Softball team ready for regionals

                The Western Nebraska Community College softball team will begin their quest for a third Region IX championship on Friday and the team is entering the tournament on quite a tear.

                The Cougars, 42-24, enter the double-elimination tournament in La Junta, Colo., riding a 13-game winning streak and the No. 1 seed after winning the conference crown. The Cougars will open tournament play Friday at 6 p.m. against the winner of the game between Lamar Community College (33-26) and McCook Community College (15-27)

Sophomore Jocelyn Stubbs said this team is finally hitting their stride after playing a killer of a schedule.

                “We are finally peaking and we are doing it at the right time,” the returning catcher said. “We are figuring out how to play with each other on the field. We are going to take all this momentum and use it in the tournament.”

                Other first round games on Friday show No. 2 Otero Junior College (37-12) against Northeastern Junior College (0-28) at 4 p.m. and No. 3 Trinidad State Junior College (29-13) against Dawson Community College (19-17) at 2 p.m. The championship game is slated for Sunday at 4 p.m. The games will be live on the internet at www.ihigh.com/wncc.

                Stubbs said the team is approaching the tournament with caution, knowing they have lost games to Trinidad, Otero and Lamar during the regular season.

                “There will be some tough competition and there usually is,” she said. “I think regionals are a whole new world. I think anybody can win and we will have to come out with our A game every game.”

                The Cougars enter the tournament playing some of their best ball of the season. Much of their success stems from the 1-2 pitching combination of freshman Bianca Duran and sophomore Amanda Jones. The two are third and fourth in earned run averages in the region. Duran boasts an ERA of 1.54 with 159 strikeouts in 222 innings of work. Jones is just as impressive with an ERA of 2.50 and 101 innings of work. Jones has also struck out 101 batters.

                “Our pitching will be a big strong point for us because we will be able to rely on both pitchers in this tournament because last year we really relied on Ashton [Hughes],” she said. “We have been strong in the circle lately.”

                Also impressive in WNCC’s recent surge of success is their hitting. The Cougars have blasted 56 home runs this season, four behind Otero’s 60 home runs. The Cougars home runs success is led by Duran’s 15 dingers followed by Kasey Cash with 12. Stubbs has also smashed seven, while Aria Agle has six. Agle also has two grand slams on the season, including a slam against Garden City Community College on Saturday.

                “I feel like our hitting is contagious right know,” Stubbs said. “I feel like as soon as one person gets a hit, we all get hits and we use that momentum and keep going for it. It is also huge that we keep fighting to the very end. Our hitting will be the biggest key in the tournament. If we start hitting, our defense falls into suit behind it. As long as we swing the bats, I think we will be alright.”

                The Cougars will need to put at least three complete games together to capture their third straight Region IX title and trip to the national tournament. The Cougars will have one game Friday, one game Saturday whether they win or lose, and the championship game on Sunday. If the Cougars fall on Friday, they will play Saturday at 4 p.m. while if they win, they will play at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Stubbs said it would mean a lot to the sophomores to continue the tradition that the program as established of going to the national tournament.

                “Winning another title would mean a lot. All the sophomores fought and won last as a team and it would be important to come back our sophomore year and prove that we are good enough to have that title and go to the national tournament and compete. I think this is a good enough team to go to compete at the national tournament.“

                For Stubbs, making a return trip to the national tournament in St. George, Utah, March 17-20, means that she will be returning home of sorts. Stubbs, who graduated from high school in Roosevelt, Utah, leaved in St. George for a spell, so she is familiar playing at the Canyons Sports Complex.

                “I am from St. George originally so I grew up playing on these fields,” Stubbs said. “I think it really fun and neat that I can go back to my hometown and play in front of everyone I know. I got the opportunity to do that last year and I am hoping I get the opportunity to that this year.”

Tournament Schedule

Friday, May 4

Noon – Lamar vs. McCook (Game 1)

2 p.m. – Trinidad State vs. Dawson (Game 2)

4 p.m. – Otero vs. NE Colorado (Game 3)

6 p.m. – WNCC vs. Lamar/McCook winner (Game 4)

Saturday, May 5

10 a.m. – TSJC/Dawson winner vs. OJC/NJC winner (Game 5)

Noon – TSJC/Dawson loser vs. Otero/NJC loser (Game 6)

2 p.m. – LCCC/McCook loser vs. Game 6 loser (Game 7)

4 p.m. – Game 6 loser vs. Game 4 loser (Game 8)

6 p.m. – Game 4 and Game 5 winners (Game 9)

Sunday, May 6

Noon – Game 7 vs. Game 8 losers (Game 10)

2 p.m. – Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser (Game 11)

4 p.m. – Championship: Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner (Game 12)

6 p.m. – If-necessary championship game (Game 13)

Former Cougar wraps up basketball career with stellar senior season at Concordia

           Amber Kistler has had a whirlwind basketball career.

And, when the former Bayard and Western Nebraska Community College athlete graduates Saturday from Concordia University she can reflect back on her athletic career knowing that she left lasting impressions on her coaches, teammates, and supporters. After Saturday’s graduation, Kistler will then begin a new chapter in her life, one without a basketball in her as as she begins an accelerated nursing program on May 14 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

                Kistler could not have asked for a better ending then competing in the Final Four of the NAIA national championships. Despite not bringing home a national title, she couldn’t have asked for a more prestigious athletic career at Concordia.

                “It is a great feeling to know that all the hours in the gym, weight room, and hard work in the off season paid off and that other people recognize that,” she said. “Our conference is the best in the NAIA, in the Final Four there were 3 teams from our conference competing. To being named on the first team for the GPAC is a great accomplishment. It is an honor to receive any type of award and it is great that was in the Omaha World Herald, I have been really blessed to get the opportunity to be recognized.”

Her final honor came just a few weeks ago when she was tabbed the honorary captain of the Omaha World Herald’s all-Nebraska NAIA team. Other honors or accomplishments that Kistler received this year read like a Heisman Trophy winner’s accomplishments.

She earned GPAC Player of the Week, NAIA Player of the Week, was a NAIA 2012 All-American First Team selection, Omaha World Herald NAIA All Nebraska First Team & Co-Captain, 2012 Daktronics Scholar-Athlete, Co-Captain of the 2011-2012 Concordia Bulldogs, and Team Co-Offensive Player of the Year,

As a team, she helped the Bulldogs to a 34-3 record this season helping them to the GPAC tournament championship, GPAC regular reason champs, NAIA tournament qualifier, NAIA FINAL FOUR.

“We were 34-3 this year with the best record in the nation,” she said. “God truly blessed me with being able to be a part of this team. Our team was simply amazing. Our team was so successful because we took it one game at a time and focused on that.

“A big part of the success for me was that I did not go in to the game thinking I had to make big plays, score a certain amount of points, or anything like that. I went in every game willing to do whatever it took to win that game, whether it was passing, rebounding, defense, or scoring, I just wanted to win, I did not care if I scored 50 points or eight points, as long as we came out with a W.”

Kistler broke the Concordia single-season scoring record when she scored 37 points in a game against Briar Cliff. And, in the that game, she contributed all the way around, nearly totaling a triple double, finishing with eight rebounds and eight 3-pointers.

“The ball just kept going in, it was awesome,” she said. “Other big games were the GPAC Championship game where our fans stormed the court and we got tackled. It was crazy and unbelievable.”

Concordia women’s basketball coach Drew Olson said he saw a lot of basketball smarts in the talented guard.

“Amber is awesome and she is one of my favorite players I have had the chance to coach,” Olson said. “I only had her for two years here at Concordia but I saw so much development from her on and off the court. This season she became one of the best players in the country.”

Olson said what makes Kistler stand out is her wiliness to work hard to get better and that is what she did from her junior to senior year.

“Her big development from last year to this year was her understanding of what a good shot was for her,” he said.”Her percentage increased and became much more efficient on the offensive end.  Defensively she is always a terror.  She is so physical, so scrappy, and so competitive. I just loved her competitive greatness and work ethic every day. 

“I also saw an incredible change in her off the court too.  Amber came to Concordia with her guard up and didn’t really let anybody in.  But this year, she was so open, she had so much trust in her coaches, and so much love for her teammates.  It was awesome to watch.  I am so glad to have been able to witness that part of her life. We are going to miss Amber’s big shots, toughness, and attitude that she brought to this team. I am really excited to see her continue to be successful outside of basketball.  I am just really happy that she had this type of success and accolades that have followed.  She deserves it.”

Basketball has always been Kistler’s first love since playing at the Highland Country School and she continued excelling on the court through her four years at Bayard and her two years at WNCC. She also excelled in volleyball and track and field at Bayard, but those don’t compare to her love for basketball.

“Country school basketball is where I really knew I was in love with the game,” she said. “The country schools did not have any girl’s teams so we played on the boy’s teams. I remember being part of a little controversy [at Highland] because Amy Long, Terri and Toni Hulinsky, and I wanted to play basketball.”

“At WNCC, again I was blessed and lucky enough to play under head coach Dave Harnish. He molded me into much of the player I am to this day. He taught me how to be disciplined, be a smarter player even though he might still argue this, and showed me that hard work really does pay off in the end. I learned the most from him and I respect him so much”

Kistler excelled on the courts at WNCC from 2008-2010 and even though she never got to realize a Region IX championship, she was a two-year starter and was not afraid to hit the floor for a loose ball. Kistler finished with 337 points her sophomore season with 39 3-pointers, while hitting for 80 percent from the free throw line (90 of 113). She also finished with 63 assists and 48 steals. As a freshman, she had 202 points in just 23 games.

                At Concordia, Kistler finished with 530 points her senior season with an 84.9 free throw shooting percentage (118 of 139). She also buried 75 3-pointers and had 143 rebounds. She also had 91 assists and 83 steals. As a junior at Concordia, she finished with 342 points, 133 rebounds, 64 assists, 54 steals, 40 3-pointers and was 114 of 140 from the free throw line.

                In her four years of playing collegiate basketball, Kislter amazed 1,411 points, with 179 3-pointers. She also totaled 450 rebounds, 249 assists, and 212 steals.

“Concordia was just the cherry on top of a few great years of basketball,” she said. “Like I said, I had an amazing ending to my career, great teammates, and the best coaches. I could not have asked for more.”

For Kistler, the success she had on the court came from hard work and she is a perfect role model of what young girls can achieve through hard work.

“My advice to younger girls would be to work hard, get in the gym and get better,” she said. “You won't get anywhere if you don't work hard at it. Also, pray about it; it is a big decision and requires a lot of commitment. Most of all, do what you want to do, do not let anyone discourage you or defer you away from your dreams, go for it.”

Her future plans are pretty well set. Her playing days will consist of playing recreational and for fun. But, after she gets her nursing degree, her next big challenge is planning her wedding. She is engaged to former Bridgeport standout Jase Dean.

“I am really excited for that day [the wedding],” she said. “We have not got too deep in to planning yet. That part has been easier so far and it has not taken any early morning practices to do yet so that has been wonderful.”

But as she departs her collegiate career, she will miss that relationship she has developed with her teammates.

“There have been so many girls that I have become close to and will miss so much,” she said. “I thought I would miss the actual playing, but right now it is more of not being able to be around people that have the same passion and love for basketball that I do. I just want to thank God, my family and friends, coaches, players, teachers that have helped me in any way to get where I am today. God has blessed me with great people in my life and I am so thankful.”

WNCC Blicharz inks with U. of Colorado-Colorado Springs for soccer

Western Nebraska Community College’s Kristi Blicharz is taking her soccer skills to the next level after signing a letter of intent with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Tuesday.

Blicharz, a forward from Littleton, Colo., said that her goal was to attend UC-CS but wouldn’t have had the change to continue playing after high school if it wasn’t for WNCC coach Todd Rasnic taking a chance on her.

                “I am going to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs because it is close to home and it has a very good nursing school,” she said. “I am really excited to be playing soccer. I like the coaches a lot and our goal keeper from last year, Jess Taylor, goes there so I am excited to play with her again, as well as a player that I played against in high school, who was at a rival school, but one of my good friends.”

                Blicharz said she is glad this worked out. “Colorado-Colorado Springs was my main focus to begin with. From day one, this is where I wanted to transfer to,” she said. “This was my main focus and we didn’t have to look into anything else because this worked out in my favor.”

                Blicharz had 10 goals as a freshman including back-to-back three goal games in the team’s season openers. This past season, she finished with 10 goals and two assists. Her freshman year she played in just seven matches after sustaining an injury after her two three-goal matches.

                “This was a very good learning experience,” she said. “I got to play with a diverse group of girls from all parts of the world. That was able to show me how soccer is played, not only in America, but other countries where these girls are from. It was a good learning experience.”

                She said that she owes a lot to Rasnic on taking a chance on her after going through a couple surgeries in high school.

                “I have improved significantly,” she said. “Coach Rasnic gave me an opportunity to come here after multiple surgeries in high school. I wasn’t on the top of my game when I came here. Coming here gave me an opportunity to build myself as a player and give me the ability to move on to the next level.”

WNCC athletics to hold Cougar Golf Classic June 9

The 11th annual Western Nebraska Community College Cougar Golf Classic is set for Saturday, June 9 at Monument Shadows Golf Course.

The tournament is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. The cost is $75 per person. There is a limit of 36 teams. Deadline to register is June 6.

The cost includes green fees, cart and lunch. There will be a payout for first, second and third places. There will also be a hole-in-one prize along with other hole prizes. All proceeds will benefit the WNCC athletic scholarship funds.

To enter, contact assistant athletic director Ryan Burgner at 308-635-6798 or at burgnerr@wncc.net. Registration forms can also be downloaded from the WNCC website at sports.wncc.net and mailed to Ryan Burgner at 1601 E. 27^th Street, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, 69361.

Baseball to hold summer camp June 4-7

Western Nebraska Community College will hold a summer baseball camp June 4-7 at the 23 Club Diamonds in Scottsbluff. The four-day camp will run from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and costs just $50 per camper and includes a T-shirt.

The camp, which is open to boys ages 7-14, will be an excellent opportunity for youngsters to learn the game of baseball. The camp will include instruction on hitting, throwing, fielding and pitching, along with actual game play during the camp.

The camp will be instructed by WNCC baseball coach Mike Jones, his assistants and former/current coaches.

Registration forms can be downloaded at sports.wncc.net. For more information on the camp or to request a camp registration flyer, contact Jones at jonesm@wncc.net or (308) 635-6198.