Area coaches are happy to be back with their athletes

HARTINGTON — Yes, sports are back when for many a time plenty doubted they would be as the CO-VID-19 pandemic continues its steady grip on the country.

Area football, volleyball, golf and cross country teams were able to get back to practices Monday.

For now, players and coaches are busy preparing in earnest. All know their seasons could end at any moment, however.

Football

Cedar Catholic closed out its 2019 campaign by almost upsetting eventual state champion Oakland-Craig.

Cedar football coach Chad Cattau said that the return to the gridiron offered a glimpse of a return to normalcy in the lives of Northeast Nebraskans.

“I really feel our students need to get back into a normal routine for their own benefit in life,” Cattau said. “Things have been day-by-day since March and I hope everything can get going again. I really feel all the students need things to move forward for their own emotional and physical wellbeing.

However, he is realistic about the nature of the coronavirus.

“I do know that things can change quickly, and we will need to be able to adjust as we move forward,” he said. “Hopefully, everyone can have a regular season and the school year goes on as normal as possible. Those are the biggest things we need to happen for the benefit of all of our students.”

Hartington-Newcastle football was also coming off a strong 2019 season and hoping to carry that momentum into this fall.

COVID-19 may have slowed things, but coach Corey Uldrich is just feeling good about being able to get back into the routine.

“I’m keeping a positive outlook on our situation, and it’s my hope that we get to play our season in its entirety,” Uldrich said. “We have a young football team, so any time we can get together with practices and games, it’s an opportunity to teach and improve.”

Volleyball

Heading indoors and with lesser bodies doesn’t guarantee total safety from COVID-19, but it does offer a respite for volleyballers from the rigid routines of trying to escape it.

“I have four great seniors who have been on varsity since their freshman year,” Hartington-Newcastle head coach Leigh Haselhorst said. “They all have their unique style of leadership which helps balance our team out. The underclassmen can relate to them easily. We will excel in the areas of ball control and defense.”

Haselhorst’s focus is on the here and now and keeping the Lady Wildcats growing as a program.

“We have a very athletic freshmen class coming in and I’m excited to see what they can do,” Haselhorst said. “HNS has had a great turn out for our summer weight room program which we will see the benefits of carry over into our sports this year.”

Cedar Catholic head coach Denae Buss said everyone is happy to be back together again.

“I think the athletes are very thankful for the opportunity to play, especially the seniors,” Cedar Catholic volleyball coach Denae Buss said. “We are going to have to cherish every day we get to be in the gym together. Hopefully, we can all do our part to stay healthy and give the kids a season they can be proud of.”

Randolph’s Rob Engel is also fired up to get back to work as he returns the core of his 2019 squad.

“We graduated only two seniors last year so we have a lot of experience all over the floor this year,” Engel said. “We have seven seniors that will provide good leadership and some athletic younger players who will contribute a lot.

“We had a really positive summer and as long as the girls remember what worked then, we should have a good fall season.”

The Hartington-Newcastle-Cedar Catholic cross country co-op should be good to go after a long summer of waiting to see if they would have a season.

“We have some young energetic athletes this year and look to have some great successes,” head coach Mandy Hochstein said. “Mostly we are all excited to get to be with each other as a team.”

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