Sports

DENVER – Colter Austin, an eighth grade student at Valentine Middle School has earned a position on the Nebraska Junior High Rodeo Team, and will be traveling with fellow teammates to Des Moines, IA June 23-29 to compete at the 19th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) in Chute Dogging, Tie-down Roping, Team Roping competitions.

The annual Cherry County 4-H Livestock Judging Clinic and Contest was held May 29, 2024 at the Cherry County Fairgrounds, with 43 youth participating. Clinicians were Seth Grunhaupt and Jason Hoffman. Youth judged breeding heifer, market steer, hog, market lamb, breeding ewe, and breeding meat goat classes. Stock was provided by Craig O’Kief, Josh Delaney, Brent Nollette, the Prewitt family, and the Sexson family. Intermediate and Senior competitors delivered oral reasons on the market steer class. Results are as follows: Clover Kid participants: Harper Barnes, Sierra Low, Boone Wickman.

The annual Niobrara River Festival Race was held Saturday, June 1, 2024. There were 20 boats in the event and they placed the following; 14.6 mile race course Men’s Solo Canoe First place, Calvin Hassel, 1 hour 43 minutes 23 seconds.

Cherry County 4-H recently offered UNL Extension Babysitter Certification classes for area youth ages 12 and up, utilizing the Nebraska 4-H Building Better Babysitters curriculum. It was a fun day learning about ages and stages, appropriate activities, safety, reading skills, nutrition, and more! Completing the course were Darby Murphy, Sydnee Dawson, Courtnie Krueger and Caitlyn Krueger. Call 402-376-1850 to be placed on an interest list for future classes – our community needs more child care! For youth ages 8-11, a Babysitting Basics class was offered as a preview to the certification course. Youth walked away with potential fair exhibits and increased knowledge of literacy and social-emotional activities for young children.

The 2024 Cherry County 4-H Special Foods Competition was held May 22, 2024 at the Methodist Church in Valentine. Youth participated in a variety of categories. The day started on a sweet note with the “cupcake wars” where youth presented their most delectable recipes with a fun theme.

Friday, May 24, at the NAIA 2024 Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the Concordia University women’s 4x400m relay placed fourth in the nation. The finals relay consisted of an All-Nebraska team including: Jenna Esch of Hastings, Trinity Tuls of Columbus, Isabelle Izzy Salters of Valentine, and Kayla Kirchner of Ogallala. Their time of 3:47.68 was a season best and just off the Concordia school record.

Valentine Community School students participate in the Collaborative Nebraska Map project to commemorate the Fall 2024 reopening of MONA (Museum of Nebraska Art) in Kearney, NE. School students were asked to represent their county by designing on the provided county piece of the unique map of Nebraska.

Last summer, our community came together to support the Majors (12U), Minors (10U), and Rookies (8U) Boys Traveling Baseball Teams. All three teams play from the end of May until mid-July.

The Nebraska State Championship meet was held in Gothenburg, Saturday, May 11, 2024. This is an all class meet. Four girls qualified for the meet along with two alternates: Annalena Nelson (8), Addison Stec (8), Kealy Titus (7) and Danika Janssen (8), Clarrah Beebout (8) and Mia Sherbeyn (7).

The Badger Effort Award is based on the school's character education. Students who demonstrate Character In Action (CIA), responsibility, accountability, honesty, empathy, and respect were nominated by their classroom teachers and staff. Congratulations to the Valentine Middle School fourth quarter Badger Effort recipients!