Sports

Pratt High School football players spent time recently attending two summer sports camps, one at Fort Hays State University and another at McPherson College.

We’re nearly at the midway point of July and it’s about time I do one of the most enjoyable things as a sports fan – make utterly ridiculous predictions in my head on what will happen in the 2024-2025 sports season.Basically, I predict that the Chiefs will three-peat, TCU will win the title in both football and baseball, the Pacers win the NBA Finals and Georgetown shocks the world and cuts down the nets at the end of March Madness next April.

Improbable, unlikely and far-fetched are all common words that describe the term underdog, and although McPherson native Ben Nikkel has been associated with similar words throughout his football career, he now finds himself part of the National Football League.Nikkel’s journey to the NFL is a bit more unique than the average player.

Eight-time world champion Stetson Wright entered last year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with a six-figure lead in the all-around world standings but set his sights on capturing a triple crown.Wright burst onto the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo scene in 2019 becoming the first rookie to win an all-around world championship.Since then, he’s won five straight all-around titles (2019-23), two bull-riding championships (2020, 2022) and a saddle bronc title (2021).From Beaver, Utah, the 24-year-old cowboy’s run of dominance garnered him the nickname “Superman.”But in the second round of last year’s Finals, Wright bowed out of the competition with a hamstring injury.

The Haviland Recreation Commission sponsored a disc golf tournament during the 4th of July week at Barclay College.Champion of the event was Samuel Martinez, who happened to be cooling off at the Greensburg City Pool when he got the news that he was the winner.The 4th of July rec festivities also included competitive cornhole games and free inflatables in Hock Auditorium for families to enjoy out of the heat.“Thank you to everyone who came out today to celebrate with us!

Over the weekend of June 28-30, Pratt’s Green Sports Complex hosted the 2024 NBC 12U Baseball State Tournament, an honor that they have held for several years.

The Pratt High School archery team has been quietly busy this season competing in tournaments and spending time teaching others in the community how to shoot bows and arrows.

Year 50 of Biking Across Kansas (BAK) has ended and participants have returned home with a pannier full of memories—and perhaps a few new friends.

As the 2024 summer months continue, the Pratt High School cheerleading team has been attending camps to freshen their fundamentals and strengthen their bonds.

MacKenzie Swan fron Wright, Kansas won the 2024 Miss Triangle Rodeo Queen title at the Triangle Rodeo in Greensburg on May 17.After planning on running as Miss Southwest, she made the decision to step down from the Miss Kansas Competition and represent the sport of rodeo.To win the Triangle Rodeo Queen title, Swan competed in five categories that included horsemanship, interview, speech, Impromptu question and modeling.The horsemanship category included a western pleasure pattern, a queen run and a flag run.The modeling portion included both a western pants outfit and fashion forward outfit.