Senior season: Buffaloes pin 2011-12 hopes on quartet
WINTER SPORTS 2011
12A – McCook Daily Gazette
Friday, Dec. 2, 2011
STEVE KODAD GAZETTE SPORTS EDITOR
ATWOOD, Kansas – Rawlins County High School hopes a strong cast of returning starters will help improve the fortunes of the Buffs this winter. Head coach Jeff Lankas had four starters back from last year's team that compiled a 7-14 overall record and 2-3 mark in the Northwest Kansas League. The Buffs will compete in the 2A classification in Kansas, with sub-state tournament action in late February at a site to be determined. The starters coming back are all seniors, led by 63 center Damian Kogl, who averaged over 8 points and 6 rebounds per game last year. Collin Clark, a 63 center, and 6-3 forward Gabe Skolout also return, along with 5-11 Joey Leitner. Coach Lankas expects 6-3 sophomore James Peterson to join the four players mentioned above in the Rawlins County starting lineup. Lankas also has three other sophomores expected to contribute, including 5-8 Michael Capo, 5-8 Dylan Tiemeyer and 5-10 Cameron Ginther. The Buffs will venture into Nebraska to face Southwest at Bartley Jan. 10.
Rawlins County Buffaloes
Steve Kodad/McCook Daily Gazette
Front row, from left: Cameron Ginther, Neil Portschy, Ezequsel Baca, Michael Capo, Jason Sis, Michael Blodgett. Middle row: Marcus Portschy, Joey Leitner, Dylan Tiemeyer, Blake Bergling. Back row: head coach Jeff Lankas, Damian Kogl, Gabe Skolout, Collin Clark, James Peterson, assistant coach Mathew Withington.
Broncos in rebuild mode after heartbreaking loss in championship game STEVE KODAD GAZETTE SPORTS EDITOR
Wauneta-Palisade Broncos
Grant Strunk/ McCook Daily Gazette
Front row, from left: Jake Maris, Weylin Davis, Landon Jutten, Reese West and Lorenzo Cavanaugh. Back row: coach Dave Kuhlen, Wes Anderjaska, Jack McGraw, Hayden Pollmann, Logan Bischoff, Connor Kayton, Bo Fanning and assistant coach Seth Alberts. Not pictured: Chris Carl.
WAUNETA, Nebraska – Wauneta-Palisade High School’s boys basketball fans, players and coaches probably still see the last-second shot in their sleep. The Broncos lost a 57-54 decision to Giltner on a 3point shot at the final buzzer in the 2011 Class D2 State Tournament championship finals. Coach Dave Kuhlen's squad finished with a 26-2 record last year. The bad news – Kuhlen lost a strong group of senior leaders from last year's D2 state runner-up team, but the Broncs still have enough talent to be very competitive again this season. Kuhlen has just two seniors listed on the early-season roster. 5-11 center Bo Fanning is the top returning scorer as he averaged just over five points per game last year. The other senior is 5-9 guard Reese West. Top juniors coming back this season include 6-2 forward Logan Bischoff, 5-10 guard Jacob Maris and 6-0 forward Jack McGraw. The Broncos also picked up 511 junior Connor Kayton, who transferred from Holdrege. Coach Kuhlen is in his 14th season coaching at Wauneta. He has taken the Broncs to the state tournament several times, including the Class C-2 state championship in 2007.
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