Custer County Chronicle

’Cats second, third at Douglas Early Bird

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:06am

No official team scores were tabulated for the season opening Douglas Early Bird Cross Country Meet at Box Elder last week but according Athletic.net’s “hypothetical” scoring, the Custer varsity girls came in second and the boys were third on Friday.
In the 5K varsity race, the Wildcat girls finished behind AA favorite Rapid City Stevens but beat out the rival Hill City Rangers by 11 points.
That placing was also in spite of the fact that head coach Karen Karim entered only five runners in the race. However, she said “they’re a pretty solid five.”

’Cats open season with 2-2 record

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:05am

Things looked good for Custer’s 2021 volleyball team as it began its own Custer Invitational Tournament on Saturday at the High School and Elementary gyms. The Wildcats handily defeated Lead-Deadwood and Todd County in morning pool play and faced the Edgemont Moguls in the quarterfinals.
After winning the first set 25-22, Custer began to falter against Edgemont’s offense.
“We just had a really difficult time adjusting our defense, digging up their hits and completing attacks,” said head coach Jill Hohn.

Volleyball team sees multiple changes

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:03am

After losing nine seniors, including some all-conference players last spring, the Custer High School girls volleyball team looks quite different, but head coach Jill Hohn is hoping the change will give her an opportunity to try some new things to help the team build on its strengths.
“We’re implementing different offenses,” said Hohn. “We’re doing things we’ve never done before and trying to come up with a good toolbox of plays that work with our strengths.”

Wildcat XC team has strength, experience

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:03am

With losing only one varsity runner to graduation, Custer cross country coach Karen Karim is cautiously optimistic about her team’s prospects for this year’s season. The caution comes from Karim’s natural tendency to not over-sell and the ever-present possibility that an injury could sideline one of her top runners.

Bailey again leads golfers

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:03am

The Custer High School golf team traveled to Prairie Ridge Golf Course in Box Elder for the Douglas Invitational, where Ryder Bailey again led the charge with a 91. That score was good for sixth place at the meet.
Matt Merrill finished with a 95, while Jackson Wiles shot 102. Rounding out the team’s varsity scores were Regan Sorenson at 110 and Blake Boyster at 116.
As a team, the Wildcats finished in fourth place with a score of 398. Rapid City Stevens won the meet at 353, and the Raiders had invividual medalist in Sam Lust, who shot 85.

Bulldogs bite ’Cats in opener

Published by admin on Thu, 09/02/2021 - 9:01am

For the entire first quarter of the Custer High School football team’s season-opening game against the third-ranked Madison Bulldogs last Friday evening at Wildcat Field, it was hard to tell which team was ranked third and which team was starting several freshman on a team that overall has minimum varsity experience.

’Cats low on numbers, experience

Published by admin on Thu, 08/26/2021 - 9:30am

If you want to find this year’s Custer High School football team, head to the corner of young and inexperienced, past the town of low numbers to the outpost of brutal schedule.
That’s where you’ll find Dave Williams’ team.
Williams, entering his second year as head coach of the Wildcats, saw only 20 boys join this year’s squad, half of which are freshman.
“Our first string is going to be alright,” he said. “But our depth...we don’t have any.”

Boys golf team young and inexperienced

Published by admin on Thu, 08/26/2021 - 9:26am

It seems to be a theme for Custer High School boys sports this fall—young and inexperienced.
Such is the case with the boys golf team this year, as the team returns two varsity golfers from a year ago who will be joined by a host of youngers golfers, some of whom are picking up golf for the first time.
“We’re just trying to get the kids to learn some basics before we turn them loose,” head coach Paul Kelley said.
Gone from last year’s team are Dustyn Fish and Gunner Prior, who graduated, along with Ethan Lappe, who elected not to play this year.

Bailey leads golf team in first action

Published by admin on Thu, 08/26/2021 - 9:26am

The Custer High School boys golf team played its second meet of the season last Thursday in Rapid City, as three ’Cats competed in the West River Invitational last Thursday at Meadowbrook Golf Course.
Sophomore Ryder Bailey led the way for the Wildcats, carding a score of 96. Matt Merrill posted the second-best Wildcat score at 97, while Jackson Wiles rounded out the Custer scores at 109.

No COVID-19 protocols for fall sports

Published by admin on Thu, 08/19/2021 - 8:53am

The pandemic-inspired safety protocols that high school athletes needed to adhere to last year will not be in place with the start of the fall sports seasons.
“We’re planning on moving forward as a normal year,” South Dakota High School Activities Association executive director Dan Swartos told the SDHSAA board of directors at its meeting on Thursday, Aug. 12.
Swartos did show the board the protocols for student athletes who test positive for COVID-19. “It’s essentially focused on how we treat those athletes who come down with COVID-19 infections.”