Emerson-Hubbard Girls return to state

For the 4th year in a row, the Emerson-Hubbard Girls are at the State Tournament as the Pirates defeated North Central 52-39 in the D1-3 District Final at Battle Creek Friday night.

I'm sure Emerson-Hubbard is glad they made state by winning their way to the tournament rather than relying on the wildcard.

The Pirates (25-1) take on Cambridge (19-5) in the first round of state at Lincoln North Star Thursday morning.

Emerson-Hubbard is the 2 seed while the Trojans are the 7.

Cambridge knocked off Axtell 42-35 in the D1-5 District Final at Lexington Friday night.

The Trojans are a strong team and have made a good postseason run, but I don't think the Pirates will have a ton of trouble with Cambridge.

Emerson-Hubbard has been really good all year long, and I look for the Pirates to win fairly easily on Thursday.

I think the Trojans could give Emerson-Hubbard somewhat of a close game, but I think it could very well be a game where the Pirates are in command the entire way.

With that said, Emerson-Hubbard can't underestimate Cambridge.

You never want to take a team lightly, especially at state, and I don't think the Pirates will take the Trojans lightly.

I look for Emerson-Hubbard to be on top of their game and in championship form on Thursday.

I really think the Pirates have a good shot to at least get to the state championship game. Either Fullerton or BDS will stand in their way of making that a reality, assuming Emerson-Hubbard wins their first round game, but there's no doubt the Pirates can beat either of those teams.

Thursday's game is set to tip-off at 10:45 a.m.

West Point-Beemer Girls end year with District Final loss to Bishop Neumann

The West Point-Beemer Girls fell 56-48 to Bishop Neumann in the C1-3 District Final in North Bend Friday night.

The Cadets led 18-16 at the end of one. West Point-Beemer won the second quarter 9-8 to go up 27-24 at halftime.

The Cavaliers outscored the Cadets 20-12 in the third quarter to lead 44-39 at the end of three.

Bishop Neumann notched 12 fourth quarter points compared to 9 for West Point-Beemer.

Amanda Hansen led the way with 15 points while McKenzie Bruce and Taylor Weddle registered 14 and 11, respectively.

The Cadets had their chance, but couldn't cash in and capitalize on the chance to go to state.

West Point-Beemer ends the year at 22-5.

It was a great season for the Cadets, who had a lot of big wins.

Some of West Point-Beemer's biggest wins were against North Bend Central, Howells-Dodge, Wayne (twice), Wisner-Pilger, Tekamah-Herman (twice), Fort Calhoun (twice), Twin River, Pender, and Oakland-Craig.

Four of the Cadets' losses were to teams that made state.

There's certainly a lot to be proud of if you are West Point-Beemer. This team has put themselves on the map in terms of good C-1 teams in the state of Nebraska the last two years.

With that said, the Cadets graduate a lot of talented seniors so next year could definitely be a rebuilding year.

West Point-Beemer loses Hansen, Bruce, Weddle, Brooke Wegner, Taylor Miserez, and Jade Duhsmann.

Bethany Anderson and McKenna Weddle will be the two most experienced players for the Cadets next season.

Other notable players returning include Leigh Jahnke, Katie Pilakowski, and Brittney Hinkel.

I don't think West Point-Beemer will be as good as they were this year, but don't be surprised if Craig Theis has next year's team overachieving.

I look for the Cadets to win no less than 8 games in 2016-2017.

Tekamah-Herman Boys lose to West Point-Beemer in Sub Districts

The Tekamah-Herman Boys lost 66-27 to West Point-Beemer last Monday night in the C1-6 Sub District Play-In Game at Oakland-Craig.

The Cadets led the Tigers 27-7 at the end of one. West Point-Beemer won the second quarter 15-9 to lead 42-16 at halftime.

The Cadets outscored Tekamah-Herman 19-7 in the third quarter to go up 61-23 at the end of three.

West Point-Beemer notched 5 fourth quarter points compared to 4 for the Tigers.

Gus Langley notched a team-high 13 points while Matt Gross added 9 points and 7 rebounds.

I don't think there's any doubt this game would have been closer had Derek Haber not gotten hurt. The Tigers not having him really handicapped this team.

Tekamah-Herman finished the season 2-20.

It was an extremely difficult year for the Tigers. Tekamah-Herman wasn't very competitive in most of their games, but did pick up a win over Friend in the Nebraska Wesleyan Holiday Tournament.

The 2016 portion of this year's schedule didn't treat the Tigers well so hopefully the winter of 2016 will treat Tekamah-Herman better.

The Tigers lose quite a few players, including Haber, Langley, Gross, Thomas Hennig, Nick Bohanon, and Bailey Fleischman.

Dustin Pickell is probably the best player returning for Tekamah-Herman.

It will be interesting to see what kind of success the Tigers have in 2016-2017.

Hopefully Tekamah-Herman has a good incoming freshman class because there weren't a ton of boys out for basketball this year, at least at the JV and Varsity levels.

Next year's Tiger team figures to be pretty young so it could be another year of growing pains for Tekamah-Herman.

However, the Tigers have to learn somehow so perhaps by going through these difficult times there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

I fully expect Tekamah-Herman to get after things this offseason in hopes of being as competitive as possible next season.

West Point-Beemer Boys beat Tekamah-Herman, fall to Fort Calhoun in Sub Districts

West Point Beemer's boys basketball team defeated Tekamah Herman 66 to 27 last Monday night in sub district basketball before losing 51-39 to Fort Calhoun in the C1-6 Sub District at Oakland-Craig Tuesday night.

The Cadets led the Tigers 27-7 at the end of one. West Point-Beemer won the second quarter 15-9 to lead 42-16 at halftime.

The Cadets outscored Tekamah-Herman 19-7 in the third quarter to go up 61-23 at the end of three.

West Point-Beemer notched 5 fourth quarter points compared to 4 for the Tigers.

Chase Streeter had a team-high 13 points while Austin Streeter and Blake Anderson notched 9 apiece. Adam Niewohner totaled 8 while Blake Schroedter totaled 7.

Head Coach Cody Bobolz says it was good to see his team return to form. "We ended the season kind of on a sour note. We lost a couple. Schedule didn't workout. We had a week off there, but credit to our guys. I thought we kind of got back to some fundamentals in that week off, and I think it really showed. And credit to our guys coming out and being sharp from the get go. And we felt like this was a game we had to jump on them early and keep it going, and our guys did that so that was a great way to start, and we kind of kept it all the way through so that was very good."

Bobolz saw 11 of his boys score. "We got a lot of contribtions, we got some of those young kids in there. Can't hurt to get some postseason experience for some of those guys, and that was great to see."



The Cadets led the Pioneers 9-6 at the end of the first quarter. Fort Calhoun won the second quarter 10-9 to make it an 18-16 game at halftime.

The Pioneers erupted in the third quarter, outscoring West Point-Beemer 19-6 to go up 35-24 at the end of three.

Fort Calhoun registered 16 fourth quarter points compared to 15 for the Cadets.

Chase Streeter had a team-high 10 points. Tate Toelle added 8 in his final game for the Cadets.

West Point-Beemer gave the Pioneers a run for their money, but ultimately couldn't get the job done.

The Cadets round out the year 9-16.

West Point-Beemer had a tough start and end to the season. The Cadets' best stretch was in early to mid-January when West Point-Beemer won four in a row and five out of six.

The Cadets only lost one game by more than 15 points this year, and had some of those close early season games gone their way, it could have been a different season for West Point-Beemer.

The Cadets picked up good wins over Wisner-Pilger (Twice), Bancroft-Rosalie, and Louisville.

West Point-Beemer lost 8 games by 7 points or less so perhaps next year the Cadets will win some of their close battles.

West Point-Beemer loses five seniors in Toelle, Niewohner, Ben Jahnke, Schroedter, and Jonah Hughes.

These seniors' contributions meant a lot to this program over the four years they were there, and without each and every one of these seniors' efforts, this team would not have been as good as they were.

The Cadets have to be encouraged by who they return. West Point-Beemer brings back Cole Hughes, Ben VanderGriend, Austin and Chase Streeter, Gavin Case, Blake Anderson, and others.

I think the future of West Point-Beemer Boys Basketball is bright, and I think next year has a chance to be much better than this year as long as players grow, improve, and mature in the offseason.

These kids need to get in the weightroom and play the game as much as possible to be great. It takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice to be successful in sports, and these athletes need to do what they can to grow as players and young men.

Wisner-Pilger Boys down Wayne in Sub Districts, lose to Pierce to end season

The Wisner-Pilger Boys saw their season come to a conclusion Tuesday night as the Gators lost 62-48 to Pierce in the C1-7 Sub District at Norfolk High. Wisner-Pilger defeated Wayne 50-42 in last Monday night's play-in game.

The Gators did a good job beating the Blue Devils. I had a feeling Wisner-Pilger would win that game.

The Gators conclude the 2015-2016 campaign with a 9-15 record.

Wisner-Pilger had somewhat of a tough season, but still managed to pick up quality wins over Oakland-Craig, Bancroft-Rosalie, Howells-Dodge, and Madison.

The Gators gave Lutheran High Northeast, Stanton, Neligh-Oakdale, Battle Creek, North Bend Central, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, and Twin River tough games.

Wisner-Pilger only really had one bad loss, and that was to Clarkson/Leigh.

The Gators graduate Alex Katsanos, Riley Ruskamp, Jacob Von Seggern, and Logan Godbersen.

Wisner-Pilger brings back Jayden Raabe, Hunter Waterman, Korrell Koehlmoos, and others.

I think the Gators have the potential to be better next season, but it's not going to be easy.

Wisner-Pilger's returning players and newcomers have to dedicate themselves to the gym and weight room this offseason, and get faster, bigger, and stronger.

Next year's Gator players have to improve in every facet of the game before November rolls around. Every player should compete for playing time, and make things super competitive during team camps, open gyms, conditioning, summer leagues, and practice when the time comes.

Every player needs to get better if Wisner-Pilger is to have more success next season.

There's not a single player on the team who can afford to stay the same or get worse if the Gators want to be better next year than they were this year.

GACC Boys beat Oakland-Craig, lose to Winnebago in Sub Districts

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys Basketball team defeated Oakland-Craig 62-36 in the C2-3 Sub District at Pender Tuesday night.

GACC led Oakland-Craig 14-4 after one. The Bluejays outscored the Knights 19-10 in the second quarter to go up 33-14 at halftime.

GACC won the third quarter 17-14 to lead 50-28 at the end of three.

The Bluejays notched 12 fourth quarter points compared to 8 for Oakland-Craig.

GACC limited Winnebago junior Dave Wingett, who averages about 30 points, to just 13 Thursday night, but they couldn't stop junior Drake Gorrin, who scored 24 in Winnebago's 67 to 58 win over the Bluejays.
The Indians led the Bluejays 10-9 after one. GACC won the second quarter 23-21 to go up 32-31 at halftime.

Winnebago doubled up the Bluejays 18-9 in the third quarter to lead 49-41 at the end of three.

The Indians outscored GACC 18-17 in the fourth quarter.

Tanner Ortmeier had a team-high 17 points in his final game for the Bluejays. Kobe Slaughter notched 14 while Brandon Hass, Noah Kreikemeier, and Tanner Hass totaled 10, 9, and 8, respectively.

Head coach Brad Slaughter on the loss. "A great group of seniors that I've had this year. They work, they bring energy, and they leave it out there. I'm proud of the seniors. I have a lot of great help from my coaches. They help me a lot."

The Bluejays end the year at 16-9.

Slaughter says it's tough to say goodbye to the seniors, but he's also looking forward to next season. "Oh I got some nice kids coming back. We got a good junior class. We got some kids below that that have potential with the sophomores and even the freshmen. So it's a matter of  just doing little things to get ourselves better."

GACC loses Tanner Hass, Ortmeier, Brandon Hass, Noah Kreikemeier, and Colin Wooldrik.

These five seniors will really be missed I'm sure, but the Bluejays have to be excited about next year given who they return.

Nolan Plagge, Kobe Benne, Kobe Slaughter, Andrew Guenther, Landon Stalp, Sam Ulrich, Mitch Haas, Cole Kreikemeier, and Sheldon Disher all return.

GACC picked up some big wins this season, including wins over Lutheran High Northeast, Bancroft-Rosalie, David City Aquinas, Battle Creek, Boone Central/Newman Grove, Hartington Cedar Catholic, and Kearney Catholic.

There is a lot to be proud of if you are the Bluejays this season. A loss to Winnebago isn't the worst way to end the season.

I am willing to bet the Bluejays could have made the state tournament had they not had to go through Winnebago.

GACC gave the Indians all they could handle, and certainly proved how tough of a team they were this season.

Oakland-Craig Boys lose to GACC in Sub Districts

The Oakland-Craig Boys saw their season come to an end Tuesday night as the Knights lost 62-36 to Guardian Angels Central Catholic in the C2-3 Sub District at Pender.

GACC led Oakland-Craig 14-4 after one. The Bluejays outscored the Knights 19-10 in the second quarter to go up 33-14 at halftime.

GACC won the third quarter 17-14 to lead 50-28 at the end of three.

The Bluejays notched 12 fourth quarter points compared to 8 for Oakland-Craig.

Carter Thiele had a team-high 15 points and 7 rebounds while Cody Mace notched 8 points. Cole Mitchell contributed 8 rebounds.

The Knights simply didn't have enough left in the tank to hang, compete with, and beat GACC.

Oakland-Craig ends the year at 9-14.

The Knights were a better team than their record indicates, in my opinion.

Oakland-Craig beat some good teams this year, including Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Bancroft-Rosalie, and Madison.

The Knights were very competitive in some of their losses, and were not so competitive in others.

When Oakland-Craig's offense was on, it was on.

The Knights lose Mace, Bob Gatewood, Cody Mallette, Mitchell, Thiele, and Josh Mulder to graduation.

Each of these six seniors meant a lot to this program, and will not soon be forgotten.

Next year's team will look a little different with Evan Reinert, Garrett Seagren, Zach Arens, Isaiah Larson, and Cole Bures all back.

I think next year's team has a chance to be successful, but it's going to take a lot of hard work in the offseason.

It will be interesting to see what kind of team Oakland-Craig has in 2016-2017. I'm not sure what the Knights have for an incoming freshman class, but perhaps there are some freshmen who can step up and help out next year.

One way or another, I think Oakland-Craig has a chance to win more games than they did this year.

Stanton Boys lose to Lutheran High Northeast in Sub Districts

The Stanton Boys saw their season come to an end Tuesday night as the Mustangs lost 64-47 to Lutheran High Northeast in the C2-5 Sub District at Norfolk Catholic.

Stanton led 15-10 after one. The Eagles outscored the Mustangs 22-12 in the second quarter to go up 32-27 at halftime.

Lutheran High Northeast won the third quarter 12-8 to lead 44-35 at the end of three.

The Eagles notched 20 fourth quarter points compared to 12 for Stanton.

Kyle Sperl led all scorers with 22 points. Josh Krentz recorded 8 points and 7 rebounds.

This had to be a crushing defeat for the Mustangs. I'm sure Stanton would have liked to have made a postseason run.

The Mustangs end the season at 18-7.

It was a season filled with many successes and triumphs for Stanton.

The Mustangs' biggest wins came against West Holt, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (twice), Battle Creek, and Lyons-Decatur Northeast (twice).

Stanton played a somewhat difficult schedule, and only lost to quality teams.

The Mustangs are no doubt disappointed with how their season finished, but Stanton had a fine season nonetheless.

The Mustangs say goodbye to Brook Klinetobe, Sperl, Krentz, Christian Stallbaum, and Mitchael Sieh.

These five seniors were very valuable members to this year's team and past teams.

Key returners for Stanton include Hunter Stallbaum, Henry Bohac, Myles Nickolite, and Trey Erbst.

I think Stanton has a good chance to be competitive again next season, but it's not going to be easy.

The Mustangs must work their tails off in the offseason if they want to be good again next year.

Replacing the departed seniors won't be easy, but it's simply time for new players to step in and rise to the occasion.

Stanton is very capable of having another good season in 2016-2017 if everything comes together for them like it can.

Clarkson/Leigh Boys lose to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family in C2-5 Sub District

The Clarkson/Leigh Boys saw their season come to an end last Monday night as the Patriots lost 70-51 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family in the C2-5 Sub District Play-In Game at Norfolk Catholic.

The Bulldogs led 17-10 at the end of one. Both teams scored 16 second quarter points, and the halftime score was 33-26 in favor of Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family.

The Bulldogs won the third quarter 17-13 to go up 50-39 at the end of three.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family outscored Clarkson/Leigh 20-12 in the fourth quarter.

Kobe Paprocki had a game-high 21 points and 8 rebounds. Ben McMullin added 12 points.

The Patriots played their best against the Bulldogs, but it wasn't enough as Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family defeated Clarkson/Leigh for the third time this season.

The Patriots end the season at 4-20.

The highlight of the season had to be the win over Logan View/Scribner-Snyder in the East Husker Conference Tournament.

Another good win was Wisner-Pilger.

There weren't a ton of bright spots for Clarkson/Leigh this season, but the Patriots were very competitive in many of their ball games.

I feel like Clarkson/Leigh was a better team than their 4-20 record might indicate.

The Patriots part ways with 6 seniors in Brandon Steffensmeier, Dominik Harper, Paprocki, Colby Becker, McMullin, and Kolton Held.

All six were solid contributors for Clarkson/Leigh this season, and had wonderful campaigns.

The Patriots bring back Blake Paprocki, Tony Bruhn, and others.

It's hard saying how Clarkson/Leigh is going to fare next year, but I think the Patriots have a chance to be better in 2016-2017.

Clarkson/Leigh has to make up for the loss of their seniors, but if the returning players and newcomers can grow and develop in the offseason, this team has the potential to make a little noise in 2016-2017.

With that said, it will be interesting to see how the Patriots fare next season.

Emerson-Hubbard Boys lose to Walthill in Sub Districts

The Emerson-Hubbard Boys lost 83-53 to Walthill in the D1-5 Sub District at Ponca Tuesday night.

The Pirates gave it their best shot I'm sure, but came up short of winning.

Emerson-Hubbard finishes the season 8-14.

The Pirates lost their final five regular season games, and that has to be disappointing.

Emerson-Hubbard didn't have a ton of good wins, but picked up two wins each over C-2 foes Wakefield and Homer.

The Pirates lose three seniors in Austin Ostrand, Tyler Haberman, and Tyler Emmons.

These three players were key contributors for Emerson-Hubbard night in and night out, and were a big reason why this team had as much success as they did.

The Pirates bring back Joshua Sebade, Chandler Emmons, Taylor Donner, Jacob Kneifl, and others.

Emerson-Hubbard has some talent returning next year, but all of the returning players need to grow and improve in the offseason if the Pirates want to have a better season next year.

Emerson-Hubbard took steps in the right direction from last year to this year, and I look for the Pirates to take even more positive steps in the right direction next year.

8 wins is something next year's team can build off of, and try to improve on.

Emerson-Hubbard had some success this year and played well at times so look out for the Pirates in the future.

I think Emerson-Hubbard has a chance to win 10 games or more in 2016-2017.

Howells-Dodge Boys beat Osceola in Sub Districts, end season with loss to High Plains Community

The Howells-Dodge Boys saw their season come to an end last week as the Jaguars fell 49-42 to High Plains Community in the D1-4 Sub District at David City Aquinas Thursday night after beating Osceola 59-53 Tuesday night.

Howells-Dodge led the Bulldogs 16-4 after one. Osceola won the second quarter 15-14 to make it a 30-19 game at halftime.

The Jaguars outscored the Bulldogs 15-9 in the third quarter to lead 45-28 at the end of three.

Osceola put up 25 fourth quarter points compared to 14 for Howells-Dodge.

Connor Blum led the way with 17 points. Nolan Lund added 13 while Tyler Polacek totaled 12 points and 7 rebounds. Mitchell Prusa notched 11 points.

Head Coach Cole Fischer was happy with his team's performance. "I thought we played one of our better games of the year. Give Osceola credit they hit some big shots in the 4th quarter to get back in the game."

The Storm led the Jaguars 12-10 at the end of one. Howells-Dodge won the second quarter 11-4 to lead 21-16 at halftime.

High Plains outscored the Jaguars 21-8 in the third quarter to go up 37-29 at the end of three.

Howells-Dodge put up 13 fourth quarter points compared to 12 for the Storm.

Polacek finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds while Blum had 12 points and 8 rebounds. Prusa registered 7 rebounds.

Fischer says his team made a good postseason run. "The boys played their hearts out these last 2 games. We came up a little short but they have to be proud of what they accomplished. I would like to thank the seniors for a great 4 years and wish them well in future. And thank you to the parents and fans of HD for all the support during the season."

The Jaguars end the season with a 9-16 record.

Howells-Dodge picked up a lot of quality wins this year, including victories over Oakland-Craig, West Point-Beemer, Wisner-Pilger, and Archbishop Bergan, just to name a few.

All but one of the Jaguars' wins were against C-2 or C-1 competition.

Howells-Dodge was definitely a better team than their final record.

Had the Jaguars played more D-1 and D-2 teams I bet they would of won anywhere from 15-20 games.

Howells-Dodge says goodbye to Polacek, Luke Renter, Prusa, Tyler Brichacek, Darren Hegemann and Lund.

These six players meant a lot to the Jaguars this year and throughout their careers, and Howells-Dodge would have been nowhere near as good as they were without them.

Blum, Josh Brester, Zach Bayer, Dax VanLengen, and others return for the Jaguars next season.

These are the four players Howells-Dodge will need to build around next season. They are the future for the Jaguars.

Howells-Dodge has a lot of work to do before November if they want to have success next season.

Player development is critical as is growth and maturity.

These players have to take their game to the next level this offseason, and work their tails off to become champions.

Pender Boys beat Allen, lose to Randolph in Sub Districts

The Pender Boys saw their year come to an end last week as the Pendragons lost 68-25 to Randolph in the D1-5 Sub District at Ponca Tuesday night after beating Allen 43-37 last Monday night in the play-in game.

Pender led the Eagles 26-19 at halftime.

Allen outscored the Pendragons 8-3 in the third quarter to make it a 29-27 game at the end of three.

Pender won the fourth quarter 14-10.

The Cardinals led the Pendragons 17-5 at the end of one. Randolph won the second quarter 19-11 to lead 36-16 at halftime.

The Cardinals outscored Pender 17-4 in the third quarter to go up 53-20 after three.

Randolph tripled up the Pendragons 15-5 in the fourth quarter.

Pender did a good job beating Allen, but was unable to hang with the Cardinals.

The Pendragons conclude the campaign with a 3-20 record.

The Pendragons lose just two seniors in Cole Hoffmeister and Evan Glissman.

These two meant a lot to Pender's program this year, and without them, the Pendragons wouldn't have been as good as they were.

A 3-20 season isn't a ton to be thrilled about, but I felt like Pender was an improved team over last year.

There weren't any real signature wins for the Pendragons, although Pender beat two C-2 teams in Clarkson/Leigh and Homer.

The Pendragons return some good players, including James Bensen, Dylan Roth, Jared Tyrrell, and Sam Mailoux.

These four players are players for Pender to build around next season.

The Pendragons have quite a bit of work to do in the offseason if they are to get to where they want.

Pender is definitely capable of having a good season in 2016-2017, the Pendragons just have to grow and improve a lot in the offseason.

Attending team camps, open gyms, summer leagues, and conditioning will be important for all returning players and newcomers.

Champions are made in the offseason, not November to February or March.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast Boys upset by Omaha Christian Academy in Sub Districts

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Boys saw their final season come to an end Tuesday night as the Cougars were upset 46-41 by Omaha Christian Academy in the D1-3 Sub District at Fremont Middle School.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast led 11-7 at the end of one. The Eagles won the second quarter 13-10 to make it a 21-20 game at halftime.

Omaha Christian Academy outscored the Cougars 13-9 in the third quarter to go up 33-30 at the end of three.

The Eagles put up 13 fourth quarter points compared to 11 for Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

Alec Anderson had a team-high 15 points. Marcus Hegy added 9.

I was surprised the Cougars lost. I thought Lyons-Decatur Northeast would make it farther than they did in their final season.

The Cougars end the campaign with a 15-8 record.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast had a memorable year, picking up big wins over Madison, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Omaha Nation, and Cedar Bluffs.

The Cougars did a lot of special things this year, and should always be remembered for what they did as a whole this season.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast loses a talented group of seniors, including Anderson, Hegy, Montana Riecken, Jon Christiansen, Joey O'Connor, and Jacob Whitaker.

These six seniors meant a lot to the Cougar program over the years, and did some wonderful things this season.

Anderson, in particular had a very memorable senior season.

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars are now no more in boys basketball. Lyons-Decatur Northeast will be joining forces with Bancroft-Rosalie next year in what will be the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines.

Cole Christoffersen, Hunter Ferguson, and Tyler Hardeman should really help out the new co-op team. There's a good nucleus of players from Bancroft-Rosalie that should really help make the new team good too.

It will be interesting to see how good the new co-op team is next year. I think it has a chance to be good, but players have to come and work together, and get along.

It's an adjustment for everyone, but it's just something that has to be done.

Bancroft-Rosalie Boys fall to Mead in Sub Districts

The Bancroft-Rosalie Boys lost 50-35 to Mead in the D2-3 Sub District at Clarkson Tuesday night.

The Raiders led the Panthers 17-11 at the end of one. Mead won the second quarter 10-9 to go up 27-20 at halftime.

The Raiders outscored Bancroft-Rosalie 8-5 in the third quarter to lead 35-25 at the end of three.

Mead put up 15 fourth quarter points compared to 10 for the Panthers.

Mario Aldrich led the way with 25 points. Aaron Ras added 8 rebounds.

Bancroft-Rosalie gave it their best shot, but the Panthers just weren't able to beat a team like Mead.

Bancroft-Rosalie finishes the season 12-11.

The Panthers started off the season so well, but slipped after the Holiday Break.

It wasn't quite the season Bancroft-Rosalie was hoping for coming off last year and the year before, but the Panthers still did some nice things in their final season.

Bancroft-Rosalie picked up big wins over Lyons-Decatur Northeast and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, and competed well against the likes of North Bend Central and Omaha Nation.

The Panthers were kind of inconsistent this year, and I think that's what prevented them from having the kind of season they were hoping for.

Bancroft-Rosalie says goodbye to Aldrich and Dayne Wortman. Everyone else returns for what will be the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines.

Key returners include Ras, Jacob Zuhlke, Kenyan Lovejoy, Trent Gatewood, Michael Snyder, and Wyatt Hennig.

I think next year's co-op team has a chance to be good given the fact the Wolverines will also have Cole Christoffersen, Hunter Ferguson, and Tyler Hardeman from Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

The Cougars lose a talented group of seniors, but the three players listed above should really help out the new co-op team next year.

It will be interesting to see how the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines fare in 2016-2017.

Winnebago Boys advance to District Final

The Winnebago Boys continued their historic run this week with an 85-45 win over Wakefield in the C2-3 Sub District at Pender Tuesday night before downing Guardian Angels Central Catholic 67-58 in Thursday night's Sub District Final.

The Indians led the Trojans 23-15 at the end of one. Winnebago outscored Wakefield 29-7 in the second quarter to go up 52-22 at halftime.

The Indians won the third quarter 27-15 to lead 79-37 at the end of three.

The Trojans notched 8 fourth quarter points compared to 6 for Winnebago.

David Wingett led all scorers with 29 points. D'Von Lapointe totaled 20 while Aspen Lapointe registered 13.

The Indians led the Bluejays 10-9 after one. GACC won the second quarter 23-21 to go up 32-31 at halftime.

Winnebago doubled up the Bluejays 18-9 in the third quarter to lead 49-41 at the end of three.

The Indians outscored GACC 18-17 in the fourth quarter.

Drake Gorrin had a game-high 24 points. Aspen Lapointe registered 19 while Wingett recorded 13.

The Indians played great against both GACC and Wakefield. The Bluejays really challenged Winnebago, but the Indians came through when it mattered the most.

Winnebago (28-0) takes on Hartington Cedar Catholic (13-11) in the C2-2 District Final at Wayne State Monday night.

The Trojans beat Ponca 70-54 in the C2-4 Sub District Final at Randolph Thursday night.

The Indians downed Hartington Cedar Catholic 82-46 in the Knight Classic at Midland University on December 22nd.

I would say the Trojans are playing better basketball now than they were then, but I would also say Winnebago is still playing as good of basketball as they were then.

The Indians should win this game. I'm sure Winnebago would prefer to win their way into state and stay undefeated.

There really shouldn't be any pressure on the Indians in this game. Winnebago should be able to go out and do their thing.

GACC had a good game plan against the Indians in that they tried to limit Wingett. But the thing is the Indians aren't all about Wingett. Winnebago proved they are more than a one man show with Drake Gorrin stepping up and scoring 24 points.

This Indians' team is as good as there is in Class C-2, and Winnebago really has something special going on this season as all of you are probably aware of.

This game with the Trojans is just another step towards achieving the ultimate goal of winning back-to-back state championships.

The Indians need to use this game as a tune up for state. The better Winnebago plays against Hartington Cedar Catholic, the better they will play at state more than likely.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Boys win C1-6 Sub District

The Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Boys Basketball team advanced to the C1-3 District Final with a 40-34 win over Fort Calhoun in the C1-6 Sub District Final at Oakland-Craig Thursday night. The Raiders defeated Arlington 52-47 Tuesday night.

The Eagles led Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 20-11 at the end of one. The Raiders won the second quarter 15-13 to make it a 33-26 game at halftime.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder outscored Arlington 14-2 in the third quarter to go up 40-35 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 12 fourth quarter points.

Jacob Polk had a game-high 22 points while Ben Moxness registered 15.

The Raiders led the Pioneers 11-7 at the end of one. Logan View/Scribner-Snyder outscored Fort Calhoun 14-11 in the second quarter to lead 25-18 at halftime.

The Pioneers won the third quarter 7-6 to make it a 31-25 game at the end of three.

Both teams scored 9 fourth quarter points.

Moxness and Darnell Sims had 15 points apiece. Polk added 8 while Hunter Schlueter pulled down 7 rebounds.

Head Coach Sean Forbes says his team executed the game plan and played with tremendous effort. "Yeah our guys really played hard. I think our scouting report kind of played out and the kids listened, and it was just a great defensive game for us. Got a lot of steals and we were rebounding really well so I was super proud of our guys."

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder (15-9) and Bishop Neumann (22-2) will do battle in the C1-3 District Final at Midland University Monday night.

Forbes says his team has to limit turnovers. "Well we're going to have to take care of the basketball. I think that's the number one key. If we can hold our turnovers down we'll have a shot. If you turn the ball over against them they score, and we don't need to give them any free points because they're good enough the way it is. So put the ball in the basket will be key, but also got to handle the ball, handle their pressure."



The Cavaliers beat Boys Town 66-53 in the C1-5 Sub District Final Thursday night.

Bishop Neumann is a very good team, but the Cavaliers are headed to state regardless of what happens so perhaps Neumann will have an off game.

The Raiders have to play stellar defense and execute offensively. Scoring has been an issue at times this year for Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, but perhaps the Raiders can turn in a breakout performance.


It's a big deal for Logan View/Scribner-Snyder to even make it this far. The Raiders are having such a good season, and win or lose Monday night, they've done their respective schools proud.

The Co-op has been such a good thing for both of these schools, and things are clicking and working well for everyone.

I look for Logan View/Scribner-Snyder to give Bishop Neumann their best shot, and do everything in their power to win. 


The Raiders are looking for their first trip to state in school history. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., and the game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast Girls win C2-3 Sub District

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Girls are in the D2-2 District Final against Spalding Academy thanks to a 53-51 win over Bancroft-Rosalie and a 57-41 victory over Humphrey St. Francis in Sub Districts last week.

Bancroft-Rosalie led the Cougars 10-8 at the end of one. Lyons-Decatur Northeast won the second quarter 14-13 to make it a 23-22 game at halftime.

The Cougars outscored the Panthers 17-12 in the third quarter to go up 39-35 at the end of three.

Bancroft-Rosalie scored 16 fourth quarter points compared to 14 for Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

Lexie Bacon registered 22 points and 7 rebounds while Brianne Haskell had 14 points and 7 rebounds. Mariah Jessen chipped in 7 rebounds.

Head Coach Rex Haskell says the Panthers are always tough. "Well whenever you play Bancroft they always play hard, you can throw the records out the window. Both teams are going to show up and give you the best game they got, and that's what you get when we play Bancroft."


The Flyers led the Cougars 10-8 at the end of one. Lyons-Decatur Northeast outscored Humphrey St. Francis 19-6 in the second quarter to take a 27-16 lead into the locker room.

The Cougars won the third quarter 11-9 to go up 38-25 at the end of three.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast put up 19 fourth quarter points compared to 16 for the Flyers.

Haskell led the way with 18 points while Bacon and Kelly Wakeley notched 13 and 12, respectively. Jessen added 9 points and 8 rebounds.

The Cougars played great against Humphrey St. Francis. I wasn't sure how Lyons-Decatur Northeast would fare with the close win against Bancroft-Rosalie the game before.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast (15-7) and Spalding Academy (15-5) square off at Lutheran High Northeast Friday night.

Haskell says making state would be a fitting reward for all the hard work his players have put in over the course of their careers. "Well it would mean so much to these kids, regardless of whether it's the last year or not. These girls have worked so hard in the offseason the last four years. And they're a dedicated bunch of kids, and I really think they would deserve to go if everything falls into place for them they've earned it."


The Shamrocks beat Riverside 49-44 in the D2-4 Sub District Final at Central Valley last Thursday night.

This is going to be a tough, close, hard fought battle, in my opinion. It's just like any other district final would be.

The Cougars have to limit turnovers and execute at a really high level Friday night. Sure there will be early game jitters as there should be, but I'm sure Lyons-Decatur Northeast will settle down and settle into the game at some point.

These girls are one step away from achieving the ultimate dream. A chance to play in Lincoln at the State Tournament.

These girls have been working for this the last four years and perhaps even earlier than that.

All the hard work the Cougars have put in comes down to 32 minutes of basketball.

It would be so fitting for Lyons-Decatur Northeast to win with it being their final season as the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars.

The Cougars and Shamrocks are set to square off at 7:00 p.m. The game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Emerson-Hubbard Girls roll through D1-5 Sub District

The Emerson-Hubbard Girls won Sub District D1-5 at Ponca last week, downing Allen 57-18 last Tuesday night and Pender 57-42 last Thursday night.

The Pirates led the Eagles 15-6 after one. Emerson-Hubbard won the second quarter 15-6 to lead 30-12 at halftime.

The Pirates outscored Allen 18-4 in the third quarter to go up 48-16 at the end of three.

Emerson-Hubbard put up 9 fourth quarter points and held the Eagles to 2.

The Pirates led Pender 14-6 at the end of one. Both teams scored 17 second quarter points, and the halftime score was 31-23 in favor of Emerson-Hubbard.

The Pendragons won the third quarter 13-8 to make it a 39-36 game at the end of three.

The Pirates tripled up Pender 18-6 in the fourth quarter.

Emerson-Hubbard did a masterful job getting through sub districts. The Pirates were challenged through three quarters by the Pendragons, but stepped up when it mattered the most.

Emerson-Hubbard (24-1) battles North Central (17-6) in the D1-3 District Final at Battle Creek Friday night.

The Knights defeated Boyd County 35-33 last Thursday night in the D1-6 Sub District Final at Creighton.

North Central is a respectable team, but the Knights haven't faced the toughest competition.

The Pirates have played the tougher schedule, and should win Friday night.

With that said, it's a district final and anything can happen.

Emerson-Hubbard has to be on top of their game with the chance at the number one seed still a possibility.

The Pirates aren't very far behind Friend in power points, and a win could potentially give Emerson-Hubbard the one seed.

The Pirates have a lot to play for and need to play well Friday night.

I think Pender is a better team than North Central, so again, Emerson-Hubbard should win, but you never know.

The Pirates need to step up and take care of business like I know they are capable of. Emerson-Hubbard needs to play well to gear up for what they will see in the state tournament.

There's one step before state, and that's win a district title. And I'm sure the Pirates would rather enter state as district champions than as a wildcard recipient.

Friday night's game is set to tip-off at 7:00 p.m.

Stanton Girls win C2-5 Sub District

The Stanton Girls won the C2-5 Sub District at Norfolk Catholic last week, defeating Battle Creek 56-33 last Tuesday night, and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 48-32 last Thursday night.

The Mustangs led the Braves 14-6 at the end of one. Stanton doubled up Battle Creek 20-10 in the second quarter to take a 34-16 lead into the locker room.

The Mustangs doubled up the Braves 14-7 in the third quarter to lead 48-23 at the end of three.

Battle Creek won the fourth quarter 10-8.

Hiliary Huss led all scorers with 16 points while Jessie Brandl and Ali Wade totaled 12 and 10, respectively.

The Bulldogs led Stanton 14-11 after one. The Mustangs won the second quarter 12-9 to tie the game at 23 at halftime.

Stanton outscored Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 17-5 to go up 40-28 at the end of three.

The Mustangs notched 6 fourth quarter points and held the Bulldogs to 4.

Huss had a game-high 23 points. Brandl totaled 12 rebounds.

Stanton really played well in sub districts. The Mustangs stepped up their game the way they needed to.

Stanton (18-7) takes on Twin River (13-11) in the C2-3 Sub District Final at Central Community College in Columbus Friday night.

The Titans upset Shelby-Rising City 42-35 last Thursday night in the C2-6 Sub District at York.

These two teams met twice in the regular season with the Mustangs winning 60-38 at home on January 26th, and 46-44 in overtime three days later at Howells-Dodge in the East Husker Conference Tournament.

It's hard saying how this game is going to go. A lot of it depends on who shows up to play their best game.

I would be willing to bet both teams will bring their "A" game so that should make for a good district final.

Stanton should win, but you never know. The Mustangs can't underestimate Twin River and the run they have made.

Stanton has to play the way they did in sub districts, and be ready for a four quarter battle.

The Mustangs must understand that they will get the Titans' best shot. Twin River will come ready to play so Stanton has to be ready to go from the onset.

The Mustangs can't afford to dig themselves a hole at any point in the game. If anything, Stanton has to force the Titans to play from behind.

The stage is set for the Mustangs to get to state. This is Stanton's chance to make history, and their opportunity to leave their legacy on this program.

Friday night's game is set to tip-off at 7:00 p.m.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls win C2-3 Sub District

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls won the C2-3 Sub District at Pender last week, defeating Winnebago 78-41 last Tuesday night, and Oakland-Craig 51-40 in the Sub District Final last Thursday night.

The Bluejays led the Indians 15-10 after one. GACC won the second quarter 19-10 to go up 34-20 at halftime.

The Bluejays outscored Winnebago 25-5 in the third quarter to lead 59-25 at the end of three.

GACC put up 19 fourth quarter points compared to 16 for the Indians.

Kate Knobbe had a team-high 13 points while Lauren Wobkin and Katie Steuter totaled 11 apiece. Maddie Knobbe scored 9 while Hannah Hunke and Lexis Haase notched 7 apiece. Breanne Kreikemeier had 8 rebounds.

The Knights led the Bluejays 10-6 at the end of one. GACC won the second quarter 11-10 to make it a 20-17 game at halftime.

The Bluejays outscored Oakland-Craig 16-2 in the third quarter to go up 33-22 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 18 fourth quarter points.

Kate Knobbe finished with a team-high 10 points. Haase added 8 while Kreikemeier and Katey Brown notched 7 apiece.

GACC was challenged by the Knights, but the Bluejays found a way to win, and that's what matters.

GACC (24-1) takes on Ponca (14-10) in the C2-2 District Final at South Sioux City Friday night.

The Indians defeated Hartington Cedar Catholic 41-35 in the C2-4 Sub District Final last Thursday night.

Perhaps it is a bit of a surprise that Ponca is in this district final, but the Indians certainly earned their way there.

The Bluejays have to be on top of their game and be ready to dominate from start to finish.

It's that time of year when GACC needs to be playing their best basketball to ensure they head into state on top of their game.

The Bluejays have a legit chance to win state this year, and this is the final step before the real fun begins.

GACC has to take care of business and play up to their capability Friday night.

The Bluejays have to leave the Indians in the dust and end their season.

In other words, GACC has to leave no doubt as to who the better team is. The Bluejays have to play the way they have for most of this season.

GACC doesn't have a whole lot to worry about in this game as they are already headed to state so the Bluejays shouldn't have a lot of pressure on them.

The real pressure will be in the state tournament so GACC has to prepare themselves for the state tournament by winning this game big.

Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. 

West Point-Beemer Girls Win C1-6 Sub District

In a game heard last Tuesday night on 107.9 the Bull, the West Point Beemer Girls defeated Arlington 68 to 28. A team effort last Thursday night gave the Cadets a 47 to 40 win over Fort Calhoun in the sub district C1-6 final.

West Point-Beemer led the Eagles 20-11 after one. The Cadets outscored Arlington 23-10 in the second quarter to take a 43-21 lead into the locker room.

West Point-Beemer won the third quarter 11-3 to go up 54-24 at the end of three.

The Cadets notched 14 fourth quarter points compared to 4 for the Eagles.

Amanda Hansen led the way with 27 points while McKenzie Bruce scored 13. Jade Duhsmann and Taylor Weddle totaled 9 apiece.

Head Coach Craig Theis. "We think hopefully if we continue to run the floor and put pressure on that eventually they'll crack a little bit. And our girls did an awesome job of doing that exact thing."

Theis says Arlington is better than the score might indicate."A week ago they played Duchesne. And I think it was like a ten-point game, 15-point game. And Duchesne beat Neumann this year so they have my respect. And those girls are freshmen and sophomores, and they've only gotten better. She's done a really nice job coaching them. And once again they came out really well prepared."

West Point-Beemer led the Pioneers 11-10 at the end of one. The Cadets outscored Fort Calhoun 19-9 in the second quarter to go up 30-19 at halftime.

The Pioneers won the third quarter 5-4 to make it a 34-24 game at the end of three.

Fort Calhoun registered 16 fourth quarter points compared to 13 for West Point-Beemer.

Hansen had a game-high 21 points. Bruce scored 10 while Weddle recorded 7. Duhsmann totaled 7 rebounds.

Theis. "Down the stretch there, they tried squeezing us there, and we made some shots, we attacked the basket, and just kind of finished there. We got a bunch of seniors there who really came through at the very end there. Amanda and Kenzie and Taylor, and some of those girls. Brooke Wegner off the bench had what three steals there at the end. And that's just what we preach all the time. One girl goes down, next player up."

The Cadets are one win away from going to the state tournament in Lincoln. Theis. "There is no bad wins at this time of the year. Every win you get now is a quality good win at this late in the season. And we knew we set our sights getting back to that district final game, and these girls worked their tails off all summer, and all in the fall, and in the winter, and by golly we get to go take on Neumann. We'll be ready for them, we'll give them heck, so it should be good."

West Point-Beemer (22-4) takes on the Cavaliers (18-5) in the C1-3 District Final at North Bend Friday night.

Bishop Neumann beat rival Wahoo 64-51 in the C1-5 Sub District Final last Thursday night.

This one is for all the marbles as a trip to Lincoln is on the line, and it doesn't appear likely that the loser will receive a wildcard.

I think knowing they can't earn a wildcard to state really helps the Cadets.

I look for West Point-Beemer to play with more aggression and determination than they would if they knew they had a chance to get to state with a wildcard.

The Cadets have to execute at a high level, and contest shots really well.

Contesting shots and boxing out might be the two biggest things for West Point-Beemer.

The Cadets' post players have to step up and score for West Point-Beemer to win, in my opinion.

Both teams are pretty much guard oriented so it will be interesting to see who can make more shots.

This is a tough game to gauge. I've been told the Cavaliers live and die by the three, so if Neumann is on, it could be a long night for the Cadets, but if they're off, then West Point-Beemer might be the team cutting down the nets.

This is the Cadets' best chance to get to state in a long time. West Point-Beemer has an even better shot to get there this year than they did last year, in my opinion.

The Cadets have to make the most of their opportunity and get the job done Friday night.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. 

Bancroft-Rosalie Girls lose to Lyons-Decatur Northeast in last ever game

The Bancroft-Rosalie Girls saw their final season come to an end last Tuesday night as the Panthers lost 53-51 to Lyons-Decatur Northeast in the D2-3 Sub District at Clarkson.

Bancroft-Rosalie led the Cougars 10-8 at the end of one. Lyons-Decatur Northeast won the second quarter 14-13 to make it a 23-22 game at halftime.

The Cougars outscored the Panthers 17-12 in the third quarter to go up 39-35 at the end of three.

Bancroft-Rosalie scored 16 fourth quarter points compared to 14 for Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

Kassidi Browning and Paige Peters each had 15 points for the Panthers. Vicki Gatzmeyer totaled 10 while Tess Nottleman recorded 7.

Bancroft-Rosalie gave it their best shot. The Panthers had one last final roar against the Cougars.

Bancroft-Rosalie finished the season 7-14.

It had to be a somewhat disappointing start and finish to the season for the Panthers, but Bancroft-Rosalie played well at times this year.

I thought the Panthers showed signs of being a good team this season, they just weren't consistent enough to make it happen all the time.

Bancroft-Rosalie loses two seniors to graduation in Browning and Hannah Flock.

Everyone else returns for what will be the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons Decatur Wolverines next season.

On that team from this year's Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers will be Nottleman, Gatzmeyer, Peters, Tiahna Bonneau, and others.

I think the Wolverines have a chance to be successful next season.

Bancroft-Rosalie will get a little help from Lyons-Decatur Northeast, but the majority of next year's co-op team will be from either Bancroft or Rosalie.

It will be interesting to see what transpires next year with the new co-op. I'm sure it will take some time for everyone to get adjusted, but once everyone gets accustomed to everything, I'm sure things will workout just fine.

Bancroft-Rosalie picked up big wins over Mead and Twin River this season, and those are wins this year's Panther squad can carry over to next year's co-op team.

It wasn't an ideal ending for Bancroft-Rosalie in their final season, but there's so much to look forward to in all sports with next year's co-op.

It will be interesting to see how it all works out.

Pender Girls defeat Randolph, lose to Emerson-Hubbard in Sub Districts

The Pender Girls won 57-36 over Randolph last Tuesday night in the D1-5 Sub District at Ponca before losing the Sub District final to Emerson-Hubbard 57-42 Thursday night.

The Pendragons led the Cardinals 15-10 at the end of one. Pender outscored Randolph 12-5 in the second quarter to take a 27-15 lead into the locker room.

The Pendragons won the second half 30-21.

Hallie Ballinger finished with 15 points while Justice Sorenson totaled 14 points and 9 rebounds. Kam Anderson notched 12 points while Cecilee Jacobsen registered 7 rebounds.

The Pirates led Pender 14-6 at the end of one. Both teams scored 17 second quarter points, and the halftime score was 31-23 in favor of Emerson-Hubbard.

The Pendragons won the third quarter 13-8 to make it a 39-36 game at the end of three.

The Pirates tripled up Pender 18-6 in the fourth quarter.

Sorenson led the way with 17 points and 9 rebounds while Amber English totaled 11 points.

It was definitely a bitter defeat for the Pendragons. I'm sure Pender feels they could have played a much better fourth quarter against Emerson-Hubbard.

Pender ends the season with a 13-12 record.

The Pendragons lost just one senior in Sorenson.

She is a significant loss, but the Pendragons return loads of talent on what will most likely be a senior laden team next season.

Back for Pender next year is English, Jacobsen, Makrae Kelly, Rylee Lehmkuhl, Anderson, and Ballinger, among others.

Every player listed will be a senior except for Lehmkuhl, who will be a sophomore.

Next season has a chance to be special for the Pendragons, but they have to work their butts off in the offseason.

Pender picked up some big wins this season, including wins over Tekamah-Herman, Hartington Cedar Catholic, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, and Randolph.

The Pendragons certainly did some nice things this year, and should do even better things a year from now.

I would say it's very possible that Pender makes state a year from now. It appears the Pendragons will have the horses to do so.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of the talk that Emerson-Hubbard and Pender are going to co-op.

I haven't heard for sure when and if that will happen, but it will be interesting to see if anything happens with that.

Wisner-Pilger Girls lose to Oakland-Craig in Sub Districts

The Wisner-Pilger Girls saw their season come to an end last Tuesday night as the Gators lost 42-24 to Oakland-Craig in the C2-3 Sub District at Pender.

The Knights led 12-0 at the end of one. Oakland-Craig won the second quarter 10-7 to take a 22-7 lead into the locker room.

The Knights outscored the Gators 15-11 in the third quarter to go up 37-18 at the end of three.

Wisner-Pilger put up 6 fourth quarter points compared to 5 for Oakland-Craig.

This was a tough way for the Gators to end the season. I'm sure Wisner-Pilger wishes and feels they could have been more competitive.

The Gators conclude the season with a 13-10 record.

Wisner-Pilger did a lot of nice things this season, and picked up big wins over Stanton, Tekamah-Herman, North Bend Central, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, and Twin River.

The Gators lose quite a bit of talent, including Lexi Knust, Tessa Ruskamp, Sara Smyth, and Sydney Bradfield.

Wisner-Pilger returns Alexis Heller, Bailey Batenhorst, Maci Batenhorst, and others.

I'm really excited to see what kind of seasons Heller and Bailey Batenhorst have next season. I feel both players have a chance to have special seasons, and lead this team.

Reflecting back on this year though, the Gators did some really good things.

I think Wisner-Pilger probably played about as well as they could have throughout the year.

If anything, this team overachieved.

It's hard saying how good the Gators will be next year, but I think Wisner-Pilger has a chance to have a good season in 2016-2017.

Player development in the offseason is critical, but as long as players grow and develop the way they should, the Gators should have a respectable season.

It will be interesting to see what Wisner-Pilger can do next season. I think it's safe to say the Gators have some momentum to build off of heading into next season, and probably still have a sour taste in their mouths given how the season ended.

Winnebago Girls beat Wakefield, lose to GACC in Sub Districts

The Winnebago Girls defeated Wakefield 63-36 last Monday night in the C2-3 Sub District Play-In Game at Pender before losing 78-41 to Guardian Angels Central Catholic last Tuesday night.

The Indians led the Trojans 15-8 at the end of one. Winnebago outscored Wakefield 20-9 in the second quarter to lead 35-17 at halftime.

The Indians won the third quarter 14-9 to make it a 49-26 game at the end of three.

Winnebago notched 14 fourth quarter points compared to 10 for the Trojans.

Delicia Payer led the way with 16 points while Kae Earth notched 15 points and 10 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Illeana Frenchman added 14 points.

The Bluejays led the Indians 15-10 after one. GACC won the second quarter 19-10 to go up 34-20 at halftime.

The Bluejays outscored Winnebago 25-5 in the third quarter to lead 59-25 at the end of three.

GACC put up 19 fourth quarter points compared to 16 for the Indians.

It wasn't the most ideal season for Winnebago, but I felt like the Indians still had a somewhat respectable season.

Winnebago finished the season at 8-17.

The Indians graduate just one senior in Frenchman.

She is a significant loss, but Winnebago has to be really excited about all the talent they bring back.

Returning for the Indians is Isabel Earth, Evah Appleton, Jasmine Colvin, Payer, Kae Earth, and others.

I think Winnebago has a chance to be really competitive next season. The Indians return a good core and should be in most of their games a year from now.

I didn't realize until now how young Winnebago was this season. The Indians certainly took their lumps and paid their dues this season, but it should only make this team stronger in the future.

The returning players and newcomers should be excited and motivated to get in the gym and weightroom this offseason.

Perhaps the Winnebago girls can take a page out of the boys' book and make a run to state next season.

A lot of time has to be put in for that to become a reality, but the pieces appear to be in place for the Indians to make a run next season.

Winnebago has a bright future, in my opinion. These girls will all be a year older and a year more mature.

I think next season has a chance to be special for the Indians, but Winnebago has to work their tails off this offseason.

Clarkson/Leigh Girls fall to Battle Creek in Sub Districts

The Clarkson/Leigh Girls lost 39-31 to Battle Creek last Monday night in the C2-5 Play-In Game at Norfolk Catholic.

The Braves doubled up the Patriots 18-9 in the first quarter. Battle Creek won the second quarter 9-6 to lead 27-15 at halftime.

Clarkson/Leigh outscored the Braves 7-6 in the third quarter to make it a 33-22 game at the end of three.

The Patriots notched 9 fourth quarter points and held Battle Creek to 6.

The first quarter was pretty much the difference in the game. Clarkson/Leigh played right with the Braves otherwise.

The Patriots conclude the season with a 4-19 record.

It was a tough season for Clarkson/Leigh. Things definitely didn't go the way the Patriots would have liked for the most part, but I think the one thing you can say about this team is they never gave up.

Clarkson/Leigh kept fighting until the bitter end, and didn't go down quietly.

The Patriots part ways with Alyssa Novotny, Megan Svehla, Camille Koehn, Maddie Cerv, and Jessi Sayers.

These five seniors did a good job leading this team this season, and should be commended for their efforts.

Clarkson/Leigh returns Beth Wiese, Kaegan Held, and Shelby Paprocki, among other players.

The Patriots lose some talent, but bring back talent as well.

I think Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to be better next season than they were this year.

The Patriots don't have a lot of momentum from this season to build off of so that's why a big offseason is critical for this team.

Clarkson/Leigh's returning players and newcomers have to dedicate themselves to the weight room and the gym everyday.

It's hard saying how good the Patriots will be next year, but I will say there is a lot of room for growth and improvement before November arrives.

I don't think there's any doubt Clarkson/Leigh has the potential to be better next year than they were this year.

Tekamah-Herman Girls lose to Fort Calhoun in Sub Districts

The season came to an end last Tuesday night for the Tekamah Herman girls, who lost to Fort Calhoun 42 to 31 in sub-districts.

Head Coach Scott Guzinski. "The fidelity of it, no matter when it comes, is hard. And especially, I've got seven seniors on my team. Kids, all seven of them have been out all four years. Some of them have been starters for three years. And you spend a lot of time with them, and you get attached to them, so it's hard."




The Tigers say goodbye to Hannah Tobin, Allie Snow, Sammi Surber, Katheryn Gregerson, Leia Farrens, Maggie Garcia, and Liz Burley.

These seven seniors helped lead Tekamah-Herman to a 13-10 season.

The highlights of the Tigers' season include a season-opening win over Stanton, a regular season win over Fort Calhoun, and wins against Howells-Dodge and Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

Tekamah-Herman did some nice things this season, the Tigers just didn't have enough in the tank at the end to make a postseason run.

Returning for Tekamah-Herman is Maddy Horn, Marin Jetensky, Jess Fleischman, and others.

The Tigers certainly lose some good players, but return some talent as well.

It will be interesting to see what next year's incoming freshman class provides because Tekamah-Herman will need some help from this year's 8th graders next season.

I imagine the Tigers will figure things out by November and get everyone squared away in terms of who is doing what, but there's a lot of growth and improvement to be had and done this offseason for Tekamah-Herman.

It's always tough losing a talented senior class, and replacing the seven seniors lost from this year's team won't be easy.

However, seniors are lost pretty much every year, and that simply means it's time for new talent to step up and discover their role with the team.

North Bend Central Girls come up short of reaching District Final

The North Bend Central Girls saw their season come to an end Thursday night as the Tigers lost 38-36 to Columbus Scotus in the C1-4 Sub District at Columbus High. North Bend Central defeated Columbus Lakeview 36-33 last Tuesday night.

The Vikings led the Tigers 10-8 after one. Columbus Lakeview doubled up North Bend Central 10-5 in the second quarter to take a 20-13 lead at halftime.

The Tigers won the third quarter 12-8 to make it a 28-25 game at the end of three.

North Bend Central outscored the Vikings 11-5 in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers had their chances against the Shamrocks, they just couldn't capitalize. North Bend Central did a good job coming back and beating Columbus Scotus.

The Tigers end the season with a 17-6 record.

North Bend Central is no doubt disappointed they didn't advance farther in the postseason, but let's take a look at the good things the Tigers did this season.

North Bend Central defeated Twin River in their season opener. The Tigers also picked up big wins over Stanton, Pender, Oakland-Craig, Raymond Central, and Tekamah-Herman.

North Bend Central had a fine season even though the Tigers slipped up at the end of the season and didn't finish as strong as they would have liked.

North Bend Central says goodbye to some seniors in Alexandria Humlicek, Jacki Minarick, Sabrina Adams, Mackenna Walla, Kinzie Lorence, and Carol George.

These six should be commended for their efforts this season and throughout their careers. This group helped lead this team to a lot of success this season.

Key players returning for the Tigers include Kiley Allgood, Kendra Lorence, Kaitlyn Bjorklund, Hailey Bang, Kristin Lux, Faith Taylor, Sophie Kluthe, and Brooke Fredrickson.

Plenty of talent returns for North Bend Central, and I fully expect the Tigers to have another fine season again next year.

North Bend Central has to have a bad, sour taste in their mouths given the way this season ended, and I'm sure the Tigers will be very motivated to get better and improve in the offseason.

The biggest thing for this team is improving their offense. Players need to get in the gym and shoot a lot, and perhaps even get together as a team on their own and work on offenses.

Any edge North Bend Central can gain in the offseason will only help them next season.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Girls' season ends with Sub District loss to Arlington

The year came to an end for the Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Girls last Monday night as the Raiders lost 53-33 to Arlington in the C1-6 Sub District Play-In Game at Oakland-Craig.

The Eagles led 13-6 after one. Arlington doubled up Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 12-6 in the second quarter to take a 25-12 lead into the locker room.

The Raiders won the third quarter 16-15. The Eagles notched 13 fourth quarter points compared to 5 for Logan View/Scribner-Snyder.

Kaylee Boyle finished with a team-high 14 points.

The Raiders tried their best, but Logan View/Scribner-Snyder just didn't have enough offense, and didn't do enough defensively to win the game.

The Raiders conclude the campaign at 4-19.

A 4-19 season is normally something to be pretty disappointed about, but I felt like Logan View/Scribner-Snyder made some good progress this season.

The Co-op was a good thing and I would imagine it will continue to be good in the future.

The Raiders lose a number of seniors, including Jamie Poppe, Grayce McCormick, Paige Heinke, and Haley Bundy.

These four seniors' contributions won't soon be forgotten. Each and every one of them played a role in Logan View/Scribner-Snyder's success this year, and should be commended for their efforts.

The Raiders have some quality players returning next season, including Boyle, Sierra Beacom, Ashley Peters, MacKenzy Schreck, and Abby Kahlandt.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder has to be excited about their future given what they bring back.

The returning players and newcomers need to get after it this offseason, playing the game as much as possible on their own, during team camps, and in open gyms and summer leagues.

Weightlifting and conditioning is also important for this team to improve next season.

November is a long ways off yet, but champions are made in the offseason.

It's what players do in the summer and fall that show up the most in the winter, and these girls have to be dedicated to improving in the offseason.

With a full offseason of work and growth, I expect the Raiders to be a better team next season.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast Boys down Emerson-Hubbard to end regular season

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Boys downed Emerson-Hubbard 55-40 on the road Friday night in the regular season finale.

The Cougars led the Pirates 16-12 at the end of one. Lyons-Decatur Northeast won the second quarter 15-11 to lead 31-23 at halftime.

The Cougars outscored Emerson-Hubbard 11-6 in the third quarter to go up 42-29 at the end of three.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast put up 13 fourth quarter points compared to 11 for the Pirates.

Alec Anderson led the way with 21 points and 7 rebounds. Cole Christoffersen added 16 points while Montana Riecken notched 9.

The Cougars played a complete four quarter game, something they will also need to do in sub districts.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast (15-7) takes on Omaha Christian Academy (5-16) Tuesday night in the D1-3 Sub District at Fremont Middle School.

The Eagles upset Omaha Nation 49-46 in the play-in game Monday night.

There's no doubt in my mind the Cougars could have beaten the Chiefs again, but this is probably a more favorable match up for Lyons-Decatur Northeast.

The Cougars have to come out and put their foot down and dominate from the onset.

This is postseason basketball, and only the strong survive. Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to want it more than Omaha Christian Academy, and has to end this fairy tale run the Eagles are on right now.

Archbishop Bergan is a scary team in this sub district based on what they did to Oakland-Craig, and their team history.

That's not to say the Cougars can't beat the Knights, because I believe they can, but it's not going to be easy, especially with the sub district being in Fremont.

This is all assuming the two teams play of course.

First things first, Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to take care of Omaha Christian Academy, and Bergan has to take care of Cedar Bluffs.

This is the Cougars' last chance to do something as the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars. Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to make the most of their chance, and come through in the postseason.

Tuesday night's game is set to tip-off at 5:30 p.m.

Bancroft-Rosalie Boys win at Pender to end regular season

The Bancroft-Rosalie Boys ended their regular season Friday night with a 68-47 win at Pender.

The Panthers led 18-13 at the end of one. Bancroft-Rosalie outscored the Pendragons 21-10 in the second quarter to lead 39-23 at halftime.

The Panthers won the third quarter 15-9 to go up 54-32 at the end of three.

Pender put up 15 fourth quarter points compared to 14 for Bancroft-Rosalie.

Mario Aldrich led the way with 22 points. Aaron Ras and Dayne Wortman totaled 13 apiece. Kenyan Lovejoy added 9 rebounds.

The Panthers won three out of their last four and four out of their last six to end the regular season. Head Coach Cory Meyer feels his team had favorable match ups at the end. "Basketball is a game of match-ups and I felt we matched up pretty well with our final 4 regular season teams. We just didn't play well vs Omaha Nation and I thought they played exceptionally well considering they were missing a few key players. We have struggled this year playing consistent basketball."

Bancroft Rosalie (12-10) will look to get back to state and get to the state championship, where they've been the past two seasons.

The Panthers begin D2-3 Sub District play at Clarkson against Mead (20-2) Tuesday night.

The Raiders beat Johnson-Brock 55-43 at home Friday night.

Mead defeated Bancroft-Rosalie 57-39 in Bancroft on January 16th.

Meyer says his squad will have to play very well to defeat the Raiders this time around. "To beat Mead we would have to play consistently good for 4 great quarters. We played earlier in the season and they are a very good fundamentally coached team with well rounded athletes that are tough shooters inside and out."

Mead is a tough team. However, the Panthers have sort of recaptured some momentum here at the end of the regular season, and perhaps still have some magic left in them.

Meyer says the road to Lincoln is as tough as it can be. "To get to state would mean we would have to beat the #1, #2, #3 ranked teams in D2.  Three teams out of our districts will go to state. Jokingly I would say just give the winner out of our district's the state title.  But it would be nice to get there being our last year as the Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers."

Bancroft-Rosalie definitely has their work cut out for them, but anything can happen. The Panthers have to believe in themselves and one another that they can win every time they take the floor.

This team has a lot of postseason experience, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bancroft-Rosalie hung with Mead, and perhaps beat them.

This is the last hoorah for the Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers. One last roar. The Panthers have to make the most of their opportunity Tuesday night.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.