LOPER FOOTBALL ADDS LEXINGTON NATIVE MANDELKO TO STAFF:
Nebraska Kearney head football coach Ryan Held announced today that Jake Mandelko is the Lopers new special teams coordinator and defensive line coach.
The Lexington native is a former standout safety for the Lopers, earning All-Region honors as a senior in 2009. He is a rare UNK football player turned UNK full-time coach, joining the likes of Claire Boroff and Monte Meadows.
Mandelko most recently worked under former Loper assistant coach Grant Mollring at NCAA Division III Buena Vista (Ia.) University where he was assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for six seasons. He also served as DC, defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Hastings College for two years while beginning his coaching career at Nebraska
For the ‘Huskers over four years, Mandelko handled quality control for the DB’s and special teams and assisted with on-campus recruiting.
Mandelko was part of a 2009 Loper team that won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) regular season title, posted an 11-2 record and won the program’s first-ever playoff game. He had a combined 27 tackles in two playoff games that fall and currently ranks 22nd (194) on the all-time tackles list.
GEORGIA FIVE-STAR TRANSFER JOINS HUSKERS:
Former five-star Georgia edge rusher MJ Sherman has committed to Nebraska.
Sherman’s sister Rasia Sherman-Blue confirmed to HuskerOnline that he took an official visit to Lincoln this weekend and committed to the Huskers as it ended on Monday.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Sherman played in 28 games in the last two years. He could start and be a difference maker about anywhere he went, according to a Georgia expert.
HASTINGS’ DUNCAN FIELD TO HOST 2023 NEBRASKA STATE SENIOR TOURNAMENT:
For the first time since 2015, Duncan Field and the Hastings American Legion will host a state baseball tournament.
The announcement was made by the Nebraska American Legion following its meeting Friday.
Duncan Field will host the National Division half of the Class A senior state baseball tournament, which will run July 22-26.
The American Division will play at Bellevue West. As the host team, Hastings Five Points Bank automatically qualifies to compete in the state tournament. The Chiefs have qualified through area tournaments each of the last eight seasons.
The Class A senior Area 7 tournament will be in Grand Island. The Class A junior area tourney is in North Platte. The juniors state tournament will be held in Bennington.
STORM PLAYERS SET FOR ALL-AMERICAN GAME:
Tri-City Storm players Tanner Adams and Seth Constance are set to represent the organization in this afternoon’s 2023 BioSteel All-American Game on the NHL Network. The annual event will be hosted at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI.
The game is currently in action as puck drop began at 3 PM.
Since 2012, the game has showcased more than 250 future NHL Draft picks.
FORMER HUSKER DeCOLDEST CRAWFORD HEADS TO LA TECH:
One of the best names in college football has found a new home.
DeColdest Crawford announced via Twitter on Sunday that he was committing to Louisiana Tech.
The 6-0, 180-pound wide receiver is leaving Nebraska after one season. He also had formerly been committed to LSU as a member of the 2022 recruiting class.
As a high school senior, Crawford was rated by the 247Sport Composite as the 69th-best wide receiver prospect in the country and the No. 23 overall player in Louisiana’s 2022 class.
Crawford was injured in fall camp and did not play for the Cornhuskers in 2022.
NEBRASKA WRESTLING TAKES DOWN TOP TEN WILDCATS:
Behind four major decisions, the No. 4 Nebraska wrestling team claimed its second conference victory over the weekend, topping No. 6 Northwestern 22-15 on Sunday afternoon.
Up next, the Big Red travel to Iowa (10-0, 3-0 Big Ten) to continue conference competition on Jan. 20. Wrestling from the Carver Hawkeye Arena will begin at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast live on BTN.
NFL PLAYOFF SCORES/SCHEDULE
SATURDAY:
NFC – #2 San Francisco 49ers 41-23 #7 Seattle Seahawks
AFC – #4 Jacksonville Jaguars 31-30 #5 Los Angeles Chargers
SUNDAY:
AFC – #2 Buffalo Bills 34-31 #7 Miami Dolphins
NFC – #6 New York Giants 31-24 #3 Minnesota Vikings
AFC – #3 Cincinnati Bengals 24-17 #6 Baltimore Ravens
MONDAY:
NFC – #5 Dallas Cowboys @ #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 7:15 PM
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
MONDAY:
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Women’s Basketball: v. Doane @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Doane @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- High School Coaches Show (5 PM – 6 PM)
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
TUESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Wrestling: Triangular v. GICC & North Platte St. Pats – 6 PM
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Wrestling: @ Doane – 7 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
WEDNESDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- Women’s Basketball: @ Emporia State – 5:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Emporia State – 7:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Basketball: @ Doane – 7:30 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Ohio State (5 PM – 8:45 PM)
THURSDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: Norfolk Dual @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Wrestling: @ Columbus Dual – 7 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: Norfolk Dual @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
- Girls Basketball: @ Aurora – 5:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: @ Aurora – 7:30 PM
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)
FRIDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Girls Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 6 PM
- KGFW Pregame at 5:45 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 7:45 PM
- KGFW Pregame at conclusion of KHS GBB
- Girls Basketball: v. Norfolk @ Kearney High School – 6 PM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- Men’s Wrestling: @ Missouri Valley Invite @ Marshall, MO – 9 AM
- Women’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 5 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 6:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Kearney High Girls Basketball v. Norfolk (5:45 PM – 7:45 PM)
- Kearney High Boys Basketball v. Norfolk (7:45 PM – 9:45 PM)
SATURDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Ralston Dive Invite – 9 AM
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- Swimming & Diving: @ Ralston Dive Invite – 9 AM
- Wrestling: @ Centennial Conference – 10 AM
- Girls Basketball: v. Aquinas – 1:30 PM
- Boys Basketball: v. Aquinas – 3:30 PM
- UNK:
- Wrestling: v. Northern State – 9 AM
- Wrestling: v. Western Colorado – 10:30 AM
- Wrestling: v. Adams State – 12 PM
- M/W T&F: @ NW Missouri State Open – 12 PM
- Women’s Basketball: @ Washburn – 1:30 PM
- Men’s Basketball: @ Washburn – 3:30 PM
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- M/W T&F: @ Polar Dog Invite @ Concordia – 10 AM / 1 PM
- Men’s Wrestling: @ Missouri Valley Invite @ Marshall, MO – 9 AM
- Women’s Basketball: v. Jamestown @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 1 PM
- Men’s Basketball: v. Jamestown @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 2:45 PM
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Men’s Basketball @ Penn State (12:15 PM – 4 PM)
SUNDAY:
- KEARNEY HIGH:
- N/a
- KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
- N/a
- UNK:
- N/a
- HASTINGS COLLEGE:
- N/a
- KGFW Sports Schedule:
- Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Maryland (12:45 PM – 4 PM)
