June, July, August…

Some say these are the quiet months, the calm between the end of high school spring sports and the beginning of the fall schedule. The games of summer in Kimball and Banner County can be casual: weekend rounds of golf, for instance, or nights of softball and light beer on the Rec Area diamonds.

Yet the calendar includes a surprising number of competitive events, full of sweat and drama. Josh Stauffer tied for first in the saddle bronc round of the Kimball Ranch Rodeo back in the beginning of June, scoring a 72 for his team. Young Rodney Rasgorshek made his first passes in a Super Pro class Camaro--and almost captured a Wally. Then there were the 4-H Dead Eye Shooters, earning a trip to the championships in Arkansas.

It was a busy summer on the green fairways of Four Winds, the sizzling asphalt of Julesburg and places far beyond.

Narrowing down to ten Athletes of Summer, 2011, was difficult. Young Jessica Hanks deserves recognition for her discuss throw of 87'8 at the Nebraska Junior Olympics, which earned her a bronze medal in the Youth Division.  Pattie Klinginsmith has at times dominated Kimball Women's Golf Association play. Meanwhile Dillon Wise starred on the Junior Golf tour, along with several others.

But after some deliberation, we settled on ten equally outstanding locals as the stars of summer.

 

Madie Snyder

While every member of the 4-H Dead Eye Shooters deserves praise, Snyder's performance at the Daisy National Air Rifle Competition in Rogers, Arkansas, suggests a world-class future. Taking part in the 14 and under Sporter Air RIfle Division, she won gold medals in standing and prone, as well as a bronze in kneeling. Her overall score of 1039 in the two-day event fell just six points short of first place in her age class.

 

Jeff Greenwood

In the summer of 2011, the words golf and Greenwood were synonymous. Jeff won the 10-12 grade division at the Panhandle Junior Golf Association tournament in Scottsbluff.  He teamed with father Kenny and Chuck Christiansen to finish second--by two strokes--in the Father's Day event at Four Winds. He shot a 79 on a windy day to capture a local area qualifying round for the Big I Tournament. He finished fourth at an event in Morrill, then there was the Big I itself, a junior amateur tourney in Lincoln…

 

Wade Kiefer

Granted, 2011 has not been Kiefer's best year on the quarter mile. Only recently did the veteran fight his way back into the top three in Super Pro points at Julesburg. Yet the weekend reminded everyone of Kiefer at his best. And, more to the point, he took home his first ever Wally--the coveted trophy named for NHRA founder Wally XXXXX. Kiefer's ability to keep his composure through early summer engine problems also caught our attention. Outwardly he rarely shows the strain of high speed competition.

 

Corner Bar Mafia

Christina Culek, Trish Crossman, John Fiehtner, Ricky Kizzair, David Barnes, Celena Aguiniga, Sock Saukerson, Dave Aguiniga--these are names that struck fear in those facing them across the green velvet tables in 2011. Not only did Corner Bar Mafia sweep through the Western Nebraska American Poolplayers Association championship tourney this summer, they earned a trip to the APA nationals for the first time in the team's existence.

 

Zane Anthony/Dillon Wise (tie)

It's difficult to separate these up and coming golf stars. Case in point, the Bridgeport  stop on the Junior Golfers tour, where Wise won the 4-5 grade division with Anthony a close second. Another case in point: the Sidney event, which saw Wise claim second and Anthony third. They each won events, they each found the five five--great performances from both.

 

Jordan Greenwood

As we said, golf equals Greenwood--at least this summer. While brother Jeff was winning his level at Scottsbluff's Panhandle Junior Golf event, Jordan took the 7-8 grade title. It was the same story at Bayard and elsewhere. Jordan consistently shot in the 40s over nine holes, and threatened consistently on the tour.

 

Shelby Vogel

As she nears the end of her Junior Dragster career, Vogel and her blue and purple car are on a rampage. She won at Julesburg on the all-important Wally weekend, for example. She won last weekend and despite being derailed momentarily by a wreck earlier in the summer, she expects to win each time she stages.

 

Kay Snyder

The amateur golf talent in this area is impressive, by any standard. On the women's side, in addition to the aforementioned Klinginsmith, names like Greenwood (of course), Bashaw, Barrett, Zeilinger, James, Plover and several others vie for top spot each week. Snyder, too: First flight winner on May 10, on May 31 and on June 7. Low net for week five and eight--the titles go on and on.

 

Cade Dickerson

He will be a Kimball High senior in a matter of weeks and expects to build on a bull riding season that saw him almost crack the statewide top ten, finishing in the 11th spot. More impressively, Dickerson made his first appearance at the state bull riding finals. The patience and confidence he developed over a season of rodeo truly sets him apart. Of his first visit to state earlier in the summer, he told the Observer "I'm not too excited about it this year. Next year I plan on winning it."

 

Kendall Ferguson

Athletes often treat all star games as a chance to play for pure enjoyment, regardless of the outcome. At the stellar panhandle football game in June, he threw for 312 yards, which included a 46 yard touchdown pass and an even more astonishing heave totaling 68 yards. Then he finished sixths in the Lions Club High School All Star Golf Tournament in Kearney, storming back from a first day 81. No less an expert than Tom Southard dubbed him "the best four-year athlete ever at Kimball High."