Mike's Hikes (and other stuff)

BY DAN HOPPEN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
On Nov. 17 last year, the Broken Bow football
team was poised to ascend to heights not reached
in the program’s previous 20 seasons.
The Indians led Hastings St. Cecilia 12-7
midway through the third quarter of the Class
C-1 semifinals and had forced the Hawks into a
fourth-and-14. They were less than one half from
advancing to the state title game.
Then St. Cecilia dug deep into its playbook and
unleashed a double-reverse pass, which resulted
in fullback Ben Konen standing in the end zone.
The score put the Bluehawks ahead 14-12, a lead
that stood up for the eventual state champions.
Nine months later, the Indians are using that
play as motivation to ensure this season concludes
with a happier ending.
“I think it definitely has had an effect on our
players,” coach Mike Garner said. “When I look at
how some of the guys coming back have worked in
the offseason, I think it’s made a big difference.”
After finishing 11-1 last year and fourth in the
final ratings, Broken Bow is trying to build on its
success. But the Indians graduated a group of
accomplished seniors, many of whom had multiple
years of starting experience.
“We have good, solid kids coming back.We just
don’t have a lot of kids with starting experience,”
Garner said. “I think we have the potential to be a
good team again, but those guys aren’t seasoned
quite as well as the guys a year ago were.”
One of the main reasons for optimism is the
return of senior quarterback-linebacker Nathan
Scott. The all-stater has provided the leadership
necessary to build a program.
“He’s just a good leader by example,” Garner
said. “I think the other kids know how committed
Nathan is, and that commands a lot of respect for
Nathan.”
Coming from a family of athletes, Scott is no
stranger to hard work. His sister Nikki was an
All-American in volleyball at the University of
Nebraska at Kearney last year, and his brother
started for three years at Broken Bow as a lineman
and linebacker.
“I believe in going as hard as you can all the
time. If you’re not going hard, you don’t really
want to be there,” Nathan Scott said. “If you
work hard, then everyone else around you works
harder.”
That train of thought helped Scott when he was
thrust into both starting lineups his freshman
year. He began starting at linebacker after three
games and started the final two games at quarterback
after a broken collarbone sidelined the
starter. He hasn’t given up either position.
The dual threat passed for 1,005 yards last year,
a number he wants to improve this season. The
6-foot-3, 185-pound senior wants to play in college
and has been in contact with Nebraska,Wayne
State, North Dakota State and UNK. All are interested
in him as a linebacker.
But for now, he’s focused on moving the Indians
forward, maybe even to their first championship
since 1987, when they won Class B.
Although St. Cecilia, which went on to win the
state championship, shifted to C-2, Broken Bow
will have to deal with a host of other contenders.
Ogallala, which moved from Class B, joins Chadron,
Pierce, Norfolk Catholic and Boys Town as
teams Garner believes will vie for the C-1 title.
Broken Bow will travel to Ogallala on Sept. 17,
and the Indians will play host to Chadron on Sept.
24.
Any time the Indians need a little extra push in
practice, all they need to do is think of that play in
mid-November.
“It gives us motivation to know that we were
that close,” Scott said. “We scored the same number
of touchdowns that they did, just ended up
coming up short.”
Contact the writer: 444-1201, sports@owh.com

Traveled about 1500 miles in four days, spending the night in Gunnison, Montrose, and Alamosa, watched the Lopers play volleyball in Grand Junction and Durango, saw lots of wonderful scenery, and got to visit with some family! If it wasn't for the dreaded H1N1 virus, it would've been about perfect!!
We very much missed seeing Sue & Erica, hope they get better soon! Thank You! to Tom & Marilyn for your hospitality, it was good to see you, Todd, and the kids! Thanks to Tom for the wild ride up to Signal peak, too bad we couldn't find the geocache! Here's a few pics:
The "Million Dollar Highway" north of Ouray. Sounds like it was a fun ride on the UNK Bus!