What a story. Xander Cardoza is proof that if you put in the work, the results will come. He is now competing at a high level and even winning meets, including the RPAC Championship. And this, week he will compete at the Class D NSAA State Cross Country Meet in Kearney, at the Kearney Country Club. He didn't do Cross Country for the competitive aspect. At first, it was a fitness journey for him. "I mean I'd say the whole reason I joined cross country in the first place was ju

We've run several articles about athletes embracing their roles. And I'm sure we'll have more, just like this one. The Southwest Roughriders once again have their sights set on the Class D6 NSAA State Championship. They have started 3-0 this season. Some were questioning what this team would look like and whether they could succeed. Which rightfully so with the graduation of players that made a major impact for the Roughriders. But this team has embraced the challenge, and th

Yes, we know it may be a little early to talk about basketball season, as the fall sports year is about to begin. But the summertime includes offseason work from all three sports seasons. Last year, the Arapahoe girls' athletic programs faced challenges beyond their opposing competitors, as the injury bug hit them hard as well. Athletes, including now-seniors Ruby McCune and Desi Farner and now-juniors Taytum Roskop and Sawyer Shafer, all battled injuries. McCune missed her f

Golf has become one of my favorite sports to cover. It is a hard, hard sport. From figuring out how to swing a golf club, to putting, chipping, understanding how to play based on weather, and much more, it's so difficult. Oh, and also, there's a huge mental part to the game. In the last four years, the RPAC has had a number of great golfers, including a graduating class of 2026 that left an incredible mark. We still have some really solid golfers returning for the RPAC. One t

Shelby Schoene, a senior from Bertrand, has been a standout on the Vikings Track and Field Team. At the NSAA Championships alone, here is what she has accomplished: Freshman year: qualified in pole vault but did not place. Sophomore year: Placed 8th in pole vault and 4th in the 800. Her junior year: She was runner-up in the 800, placed 4th in the 3200, 3rd in pole vault, and 3rd in the 1600. Schoene was poised to have another big season across all of the athletics she compete

March 7th, 2026. That's the day the Dundy County Stratton Girls Basketball Team won the NSAA Girls State Basketball Championship. For the Tigers, their first-ever title after being runner-ups in 2015, 2017, and 2019. About two weeks prior, a key contributor to the Tigers team, senior Lexie Yrkoski, suffered an injury to her left knee in the subdistrict finals against Cambridge. And the rest of her season was somewhat in question. "..so I tore my ACL, and then I also tore my l