Gering's Romey signs with WNCC softball

                Gering's Kayla Romey won't be changing coaches when she enrolls at WNCC next fall as her high school coach, Molly Bonuchi, also serves as WNCC's assistant coach.

               "I decided to go here because I was offered a scholarship and they carry my degree," the graphic design major said. It will also be good [to be with Molly]. She has helped me a lot and even the next two years she will be good support for myself."

               Romey, who was a Star-Herald first team selection infield, said she was looking at Chadron State College first, but then decided that WNCC was a better fit for her.

               "It is very exciting [to play for a top program]," she said. "I am very excited to play for the Cougars."

               WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said that Romey will fit in well to the Cougar program.

               "Kayla is a unique young woman. She runs well. She can play the infield. She can play the outfield. She has been coached the last couple of years by Molly. That has been nice for me because she was my assistant coach. The things she has done in the high school program, we have done at WNCC.

               "Having local talent is always a plus, but the other attributes that she brings off the field is a plus. Not only is she a great softball player, but she will give us to have a great person in the program academically and continue the tradition of success at WNCC."

               Romey helped the Bulldogs to a 16-13 record last fall. The senior said that she made the switch from third to shortstop this season with ease. At the college level, she is projected to be an outfielder as well as a left-handed slap hitter.

               It was a big change going from third to shortstop. There was a lot more to learn and lots more to keep heads up about, she said. "

               Romey, who earned Western Conference first-team honors, said one of her biggest memories came on senior night against Scottsbluff.

               "This year, the most memorable game was senior night and I had a double play at shortstop to end the game," she said. "Last year, it was the wins at the Western Conference tournament."

               Romey said that she has learned a lot in her two years under Gering coach Bonunci and is anxious to continue getting better at softball in college.

               "I think Molly has helped the Gering softball program greatly," Romey said. "She has taught a lot of new things to the girls and they are always continually learning."
               Romey is the 11th player that Winn-Ratliff has signed for next season. The other players inking letter of intents to play softball include Kasey Cash of Wellington, Colo.; Shalese Connory of Neola, Utah; Bianca Duran of Westminster, Colo.; Sasha Duran-Fong of Erie, Colo.; Nora Murphy and Danielle Hearn of Las Vegas, Nev.; Haley Paxton and KImberly Widick of Greeley, Colo.; Melanie Rowson of Surrey, British Colombia; and Mariah Shepherd of Grantsville, Utah.

WNCC falls 3-2 to McCook Monday afternoon

   The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team let a win slip through its grasp Monday afternoon at Oregon Trail Park. against McCook Community College.
               The Cougars squandered several scoring opportunities and then allowed McCook to score three late-inning runs to grab a 3-2 decision.
               WNCC coach Mike Jones said while it was a disappointing defeat, it is one that his team can learn by since it is still early in the season.
               "We had scoring opportunities that we didn't capitalize on," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "I thought Carlos Palomo pitched a real good game. Then I brought in some freshmen that haven't had the experience yet. We made a few mistakes on the mound and give them some opportunities. It is all part of it. It is a learning process and we will get better."
               Palomo was in control of the contest early, tossing four perfect innings before giving up the first hit of the game in the top of the fifth. The Gering graduate struck out five and allowed just one hit in five innings of work.
               "He threw really good," Jones said of Palomo's sizzling performance on the mound. "He has come a long ways and he is getting better and better. It was good to see him come out and throw as well as he did."
               Unfortunately for the Cougars, they let the win slip through their fingertips, but it wasn't without a strong effort in the field, which included a dramatic ninth inning that the Cougars almost got out of a bases loaded jam.
               "We almost go out of it [the ninth inning without giving up a run," Jones said. "We were diving for balls on the infield and doing everything possible in trying from allowing that run to come across. There was no problem with the effort. Right now offensively, we are missing out on opportunities and we already lost two games by one run. Last season we lost 16 games by one run. There has to be better scoring opportunities that we have to be a better team to capitalize on."
               It was the second one-run loss of the season. On Sunday, the Cougar men fell to Colorado University 6-5 in eight innings before coming back to register a 15-5 win. On Monday, the Cougars loss stemmed from an offensive attack that managed just five hits in the contest while leaving runners stranded in scoring position four times.
               WNCC struck first, scoring a single run in the fifth inning. Max Brennen had a 2-out walk and came around to score on a Paul Singh single up the middle.
               The 1-0 lead held up until the seventh inning when McCook plated two runs on three hits. David DeCarlo started the Indians' rally with a lead-off double. He came around to score on a Brandon Nickolite single. McCook took the lead a couple batters later as Dakota Roehl singled in Nicholite.
               WNCC tied the game at 2-2 in the eight innig as Nelson Quintero and Camilo Baldelomar had back-to-back doubles.
               McCook took the lead in the ninth as Eric Montes hit a single to score Brant Hittel for the go-ahead run.
               Kile Rogers picked up the loss, going just one inning and allowing three hits. Palomo and Terry McNabb got no decisions in the contest. McNabb went three innings in allowing two runs, six hits and striking out three.
               WNCC managed just five hits in the contest, including three doubles. Kevin Sanford had the first double of the game when he led off the seventh with the extra bagger.
               The Cougars will be back in action Friday and Saturday when they travel to face Barton Community College.
              
McCook (1-0)                    000 000 201 -- 3 10 0
WNCC (1-2)                        000 010 010 -- 2 5 1
LP -- Kile Rogers (0-1); 2B -- Kevin Sanford, Nelson Quintero, Camilo Baldelomar.

WNCC softball sweeps Frank Phillips

Jordan Schoepflin

               GARDEN CITY, Kan. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team scored 32 runs and pounded out 27 hits in registering a sweep over Frank Phillips College Sunday in Garden City, Kan., in improving to 3-1 on the season.

               The Cougars started the day with a 16-hit performance in a 21-9 win before securing an 11-2 win in the second game of the doubleheader.

               In the opener, WNCC smashed three home runs and rolled to the easy win. WNCC scored four runs in the first two innings and then added five runs each in the third and fourth inning.

               WNCC had two home runs in the third inning as Megan Bourdon had a 2-run shot. Jocelyn Stubbs also added a 2-run dinger in the frame.

               Jordan Schoepflin added the other home run, a 2-run shot in the fourth inning.

               The Cougars pounded out 10 extra base hits in the win and five players had a multiple hit game. Schoepflin and Mariah Faifer led the way with 3-for-3 performances. Faifer, who had two home runs on Saturday, had a double, five runs scored and a RBI, while Schoepflin had a double, home run, four runs scored and four RBIs.

               Also collecting multiple hits were Bourdon going 2-for-3 with a double, home run, three runs scored and three RBIs, Jacqui Cappuccilli going 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and three RBIs, and Sarah Hawryluk going 2-for-2 with a double, three runs scored and two walks.

               Ashton Hughes collected her second win of the year from the circle. The sophomore from Regina, Saskatchewan, went three innings, striking out six, allowing three hits and walking two. Sarah Ward-Hadden pitched the final two innings.

               WNCC was just as even more impressive in game two, scoring 11 runs on 11 hits. WNCC didn't waste any time in jumping on Frank Phillips, scoring five runs in the first inning and adding two more in the second for a quick 7-0 lead.

               The Cougars finished with 11 hits including four extra base hits. Aria Agle paced the team with a 2-for-3 performance including two RBIs. Bourdon continued swinging a mean bat, going 1-for-3 with a double and three runs scored. Hughes had the lone home run in the contest, smashing a fourth-inning 2-run shot.

               Amanda Jones collected the win in the circle, going all five innings in scattering five hits and allowing two hits. The freshman from Las Vegas, Nev., also struck out three in the contest.

               WNCC, 3-1, will be back in action Friday and Saturday when they compete in the Midland College Tournament in Midland, Texas. The Cougars will face Clarendon College, Midland College and Odessa College on Friday, before taking on West Texas State and Garden City on Saturday.

Game One

WNCC                  445 53 -- 21 16 2

Frank Phillips       001 17 -- 9 12 4

WP -- Ashton Hughes (2-0); 2B -- Megan Bourdon, Mariah Faifer, Jordan Schoepflin, Jacqui Cappuccilli 2, Sarah Hawryluk; 3B -- Allie Alverson; HR -- Bourdon, Schoepflin, Jocelyn Stubbs.

Game Two

WNCC (3-1)         520 31 -- 11 11 1

Frank Phillips       002 00 -- 2 5 3

WP -- Amanda Jones (1-1); 2B -- Bourdon, Stubbs, Cappuccilli; HR -- Hughes.

WNCC splits doubleheader with Colorado

               The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team started the season Sunday earning a split with the Colorado University Club team at Gering's Oregon Trail Park.

               In the opener, the Cougars dropped a 5-4 decision to the Buffaloes. The second game was a little different as the Cougars pounded out 12 hits in registering a 15-5 win in five innings.

               "The games went about how I expected," WNCC coach Mike Jones said. "I thought the pitching was pretty good. We are shaky on defense right know because we haven't had enough repetitions on defense. Offense, our timing is all over the place. The important thing is we got a chance to get out and play and that is we wanted to do, to get out and start playing and learning."

               In the season opener, Jake Vore smashed a seventh-inning home run to force extra innings. In the extra frame, Colorado scored two runs on three hits, including a lead-off home run by Tony Piha to grab a 5-3 lead.

               The Cougars had a eighth-inning rally loading the bases with no outs as Jacob Montoya, Camilo Baldelomar and Reimier Alambarry all had singles. Montoya scored the only run in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Sanford.

               Carlos Luzon took the loss on the mound, tossing the final three innings. Luzon allowed seven hits and three runs. The right-hander struck out three. Tim Beard started the game, going five innings, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out two.

               Montoya, Alamberry and Vore all had two hits for the Cougars. Vore was 3-for-4 for three RBIs and a home run.

               "I thought Jake Vore had an outstanding game for us offensively in the first game," Jones said. "He came up with a big home run to put us into extra inning situation. . unfortunately, we let it get away from us after that. even though we lose the game, it was a good game for us."
               The second game was a totally different contest for the Cougars. WNCC pounded out 12 hits, including three extra base hits. Nelson Quintero had the hot stick, going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, two runs scored and five RBIs. Baldelomar also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Josh Bride went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Sanford went 1-for-1 with four runs scored on three walks.

               "You could tell we were a little bit more comfortable at the plate," Jones said. "We added some different guys to the line-up and they came up really big for us. Once we figure out all the pieces and put them all together, I think we will be pretty good."

               Quintero quickly put the Cougars on the scoreboard with a lead-off double before scoing on a Baldelomar single for the 1-0 lead.

               WNCC opened the contest up in the second inning, plating five runs on four hits. The big hits came from Bride, who delivered a run-scoring double, and Quintero, who smashed a 3-run home run for a 6-0 lead.

               Colorado added four runs in the third inning to slice the lead to 6-4, but the Cougars added two runs in the third inning. Quintero had the big hit, driving in two runs with a single to left field.

               WNCC added four runs in the fourth inning on singles by Baldelomar and Rainer Tiel, before ending the game in the fifth with three runs.

               Jeff Schmidt, from Cheyenne, Wyo., picked up the win, going four innings while allowing seven hits and four runs. Schmidt also struck out three. John Bravard threw the fifth inning, allowing just a run on one hit.

               WNCC, 1-1, will be back in action Monday when they host McCook Community College in a 9-inning game at Gering's Oregon Trail Park.

Game One

Colorado             000 021 02 -- 5 10 0

WNCC                  010 100 11 -- 4 9 2

WP -- Connor Vidulich; LP -- Carlos Luzon (0-1); 2B -- Rainer Tiel; HR -- Jake Vore.

Game Two

Colorado             004 01 -- 5 8 4

WNCC                  152 43 -- 15 12 1

WP -- Jeff Schmidt (1-0); 2B -- Nelson Quintero, Josh Bride; HR -- Quintero.

WNCC softball splits doubleheader

Mariah Faifer, freshman from Albuquerque, N.M.

               GARDEN CITY, Kan. -- The Western Nebraska Community College softball team belted four home runs, two from freshman Mariah Faifer, in earning a split of a doubleheader against Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan.

               Faifer and Megan Bourdon had back-to-back home runs in the first game, and Jacqui Cappuccilli belted a seventh inning, 2-run home run to lift the Cougars to a 6-5 win. The second game saw the Broncbusters score five times in the fifth inning in posting a 6-2 win.

               In the season opener for the Cougars, WNCC went ahead 4-0 in the third inning as Bourdon and Faifer each connected on solo home runs. Garden City came back, taking a 5-4 lead through five innings before Cappuccilli provided the game-winning hit, a 2-run shot that also scored Jocelyn Stubbs.

               Ashton Hughes collected the win in the circle, tossing a complete game six-hitter while striking out seven and walking three.

               Aria Agle paced the Cougars from the plate with a 3-for-4 game, including a double and two RBIs. Stubbs finished the contest going 1-for-2 with a double, two runs scored and two walks.

               WNCC started off the second game well, bolting to a 2-0 lead after three innings. Faifer blasted her second home run of the season with a solo shot in the first inning. The Cougars scored the second run in the third as Bourdon doubled and scored on a RBI single by Faifer.

               The Broncbusters came back in the fourth inning with a single run and then plated five runs in the fifth for the 6-2 win.

               Amanda Jones took the loss in the circle, going 4 1/3 innings in allowing six hits. Sarah Ward-Hadden finished off the game, going 1 2/3 innings allowing just four hits.

               WNCC managed just six hits in the contest, compared to 10 for Garden CIty. Faifer paced the team with a 2-for-4 performance with two RBIs. Bourdon added the only other extra base hit with a double.

               WNCC, 1-1, will be back in action Sunday when they face Frank Phillips College in Garden CIty, Kan.

Game One

WNCC                  013 000 2 -- 6 8 2

Garden CIty         003 020 0 -- 5 6 2

WP -- Ashton Hughes (1-0); 2B -- Jocelyn Stubbs, Aria Agle; HR -- Megan Bourdon, Mariah Faifer, Jacqui Cappuccilli.

Game Two

WNCC (1-1)         101 000 0 -- 2 6 6

Garden City         000 150 x -- 6 10 0

LP -- Amanda Jones (0-1); 2B -- Bourdon; HR -- Faifer.

WNCC men, women suffer 2-point losses to Northeast Nebraska

               NORFOLK -- The Western Nebraska Community College men's and women's basketball teams lost heartbreakers Saturday afternoon to Northeast Community College on the road in East Sub-region contests.

               The WNCC men received a 35-point performance from Hauns Brereton, but it wasn't enough as the Cougars fell 72-70. The Northeast assured the Hawks in hosting the men's regional tournament that begins the first weekend in March.

               The Cougar women shot just 18 percent in the first half before mounting a strong comeback in the second half. WNCC's comeback, however, fell short as Northeast escaped with a 52-50 win.

               The Cougar men led 43-at intermission and controlled much of the second half until the Hawks took the lead at 62-61. The two sub-region kept battling back and forth until Northeast took a 71-67 lead with nine seconds to play.

               WNCC made a last-ditch effort to come back as Brereton was fouled attempting a 3-pointer. THe sophomore from Memphis, Tenn., made the first two of his three shots. He then missed the final shot and Justin Standley got the rebound and missed a tying shot. Mike Peltz quickly got the rebound and his tying shot wouldn't fall to give the Hawks the emotional win.

               The Cougars shot just 39 percent from the field and were just 31 percent (4 of 13) from beyond the arc. Free throw shooting told the story, as the Cougars were just 61 percent from the free line (11 of 18). WNCC out-rebounded the taller Hawks 43-41 as Brereton pulled down 12 boards and Peltz had 10.

               Brereton led all scorers with 35 points, including knocking down three 3-pointers and going 10 of 11 from the free throw line. Brady Mason also chipped in 10- points in the loss.

               The women's contest was a tale of two halves for the Cougars. In the first half, the women couldn't buy a bucket, shooting just 18 percent from the field compared to 42 percent for Northeast. The second half proved to be a different story as the Cougars came out with a different mentality.

               Trailing 42-22 early in the second half, the Cougars mounted a 16-4 run behind nine points from Thais Pinto and a big 3-pointer by Kyra Peterson. WNCC brought the score to within two 58-46 on a Peterson 3-pointer before Northeast went up 52-46 with 2:45 to play.

               WNCC's defense held strong, holding Northeast scoreless the rest of the game. The Cougars came to within 52-50 on a Tiffany Moorer bucket and had a couple shots to either tie or win the game with under 11 seconds left but couldn't get the ball to fall.

               WNCC shot just 32 percent from the field and 32 percent from the free throw line (6 of 18) while Northeast shot 41 percent from the field and 56 percent from the free throw.

               WNCC was led by Pinto with 13 points followed by Moorer with 11 and Peterson with eight points.

               Both teams will be back in action Tuesday when they host Casper College. The game will also be Hoops for Hunger night as individuals who bring in a canned food item will receive a $1 off their admission price.

Men's Game

WNCC (13-12)                   43 26 -- 69

NE Nebraska (19-6)          36 35 -- 71

WESTERN NEBRASKA

Brady Mason 10, Mike Peltz 3, Justin Standley 4, Hauns Brereton 35, Raul Delgado 7, Marko Kovacevic 2, Aaron Turner 8.

Women's Game

WNCC (22-3)                     14 36 -- 50

NE Nebraska (19-7)          29 23 -- 52

WESTERN NEBRASKA

Samantha Sanders 2, Shelby Campbell 1, Lisa Durden 6, Kyra Peterson 8, Tiffany Moorer 11, Carolina Alves 6, Thais Pinto 13, Chacha Ofoegbu 3.

WNCC baseball set to open season this weekend and Monday at home

                  The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team is hoping to capitalize on its momentum from a year ago as they head into this weekend’s season opener.

                The Cougars finished last season second in Region IX with a 24-36 but were 15-10 in regional play. WNCC coach Mike Jones anticipates that the success of last season has boiled over to this year.

                “Last season’s success has given us a quiet type of confidence,” Jones said. “The guys are pretty well grounded. We got off to a terrible start a year ago and it is nice this year that the guys are a little bit experienced with how they deal adversity and not putting so much pressure on themselves, and understanding that we have a long ways to go before playoffs start.

                The Cougars will open the season at home this weekend when they host Colorado University Club Saturday at 3 p.m. with one 9-inning game. The baseball team will then face Colorado in a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 12:30 p.m. The team will then host McCook Community College on Monday at 1 p.m. in a 9-inning game. Sunday’s and Monday’s locations will be in Gering or at Cleveland Field in Scottsbluff.

                “The team looks pretty and they are anxious to play,” Jones said. “Right now our pitching is a little bit ahead of schedule compared to the hitting and defense.”

                WNCC boasts a host of key players that return from a year ago both on the mound and in the field, including No. 1 pitcher Tim Beard, along with infielders Camilo Baldelomar and Nelson Quintero, and outfielder Kevin Sanford.

                “We do have a lot of key players back from a year ago,” Jones said. “We have Tim Beard who won a lot of games for us on the mound as a freshman. We are counting on him to do some really good things this year again. At the same time we don’t want him to feel a great deal of pressure, but we expect good things from Tim along with Camilo, who played a lot for us as a freshman a year ago. He struggled offensively last year, but going through that adversity will make him a better hitter this year. And same goes for Kevin Sanford, who played for us in the outfield. He is much better and improved.

                “Some of the new guys that we brought in include Jake Montoya will probably be our number one catcher. He will have to handle the staff and catch for us a lot. He will also have to produce for us offensively. I think Max Brennen will play a multiple of positions for us. He is a very hard competitor. I really like his work ethic and what he brings to the team.”

                Jones said this weekend’s starting rotation will include Beard and freshman Jeff Schmidt of Cheyenne, Wyo., getting the start the first day and then Palomo and freshman Terry McNabb of Davidson, Saskatchewan the second day.

                Jones said the two freshmen starters Schmidt and McNabb have proven themselves during the fall season and the early part of the spring practices.

                “They pitched really good for us during our fall scrimmages and have been good early in their bullpen sessions,” Jones said. “One comes from a really good Cheyenne program and the other comes from a very competitive Canadian program.”

                Half of WNCC’s 28 rostered players are pitchers and Jones is excited about all 14 throwers.

                “I think our pitching staff depth looks really good. We have multiple guys that we can go to. I am comfortable with all the guys on staff right know in that they can come in and throw strikes and compete for us. That is really nice as a head coach to have multiple of guys that we can count on.”

                Of the pitching staff, however, only five are returners. They include Beard of Canberra, Australia; Carlos Palomo of Gering; Joel Perez of Miami, Jacob Stutzman of Wood River, Neb.; Carlos Luzon of Caracas, Venzuela; and John Bravard of Lyons, Colo.

                While pitching seems to be a definite positive, Jones also said the team speed  a definite plus.

                “There is a lot of team speed this year,” he said. “If we can get on base enough, they might steal more bases than any team I have ever had. We’ve had teams put up huge stolen bases in the past, but we are deep with speed’ we just have to find ways on base.”

                Once everything falls into shape, Jones is expecting good things from his group of hard-working players.

“They are a good group of guys and I like their work ethic,” he said. “They have been dedicated this entire year so far to get themselves in shape and getting better throughout all their skills. They work extremely hard and it should pay off down the road.”

                Jones said the team wants the season to begin. After this weekend’s contests, they will head to Barton Community College next weekend before returning home for a Feb. 23 contest against Colorado State University.

“The guys are ready to play. They are getting sick of me, that is for sure,” Jones said. “They just want to go out and put on the uniform and play. I completely understand that. I want them to go play also. That is definitely where the attitude is right now. They are chomping at the bit, they want to get out there and play. I want us to play and if we make mistakes, we will learn from them. That is the only way that you learn. Let’s go out there and make some mistakes so we can get better.”

WNCC softball team opens up this weekend in Kansas

                 The season opener this weekend can’t come soon enough for the Western Nebraska Community College softball team considering they have been enduring six in the morning, 2- 3-hour practices.

                WNCC, who finished 43-21 a year ago and won the Region IX tournament, are scheduled to open the season Saturday taking on Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kan., on Saturday before facing Frank Phillips on Sunday.

“They just want to play,” WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “They work extremely hard and they have good attitudes. It will be exciting to see what we can do when we can get the whole team together and actually participate against someone else instead of ourselves.”

                The indoor practices, weather it is fielding ground balls in Cougar Palace or taking hitting practice in their indoor batting facility, is starting to take a toll on the team. They are ready for some real competition.

                “The coaches and the girls are anxious to get out and play,” WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “They want the weather to get much nicer because they hate getting up at six in the morning. When the weather is nicer, we can be outside and be on our own field in the afternoon.

When they do hit the field this weekend against Garden City, they will be facing a Garden City squad that is 4-0 so far this early season and has been hitting the ball with authority. Garden City took three games from Lamar Community College, defeating the Region IX team 6-4, 7-6 and 11-9.

The Cougars, however, bring plenty of fire power, depth and athleticism to the field this season. One of the bigger names returning for the Cougars is Jordan Schoepflin, who earned Region IX’s Most Valuable Player honors last season. Schoepflin batted .445 last season with 45 RBIs and 39 runs scored.

Also returning is Jacqui Cappuccilli, who will be counted on to stabilize the middle infield position as well as Ashton Hughes. Hughes, according to Winn-Ratliff, will be the wildcard of the team.

“She pitched limitedly for us last spring because we had to use her behind the plate, where now we have some flexibility with Jocelyn Stubbs, Bourdon and Bree Bitton behind the plate, which will allow her to be in the circle,” Winn-Ratliff said. “She has progressed well and had a great fall. Returning those three [Schoepflin, Cappuccilli and Hughes] is really big for us.”

WNCC also will be counting on several other sophomores to be leaders on the team. Megan Bourdon is another one of those players that can a multitude of positions from the outfield, second base, first base and catcher.

                Also, Allie Alverson and Amanda Saldivar in the outfield will be key for the team as well.

Winn-Ratliff is also excited by the freshmen talent that is on the team.

“I am really excited for our newcomers,” she said. “I believe we have some young ladies that will step in and do some things for us as well. For us we think it is a pretty balanced attack. I think you will see old faces and you will see new faces.”

The first-year players include three pitchers, which along with Hughes, should provide a solid and deep pitching rotation. The freshmen hurlers include Aria Agle of Mapleton, Utah, Amanda Jones of Las Vegas, Nev., and Sarah Ward-Hadden of Hayward, Calif.

“Right know I would have to say Ashton is throwing the most consistent day in and day out,” Winn-Ratliff said. “She has experience and If we had to choose a true number one I would have to say it was her. But, really, I don’t have a one, two, three or four pitcher.

“Two will be a battle with Amanda Jones and Sarah Ward-Hadden because we will look for Aria Agle to play a lot of outfield for us. She will get some time in the circle but she is good on the grass. All four of them are completely different in the dynamics of the way they pitch, their style and what their best pitches are. We are excited about that to have some flexibility and lots of different looks in the circle.”

The other players all bring a different dynamic to the team. They include Jocelyn Stubbs and Chelsi Townsend of Roosevelt, Utah; Darlene Truong of San Diego, Calif.; Sarah Hawryluk of Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada; Mariah Faifer of Albuquerque, N.M., and Bree Bitton of Clinton, Utah.

While pitching and the infield seem to be the bread and butter of the Cougar defense, Winn-Ratliff sees this team with the potential to put up some big offensive numbers.

“We swing it pretty well. This isn’t the best bunting team I have ever had, since our philosophy is to play the short game and put runners in scoring position early and try to score early and often,” she said. “But, with Jacqui, Jordan and Ashton returning with tremendous offensive numbers from a year ago, and then you throw in Jocelyn and Megan Bourdon into the mix, it looks good on paper. We have a line up put together on paper that looks pretty good.

“But until they face other competition and face live pitching day in and out, it is really hard to tell how good we will be offensively. Previously, we had teams where we had to outhit teams, but I don’t think it will be this type of team this year. I think our pitchers will be able to keep us in the ball game and we can win 3-1 or 3-2. Will we score more runs than three a game? I hope so. We feel like our one through six batters has the potential of putting the ball out of the park every single at bat.”

After this weekend’s season openers, the Cougars will participate in the Midland College tourney Feb. 18-19. The Cougars are not scheduled to play at home until March 17 when they face Black Hills State College. For now, Winn-Ratliff said the potential is there for another regional championship team.

“The potential is endless and limitless to where they [the players] can take us,” she said. “We don’t ever talk about last year or can we repeat because it is never the same people. We want to talk about the challenges that each team faces and how we are going to overcome that adversity to get to the goal that we have every year and that is to be the region IX champions and attend the NJCAA national tournament.”

WNCC to hold a youth dance camp on Feb. 18 and 19

Western Nebraska Community College will be holding a second Cougirlz Dance Camp for girls ages preschool to sixth grade. The first camp, which was held in January, drew nearly 25 youngsters.

       This second camp will be held Friday, Feb. 18 from 3:45-7 p.m. in Cougar Palace. The participants will perform at halftime of the WNCC and Otero Junior College men’s basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 19. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.

       The camp is designed to give campers a competitive opportunity to develop the fundamental skills of dancing and sportsmanship. The camp will teach and focus on basic skill development, a fun dance routine, and a cheer.

       Campers will be divided based on age and skill level. The cost of the camp is $25 before Feb. 14, which includes a T-shirt. Registration is $35 after that date or at the door. The cost for returning campers from the first camp who don’t need a shirt is $18.

                For more information or to register, contact Charity Beck at 308-672-1531.

WNCC men, women captures wins over EWC

               TORRINGTON, Wyo. -- Hauns Brereton poured in 39 points, including two buzzer-beaters in helping the Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team hold off a furious Eastern Wyoming College comeback for a 78-76 win Thursday at EWC’s Verl Petsch Activities Center.

               In the women’s game, the Cougars scored 46 second-half points in opening up a tight game in claiming their 21^st victory of the season with a 78-52 win over the Lancer women.

               The men’s game was a heart-stopper on both sides. The Cougar men played one of their best halves of the season in rolling to a 42-25 halftime lead on a NBA 3-pointer at the buzzer by Brereton.

               “This is the border war and you expect it to be scrappy,” WNCC coach Russ Beck said. “Their team plays really, really hard, and I think they are the hardest playing team in the league. Hauns really had a game, but you have to give his teammates a lot of credit because they were finding Hauns when he was open, and then give Hauns a little bit of credit for having the ability to knock down some shots.”

               In the second half, the Cougars built a 59-39 lead on a Justin Standley falling backwards jumper. That was when the Lancers shifted things into a second gear as the Lancers went on a 20-3 run to cut the deficit to 62-59

               Both teams then traded buckets, or free throws, like two NBA teams. EWC finally tied the game at 70-70 with 3:26 to play on a Matt Rosenbaum bucket, which was the first time the Lancers were tied with the Cougars.

               WNCC responded immediately as Brereton hit a 3-pointer to put WNCC back up by three points. It was short-lived as EWC tied the game once again at 73-73. That was when Brereton hit his second buzzer-beater, this time a 2-pointer as the shot clock was nearing zero.

               The Lancers sliced the lead to a point on two different occasions with under a minute to play, but each time the Cougars made some clutch plays. Mike Peltz hit two clutch free throws with 57 seconds to play. Then the Alliance graduate hit a big free throw with 19.9 seconds left.

               EWC played for the final shot and missed a 10-footer with three seconds left and Raul Delgado grabbed the rebound for the win.

               The Cougars blistered the nets for 54 percent shooting, including going 8 of 13 from the 3-point line. The Lancers shot 46 percent for the game, 62 percent in the second half. The Lancers were 24 of 32 from the free throw line while WNCC was 8 of 16 as there were a combined 46 fouls were called, with 29 called on EWC.

               WNCC had two players in double figures. Brereton’s 39 led all players while Peltz had 10 points. Brereton finished with five 3-pointers.

               Rosenbaum paced the Lancers with 17 points followed by Jordan Johnson with 16 points. Also getting double digits were Jarett Upchurch with 14 and Ivan Simic with 10.

               In the women’s game, the Lancers and Cougars were in a tussle as the Lancers grabbed a 21-17 lead on a Krystal Pittman driving, under-the-basket lay-up. WNCC came back in the first half as Lisa Durden and Kyra Peterson each connected on 3-pointers. Then, Shelby Campbell got a last second steal and lay-up to put WNCC up 32-29 had intermission.

               After WNCC built a 43-19 lead, the Lancers went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to seven points, 43-36. WNCC then put the game away, going on a 18-0 run to go up 61-36. During that span, the Cougars held the Lancers scoreless for six minutes.

               WNCC had four players finish in double figures. ChaCha Ofoegbu and Shelby Campbell each finished with 13 points, while Peterson had 11 and Samantha Sanders had 10 points.

               EWC Pittman finished with 19 points for the Lancers, including 9 of 11 from the free throw line. Jayde Schelling also chipped in 15 points, including four 3-pointers.

Women’s game

WNCC (21-2)                     32 46 – 78

EWC                                    29 23 – 52

WESTERN NEBRASKA

Samantha Sanders 10, Ashley Soucie 2, Shelby Campbell 13, Tiffany Moorer 4, Kyra Peterson 11, ChaCha Ofoegbu 13, Leona Garrett 5, Thais Pinto 6, Carolina Alves 7.

EASTERN WYOMING

Krsytal Pittman 19, Jayde Schelling 15, Kristine Hilger 2, Shauri Lyon 3, Jubilee Sutherland 2, Hannah Earley 9, Sarah Smith 2,

Men’s Game

WNCC (13-10)                   42 36 – 78

EWC                                    25 51 – 76

WESTERN NEBRASKA
Mike Peltz 10, Joe Stock 6, Stephen Shepherd 2, Justin Standley  6, Hauns Brereton 39, Aamir kelliehan 4, Marko Kovacevic 4, Preston Eaton 7.

EASTERN WYOMING

Jordan Johnson 16, Jarett Upchurch 14, Zachery Young 6, Matt Schackow 5, Tautvydas Kairys 3, Chad Cottom 2, David Hazzard 3, Matt Rosenbaum 17, Ivan Simic 10.

WNCC women pick up 20th win of the season

                 The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in double figures in picking up their 20^th win of the season with an 88-56 win over Lamar Community College Wednesday at Cougar Palace.

                Samantha Sanders, who had one of her best shooting games of the season with 12 points on 71 percent shooting, said it wasn’t a perfect game for the No. 19 Cougars, but it was a win that they needed after falling to Northeastern Junior College on Saturday.

                “We didn’t play our best, and we still have things we need to work on,” the freshman from Denver said. “Tonight we kind of didn’t get it done, but tomorrow [Thursday] we have a big game and it is another chance for us to go out there and do what we need to do.”

                The first time the two squads faced each other earlier in January, Lamar gave the Cougars fits at the beginning. The same thing this game as the Runnin’ Lopes ran out to a 10-5 lead and led 20-18 with 10 minutes left in the first half.

                “We had a problem with them before when they pressed us, but when we get the ball out go, we are just so much more deadlier,” Sanders said. “We just work well together getting the ball up the court and getting the fast break. That is what coach wants us to do.”
                Trailing 20-18, the Cougars would change the momentum in a heartbeat, going on a 19-0 run over a six minute span. During the crucial run, Kyra Peterson hit a 3-pointer and Leona Garrett score six points while Carolina Alves had four points. Lisa Durden also hit four straight technical free throws to push the lead to 37-20. WNCC went on to lead 43-23 at intermission.

                Lamar came back in the second half and tried making a game of it, cutting the 20-point halftime lead to 13 points, 56-43 on two three pointers by Stephanie Russak with 12 minutes to play. WNCC shifted the contest into another level, going on a 13-0 run that was highlighted by eight points by Shelby Campbell and five points from Thais Pinto for a 69-43 lead.

                Lamar never got closer than 19 points the rest of the game and that was due to the Cougar’s bench, who outscored the Runnin’ Lopes 38-16, lead by Garrett and Kyra Peterson with 10 points each.

                WNCC received a good scoring balance. Campbell paced the team with 14 points followed by ChaCha Ofoegbu with 13, and Sanders with 12.

                The Cougars also shared the ball well, finishing with 21 assists, led by Sanders with five and Scottsbluff’s DaNae Quijas with four. WNCC also out-rebounded Lamar 55-28 behind Tiffany Moorer’s eight boards, Pinto’s seven and Campbell’s six.

                Sanders said it was nice to get five players in double figures and get things spread out among the team.

                “This is very good balance because we don’t get that many players in double figures,” she said. “It was a good win tonight. I think we all played hard the whole game.”

                WNCC, 20-2, will get right back into action Thursday when they head to Eastern Wyoming College for a men’s and women’s doubleheader. The women’s game tips off at 5:30 p.m.

                “It is a big game, especially since it is at their house,” Sanders said. “We have to take every game like we need it. We need all the wins that we can get .”

Lamar  (10-12)                   23 33 – 56

WNCC (20-2)                      43 45 – 88

LAMAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Stephanie Russak 8, Breanna Garduno 3, Michelle Price 8, Erika Baca 12, Sarah Leister 2, Ashley Torres 3, Vertashia Dean 10, Brandi Charles 7, T’Aundra Wright 3.

WESTERN NEBRASKA

Samantha Sanders 12, Ashley Soucie 5, Shelby Campbell 14, Tiffany Moorer 4, Lisa Durden 4, Kyra Peterson 10, ChaCha Ofoegbu 13, Jasmine Shaffer 2, Leona Garrett 10, Thais Pinto 7, Carolina Alves 7.

               

WNCC men pick up win against North Platte

                 The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team still kept its goal of hosting the Region IX tournament alive after posting an 82-76 sub-region win over North Platte Community College on Tuesday at Cougar Palace.

                The Cougars received a double-double from Marko Kovacevic of 13 points and 12 rebounds, and received 23 points from Hauns Brereton in recording their 12^th win of the season and pushing their sub-region record to 2-1. North Platte drops to 0-3 in the sub-region despite getting 22 points from their only sophomore on the court Karol Gruszecki.

                “I am happy, but I am a little bit greedy. We had them down 12 points early in the first half and just let them back into the game by giving up some offensive rebounds,” WNCC coach Russ Beck said. “But, we hit 70 percent from the free throw line and we only turned it over seven times, and we did out rebound them but only by one, but we will take it.

                “We didn’t play great, but we will have to play with a lot of energy when we go play at EWC on Thursday. They play as hard as any team within Region IX.”

                The Cougars played well early in the game, vaulting to a 34-22 lead with 6:50 to play in the first half on a Preston Eaton 3-pointer. The Knights, though, came storming back with six straight points to slice the lead to 34-28.

                WNCC built the lead back to double-digits, 42-30, with under two minutes to play before the Knights scored the last six points of the half to trail 42-36 at intermission.

                WNCC kept the lead to nine to 10 points through most of the second half. WNCC led by as much as 12 points on a Joe Stock 3-pointer at 56-44. With 10:40 to play, the Cougars led 65-55. That was the last time the Cougars would be up by double digits as the Knights came back, slicing the lead to three points, 69-66, on a Greg Francisco bucket with 5:17 to play.

                North Platte kept fighting, as they trailed by three points, 75-72, with two minutes to play on two Gruszecki free throws. Brereton, though, hit a clutch 3-pointer with 90 seconds to play followed by a big bucket by Aaron Turner to put the Cougars up by six with 30 seconds left.

                The Cougars picked up the crucial sub-region win by hitting clutch free throws when they needed, going 6-for-6 after the Knights closed the gap to 69-66.

                “Margin of victory is important when it comes down to hosting the tournament,” he said. “I just wanted our guys to be aggressive and we lost a little bit of our tenacity in a certain stretch. Yeah, we were running the clock down a little bit, but that was just the teeter-totter, where we were working the clock but we didn’t want to lose our aggressiveness. It was good that Hauns hit a big shot. It was a shot that not many of us were expecting, but he had the poise to score.”

                North Platte outshot the Cougars from the field 50 percent to 43 percent, but the big difference was 3-point shooting where the Cougars nailed seven treys compared to just two for the Knights. Joe Stock buried three long balls, while Raul Delgado had two treys.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. After Brereton’s 23 points, Stock finished with 14 points, Kovacevic had 13 and Mike Peltz had 10. North Platted also had four players in double figures. After Gruszecki’s 22 points, Nick Tomsick had 12 points, while Kamal Thomas and Igor LeBov each had 10 points.

                Next action for the Cougar men will be Thursday night when they travel to Eastern Wyoming College for a 7:30 p.m.

                Next action at Cougar Palace will be Wednesday when Cougar women will host Lamar Community College beginning at 5:30 .

North Platte (9-12)                          36 40 – 76

WNCC (12-10)                                    42 40 – 82

NORTH PLATTE

Kamal Thomas 10, Nick Tomsixk 12, Eric Turner 6, Perrin Ashley 2, Igor LeBov 10, Darian Davis 5, Mark Nichols 2, Karol Gruszecki 22, Greg Francisco 7.

WNCC

Mike Peltz 10, Preston Eaton 3, Justin Standley 2, Joe Stock 14, Stephen Shepherd 3, Justin Omogun 4, Hauns Brereton 23, Raul Delgado 7, Aamir Kelliehan 1, Marko Kovacevic 13, Aaron Turner 2.