Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Britton Culek looks to his coach, and dad, as he wrestles his way into the championship at the Nebraska State Folk Style Tournament in Grand Island last weekend. Turn to page B8 for a team photo.
Kimball Wrestling Club coach Bob Culek and his team of assistant coaches and parents took twelve young wrestlers to the State contest last week and brought home some hardware. Shown here is the wrestling team with coaches, front row, left to right, Trajan Johnson, Kasyn Snyder, Cameron McGinnis, Kaymen Lusche, Matthew Johnson and Britton Culek. Middle row, left to right, Hunter Funk, Trey Cook, Kylee Kirby, Trey Schindler and Kyler Lusche (not a Kimball Wrestling Club wrestler). Back row, left to right, coaches Kyle Johnson, Bob Culek, Jim McGinnis, Dillon Snyder and Luke Kelly. Not pictured: Ciena McKenzie and AdeLyn Ahlm and Aiden Kelly.
I am sure by now you readers all know that the South Dakota State UniversityJackrabbits lost to number one seed Gonzaga 66-46 to end their season. Our Mike Daum didn't have his best game, but still ended up scoring 17 points against a team that is in the running to win it all. He did a good job against their 7'1" big guy in closing out an awesome season in just his sophomore year of Division One basketball!
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We gave you the Western Trails All Conference Basketball selections a week ago and now the SPVA All Conference selections have been announced. Kimball sophomore Kate Reader made the first team and senior Alexis Lulf was given honorable mention. For the boys, senior Jaden Withrow was first team and senior Brandon Barker was honorable mention.
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I have some wrestling results to pass your way this week, and yes, wrestling is still going on. The NE-USA State Folk Style Tournament was held in Grand Island this past weekend and coach Bob Culek, who also coaches Kimball High Wrestling, took a team of 12 young wrestlers to the State Tournament. This had to be very gratifying to Bob, as seven of his wrestlers placed at state, and his six-year-old son, Britton, was crowned champion in his division. A pair of five-year-olds, Trajan Johnson and Matthew Johnson, ended up fifth and two more five-year-olds, including Aiden Kelley and Kasyn Snyder, finished eighth. In the girl's division, first-grader Adelynn Ahlm was third and fourth-grader Ciena McKenzie was fifth.
Also doing a good job at the state tournament were Trey Cook, Kayman Lusche, Cameron McGinnis, Hunter Funk and Trey Schindler. Coach Culek has been working with his young wrestlers ever since start up in October and there is still more wrestling ahead. Early in the season he was working with 30-plus youngsters and still had 16-20 late this spring. Kids from the early ages mentioned up to sixth grade. The program is expanding as last year he took only two wrestlers to the state tournament. Not only did his son Britton win the championship at Grand Island, but it was also announced that he had finished second in the Tour Nebraska Tournament where he had placed first in two earlier tournaments and had he wrestled in the third one that he missed out on, he would most likely have won that outright also!
By the way, Kimball finished 73rd in the team standings and before you scoff at this, consider that there were 226 teams competing! Still on the agenda is a local tournament at Morrill this weekend and then the big Midwest Classic in Kearney on April 1st. "There are still lots of tournaments after Kearney if you want to travel all over the United States," coach Culek said, but after Kearney the Kimball team is done for the season, at least for a short time. Congratulations going out to the Kimball team.
Coach Culek said, "These young kids have really been working so hard and I am so proud of them."
We are proud of you too, Coach, and for anyone else helping with the program. Talk about lots of work!