Jock Talk

The first event on Kimball’s Spring Sport season has come and gone with the Longhorns cancelling out of the Chadron State College Indoor Track and Field Meet this past Saturday because of the weather and road conditions.

The event went on as scheduled, but with less than half of the usual contestants according to one report. The next scheduled event is this Saturday for the Kimball High Track Invite, but it is rather doubtful if this will take place either, according to Kimball school officials.

Because of the snow and wetness in the jump areas and other field event locations, and also because the weatherman is calling for possible rain and or snow for Friday and Saturday, there is a good chance of another cancellation.

Activities Director Ken Smith was going to wait until today (Thursday) to make a final decision. There is a possibility, however, if the Kimball meet is cancelled, the Horns might attend one somewhere else. It is a wait-and-see proposition.

In the meantime, the Kimball High Track Team is working out the best they can considering the weather conditions.

Coach Gene Mohr has a nice number checked out with 21 girls and 18 boys.

There’s some change in the coaching ranks this spring with Mohr taking over the middle and distance running events, along with the longer relay events and the hurdles.

Wade Brashear is back to coach the long and triple jumpers, the sprint relay, and help with the sprinters.

Dane Wurdeman will handle the shotput and discus along with volunteer Dylan Brant. Larry Pahl will work with the high jumpers.

New to the staff this year is Samantha Hanson, who will take over the pole vaulters, the sprints and 4 x 100 relay, and will coach the starts.

The Kimball track team will be without the services of Jim Reeves who passed away this past year unexpectantly.

Coach Mohr said, “Our track team suffered a great loss with the untimely death of our distance coach Jim Reeves. Coach Reeves had a deep and long history of track and field and cross country. Our team motto this year is “Running for Reeves” – and it is on every track shirt the athletes and fans will be wearing.”

Along with that, the Kimball Invite was to be called the Jim Reeves Memorial Track Meet from now on.

“We will miss Coach Reeves,” Mohr said.

Weather Delay For Golf

After weather delayed the official March 15 opening date for the Four Winds Golf Course, course Superintendent Jeremy Williams was shooting for a March 22 opening, but now that looks very iffy.

Still lots of snow on the course, and if it warms enough to melt enough snow to consider an opening this weekend, it will be for walking only.

All I can tell you readers is you can drive out and check, or call the pro shop, to see if it is going to happen this weekend.

Four Winds Pro Chad Wise, who also serves as coach of the Kimball High boys golf team, has been busy going over the new rules that go into effect this golf season.

The boys have not been able to get much practice in outside. They are getting anxious to get on the course and get some swings in order. They will open with a nine hole practice type tournament at Gering sometime in the first week of April. On April 9, they get the season going at the Mitchell Tournament.

Adam Bohac: He’s A Winner

One more salute to Adam Bohac for another great season at Southern Nazarene, where he coached his team to a 29-6 record, won the conference championship for the second consecutive year, and was named the Great American Conference Coach of the Year once again.

In the Division II NCAA Tournament, his club won over St Cloud State 81-61 but lost to Northwest Missouri State 70-59, giving a good effort against the highly touted Missouri team that is 33-0.

Mr. Mike Daum

I hope all you Mike Daum fans tuned in ESPN Tuesday night to watch South Dakota State take on Texas – in Texas. This of course is in the NIT Tournament play. Nebraska and Creighton are also in the NIT bracket.

Latest info I can feed you on our Mike Daum is his selection by the United States Basketball Writers Association to their third team All American team. Mike was honorable mention the past two years.

The three-time Summit League Player of the Year now has 3,042 points going into this week’s tournament play and is just the 10th player in NCAA Division I history to score 3,000 points.

We are so proud of you, Mr. Mike Daum!