Stories from Tuesday, September 21, 2021

The points season might be over, but there is still plenty of action going down at Nevada Speedway. On Saturday, the dirt track hosted five races — highlighted by a wire-to-wire victory by Jered Traster in the Outlaw 4-Cylinders competition on his first-ever trip to the Speedway. Oklahoma's Michael Longacre beat out Lane Traster for second place. Mike Baxter finished fourth, and Ty Davis was fifth...

The Nevada High School junior varsity football team suffered its first loss of the season Monday afternoon at Lamar. The crimson and gray Tigers responded well after getting shut out in the first half, but ultimately fell 32-12. Running back Blake Cox ran in a 55-yard touchdown in the third quarter, before teammate and fellow junior Tayvin Moore punched in a two-yard TD in the fourth...

The Nevada High School cross country team went green at the Southern Stampede Saturday on the Missouri Southern course in Joplin. At the event, which featured college races in addition to those for high schoolers, the Tigers and Lady Tigers ran in the most competitive of two 5K races (green over gold) — with Allie Rains logging the best finish for the teams, 73rd overall in the girls' competition (21 minutes, 18.45 seconds)...

The Nevada High School volleyball team got back on the winning track at a tournament hosted by William Chrisman on Saturday — beating Center 25-1, 25-7 and Junction City 25-19, 25-17. The Lady Tigers (3-8-1) also split with Belton 25-19, 22-25 and lost to Odessa 22-25, 17-25 and the host Bears 19-25, 19-25...

The Northeast Vernon County High School volleyball team earned a pair of victories Monday evening at a triangular hosted by Hume. The Lady Knights took care of Bronaugh first with a 25-20, 25-17, 25-15 sweep before needing four sets to best the hosting Lady Hornets 25-13, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18...

Each of the five players on Nevada High School's girls golf team finished in the top-20 — two of whom placed in the top-five, including one who shot a new personal record and another who won the individual championship — Tuesday at the eCarthage.com Invitational...

No one was injured during a Saturday evening house fire at 211 W. Park Ave. in Nevada over the weekend. "{Firefighters] responded to reports of smoke coming out of the house," Chief Troy Denney said. "On arrival crews found flames coming from the Northwest corner of the home."...

Ben Jacob Decker, 89, Walker, Mo., passed away on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at Community Springs Healthcare, El Dorado Springs, Mo. Ben was born on March 31, 1932, in Halstead, Kan., to Abraham B. and Helena (Dirks) Decker. He married Marlene Joyce Koehn on June 7, 1959, in Rich Hill, Mo., and she survives of the home...