It’s early August and that means fall sports preseason practice is right around the corner. Great Bend along with most other area schools’ fall sports teams will report for practice for the upcoming season on Monday, Aug. 17.

The Panther football team will open the 2015 season at home on Friday, Sept. 4 against Leavenworth. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. The Great Bend JV will begin their 2015 football run on Monday, Sept. 14 as Hays comes to town for a 6 p.m. contest while the freshman football team is scheduled to host Larned on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. The Panthers will hold a pair of light, intrasquad scrimmages on Saturday, Aug. 22 and Friday Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Meanwhile the GBHS volleyball team will begin season competition on Thursday, Sept.r 3 at Garden City with a 4 p.m. first serve. The Panthers will open up home play on Monday Sept. 14 as Great Bend entertains Smoky Valley and Scott City at 5 p.m. The JV team will face Scott City on the road on Saturday, Sept. 12 to begin their 2015 campaign. The Great Bend freshman will tangle with Garden City in a 4 p.m. road match on Monday, Aug. 31 to start the season.

In girls golf, Great Bend will open the season on Aug. 31 at Hays at 1 p.m. The Panther girls will host a five-team tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at StoneRidge.

Girls tennis has the Panthers competing in a quad at Lyons on Thursday, Aug. 27 beginning at 3 p.m. Great Bend’s first home match will be a round robin tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. Six teams are slated to compete in the event. The Panther JV tennis team will begin the season on Aug. 27 at 9 a.m. at Dodge City. The junior varsity will host their first match of the season in a triangular against Dodge City and Larned at 3 p.m. on Thursday September 10.  All home tennis matches will be held at Veterans Memorial Park.

Boys soccer opens the season on Tuesday, Sept. 1 against Salina Central at 4 p.m. at Cavanaugh Fields. JV games will be played prior to varsity contests.

Girls and boys cross country teams open the season on Thursday, Sept. 3 as the Panthers host the seven-team Great Bend Invitational at 4 p.m. at Lake Barton.


In area high school football defending eight-man state champion Central Plains will travel to Victoria on Friday, Sept. 4 for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Oiler JV will host Victoria on Monday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. to begin the season.

Ellinwood will travel to St. John on Sept. 4 for a 7 p.m. season opener while Hoisington is scheduled to host Larned at 7 p.m. that same evening.

Otis-Bison kicks off the season on Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. hosting Macksville while Stafford begins the season that same evening at 7 p.m. at Pretty Prairie.

A reminder to fans that renewal notices for Great Bend High School reserved season football tickets have been mailed to 2014 season ticket holders. Fans who held tickets last year but did not receive notification must contact the USD 428 activities office at 620-793-1560. Seating will open to the public later this month once the renewal process is complete. Home games for Great Bend High School are Sept. 4 vs. Leavenworth, Oct. 2 vs. Dodge City (Homecoming), Oct. 9 vs. Liberal and Oct. 23 vs. Salina Central.
 
Free physicals for USD 428 high school and middle school athletes will be offered Saturday, Aug. 8 at Great Bend High School. Athletes in grades 10, 11 and 12 are asked to arrive between 7 and 8:30 a.m. Grades 7, 8 and 9 should report between 8:30 and 10:00 am. Physical forms have been mailed to parents and should be completed and sent with the students on Aug. 8.

Activity passes for Great Bend High School and Great Bend Middle School students will be available on-line with enrollment fees or may be purchased in person at the schools. The activity pass admits students to all home, regular season athletic events at a cost of $25.