3 Blair football players compete on FBU teams
Blair eighth-graders Landry Larsen and Brock Warner, and sixth-grader Declan McCartney, recently tried out for and played on FBU Team Nebraska squads against national competition.
McCartney's travel all-star team included 24 players from 11 towns and competed during the FBU National Invitational Tournament (NIT) in Naples, Fla. It earned its spot securing qualifying wins in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, too, according to his father, Jeremiah.
The sixth-grade Nebraska team reached the NIT semifinals against Florida, falling just short of the championship game, 34-28.
McCartney played right guard on offense and defensive tackle defensively.
Larsen and Warner, meanwhile, played on the FBU Team Nebraska eighth-grade squad, which included 24 players from 12 cities, according to the team's social media posts. Larsen played quarterback and linebacker, while Warner is an offensive and defensive lineman.
Like the sixth-graders, the eighth-grade team also traveled, securing a noted victory against Team Illinois during a Chicago trip last month.
NSAA announces academic awards
The NSAA recently announced the Fall 2024 recipients of the Nebraska Chiropractic Physicians Association Academic All-State Awards.
According to an NSAA release, the honoress — several Washington County student-athletes included — were nominated by their schools for individual academic excellence, leadership and significant contributions in their sanctioned activity.
Gus Burns, Kolby Tighe, Hailey O'Daniel and Whitney Wollberg represented Arlington's cross-country team as recipients as did football players Zane Gerrish and Luke Ott. Aspen Smutz and Addison Thomas represented the golf team, while softball players Britt Nielsen and Lydia Schaapveld did, too.
Eagles Kaylie Herman and Callee Shearer were the members of the volleyball team recognized. In play production, Katherine Douglas and Tighe were honored.
Blair cross-country runners Tannon Bellamy, Declan McCabe, Nadia Davey and Ryleigh Schroeter all secured Academic All-State Awards. So, too, did football players Andrew Korth and Keenan Wyman as well as golfers Diane Mitchell and Mackenzie Storjohann, and softball standouts Claire Anderson and Hannah Heuton. Unified bowlers Lillian Huenink and Mac Tupa were honored as were volleyball players Hayden Frink-Mathis and Taylor Mostek.
Fort Calhoun volleyball players Jordan Faucher and Taylor Stewart represented their team on the honoree list as did softball players Allison Prunty and Anna Taylor. Cross-country runner Will Dennis, Seth Waters and Raeann Massey were recognized as were football players Levi Lasher and Alex Schuler, too. In play production, Samatha Thomas and Harper Tjardes were selected.
New academic all-staters are named after each of the NSAA's three activity seasons during the 2024-2025 school year.
Armadillos drop to 2-2
The Arlington Armadillos of the Farmland Basketball League dropped to 2-2 Sunday with a 76-65 loss to Wisner.
The Armadillos are fourth in the league standings with one regular season game left to play. They host 3-1 Howells at 6 p.m. Sunday.
Against Wisner, though, Jalen Hueser led Arlington with 22 points in defeat. Clint Belina added 12 points, while Connor Eurek had 10, and Nick Engelbart, Trevor Toebben and Ben Fuller scored six apiece.
The Armadillos' Cam Mengedoht and Skyler Andrews added two and one points, respectively, too.
— Staff reports
