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The Student News Site of Hickman High School

Purple and Gold News

The Student News Site of Hickman High School

Purple and Gold News

37°
The Student News Site of Hickman High School

Purple and Gold News

Ben Drury

Ben Drury, Sports Lead

Confidence, motivation and drive describe freshman Ben Drury’s running career.

Ben began to run very young.

“[I started running] around third grade. Just running local 5K’s, then I started to like it more in fifth and sixth grade,” Ben said.

When Covid hit, Ben’s outlook changed.

“I remember being in fifth grade in track, we had our season for one week. I was being lazy,” Ben said.

He took charge of his running when the world seemed to be losing control.

“My goal was to run 100 miles. It was hard, but it was getting out there. There weren’t any races, just you and the ground, just running,” Ben explained.

Ben’s newsletter, Kicking For Home, covers events in the track and field world.

“I publish on Mondays, about the Hickman cross country team, I want to do more around school,” Ben said.

Ben wants to improve his career learning Spanish, so he can communicate more universally.

“In the world of sports, Spanish is the second most common language to English. If you’re interviewing a Spanish-speaking person, you need a translator; I want to eliminate that third person,” Ben explains.

Ben continues working to be a positive force in his community.

“You can be a hobby jogger, or one of the greatest Olympic runners ever. There’s no one way to do it. Just find whatever you like to do and do that. Don’t listen to what anyone else says, you got into it for a reason and continue pursuing that reason.”

All content by Ben Drury
Brock Camp (12) pivots during Hickman's overtime win against Helias Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2024.

Hickman survives OT thriller: Improves to 12-5 on the season

Ben Drury, Sports Lead January 29, 2025

Yesterday at Hickman High School the Helias Catholic Crusaders came to Columbia to play the Kewpies.  Leading into this game, the Crusaders had a record of 7-8 and were coming off of a 25-point win...

Members of the Hickman wrestling team watch their teammates compete during the Duel Meet.

Kewpies fall to Bluejays: Look ahead to the rest of the season

Ben Drury, Sports Lead December 20, 2024

Earlier this week on December 17 at Hickman, the second-ranked Kewpie boys wrestling team hosted the first-ranked Liberty Blue Jays from Kansas City for a wrestling dual. In the lead-up to the meet, the...

Clemson, a team in this year college football playoff celebrate after a touchdown.

12 Team Playoff: Why it is good for College Football

Ben Drury, Sports Lead December 9, 2024

College football is one of the biggest sporting spectacles of the year. This season has been a lot like past years from the nation’s top teams getting upset to rivalry games sparking on-field fights....

Coach Justin Conyers leads a drill at a practice during the 2024 season

Coach Conyers reflects on the past, focuses on future

Ben Drury, Sports Lead December 3, 2024

Three words that sum up the high school experience are Friday night lights. The Kewpies hadn’t had a single win in a year and hadn’t won a home game for even longer. Prior to this season, a change...

Cross Country takes over P&G

Ben Drury, Sports Lead November 22, 2024

The Kewpies celebrate after a goal from Braka Grodya (12) in their loss against Rock Bridge on Sept. 24 (Ben Drury)

Kewpies get up early, fall down late

Ben Drury, Sports Lead September 26, 2024

Providence Bowl rivals Hickman and Rock Bridge both have great records, and tested their strengths against each other on Tuesday. This game was truly all over the place, but it didn’t start that way.  In...

Senior Kyah Baker jumps up for a kill in Hickman’s five-set loss against Hannibal. 9/17/24

Hickman falls early to Hannibal, comes back until the final point

Ben Drury, Sports Lead September 19, 2024

Earlier this week, Hickman’s 3-6-1 volleyball team hosted the 5-0 Pirates from Hannibal. The Pirates brought a good game to Columbia, bringing the game to five sets, but it didn’t look like it would...

New Hickman head football coach Justin Conyers points the way during practice.

Former Kewpie comes home to Hickman

Ben Drury, Sports Lead August 30, 2024

Three words that sum up the high school experience are Friday Night Lights. The Kewpies haven’t had a winning season in 12 years. However, last winter, there was a change.    The former head...

Sophie Leigh (12) runs down home stretch during the 4x400m relay, at Hickman’s conference meet.

Run the race or walk the stage

Ben Drury, Sports Lead May 13, 2024

Track and field at Hickman this year has been fun track and field to watch. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams have good opportunities to perform well in the state championship in a few weeks. On both...

Lucy Elfrink (12) begins to pass the ball on Senior Night against Battle

Keeping up with the Kewpies: May 2nd-9th

Ben Drury, Sports Lead May 9, 2024

Keeping up with the Kewpies: May 2nd-9th This week is the last week of the regular season for all of the spring sports at Hickman. Some sports, such as boy’s tennis have already begun their postseason...

Can the Kewpies keep up with their preseason goals?

Can the Kewpies keep up with their preseason goals?

Ben Drury, Sports Lead April 5, 2024

Track and Field is the biggest sport at Hickman High School, and during the preseason training, they had some big goals.  Hickman is right in the middle of their scheduled midseason meets, where they...

Ben's men's tournament picks.

Ben’s March Madness picks

Ben Drury, Sports Lead March 21, 2024

Kewpies swing for the green

Ben Drury, Sports Lead March 12, 2024

Spring sports are now in full swing with tryouts ending for sports like girls soccer and boys baseball. However, one sport that does not have a formal tryout process is the boys golf team.    The...

Josiah Griffith (11) makes two technical foul free throws to give the Kewpies a four-point lead. Hickman would go on to win 61-54.

Kewpies go bear hunting

Ben Drury, Sports Lead March 8, 2024

On Tuesday at Blue Springs South High School, the cross-town rivals of Rock Bridge and Hickman were slated to play each other in the Class 6 District 7 tournament championship game.    Earlier...

Jayla Griffith (11) drives the ball down the baseline in the first half of Hickman’s senior night victory over Jefferson City with a final score of 58-36.

Kewpies school the Jays

Ben Drury, Sports Lead February 24, 2024

On Thursday, February 22, Hickman High School played host for a defensive and offensive clinic run by the Hickman Girls Basketball team.    The formerly 10-15 Jays from Jefferson City came...

Hank Cummings (11) walks up to bat in a game on April 5 of 2023. Picture taken by Elizabeth Belt.

All for family

Ben Drury, Sports Lead February 21, 2024

America’s pastime: two words that are synonymous with baseball. The Hickman High School baseball team has had success, holding a record of 62-31 over the past three years, and winning two state championships.    Another...

Battle High School wins the tip-off in Hickman's boys basketball senior night against the Spartans.

Battle against Battle

Ben Drury, Sports Lead February 20, 2024

On Friday, February 16th the Hickman boys basketball team held their Senior Night. This year, however, was one for the ages as Hickman beat one of their cross-town rivals in a high-scoring battle (no pun...

Jayla Griffith (11), dribbles the ball up the court in the Kewpie’s 65-57 win against the St Thomas Aquinas.

A team overshadowed by others

Ben Drury, Sports Lead February 5, 2024

In the latter stages of January, sports at Hickman High School are at their finest. The winter sports seasons are hitting their climax, and the spring sports’ pre-seasons are in full swing. One of the...

Evan Diblasi (12) running across Hickman football field for a track workout.

Hickman track is ready for the title

Ben Drury and Ryan Renoe January 3, 2024

It’s a cold winter Wednesday in the middle of December, and Hickman High School students just finished school. For a lot of students, that’s the end of their day, but for the approximately 150 students...

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