Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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The 2026 Orchard AAU Powerlifting Meet was held this Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 with an awesome line-up of 170 registered lifters from across the midwest. "This year's meet was a National meet again, so two days of competition were required to accommodate the crowd of lifters striving for state, American and even world records," said organizer Jeff Shabram. "It was the 19th year for the Orchard Meet and the crowd gets larger each year. Orchard hosted one of the year's largest...
York University continues to expand its athletic opportunities with the addition of powerlifting, as President Timothy Westbrook announced that the Board of Trustees has officially approved the new program. The plan for powerlifting is to start as a club sport and grow into a full collegiate program. Leading the new program will be head coach Jeff Shabram, a respected name in Nebraska's powerlifting community. Shabram brings more than 25 years of experience in education and over two decades of...
The 2026 Class D High School State Powerlifting Championships were held at Harvard High School Saturday, March 21. The competition featured 130 lifters representing the top Class D powerlifting schools in the state, including Boyd County, Bruning-Davenport-Shickley, Centura, Fullerton, Grand Island Lutheran, Harvard, Johnson-Brock, Kenesaw, Niobrara-Verdigre, Red Cloud, Silver Lake, Stanton, and Summerland. The Bobcat lifters had an outstanding day of competition. Asher Whiting earned third...
Nine Summerland powerlifters competed in the Verdigre Powerlifting Meet on Feb. 28. The junior high team, consisting of Jeremy Meyer, Tucker Meyer Michael Sonnenfelt, Jaden Robinett, Sophia Hernandez, and Auryana Hernandez finished third. High school competitors included Jorden Cox, Asher Whiting, and Clair Krysl. Robinett and Sophia Hernandez were gold medalists for the Bobcats. Robinett won the 132-pound class, and Hernandez topped the 165 field. Five lifters finished second in their weight...
A longtime Orchard staple flipped its sign back on Jan. 12, and it's serving up more than just seconds. The Lunch Box, now owned by Monte Shabram and family of Orchard, is dishing out homecooked meals, early-morning breakfasts and a daily buffet built to satisfy even the heartiest appetites. Before reclaiming its Lunch Box name, the cafe operated as Sugarz. Then-owner Matt Wood was ready to step away from the restaurant business and planned to close if a buyer didn't step forward. "We got wind...
Wyatt Shabram picked up a win, Friday, for York University at the World Series of Fall Baseball, held in York. Shabram's teammate, Alex Wingen, from Sioux Falls, was named the game's most valuable player. While the fall baseball season ends for the York Panthers, it's only four months until the regular season begins in February....
The O'Neill Area Prospects baseball team traveled to Sioux City one last time this season on Sunday, Oct. 5 for the World Series of Sioux City Fall Baseball. It was Final Four weekend with the top four teams in the 24-team league battling it out for the championship. O'Neill, Dakota Valley, Maple Valley, and Ridge View competed. In the first semi-final game, the Prospects played Ridge View, and played a complete, clean game coming away with a 5-1 victory. Prospects starting pitcher Max Berg...
Fall ball • Prospects fall league baseball team, consisting of American Legion players from the Tri-County Titans and O'Neill Irish, are the top seed in the 2025 Sioux City-area World Series of fall league baseball. They will face Ridge View, at noon, Oct. 5, at Strikers Baseball Complex. The Prospects enter championship weekend with a 6-1-1 fall record....
The 23rd annual Wahoo Area Kiwanis All-Star Baseball game was held this Saturday, Aug. 9, at historic Sam Crawford field in Wahoo. American Legion baseball seniors in Classes B and C, who have exhausted playing eligibility from around the state, were nominated and selected to play in the seven-inning all-star game. Four players from the Elkhorn Valley baseball league were selected to the North squad: Wyatt Shabram and Connor Thomson (Tri-County), Eleazar Gonzalez (O'Neill), and Grant Bruggeman...
Connor Thomson and Wyatt Shabram, members of the Tri-County Titans, will play in Saturday's 23rd Annual All-Star Baseball Class in Wahoo. The game is for American Legion Senior B & C players. Events will take place at Sam Crawford Field on East 5th Street. A hitting challenge is slated to begin at 4:15 p.m., followed by the All-Star game at 7. A post-game award presentation is set for 9:30 p.m....
Author's note: This article couldn't have been written without the players who brought the game of baseball to life. I'm especially grateful to Eric Snyder, Wayne and Julia Schacht, Shirley Erb, Jim and Kristi Schutt, Jeff Shabram, Jamie Curtis, and members of American Legion Post 136. Your memories, stories, and support meant the world-thank you for helping keep this history alive. Baseball has long been known as America's pastime, and in Orchard, it was no different. Warm Sunday afternoons...
Two recent graduates recently received the first-ever Old School Thrift Store Community Service Award. Summerland grad Tessa Janak, and Wyatt Shabram, a Verdigre graduate, received the monetary award from the founders of the local thrift shop located in the former Orchard school building. Bev Krutz represented the store during the presentation. Janak and Shabram have volunteered at the store during the past three years. "It shows true dedication to our community," store founders said. "Their...
The season opener for the Tri-County Titans American Legion team will have to wait. Coach Jeff Shabram announced Tuesday, prior to press time, that the opener in Hartington was postponed. Coaches will work to set a make-up date. The senior Titans will play at home, in Orchard, this Friday, at 7 p.m. On June 3, juniors and seniors will travel to Creighton, with games slated for 5:45 and 8 p.m., respectively. O’Neill will travel to Orchard for contests on June 5. Juniors will take the field at 5:45 p.m., with seniors to follow at 8. Orchard w...
Tri-County Titan and Orchard resident Wyatt Shabram (center) recently signed a national letter of intent to play baseball at York University. The Panthers currently have a 21-21 record. The univeristy competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and are members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference....
The 2025 Orchard AAU Powerlifting Meet was held this past Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, with a line-up of 170 registered lifters from across the Midwest. This year's meet was a National meet again, so two days of competition were required to accommodate the crowd of lifters striving for state, American and even world records, according to coordinator Jeff Shabram. "It was the 18th year for the Orchard meet and the crowd gets larger each year. Orchard hosted one of the year's largest...
The annual Orchard Amateur Athletic Union Powerlifting Meet will draw contestants from across the midwest this weekend. Organizer Jeff Shabram said the national meet will feature two days of competition, beginning Friday, April 4, from 1 to approximately 5 p.m., at the Orchard Community Center gym, at 4th and Rusk. Members of the Summerland powerlifting squad will compete in squat, bench press and dead lift events. Saturday's competition will begin at 9 a.m., with awards tentatively scheduled...
Six Summerland powerlifters traveled to Verdigre this past Saturday, March 1, to participate in the fourth annual Verdigre Powerlifting Meet. A total of 227 powerlifters representing 15 different schools from around the state were in attendance. "It was an outstanding day of lifting for the Bobcat competitors," said coach Jeff Shabram. Summerland had two gold medalist: Jaden Robinett in the 123-pound class (jr. high) and Cadence Soper in the 132-pound class (jr. high). One Bobcat earned a...
There's a first time for everything. On July 25 to 29, Orchard will host the Class C Area 1 Senior American Legion Baseball Tournament. Jeff Shabram, coach of the Tri-County Titans based in Orchard, said the Jan. 21 announcement was exciting for Orchard, its ball programs and residents. Shabram, along with John Shaver, commander of Orchard American Legion Post #136 completed the application, which outlined the growth of the Titans program, facility upgrades and the village's experience hosting...
Tri-County Titans baseball coach Jeff Shabram reviewed progress at the Orchard baseball field with village trustees during a Nov. 11 meeting. Sod has been installed in the infield. Plans include moving the crow’s nest to behind the third-baseline dugout and installing a fence. Reed Miller, of Miller and Associates, in Kearney, discussed the one- and six-year street plan proposal. Trustees unanimously approved its adoption. Highway 20 will see upgrades. Trustee John Ferguson made a motion to a...
The 2024 Fall League Baseball season came to an end Sunday, Oct. 6 with the championship round of the Sioux City Area World Series. The O'Neill Area Prospects entered the semi-finals as the No. 1 seed vs. Mapleton, Iowa, in a re-match from two weeks ago. This time Mapleton had the upper hand as they defeated the Prospects. In a game that started as a good pitching and defensive battle, Mapleton was able to take advantage of some opportunities late in the game and won going away, 11-0. The loss...
The season came to an end, Saturday, for the Tri-County Titan seniors after they were eliminated from area tournament play. First round The seniors opened postseason play Friday, July 26, in Crofton for the Class C Area 1 district tournament. First-round action matched the senior Titans against Crofton, who won the game, 8-0. Ryan Rifer was the starting pitcher, throwing four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, five walks, two batters hit by pitch and three errors. Rifer struck out six...
The Tri-County Titan seniors were back in action Thursday, July 18, in Verdigre, after a two-week layoff due to 4th of July weekend and junior legion area tournaments. It was double-header night in Verdigre, so each game was only five innings. The first game pitted Tri-County vs. Albion. Albion defeated the Titans, 5-1. In the nightcap, it was Creighton/Bloomfield vs. Albion, and Albion, once again, came out on top, 6-2. The Titans used "pitcher-by-committee" for this game in preparation for...
The Tri-County Titan seniors traveled to Wakefield, Sunday July 21, for the last regular-season game of 2024. Wakefield defeated the shorthanded Titans, 12-4. “Many of the regular senior Titans were unable to make the game due to family vacations before this week’s football camps and the district tournament next weekend,” said Coach Jeff Shabram. Tri-County again used “pitcher-by-committee” to prepare the entire pitching staff for the district tournament. Wyatt Shabram was Tri-County’s starting pitcher, throwing the first three innings. He allo...
The Tri-County Titan seniors opened postseason play Friday, July 26, in Crofton for the Class C Area 1 district tournament. First-round action matched the senior Titans against Crofton, who won the game, 8-0. Ryan Rifer was the starting pitcher, throwing four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, five walks, two batters hit by pitch and three errors. Rifer struck out six Crofton batters. Wyatt Shabram came in relief to throw one and one-third innings, allowing one run on one hit, one walk a...
Orchard Community Club invites area residents to celebrate homecoming during the 2024 Orchard Free Days celebration, scheduled for July 25 to 28. Thursday, July 25 Kickoff the weekend celebration at the dive-in movie at the Orchard Swimming Pool, sponsored by the Orchard Public Library and Village of Orchard. The event is free and the movie will begin at dusk. Friday, July 26 On Friday, make plans to attend the Orchard Historical Society's chicken dinner. Serving will begin at 11 a.m. and...
