By Jake Hasenauer - NPHS Cross Country Coach

I was very proud of how each of our kids competed on a tough course today!&nbsp;Fifteen teams had runners in attendance today, and both North Platte teams brought home the championship.&nbsp; McCook is one of the hardest courses we run on.&nbsp; Our word of the week was "determination".&nbsp; I told the kids all week to tell themselves, "I love this hill", each time they went up one.&nbsp; Running is very hard physically, but also super tough mentally as well.&nbsp; I was proud of how our athletes rose to the challenge&nbsp;of a mentally tough course and were each able to defend their team titles from a year ago.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Evan Caudy led the boys to a victory with a 17:00 5K.&nbsp; Second place was nearly one minute behind him.&nbsp; Evan's goal was to break the 17 minute mark today on our most challenging course, very few people have ever broken 17 on this course, so getting right to that mark was impressive.&nbsp; All of the varsity&nbsp;boys medaled today to help lead the team to victory with Evan's first place finish, followed by: Jonah San Miguel (5th), Rian Teets (7th), Tom Moss (8th), Aaron Franz (10th), and Quade Lowe (12th).&nbsp;&nbsp;

The girls had a great battle with McCook beating them out by 9 points for the victory!&nbsp; There was lots to be proud of on the girls side.&nbsp; The girls battled tough and were very determined to race well for their team.&nbsp; Zarah Blaesi led the way for the girls with a 2nd place finish, followed by: Evelyn Blaesi (7th), Nelia Rivas (8th), and Lexi Hoatson (14th).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both JV teams won also, with Marissa Holm leading the way for the girls with a 1st place finish, followed by Boston Pettera (2nd), Shelby Steele (5th), Ashlynn Ditch (6th), and Audrey Eisenrich (8th).&nbsp; The boys were led by Gabe Jenny (1st) followed by Ben Steele (2nd), Trenton Golter (3rd), Ainsley Schroeder (4th), Rayce Moerke (5th), Oban Sandoval (8th), and Hunter Hothan (10th).&nbsp; This was the 3rd meet this season the JV Boys have earned the front five medals and they have won each JV meet this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Results:<a href="https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/174252/results" target="_blank">https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/174252/results</a>

By Jake Hasenauer - NPHS Cross Country CoachI was very proud of how each of our kids competed on a tough course today!&nbsp;Fifteen teams had runners in attendance today, and both North Platte teams brought home the championship.&nbsp; McCook is one of the hardest courses we run on.&nbsp; Our word of the week was "determination".&nbsp; I told the kids all week to tell themselves, "I love this hill", each time they went up one.&nbsp; Running is very hard physically, but also super tough mentally as well.&nbsp; I was proud of how our athletes rose to the challenge&nbsp;of a mentally tough course and were each able to defend their team titles from a year ago.&nbsp;&nbsp;Evan Caudy led the boys to a victory with a 17:00 5K.&nbsp; Second place was nearly one minute behind him.&nbsp; Evan's goal was to break the 17 minute mark today on our most challenging course, very few people have ever broken 17 on this course, so getting right to that mark was impressive.&nbsp; All of the varsity&nbsp;boys medaled today to help lead the team to victory with Evan's first place finish, followed by: Jonah San Miguel (5th), Rian Teets (7th), Tom Moss (8th), Aaron Franz (10th), and Quade Lowe (12th).&nbsp;&nbsp;The girls had a great battle with McCook beating them out by 9 points for the victory!&nbsp; There was lots to be proud of on the girls side.&nbsp; The girls battled tough and were very determined to race well for their team.&nbsp; Zarah Blaesi led the way for the girls with a 2nd place finish, followed by: Evelyn Blaesi (7th), Nelia Rivas (8th), and Lexi Hoatson (14th).&nbsp;&nbsp;Both JV teams won also, with Marissa Holm leading the way for the girls with a 1st place finish, followed by Boston Pettera (2nd), Shelby Steele (5th), Ashlynn Ditch (6th), and Audrey Eisenrich (8th).&nbsp; The boys were led by Gabe Jenny (1st) followed by Ben Steele (2nd), Trenton Golter (3rd), Ainsley Schroeder (4th), Rayce Moerke (5th), Oban Sandoval (8th), and Hunter Hothan (10th).&nbsp; This was the 3rd meet this season the JV Boys have earned the front five medals and they have won each JV meet this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;Results:<a href="https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/174252/results" target="_blank">https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/174252/results</a>

NPHS Cross Country: McCook Invite Recap and Results

On Thursday afternoon the NSAA finished up its board of directors meeting with news that will impact all Class A football teams this year.&nbsp; Everyone is going to the playoffs.&nbsp; Because of the Nine Omaha Public Schools teams that are voluntarily sitting out of football this fall, along with games that have been cancelled already due to coronavirus reasons, the NSAA felt it was necessary to put everyone into the playoffs to ensure all 24 remaining teams have a full nine-game season.&nbsp;

The playoffs will start in week 9 (effectively cancelling the final game of the season against Columbus for NPHS) and will be seeded by a committee that will be formed soon.&nbsp;

The committee will consider all games, including those the NSAA counts as replacement games (which don't count toward wild card points) in their discussions of seeding.&nbsp;

More information will come out as we get closer to week 9 and the NSAA finalizes the rest of the details.&nbsp;

On Thursday afternoon the NSAA finished up its board of directors meeting with news that will impact all Class A football teams this year.&nbsp; Everyone is going to the playoffs.&nbsp; Because of the Nine Omaha Public Schools teams that are voluntarily sitting out of football this fall, along with games that have been cancelled already due to coronavirus reasons, the NSAA felt it was necessary to put everyone into the playoffs to ensure all 24 remaining teams have a full nine-game season.&nbsp;The playoffs will start in week 9 (effectively cancelling the final game of the season against Columbus for NPHS) and will be seeded by a committee that will be formed soon.&nbsp;The committee will consider all games, including those the NSAA counts as replacement games (which don't count toward wild card points) in their discussions of seeding.&nbsp;More information will come out as we get closer to week 9 and the NSAA finalizes the rest of the details.&nbsp;

NSAA: Everyone going to the playoffs

The NCAA men’s and women’s basketball season will begin Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving.

The Division I Council voted Wednesday to push the start date back from the originally scheduled Nov. 10 as one of several precautions against the spread of coronavirus.

The later start date coincides with the decision most schools made to send students home from Thanksgiving until January out of concern about a potential late-fall and early-winter flareup of COVID-19. Closed campuses could serve as a quasi bubble for players and provide a window for nonconference games.

“The fact our campuses will be clearing out, it will be possible to just further control the exposures, and the 25th gives us that opportunity,” said Division I Council chair Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Penn.

The men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees had jointly recommended a start date of Nov. 21, a Saturday. Calhoun said the council wanted to avoid a weekend start date because of potential overlaps of basketball and football games on campuses.

The maximum number of regular-season games has been reduced from 31 to 27.

“The rationale was that during the season teams tend to play an average of two games a week, so the fact we’re shortening the season by two weeks necessitated the reduction in games so we’re not being counterproductive and trying to jam more in a shortened season,” Calhoun said.

The minimum number of games for consideration for the NCAA Tournament was cut from 25 to 13. Calhoun said the low minimum is an acknowledgement that schools probably will experience different levels of COVID-19 cases and have to alter schedules.

“We fully anticipate there are going to be some issues as we go through the season, much like we’ve seen in football, so we want there to be flexibility for institutions to put together seasons,” she said.

Teams can start preseason practices Oct. 14. Beginning Monday, teams will be allowed to participate in strength and conditioning and sport-related meetings and skill instruction for up to 12 hours a week, with an eight-hour limit on skill instruction.

No scrimmages against other teams or exhibitions are allowed. It also was recommended each team play a minimum of four nonconference games.

The council is scheduled to meet again Oct. 13-14 and could delay the start date and change other pieces of the basketball framework if circumstances surrounding the virus warrant.

The council also voted to extend the recruiting dead period for all sports until Jan. 1. In-person recruiting is prohibited during a dead period, though phone calls and other correspondence are allowed.

Also approved was civic engagement legislation. Practicing, competing and other countable athletically related activities will be prohibited on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November each year, including this year’s Election Day on Nov. 3.

The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee proposed the legislation to provide a day each year dedicated to increasing opportunities for athletes to participate in activities such as voting or community service.

By ERIC OLSON - Associated PressThe NCAA men’s and women’s basketball season will begin Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving.The Division I Council voted Wednesday to push the start date back from the originally scheduled Nov. 10 as one of several precautions against the spread of coronavirus.The later start date coincides with the decision most schools made to send students home from Thanksgiving until January out of concern about a potential late-fall and early-winter flareup of COVID-19. Closed campuses could serve as a quasi bubble for players and provide a window for nonconference games.“The fact our campuses will be clearing out, it will be possible to just further control the exposures, and the 25th gives us that opportunity,” said Division I Council chair Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Penn.The men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees had jointly recommended a start date of Nov. 21, a Saturday. Calhoun said the council wanted to avoid a weekend start date because of potential overlaps of basketball and football games on campuses.The maximum number of regular-season games has been reduced from 31 to 27.“The rationale was that during the season teams tend to play an average of two games a week, so the fact we’re shortening the season by two weeks necessitated the reduction in games so we’re not being counterproductive and trying to jam more in a shortened season,” Calhoun said.The minimum number of games for consideration for the NCAA Tournament was cut from 25 to 13. Calhoun said the low minimum is an acknowledgement that schools probably will experience different levels of COVID-19 cases and have to alter schedules.“We fully anticipate there are going to be some issues as we go through the season, much like we’ve seen in football, so we want there to be flexibility for institutions to put together seasons,” she said.Teams can start preseason practices Oct. 14. Beginning Monday, teams will be allowed to participate in strength and conditioning and sport-related meetings and skill instruction for up to 12 hours a week, with an eight-hour limit on skill instruction.No scrimmages against other teams or exhibitions are allowed. It also was recommended each team play a minimum of four nonconference games.The council is scheduled to meet again Oct. 13-14 and could delay the start date and change other pieces of the basketball framework if circumstances surrounding the virus warrant.The council also voted to extend the recruiting dead period for all sports until Jan. 1. In-person recruiting is prohibited during a dead period, though phone calls and other correspondence are allowed.Also approved was civic engagement legislation. Practicing, competing and other countable athletically related activities will be prohibited on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November each year, including this year’s Election Day on Nov. 3.The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee proposed the legislation to provide a day each year dedicated to increasing opportunities for athletes to participate in activities such as voting or community service.

NCAA basketball season set to open day before Thanksgiving

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now that the Big Ten has a rescheduled kickoff weekend, coaches and players can start the sprint to opening day.

After canceling spring football, limiting and sometimes pausing offseason workouts, shutting down full-contact practices and eventually postponing the season, the league’s 14 university presidents and chancellors have given teams five weeks to accomplish what typically takes months — getting into football shape by late October for the start of a most unusual season.

“We’re going to be ready to play on (October) the 24th,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said, referring to the new opening weekend. “You know, the ramp up to that, and the 20 hours (of weekly practice), and putting on pads has been well thought out. So we’ll be ready. We’ll play with depth.”

Vocal critics of the school leaders who voted 11-3 to postpone all fall sports amid an August uptick in COVID-19 cases have been largely silenced by the unanimous vote that put Big Ten football back on the calendar alongside the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.

Those who play the sport, teach the sport and watch the sport almost universally expressed joy and relief Wednesday, knowing football will return. Like those other conferences, though, Big Ten football will look different in many ways.

Stadiums will be mostly empty and tickets will not be sold to the public. The season has been reduced from 12 games to eight with the opportunity for a ninth around the Dec. 19 conference championship game.

Players will undergo daily antigen testing before practice and if two tests confirm a positive result, the player must sit out 21 days before being cleared for game action. Those who contract COVID-19 must be cleared by a school-designated cardiologist before returning. Teams will have backup plans if the head coach or an assistant falls ill.

Not everyone is following the same script, either. Indiana University plans to conduct daily testing starting Thursday. The league won’t require it until Sept. 30.

And though everyone understands the guidelines and polices, coaches may spend more time over the next few weeks contemplating how to properly sanitize practice facilities, meeting rooms and locker rooms than crafting game plans because the healthiest team could emerge as the league champ.

“My initial concerns were how do you meet, how do you practice, how do you keep social distancing during your practice but (also) in meetings and all the situations when you have close quarters.“ said Wisconsin athletic director and former football coach Barry Alvarez, who noted he’s been assured it’s achievable. “To me, that was the hardest (part), this adjusting your players and coaches to a change in how you go about your day-to-day routine.”

On the field, there are other risks like injuries.

While the Big Ten permitted teams to run and lift weights as well as doing light work in helmets for 12 hours per week over the past month, the intensity of full-contact practices will pick up quickly.

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and Indiana coach Tom Allen don’t plan to change much this week or next.

“I think the following week, on a Tuesday — as of now I don’t think that’s set in stone — maybe the first day in shells,” Brohm said, referring to Sept. 29. “That Wednesday, the following day, may be our first day in pads, though I don’t know that’s fully set in stone.”

What else will be on the coaches’ plates? Discussions about travel and depth charts and playbooks. And some non-traditional recruiting.

Day believes he can persuade offensive lineman Wyatt Davis and cornerback Shaun Wade to play after each previously said they would opt out to focus on their NFL hopes. Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth confirmed he plans to play while Brohm plans to see if Rondale Moore, one of the league’s most electric players, might return to the Boilermakers.

“We’re going to support any decision he wants to make and the direction he wants to go,” Brohm said. “But yes, we’re definitely going to look into it and see where that goes.”

By playing nine consecutive weekends, the Big Ten can finish in time to be in the playoff mix and the bowls hunt. Friday night telecasts are likely to return while traditional Thanksgiving weekend rivalries, such as Michigan-Ohio State and Indiana-Purdue, could find new dates. And then there’s the cross-division finish against a Week 9 opponent yet to be determined.

“I have to give (Michigan coach) Jim Harbaugh a lot of credit as he was the one that came up with that idea,” Allen said. “We talked for a long time about how we decide who that ninth game is against, whether it was a blind draw against somebody from the other division. But he came up with the way to have parity in that last game. That is where we came up with the No. 7 plays No. 7 and so on.”

But despite all the unknowns, all the fears and no time to waste, there is one unifying hope it all goes off without a hitch.

“Our players want to play, our coaches want to coach and our fans want to watch,” Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said. “We’re going to be able to do all these things now, so that’s why it’s a celebration. I believe, and very strongly, that the state of Nebraska needs football. In the world I live in, football needs Nebraska. We’re going to be able to deliver that and I’m very very excited.”

By MICHAEL MAROT - Associated PressINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now that the Big Ten has a rescheduled kickoff weekend, coaches and players can start the sprint to opening day.Expect a wild ride.After canceling spring football, limiting and sometimes pausing offseason workouts, shutting down full-contact practices and eventually postponing the season, the league’s 14 university presidents and chancellors have given teams five weeks to accomplish what typically takes months — getting into football shape by late October for the start of a most unusual season.“We’re going to be ready to play on (October) the 24th,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said, referring to the new opening weekend. “You know, the ramp up to that, and the 20 hours (of weekly practice), and putting on pads has been well thought out. So we’ll be ready. We’ll play with depth.”Vocal critics of the school leaders who voted 11-3 to postpone all fall sports amid an August uptick in COVID-19 cases have been largely silenced by the unanimous vote that put Big Ten football back on the calendar alongside the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.Those who play the sport, teach the sport and watch the sport almost universally expressed joy and relief Wednesday, knowing football will return. Like those other conferences, though, Big Ten football will look different in many ways.Stadiums will be mostly empty and tickets will not be sold to the public. The season has been reduced from 12 games to eight with the opportunity for a ninth around the Dec. 19 conference championship game.Players will undergo daily antigen testing before practice and if two tests confirm a positive result, the player must sit out 21 days before being cleared for game action. Those who contract COVID-19 must be cleared by a school-designated cardiologist before returning. Teams will have backup plans if the head coach or an assistant falls ill.Not everyone is following the same script, either. Indiana University plans to conduct daily testing starting Thursday. The league won’t require it until Sept. 30.And though everyone understands the guidelines and polices, coaches may spend more time over the next few weeks contemplating how to properly sanitize practice facilities, meeting rooms and locker rooms than crafting game plans because the healthiest team could emerge as the league champ.“My initial concerns were how do you meet, how do you practice, how do you keep social distancing during your practice but (also) in meetings and all the situations when you have close quarters.“ said Wisconsin athletic director and former football coach Barry Alvarez, who noted he’s been assured it’s achievable. “To me, that was the hardest (part), this adjusting your players and coaches to a change in how you go about your day-to-day routine.”On the field, there are other risks like injuries.While the Big Ten permitted teams to run and lift weights as well as doing light work in helmets for 12 hours per week over the past month, the intensity of full-contact practices will pick up quickly.Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and Indiana coach Tom Allen don’t plan to change much this week or next.“I think the following week, on a Tuesday — as of now I don’t think that’s set in stone — maybe the first day in shells,” Brohm said, referring to Sept. 29. “That Wednesday, the following day, may be our first day in pads, though I don’t know that’s fully set in stone.”What else will be on the coaches’ plates? Discussions about travel and depth charts and playbooks. And some non-traditional recruiting.Day believes he can persuade offensive lineman Wyatt Davis and cornerback Shaun Wade to play after each previously said they would opt out to focus on their NFL hopes. Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth confirmed he plans to play while Brohm plans to see if Rondale Moore, one of the league’s most electric players, might return to the Boilermakers.“We’re going to support any decision he wants to make and the direction he wants to go,” Brohm said. “But yes, we’re definitely going to look into it and see where that goes.”Schedules will look different, too.By playing nine consecutive weekends, the Big Ten can finish in time to be in the playoff mix and the bowls hunt. Friday night telecasts are likely to return while traditional Thanksgiving weekend rivalries, such as Michigan-Ohio State and Indiana-Purdue, could find new dates. And then there’s the cross-division finish against a Week 9 opponent yet to be determined.“I have to give (Michigan coach) Jim Harbaugh a lot of credit as he was the one that came up with that idea,” Allen said. “We talked for a long time about how we decide who that ninth game is against, whether it was a blind draw against somebody from the other division. But he came up with the way to have parity in that last game. That is where we came up with the No. 7 plays No. 7 and so on.”But despite all the unknowns, all the fears and no time to waste, there is one unifying hope it all goes off without a hitch.“Our players want to play, our coaches want to coach and our fans want to watch,” Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said. “We’re going to be able to do all these things now, so that’s why it’s a celebration. I believe, and very strongly, that the state of Nebraska needs football. In the world I live in, football needs Nebraska. We’re going to be able to deliver that and I’m very very excited.”

Big Ten teams start sprint toward unusual football season

If you were one of the many that held out hope that we would have Big 10 football this fall, today is a good day for you.&nbsp;

While no official announcement has come out of the Big 10 as of yet, multiple sources are now reporting that the announcement is imminent.&nbsp; From the bits and pieces, we have gathered it will be an eight-game season over an eight-week span. Games would start on Oct. 23rd.&nbsp;

The big change is the medical community has come up with reliable ways to rapidly test players and staff reducing the need for extensive contact tracing.&nbsp;

Here is the release from the Big 10:&nbsp;

The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.

The Big Ten will require student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other individuals that are on the field for all practices and games to undergo daily antigen testing. Test results must be completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Student-athletes who test positive for the coronavirus through point of contact (POC) daily testing would require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result of the POC test.

“Everyone associated with the Big Ten should be very proud of the groundbreaking steps that are now being taken to better protect the health and safety of the student-athletes and surrounding communities,” said Dr. Jim Borchers, Head Team Physician, The Ohio State University and co-chair of the Return to Competition Task Force medical subcommittee.

“The data we are going to collect from testing and the cardiac registry will provide major contributions for all 14 Big Ten institutions as they study COVID-19 and attempt to mitigate the spread of the disease among wider communities.”

Each institution will designate a Chief Infection Officer (CInO) who will oversee the collection and reporting of data for the Big Ten Conference. Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition.

All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.

In addition to the medical protocols approved, the 14 Big Ten institutions will establish a cardiac registry in an effort to examine the effects on COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The registry and associated data will attempt to answer many of the unknowns regarding the cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 positive elite athletes.

“From the onset of the pandemic, our highest priority has been the health and the safety of our students. The new medical protocols and standards put into place by the Big Ten Return To Competition Task Force were pivotal in the decision to move forward with sports in the conference,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President, and Chair of the Return to Competition Task Force Steering Committee. “We appreciate the conference’s dedication to developing the necessary safety procedures for our students and the communities that embrace them.”

“Our focus with the Task Force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes. Our goal has always been to return to competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “We are incredibly grateful for the collaborative work that our Return to Competition Task Force have accomplished to ensure the health, safety and wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”

The Big Ten Conference will use data provided by each Chief Infection Officer (CInO) to make decisions about the continuation of practice and competition, as determined by team positivity rate and population positivity rate, based on a seven-day rolling average:

Team positivity rate (number of positive tests divided by total number of tests administered):

Population positivity rate (number of positive individuals divided by total population at risk):

Decisions to alter or halt practice and competition will be based on the following scenarios:

Green/Green and Green/Orange: Team continues with normal practice and competition.

Orange/Orange and Orange/Red: Team must proceed with caution and enhance COVID-19 prevention (alter practice and meeting schedule, consider viability of continuing with scheduled competition).

Red/Red: Team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and reassess metrics until improved.

The daily testing will begin by September 30, 2020.

Eventually all Big Ten sports will require testing protocols before they can resume competition. Updates regarding fall sports other than football, as well as winter sports that begin in the fall including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and wrestling, will be announced shortly.

The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions will provide over $200 million in direct financial support to more than 9,800 students for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse since 2013. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.

If you were one of the many that held out hope that we would have Big 10 football this fall, today is a good day for you.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The Big Ten is expected to announce a return to football in October, sources confirmed to ESPN, first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The conference postponed all the fall sports seasons on August 11 because of concerns about the pandemic. <a href="https://t.co/kOIlIQITNi">https://t.co/kOIlIQITNi</a>&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1306219109143764992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
</div>While no official announcement has come out of the Big 10 as of yet, multiple sources are now reporting that the announcement is imminent.&nbsp; From the bits and pieces, we have gathered it will be an eight-game season over an eight-week span. Games would start on Oct. 23rd.&nbsp;The big change is the medical community has come up with reliable ways to rapidly test players and staff reducing the need for extensive contact tracing.&nbsp;Here is the release from the Big 10:&nbsp;The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.The Big Ten will require student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other individuals that are on the field for all practices and games to undergo daily antigen testing. Test results must be completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Student-athletes who test positive for the coronavirus through point of contact (POC) daily testing would require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result of the POC test.“Everyone associated with the Big Ten should be very proud of the groundbreaking steps that are now being taken to better protect the health and safety of the student-athletes and surrounding communities,” said Dr. Jim Borchers, Head Team Physician, The Ohio State University and co-chair of the Return to Competition Task Force medical subcommittee. “The data we are going to collect from testing and the cardiac registry will provide major contributions for all 14 Big Ten institutions as they study COVID-19 and attempt to mitigate the spread of the disease among wider communities.”Each institution will designate a Chief Infection Officer (CInO) who will oversee the collection and reporting of data for the Big Ten Conference. Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition.All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.In addition to the medical protocols approved, the 14 Big Ten institutions will establish a cardiac registry in an effort to examine the effects on COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The registry and associated data will attempt to answer many of the unknowns regarding the cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 positive elite athletes.“From the onset of the pandemic, our highest priority has been the health and the safety of our students. The new medical protocols and standards put into place by the Big Ten Return To Competition Task Force were pivotal in the decision to move forward with sports in the conference,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President, and Chair of the Return to Competition Task Force Steering Committee. “We appreciate the conference’s dedication to developing the necessary safety procedures for our students and the communities that embrace them.”“Our focus with the Task Force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes. Our goal has always been to return to competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “We are incredibly grateful for the collaborative work that our Return to Competition Task Force have accomplished to ensure the health, safety and wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”The Big Ten Conference will use data provided by each Chief Infection Officer (CInO) to make decisions about the continuation of practice and competition, as determined by team positivity rate and population positivity rate, based on a seven-day rolling average:Team positivity rate (number of positive tests divided by total number of tests administered):Green 0-2%Orange 2-5%Red &gt;5%Population positivity rate (number of positive individuals divided by total population at risk):Green 0-3.5%Orange 3.5-7.5%Red &gt;7.5%Decisions to alter or halt practice and competition will be based on the following scenarios:Green/Green and Green/Orange: Team continues with normal practice and competition.Orange/Orange and Orange/Red: Team must proceed with caution and enhance COVID-19 prevention (alter practice and meeting schedule, consider viability of continuing with scheduled competition).Red/Red: Team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and reassess metrics until improved.The daily testing will begin by September 30, 2020. Eventually all Big Ten sports will require testing protocols before they can resume competition. Updates regarding fall sports other than football, as well as winter sports that begin in the fall including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and wrestling, will be announced shortly.The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The broad-based programs of the 14 Big Ten institutions will provide over $200 million in direct financial support to more than 9,800 students for more than 11,000 participation opportunities on 350 teams in 42 different sports. The Big Ten sponsors 28 official conference sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, including the addition of men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse since 2013. For more information, visit www.bigten.org.

UPDATED: BIG 10 back to action

9.15.2020 NPHS Volleyball @ Ogallala

By&nbsp;RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated Press

The University of Wisconsin chancellor said Tuesday that Big Ten football will remain on hold until there are answers to questions about COVID-19 testing and tracing, along with possible long-term heart issues related to the coronavirus.

Chancellor Rebecca Blank said once the Big Ten university leaders have their concerns addressed "we will try to plan a delayed season."

A month after postponing games, conference leaders are considering playing a fall season after all. There were weekend meetings on a plan to begin play as soon as mid-October.

Blank, appearing at a congressional hearing on compensation for college athletes, was asked by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) about the Big Ten's decision last month and whether the conference might reverse course.

"There were several main reasons for that," Blank said. "One was that we were uncertain we could do the level of testing and contact tracing that we needed to keep athletes safe. Secondly, there was this growing evidence about heart-related myocarditis and that evidence was uncertain and it wasn't clear what it means and we wanted to know more. There were a few other minor reasons."

She would not predict which way a vote to return to play would go.

"Decisions within the Big Ten are largely majority based decisions, but I'll be honest, we almost always decide everything by consensus. We very rarely take votes," Blank said.

A court filing earlier this month disclosed that Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 in favor of postponing all fall sports. Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio State voted against the move.

When the next decision comes from the Big Ten was unclear, though KETV in Omaha posted video Tuesday of University of Nebraska President Ted Carter saying, "We're getting ready to announce the Huskers and Big Ten football tonight," before he spoke at an unrelated news conference.

Carter later told KLKN in Lincoln that statement was taken out of context.

"When there is any news to share or confirm regarding any Big Ten board decision, it will be announced by the Big Ten," University of Nebraska spokeswoman Deb Fiddelke said.

By&nbsp;RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated PressThe University of Wisconsin chancellor said Tuesday that Big Ten football will remain on hold until there are answers to questions about COVID-19 testing and tracing, along with possible long-term heart issues related to the coronavirus.Chancellor Rebecca Blank said once the Big Ten university leaders have their concerns addressed "we will try to plan a delayed season."A month after postponing games, conference leaders are considering playing a fall season after all. There were weekend meetings on a plan to begin play as soon as mid-October.Blank, appearing at a congressional hearing on compensation for college athletes, was asked by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) about the Big Ten's decision last month and whether the conference might reverse course."There were several main reasons for that," Blank said. "One was that we were uncertain we could do the level of testing and contact tracing that we needed to keep athletes safe. Secondly, there was this growing evidence about heart-related myocarditis and that evidence was uncertain and it wasn't clear what it means and we wanted to know more. There were a few other minor reasons."She would not predict which way a vote to return to play would go."Decisions within the Big Ten are largely majority based decisions, but I'll be honest, we almost always decide everything by consensus. We very rarely take votes," Blank said.A court filing earlier this month disclosed that Big Ten presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 in favor of postponing all fall sports. Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio State voted against the move.When the next decision comes from the Big Ten was unclear, though KETV in Omaha posted video Tuesday of University of Nebraska President Ted Carter saying, "We're getting ready to announce the Huskers and Big Ten football tonight," before he spoke at an unrelated news conference.Carter later told KLKN in Lincoln that statement was taken out of context."When there is any news to share or confirm regarding any Big Ten board decision, it will be announced by the Big Ten," University of Nebraska spokeswoman Deb Fiddelke said.

School leader: B1G football on hold until questions answered

On behalf of NSAA, the Visitors Bureaus in Gering and Scotts Bluff County, Gering and Scottsbluff High Schools and the NSAA State Girls Golf Championship Planning Committee; please see the following announcement in regards to the 2020 NSAA Class B State Girls State Golf Championship.

After evaluating both courses last week during a site visit with NSAA officials, it has been determined that NSAA Class B Girls State Golf Championship will be played at Monument Shadows Golf Course in Gering on&nbsp;October 12 &amp; 13, 2020. The 2021 NSAA Class B Girls Golf Championship is scheduled to be played at Scotts Bluff Country Club.&nbsp;

“We as the local host committee have worked collaboratively with both communities to deliver a tournament that provides the best experience for the competitors that qualify for the state championship,” stated Dave Hoxworth, representing the planning committee. “We personally want to thank both courses for their flexibility to make this the best experience for the players and their parents.” &nbsp;

On behalf of NSAA, the Visitors Bureaus in Gering and Scotts Bluff County, Gering and Scottsbluff High Schools and the NSAA State Girls Golf Championship Planning Committee; please see the following announcement in regards to the 2020 NSAA Class B State Girls State Golf Championship.After evaluating both courses last week during a site visit with NSAA officials, it has been determined that NSAA Class B Girls State Golf Championship will be played at Monument Shadows Golf Course in Gering on&nbsp;October 12 &amp; 13, 2020. The 2021 NSAA Class B Girls Golf Championship is scheduled to be played at Scotts Bluff Country Club.&nbsp;“We as the local host committee have worked collaboratively with both communities to deliver a tournament that provides the best experience for the competitors that qualify for the state championship,” stated Dave Hoxworth, representing the planning committee. “We personally want to thank both courses for their flexibility to make this the best experience for the players and their parents.” &nbsp;

NSAA moves Class B Girls Golf state championships

The Big Ten presidents were presented a comprehensive plan Sunday to conduct a fall football season, but a final decision is still to come.

A person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the full Council of Presidents and Chancellors heard from all the subcommittees of the conference’s Return to Competition Task Force over 2 1/2 hours. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making its return to competition plans public.

The person said the meeting broke up without the presidents and chancellors voting and with no set plans for them to reconvene.

Still, if they act quickly Big Ten football could kickoff as soon as the weekend of Oct. 17.

The medical part of the presentation focused on what has changed since the conference postponed its entire fall sports season on Aug. 11 because of COVID-19 concerns and how football could be played safely. The emergence of daily rapid-response COVID-19 testing, not available when university leaders decided to pull the plug on the season looms large.

If the Big Ten can start by late October, an eight-game season and conference championship game in mid-December is still possible. That schedule could set up Big Ten teams to be part of the College Football Playoff.

By RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated PressThe Big Ten presidents were presented a comprehensive plan Sunday to conduct a fall football season, but a final decision is still to come.A person with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that the full Council of Presidents and Chancellors heard from all the subcommittees of the conference’s Return to Competition Task Force over 2 1/2 hours. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Big Ten was not making its return to competition plans public.The person said the meeting broke up without the presidents and chancellors voting and with no set plans for them to reconvene.Still, if they act quickly Big Ten football could kickoff as soon as the weekend of Oct. 17.The medical part of the presentation focused on what has changed since the conference postponed its entire fall sports season on Aug. 11 because of COVID-19 concerns and how football could be played safely. The emergence of daily rapid-response COVID-19 testing, not available when university leaders decided to pull the plug on the season looms large.If the Big Ten can start by late October, an eight-game season and conference championship game in mid-December is still possible. That schedule could set up Big Ten teams to be part of the College Football Playoff.

After presidents meet, Big Ten football still in limbo

It was a great day for the Bulldogs! Very tough field with some very good teams. This is always one of our hardest meets of the year and both teams came ready to compete. The girls surprised a lot of people by finishing runner-up behind state ranked Kearney. The girls have gained a lot of confidence the past couple weeks. They have pushed each other hard in practice and have worked very hard in meets! The highest the girls had finished this meet the last several years was 5th, so finishing 2nd today was huge! Zarah Blaesi led the way for the Bulldogs finishing second with a time of 19:43. This was Zarah’s personal best time, beating her state time from last year by 2 seconds. Also placing for the girls was Evelyn Blaesi in 12th and Nelia Rivas in 9th.&nbsp;

The boys ran tough in a very loaded field! Placing 2nd as a group to Grand Island was a very good day. Grand Island and Lexington both finished as top 5 teams in the state last year, so competing with both of them was great! Our top 6 boys all finished in the top 20 and ran our fastest team average in years. The boys have good team chemistry and a great blend of experience and youth. Evan Caudy led the boys with an impressive time of 15:49, which is currently the fastest 5K run by any Nebraska runner this season. It was fun watching Evan race. Him and Juan Garcia of Grand Island battled from start to finish. It was exciting to watch two of the best runners in the state go head to head. Also placing for the Bulldogs was Rian Teets in 12th and Jonah San Miguel in 6th. Very proud of how these Bulldogs competed against some tough Class A teams. Next week we will run in McCook on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Boys results are at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://timerhub.com/getHytResults.php?v=6&amp;page=blacksquirrelresults.com/LIVE/20KearneyXC/200911F002.htm" target="_blank">https://timerhub.com/getHytResults.php?v=6&amp;page=blacksquirrelresults.com/LIVE/20KearneyXC/200911F002.htm</a>

Girls results are not online so here is a picture of team results:&nbsp;

It was a great day for the Bulldogs! Very tough field with some very good teams. This is always one of our hardest meets of the year and both teams came ready to compete. The girls surprised a lot of people by finishing runner-up behind state ranked Kearney. The girls have gained a lot of confidence the past couple weeks. They have pushed each other hard in practice and have worked very hard in meets! The highest the girls had finished this meet the last several years was 5th, so finishing 2nd today was huge! Zarah Blaesi led the way for the Bulldogs finishing second with a time of 19:43. This was Zarah’s personal best time, beating her state time from last year by 2 seconds. Also placing for the girls was Evelyn Blaesi in 12th and Nelia Rivas in 9th.&nbsp;The boys ran tough in a very loaded field! Placing 2nd as a group to Grand Island was a very good day. Grand Island and Lexington both finished as top 5 teams in the state last year, so competing with both of them was great! Our top 6 boys all finished in the top 20 and ran our fastest team average in years. The boys have good team chemistry and a great blend of experience and youth. Evan Caudy led the boys with an impressive time of 15:49, which is currently the fastest 5K run by any Nebraska runner this season. It was fun watching Evan race. Him and Juan Garcia of Grand Island battled from start to finish. It was exciting to watch two of the best runners in the state go head to head. Also placing for the Bulldogs was Rian Teets in 12th and Jonah San Miguel in 6th. Very proud of how these Bulldogs competed against some tough Class A teams. Next week we will run in McCook on Tuesday.&nbsp;Boys results are at the following link:&nbsp;<a href="https://timerhub.com/getHytResults.php?v=6&amp;page=blacksquirrelresults.com/LIVE/20KearneyXC/200911F002.htm" target="_blank">https://timerhub.com/getHytResults.php?v=6&amp;page=blacksquirrelresults.com/LIVE/20KearneyXC/200911F002.htm</a>Girls results are not online so here is a picture of team results:&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599958738701.jpeg" alt="9.12 girls results.jpg" />
 <figcaption>9.12 girls results.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>

NPHS Cross Country: Kearney High Invite Results and Recap

9.12.2020 Volleyball NPHS @ Kearney invite

9.11.2020 NPHS Football vs Kearney - Livestream

News broke early today that once again North Platte will be without a week 3 football game.&nbsp;

The news is still coming in, keep checking in with this post for updates throughout the day.&nbsp;

Here is the statement from NPHS Activities director Jordan Cudney:&nbsp;

According to the Omaha World Herald:&nbsp;

News broke early today that once again North Platte will be without a week 3 football game.&nbsp;The news is still coming in, keep checking in with this post for updates throughout the day.&nbsp;Here is the statement from NPHS Activities director Jordan Cudney:&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">🚨SCHEDULE UPDATE 🚨 See below for changes to the varsity football game tonight. <a href="https://t.co/o7XkCDIWk0">pic.twitter.com/o7XkCDIWk0</a>&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1304458849613570048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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</div>According to the Omaha World Herald:&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">BW had busses loaded ready to head to North Platte for their football game tonight. NP was informed this morning that they needed to do additional contact tracing and that resulted in more players being quarantined.&mdash; MikeSautterOWH (@MikeSautterOWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSautterOWH/status/1304455627079647233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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NPHS Football: Game off....again

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day is pushing the Big Ten for answers about when the conference plans to play a football season.

In a statement released by the school on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ryandaytime/status/1304149825278148613" target="_blank">Day said</a>&nbsp;he and his players and their families want some details about if and when the conference plans to start a season that was postponed a month ago because of concerns about playing through the pandemic.

Day said he understands the conference’s decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but “the communication of information from the Big Ten following the decision has been disappointing and often unclear.”

“The Big Ten medical subcommittee has done an excellent job of creating a safe pathway toward returning to play in mid-October,” Day said. “These young men and their parents have asked so many questions that I do not have an answer to, but the one that hurts the most is ‘Why can these other teams and players play and we can’t?’”

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference are starting their seasons this week, including No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest, No. 5 Oklahoma hosting Missouri State and No. 10 Notre Dame at home against Duke.

Ohio State was No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 and considered a national title contender behind star quarterback Justin Fields. But if the Buckeyes and the Big Ten don’t start their season until late November, which has been discussed by the league’s athletic directors and coaches, it’s unlikely they would be able to compete in the College Football Playoff. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 1 and the national title game is set for Jan. 11.

Earlier Thursday, Penn State coach James Franklin made similar comments to Day’s during an interview with ESPN Radio.

“I think the big challenge as the head football coach is that your players and your parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on, but the reality is, we’re dependent on the Big Ten to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has,” Franklin said on Keyshawn, Zubin and JWill. “To be able to stand up in front of your team and parents and tell them that the season is canceled/postponed, but not have any answers as to how that affects their future and when we will be playing football and still haven’t a month later. That’s the hard part.”

The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season. The Pac-12 soon followed suit, but six other major college football conferences, including the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, have forged ahead, although some season openers have been postponed because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The Big Ten and first-year commissioner Kevin Warren have faced push back and criticism ever since, including a lawsuit filed by eight Nebraska players who want the decision overturned.

The Big Ten’s decision and the subsequent backlash have trickled into politics in this election year, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers over who is responsible for taking away college football in the Midwest.

On Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told The Associated Press if the football season isn’t played he plans to sue the Big Ten on behalf of Ohio State, claiming that the decision made in response to the pandemic wrongly interferes with the university’s business relationships and amounts to a breach of contract.

Ohio State and other schools already are suffering financially because of the decision.

Minnesota said Thursday that because of a projected loss of $75 million, the school would have to drop men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, gymnastics and tennis after their 2020-21 seasons.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State coach Ryan Day is pushing the Big Ten for answers about when the conference plans to play a football season.In a statement released by the school on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ryandaytime/status/1304149825278148613" target="_blank">Day said</a>&nbsp;he and his players and their families want some details about if and when the conference plans to start a season that was postponed a month ago because of concerns about playing through the pandemic.Day said he understands the conference’s decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic, but “the communication of information from the Big Ten following the decision has been disappointing and often unclear.”“The Big Ten medical subcommittee has done an excellent job of creating a safe pathway toward returning to play in mid-October,” Day said. “These young men and their parents have asked so many questions that I do not have an answer to, but the one that hurts the most is ‘Why can these other teams and players play and we can’t?’”The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference are starting their seasons this week, including No. 1 Clemson at Wake Forest, No. 5 Oklahoma hosting Missouri State and No. 10 Notre Dame at home against Duke.Ohio State was No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 and considered a national title contender behind star quarterback Justin Fields. But if the Buckeyes and the Big Ten don’t start their season until late November, which has been discussed by the league’s athletic directors and coaches, it’s unlikely they would be able to compete in the College Football Playoff. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 1 and the national title game is set for Jan. 11.Earlier Thursday, Penn State coach James Franklin made similar comments to Day’s during an interview with ESPN Radio.“I think the big challenge as the head football coach is that your players and your parents think that you have all the answers to what’s going on, but the reality is, we’re dependent on the Big Ten to drive this thing forward. It’s been challenging. It truly has,” Franklin said on Keyshawn, Zubin and JWill. “To be able to stand up in front of your team and parents and tell them that the season is canceled/postponed, but not have any answers as to how that affects their future and when we will be playing football and still haven’t a month later. That’s the hard part.”The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season. The Pac-12 soon followed suit, but six other major college football conferences, including the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, have forged ahead, although some season openers have been postponed because of COVID-19 outbreaks.ADVERTISEMENTThe Big Ten and first-year commissioner Kevin Warren have faced push back and criticism ever since, including a lawsuit filed by eight Nebraska players who want the decision overturned.The Big Ten’s decision and the subsequent backlash have trickled into politics in this election year, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers over who is responsible for taking away college football in the Midwest.On Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost told The Associated Press if the football season isn’t played he plans to sue the Big Ten on behalf of Ohio State, claiming that the decision made in response to the pandemic wrongly interferes with the university’s business relationships and amounts to a breach of contract.Ohio State and other schools already are suffering financially because of the decision.Minnesota said Thursday that because of a projected loss of $75 million, the school would have to drop men’s indoor and outdoor track and field, gymnastics and tennis after their 2020-21 seasons.

Why not us?: Ohio State's Day wants answers from Big Ten

After getting their homecoming game against Kearney cancelled it looks as if NPHS will play after all. A credit to Activities Director Jordan Cudney for making this happen:&nbsp;

After getting their homecoming game against Kearney cancelled it looks as if NPHS will play after all. A credit to Activities Director Jordan Cudney for making this happen:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Bellevue West has found a game on Friday. 6 p.m. kickoff vs North Platte at North Platte.&mdash; MikeSautterOWH (@MikeSautterOWH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeSautterOWH/status/1303869841187708931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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NPHS finds a replacement game

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-Three weeks into the 2020 football season, the North Platte High School football team is seeing their schedule impacted by COVID-19 for the first time.

The NPHS Activities Department announced Wednesday afternoon that a Kearney High School football player had tested positive for COVID-19. Kearney was slated to visit Bauer Field this Friday, September 11, for a rivalry matchup, but that is now a no-go.

School officials say they are looking at potential options for a replacement game, but no official decisions have been made at this time.

The Bulldogs are off to their first 2-0 start since the 2015 season.&nbsp;

NPHS is scheduled to travel to Lincoln next week (September 18) to take on Lincoln Northstar at Seacrest Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m with live coverage on-air at FM 98.1 and live video streaming at <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">www.northplattepost.com</a>.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-Three weeks into the 2020 football season, the North Platte High School football team is seeing their schedule impacted by COVID-19 for the first time.The NPHS Activities Department announced Wednesday afternoon that a Kearney High School football player had tested positive for COVID-19. Kearney was slated to visit Bauer Field this Friday, September 11, for a rivalry matchup, but that is now a no-go.School officials say they are looking at potential options for a replacement game, but no official decisions have been made at this time.The Bulldogs are off to their first 2-0 start since the 2015 season.&nbsp;NPHS is scheduled to travel to Lincoln next week (September 18) to take on Lincoln Northstar at Seacrest Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m with live coverage on-air at FM 98.1 and live video streaming at <a href="https://northplattepost.com/">www.northplattepost.com</a>.

Friday Night Lights: NPHS vs. Kearney football game cancelled after Kearney player tests positive for COVID

9.8.2020 NPHS Volleyball vs Gering - Livestream

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9.7.2020 NPHS activities spectator guidelines

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Chadron State has scheduled five football games for this fall, all against fellow members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

The games will count as official NCAA contests, but there will be no RMAC championship and no standings kept.

The games will be at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction on Oct. 10; at home against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 17; at home against Black Hills State on Oct. 24; at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City on Oct. 31; and at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, on Nov. 14.

The schedule is subject to revision because of the changing nature of the coronavirus pandemic.

Information about spectator attendance will be available later.

NCAA Division II teams can play 10 games this school year and still allow players to retain their current eligibility for the fall of 2021. The RMAC also plans to allow teams to play football in the spring.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) - Chadron State has scheduled five football games for this fall, all against fellow members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.The games will count as official NCAA contests, but there will be no RMAC championship and no standings kept.The games will be at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction on Oct. 10; at home against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 17; at home against Black Hills State on Oct. 24; at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City on Oct. 31; and at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, on Nov. 14.The schedule is subject to revision because of the changing nature of the coronavirus pandemic.Information about spectator attendance will be available later.NCAA Division II teams can play 10 games this school year and still allow players to retain their current eligibility for the fall of 2021. The RMAC also plans to allow teams to play football in the spring.

Fall football: Chadron St. schedules 5 games vs RMAC foes

The NBA bubble has held. So has the NHL’s double bubble. The WNBA and MLS, no leaks.

In this unprecedented landscape of sports in a pandemic world, one indisputable fact has emerged: bubbles work.

Thousands of tests, minimal to no positive COVID-19 test results.

So as the NCAA gets set announce its plans for the 2020-21 college basketball season, there are clear precedents and blueprints in place should it decide to go the bubble route.

“It’s certainly viable,” said Mark Starsiak, vice president of sports at Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency, “From a basketball standpoint, I think we can follow those models.”

The college football restart has been scattershot. The season has already started, yet 53 FBS schools have the pads and helmets hanging on hooks while waiting for better pandemic news.

A much more unified plan is in place for the college basketball season.

The NCAA is hoping to start the season in late November/early December, with a vote by the Division I council expected Sept. 16.

A partnership between the Pac-12 and Quidel Corp. to potentially do daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes should help smooth a return to the court.

The question then becomes: What’s the best way to safely play basketball again?

While bubble football would be next to impossible logistically, basketball could fit nicely.

The travel parties are much smaller and college basketball already has plenty of multiple-team events, from holiday and conference tournaments to the NCAA Tournament. Add the effective safety measures of the pro leagues, find suitable sites and bubble basketball could work.

The NCAA is already looking at it, reportedly filing a trademark for the phrase “Battle in the Bubble.” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont also said there have been preliminary talks for bubble basketball at the Mohegan Sun resort.

“The idea of a bubble would be a really good idea, just to isolate all the teams who want to play against each other in that bubble and keep things safe, keep away from the public and keep us in our own area where we’re able to play the game the right way and safely,” Duke sophomore forward Wendell Moore, Jr. said.

A big key will be finding the right places to bubble.

The NBA has the ideal setup at Disney World, but college basketball might be better suited to follow the NHL’s lead.

Hockey’s two bubbles — Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta — cordoned off areas enclosing the arena and several nearby hotels. All personnel entering are tested and strict protocols are in place for vendors delivering food and packages into the bubbles.

Similar bubbles for college basketball could be set up at smaller resorts, cities with arenas and hotels nearby, or Division II or III schools with arenas not being used during the pandemic.

The NCAA could set up pods of multiple nonconference teams, conference tournaments could be held in similar fashion and so could the NCAA Tournament.

In other words, basketball bubbles could pop up all over the country.

“Maybe do it for maybe a week or two at a time, playing a certain amount of games and getting retested after you come back or something like that,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said. “It’s possible, but it’s not going to be easy.”

Pulling off a college basketball bubble, however, comes with a caveat.

NCAA players are considered students, so academics would have to be part of the equation.

Division I players are already accustomed to doing school work on the road and the majority take primarily online classes. To make the bubbles work, socially distant space would have to be carved out for the players to take their classes and study.

The programs may also have to rethink the size of their traveling parties.

“Discussions about the right amount of tutors or academic staff would need to take place,” said Starsiak, who has operated high-level sports and entertainment events for 15 years. “

You have to look at, do we need three managers this time around? No, probably not. Do you take two and have a tutor or an academic come with us? Yeah, I think you could. I think there’s a way to kind of combine both things to have some live, in-person resources.”

The NCAA is going to do everything possible to have a basketball season.

The pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament last spring and the NCAA collected $270 million in cancellation insurance instead of the $1 billion TV payout it normally gets. A second straight year without March Madness could be devastating.

AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn.; Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C.; and Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Conn.; contributed to this story.

By JOHN MARSHALL - Associated PressThe NBA bubble has held. So has the NHL’s double bubble. The WNBA and MLS, no leaks.In this unprecedented landscape of sports in a pandemic world, one indisputable fact has emerged: bubbles work.Thousands of tests, minimal to no positive COVID-19 test results.So as the NCAA gets set announce its plans for the 2020-21 college basketball season, there are clear precedents and blueprints in place should it decide to go the bubble route.“It’s certainly viable,” said Mark Starsiak, vice president of sports at Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency, “From a basketball standpoint, I think we can follow those models.”The college football restart has been scattershot. The season has already started, yet 53 FBS schools have the pads and helmets hanging on hooks while waiting for better pandemic news.A much more unified plan is in place for the college basketball season.The NCAA is hoping to start the season in late November/early December, with a vote by the Division I council expected Sept. 16.A partnership between the Pac-12 and Quidel Corp. to potentially do daily, rapid COVID-19 tests on athletes should help smooth a return to the court.The question then becomes: What’s the best way to safely play basketball again?Bubbles may be the answer.While bubble football would be next to impossible logistically, basketball could fit nicely.The travel parties are much smaller and college basketball already has plenty of multiple-team events, from holiday and conference tournaments to the NCAA Tournament. Add the effective safety measures of the pro leagues, find suitable sites and bubble basketball could work.The NCAA is already looking at it, reportedly filing a trademark for the phrase “Battle in the Bubble.” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont also said there have been preliminary talks for bubble basketball at the Mohegan Sun resort.“The idea of a bubble would be a really good idea, just to isolate all the teams who want to play against each other in that bubble and keep things safe, keep away from the public and keep us in our own area where we’re able to play the game the right way and safely,” Duke sophomore forward Wendell Moore, Jr. said.A big key will be finding the right places to bubble.The NBA has the ideal setup at Disney World, but college basketball might be better suited to follow the NHL’s lead.Hockey’s two bubbles — Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta — cordoned off areas enclosing the arena and several nearby hotels. All personnel entering are tested and strict protocols are in place for vendors delivering food and packages into the bubbles.Similar bubbles for college basketball could be set up at smaller resorts, cities with arenas and hotels nearby, or Division II or III schools with arenas not being used during the pandemic.The NCAA could set up pods of multiple nonconference teams, conference tournaments could be held in similar fashion and so could the NCAA Tournament.In other words, basketball bubbles could pop up all over the country.“Maybe do it for maybe a week or two at a time, playing a certain amount of games and getting retested after you come back or something like that,” Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said. “It’s possible, but it’s not going to be easy.”Pulling off a college basketball bubble, however, comes with a caveat.NCAA players are considered students, so academics would have to be part of the equation.Division I players are already accustomed to doing school work on the road and the majority take primarily online classes. To make the bubbles work, socially distant space would have to be carved out for the players to take their classes and study.The programs may also have to rethink the size of their traveling parties.“Discussions about the right amount of tutors or academic staff would need to take place,” said Starsiak, who has operated high-level sports and entertainment events for 15 years. “You have to look at, do we need three managers this time around? No, probably not. Do you take two and have a tutor or an academic come with us? Yeah, I think you could. I think there’s a way to kind of combine both things to have some live, in-person resources.”The NCAA is going to do everything possible to have a basketball season.The pandemic wiped out the NCAA Tournament last spring and the NCAA collected $270 million in cancellation insurance instead of the $1 billion TV payout it normally gets. A second straight year without March Madness could be devastating.Bubbles may be the way to go.___AP Sports Writers Teresa Walker in Nashville, Tenn.; Aaron Beard in Raleigh, N.C.; and Pat Eaton-Robb in Storrs, Conn.; contributed to this story.

College basketball floats idea of bubbles for safe season

Fall will rear its head early this year with a cold snap on Tuesday that will plunge temperatures into the upper 40's.&nbsp;

Because of that, sports on Tuesday have been effected:&nbsp;

Also, unrelated to the weather on Tuesday we have a slightly updated time for the football game on Friday:&nbsp;

Fall will rear its head early this year with a cold snap on Tuesday that will plunge temperatures into the upper 40's.&nbsp;Because of that, sports on Tuesday have been effected:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨UPDATED SCHEDULE ALERT🚨 Due to forecasted conditions, the Lexington JV Doubles Invite scheduled for tomorrow (9.8.20) at Lexington has been moved to NEXT WEDNESDAY (9.16.20). Matches will start @ 11:00 AM. I apologize for the earlier post but this was just updated moments ago.&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303024133148733441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨SCHEDULE ALERT🚨 Due to forecasted conditions, the JV/V Girls Golf dual against McCook scheduled for tomorrow (9.8.20) at Heritage Hills G.C. has been POSTPONED to a later date. We will update all once a date has been selected. Thanks for your understanding in this matter!&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303014159324512257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Also, unrelated to the weather on Tuesday we have a slightly updated time for the football game on Friday:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨TIME CHANGE🚨 The kickoff time for the North Platte vs Kearney Varsity FB game scheduled for Friday (9.11.20) has been moved from 6:30 PM to 7:00 PM. All online calendars will be updated to reflect. Thanks again for your understanding with the time change! <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanhogue24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ryanhogue24</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Loofe33?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Loofe33</a>&mdash; NPHS_Activities (@NPHS_Activities) <a href="https://twitter.com/NPHS_Activities/status/1303017764202991619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Cold Spell expected Tuesday pushing back NPHS sports 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Star-crossed tight end Jake Butt felt better this summer than ever before. On Saturday he joined Washington quarterback Alex Smith as one of the NFL’s biggest feel-good stories on cutdown day.

Smith returned from his gruesome 2018 leg injury to make Washington’s roster.

By ARNIE STAPLETON - Associated PressENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Star-crossed tight end Jake Butt felt better this summer than ever before. On Saturday he joined Washington quarterback Alex Smith as one of the NFL’s biggest feel-good stories on cutdown day.Smith returned from his gruesome 2018 leg injury to make Washington’s roster.Butt made Denver’s roster after overcoming his sixth knee operation to stand out among a deep group of tight ends featuring 2019 first-rounder Noah Fant, heralded rookie Albert Okwuegbunam and free agent Nick Vannett.Butt was a long shot a month ago.“Well, I was kind of hopeful,” he’d made the cut, general manager John Elway said. “With everything that he’s been through I was hopeful because he’s such a great kid and it means so much to him. So, the good thing is this is probably the first time he’s come back to camp 100%.“I’m excited about Jake. It’s something that he really wanted, so hopefully it continues to get even better from here.”In three seasons in Denver, the ex-Michigan star has played in as many games (three) as he’s had major knee surgeries, each of which required a clean-up procedure.Butt turned heads at camp from the very start, drawing high praise from his coach, Vic Fangio, and his quarterback, Drew Lock, who declared, “There’s nobody in our locker room that doesn’t want to see Jake Butt succeed.”Butt, who has eight career catches for 85 yards, appreciates the sentiments but wants to put his health issues behind him.“If you’ve been through an ACL you know how hard one is. When you go through three, it means a lot to get that recognition from your comrades, your teachers, your coaches,” Butt said recently. “But for me, I’m healthy. It’s part of my story but I’m out there, I’m out there playing ball, I’m not looking back.”Butt’s resurgence cost third-year tight end Troy Fumagalli, who was waived/injured Saturday when the Broncos trimmed their roster to 53.Butt first tore an ACL during spring drills his sophomore season at Michigan and he tore the other one in his final game for the Wolverines, in the Orange Bowl. The Broncos drafted him three months later, but he spent his rookie year on IR.In 2018, he played in three games before suffering a third torn ACL, this time at practice, and last year his comeback was interrupted by yet another operation to clean out a torn meniscus. He hoped to return for the final month in 2019, but Lock got the activation nod instead after recovering from a thumb injury he’d sustained in the preseason.Butt acknowledged some dark moments in his latest comeback when he began to question why he still loves the game that has taken such a toll on his body.“There were a lot of days I really wanted to quit,” he said.But he said he couldn’t face his family if he did that.“It might not be the best day and the path might not be linear,” Butt said. “You’re going to have some down days, but eventually you’re going to go back up.”And eventually the pain will subside and the good days will come one after the other.“I’m really happy I stuck with it because I do feel really, really good out there. I feel like I can still play in this league and contribute,” Butt said. “I can even get much better than what I’m playing right now. That’s a lesson I definitely learned through this and everybody can learn.“Bad days are going to come and tough days are going to come, but you can’t quit. You just have to keep showing up.”Butt’s perseverance paid off Saturday.“It’s been a hell of a year for Jake,” coach Vic Fangio said. “From Day 1, and he came back with the early group, I’ve not seem him limp once. He’s not been in the training room ... He’s had a terrific camp, not just playing-wise but he’s actually 100% healthy.“And moving around, you’d never know that he had been through the injuries that he’s had with his knees. He looks as good as new to me.”