Board Report

Senior Addison Crockett earned Honorable Mention All League Honors for the 2025 Volleyball Season.

Congratulations to the following athletes for earning NEK League honors for the 2025 Football Season.

Max Bottorff (Sr.) - First Team Offense - Running Back and First Team Defense - Linebacker

Rance Vessar (Sr.) - First Team Punter and Second Team Defensive Specialists

Colton Lowe (Sr.) - Second Team Kicker and Honorable Mention - Defense

Evan Falk (Jr.) - Second Team Defensive Line

Quinton Allison (Sr.) - Honorable Mention Offense

Nathan Palmer (Sr.) - Second Team Offensive Line

Queen Candidates:

Audrey Brown

Kaydeece Fultz

Tessa McAlexander

King Candidates:

Quinton Allison

Harrison Bare

Ayden Powell

The NEKL High School AD Meeting was held on December 3, 2025 at Maur Hill Mount Academy. Here are a few highlights from the meeting:

• Voted to keep a minimum of $5,000 in the checking account with the remainder to be placed in our savings account.

• Voted to establish a chart outlining the a breakdown of Wrestling pay for high school officials:

1. Wrestling Dual - $115 per night
2. Double Dual/Tri/Quad - $215 per night
3. Jamboree/Mixer - $250 per night
4. Tournament - $300 per day

• 9 of the 11 schools have enough boys to play C Team Basketball - ADs put together a schedule for C team boys to play.
• League AD's shared dates for the 2025-2026 Powerlifting Season
• 1/03/26 @ Valley Falls
• 1/10/26 @ Eudora
• 1/17/26 @ Royal Valley
• 1/24/26 @ Piper
• 1/31/26 @ Basehor
• 2/7/26 @ Lansing
• 2/28/26 @ Horton
• Our next regular meeting will be February 4, 2025 at ACCHS.

The NEKL Middle School AD Meeting was held on December 3, 2025 at Maur Hill Mount Academy. Here are a few highlights from the meeting:

• The League voted to follow suit with the high school and create a saving account to put some of our money in to earn interest. It was voted to keep a minimum balance of $5,000 in the checking account and the rest in the savings account.
• Middle School also followed the recommendations of the high school and created a chart for wrestling pay for officials: The new pay scale will be:
1. Dual - $115 per night
2. Double-Dual/ Tri/ Quad - $200 per night
3. Jamboree/Mixer - $225 per night
4. Tournament - $250 per day
• Next meeting will be a scheduling meeting on December 17th at Valley Falls
1. Determine what schools will have enough to play C Team JH boys
2. Create the 2026 and 2027 JH Football Schedules
3. Create the 2026 and 2027 JH Volleyball Schedules
4. Create the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 JH Girls and Boys Basketball Schedule
• Next Regular Scheduled Meeting will be February 4, 2025 at ACCHS.

November Executive Board:

1. Voted to change cross country regional assignments to be developed utilizing rankings based upon early season performances designed to distribute top teams across regional sites. This will begin for the 2026-2027 season.

2. Decided on the location for post season baseball and softball championships -3-2-1A

May 25th State Quarterfinals - neutral site

May 28th State Semifinals @ Arrocha Ballpark - KU

May 29th State Consolation and Championship Games @ Arrocha Ballpark - KU

3. No Action was taken on the following

• Using a strength of schedule to seed postseason volleyball and basketball
• adopting Girls Flag Football as a new sport
• Expanding Regional Piano Festival to include 7th and 8th grade
• Adding an additional week long moratorium after the conclusion of State Spring Competitions and the first week of August
• Starting Fall practices 1 week earlier
• moving buffer week 1 week earlier - starting winter practices 1 week earlier
• Moving Boys State Swim & Drive meet 1 week earlier
• Moving State Baseball Tournament 1 week later
• Moving State Softball Tournament 1 week later

1. Curtain indoor batting cages or ones that drop down from the ceiling. Looking at this as one of our top purchases for this year.

2. New scoreboards, backboards, shot clock, and scoreboard controller. KSHSAA Update: By 2027 2A/3A Schools will need to have a shot clock system installed if they wish to host any post season events in basketball. By the start of the 2028 season all schools must have a shot clock system in place. I have already reached out to Daktronics and I received a quote for a new shot clock system.

Daktronics Quote

3. Custom Life Co out of Sabetha, came down about three weeks ago and walked through our JSH to see how they could help us upgrade our entryway, our entrance for the new addition, our doors, the office windows, the blank areas above the hallways, and other areas in the school where they could enhance the blank facades. They were going to get back to me with designs and a quote. We are looking to use some banner money and the Booster Club is willing to donate some money toward some of these projects. Once I get a quote Mr. Malm and I will prioritize the projects and make a three to five year plan to get these projects completed. The company is willing to work with us to do these projects in phases.

1) Football Stadium Bleachers: This summer the custodial staff went through and replaced and braced boards that were soft. Still want to pursue options to get all new bleachers and press box at some point in the future.

2) Track - Our track has been unusable for hosting track meets several years now and is only getting worse. With the track being used by community members, elementary students as well as JSH students for PE and other activities, and the track teams, there needs to be some concern about injuries taking place on the cracked and peeling track. Update: We had a representative from Pro Track and Tennis come out to look at resurfacing the tennis courts into Pickel Ball Courts and making some improvements to the track. He will get back next week with estimates.

• Track Quote
• Tennis Courts to Pickle Ball Courts Quote

3) Baseball/Softball Upgrades:

1. Fixing outdoor batting cages poles and nets

2. Getting Shade Built for overtop of the bleachers: Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.

3. Installing a Hydrant closer to baseball field - will also benefit JH Football practice with access to water

4. Update and remodel dugouts to include better bleachers, cubbies for helmets and gloves, storage closet within the dugouts for easier access to equipment. Update: After meeting with contractors it makes the most sense to wait until we replace asphalts to put in new dugouts.

5. New board and padding on the backstops for softball and baseball fields. Update: getting quotes for this project.

6. Large bleachers for the softball field - they are much smaller than baseball. Update: waiting until the asphalt is replaced with concrete.

7. Real press boxes that are elevated for filming and scorekeeping

8. New Scoreboard (which would include pitch counts).

9. Storage building for equipment closer to the fields. Update: Mill Iron V has been contacted to help find the type of storage shed we are looking for.

Gold Sponsors:

L & L Construction

Bottorff Construction

IRB

Thrivent - Jennifer Maxwell

Mill Iron V

HB Custom Printing

Grain Craft

Martin Trash

The Shed House

Silver Sponsors:

Ag Risk Solutions

Exchange Bank

Martin Construction

Rubble Reprocessing

Advanced Hydraulic Supply

Jones Ag

Carrigan Lumber

Atchison Auto Plaza - Lewis Chevrolet

Bronze Sponsor:

Rainbow Communications

Black Level Sponsors:

Anderson Eye Care

Kex Rx

Wheatland

Michael's Crafty Momma

Orange Level Sponsors:

Southwind Orchards & Apiary

Holton Livestock Exchange

Wilson Tire - Holton

Mr. G's

Pep Club Sponsorship Level:

Chris & Courtney Caplinger

Dillon Tire

Atchison County Booster Club

Gateway Treasurers

5th Quarter Sponsors:

Mill Iron V

Rainbow Communications

Chris & Courtney Caplinger

Holton Livestock Exchange

St. Ann's Knights of Columbus

Atchison County Booster Club

St. John's Church