It was another year of memorable moments in Washington County sports.
There were firsts in 2024, satisfying results, and many displays of physical and emotional strength.
Here's 10 sports memories from the year that was.
Overcoming losses
Blair High School's Atticus Dick and Kolton Gilmore of Arlington lost parents too soon in 2023.
Dick's father, TJ, died at age 46.
Gilmore's mother, Merrit, passed at 45.
In February 2024, though, both wrestlers competed with their parents in mind. The seniors qualified for their their first state tournaments and both won their first state matches.
In the end, Dick finished the NSAA State Wrestling Championships with a bronze medal, while Gilmore earned a 2-2 state mark.
“He constantly believed in me,” Dick said, noting how his father knew what was best for him all along. “He instilled that work ethic, that drive and that belief in myself. That faith.”
Gilmore knew his mother would have been delighted with his accomplishments.
“I'm just going to continue to make her proud every day,” he said.
Eagles hoops goes 21-5
The Arlington girls basketball team finished just short of the state tournament in 2024, dropping its Class C1-8 District Finals game at Adams Central last February.
Even in defeat, though, the Eagles' campaign was an undeniable success. Their 21-5 record was the second-winningest in school history behind what the 2000 state champions produced — 23 victories.
It was just AHS' second 20-win season ever, too.
“I experienced (this) as a high school kid, and that is something that I've always wanted for my kids,” Eagles coach Tashia Wolf said. “To be able to play on the big stage.”
Blair baseball qualifies for state
The Blair High School baseball team returned to the state tournament for the first time since 2017 last May, making some noise once it got there.
Though coach John Roan's Bears were eliminated from contention during the Class B semifinals, they first rallied past the two-time state champion Elkhorn North Wolves for a noteworthy, 9-8 state victory.
“Beating them was a great …,” junior Nelson Kosch said at the time, stopping himself. “An amazing feeling.”
The state return capped the BHS careers of a talented senior class, which included three NCAA Division I recruits — J'Shawn Unger, Brady Brown and Nate Wachter.
AHS, BHS athletes impress at state track
Arlington Eagles and Blair Bears earned plenty of hardware last May during the NSAA State Track & Field Championships in Omaha.
The AHS boys earned second overall in Class C, securing a long-awaited state trophy.
“It feels so good to end in a positive way for once,” senior Nolan May said one year after the Eagles scored zero points in Class B. “I couldn't be happier for my team.”
He won a relay gold medal alongside Kevin Flesner, Dallin Franzluebbers and Kaden Foust, while Hailey O'Daniel won an individual race for the girls' team, too.
Speaking of individual gold medals, both Reece Ewoldt and Ethan Baessler of Blair won their's in Omaha as well. Baessler was the repeat champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, while Ewoldt finished the 1-mile race first to stand atop the Omaha Burke Stadium podium.
Youngsters play game for ailing grandpa
Record books may not show much about a May 13, 2024, youth baseball game between Arlington and Wakefield, but it's likely to be remembered for a long, long time by those who were there.
“It's a core memory for my family,” Missy Overholt said last summer. “I'm so proud of Arlington and Wakefield, both.”
With her father, Tom Nissen, unable to travel to his grandson, Brody's, baseball games as he fought cancer, two towns came together to make sure he was able to attend one close to home.
It took one weekend and the youth organizations were able to come together for special matchup in Nissen's honor. Brody delivered a pitching gem and a big hit in front of his grandfather, who died June 12 at age 65.
Hoier earns 6th at NHSFR
Herman cowgirl Laney Hoier excelled during last July's trip to Wyoming for the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR), earning sixth out of 189 competitors in the goat-tying event.
The Tekamah-Herman student finished three attempts in a combined 23.18 seconds, which was just 2.13 out of first place.
Hoier made the 2024 nationals trip alongside two cowgirls with Arlington ties — Hailey O'Daniel and Erika Cruikshank — as well as Morgan Shaner of Fort Calhoun, who competed in trapshooting.
Calhoun qualifies for state softball
Never had the Fort Calhoun softball program qualified for the state tournament before this past October.
It did, though, this year, beating Albion Boone Central for the Class C spot in Hastings.
“I'm kind of coming to grapple with it myself, but it's pretty amazing,” senior Kaylee Taylor said. “First time in school history.”
The Pioneers ultimately finished 2-2 in their inaugural state trip, capping a record-breaking year with a 27-7 record.
Blair competed in Hastings, too, going 2-2 in Class B. It's final defeat capped the career of first-team All-Nebraska pitcher Brooke Janning — one of the best Bears to ever pitch at the school.
O'Daniel wins at state XC
Arlington's Hailey O'Daniel started 2024 with state track and field gold and a NHSFR appearance, but concluded her senior cross-country season in October with a state title.
The standout Eagle finished the 5-kilometer Kearney Country Club course in 19:26.1, claiming Class C's gold medal.
“Hailey is always a gamer,” AHS coach Michaela Curran said. “I can count on her through thick and thin — behind, ahead and anything else in-between. She's always going to give me everything.”
BHS volleyball posts winning season
The Blair volleyball team ended its year with more wins than losses. It's the first time the Bears have accomplished that feat in 22 years.
Coach Jess Lansman's squad went 17-16 overall, securing more victories in a single fall season than any of their school's lineups since 1997. Their campaign, however, ended with a four-set loss to Bennington during the Class B Subdistrict 1 Tournament.
“They raised the bar of Blair volleyball,” Lansman said after the defeat. “Those seniors, especially, bought in immediately when we had a meeting this spring.”
FCHS football reaches playoffs
After a few seasons away, the Fort Calhoun High School football team again represented Washington County in the NSAA state playoffs.
The Pioneers lost during the first round, but finished a challenging season 6-4 overall. Injuries stacked up throughout the year, but FCHS kept going, displaying one of its core values — toughness — along the way.
“That was an easy one for us to pick because that's probably the most consistent thing I've seen since I've been here,” coach Zach Byrd said. “The kids are tough. They're just resilient.”
