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The Cyclone softball team ended their season with a 3-23 record on October 7th in at the Bill Smith Softball Complex in Hastings at the C-1 Subdistrict tournament. 

After a tough season, the girls started the day with a win over Chase County. They took a commanding lead in the first inning and held that lead the rest of the game, winning 14-1, picking up just their third win of the year. 

Their second game was against 23-5 Hastings St. Cecilia. The Cyclones struggled to get runs in until the 5th inning, but unfortunately those runs were not enough. The season ended with a 2-10 loss for the Cyclones.  

The seniors leaving this year are Neveah Zulkoski, Lexis Gleason, and Jocelyn Donnely, from Leigh, as well as Hannah Cech and Emma Bernhardt from Clarkson.  

Junior Reann Bruhn said, “This season didn’t go as we planned and hoped, but we are excited for next year”

  Junior Rebecca Hastreiter said “We fought hard for our last two games, and it was good to get another win against Chase County. I am excited for next season.”

Hwy 91 vs. CC

1 2 3 Final

Hwy 91 10 1 3 14 

CC 0 0 1 1

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

Matelyn Rayback–1-2, 1, 1, 0, 1; Hannah Cech–1-1, 0, 0, 0, 1; Shaylynn Marty–0-1, 0, 0, 0, 1; Reese Bruhn–1-1, 1, 0, 0, 2; Allie Dirkschneider–0-0, 0, 0, 0, 1; Britney Faltys–3-3, 3, 8, 0, 1; Bailey Rios–1-2, 2, 0, 0, 0; Emma Bernhardt–0-1, 0, 0, 0, 1; Reann Bruhn–2-2, 2, 0, 8, 1

Hwy 91 vs. St. Cecilia 

1 2 3 4 5 Final 

Hwy 91 0 0 0 0 2 2

STC 2 1 1 3 2 10

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

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

After many hours of preparation, 23 members of the Leigh FFA chapter traveled to
Wisner, Nebraska, to compete in district land judging on October 8, 2025. The chapter found
great success, qualifying for state! 
Each participant judged four holes, individually receiving an individual score. At each
hole, contestants judged physical features of soil, determined land capability, and evaluated
management practices needed for proper stewardship. 
On the state qualifying team, the high score was received by Luke Eisenmann receiving
13th out of 500 contestants. The team of Luke Eisenmann, Cade Hoesly, Caleb Settje, and
Briggs Klug placed 4th out of 15 teams. 
In two weeks on October 22, the team will represent Leigh competing at the state level!
Caleb Settje said, “District land judging went great, and I had a lot of faith in my other
teammates. As we prepare for state, I’m hopeful for good results and to place well.”
“We had a beautiful day for land judging. We have a huge district with over 500 kids and
to qualify for state is a big accomplishment. I am very proud of how everyone did,” said FFA
advisor Alyssa Went.
District Land Judging Results:
State Qualifying Team Members: Luke Eisenmann – 13th, Cade Hoesly – 67th, Briggs Klug –
97th, Caleb Settje- 107th
Other Contestant Results: Cody Jedlicka – 133, Tyce Larson – 144, James Moore – 161,
Blake Loseke – 167, Brayden Loseke – 172, Wyatt Eisenmann – 176, Kyle McMullin – 207,
Easton Brabec – 230, Rebecca Hastreiter – 261, Madisyn Lich – 264, Avery Kuester – 280,
Cash Fehringer – 293, Sadie Brabec – 303, Trenton Olsen – 321, Jurnee Mullenhoff – 324,
Layton Held – 325, Emily Waterman - 347th

Each year the Leigh FFA supports the local farmers by preparing them a meal during harvest time. It is a good chance for the chapter to give back to the community and thank the farmers for all they do.

This year “Feed the Farmer” was held on Monday, October 13, 2025 at the Coop in Leigh and their location on Highway 57. FFA served pork sandwiches, chips, homemade cookies, potato salad and water.

“Feed the Farmer is always very rewarding for our students. It gives us a chance to give back to our community and thank them for all that they do,” said FFA Advisor Alyssa Went.

Carmen Malena, FFA president, said, “Feed the farmer was great to be able to talk to the farmers of our community as well as the communities around us. The farmers give us so much, so it is great to give back to them! We served good food and had good times!”

On October 10th, both Leigh and Clarkson named their Homecoming King and Queen during the coronation after the football game against Newman Grove-St. Edward in Leigh. This year's girl candidates from Leigh were Lexis Gleason, Ava Kasik, Karly Wendt, and Nevaeh Zulkoski. The boy candidates were Luke Eisenmann, Brayden Loseke, Kyle McMullin, and Brett Wemhoff. 

The 2025 Jr. Court from Leigh was Adaline Hake, daughter of Kelsey and Sam Hake, and Beckett Wendt, son of Jenny and Zach Wendt. Both are 1st graders at Leigh Elementary.

The girl candidates from Clarkson were Emma Bereznai, Isabella McAtee, Sophie Morfeld, and Kendall Schneider. The boy candidates were Wyatt Crosley, Joshua Eisenmann, Levi Gall, and Tucker Matthies.

Clarkson’s King and Queen were announced as Levi Gall and Kendall Schneider

Leigh’s King and Queen was announced next. Last year's king and queen Ella Urban and Carter Brabec crowned this year's king and queen. 

Leigh’s King and Queen were announced as Luke Eisenmann and Ava Kasik.

Information about the Leigh Homecoming court was read as follows:

Lexis Gleason was escorted by Luke Eisenmann 

Lexis Gleason is the daughter of Amy & Jeremy MacDonald. Her siblings are Leah Pinkston, Austin Klug, Lilly Gleason, Zoey MacDonald, and Jaxxyn MacDonald. In high school she has participated in Cheer, Journalism, Yearbook, JAG, Track, Softball, Dance, and One Act. Lexis plans to attend the College of Hair Design and major in Cosmetology.

Luke Eisenmann is the son of Kim & Dave Eisenmann. His siblings are Jacob, Gracie, and Wyatt. During High School Like has been involved in Football, Speech, Band, One Act, Journalism, FBLA, FFA, FCCLA, and National Honor Society. Luke plans to attend UNL majoring in Ag Education.

Ava Kasik was escorted by Brayden Loseke.

Ava is the daughter of Heather and Joe Kasik. Her siblings are Hannah, Alissa, Kyle, and Mariah. In High School Ava has been involved in Volleyball, Basketball, Track, FFA, FCCLA, FBLA, One Act, Yearbook, Journalism, National Honor Society, and Youth Advisory Council.

Brayden is the son of Kim & Brett Loseke. He has a brother Grayson and a sister Sophie. During High School he has been involved in FBLA, FFA, Journalism, One Act, Band, National Honor Society, Youth Advisory Council, Speech, Stream Team, and St. Johns LCMS Youth Group. Brayden plans to attend UNL majoring in Mechanical Engineering. 

Karly Went was escorted by Kyle McMullin.

Karly is the daughter of Kandee & Gary Wendt. Her siblings are Korbee Wendt, Kym Wendt, Krys Magsamen, and the late Wade Wendt. Throughout high school Karly has been involved in Volleyball, Track, Cheer, Dance, FFA, FCCLA, FBLA, Band, One Act, Yearbook, Journalism, National Honor Society, and Youth Advisory Council. Karly plans to attend Northeast Community College for a business degree and then attend the College of Hair Design to obtain her Esthetician license. 

Kyle is the son of Mark & Julie McMullin. He has 4 brothers: Jeremy, Matt, Ben, and Ryan, and a sister Steph. In high school he has been involved in Football, FFA, Basketball, One Act, Journalism, Band, FCCLA, FBLA, Youth Advisory Council, National Honor Society. Kyle plans to attend UNL with his major undecided. 

Nevaeh Zulkoski was escorted by Brett Wemhoff. 

Nevaeh Zulkoski is the daughter of Kelly & Phil Wendt and Ross & Becca Zulkoski. Her siblings are Trevor, Dalton, Jathan, and Bryssa. Nevaeh has been involved in Softball, Basketball, FFA, FCCLA, FBLA, Journalism, One Act, Yearbook, Youth Advisory Council, and National Honor Society. Her plans are to attend Northeast Community College and major in Zoology

Brett is the son of Jon and Deana Wemhoff. His siblings are Calvin, Simon, and Michael. During High School he has participated in Football, Wrestling, One Act, Youth Advisory Council, Speech, FBLA, Journalism, and Stream Team. Brett plans to attend Northeast Community College, with his major undecided.

Congratulations to Luke and Ava and the rest of the 2025 LHS Homecoming Court!

The Leigh FFA Chapter recently hosted their second annual livestock judging competition at the Colfax County Fairgrounds on October 6. A grand total of 407 ag students came to participate!

The Leigh chapter did very well overall, with senior team placing first overall, junior team finishing third overall, and junior high team finishing first overall.

FFA Advisor Mrs. Alyssa Went stated, “Wow! What a day for our chapter! We hosted over 450 kids from all over Nebraska. Our students did an exceptional job and came away with several banners! I am so proud of them for hosting such a great event. A big thank you to everyone who helped, including Mr. Fischer and Mr. Faltys for grilling over 500 pork burgers!”

Welcoming back a few of the same schools and joining in a few more, the schools in attendance included Leigh, Lakeview, Shelby-Rising City, Boone Central, West Point, Bloomfield, Beatrice, Aquinas, Scribner-Snyder, Winside, Clarkson, Malcolm, Logan View, Wood River, Newman Grove, Bishop Newman, McCool Junction, Arlington, Conestoga, and Humphrey. 

It is safe to say that the members from all chapters worked hard and a lot of talent was shown. This event is always good to have as practice before districts and for new members to try something new. 

Sophomore Easton Brabec commented, “It was a great day for our chapter, and it was very fun”. 

Full Results:

Senior Team: Leigh 1st Overall Senior Team

Briggs Klug, 2nd; Carmen Malena, 4th; Daphne Jedlicka, 12th; Luke Eisenmann, 18th; Hannah Martensen, 29th; Blake Loseke, 45th; Cash Fehringer 48th; Quentin Mullenhoff, 67th

Junior Team: Leigh 3rd Overall Junior Team

Easton Brabec, 1st; Trenton Olson, 7th; Layton Held, 21st, Madisyn Lich, 60th, Wyatt Eisenmann, 62nd, Avery Kuester, 64th, Jurnee Mullenhoff, 102nd, Emily Waterman 197th

Junior High Team: Leigh 1st Overall Junior High Team

Cruz Malena, 1st; Bergan Settje, 3rd; Samantha Acosta, 15th; Ella Hansen, 17th; Blair Wietfeld, 18th; Cooper Fehringer, 20th; Grant Zabka, 21st, Ryan McMullin, 22nd; Olivia Hake, 31st; Jamison Paraidez, 32nd; Grayson Loseke, 42nd; Korbin Hake, 49th; Kyler Hoesly, 52nd; Daisy Van Dyke, 60th; Harper Wendt, 66th; Wil Monterroso, 70th; Logan Sayers, 80th

The JV volleyball team kicked off the week on Monday, October 6th, where they played
Wisner and Wakefield in a Quad. 
First the girls battled hard versus Wisner but were unable to pull through with a win in
extra points. They lost both sets 24-26 and 25-27. 
Right after, they then played Wakefield and were able to pick up a win. The Pats won
both sets in a fast manner.
“We played really well. We had lots of energy and went after everything. Even though
the scores of the Wisner game didn’t end how we wanted them, we still played as a team and
ultimately gave our best effort,” said junior setter Reese Wietfeld. 
JV Coach Rebecca Hiatt stated, “We played really well against Wakefield. We kept being
aggressive with our attacks and stayed in system on offense. Against Wisner-Pilger, our serve
recieve gave up a couple of runs to servers, but we did battle back and push to extra points
each set. We have continued to improve our connections and play as a team this year. Our
energy for both games was very high which helped us to stay engaged and go on some big
runs. We look forward to getting to compete and improve as the season continues.”
The team will use these two games as learning experiences and will apply what they
learned to their next games!

Every year the Patriot Volleyball team hosts an invite with highly competitive teams. Some great teams come to play and the Patriots always leave making themselves better. 

On Saturday, October 4th, 2025, the Patriots hosted their annual Patriot tournament. They came in ready to play with lots of energy and enthusiasm. 

To start the morning off, the Patriots played Cross County. The Patriots won both sets with the scores being 25-14 and 25-12. This was a good warm-up match for the Patriots, giving the girls lots of reps and many opportunities. 

During the second game, the Patriots faced the Wynot Blue Devils. This game was a great learning experience. The Patriots came out in the first set dominating the Blue Devils 25-15. Even though the second and third set did not end the way the Patriots wanted, this was a hard-fought game that ultimately made them better in the end.

In this match, Maizie Stoklasa led the team in kills with 19. Ava Kasik contributed 14 kills and 20 digs. Kendall Schneider led the team with 36 assists.

The final game of the day was the third-place game where the Patriots played Howells-Dodge. This was the second time that the Patriots faced Howells-Dodge, so they knew what to expect. The Patriots ended up defeating the Jaguars in two sets with the scores 19-25 and 12-25. 

Junior, Maizie Stoklasa had 11 kills alongside Kendall Schneider who had 23 assists. Vylet Hollatz also contributed with 17 digs. 

Ava Kasik said "Our tournament was a great learning experience for us. We went up against some good competition that pushed us. Overall, it didn't end the way we wanted it to but we got better for the upcoming postseason." 

Head coach Rebecca Schneider said “Overall, we thought the Patriot Tournament went really well! We faced a few teams we hadn’t seen before, which was a great experience for our players. We got off to a strong start against Cross County and carried that momentum into the first set against Wynot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite pull out the win, but we were proud of how we bounced back against Howells-Dodge. Finishing 2-1 on the day is definitely something to be proud of—especially picking up another win over Howells-Dodge”!

Assistant coach Brianne Bachman also shared a few words about the tournament “The Patriots started the day with a strong showing against Cross County. The girls came out with great energy and were dynamic on the court, setting the tone early with a 2-0 win. In the second match of the day, the Patriots faced a tough Wynot team. We played a strong first set, but couldn’t quite hold the momentum as Wynot’s powerful outside hitter proved difficult to contain, resulting in a hard-fought 1–2 loss. The team bounced back in the consolation match against Howells-Dodge, where their block was no match for the dynamic offensive attack we displayed. Strong performances on defense and in serve receive added to our offensive rhythm, helping us secure a dominant two-set victory and a 3rd place finish overall. As we look toward the end of the season, it’s exciting to see dynamic performances from multiple offensive players along with the spectacular defense and serve receive that continue to define this team’s success.”

Game Stats vs Cross County

         Set 1          Set 2

Clarkson-Leigh 25 25

Cross County 14 12

Individual Stats (kills-attempts, set assists, blocks, aces, digs)

Kendall Schneider: 1-5, 30, 0, 0, 1; Ava Kasik: 10-25, 0, 0, 1, 9; Claire Holoubek: 2-8, 0, 2, 0; Reese Wietfeld; 0-0, 0, 0, 0, 4; Graicee Sortino: 2-5, 0, 1, 0, 1; Ella Baumert: 5-12, 0, 1, 0, 7; Maizie Stoklasa; 13-19. 0, 2, 0, 0; Vylet Hollatz 0-0, 2, 0, 0, 17

Game Stats vs Wynot

Set 1 Set 2 Set 3

Clarkson-Leigh 25 22 20

Wynot 15 25 25

Individual Stats (kills-attempts, set assists, blocks, aces, digs)

Jordyn Balzer: 1-4, 0, 0, 0, 0; Kendall Schneider: 1-11, 36, 1, 0, 15; Ava Kasik: 14-36, 0, 0, 0, 20; Claire Holoubek: 2-10, 0, 2, 2, 5; Reese Wietfeld: 0, 0, 0, 0, 4; Vylet Hollatz: 1-8, 3, 0, 1, 18; Graicee Sortino: 1-11, 0, 0, 0, 1; Maizie Stoklasa: 19-41, 0, 3, 1, 4; Ella Baumert: 6-35, 3, 0, 1, 15

Game Stats vs Howells- Dodge

Set 1 Set 2

Clarkson-Leigh 25 25

Howells-Dodge 19 12

Individual Stats (kills-attempts, set assists, blocks, aces, digs)

Vylet Hollatz: 0-2, 3, 0, 0, 17; Kendall Schneider: 3-8, 23, 0, 0, 4; Ava Kasik: 8-16, 1, 0, 0, 6; Maizie Stoklasa: 11-21, 0, 2, 0, 1; Ella Baumert: 4-17, 0, 0, 0, 7; Claire Holoubek: 1-4, 0, 1, 0, 2; Reese Wietfeld; 0, 1, 0, 0, 1; Graicee Sortino: 2-7, 1, 0, 0, 1

The junior high football team has been on a roll this year, and recently ended their successful, 6-0 season on Monday, October 13. The boys won their last game against the David City Scouts 34-18, capping an undefeated season. 

To recap the second half of the season, three weeks ago, they faced Shelby-Rising City at home and won 16-0, playing great defense to shut them out. Then the next week they held Madison to only 16 points, winning 54-16. The following week, they played Howells Dodge in Clarkson and beat them 44-6. 

After the Howells-Dodge game, eighth-grader Blair Wietfeld said, “We played well as a team. And we’ve learned how to play real, physical football this year.”

Eighth-grader Bryce Tasa added, “Job’s not finished. We gotta take that final step into being undefeated.”

And go undefeated they did in their final game against a good David City team. 

Leigh eighth-grader Grant Zabka, said, “We played well and got the job done.”

Wietfeld said, “We played a great season, we learned a lot from the start of the year to the end. Overall, it was just a really fun season.”

“It was an extremely fun season,” JH head coach Jeff Bachman said. “The guys were a great group to work with. I really enjoyed how coachable they were and how hard they worked. I am very happy for them that they were able to reward themselves and their hard work with an undefeated season.”

Every month, the students in Leigh High School gather at an assembly to discover what three students are this month’s “Student of the Month.” This award is based on the votes of teachers that think which students have gone above and beyond on their schoolwork and extracurricular activities. This month’s “Student of the Month” winners are Blair Weitfield, Jurnee Mullenhoff, and Brett Wemhoff. 

Our first winner for “Student of the Month” is an eighth grader, Blair Weitfield. His parents are Matt and Emily Wietfeld. His grandparents are Doug and Susie Fischer and Kenny and the late Terri Wietfeld. 

Blair participates in Football, FFA, Basketball, and Track. His favorite subject is Math. Outside of school he likes to fish. He would like to attend Northeast College someday to study to become a diesel mechanic. “When I graduate college, I want to work with my dad on concrete and dirt work,” Blair said. 

It’s Blair’s first time winning the award, and when asked about receiving this award, he said, “It feels great to win this award because all the hard work I have put in has paid off.”

Teachers in the Leigh High School say, “Blair is a really good kid, who tries hard in everything he does, is super competitive and cares about being successful in everything he does. He has become a leader in his class and in football. He always has a positive attitude.”

Our second winner for “Student of the Month” was freshman Jurnee Mullenhoff. Her parents are Ashley and Jason Mullenhoff. Her grandparents are Richard and Tricia Mullenhoff and Chris and Marv Johnson.

Jurnee participates in many extracurricular activities, including ​​Volleyball, Basketball, FFA, One Act. Her favorite subject is Spanish. Outside of school Jurnee likes to do sports, nails and hang out with family. Her plan is to go to college for business and entrepreneurship and plan to be a business owner.

This is Jurnee's first time winning this award. When asked how she felt she said, “It feels really good to be recognized with this award, and I’m proud of the hard work that went into it.”

Teachers said, “Jurnee has been an incredible help in the classroom and is always the first one to answer questions. On top of being a great student, Jurnee has gone above and beyond to be a great friend to a classmate when she needed someone to listen to her. Jurnee is also a role model to younger students in the elementary by going out of her way to treat them and everyone around her with kindness.”

Our third winner for the “Student of the Month” was senior Brett Wemhoff. His parents are Jon and Deana Wemhoff. 

Brett is also in many activities including Football, Wrestling, Track, YAC, Speech, and One-Act. His favorite subject is ITE. He likes to watch sports in his free time and plans to attend Northeast Community College. 

This is his third time winning this award, and when asked about it he said, “It feels good that all of my hard work hasn’t gone unrecognized.”

His teachers said this about Brett winning the “Student of the Month” award: “Brett has come a long way in his high school career. He works hard to better himself every day. You will never find Brett in a bad mood and he gets along with everyone in school all the time. He is always upbeat and will do anything that is asked for him to do.”

Congratulations Blair, Jurnee, and Brett!

Three Leigh FBLA officers traveled to the Fall Leadership Conference on October 1st. President Brayden Loseke, along with the two other officers Vivian Bunner and Kaycee Lange, grew their leadership at the fall leadership conference down in Fremont. They contributed to various workshops and met with other chapters. They had a keynote speaker named Lasada Pippen, who was very motivational. 

President Loseke said, “FLC was a fun experience. I got to learn a lot about different things and meet new people. Overall, it was a positive experience for me.”

The FBLA Advisor Mrs. Maliha stated, “Our officers had the chance to attend breakout sessions that would help them be better officers. Lasada Pippen was our keynote speaker and was very motivating.  They ended the day with a lot of energy and ideas to bring back to their chapter.” 

They hope to keep the program going and thriving. Mrs. Maliha has a few new workshops for the other FBLA members. After the Fall Leadership Conference we are hoping to see great skills that the officers have. We wish FBLA good luck with their program this year!