Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Jock Talk

Good News about Good Wins for former Kimball High athletes now involved in sports at the college level. Let’s start with football first as the seasons come to an end for both Jake Reader and Jonathon Withrow.

Jon Withrow’s Dakota Wesleyan team closed out a very successful season with their 49-21 win over Dordt College of Iowa leaving the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers with a 9-2 record, but no playoff game to extend their season. In his true freshman season, the former Kimball High standout rose to a starting role as a running back, plus special team roles as well. This past week he had 32 yards rushing and charted tackles on special teams.

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Jake Reader and his Ft Lewis team out of Durango, Colorado played their season ending game at Chadron State on Saturday and won 47-34 to run their season record to 7 wins and 4 losses, but no playoff game. Jake had a solid game from his tight end position of giving his running backs room to run and his quarterback time to throw. He had two passes intended for him that didn’t connect. It was almost like a homecoming for Jake as lots of Kimball fans and friends made the trip up to watch him.

“It was neat to get to talk with some of the Kimball people, including my Kimball High coaches,” said Jake. The Kimball Chapter of TeamMates took a bus load to Chadron. This win was special for Ft Lewis and had not happened for a while. Our goal was to end Chadron’s streak of winning seasons and we did it. It had been 44 years since we had won at Chadron.”

I had good intentions of getting up to Chadron to watch one of my all time favorite Kimball High athletes in action, but some medical issues kept me home where I listened to the broadcast by Dave Collins, former KSID sportscaster who covered Jake during high school games, and is now the voice of the Chadron State Eagles. I heard the name Reader a lot, as Chadron also has a Reader with a first name of Matt who tied a school record Saturday with 4 touchdown receptions.

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Kendall Ferguson and his Hastings College Men’s Basketball Team had a big 83-66 win over Friends College of Kansas this past week and Kendall did his job of helping secure the win. The big. 6’ 6” senior had 12 points on 5/6 field goal shooting and 2/3 foul shooting, had 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kendall is ranking high in the National stat department for rebounding in the division Hastings College plays in.

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Mike Daum had a good performance to help his South Dakota State university Team to an 87-52 win over Chadron State College this past week. The 6’9” red shirt-freshman was 7/10 from the field going 1/2 on three pointers for 15 points, had 7 rebounds, and 2 steals.

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Have you had the opportunity to see the long sitting down trick shot by Mike and a team mate that went viral after it was put on face book by the South Dakota State University coverage! It was a swish-swish by the two players from unbelievable distance and it brought back memories of some of his other long range baskets for the Longhorns during his high school days. You need to see this!

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Winter sports practice for Nebraska High Schools got underway officially this past Monday so Kimball High girls and boys basketball along with wrestling are underway. Of course the junior high sports are on-going with the wrestlers at Morrill tomorrow (Friday) with a 9 a.m. start time. The girl’s basketball teams are at Ogallala on Saturday (Nov. 21) for 10 a.m. games, and are at Pine Bluffs Monday for 3 p.m. contests. The wrestlers are at Grant on Tuesday (Nov. 24).

 
 
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