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The Junior High Volleyball team hosted a tournament in Leigh on Saturday, September 13, and the girls were able to secure a second-place finish at their own tournament!

They started off winning against the Humphrey B team. They also won their second game against Archangels. In the championship game they lost to the Humphrey A team to finish in second place.  

7th grader Mariah Kasik said, “Overall I think we did great but there are a few things we could have worked on but we played to the best of our abilities and had a fun time. Humphrey was a great team to play!”

Experiencing the famous book on stage, the Leigh Junior High students traveled to Kearney on September 30, 2025, to watch “The Outsiders” play at the Merryman Performing Arts Center.

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Outsiders is based on a coming-of-age novel that shows the life of the kids from the wrong side of the tracks – the “Greasers” – and the rich kids – the Soc’s. Friendship, family, and belonging are all expressed throughout the play.

After reading the coming-of-age novel in class, students in 7th and 8th grade were in attendance at the play. Mrs. Fischer, their English teacher, was also in attendance. Over the course of three days, the play was performed for sold-out crowds of students from all over Nebraska – over 2,100 altogether.

8th grader Carter Freudenburg said, “I thought the play was really good! I really enjoyed watching the outsiders play after reading the book in Mrs. Fischer's class.”

English teacher Justine Fischer said, “It was an exciting play with great acting, and I am so glad we had the opportunity to attend! It was great for our junior high students to be able to experience live theater!”

The Highways 91 Cyclones had a tough mid-season tournament in Arlington. On the Saturday of September 9th, the girls headed down to Arlington for a tournament. In both games, they came up just short of a win. 

Their first game against Arlington was 4-5 with them being one point away from tying the game. The second game the Cyclones lost against Lincoln Northwest with another score of 4-5. In their final game of the day, they lost 4-7 against North Bend.

Coach Drew Machmueller said, “We had several girls playing through some injuries and illness, which was a challenge. We lost our first two games by one run each, and the third game was close also. Our pitching and defense gave us a chance to win, we just weren’t able to scratch across enough runs to win.” 

Hwy 91 vs Arlington

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases) 

Grace Hansen--3-3, 0, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–4-4, 0, 4, 0; Hannah Cech–4-3, 0, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–3-3, 0, 0, 0; Dani Dirkschneider–3-3, 0, 0, 0;  Allie Dirkschneider–4-3, 0, 1; Britney Faltys–4-2, 0, 0, 0; Emma Bernhardt –3-3, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–4-4, 1, 0; Rebecca Hastreiter–0-0, 1, 0, 0. 

Hwy 91 vs Lincoln Northwest 

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases) 

Grace Hansen--3-3, 0, 1, 0; Jocelyn Donnelly–3-3, 0, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–4-4, 0, 4, 0; Shaylynn Marty–3-3, 0, 0;  Hannah Cech–4-3, 0, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–4-4, 0, 0, 0; Dani Dirkschneider–3-3, 0, 0, 0;  Allie Dirkschneider–4-4, 0, 1; Emma Bernhardt –0-0, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–4-4, 1, 0, 0; 

Hwy 91 vs North Bend

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases) 

Grace Hansen--3-2, 0, 0, 0; Jocelyn Donnelly–1-0, 0, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–2-2, 0, 4, 0; Shaylynn Marty–3-2, 0, 0;  Hannah Cech–4-4, 0, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–3-3, 0, 0, 0;  Allie Dirkschneider–4-4, 0, 1; Britney Faltys–2-2, 0, 0, 0; Bailey Rios–2-2, 0, 0, 0; Emma Bernhardt –3-2, 0, 0; Lexis Gleason–0-0, 0, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–4-4, 1, 1, 0

On Friday, September 27 the Clarkson-Leigh Patriots traveled to Madison, Nebraska to play the Madison Dragons in a varsity football game. The Patriots entered this game with a record of 1-3 while the Dragons entered at 0-4. 

Clarkson-Leigh looked to carry the momentum they gained from the previous game into this matchup. 

The Patriots started out hot, scoring 24 points in the first quarter. After an outstanding first quarter, the Patriots never looked back, scoring another 24 points in the second quarter. Clarkson-Leigh’s scoring explosion led to the halftime score being 48-8.

In the second half, the Patriots started working the reserves into the game. As both teams settled into the second half, neither team scored in the third quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, Madison’s offense started to click, scoring 16 points. This scoring was too little, too late for the Dragons, with the final score being 54-24. Clarkson-Leigh now has a record of 2-3 with a district record of 2-0. The Patriots will take on the Humphrey/Lindsay Bulldogs in Clarkson on October 3.  

Head coach Jim Clarkson said, “We got the offense rolling, were able to get a big lead and get another big district win. It is important for us to keep improving each week.” 

Junior Blake Loseke said, “It was a great night to play football. We started great in the first half, and played together as a unit. It was great to give the JV some reps in the second half. I'm looking forward to seeing how much better we get as the season progresses.”

Game Stats:

         Q1      Q2       Q3       Q4       Final

Clarkson/Leigh   24       24        0          6     54

Madison              0         8      0         16        24

Rushing: Attempts, Total Yards:  Wyatt Crosley—9, 168; Blake Loseke—13, 85; Jeryn Struebing–6, 43; Tucker Matthies—-11, 139; Easton Brabec—3, 58; Cole Vodehnal—3,-3; Xavier Ross—1,2; Cade Hoesly— 5, 9; Tyce Larson— 1, 0 

Touchdowns: Crosley—4; Loseke—1; Brabec—1; Matthies—1

Tackles: Levi Gall—3, Struebing—2, Loseke—7, Brett Wemhoff—2, Hunter Gall—10, Tyce Larson—5, Luke Eisenmann—3, Jacob Kroeger—3, Matthies—1, Corey Steffensmeier—4, Brabec—2, Michael Wemhoff—3

The Patriot volleyball team headed to Fremont on September 30th to face off with the Archbishop Bergan Knights on all levels. 

They started the night off on a high note with a tight match win for the C team. The JV team won the first set, only to end up losing the next two in a hard-fought game. 

After the C team and JV, the varsity team went on to face the Archbishop Bergan Knights. The Patriots came out firing and won the first set, 25-17. Even though the Knights came close in the second set, the Patriots preserved to win 25-22. It was an all-around team effort to take the game against the Knights in three sets, winning the third set 25-16. 

From the very first serve to the final point, we played with energy, intensity, and confidence. It only took three sets to prove that all of our hard work paid off. We trusted each other and stayed consistent. Overall, it was a great win for us,” stated junior Reese Wietfeld. 

Ava Kasik led the team in kills, recording 19 and Kendall Schneider led the team delivering 31 assists. 

Head coach Rebecca Schneider said, “Bergan was a great match!  We were extremely consistent across the board and we stayed calm in moments of chaos!  We served really well, our defense was on point both at the net and in the backcourt, and we were aggressive offensively!  Our goal was to keep them out of system and we did just that!  It was awesome to see the flow and cohesiveness of our team!”

The Patriots continue their season at 15-6!

Clarkson-Leigh vs. Archbishop Bergan Stats:

Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Final

CL:   25   25   25   3

Bergan:   17   22   16   0

Individual Stats vs Archbishop Bergan: (kills, assists, blocks, aces, digs)

Maizie Stoklasa: 6, 0, 0, 0, 4; Graciee Sortino: 2, 0, 0, 0, 1; Kendall Schiender: 3, 31, 0, 0, 13; Clarie Holoubek: 3, 1, 0, 2, 7; Reese Wietfeld: 0, 0, 0, 0, 2; Vylet Hollatz: 0, 5, 0, 1, 18; Ava Kasik: 19, 2, 0, 2, 12; Ella Baumert: 9, 0, 0, 0, 10

About a month later after members of the Leigh FFA Chapter competed at the State Fair and showed off their projects, the Aksarben Stock Show rolled around the corner.  Aksarben is eligible to 14 different states: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 

Aksarben started off with check-in on Thursday, September 25, followed by showmanship during the day Friday, the market show on Saturday, and rounding off the weekend with breeding shows on Sunday. 

Junior Carmen Malena commented, “Aksarben was a super fun show. I did well, making it an even better trip! Many lessons were learned and many laughs were shared with family and friends.”

Carmen Malena placed 1^st in class market barrow, while younger brother Cruz Malena finished 3^rd in class market gilt. 

Freshman Briggs Klug finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th in class market barrows, and freshman Avery Kuester received 3rd overall market beef. 

The participants worked very hard this year on their projects and it really shows off in the ring. With this being a show for multiple states, the competition is still very tough. Through competing in shows like Aksarben, students learn skills like proper nutrition and taking care of their animals; communication from talking with breeders, nutritionists, fitters, and others in the industry; and learn time management. 

The members of Leigh FFA who participated in this show include juniors, Carmen Malena and Daphne Jedlicka; freshmen, Briggs Klug and Avery Kuester; and 8th grader Cruz Malena. 

Freshman Avery Kuester stated, “Getting 3rd place at Askarban was an amazing experience! It's more than just a banner, it's proof that long hours in the barn, dedication, and passion for what you do can pay off. I was proud to be able to be there and represent the Leigh FFA.” Congrats to Avery Kuester receiving 3rd overall Market Beef!

Leigh Community Schools students and staff are welcoming a new paraprofessional this school year, Ms. Taylor Van Duysen. 

Ms. V took the opportunity of being a helping hand at the Pre-K room. She helps with the morning and afternoon preschoolers. 

Ms. V grew up in Wagner, South Dakota. She graduated from Avon High School in Avon, South Dakota, in 2023. She is currently taking classes through Northeast to get her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. 

Prior to working at Leigh Elementary School, she was a main teacher at Fits and Giggles in Leigh, Ne. Her dream is to teach pre-k/kindergarten and Leigh does just that. She grew up in a small town, and went to school in a small town. She likes the small-town atmosphere and that it allows you to know everyone and build relationships easily.

Ms. Van Duysen lives in Clarkson.  A fun thing about her is that she has two miniature Australian shepherds, Nelly and Nova. 

“With this year being my first year working at a school, I am excited to watch the students learn and see their growth and progress over the year.”

Good luck to Ms. Van Duysen in her first year at Leigh Elementary School. We are all lucky to have her in the preschool room!

The Patriots traveled to David City on September 27, 2025, for yet another Saturday tournament. They played Aquinas Catholic in the first match of the day. This was an easy start to the day for the Patriots as they won in two sets, 25-11, 25-17.  

In the second match of the day, they faced the Shelby-Rising City Huskies.  They were a strong team, coming into the game with a 12-5 record, but the Patriots took control and finished 25-21, 25-16.  

This set the Patriots up for the championship match-up against a talented David City team. David City was too much for the Patriots on their home court, with the Patriots losing 19-25, 21-25. 

Junior Reese Wietfeld said, “David City played really well, and we had a lot of energy for the first 2 games. It was hard to stop their main hitter. It was hard to keep up the energy, but it helps us to learn from it.”

The Patriots walked away with a runner-up finish and ended the day with a 14-6 record. 

*No individual stats were available for this tournament. 

The Cyclones had a hard-fought battle against NEN September 18th. It was neck and neck through all innings, never differing more than one. The game ended in the 7th with a three-run hit for NEN. 

Their next matchup against the North Bend Central Tigers on September 22^nd, and this didn’t go any better didn't go any better than the first. The Cyclones had bac- to-back games against the Tigers. Their game ended with a run rule in the 6th inning. 

The Cyclones took on David City Aquinas for their September 23rd matchup. The game did not end in their favor with a 4-9 loss for the Cyclones. Although the team hasn’t had their best season, they continue to battle each game that comes up. 

Junior Grace Hansen said, "We played really well as a team and started off strong. We didn't end the game how we wanted to, but we will learn from our mistakes and continue to work hard in practice to get better.”

Sophomore Shaylynn Marty said, "I feel like we played very well. Even if we lost, we definitely had a battle. We just need to keep playing our hearts out and have fun."

Hwy 91 vs. NEN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final

Hwy 91 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 3

NEN 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 4

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases)

Grace Hansen–0-3, 0, 1, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–2-2, 0,0, 0, 0; Hannah Cech–0-4, 0, 3, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–0-3, 0, 4, 0, 0; Allie Dirkschneider–0-3, 0, 2, 0, 0; Dani Dirkschneider–1-3, 0, 0, 0, 1; Britney Faltys–1-2, 2, 6, 0, 0; Emma Bernhardt–0-3, 1, 1, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–1-4, 0, 2, 6, 2

Hwy 91 vs. North Bend Central

1 2 3 4 5 6 Final

Hwy 91 0 0 1 0 1 0 3

NBC 5 2 0 2 0 3 12

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases)

Grace Hansen–0-2, 3, 0, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–0-2, 2, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–1-3, 3, 0, 0

Britney Faltys–1-2, 5, 0, 1; Bailey Rio–0-3, 0, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–0-4, 1, 2, 0; Emma Bernhardt–0-0, 2, 0, 0

Hwy 91 vs. Aquinas 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Final

Hwy 91 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 4

Aquinas 3 1 1 0 3 1 0 9

(hits-at bats, RBI, put outs, pitching strikeouts, stolen bases)

Grace Hansen–0-2, 0, 1, 0, 0; Jocelyn Donnelly–0-3, 0, 0, 0, 0; Matelyn Rayback–0-2, 0, 0, 2, 0; Hannah Cech–0-2, 0, 1, 0, 0; Shaylynn Marty–0-3, 0, 0, 0, 0; Reese Bruhn–1-3, 0, 6, 0, 0; Allie Dirkschneider–1-3, 0, 3, 0, 0; Britney Faltys–1-3, 0, 4, 0, 0; Bailey Rios–0-1, 0, 0, 0, 0; Reann Bruhn–0-4, 0, 3, 0, 0; Emma Bernhardt–0-0, 3, 0, 0

Red jackets are back in action! On September 15, the Leigh FCCLA chapter officer team had the opportunity to attend the Nebraska FCCLA Fall Leadership Conference at Wayne State College. This one-day event was designed to build leadership skills, encourage teamwork, and inspire student leaders from across the state.

During the conference, members participated in a variety of breakout sessions that focused on communication, goal setting, and planning successful chapter activities. Members gained ideas for new STAR projects from sessions about nutrition and national programs and left excited to bring their ideas back to Leigh! 

Officers also had the chance to network with other FCCLA members from different schools, share ideas, and learn new strategies to better their own chapter!  

Mrs. Hillen, Chapter Adviser, shared her thoughts on the day: “FLC is a great opportunity for our chapter officer team to build on their leadership skills, spend time together as a team, and refine this year’s goals for our chapter.”

Ella Higby, Chapter officer stated, “Our officer team attended the Fall Leadership Workshop and it was an overall great experience. We took this opportunity to learn more about FCCLA and how we can be more involved as a chapter. This workshop was a very beneficial way for our officers to grow our leadership and FCCLA knowledge.”