'll probably transfer somewhere," Ivey said. "I'm going to study business management."

Ivey also said that he is going to use his last high school season to build his strength and ability for his upcoming collegiate career.

WNCC women defeat NJC by 38, 87-49

Western Nebraska Community College’s Dana Iverson nailed two 3-pointers at the end of the first half was the momentum the Cougars needed in their contest against Northeastern Junior College Wednesday night.

Iverson’s two treys, closed out the first half and then the Cougars outscored the NJC 53-25 in the second half to breeze to an 87-49 win Wednesday night at Cougar Palace.

Iverson said this game is an indication of how this team should be playing night in and night out.

“I think we executed real well tonight,” Iverson, who finished with 14 points and 3-pointers, said. “We rebounded and we got back on defense. But, there are still a lot of things that we can still work on. How we play really reflects on how we practice during the week.”

Wednesday’s win was definitely a marked change in how the Cougars played last they faced NJC back in January. That night, the Plainswomen turned the trick on the Cougars, winning 79-61, Wednesday, it was all WNCC the last 25 minutes of the game.

Iverson said it is not a surprise that they won by 38 points over the 23-6 Plainswomen.

“They are a great team, but we just didn’t come to play last time we played them,” she said. “Tonight we just played how we knew we could play.”

Early in the game, it was a dogfight between the two Region IX foes. The teams were tied at 15 early on a Britney Creamer bucket. After that, the Cougars took over the game as Tawny Drexler converted on back-to-back buckets.

Seconds later, Alison Cheney and Emma Beddome each cashed in on buckets to put the Cougars up 23-16. After an NJC timeout, Guernsey-Sunrise’s Sara Conner knocked home a 3-pointer with 3:10 to play in the half.

WNCC came back and stretched the lead to 26-19 with 1:38 to play and seemed to be in control. But, the Plainswomen fought back on a trey by Kristy Henderson and a bucket by Saundra Procter to cut the deficit to two points, 26-24.

The Cougars then went on a 6-0 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Iverson, to take a 34-24 lead into the locker room.

“That run gave all the momentum to come out even stronger in the second half,” Iverson, who had nine points at halftime, said. “That helped us out a lot.”

The Cougars definitely did carry Iverson’s offensive momentum into the second half as they built a 43-26 lead on a Beddome 3-pointer and then increased the lead to 20 points on a Chelsea Lyles bucket with 15:05 to play.

After that NJC never could mount any kind of a rally as the Cougars were hitting on all cylinders on both ends of the court.

All 12 Cougars put their name in the scorebook as our players finished with double figures. Beddome led the charge with 15 points and five rebounds. Iverson and Cheney finished with 14 points each, followed by Shaquilah Davis with 10 points.

Kristen Forbes led the Plainswomen with 12 points. Guernsey-Sunrise’s Conner finished with six points before fouling out with 7:58 to play in the game.

The Cougars also out-rebounded the Plainswomen 60-46 and also generated 13 steals. Davis had led with four steals, while Beddome and Tawny Drexler each had five rebounds.

Iverson said that this game was definitely better then the last time they stepped on the floor Saturday when they beat Northeast Nebraska 56-54.

“We just need to have a good week of practice and keep working on our stuff,” she said. “If everyone can score and everyone plays defense, then we don’t worry about who scores the most, we just all come out hard and play good.”

The Cougars will finish out the home season on Saturday when they host Otero Junior College in a 1 p.m. contest. Iverson said that game will be emotional, but each game from here on out is important.

“I am excited for Saturday’s game for all the sophomores and freshmen. It is just another big game and every game from now on out is a big game,” she said. “From now on out is do or die. We have to go.”

Northeastern (23-6) 24 25 – 49
WNCC (24-4) 34 53 – 87
NORTHEASTERN COLORADO
Candace Ewert 3, Sarah Conner 6, Shorty Ramos 5, Britney Creamer 2, Kristen Forbes 9, Kristy Henderson 9, Jessica Priest 2, Taija Bennet 4, Saundra Proctor 6.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Cheri Palmer 5, Dana Iverson 14, Emma Beddome 15, Michelle Lighthall 2, SeLina Ysac 4, Shaquilah Davis 10, Alison Cheney 14, Tawny Drexler 9, Jenna Colwell 4, Eli Cosme-Gonzalez 2, Chelsea Lyles 6, Carly Glisan 2.

Scottsbluff's Duque inks with WNCC soccer

Western Nebraska Community College soccer coach Todd Rasnic didn’t have to look far in landing talent for next year’s men’s soccer team.

All he had to do was go a few blocks down the road to sign Scottsbluff’s Jesus Duque, who has been the heralded game-winning scorer for the Bearcat football and soccer teams. Duque, who signed a letter-of-intent on Tuesday to continue his playing with the Cougars, is excited for the opportunity to play college soccer.

“I choose WNCC because it is close and it is a good way to start my education and get my basics [classes] out of the way,” Duque said. “It is also a good club there to play on and get started.”

Duque played soccer for four years and football for three years. Duque hit clutch field goals for the Bearcat football team, including the game-winners against Gering this year. He also helped the Bearcats to the state soccer championships last spring, including a game-winning goal against Gering.

WNCC soccer coach Todd Rasnic said it is nice to get a player with the ability to finish the ball.

“The number one thing for me when I watch him in game situations is whenever they needed a goal, he gets them. That is a rare quality in a player, especially on a soccer field,” Rasnic said. “You have a lot of kids that come in and say they play forward but when it comes down to it, they can’t finish the ball. What Jesus will bring is someone that can back up the requirements of his position. College soccer is a little bit different pace, but from watching his speed on the field, we will be very happy with what he brings to WNCC.”

Duque said he just goes out and gives it his all on the competition field and gets the job done.

"It feels good to get those game-winning scores, and at the same time, there are no words to really explain how you feel,” he said. “You are just so excited that you did make that kick or that goal, you just feel inside of you that ‘I can’t believe I just did that.’”

Well, Duque will have plenty of opportunities to fine-tune his goal scoring during his senior season at Scottsbluff before he heads up the hill to play for WNCC. The Scottsbluff boys are currently going through conditioning for this season with the official first day of practice slated for Monday.

Scottsbluff first-year soccer coach Nate Rock said it is a pleasure to have someone of Duque’s demeanor on the team.

“Jesus is a fantastic player and I feel comfortable putting him at any position on the field,” he said. “He has a great work ethic and great leadership abilities. He is an all-around great player and has a great personality on the team. He brings a lot to the team.”

Duque said while he liked football, he was only thinking about playing soccer in college.

“Soccer was my main choice to play. I liked playing football, but at the same time I just didn’t feel it was the right place for me,” he said. “[This spring] I am looking forward to getting better as a player on the field, and I now Coach Rock will be helping the team with that.”

The one goal Duque has to help lead Scottsbluff to back-to-back state tournaments. The Bearcats have been to the state tournament two of the last three years, falling in last year’s first round to Lincoln Pius X 9-0. The Scottsbluff boys made their first appearance in 2005, falling to Mt. Michael-Benedictine in the first round 3-0.

Rasnic said Duque has a lot to offer the WNCC program. “Jesus has a lot to offer WNCC,” Rasnic said. “He is a player from watching him over the years that has continually gotten better. He works hard at what he does and I believe he takes a great amount of pride in the efforts he puts on the field.”

Rasnic is hoping to sign several more local players for next year’s Cougar men’s and women’s soccer teams.

“Ideally if I can build an entire team from Scottsbluff and Gering, that would be great,” the third-year head coach said. “It is a great thing from our community that we have from the youth level on up, that they have developed players that when they get to high school, they are able to compete well and compete at the state level. It is excellent for me that I can turn around in my own backyard and find one, two or three players a year that I can put on the WNCC squad and they can compete in our division, and they compete well.”

And Duque is excited to be a part of that soccer talent that comes from the Scottsbluff and Gering area.

“I am very excited to be going from Scottsbluff to WNCC,” he said. “I am sad that this is my last year of playing high school soccer, but at the same time I am looking forward to playing at WNCC.”

WNCC baseball drops doubleheader to Barton County

Contributed by JEREMY WOZNICK, Star-Herald Sports Reporter

GREAT BEND, Kan. - The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader with Barton County Community College Tuesday in Great Bend, Kan.

The Cougars, who split their season-opening doubleheader at Seward County Community College on Monday, lost a tight 6-5 decision in game one Tuesday against Barton County before falling 11-3 in game two.

Despite the setbacks, WNCC coach Mike Jones saw plenty of positives from his young ball club in both games.

"We saw plenty of positives in both games," Jones said. "Even though the score was kind of lopsided in the second game, offensively we put together a pretty good ball game. We just stranded a lot of base runners. We didn't pitch very well and we played poor defensively in the second game.

"The first game was a very good ball game. We got out to an early lead, but after that we just made a lot of young mistakes throughout the rest of the game offensively by being a little too aggressive and running into some outs."

In the first game, WNCC scored four runs in the first inning en route to holding a 5-3 lead after two innings. The Cougars continued to hold that lead until the bottom of the fifth when Barton County scratched across a pair of runs to tie the game before scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth.

Freshman Norbert Susini led WNCC offensively in the game by going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double. Carlos Garcia added a hit and drove in two runs for the Cougars. WNCC finished the game with just four hits while Barton County pounded out 15.

Todd Stachura started the contest on the mound for WNCC and got a no decision. He struck out three in 4 2/3 innings. Victor Rubio was credited with the loss.
In game two, WNCC pounded out a season high 11 hits. The Cougars plated a pair of runs in the first to take a 2-0 lead, but Barton County answered with a nine spot in the second to take the lead for good.

Kyler Edgehouse took the loss on the mound for WNCC. He struck out two in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Offensively for WNCC, Rich Miller went 3-for-4 with a run batted in. Greg Crowe went 2-for-3 while Garcia, David Monteagudo and Dustin Javins all had doubles.

WNCC finished its season-opening road trip 1-3. The Cougars are scheduled to host Miles City Community College in a doubleheader in their home opener Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

"It was great to just get out and play," Jones said. "We played two really good ball clubs and it was nice to just get out there and let everybody see the speed of the game. I saw a lot of good things in the four games we played. For the most part, we played really good defense until the fourth game. Our infield was solid and our pitching was OK at times. So, I got a chance to evaluate quite a bit and our team got a chance to just play."

Game 1
WNCC                   410 000 0 - 5 4 1
Barton County       300 021 x - 6 15 2
LP - Victor Rubio (0-1).
2B - Norbert Susini.
Game 2
WNCC (1-3)           200 001 0 - 3 11 3
Barton County        090 002 x - 11 9 1
LP - Kyler Edgehouse (0-1).
2B - Carlos Garcia, David Monteagudo, Dustin Javins.

WNCC basketball teams host NJC, Denver Broncos cheerleaders Wednesday

The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams have just two more home games left in their season and Wednesday night will be one of the biggest of the season against Northeastern Junior College.

Wednesday night, though, will be more then just basketball as the several members of the Denver Bronco cheerleaders will perform and sign autographs. Action tips off at 5:30 p.m. with the women’s game followed by the men’s game at 7:30.

“Wednesday night should be a fun evening for the entire family,” athletic director Jennifer Pedersen said. “NJC is bringing a tremendous amount of talent to Cougar Palace and both Cougar teams will have to work hard to secure wins. We are also excited to have the Broncos Cheerleaders with us for the evening. This will help us have a unique half-time entertainment package for all the spectators.”

Pedersen said there is special admission for this game because of the Broncos cheerleaders. Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens. No passes will be accepted, Pedersen said.

On top of two intense basketball games and the bronco cheerleaders, Pedersen said that the Gering Up third grade boys basketball teams will perform at halftime of the women’s game. Plus Platte Valley Companies will be hosting shooting contests throughout the night during timeouts.

“The cheerleaders will be performing at half-time and talking about the organization as well as their careers,” Pedersen said. “Then, they will be signing autographs after the men's game.”

As for the games themselves, the NJC men enter Wednesday’s contest leading Region IX with a 26-3 record and have won 13 straight games, including a 106-84 win over the Cougars earlier this season. The NJC women are also looking to make a clean sweep over the Cougar women after winning 79-61 last month in Sterling, Colo.

The NJC women enter the contest with a 23-5 record. The Cougar women, however, are playing much better since the last time the two Region IX juggernauts faced off. WNCC is 23-4 on the season and have won six straight contests.

“Both teams are extremely skilled this year,” Pedersen said of the NJC teams. “The women’s team has a number of skilled freshmen and the men’s team is returning from a regional title they won last year on this court.”

Pedersen said it should be a good game this time around, considering both Cougar teams are playing well. Plus, she said, the home crowd should be in their favor.

“Our main strength will be our home court and our home crowd,” she said. “Our kids really feed off of positive energy from the crowd, and I think this is just what we need. Also, both teams are playing well at this point in the year and we need to keep the momentum as we finish off the week.”

After Wednesday’s contest, the Cougar teams will wrap up the home campaign with after games on Saturday. The women will entertain Otero Junior College at 1 p.m. followed by the men taking on Lamar Community College at 3 p.m. Both Cougar teams will conclude the regular season on Feb. 27 when they travel to Eastern Wyoming College.

“As a coaching staff, we never really think past the next game. We really try to keep the kids focused on where we need to be next, not where we want to end up,” Pedersen said. “But, for the women’s game, the players need to bring defensive intensity to the gall game. Our team cannot afford to be stagnate at anytime over the course of 40 minutes. We really must play together and capitalize on the turnovers.”

WNCC men take down North Platte 66-63

Defensive stops is what Western Nebraska Community College first-year coach Brian Joyce preaches to his players, and on President’s Day evening, the Cougars put together a 2-minute defensive stand at the end of the game to knock off North Platte Community College 66-63 at Cougar Palace.

“I thought our defense was much better down the stretch then it has been in other games,” Joyce said. “Sometimes you are not going to make shots and you just have to make stops. And this game was about getting stops at the end.

“We got stops time after time for a four minute span, where we didn’t have scores on either end. I think our guys hung in there. That is what we work on in practice and it was a good confidence builder for our guys defensively.

The win was the Cougar’s 15^th on the season and puts the Cougars 4-2 in sub-region play, giving them the No. 2 seed in next months’ Region IX tournament. North Platte drops to 19-8 on the year and 5-1 in the East sub-region. While WNCC couldn’t garner the No. 1 seed no matter the outcome, the Cougars win avenges a sub-region loss to the Knights from earlier in the season, 87-72.

“I thought this game was different from earlier in the year when teams would go on a run and then we would start to take quicker shots, stop moving the ball, and stop playing together,” Joyce said. “Tonight we hung in there, being solid and putting ourselves in a position to stay in the game. Eventually it comes down to the end of the game about getting stops and we were fortunate to do that.”

The Cougars found themselves behind the eight-ball on several occasions on the night. In the first half, the Knights forged out to a 7-point lead on back-to-back buckets by Eugene Parker, 34-27.

WNCC didn’t fold as they clawed their way back into the contest, going on a 10-4 run to trail 38-37 at intermission.

North Platte came out of the locker room with back-to-back buckets by Eugene Bain, including an in-your-face-dunk to put the Knights up 42-37.

The Cougars settled down taking the lead at 17:31 on a Drew Eisinger bucket. Seconds later Drew’s brother, Jamie, nailed a fade-away jumper to put WNCC up 45-42. Both teams kept battling like two boxers as each time the Cougars got up by four points, the Knights came back, tying the game three times. In fact, there were seven ties and six lead changes throughout the game.

North Platte’s Bain tied the game for the last time at 59 with two minutes to play. WNCC came right back and worked the ball to an wide open Kelvin Franklin in the left corner for his third trey of the game to put WNCC up 62-59.

After a North Platte bucket off an offensive rebound, WNCC came back to salt the game away. First Deividus Busma was fouled on an offensive rebound with 52.3 seconds to play. Busma nailed one of two free throws.

The Cougars got a big stop on defense and Franklin drove the lane with 26 seconds to play to put WNCC up 65-61. The Knights then missed a 3-pointer and Drew Eisinger hauled in the rebound and was fouled with 13.5 seconds. Eisinger made one of two free throws before Bain nailed a shot at the buzzer to close the contest to within three.

The two teams were fairly even on the night as North Platte shot 41 percent from the field compared to 45 percent for WNCC. Both teams also nailed four 3-pointers. WNCC did out-rebound the Knights 39-33 as Busma hauled in 10 boards. Bain had 12 boards for the Knights.

WNCC had just two players in double figures. Franklin led the way with 17 points followed by Chris Hamblin with 12.

North Platte had four players in double figures. Bain led the way with a double-double, collecting 19 points and 12 rebounds. Joseph Odugbela followed with 17 points with Parker and Andrew Hanson finishing with 12 and 11 points respectively.

The Cougars will have little time to enjoy the win as they host Northeastern Junior College on Wednesday night in a men’s and women’s doubleheader. The night will also be special as members of the Denver Bronco cheerleaders will be attendance performing at halftime

Joyce said his team will be ready to face his old college.

“I think our guys are excited about it. It will be a great atmosphere here and the people will be fired up,” he said. “I know our guys will be. Hopefully we can continue and get some momentum going into the next few games. We will have to play a lot better and have everybody on the same page. As long as we have every body on the same page, we will be fine.”

North Platte (19-8) 38 25 – 63
WNCC (15-12) 37 29 – 66
NORTH PLATTE
Eugene Parker 12, Andrew Hanson 11, Quinton Spivey 4, Joseph Odugbela 15, Eugene Bain 19.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Jamie Eisinger 4, Daniel Smith 8, Kelvin Franklin 17, Lloyd Hickinson 4, Drew Eisinger 9, Deividas Busma 9, Chris Hamblin 12, Doradji Wilson 3.

WNCC baseball splits season-opener with No. 25 Seward County

LIBERAL, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team opened the season splitting a doubleheader Monday against Seward County Community College.

The Cougar men were blanked in game one 6-0 before picking up a 5-4, nine-inning thriller in game two. It was the season-opener for both teams.

In the Cougars second game win against No. 25 Seward County, WNCC scored four times in the fourth inning on a two-run single by sophomore Greg Crowe to take a 4-0 lead. The Saints came back and tied the game at 4-4 with four runs in the sixth inning.

WNCC won the game in the ninth inning. David Monteagudo led things off with a single. Josh Kruber then sacrificed Monteagudo to second. Luis Capriles ripped a 2-out single Monteagudo with the go-ahead run.

The Cougars’ Jackson Salazar and Jeff Fauss shut down the Saints in the eighth and ninth innings with Salazar getting the win and Fauss the save. Eric Bissonette started the game and got the no decision.

The Cougars scattered eight hits in the win while giving up six.

In the opener, WNCC out-hit Seward County 5-4, but couldn’t scratch across any runs over home plate. Crowe took the loss, throwing four innings, giving up four runs with one strike out.

WNCC will be back in action Tuesday when they take on Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. The Cougars are then scheduled to host Miles Community College in doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday at Cleveland Field.

Game One
WNCC 000 000 0 – 0 5 3
Seward 300 030 x – 6 4 1
L – Greg Crow

Game Two
WNCC (1-1) 000 400 001 – 5 8 1
Seward (1-1) 000 004 000 – 4 6 0
WP – Jackson Salazar, Save – Jeff Fauss.

WNCC men, women topple Northeast Nebraska

The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team led from start to finish in securing the No. 2 seed from the East Sub-region with an impressive 81-52 win over Northeast Community College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.

While the men breezed to their 14^th win of the season, the Cougar women had a bit tougher contest, earning a 56-54 win over Northeast Community College.

WNCC men’s coach Brian Joyce said his team’s first half play was the difference.

“Defensively, we played as well as we have. We came out and had a lot of juice and a lot of energy,” he said. “We were really disciplined with our rotations, keeping the ball in front of us. We made it difficult for them to make shots.”

The Cougars definitely were in control of the game from the get-go, and it was the play of 6-foot-11 Deivides Busma early that paved the way. The big man scored eight of the team’s first 11 points for an 11-4 lead.

Northeast did, however, fight back in slicing the Cougar lead to 16-14 on a turnaround 3-pointer by Justin Heng with 10 minutes to play in the opening half. WNCC’s Kelvin Franklin wasted little time as he came back and trilled a 3-pointer of his own. The Cougars then went on a 25-4 run to take a 41-20 lead into the locker room.

Northeast couldn’t get closer then 18 points in the second half, giving WNCC the win.

WNCC placed three players in double figures. Franklin led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds. Busma also collected a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Smith finished with 10 points and seven assists.

The big statistic for the Cougars came on the rebounding end, outboarding the Hawks 58-36. WNCC also out shot Northeast 49 percent from the field to 28 percent.

“I thought it was a real team effort. I thought our guys got after it. We shared the ball and we played very, very unselfish. It is nice to see that at the end of the year,” Joyce said. “We have been getting better. It is just sometimes you are not rewarded when you get better with a win. Right now our margin of error is really small, so it was good for our guys to work hard and be awarded for it.”

While the Cougar men breezed to an easy win, the Cougar women were in a dog-fight. WNCC held a 56-50 lead with 2:06 to play on a Chelsea Lyles 3-pointer. But the Cougars couldn’t put the Hawks away as they sliced the lead to two points on two free throws by Jennifer Heiler with just under a minute to play.

WNCC then missed a 3-pointer attempt with 23 seconds to play. Northeast brought the ball down only to be whistled for an offensive foul with 9.3 second left.

The Cougars couldn’t salt away the win as they missed a free throw with 8.2 seconds. That was when freshman Jenna Colwell saved the game for the Cougars, stealing the to give the Cougars their 23^rd win of the season.

WNCC women’s coach Dave Harnish said they were lucky to get the win. He was also scratching his head for clues of why his team turned in the performance they did after a big win over Casper on Tuesday.

“This win is really disappointing because I thought the last couple of weeks we were playing well. The intensity level has been there and the defense has been there,” Harnish said. “We made a lot of mistakes defensively tonight. We are very fortunate to come away with a win. . Once again, it came down to why from the big win in Casper where we were very sound and focused and we didn’t do that today. It almost caught us.”

WNCC’s Emma Beddome was the big gun for the Cougars, scoring 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Beddome also had five rebounds and two steals.

The other key to the win was the Cougars depth. WNCC’s bench outscored the Hawks 25-12 on the night, led by Carly Glisan and Shaquilah Davis with eight points each. Gilsan also had two treys on the night.

The Cougar men will be back in action Monday night when they host North Platte at 7:30 p.m.

Northeast 31 23 — 54
WNCC (23-4) 35 21 — 56
NOTHEAST
Jasmine Lovejoy 14, Mairead McNally 9, Elisha Foley 2, Alexis Hubriger 6, Deja Watson 13, Brittany Reeg 2, Raelene Buschow 1, Jennifer Heiler 4, Whitley Smiley 3.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Dana Iverson 6, Emma Beddome 16, SeLina Ysac 6, Shaquilah Davis 8, Tawny Drexler 2, Jenna Colwell 3, Chelsea Lyles 7, Carly Iverson 8.

Northeast 20 32 — 52
WNCC (14-12) 41 40 — 81
NORTHEAST
DeAndre Jones 8, Justin Heng 5, Robert Pogue 15, Denykco Bowles 4, Colten Delong 2, Jason Snow 10, Oneil Mangal 2, Brett Shively 4, Archie Boyd 2.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Jamie Eisinger 8, Daniel Smith 10, Oscar Cartwright 6, Kelvin Franklin 19, Lloyd Hickinson 8, Drew Eisinger 3, Deividas Busma 15, Chris Hamblin 5, Doradji Wilson 1, Devin West 4, Terrell Price 2.

WNCC baseball, softball weekend games postponed until Monday and Tuesday

The Western Nebraska Community College baseball and softball teams had their weekend games in Kansas postponed.

The Cougar baseball were suppose to open up Saturday at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. Instead, the defending IX champs will open their season Monday at Seward County Community College. The team will then face Barton County on Monday.

The softball team, 4-3 on the season, will face Dodge City Community College and Garden City Community College on Monday and Tuesday. They were scheduled to play the Kansas schools on Saturday and Sunday.

WNCC women defeat Casper by holding the T-birds to 36 points, Cougar men fall 77-68 after holding 10-point first-half lead

The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team continues to play well defensively, and Tuesday night they just that holding Casper to just 36 points in posting a 57-36 win on the road.

The men, however, couldn’t hold on to a 10-point first half lead in falling to the T-bird men 77-68. It was the men’s fifth loss in the last six games.

The women, on the other hand, have held its opponents to under 40 points in three of the last four games, and even then, the other game was a 77-44 win over McCook Community College. Tuesday’s game ties the lowest offensive output by a Casper team against WNCC when the Cougars held Casper to 36 points in the 2005 regional tourney championship game.

Assistant coach Jennifer Pedersen said this is the best team has played all year.

“Tonight’s game was the best that we have played all year,” she said. “We were down three starters with Alison [Cheney] home sick, Chelsea [Lyles] home for a family emergency and Tawny [Drexler] going down early in the first half with an injury. Defensively, we played a stellar game and we got good play from a lot of different people.”

Pedersen said what makes this win huge is the fact they rarely win at Casper, including falling int he Region IX championship game last year.

“We have only won three games in the last 20 games at Casper, so this win is a good accomplishment,” she said. “They are playing right like the way we want them to.”

Tuesday’s game was a total Cougar domination as they led from start to finish and used a good combination of inside and outside shooting in posting the win.

The Cougars placed just two players in double figures, led by Dana Iverson with 15 points including three 3-pointers. Also collecting double digits was Jenna Colwell with 11 points.

WNCC out-rebounded Casper by 20, 42-22. Iverson paced the team with nine rebounds followed by Colwell with eight and Shaquilah Davis with six.

WNCC ran out to an 18-9 lead on a Iverson trey and then widened the lead to 23-12 with just over three minutes to play on another Iverson 3-pointer. WNCC led 25-18 at halftime.

The Cougars continued playing well as Iverson canned her third 3-pointer on the night to open the second quarter. WNCC then practically salted away the win when Carly Glisan nailed a long-range 3-pointer with time running down on the shot clock for a 42-29 lead.

WNCC’s defensive pressure limited Casper to just 29 percent shooting.

While the Cougar women were dominating, the Cougar men had a much tougher contest against the T-bird men. WNCC held a 10-point lead for much of the first half, including a 38-28 lead late on a Daniel Smith bucket. Casper, though, came storming back slicing the halftime lead to 38-35.

WNCC coach Brian Joyce said his team played well for most of the first half, despite being short-handed.

“We played really well for the first 16 minutes of the game,” he said. “Then, we started to do things individually and got away from playing as a team.”

The second half was a blood bath with the teams trading leads left and right. WNCC led late, 60-57 on a Lloyd Hickinson bucket, but Casper came storming back going on a 20-8 run to claim the win.

Still, Joyce said they had plenty of opportunities to win the game.

“With four minutes to play we still were in the game and we came done and made some mistakes,” he said. “We should have played better and we should have won.”

The difference in the game was shooting. Casper’s Jeremiah Wilson finished the night with 26 points, including going 6-of-7 from the 3-point line. The T-birds finished the game nailing 11-of-17 3-pointers for the game (64 percent), while the Cougars were a dismal 7-of-26 or 26 percent.

The Cougars had four players in double figures. Oscar Cartwright and Kelvin Franklin paced the team with 17 points each. Daniel Smith also chipped in 14 points followed by Deividas Busma with 10 points.

Both Cougar teams will be back in action Saturday afternoon when they host Northeast (Neb.) Community College in sub-region action. The women’s game tips off at 1 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 3 p.m.

Women’s Game
Casper 18 18 – 36
WNCC 25 32 – 57
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Dana Iverson 15, Emma Beddome 2, SeLina Ysac 5, Jenna Colwell 11, Tawny Drexler 4, Michelle Lighthall 3, Carly Glisan 9, Shaquilah Davis 6, Eli Cosme-Gonzalez 2.

Men’s Game
Casper 35 42 – 77
WNCC 38 30 – 68
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Daniel Smith 14, Oscar Cartwright 17, Kelvin Franklin 17, Lloyd Hickinson 8, Deividas Busma 10, Terrell Price 2.

Gering's Blomenkamp to play volleyball at WNCC

Western Nebraska Community College volleyball coach Chris Green went back to the high school he graduated from to land another volleyball player for next season.

And he didn’t have to go far – just over the river bridge – as Gering’s Brooke Blomenkamp has elected to play volleyball for the Cougars for the next two seasons.

Blomenkamp, who has been conditioning with the Cougars in the evening, said it wasn’t a difficult choice at all to attend WNCC.

“Playing here was pretty much always in my mind. I didn’t want to go too far off,” she said. “It really wasn’t a hard decision.”

The decision to come to WNCC was made easy since Blomenkamp has been watching the Cougars since she was a youngster. Plus, playing for a national championship team added some enticement.

“I have always watched them play because my dad [Neal] has always taken me to the games. I have always been a big fan,” she said. “There will be some pressure playing here, but I think it will be a lot of fun.”

Blomenkamp will be joining her high school teammate Whitney Roth next year on the Cougars. Roth signed on to be a Cougar back in November. Blomenkamp is looking forward to improving her volleyball skills under Green, a AVCA regional coach of the year.

“I hope this makes me better so I can go to a bigger school to play. It will also keep me in shape for later years,” she said. “I am real excited to be starting a new chapter.”

Gering finished last season with an 18-10 record, including an 11-1 start, which included wins against Scottsbluff, Gordon-Rushville and North Platte.

Blomenkamp was played varsity three years for the Bulldogs, and it was her junior year that the 5-8 hitter shined the most.

“I leaped up a lot during my junior year, and during my senior year I kind of hit a plateau,” she said. “I hope to jump another level playing here.

Blomenkamp will be Green’s seventh Gering High school player on the squad. Green said recruiting locally is always a plus.

“It is always nice to have local players interested in WNCC,” he said. “To get them to play here always benefits our team and the local interest in our team.”

Green is looking at the left-handed Blomenkamp to play a right-side hitter position.

“She did very well for Gering High School and with some hard work and dedication, I think she has the athletic ability to succeed,” he said.

Blomenkamp also participated on the track and field team at Gering, but has decided to forgo that sport to concentrate on her volleyball skills.

“I think there are high expectations coming here, especially when you look at the level of play,” she said. “I think the talent will be good next year and I think we will stay up there.”

Green also has added four other recruits for next season. They include 5-8 outside hitter Lucy Ann Serrano of San Juan, Puerto Rico; 5-9 outside hitter/defensive specialist Cami Wiemer of Ft. Morgan, Colo., and 5-8 setter Naomi Flinders of Provo, Utah. The fourth is a transfer from Colby Community College, 6-1 Paloma Alvarez of Manati, Puerto Rico, who is enrolled at WNCC this semester.

WNCC softball team claims two games Saturday in final day of Odessa Tourney

ODESSA, Texas — The Western Nebraska Community College softball team found the long ball to their liking as the team hit three more home runs to push their season total to eight as the Cougars wrapped up the Odessa Tournament with two victories Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars blanked Howard College 9-0 in Saturday’s opener before earning a 7-5, 8-inning win against No. 22 Odessa College.

Freshman Kelsey Garner picked up both wins in the circle to help the No. 11 WNCC softball team to a 4-3 record after the opening weekend. Garner pitched a gem in game one, scattering three hits and striking out three.

In the second game, Garner came in relief of Natasha Dypchey and helped the Cougars to the extra-inning victory. Dypchey allowed six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 of work, while Garner allowed three hits and struck out five for her fourth win of the season.

“We played really good defense and our offense strung things together in the first game,” head coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “In the second game, we stayed in the game and pulled out the win in extra innings.”

Against Howard, Amanda Hensley was the hitting star of game one, blasting two home runs to spark the Cougars offense. Hensley blasted a lead-off home run and then had another in an 8-run fifth inning. Hensley finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Lauren Bourdon also collected multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

The Cougars then found a way to win against the host school, Odessa. Alec Voci put the Cougars ahead with a 2-run, 2-inning home run. The Cougars went up 5-3 in the fourth as Hensley unleashed a 3-run double.

The teams were tied 5-5 after seven innings. In the extra frame and with international tie-breaker rules in affect, Jessie McNabb hit a run-scoring double, followed by Allie Griffin scoring a run on a fielder’s choice.

Voci paced the Cougars with a 2-for-3 performance, including a home run, single, two runs scored and two RBIs. McNabb also went 2-for-3 with a double, run scored and RBI, followed by Bourdon with a 2-for-4 game, including two runs scored and two singles.

WNCC will return to action this weekend when they travel to face Dodge City Community College and Garden City Community College.

First game
WNCC 100 08 — 9 10
Howard 000 00 — 0 3
WP — Garner; 2B — Bourdon; HR — Hensley 2.

Second game
WNCC (4-3) 020 300 02 — 7
Odessa 102 101 00 — 5
WP — Garner; 2B — Hensley, McNabb; HR – Voci.

WNCC women easily defeat Lamar Community College

Emma Beddome knew that Western Nebraska Community College's game against Lamar Community College on Saturday was a perfect chance for the Cougars to tune up for a big contest Tuesday against Casper College.

As it turned out, WNCC couldn't have asked for a much better performance, as Beddome and her teammates executed their game plan well while posting an 89-37 win.

"Actually, this game wasn't too bad," said the 6-foot Beddome, a sophomore from Melbourne, Australia. "We thought it was going to be a lot slower pace than what it was. Lamar came out and actually pushed the ball, which is good because we like to have a fast-paced game rather than a slow-paced game."

The Cougars dominated from start to finish in posting their 21st victory of the season. Beddome led all scorers with 15 points. She also dished out six assists and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

WNCC dished out 19 assists as a team and placed six players in double-figure scoring.

"In games like these, we just like to get the ball around so everyone can contribute to the game," Beddome said. "They weren't very tall, so we felt we could get it in every single time. That is what we did."

WNCC pounded the ball inside with authority. Post player Tawny Drexler finished the night with a double-double, collecting 14 points and 10 rebounds. Drexler even sizzled from the free-throw line, nailing 6 of 8.

Also collecting double digit scoring were Alison Cheney with 12 points and SeLina Ysac, Carly Glisan and Jenna Colwell with 10 points each.

The story of the day, though, was WNCC's pressure defense.

"When we start out in a full-court defense, we do really well," she said. "If we start in a half-court defense, we seem to have our troubles. So, it was good that we started out in full court."

WNCC led just 5-3 before the Cougars went on a 19-0 run to lead 24-3. Lamar's Alicia Smith stopped the run with just over 13 minutes left in the first half with a bucket.

WNCC, however, continued to stay in control and went up 44-18 at halftime. The Cougars opened the second half with a 14-0 run, capped by a Beddome bucket. At that point, it was 58-18 with 14:30 to play.

WNCC will look to keep its momentum going strong when it travels to Casper on Tuesday night. Beddome said the Cougars need to get focused for a team that defeated Northeastern Junior College 55-54 on Friday.

"They will be pumped to come out to play us. It will be a tough game. Casper is a tough place to play, especially with their crowd. We just need to focus and come out strong."
The men's basketball game that was originally scheduled for Saturday against North Platte Community College was moved to Monday, Feb. 18.

Lamar (2-21) 18 19 - 37
WNCC (21-4) 44 45 -89
LAMAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Kathryn Clouser 6, Enid Sanchez 3, Christina Belone 2, Chelsea Choate 2, Donni Smith 3, Sarah Beshears 4, Alicia Smith 12, Artra Griffin 5.
WESTERN NEBRASKA C.C.
Dana Iverson 4, Emma Beddome 15, Michelle Lighthall 5, SeLina Ysac 10, Shaquilah Davis 7, Alison Cheney 12, Tawny Drexler 14, Jenna Colwell 10, Eli Cosme-Gonzalez 2, Carly Gliasn 10.

WNCC softball goes 1-2 in first day of Odessa Tournament

ODESSA, Texas — The Western Nebraska Community College softball team went 1-2 in the first day of the Odessa Tournament Friday.

The Cougars, who are pre-season ranked 11^th in the nation, opened with a 6-2 win over No. 30 Navarro College before suffering close set backs to No. 4 Midland College 5-3 and Western Texas State 4-3.

In the opener, the Cougars out-hit Navarro 10-2, and received two home runs. Allie Griffin slapped a two-run shot, while Amanda Hensley nailed a solo home run. It was both players’ second home run on the season.

WNCC’s Kelsey Garner picked up her second win of the season in the circle, scattering two hits while allowing two runs. She also struck out 10 batters.

The Cougars then fell to Midland College out of Texas 5-3 in a close battle. WNCC trailed 5-0 heading into the seventh inning before mounting a comeback. Hensley got things started with a single followed by a double by Lauren Bourdon. Both runners scored on a single by Garner. McNabb then slapped a single to score Garner for the final run.

Offensively, Jessie McNabb led the team with a 2-for-4 performance, while Lauren Bourdon went 1-for-2 with a double. Griffin took the loss in the circle.

WNCC finished out the day falling to Western Texas 4-3 in the seventh inning. WNCC grabbed a 2-0 lead after one inning, only to fall behind 3-2 after four innings. WNCC added a single run in the fifth to tie the game before falling in the bottom of the seventh.

McNabb and Hensley each collected two hits in the game. McNabb had a double, single, two stolen bases and a RBI, while Hensley also had a double.

WNCC will finish the tournament today with two games at 12 and 2 p.m. against Howard College and Odessa College.

First Game

WNCC 014 010 0 — 6 6
Navarro 200 000 0 — 2 2
WP — Garner; HR — Griffin, Hensley.

Second Game

WNCC 000 000 3 — 3 4
Midland 100 121 x — 5 10
LP — Griffin; 2B — Bourdon.

Third Game

WNCC 200 010 0 — 3 7
West Texas 030 100 1 — 4 8
LP — Garner; 2B — McNabb, Hensley.

WNCC softball splits contests against Frank Phillips

BORGER, Texas – The Western Nebraska Community College softball team opened their season splitting games Thursday afternoon against Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas.

The Cougar women, who are pre-season ranked No. 11 in the country, suffered a 6-4 loss in the opener before rebounding with a 7-5 win in the second game of the twinbill.

“You could tell they had the jitters especially with the pre-season ranking and trying to live up to everyone’s expectations,” head coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “In the second game, we started hitting the ball a lot better and Kelsey Garner had a good outing in the circle, picking up her first collegiate win.”

WNCC pounded out 10 hits in scoring the seven runs in the team’s first victory of the season. The Cougars also used the long ball twice in collecting the win – a 2-run, 7th-inning shot by Allie Griffin and a solo dinger by Amanda Hensley in the second inning.

The Cougars trailed 2-0 after one inning and then Hensley put the Cougars on the scoreboard with her first home run of the season. WNCC took the lead in the third with two runs, 3-2. With two outs, Alec Voci and Jessie McNabb singled, and then both scored on a Kayli Allen double.

Frank Phillips retook the lead 4-3 in the fourth inning, but it was short-lived as the Cougars plated two runs each in the fifth and seventh inning. Allen and Griffin started things with back-to-back singles. Kara Ryman then had a run-scoring sacrifice followed by a Hensley run-scoring single.

Allen started things in the seventh by reaching on a single. She later scored on Griffin’s 2-run home run to put WNCC up 7-4.

Allen paced the Cougars with a 3-for-4 game, including two runs scored, two RBIs, and a double. Griffin and Hensley each added two hits. Griffin had two runs scored, two RBIs, a home run and a stolen base; while Hensley had four runs scored, two RBIs and a home run.

Garner, the freshman from Saskatchewan, Canada, collected the win scattering five hits, while striking out four and walking none.

In the opener, the Cougars fell short, giving up two big innings to Frank Phillips. The Lady Plainsmen scored three times each in the third and sixth innings for their six runs. WNCC, showed some offense, putting up a three-spot in the fifth inning.

Kelsi Baldwin led off by reaching base on an error. She later scored on a Voci 2-run home run for the Cougars first runs of the season. McNabb scored the third run, racing home on a Ryman single to tie the game at 3-3.

WNCC added a single run in the seventh as Mandy Pounds singled and scored on a Voci single.

Voci was the only Cougar to register multiple hits. Voci, the freshman from Colorado Springs, Colo., went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and RBIs. Winn-Ratliff also said that Voci’s defense in centerfield was stellar, recording two diving catches.

Natasha Dypchey took the loss in the circle, allowing nine hits, four earned runs, one strikeout and two walks.

WNCC, 1-1, will be back in action today when they compete in the 2-day Odessa Tournament in Odessa, Texas. The Cougars will face Navarro College at 8 a.m., Midland College at 10 a.m. and West Texas at 5 p.m., before facing Howard College and Odessa College on Saturday.

First Game
WNCC 000 030 1 – 4 8 2
Frank Phillips 003 003 x – 6 9 4
LP – Natasha Dypchey (0-1), 2B – Alec Voci; HR – Voci.

Second Game
WNCC (1-1) 012 020 2 – 7 10
Frank Phillips 201 100 1 – 5 6
WP – Kelsey Garner (1-0); 2B – Kayli Allen; HR – Allie Griffin, Amanda Hensley.

WNCC men split sub-region contests over the weekend

The Western Nebraska Community College split a pair of East Sub-region games over the weekend, dropping an 87-72 game to North Platte Community College and before bettering McCook Community College 90-83.

The win against McCook snapped a four-losing skid for the Cougars, pushing their record to 13-11 on the season and 2-2 in sub-regional play.

WNCC held a 47-44 lead at halftime against McCook and pulled away in the second half. Three Cougars finished with 20 or more points in the win. Kelvin Franklin led the way with 25 points, including two 3-pointers. Franklin was also 11-of-16 from the free throw line and five assists. Daniel Smith also finished with 22 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe, while Deividas Busma had 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field.

Drew Eisinger also picked up double-digit scoring, collecting 12 points including two 3-pointers.

The win Saturday was much needed after the Cougar’s came on Friday, where they fell 87-72 to the Knights of North Platte. The Knights led 44-36 at halftime and out-rebounded the Cougars 31-21. Both teams did shot the ball well, with North Platte hitting on 57 percent of their shots, including seven 3-pointers, while the Cougars shot 56 percent.

WNCC had six players hit double figures. Smith led the way with 17 points including a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Also netting double figures were Lloyd Hickinson with 12 points, Franklin, Eisinger and Oscar Cartwright with 11 points each, and Busma with 10 points.

WNCC will be off until Feb. 16 when they host Northeast Community College in an afternoon contest.

Friday’s Game
WNCC 36 36 – 72
North Platte 44 43 – 87
NORTH PLATTE
Eugene Parker 9, Andrew Hanson 13, Quinton Spivey 2, Joseph Odugbela 27, Jacob Brandl 9, Eurick Newbill 3, Eugene Bain 18, Jerry Vaughn-Taylor 6.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Daniel Smith 17, Oscar Cartwright 11, Kelvin Franklin 11, Lloyd Hickinson 12, Drew Eisinger 11, Devidas Busma 10.

Saturday’s Game
WNCC 47 43 – 90
McCook 44 39 – 83
McCOOK COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Luvonte Rhines 26, Trey Mosby 19, Jared Deal 8, Lionell Robinson 6, Manuel Cook 6, Javoiun Martin 5, Ronnell Grant 4, Leon Kirkland 4, Russell Ridlen 3, Josh Fanslow 2.
WESTERN NEBRASKA
Kelvin Franklin 25, Daniel Smith 22, Devidas Busma 20, Drew Eisinger 12, Lloyd Hickinson 4, Oscar Cartwright 3, Chris Hamblin 2, Jamie Eisinger 2.

WNCC softball enters season ranked No. 11 in pre-season poll

The Western Nebraska Community College softball team will have something extra special to play for when they open the season next week in Texas.

The Cougars, who finished last season with a 36-21 record, are the 11^th ranked team in the National Junior College Athletic Association pre-season softball poll that was released Friday.

The ranking marks the first time a Cougar softball team has made an appearance in the national polls. It also means the team has plenty to play for during the season.

“It is a good accomplishment to be ranked that high,” sophomore Whittany Foster said. “It is something to be the first team [in softball] at Western Nebraska to do this because no other teams have done this.”

The ranking, in fact, comes at a surprise to the team. Sophomore pitcher Natasha Dypchey of British Columbia, Canada, didn’t realize that this honor was a possibility this early in the season.

“It is pretty amazing to be ranked,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting it and I don’t think any of us were this year. We are going to go in and get our job done and play Cougar softball.”

Sophomore pitcher Jessica Pexton said, the team won’t let the ranking go to their head and they will not change how they practice or play.

“We are still going to practice the same and play games equally hard as we have been,” she said. “It is really amazing and I like being ranked.”

Dypchey said that the team chemistry is one of the reasons they have gelled as a unit the last two years.

“We have really good team chemistry [from last year], which I think we are carrying on into this year,” she said. “We practice hard and do everything that coach tells us to do with no questions asked. We just hustle wherever we go and stick to the game plan that she gives us.”

The Cougars will see just how good they are next weekend when they will face three other ranked teams at the Odessa Tournament Friday and Saturday. The Cougars will will tangle with Midland College, Odessa College and Navarro. Before that tourney, the team will open up on Thursday facing Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas.

Garden City Community College, who the Cougars play later this month, is ranked 17th in the nation. Also, defending Region IX champions Otero Junior College comes in at No. 20.

Eastern Arizona College, 46-15 a year ago, is the top team in the pre-season polls followed by Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Midland College and Indian River Community College.

Rounding out the top 10 are Chipola College, Central Arizona College, Butler Community College, College of Southern Idaho and McLennan Community College.

“The tournament will be a chance to see where we are at [against other teams] and where we need to be,” Foster said.

While it is the first time in school history that the softball team has achieved this kind of notoriety, the team realizes they are part of school history. But they won’t let that deter them from accomplishing another goal – winning regionals and going to nationals.

“I don’t think it will change how we go into the season,” Dypchey said. “We are just going to go out and play Cougar softball and have some fun out on the field.”

2008 Pre-season Softball Poll
1, Eastern Arizona College
2, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
3, Chattanooga State Technical
4, Midland College
5, Indian River Community College
6, Chipola College
7, Central Arizona College
8, Butler County Community College
9, College of Southern Idaho
10, McLennan Community College
11, Western Nebraska Community College
12, Salt Lake Community College
13, Santa Fe Community College
14, Wallace State Community College
15, Miami Dade College
16, Gulf Coast Community College
17, Garden City Community College
18, Crowder College
19, Middle Georgia College
20, Otero Junior College
21, Texarkana College
22, Odessa College
23, Spartanburg Methodist College
24. Southeastern Community College
25, Vernon College
26, Wabash Valley College
27, Georgia Perimeter College
28, Jefferson College
29, Walters State Community College
30, Navarro College