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Articles written by John Verser


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  • On the way to state

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 9, 2016

    Students from South Elementary School in Sidney lined the street to wish the Sidney High boys basketball team well on Wednesday morning. The caravan heading from the high school passed by South Elementary on its way out of town en route to Lincoln. The Raiders open state tournament play at 8:45 p.m. CST Thursday against Aurora in the Devaney Sports Center....

  • State tournament experience helps Sidney

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 9, 2016

    Sidney's state tournament experience from a year ago can be nothing but beneficial during this year's state tournament. The Raiders (22-4) made the state finals a year ago, falling to Elkhorn South in the state championship game. This year, they open state tournament play against Aurora (24-1) at 8:45 p.m. CST Thursday at the Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. Sidney coach Erik Kohl said last year's state tournament experience can do nothing but help this year's team. "I think that helps a lot,"...

  • Sidney's opponent has won 18 straight entering state tournament

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 8, 2016

    Sidney's opponent for the opening round of the Class B state boys basketball tournament enters on quite a roll. Aurora is 24-1 and hasn't lost this calendar year. The Huskies' lone loss of the season came Dec. 30 at Gretna, where they fell 66-46. Since then, they've won 18 consecutive games. The opening round game is set for 8:45 p.m. CST Thursday in the Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln. "I haven't watched a lot of them, but what I do know is they're a very good team," Sidney coach Erik Kohl...

  • Start time for Tuesday state hoops sendoff activity changed

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 7, 2016

    There has been a time change to Tuesday's sendoff activity for the Sidney boys basketball team. The community event at Dude's Steakhouse on Tuesday, which was previously set to start at 6:30 p.m., has been moved to 6 p.m. The change was made to allow attendees to also attend the Sidney High School band concert, which is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday's sendoff event, sponsored by Day & Night Plumbing, is open to the public. Raider players and coaches will be present, and there will be posters...

  • Sendoff events planned for state-bound Sidney boys basketball team

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 3, 2016

    Several sendoff activities have been planned for the state-bound Sidney boys basketball team, and school has been canceled March 10-11. The first sendoff activity is a community event Tuesday, March 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Dude's Steakhouse in Sidney. The event is open to everyone, and Raider players and coaches will be present. Posters will also be available for players to autograph. Appetizers will be available for a free will donation, and drinks will be available for purchase. There will be a...

  • Raiders headed back to state tourney

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 2, 2016

    For the second straight year, the Sidney boys basketball team is headed to the state tournament. The Raiders (22-4) clinched one of two wild card spots and will join the six district winners in the eight-team field. The fourth-seeded Raiders open state tournament play against fifth-seeded Aurora (24-1) at 8:45 p.m. CST on Thursday, March 10, at the Sports Center in Lincoln. "To get rewarded, to go to state because of your regular season is pretty cool," Sidney coach Erik Kohl said. "That was...

  • Sidney falls to Scottsbluff in district finals

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Mar 2, 2016

    OGALLALA - A big second quarter run for Scottsbluff was the difference in the District B6 championship game against Sidney on Tuesday night. The Bearcats started the second quarter on a 12-3 run and used that spurt to roll to a 51-36 win over the Raiders in the district title game. Sidney started the game strong, but Scottsbluff roared back with a stellar performance in the final three quarters to win. "Scottsbluff is so good. The thing with those guys, if you want to have a chance to play with...

  • Hyannis rallies late to end Potter-Dix's season

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Feb 29, 2016

    BAYARD - Hyannis rallied late to upend Potter-Dix in the District D2-6 finals on Friday by a 44-39 score. The Lady Coyotes led for much of the game, but foul trouble hurt them down the stretch. Three Potter-Dix players fouled out in the final six and a half minutes of the game. A pair of Hyannis players also fouled out, but one of those came in the final minute after the game was in hand. Things went the Lady Coyotes' way early as they held a 9-7 lead after the first quarter. They opened the...

  • Scottsbluff upends Sidney in final seconds

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Feb 26, 2016

    Thursday's loss to Scottsbluff was "about as tough as they come," said Sidney girls basketball coach Tyler Shaw. The top-seeded Lady Raiders fell 39-38 to the Lady Bearcats in the District B6 semifinals in Ogallala. Taylor Noe's layup with 12 seconds left was the deciding blow, as Sidney ends the season with a 17-7 record. Scottsbluff advances to the district finals Friday night to face Alliance, a 52-40 winner against McCook. "Being in a position to win a game and having them steal it in the...

  • 4 Raider wrestlers clinch state berths

    John Verser|Feb 15, 2016

    Four Sidney wrestlers are headed to state. Trey Arellano (106) and Derek Robb (152) each won their respective weight classes, while Kaden Vowers (113) finished third and Cody Hofrock (220) took fourth place at the B-4 District meet held Friday and Saturday at Cabela's Athletic Facility. The state tournament gets underway Thursday in Omaha. "The tournament was very competitive. There was a lot of intensity wrestled in this gym yesterday and today. It was a lot of noise and a good atmosphere that...

  • Preparing for the fast

    John Verser|Feb 10, 2016

  • Lady Raiders dispatch Mitchell in overtime

    John Verser|Feb 10, 2016

    Kelsey Knight's offensive output in overtime proved to be the difference in Sidney's 47-45 win over visiting Mitchell on Tuesday. The Sidney junior scored five of the team's six points in the extra frame, and led the team offensively with 13 points on the night. Knight opened the overtime period scoring with a three-pointer just over a minute in that put Sidney up 44-41. She added a layup almost two minutes later to extend that lead to 46-41. Mitchell cut into that advantage with a Keyana...

  • Raiders blow past Mitchell for 64-20 win on Tuesday

    John Verser|Feb 10, 2016

    Sidney kept up its effort and intensity in a 64-20 pasting of visiting Mitchell on Tuesday night. The Raiders (20-1) led 15-0 before the Tigers got on the scoreboard en route to the big win. "We had really good intensity, and I thought we played with good intensity for all 32 minutes," Sidney coach Erik Kohl said. "We played really good defense, got layups, got wide open shots, and made the extra passes. It was fun to see the unselfishness of those guys." Sidney put Mitchell on its heels early....

  • WINNING AN OT THRILLER

    John Verser|Feb 10, 2016

    Sidney's Janay Brauer, right, drives in against a Mitchell defender for a layup in Tuesday's game. The Lady Raiders came away with a 47-45 overtime victory in the home finale. See page 9A for the game story....

  • Raiders get revenge against Bearcats

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Feb 8, 2016

    Cutter O'Connell hit the floor hard after being fouled late in the third quarter. After shaking it off, he stepped to the free throw line and made both of his foul shots. The free throws gave Sidney a 30-29 lead with 2:46 left in the third quarter. The Raiders never trailed again. Sidney overcame a tough early start against Scottsbluff and avenged its only loss of the season with a 43-41 victory on Saturday night at Cabela's Athletic Facility. The Raiders moved to 19-1 with the win, while the...

  • Heeren inks football scholarship with CSC

    John Verser|Feb 5, 2016

    Jake Heeren wasn't initially interested in playing football at Chadron State College, but the school's players and coaches won him over. That led to the Sidney football standout signing a scholarship with the Eagles in front of family and friends Thursday in the SHS Media Center. Heeren, who missed most of the 2015 football season with a foot injury, had his first contact with Chadron State late last year. "At the time, I hadn't been really interested in them, but the coaches and the players,...

  • Momentum shifts Raiders' way in dual win over Gering

    John Verser|Feb 5, 2016

    Back-to-back pins gave Sidney the momentum in its dual win against Gering Thursday night. The Raiders trailed 18-12 early in the dual before pins from Nathan Cuello (182) and Kade Price (195) put the home team up 24-18 and shifted the momentum. Sidney used that extra edge and rolled to a 48-21 win at Cabela's Athletic Facility. "The 182 and 195 matches were the keys right there," Sidney coach John Ganser said. "That was big, there's no other way to put it." The match opened at the 126 weight cla...

  • Lady Raiders smother Lady Bearcats

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 25, 2016

    A smothering defense and a solid rebounding effort proved to be the winning combination for Sidney on Friday night. The Lady Raiders limited Scottsbluff to just eight points through three quarters as they picked up a 39-15 victory. "We did a really good job focusing on kind of their big three that do most of their offensive scoring for them, Chloey (Reifschneider), Zoe (Holscher) and Aly (Camacho)," said Sidney coach Tyler Shaw. "The girls did a good job. We played with extreme effort. We did a...

  • Potter-Dix claims second straight MAC title

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 25, 2016

    Potter-Dix coach Jeff Einspahr challenged his team to play their best game of the year Saturday night. It certainly looks like they did. The Lady Coyotes (12-1) overwhelmed a short-handed Creek Valley squad and dominated in every facet of the game on their way to a 56-14 victory and second straight Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament title. "This is awesome," Einspahr said. "The girls stepped up, came ready to play tonight, and really did a great job tonight. I think it was their best...

  • Storm rallies in third, tops Coyotes for MAC title win

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 25, 2016

    A key third quarter run proved to be the difference for Creek Valley on Saturday night to claim the Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament championship against Potter-Dix. The Storm used a 15-2 third quarter run, erasing a 21-18 halftime deficit, to defeat the Coyotes 44-36 in the MAC title game. Brett Godfrey started the run with a layup, while the Storm took the lead on a Colin Brott layup and ensuing foul shot. The Coyotes' Noah Nelson hit a layup with 5:25 left in the quarter to tie the...

  • Hofrock to continue football career at Concordia

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 22, 2016

    Cody Hofrock fulfilled a dream on Thursday afternoon. The Sidney senior signed a scholarship to play football at Concordia University in Seward on Thursday in front of friends and family at the SHS media center. "Being able to come down there and play college football, it's been a lifelong dream to be able to play college football," Hofrock said. The offensive lineman is built to play center, according to Sidney football coach Chris Koozer. "He's about 5-10, 5-11, and not too tall. A lot of peop... Full story

  • Hot start lifts Storm past Lady Eagles

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 20, 2016

    CHAPPELL – Creek Valley took control early on in Tuesday's first-round tournament game against Garden County. The third-seeded Storm scored 17 points before the sixth-seeded Lady Eagles got their first bucket of the night in a 61-35 victory in the first round of the Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament. Creek Valley moves on to face second-seeded Leyton, a 47-23 winner over Banner County, at 8 p.m. Thursday at Sidney Middle School. Creek Valley coach Trevor Korte said his team is...

  • Coyotes avenge earlier loss to Warriors in MAC opener

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 19, 2016

    POTTER – Cross-county rivals Potter-Dix and Leyton matched up Monday night for the second time in four days. The Warriors took the first stanza Friday night by a 54-41 score. The second verse, however, played out a bit different. Edward Barnes' trey with 2:43 left turned out to be the deciding note as the homestanding Coyotes avenged their earlier loss to the Warriors, 49-45, Monday night in the first round of the Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament. The fourth-seeded Coyotes (5-6)...

  • Celebrating perfection

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 18, 2016

    Sidney players and fans celebrate while stunned Lexington players look on in disbelief early Saturday evening after Cutter O'Connell's 3-pointer banked into the basket to give the Raiders a 58-56 win at the buzzer. The Raiders remained perfect at 15-0 after the win. See a write up of the game on page 10A....

  • Banking it in for perfection

    John Verser, Publisher of the Sun-Telegraph|Jan 18, 2016

    Cutter O'Connell doesn't usually celebrate banking in a 3-pointer - but he did Saturday, and he had a lot of help with that celebration. O'Connell's banked-in trey as time expired lifted Sidney to a 58-56 win over visiting Lexington at Cabela's Athletic Facility early Saturday evening. The last-second win keeps the Raiders unbeaten at 15-0. "I've banked a three in before. Usually I don't get excited for those, but this one is a different occasion, I guess," O'Connell said. "I got pretty...

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