Alliance's Holman inks with WNCC baseball

                 Alliance’s Jayden Holman’s goal is to become a better baseball player than he already is. The Alliance senior will get that opportunity after inking with Western Nebraska Community College Thursday morning.

                Holman, who was a four-year starter for the Alliance Spartans Senior American Legion baseball team, said he is looking forward to the opportunity to play college baseball.

                “I have heard about the program and I have always liked it. Plus, Coach [Mike] Jones has always been there for me, checking up on me,” Holman said. “I just want to become the best baseball player that I can be and coming here will help me achieve that goal.”

                WNCC coach Mike Jones is anxious to work with Holman to see him grow even more as a baseball player.

                “Jayden brings a lot to the program,” Jones said. “Number one he brings a solid attitude. We know where he comes from and we have seen him play. We have watched him grow and develop. On top of that he is a solid infielder with a lot of athletic ability. He has enough arm strength that he can play on the left side of the infield, which is always a plus.”

                Jones said he more than likely will be playing either shortstop or third base for the Cougars.

                “We have seen him pitch as well, but our primarily spot for him will be on the infield,” he said. “He also brings a powerful bat and he continues to improve offensively. There is a lot of bat speed and strength in his swing, so the skies the limit for him. We are going to put him to work, grow and watch him develop.”

                Holman was all-conference his sophomore and junior year. He was named the 2013 offensive player of the year, and he also garnered the Star-Herald All-region First Team honors.

                His last two seasons at Alliance, Holman had a .418 batting average with 83 RBIs, 34 doubles, five triples, and 22 walks. On the mound, he struck out 157 and finished with an earned run average of 2.38.

                Holman said since he started playing baseball when he was two, it has become a sport that he fell in love with. He said he works on his baseball skills in his garage to fine tune his game.

                “I started when I was like two years old and I have liked the game ever since,” Holman said. “Last year I started getting serious and working harder and setting more goals.”

                Jones has seen him play for many years when Jones was coach of the Gering American Legion junior and senior teams. That, along with the fact that Holman knows a little about the WNCC baseball program was also another factor in Holman coming to WNCC.

                “Baseball has always been my number one sport. I have loved it ever since I started playing it,” he said. “[Knowing Jones and the WNCC program] is huge plus. I know what I will be going into next year. I have liked everything I seen.”

                Off the baseball field, Holman has a 3.8 grade point average at Alliance High School and ranks 27^th out of 137 seniors. His goal in college is to major in counseling.

Herrera, Council ink with Langston University for softball

                Western Nebraska Community College softball sophomores Angel Council and RaVae Herrera will be teammates for another two years after the two inked with Langston University, out of Langston, Oklahoma.

                Council and Herrera are excited to be continuing their playing career at the next level.

                “It is really exciting to be continuing playing because a lot of people don’t get to play in college and to continue playing is really great,” Herrera said. “It has been an honor and opportunity to be a part of this program and to keep playing at Langston is icing on the cake.  The experience has been amazing and I’ll never forget the teammates I’ve had and friends I’ve made.”

                For Council, she is excited that she will be playing another two years with her Cougar teammate at Langston.

                “It is very exciting not just because it is softball but I get to go with my friend RaVae. We will have fun,” she said. ”It is going to be a major plus to have RaVae with me still because not only am I going with someone I know, but I know I can rely on her if I need help with anything.”

                Council came to WNCC from Las Vegas, Nev., while Herrera hails from Pueblo, Colo. The two not only were instrumental in the teams’ 55-10 record a year ago, but the two are excellent students. Both are Residence Life Assistants at the dorms this year.

                “RaVae and Angel bring a lot of intangibles to our program. Not only are they great softball players, but they are great young women,” WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff said. “Both are very involved on and off the field and within our community. Both are current RA's in Conestoga Hall and involved in various activity on campus. It will be very hard this fall to show up to practice and not see their smiling, bubbly faces.”

                Winn-Ratliff said they have been very successful here at WNCC.

                “Being a pitcher and middle infielder there are a lot of responsibilities that go with those positions and these two young ladies have been able to handle themselves in a very successful manner,” she said. “RaVae and Angel will be taken care and even though they are leaving our Cougar program, I know that Coach Bell and his program will take great care of them.

The panhandle will not only be losing two great softball players that will be hard to replace, but two very special young ladies.”

Winn-Ratliff said Herrera and Council are going to a good program at Langston.

                “Langston University is somewhat of an unknown for me, but one of my best friends is the new head coach and is trying to build a powerhouse program and who better to start it with than these two,” she said. “Coach Bell is an amazing coach and even better man.”

                Last season Council hit .373 with 12 doubles and two triples. She finished with 69 hits, 42 RBIs, and 46 runs scored. Herrera had a .932 fielding average, while committing just 14 errors in 207 chances. She also helped turn 11 double plays.

Herrera was a double threat from the circle and the batter’s box. Herrera batted .262 with three home runs, seven doubles, 16 RBIs in just 66 plate appearances. From the pitching circle, Herrera had a 2.164 earned run average with 68 strikeouts and a 14-3 record.

                Herrera and Council are just two of three sophomores for this year’s team along with Shelby McGraw. All three are expected to be key components this season, which is scheduled to open up this weekend in Colby, Kan., weather pending.

Both players said WNCC has prepared them for the next level.

                “My time here at WNCC has prepared me for the next level,” Herrera said. “Coach Winn taught us a lot of things not only on the field but important life lessons.”

                Council said that she is looking forward to Langston because Langston head coach Hosea Bell coaches just like Winn-Ratliff. Council said that she has taken so much from the program at WNCC.

                “I love the way Coach Winn coaches and Coach Bell coaches just like that,” Council said. “The thing I will miss most here is the community and how everyone is so close - family. At WNCC, I could always rely on my teammates and everyone around me.”

               

WNCC men pick up 14th win of season with win over LCCC

   The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team scored 52 second-half points in rolling to their third straight victory with an 85-78 south sub-region win over Laramie County Community College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace.
                The Cougars put five players in double figures in their 14^th win of the season. More importantly, they shut down the explosive one-two scoring attack of LCCC’s Deshon Portley and Deon Edwin, who lead the region in scoring, averaging over 20 points a game.
                On the flipside, the Cougars committed just six second half turnovers while shooting 47 percent from the field. Preston Christensen, who finished with 15 points, had one of his best games as a Cougar after coming off a first-semester injury, said this was a good win for this squad.
                “This is definitely a big win for us because coach told us before the game that they were one game ahead of us in the sub-region and we won so we jumped them,” he said. “It is a big win and it boosts our confidence when you can beat teams that have beat you before.”
                The first time the two squads battled, it was on Dec. 3 in Cheyenne and the Golden Eagles came out with a 96-86 win. This time around, the Cougars held LCCC to 20 points less. Christensen said a big key was the adjustments they made. Another factor is the two teams are playing differently; the Cougars have won four of their last six contests, and the Golden Eagles have dropped four of their last five sub-region games.
                “For preparations for this game, we concentrated on just stopping the ball early because that is how they hurt us the first time we played them,” Christensen said. “We also know if we come out and out-rebound our opponents we usually will win.”
                The Cougars’ offensive weapons came from a variety of players as they sizzled the nets for 44 percent shooting and 79 percent from the free throw line. LCCC shot the ball well, too, hitting on 42 percent from the field and 84 percent from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles also popped home nine 3-pointers.
                The Cougars’ scoring attack was led by Tyler Crosbie and Diante Mithcell who each had 17 points. Crosbie’s points all came in the second half. Right behind the two explosive guards were Youssoupha Kane with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Christensen had 15 followed by Joel Einfeldt with 10 points.
                “Tyler is big time and we know he will come through,” Christensen said. “That is the good thing about have a four-guard line-up on the floor at the same time is that anyone can go off at any one time. That is a plus.”
                For LCCC, Edwin led all scorers with 25 points, including three 3-pointers. The Golden Eagles other deadly shooter, Portley, finished with just six points.
                Christensen said a big key in the game was how they performed in the second half, especially on the boards. The Cougars out-rebounded the Golden Eagles 43-31 with Brandon Morley lead the way with 12 boards.
                “The difference in the halves definitely was rebounds and turnovers. I think at halftime we had 15 turnovers and we gave up 10 offensive rebounds and we definitely limited that in the second half. That helped us get more possessions in the second half and we scored.”
                The first half was a series of runs for both teams. LCCC had the biggest run in the first 20 minutes. The Golden Eagles held a slim 35-33 lead and then went on a 8-0 run to close out the half for a 43-33 halftime lead.
                The second half was back and forth for the first 10 minutes. LCCC pushed the lead to 59-50 on 3-pointers by Edwin and Michael Dermody with 10:40 to play. That was when the Cougar offensive kicked it up a notch, going on a 19-2 run to lead 69-61. The big run was highlighted by seven points from Crosbie, a big monster dunk by Kane, and a 3-pointer by Mitchell.
                WNCC kept the lead around eight for much of the remainder of the game until LCCC made a rally, slicing the lead to 76-73 on a 3-pointer by Spencer Svejcar with 1:15 to play. After that, it was clutch free throw shooting by the Cougars as they were 9 of 10 in the final minute of play for the win.
                WNCC will be back in action next weekend when they travel to Trinidad State and Otero Junior College on Friday and Saturday. Christensen said they need to keep this momentum going in the final month of the regular season.
                “We just have to keep our momentum going with mostly rebounding and eliminating turnovers,” he said. “Plus, anytime we have an opportunity to get out on transition, we have to push the ball. “

LCCC (15-10)                       43 35 – 78
WNCC (14-9)                      33 62 – 85
LARAMIE COUNTY
Deshon Portley 6, Darien Fernandez 8, Ben Davis 5, Kamari Robinson 9, Deon Edwin 25, Spencer Svejcar 8, Michael Dermody 6, Kendyl Grover 11.
WNCC
Tayler Crosbie 17, Preston Christensen 15, Youssoupha Kane 16, Diante Mitchell 17, DouDou Gueye 2, Joel Einfeldt 10, Brandon Morley 8.

WNCC women top Northwest Kansas for 18th win

                GOODLAND, Kan. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team picked up their 18^th win of the seasonwith a team-effort 80-45 win over Northwest Kansas Technical College on Friday night in Goodland, Kan.
                The Cougar women, who needs just two more wins to capture their 27^th straight 20-win season, had everyone score, including three in double figures.
                WNCC, who had a 31-27 halftime lead, opened up the offense in the second half, outscoring the Mavericks 49-18.
                “Our defense definitely worked harder in the second half,” freshman Olivia Vogel of Alliance said. “Our passes were even smarter.”
                A big key in the game was breaking the Mavericks press and that helped generate a lot of points.
                “I think the key was we broke their press as a team and also picked off a few of their passes,” Vogel said. “The first half was a little rough, but we picked it up after halftime.”
                Another big key to the win was how the team played overall. All 12 players scored, as well as almost all of them getting steals.
                Vogel said that aspect of the game was excellent.
                “It was a great win for us because all of us got playing time and everyone contributed in their own way,” Vogel said.
                The Cougars were led in scoring by Shalisa Moffit, Angela Vigil and Ashley Stevens with 10 points each. The balanced scoring followed with three players chipping in eight points, including Lile Havili, Lyndie Puckett, and Kaylee Biddell.
                The Cougars out-rebounded the Mavericks 19-15, led by Allyson Vasquez’ five boards. The Cougars also had 15 steals in the contest. Laurin Rivera had three picks, while Moffit, Abi Lujan, Vigil, Havili, and Olivia Vogel each had two.
                WNCC (18-5) will have a week off before returning to the hardwoods when they take on Trinidad State and Otero on the road in two crucial south sub-region contests. WNCC will then return home to host Colorado Christian junior varsity on Feb. 11.

WNCC (18-5)                      31 49 – 80
NW Kansas                         27 18 – 45
WNCC
Allyson Vasquez 4, Laurin Rivera 6, Shaiisa Moffit 10, Lyndie Pucket 8, Abi Lujan 4, Angela Vigil 10, Liz Dogan 6, Sofia Softas-Nall 4, Ashley Stevens 10, Kaylee Biddell 8, Lili Havili 8, Olivia Vogel 2.