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Sports
SpotlightTop StoryTopical
Scout Bell wins back-to-back titles at UNK High School cross country invite
Jessica Kennedy
KEARNEY — The top time of Wayne’s Tayla Hurner held no place in Gothenburg’s Scout Bell’s mind as she prepared to take her second title in Class C at the UNK High School Invite Monday in Kearney.
“I feel like I’m pretty good at competing,” Bell said. “It’s not always about the time, so when there’s competition it always brings out the best in me.
“And so I knew I would perform well going against someone with a good time, even if it’s better than mine because I’m very competitive.”
The Gothenburg junior captured the UNK title with a time of 19:23.84, ahead of Hurner by nearly 11 seconds.
Bell said that her win felt good. “I mean, UNK is always a little bit stressful, so I’m glad to have it done and over with. It’s just kind of a good preview for state to kind of figure out your strategy,” she said.
Her strategy was to get out with the pack for the first two miles, and “then just guts the last one mile. Do what I can.”
Gothenburg’s Scout Bell uses a hill to her advantage in the
girls Class C race during the UNK High School Invite Monday at the
Kearney Country Club.
Bell was the UNK champion last year with a time of 19:16.4, increasing her time on the course a whole minute from her third place finish her freshman year.
The lady Swede is on an 11-meet win streak, having not dropped a win since Sept. 18, 2025, at Fillmore Central.
She won her first Class B state title last season with a time of 19:16.4.
Bell’s title win helped the Swedes take second as a team behind Chase County.
Bell is ready for the final weeks of the season. “I’m just excited for conference, to see what I can do. I’m competing more for a personal record instead of winning,” she said.
“I have won conference all four years (includes middle school), so this would be my fifth year. And I’m trying to make it all six years. And then for districts, I just want to make it all four years as the district champion.”
Sports
Top StorySpotlight
Lexington tennis wins title at Kearney Catholic Invite Tuesday
Jessica Kennedy
KEARNEY — The Lexington Minutemen brought home the team title Tuesday at the Kearney Catholic Invite.
The Lexington Minutemen tennis team shows off their medals and
champion plaque Tuesday after winning the Kearney Catholic
Invite.
Photo Courtesy of Jake Saulsbury
Teams that competed were Adams Central, Gretna East, Kearney Catholic, Grand Island Central Catholic and Holdrege.
Lexington won 4-0 over Adams Central in the first round.
Lexington won 4-0 over Holdrege in the second round.
Lexington won 3-1 over Grand Island Central Catholic.
Lexington won 4-0 over Kearney Catholic.
NO. 1 SINGLES
Jaydon Hernandez went undefeated on the day.
Hernandez won 8-5 over Adams Central's Titus Johnson.
Hernandez won 8-6 over Holdrege's Tristan Berg.
Hernandez won 8-3 over GICC's Noah Halsey.
Hernandez won 8-0 over Kearney Catholic's Bennett Nikkila.
NO. 2 SINGLES
Cristian Franco went undefeated as the Minutemen's No. 2 single.
Franco won 8-4 over Adams Central's Ollie Roback.
Franco won 8-1 over Holdrege's Ryan Maldonado.
Franco won 8-6 over GICC's Andrew Hageman.
Franco won 9-5 over Kearney Catholic's Miles Hershberger.
NO. 1 DOUBLES
Micah Scherr and Mathias Pepplitsch went undefeated as the No. 1 doubles team.
Scherr and Pepplitsch won 8-5 over Adams Central's Issac Ablott and Brenson Underwood.
The pair won 8-2 over Holdrege's Asher Ham and Calin Light.
Scherr and Pepplitsch won 8-3 over GICC's Atticus Vance and Dawson Urbanski.
The Minutemen won 8-1 over Kearney Catholic's Cale Rogers and Alex Johnson.
NO. 2 DOUBLES
Jaxon Neff and David Diaz went 3-1 in No. 2 doubles.
Neff and Diaz won 8-4 over Adams Central's Jonah Roback and Keaton Redline.
The pair won 8-4 over Holdrege's Garrett Ganser and Jaiden Brand.
The Minutemen lost their first Class B match, dropping 8-4 to GICC's Barrett Suminski and Oliver Vance.
Neff and Diaz won by withdrawal against Kearney Catholic.
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