2026 Vinita Hornets Football Preview – Presented by Patrick Kauffman – Shelter Insurance
VINITA HORNETS Coach: JACOB TANNER 1-9 Vinita looks to make a leap in 2026 after a 1-9 season with a young roster that steadily improved every week last fall. Head coach Jacob Tanner, in his sixth year, is excited about a new district and the weekly challenges it brings, believing the Hornets can be competitive […]
2026 Grove Ridgerunners Football Preview- Presented by Mark Lee – Shelter Insurance
GROVE RIDGERUNNERSCoach: RYAN KEENOM10-2 (Quarterfinals) Grove rolls into 2026 riding the momentum of a 10-2 season and a quarterfinal playoff appearance under head coach Ryan Keenom, who is now in his third year guiding the Ridgerunners. Keenom says they “bring back some really good players off of last years Quarterfinal team,” even as they replace […]
Vinita’s Luke Prince – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Patrick Kauffman / Shelter Insurance
Vinita senior Luke Prince spent the first months of what was supposed to be his final varsity wrestling season wondering if he would ever step on the mat again. In late September, he fractured both heels and feared his high school career might be over before it started. “One was just being able to wrestle at […]
Vinita’s Zaden Nowlin – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Patrick Kauffman / Shelter Insurance
For Zaden Nowlin, playing point guard isn’t just about scoring. It’s about seeing the game before it happens. “I play point guard on the Vinita Hornets basketball team,” Nowlin said. “I think the hardest part of playing that position is being able to read the court and know what and when someone is going to do something.” […]
Miami’s Aizlyn Alsbury – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Jim Rexwinkle State Farm
Between the posts, Aizlyn Alsbury faces pressure that would rattle most high school athletes. One mistake, one missed save, and the game can slip away. But the Miami High School varsity soccer goalkeeper has learned to thrive under that weight. “The hardest thing about playing this position is the several stressful moments where it comes down to […]
Miami’s Holly Christman – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Jim Rexwinkle State Farm
Holly Christman, a Miami High School varsity soccer player, has a different outlook on sports and life than most. Every goal she scores and every practice she completes carries a deeper meaning beyond the game itself. As a center forward, Christman faces unique challenges on the field. “The most difficult thing about playing that position is the pressure […]
Grove’s Walker West – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Mark Lee / Shelter Insurance
Senior first baseman and pitcher Walker West has grown up in the Grove High School baseball program, but the Ridgerunners’ standout says the game has shaped far more than his swing. West, who also plays third base for Grove’s varsity team, said the lessons he has learned between the lines reach into every part of […]
Grove’s Sophie Green – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Mark Lee / Shelter Insurance
Grove High School point guard Sophie Green does not have to think long about why she loves playing for the Lady Ridgerunners. “What I love most about my teammates is that whenever I get in my head, they always have a way to lift me up and focus on the good,” Green said. The junior […]
Vinita’s Cadence Carter – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Patrick Kauffman – Shelter Insurance
Wrestling is a tough sport. A fact not lost on the participants who spend countless hours drilling and conditioning. Vinita’s Cadence Carter said the sport has taught her lessons she will carry with her for the rest of her life. “I’ve learned that not everything goes your way, but life goes on regardless. There will […]
Miami’s Sutton Smith – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Jim Rexwinkle and Nate Long – State Farm
When Sutton Smith of Miami High School first started competing in cross country as a seventh grader, he had no idea if it would take him to the varsity level in high school. His passion for the sport continued to grow and now he is a member of the varsity team. “The thing I love […]