Sports

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE PROUD CENTRAL CITY SUPPORTERS: Cornerstone Bank, Cornerstone Bank, Member FDIC MemberFDIC Pinnacle Bank, Member FDIC Sack Lumber Co. Pinnacle Bank, MemberFDIC Herk’s Welding & Irrigation Central City Mall Herk’s Welding Central City Mall Andrew Simmons CPA P.C.

Winter sports are back and with that the season has brought some new faces and returning stars. Left to right, from top left: The Central City wrestling team has produced some great athletes in the past two decades and beyond. Ace Schweitzer will look to add his name to that list after a perfect start. Truman Ryan has stepped up big for the Bison leading them to a hot start. At High Plains, players like Peyton Hofmann have the team rolling to a perfect start, while Sheridan Falk has been the leader at Nebraska Christian. For the Eagles wrestling team it has been guys like Jonah Green stepping up. The Lady Bison hoops squad and Hope Paup are perfect.

There are seasons in sports that rise above the ordinary. Teams become legends, etched not just in record books but in the hearts of those who lived them. The 2024 Central City Bison football season was one of those rare stories—a saga of triumphs and trials, resilience and brotherhood. It was a season that ignited a community, united a team, and brought a town to its feet. For the first time in school history, the Bison reached Nebraska’s grandest stage, the Class C1 State Championship, capping a journey that will be told for generations.

Last Tuesday was a special day to be a Bison as the Central City football team and much of the community made their way to Lincoln. It was a day that the Bison herd stampeded on to the field with fire and passion. It was a day that current Bison students gathered to give their team support. The band played, the next generation looked on with excitement. The game even brought back Bison of yesteryear as classes like the Class of 1985 gathered for a mini class reunion of sorts to show their Bison pride. The Bison brotherhood took the field and there was plenty of excitement. The outcome, it is irrelevant in terms of Bison pride. Yes, last Tuesday, sure was a good day. Look for more photos on our R-N Sports Facebook page.

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The open sky above Sidney, Nebraska, was painted in shades of fading daylight and rising anticipation as the Central City Bison charged into their biggest challenge yet—a semifinal matchup against the undefeated Sidney Red Raiders. The stakes? A historic first trip to the NSAA State Football Championship. The tension was palpable, and the Bison were ready to seize their moment.

For the first time in school history, the Central City Bison football team is headed to a championship game. Last Friday night the “Road Warriors”, as we dubbed them, headed out to Sidney where they came away with