All-Conference designations made following runner-up finishes

The conclusion of the fall sports season brought a slew of All-Conference designations for Fleming Wildcat student-athletes. Both teams made appearances in the State Championship this year; both teams earned a runner-up finish.

Lady Wildcat seniors Maddy Harms, Kally Kirkwood and Lexi Schaefer, junior MadiKay Serrato and freshman Ciana Lousberg earned All-Conference accolades. Senior Laney Schliesser and freshman Brooke Schaefer received All-Conference, Honorable Mention.

Wildcat football players seniors Blake Feather, Braylen Feather and Nolan Japp and juniors Wyatt Cochran and Matix Haney were selected for All-Conference designation. Seniors Harry Harms and Kolten Houser were named All-Conference, Honorable Mention.

The Lady Wildcats finished their season at 23-6 overall. They went undefeated in the North Central League and earned runner-up after going 3-1 at the State Volleyball Tournament in November.

Maddy Harms led her team's defense at the net this season. With 60 total blocks, she was the leading blocker in the North Central League.Harms closed out her high school career with 166 blocks, 114 kills, 263 digs and 50 aces.

Kally Kirkwood - who recently announced her intentions to play volleyball at Chadron State College next year - made top contributions in several categories for her senior season. Kirkwood owned the top hitting percentage in all of Colorado 1A this season with an average of 42.5 percent. She put down 5.4 kills per set totalling 451 kills for the year. She closed out her high school career with 1,680 total kills, 252 total blocks, 114 aces and 932 digs.

Lexi Schaefer, who is scheduled to sign a letter of intent later this week, ranked number three in the North Central League with 302 digs from the Libero position on this year's squad. Schaefer led her team in both digs and receptions with 345. Over the course of her four-season career, she put up 1,134 digs, 1,513 serve receives and 75 aces.

MadiKay Serrato earned a number two rank in aces in the North Central League this season with 72 of the Lady Wildcats' 240 perfect serves this season. She averaged 0.9 aces per set accounting for 237 points in her 81-set season. The junior member of the team also contributed 141 digs and 87 kills.

Ciana Lousberg, Lady Wildcat setter, ranked among the top two in the League for assists in her high school debut season with 467 total. Lousberg also ranked third in the League in aces with a total of 55 and contributed 133 kills this year.

Laney Schliesser offered leading performances on serve receive and digs from her back row spot. She put 333 serves into play and made 219 defensive digs.

Taking notes from her elder sister Lexi, Brooke Schaefer added team-leading numbers from the back row. In her debut, 56-set season, the freshman put up 207 serve receives and 98 total digs.

The Fleming Wildcat football team finished their season at 10-3 overall and 5-0 in their division. Their season came to a close with a runner-up showing in Pueblo on Nov. 25.

Blake Feather made leading performances across the board for the Wildcats in his senior season. He led the team's defensive efforts with 9.6 tackles per game and caused three fumbles. He led the League with 106 tackles on the season. Offensively, he averaged 57.4 rushing yards per game and 27.1 receiving yards per game. He scored 11 touchdowns and ranked number four in Colorado 6-9-man in points after kicks scoring 40 on the year. He also ranked second in the League in kickoff returns and total points with 326 return yards and 146 points.

Quarterback Braylen Feather finished his high school career with at the top in the League in passing yards. He finished at number nine in passing yards in Colorado 6-9-man after throwing for 1,606 yards. He took the top rank in the State and 10th in National rankings 10 interceptions.

Nolan Japp led Fleming's offense with 96.4 yards per game. He finished third in the League in rushing yards with 1,060 on the season. He led the team in touchdowns with 21, the second highest in the League, and earned the third rank in the League with 127 points on the year. Japp was ranked third in the League in punt returns averaging 22.67 yards per return.

Wyatt Cochran, a junior playing on the Wildcat squad out of Lone Star, led the League in kickoff returns with 1,241 yards. He led the Wildcats in receiving yards and finished second in the League with 516 receiving yards. Defensively, Cochran led the team in sacks with three.

Matix Haney averaged 6.3 tackles per game in his junior season with a total of 69 tackles; 17 of those for a loss. He brought down two sacks and led the team with four caused fumbles.

Harry Harms averaged 31.3 yards per catch off 18 receptions and tallied five receiving TDs this season. He punted seven times for the Wildcats for 227 total yards with a long punt of 48 yards.

Kolten Houser brought down 105 tackles this season - averaging 9.5 tackles per game. He scored 17 TDs; 11 of those rushing and five receiving. He netted 226 rushing and 227 receiving yards per game averaging over 43 offensive yards per game.

The Wildcat squads lose 11 seniors to graduation this May. In addition to those who earned All-Conference last season, Maddy Zink and Hayden Lockard also completed their volleyball and football careers.