Winter's first whistle: small-town thrills

As the chill of November settles over Lincoln County, I’ve got that familiar itch again. Gym lights are flickering on, sneakers are squeaking, and the faint smell of floor wax is already in the air. High school winter sports are back, and in Davenport, Reardan, Odessa and Edwall, that means the heartbeat of winter is about to pound louder than a combine at harvest.

Davenport’s Gorillas and Reardan’s Screaming Eagles are primed for Northeast 2B battles, with Davenport heading to Reardan for boys basketball on Dec. 12 and wrestling on Dec. 11. Odessa’s Tigers, scrapping in the 1B ranks, are gear...