Howells-Dodge Girls advance to State for 3rd straight year

The Howells-Dodge Girls are at state for the third year in a row after defeating Twin River 50-42 in the C2-4 District Final at Central Community College in Columbus on Saturday.

The Jaguars led 14-9 after one before doubling up the Titans 20-10 in the second quarter to take a 34-19 lead into the locker room.

Twin River won the third quarter 6-4 to make it a 38-25 game at the end of three.

The Titans outscored Howells-Dodge 17-12 in the fourth quarter.

Sam Brester finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds while Chelsea Bayer and Macey Kulhanek registered 11 points apiece. Kalli Brester chipped in 7.

A fast start and a good first half appeared to be the difference in this one.

22-3 and 3rd seeded Howells-Dodge takes on 20-3 and 6th seeded Cambridge in the first round of the State Tournament in Lincoln Thursday night. Head Coach Scott Polacek says the Trojans have some girls that can play. "I watched some film, and they look pretty tough. Their number one player is Alea Shaner. And she was an All-State Player already a year ago. She can penetrate, and she can post up, and she can shoot 3's And they have another good outside three-point threat and a couple freshmen that are playing very, very well for them."

Both teams were D-1 State Qualifiers a year ago with the Jaguars finishing State Runner-Up.

Polacek says his team has had balanced scoring lately, and that's made it tough on opponents. "We've been pretty successful with our balanced scoring the last few games. We've had a couple other girls step up, and our outside game has been real strong lately. And that's helped us out. We haven't had to rely a lot on our inside game. We've been able to kind of score from a lot of different places. That's made us a lot harder to stop for the opponent, definitely."

Howells-Dodge has a pretty favorable draw if you ask me. The Jaguars are facing a team that has fluctuated between C-2 and D-1 themselves so both of these teams are sort of having to adapt to playing up a class.

The difference is the Trojans have been C-2 before so some of their girls probably know what to expect maybe more so than Howells-Dodge.

At the end of the day state is state and basketball is basketball though, and all the rules and everything are the same as if the Jaguars were in D-1.

The difference is the field is definitely tougher in C-2 than in D-1 so Howells-Dodge definitely has their work cut out for them this weekend, but there's no doubt in my mind the Jaguars can make a run and find themselves playing on Saturday.

If Howells-Dodge wins on Thursday, they would play either Hastings St. Cecilia or Ponca in the semifinals on Friday.

This has to be an exciting time for all the players coaches, fans, and the communities of Howells and Dodge.

The Jaguars have had a great run these last few years, and hopefully Howells-Dodge finds themselves playing three games this weekend.

It should be a lot of fun and an electric atmosphere as always.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 at Lincoln North Star, and the game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Pender Girls fall to GACC in Sub-District Final; Earn Wildcard to State

It was a back and forth affair in the D1-4 Sub-District Final at Wisner-Pilger on Thursday, February 16th between the Guardian Angels Central Catholic and Pender Girls with the Bluejays outlasting the Pendragons 59-56.

Pender jumped on GACC early and led 19-15 after one before the Bluejays outscored the Pendragons 15-11 in the second quarter to tie the game at 30 at halftime.

Pender started the second half on a 10-0 run, and won the third quarter 12-10 to lead 42-40 after three.

GACC came through in the end though, putting up 19 points in the fourth quarter compared to 14 for Pender.

Kam Anderson led all scorers with 18 points while Amber English registered 16. Hallie Ballinger totaled 13 points and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double, while Cecilee Jacobsen added 9 rebounds.

Head Coach Larry Ballinger says the game was well played. "Yeah, no I thought my team played well. I thought both teams played extremely well. It was probably one of the best played games that I've been a part of. Both teams hitting key shots. The other one would go on a little run, and then the other one would answer. And I thought it was just a great game to be a part of and a lot of fun."

18-8 and 7th seeded Pender meets 25-0 and 2nd seeded Dundy County-Stratton in the first round of the State Tournament in Lincoln Thursday afternoon. Ballinger says the Tigers are a very good team. "Yeah, no they're undefeated for a reason. And they're just a well disciplined team. They get aggressive on defense and throw a lot of different presses at you. And they're just a scrappy team that likes to get up and down the floor a lot."

The Pendragons received one of two wildcards to the state tournament.

Ballinger says it wasn't easy having to wait and see if they were going to get in. "Yeah that was a tough thing to do was sit and wait. And we did have practice trying to keep our spirits up a little bit and just try and do what we could and prepare. And if we did get ready, if we did make it in, we could be ready to go."

The Pendragons are appearing at state for the first time since 2014.

I think if Pender plays up to their capability they can upset and knock off the Tigers.

Howells-Dodge beat Dundy County-Stratton last year in the first round so perhaps the Pendragons can duplicate the Jaguars' efforts this year.

One thing is for sure...a lot of good basketball is played in Northeast Nebraska, and Pender is very battle tested.

The Tigers are undefeated though and are a very good team so beating them will be a very tall and daunting task.

The Pendragons have to play the way they did against the Bluejays in the Sub-District Final.

Pender has to play with that same sense of urgency and purpose that they played with against GACC.

The fans have to get excited and jacked up for this game...after all this is state.

Days and moments like these don't come very often in life so the Pendragons have to make the most of their State Tournament stay, and stick around a while if they can.

Pender is guaranteed three games if they win on Thursday so the Pendragons would be hanging around for a while if they are able to pull off the upset against Dundy County-Stratton.

Pender has to stay calm, poised, and relaxed at all times. The Pendragons can't let the atmosphere get to them.

Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at Lincoln Southwest, and the game will air on 107.9 the Bull.

GACC Girls rout Weeping Water in District Final

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls blew out Weeping Water 59-18 in the D1-2 District Final at Elkhorn South on Saturday.

The Bluejays led 21-4 after one before outscoring the Indians 22-7 in the second quarter to take a 43-11 lead into the locker room.

GACC won the third quarter 12-2 to go up 55-13 at the end of three.

Weeping Water put up 5 points in the fourth quarter compared to 4 for the Bluejays.

This was a very dominant win for GACC. The Bluejays definitely appeared to be in championship form.

21-2 and top seeded GACC and 20-6 and 8th seeded Meridian meet in the first round of State in Lincoln Thursday morning. Head Coach Jerry Stracke says the Mustangs are battle tested and athletic. "Yeah Meridian can give us a lot of problems. They have a lot of speed and quickness, they've played a lot of good teams. It just depends how well we can adjust to their speed and how well we play."

Meridian topped Lourdes Central Catholic 42-39 in the D1-1 District Final at Crete Friday night.

The Mustangs are a tough team, and should not be taken lightly or for granted.

The Bluejays should win, but Meridian isn't your typical 8 seed, in my opinion.

GACC has to come out and play the way they did against Weeping Water, and leave the Mustangs in the dust.

The Bluejays have to put away Meridian early so they can coast to the easy win, and get ready for their semifinal game on Friday.

I think this GACC team is the team to beat in this state tournament. Pender or Dundy County-Stratton could have something to say about that, but when it's all said and done, I look for the Bluejays to hoist the State Championship Trophy on Saturday and receive gold medals.

GACC is a fixture at the state tournament, and has been a very good team for a very long time.

The Bluejays are experienced, veteran laden, and well seasoned so that should really benefit GACC.

This is an experience of a lifetime for these girls, and they have to enjoy it.

Tip-off is set for 9:00 a.m. at Lincoln Southwest.

Stracke says his team likes the early start time. "Actually we probably play our best games in the morning. Seems like whenever we get morning draws down at state that we play really well. And it's kind of nice cause then you have the rest of the day to work on other things and just enjoy the day and experience down there."

The Bluejays, who are seeking their first state title since 2012, are appearing at state for the 20th consecutive year.

Thursday's game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Oakland-Craig Girls fall to Ponca in District Final

Ponca's Emma Kneifl hit a shot that will forever live in Ponca lore as she canned a three-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to send Saturday's C2-2 Girls Basketball District Final against Oakland-Craig into overtime tied at 51.

The Knights captured a 19-18 lead at halftime after falling behind 14-6 at the end of one.

Oakland-Craig extended their lead to 4 at 36-32 at the end of three before the Indians battled back in the fourth quarter.

Ponca never looked back in the extra session, tripling up the Knights 12-4 to win 63-55.

Oakland-Craig was led by Dacey Nelson with 21 points. Kennedy Benne posted 12 while Melanie Snader added 7. Shannon Pille chipped in 10 rebounds.

It was a great run for the Knights as Oakland-Craig came up a little bit short of making state.

Oakland-Craig ends the season at 14-7.

Oakland-Craig's biggest wins of the year came over Omaha Nation, BRLD, Fremont Bergan (Twice), and Yutan.

I thought the Knights played their best basketball when it mattered most this season with the exception of the East Husker Conference Tournament.

Nelson was the team's leader in scoring with 480 points and rebounds with 158. Benne was second on the team in scoring with 221 points while Pille was second in rebounds with 133.

Oakland-Craig says goodbye to four seniors in Pille, Emmy Bousquet, Snader, and Grace Maline.

These girls are significant losses for the Knights and don't figure to be easy to replace.

Key returners for Oakland-Craig include Nelson, Benne, Natalia McNeil, Ashley Denton, and Ellie Weitzenkamp.

The Knights overcame the loss of four starters from last year's team so I don't see why Oakland-Craig can't overcome the loss of the four seniors they lose from this year's team.

Nelson is one of the best players in the area and I'm excited to see what she can do next year.

Benne should also have a solid sophomore campaign, and compliment Nelson very nicely.

New starters and role players will have to emerge for the Knights, but with an entire offseason to improve, mature, and grow...that should happen.

Oakland-Craig has to get faster, stronger, more physical, and tougher in the offseason.

The Knights are already a very good team, but to be even better Oakland-Craig's returning players and newcomers have to work hard in the weightroom, run, work on agility drills, shoot, and participate in pick up games, open gyms, summer and team camps, and summer leagues.

The Knights have to be basketball minded as much as possible from now until November.

There's a lot of time for these players to hone their skills and develop even more than they already have, but there's only so much time before the season begins.

With an entire offseason to improve in every aspect of the game and in life I look for Oakland-Craig to have a really good 2017-2018 season.

GACC Boys upset Walthill in Sub-District Final

The GACC Boys kept their season alive Thursday night by upsetting Walthill 59-55 in the D1-4 Sub-District Final at Wisner-Pilger.

The Blujays led 18-10 after one before the Bluejays outscored Walthill 20-14 in the second quarter to make it a 32-30 game at halftime in favor of the Blujays.

GACC won the third quarter 13-9 to pull in front 43-41 at the end of three.

The Bluejays notched 16 points in the fourth quarter compared to 14 for Walthill.

GACC was led by Mitch Haas with 26 points. Kobe Slaughter added 9 while Andrew Guenther and Nolan Plagge totaled 8 and 7, respectively. Landon Stalp added 7 rebounds.

Head Coach Brad Slaughter knew his team could come out on top. "I knew it was going to be a battle, and watching their film and things like that. But I do believe that Mid-State grind of that tough games competition day in and day out has actually helped us. And if we can survive those runs and make good decisions and knock down our free throws, these kids can play. So I'm just glad that they stepped up to the challenge."

Slaughter likes the way his team is playing at the moment. "They're playing hard, and I couldn't be prouder of the group of boys. They don't want to stop practicing, they want to keep playing."

Slaughter's boys made 26 of 35 free throws. "We have been coming on. I told you last time our free throws have been getting better. And we are getting more consistent at the line. And the kids are having the confidence to step up and knock them down. So it's a credit to focus and being able to step up in those pressure situations."

Slaughter says the win was also due in large part to Haas. "Mitch had a nice game. He did a good job of knocking down his free throws and he converted on a lot of his short jumpers. And that was just a big boost in that fourth quarter when you get up to that line and knock down those free throw shots. I mean those are gimme's that you got to take advantage of. And him and a couple others knocked down some big free throws that really helped keep the pressure on Walthill."

GACC (13-13) will play East Butler (16-8) in the D1-2 District Final at Clarkson High School Tuesday night.

The Tigers squeaked by Omaha Christian Academy 41-40 in the D1-3 Sub-District Final at Wahoo Thursday night.

Slaughter says the Tigers are a solid ball club. "They play several different defenses. The athletes that they send on the floor they do a nice job. And they work hard too. I mean I'm sure they're chomping at the bit to get after this."

East Butler isn't that bad of a team as they've beaten a few good teams and lost to some other quality squads.

I think the Bluejays will definitely have their work cut out for them in this one.

With that said, I feel GACC has played the tougher schedule and is battle tested.

The win over Walthill was a great win for this squad, but the journey isn't complete yet.

I know the Bluejays have aspirations of winning the State Tournament, but GACC has to get there first.

The Bluejays should be over the joy and elation of the Walthill win by now. It's time to refocus and get ready for the task at hand.

GACC has to come ready to play with a business like attitude.

The Bluejays can't take the Tigers lightly or for granted, GACC has to be ready to play a complete four quarter game.

Haas, Slaughter, Guenther, Plagge, and Stalp all need to have good games for the Bluejays.

GACC has to be confident shooting the ball from the field and at the free throw line.

The Bluejays have to bring their A game and be ready to go toe to toe with East Butler.

GACC has to have a good game offensively, and can't afford to go through the shooting woes that they have at times this season.

The Bluejays have to put things all together once again to punch their ticket to Lincoln.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m., and the game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Boys fall to Winnebago in Sub-District Final

The Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Boys lost 72-59 to Winnebago in the C1-6 Sub-District Final Thursday evening.

The Indians jumped out on the Raiders 17-8 after one. Both teams scored 14 points in the second quarter, and Winnebago led 31-22 at halftime.

LV/SS won the third quarter 18-16 to make it a 47-40 game at the end of three.

The Indians outscored the Raiders 25-19 in the fourth quarter.

Jacob Polk led the way with 25 points while Ben Moxness registered 18. Nathan Taylor chipped in 7.

I thought Logan View/Scribner-Snyder competed well and held their own against Winnebago.

The Raiders end the season at 18-6.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder had a tremendous season, in my opinion, knocking off the likes of Oakland-Craig (twice), Wayne, North Bend Central, Wisner-Pilger, West Point-Beemer, Howells-Dodge, BRLD, Yutan, and Arlington.

Moxness finished the season as the team leader in points and rebounds with 511 points and 157 rebounds. Polk was second in points with 355.

The Raiders lose just one senior in Andrew Poppe, otherwise everyone else is back.

Moxness, Polk, Taylor, Alex Hagerbaumer, Alex VonSeggern, and Nathan Wacker are all key returners for Logan View/Scribner-Snyder.

I think the Raiders have a chance to be very good and make state next season.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder has to have a juggernaut of an offseason, and be ready to have a breakout and great season in 2017-2018.

I thought the Raiders were a very good team this year, and have a chance to be a great team next year.

Boys Basketball should be really strong in the conference and in the area next year so Logan View/Scribner-Snyder has to work harder than everyone else to get where they want to next season.

I look for the Raiders to run the table and lose like 3, 4, or 5 games at most next year.

I thought LV/SS could go 20-5 this year, and I was close.

So you can bet the Raiders will be back and ready for more next season.

Winnebago is the team to beat in C-1 at the moment I would say, and at the very least LV/SS saw what it's going to take to be the best by playing them.

I still say the Raiders, along with North Bend Central, are among or close to among the 8 best teams in C-1.

I really think both teams were good enough to make State this year, although the field figures to be very stacked.

LV/SS should get down to state and watch so they can get an idea of what it would be like to get there next season.

North Bend Central Boys lose to Columbus Scotus in Sub-District Final

The season came to an end for the North Bend Central Boys Thursday night as the Tigers lost 63-38 to Columbus Scotus in the C1-5 Sub-District Final at Columbus High.

I thought North Bend Central would keep things closer with the Shamrocks, but it just wasn't in the cards for the Tigers.

North Bend Central ends the year at 19-5.

Big wins for the Tigers came over Twin River, Oakland-Craig, BRLD, Logan View/Scribner-Snyder, and Howells-Dodge.

I think the highlight of the season definitely had to be winning the East Husker Conference Tournament Championship.

Personnel losses for North Bend Central include Jake Wietfeld, Matt Ortmeier, and Jack Post.

Key returners include John Emanuel, James Seymour, Tanner Wietfeld, Austin Endorf, and Peter Emanuel.

I think the Tigers have the nucleus and players capable of having another solid campaign in 2017-2018.

Jake Wietfeld and Ortmeier are significant losses though. Both were very good players throughout their careers for North Bend Central.

So the returning players and incoming freshman have to put in a lot of hard work this offseason and come back with a vengeance in 2017-2018.

You can bet the Tigers will be back in the thick of the State Tournament Picture next season given all who Columbus Scotus loses.

Sub-Districts can change, but I think North Bend Central will have a very good team again next season.

The Tigers need to have a great offseason of growth, development, and maturity though.

North Bend Central has to get after things in the weightroom and in the gym whether that be just lifting, shooting, running, playing pick up games, or participating in open gyms, team camps, agility drills, summer leagues, and summer camps.

There's a lot that goes into having a successful program, and the last two years have treated the Tigers very well.

North Bend Central honestly ought to be hungry, anxious, and ready for more in 2017-2018.

So the sooner the Tigers get to work this offseason....the better they will be next season.

BRLD Boys fall to Ponca in Sub-District Final

The BRLD Boys lost 57-32 to Ponca in the C2-4 Sub-District Final at West Point-Beemer Thursday afternoon/evening.

The Wolverines led 12-11 after one only to see the Indians double them up 10-5 in the second quarter to take a 21-17 lead into the locker room.

Ponca outscored BRLD 20-6 in the third quarter to go up 41-23 at the end of three.

The Indians won the fourth quarter 16-9.

Montana Riecken totaled 12 points while Kenyan Lovejoy recorded 7.

It was a tough way for the Wolverines to end the season. I thought BRLD would make things closer with Ponca.

The Wolverines end the year at 15-11.

Big wins this season for BRLD came over Howells-Dodge, Oakland-Craig, Wakefield, Twin River, and Omaha Nation (twice).

Lovejoy was the team's leading scorer and rebounder this year with 303 points and 141 boards.

BRLD says goodbye to Riecken, Aaron Ras, Jon Christiansen, Joel Ferguson, Wyatt Hennig, and Cole Christofferson.

Key returners include Lovejoy, Jacob Zuhlke, Michael Snyder, Trent Gatewood, Will Gatzemeyer, and Jaxon Johnson.

I think the Wolverines have a chance to be better next year than they were this year without a doubt.

This year was the first year of the new co-op, and everyone had to adjust and get used to things.

Everyone should be acclimated now though if they weren't already.

Everyone should know what to expect from the coaches and their fellow teammates next season.

BRLD has to have a great offseason to reach an elite level, in my opinion.

Both schools have had success in the past, and the Wolverines had a fairly good year this year, but I feel there's a lot of room for growth and improvement among this team.

The returning players and newcomers have to keep working hard and working together to get more familiar with and know what to expect from one another.

BRLD has to have a quality offseason, and be ready to get down to business in November.

The Wolverines have to have a quality work ethic, and be ready to get after things as much as possible this spring, summer, and fall.

I know a lot of these kids are involved in other sports like spring and summer baseball, and football, but devoting proper time to basketball is important for these kids to do.

BRLD has to have a lot of drive and determination in their offseason workouts. The Wolverines have plenty of time to grow and improve, and so it's important for BRLD to take steps forward from now until the start of next season.

West Point-Beemer Boys beat Pierce, lose to Wayne in Sub-Districts

The West Point-Beemer Boys knocked off Pierce 52-46 in the C1-7 Sub-District Semifinals at Norfolk High Tuesday night before losing 56-39 to Wayne in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.

The Bluejays led the Cadets 9-8 after one before outscoring West Point-Beemer 16-11 in the second quarter to take a 25-19 lead into the locker room.

The Cadets won the third quarter 16-10 to tie the game at 35 at the end of three.

West Point-Beemer notched 17 points in the fourth quarter compared to 11 for Pierce.

Austin Streeter led the way with 17 points while Chase Streeter totaled 12. Tate Ernesti added 8 while Ben Vander Griend notched 7.

The Blue Devils led the Cadets 13-9 after one before West Point-Beemer outscored Wayne 12-9 in the second quarter to make it a 22-21 game at halftime in favor of the Blue Devils.

The Cadets won the third quarter 14-13 to tie the game at 35 at the end of three.

Things unraveled in the fourth quarter though Wayne went on a 17-0 run to put West Point-Beemer away.

Chase Streeter had a team-high 17 points and 9 rebounds while Cole Hughes registered 9 points.

Head Coach Cody Bobolz says his team gave Wayne a run for their money. "Before Thursday night’s game we had played Wayne 2 times and both were close games. I knew that we could hang with them, but it was a matter if we could limit their outside looks, keep them off the glass, and limit mistakes. We really did all those things for 3 quarters and I was pleased with going into the 4th tied."

Bobolz adds the Cadets fell apart at the end. "Unfortunately the final score was not indicative of how the game really was. However, in the 4th Wayne turned us over and got some easy runouts and then it snowballed on us from there. Their full court pressure that didn’t bother us early began to hurry us up. We really lost our composure in the 6 minutes and that was disappointing."

West Point-Beemer concludes the season with a 12-14 record.

The wins over Arlington, BRLD, Wisner-Pilger, and Pierce had to be the highlight/signature wins of the year for the Cadets.

Chase Streeter finished first on the team in scoring and rebounds with 271 points and 189 rebounds while Austin Streeter was second with 246 points and 130 boards. Blake Anderson was third with 198 points and 112 rebounds.

Everyone on the team returns for the Cadets.

Bobolz says the future looks promising for West Point-Beemer, but the players still have to put the work in. "Anytime you bring back your starting 5 and the overall nucleus of your team your expectations are going to rise, as they should. These kids have worked hard and should embrace those expectations because that is why you put the time in. However, we know that just because you return everyone doesn’t automatically lead to success. We have to have a great offseason and improve individually as well as a team. The future is bright, no doubt about that."

I think the Cadets have a good chance to make a District Final and perhaps reach state next season.

Bobolz says a lot of teams in the East Husker Conference are in the same boat as them though. "When you look at the conference it is going to be very difficult as many of the top tier teams bring almost everybody back. So for us it is going to be about how do we get better to get up with those other teams. The players have to be willing to put that time in during the offseason because you know those teams are as well. It is going to take another great offseason in the gym and in the weight room for us to take the next steps in our program."

These kids simply have to grow, develop, mature, and consistently improve throughout the offseason.

Getting after it everyday in pick up games, agility drill sessions, weightlifting sessions, open gyms, summer camps, summer leagues, and team camps will all be important for West Point-Beemer.

Next year has a chance to be a banner year for the Cadets, in my opinion, but West Point-Beemer has to have a tremendous offseason.

The Cadets have to take a lot of steps forward from now until November, and get better and improve everyday.

West Point-Beemer has to come ready to work hard at everything they do this offseason, whether it's just shooting around or running or whatever.

Howells-Dodge Boys fall to Battle Creek in Sub-Districts

The season came to an end for the Howells-Dodge Boys Tuesday night as the Jaguars lost 55-54 in a heartbreaker to Battle Creek in the C2-7 Sub-District Semifinals at Norfolk Catholic.

The Braves led 19-17 after one only to see Howells-Dodge double them up 18-9 in the second quarter to take a 35-28 lead into the locker room.

Battle Creek won the third quarter 10-7 to make it a 42-38 game at the end of three.

Both teams traded layups at the end of the game before the Jaguars' Lane Hegemann missed a shot at the buzzer that went in and out.

The Braves outscored Howells-Dodge 17-12 in the fourth quarter.

Connor Blum paced the Jaguars with 19 points. Zach Bayer registered 12 while Dax VanLengen recorded 10.

Head Coach Cole Fischer says his team gave it everything they had. "Sometimes the game of basketball can be cruel and games end in a way you cannot explain. Our boys played their hearts out and left it on the court. Thank you to the seniors for being great leaders and the hard work over the past 4 years."

Howells-Dodge ends the season at 10-13.

The highlights of the season had to be the wins over West Point-Beemer, Humphrey St. Francis, and Wakefield.

The Jaguars gave it everything they had against the Braves, and the loss honestly has to be crushing and heartbreaking.

It might take a little bit for Howells-Dodge to get over that one.

Blum led the team in scoring this season with 268 points while Lane Hegemann was the team leader in rebounds with 125. VanLengen was second in rebounds with 116 while Blum was third with 103.

The Jaguars lose two seniors in Bayer and Justin Shonka, that is it.

Key returners for Howells-Dodge in 2017-2018 include Blum, Jordan Brichacek, Caden Jackson, Kade Hegemann, Ryan Macholan, Josh Brester, Seth Cech, and Lane Hegemann.

The Jaguars figure to be good and mighty next year given how this season ended.

I think how this year concluded has to leave a sour taste in the mouths of Howells-Dodge.

I look for the Jaguars to use the finish as motivation and fuel to the fire though.

I think you will see Howells-Dodge come back with a vengeance next season, and be ready to go on a tear.

The returning players and newcomers have to wake up every morning from now until November ready to work and ready to get after it.

Obviously everyone will need breaks at some point, but everyone should be thinking play basketball as much as possible when they wake up, so at the very least they have a basketball mindset.

Football and Track are obviously big for a lot of these kids too so working hard on those sports is important too, but devoting proper time to basketball is also key.

Shooting, working on agility drills, and lifting as much as possible are all important for and key to the Jaguars having a successful season in 2017-2018.

The more basketball these kids play against one another from now until November, the better they are going to be next season.

Pender Boys lose to GACC in Sub-Districts

The Pender Boys saw their season come to an end Tuesday night as the Pendragons lost 68-35 to Guardian Angels Central Catholic in the D1-4 Sub-District Semifinals at Wisner-Pilger.

The Bluejays led the Pendragons 13-9 at the end of one before winning the second quarter 17-12 to take a 30-21 lead into the locker room.

GACC outscored Pender 18-8 in the third quarter to go up 48-29 at the end of three.

The Bluejays notched 20 points in the fourth quarter and held the Pendragons to 6.

It was a tough draw and a difficult end to the season for Pender.

The Pendragons conclude the 2016-2017 campaign with a 5-18 record.

Some of Pender's best performances of the year came against O'Neill St. Mary's and Stanton, in my opinion.

I thought the Pendragons performed at a high level in both of those games despite coming up short.

The best win and game overall was probably the contest against Homer.

Pender parts ways with four seniors in Dylan Roth, Braden Peters, James Bensen, and Cade Ballard.

These four will be missed no doubt, but the Pendragons have to be excited for the future given who they all bring back.

Sam Mailoux, Chris Rutar, Jordan Springer, Tyler Nelson, Eric Schopke, and Jaydon Jump all return next season for Pender.

I think the Pendragons have a chance to be good next year, but it's going to take a lot of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, commitment, determination, and guts on the part of Pender's returning players and newcomers.

Pender improved from last year to this year, nearly doubling their win total, so I don't see why they can't be even better next season.

Roth and Bensen are very significant losses, in my opinion, but I feel there will be players prepared and ready to take their place.

The Pendragons have to shoot, work on agility drills, and get in the weightroom as much as possible this offseason.

The harder Pender works from now until November, the better off they will be next season.

Hopefully with a year to grow, develop, and mature...the Pendragons will be primed for bigger and better things in 2017-2018, but only time will tell if Pender has what it takes to have a good team next season.

Attending open gyms, summer camps, team camps, and summer leagues will be very important for the growth and development of these boys.

Everyone has to work together, play hard, and most importantly have fun.

The Pendragons also have to mature in the offseason as well.

Stanton Girls go 1-3 in final four games

The Stanton Girls' season came to abrupt end last Tuesday night as the Mustangs lost 37-31 to Battle Creek in the C2-7 Sub-District Semifinals at Norfolk Catholic. Stanton fell 40-32 in overtime at home to Pender in the regular season finale on Saturday, February 11th after beating Norfolk Catholic 42-22 at home on Friday, February 10th. The Mustangs lost 38-33 at home to Clarkson/Leigh on Thursday, February 9th.

The Patriots and Mustangs were tied at 5 at the end of one. Stanton doubled up Clarkson/Leigh 6-3 in the second quarter to take an 11-8 lead into the locker room.

The Patriots tripled up the Mustangs 18-6 in the third quarter to go up 26-17 at the end of three.

Stanton won the fourth quarter 16-12.

Jessie and MacKenzie Brandl had 8 points apiece.

The Mustangs doubled up the Knights 14-7 in the first quarter. Norfolk Catholic won the second quarter 8-6 to make it a 20-15 game at halftime in favor of Stanton.

The Mustangs tripled up the Knights 12-4 in the third quarter to go up 32-19 before outscoring Norfolk Catholic 10-3 in the fourth quarter.

Jessie Brandl led the way with 2 points while MacKenzie Brandl and Hannah Heppner had 9 apiece. Bree Burtwhistle chipped in 7.

The Mustangs doubled up the Pendragons 12-6 in the first quarter before winning the second quarter 8-7 to take a 20-13 lead into the locker room.

Pender outscored Stanton 19-12 in the second half to send the game into overtime.

The Pendragons blanked the Mustangs 8-0 in overtime.

MacKenzie Brandl posted 11 points and 8 rebounds while Heppner and Jaiden Hartl notched 8 points apiece. Heppner totaled 10 rebounds as well.

Stanton jumped on Battle Creek 17-4 in the first quarter only to see the Braves outscore them 17-4 in the second quarter and tie the game at 21 at halftime.

The Mustangs won the third quarter 6-4 to lead 27-25 at the end of three.

Battle Creek tripled up Stanton 12-4 in the fourth quarter.

MacKenzie Brandl posted a game-high 12 points while Jessie Brandl recorded 10 points and 7 rebounds.

It was a tough way for the Mustangs to end the season after things looked so promising for most of the season.

Stanton ends the year at 19-5.

The Mustangs had a marvelous season, beating the likes of North Bend Central, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, West Holt, Oakland-Craig, BRLD, and Pender.

Stanton was definitely a good team this year it was just their late season collapse that prevented them from going to state.

The Clarkson/Leigh and Battle Creek losses ultimately cost this team a trip to Lincoln.

MacKenzie Brandl was the team's leading scorer with 297 points while Jessie Brandl and Burtwhistle were 2nd and 3rd with 239 and 200, respectively.

Jessie Brandl was the team leader in rebounds with 123.

The Mustangs say goodbye to four seniors in MacKenzie Brandl, Ashley Colwell, Alysan Wurdinger, and Kiley Wiedeman.

Brandl is the biggest loss of the four by far, but the other three will be missed as well I'm sure.

Jessie Brandl, Burtwhistle. Tenna Beel, Sidney Stallbaum, Heppner, and Allie Spence all return for Stanton.

The Mustangs figure to be good and solid once again in 2017-2018, but it's going to take a lot of hard work and dedication from everyone involved for Stanton to be good again next season.

The Mustangs have to work that much harder in the offseason to get back to state next season after missing out on the party this year.

I'm sure Stanton is pretty disappointed they didn't make state this year. It probably stings the Mustangs to have to sit at home while other teams take part.

Stanton's players should go watch state if they get the chance though just to get an idea of what it would be like to be there again and what they're missing out on.

The Mustangs have to grow and improve drastically from now until the start of next season if they want to experience Lincoln again next year.

State and Unfinished Business has to be Stanton's motto everyday they wake up to workout this offseason.

Winnebago Boys down Logan View/Scribner-Snyder in Sub-District Final

The Winnebago Boys defeated Logan View/Scribner-Snyder 72-59 in the C1-6 Sub-District Final at Oakland-Craig Thursday night.

The Indians jumped out on the Raiders 17-8 after one. Both teams scored 14 points in the second quarter, and Winnebago led 31-22 at halftime.

LV/SS won the third quarter 18-16 to make it a 47-40 game at the end of three.

The Indians outscored the Raiders 25-19 in the fourth quarter.

Head Coach Jeff Berridge says it was a solid start to the game for his team. "It’s always good to get a fast start, I think it could have been better but we will take what we get."

Berridge adds his team did well against LV/SS's 1-3-1 zone. "I think the way we played against the 1-3-1 defense was the best we played in awhile."

Winnebago (25-2) takes on Columbus Scotus (23-1) in the C1-3 District Final at Norfolk High Monday night.

The Shamrocks knocked off North Bend Central 63-38 in the C1-5 Sub-District Final at Columbus High Thursday night.

Berridge says his team is ready. "We are looking forward to this game a lot, we are going in to prove some people wrong. Big crowd and loud just the way we like it, we live for games like this. Looking for them to try and slow the game down."

I'm sure the Indians would like to get out and run and push the tempo. I think that's something Winnebago is going to need to do to win too.

Berridge says they'll simply do what they do. "My players play with confidence no matter who is on the other end of the court, we will play our game no matter what. It should be a good game to see the difference both teams have 2 years later should be a fun game. "

This is a rematch of the 2015 State Championship game and it should be a dandy. I would recommend getting to the game early if you plan on going because you can bet fans from both teams will be lining up to get in early.

Berridge says his team has to play their game to come out on top. "Playing WINNEBAGO BASKETBALL is the key!!! We can’t get stuck in their game. We have to make them play our game. Big games the lil things come into play so we have to do them."

This game is a big deal and a big opportunity for the Indians to make a statement.

I'm sure some people probably feel Columbus Scotus will win, but this is anyone's ball game, in my opinion.

David Wingett has to have a big game for the Indians, and Rez ball has to be effective for Winnebago.

Both teams are going to state regardless of who wins this game, but I'm sure the Indians would like to get to state via district championship rather than wildcard.

Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Clarkson/Leigh Boys beat Emerson-Hubbard; fall to Walthill in Sub-Districts

The Clarkson/Leigh Boys rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Emerson-Hubbard 39-35 in the D1-4 Sub-District Play-in-Game at Wisner-Pilger Monday night before losing 74-38 to Walthill in the Semifinals Tuesday night.

The Pirates and Patriots were tied at 6 at the end of one. Emerson-Hubbard won the second quarter 13-10 to go up 19-16 at halftime.

The Pirates put up 9 points in the third quarter compared to 7 for Clarkson/Leigh to extend their lead to 28-23 at the end of three.

The Patriots outscored Emerson-Hubbard 16-7 in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Bruhn led the way with 17 points and 9 rebounds while Garrett Schroeder registered 10 points. Blake Paprocki totaled 8 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blujays jumped out to a 16-10 lead on Clarkson/Leigh at the end of one. Walthill outscored the Patriots 22-7 in the second quarter to take a 38-17 lead into the locker room.

The Blujays won the third quarter 29-10 to go up 67-27 at the end of three.

The Patriots put up 11 points in the fourth quarter compared to 7 for Walthill.

Bradley Bunner led the way with 11 points while Schroeder chipped in 8.

It was a difficult season for Clarkson/Leigh, but I felt the Patriots got better towards the end of the year.

Clarkson/Leigh ends the 2017-2018 campaign at 3-20.

The highlights of the year for me were competing with Madison, Winside, St. Edward, Twin River, and Wisner-Pilger.

I felt the Patriots did some nice things at the end of the season that can carry over to next year.

Clarkson/Leigh parts ways with Bunner, Luiz Mayorga, Paprocki, Mark Aguirre, and Tanner Stanley.

These are significant losses for the Patriots, in my opinion, but Clarkson/Leigh returns quite a bit of talent.

Bruhn, Haden Held, Schroeder, Isaak Wiese, and others are set to return for the Patriots.

Bruhn led the team in scoring this year with 248 points while Paprocki was second with 191.

Paprocki led the team in rebounding with 128 boards while Bruhn was second with 123. Bunner was third with 115.

So the Patriots lose a good chunk of this year's production, but I think Clarkson/Leigh has to be excited given who all returns.

I think the Patriots can use the confidence and momentum they gained at the end of this year and carry it over to next year.

The offseason starts now for Clarkson/Leigh though.

The sooner the Patriots get back in the gym to workout, whether it be weightlifting or just playing the game, the better they will be.

Clarkson/Leigh has to be committed to getting bigger, faster, stronger, and more physical.

A year of growth and maturity figures to do next year's team quite a bit of good.

I think 2017-2018 has a chance to better than this season was for the Patriots.

Emerson-Hubbard Boys lose to Stanton in regular season finale; fall to Clarkson/Leigh in Sub-Districts

The Emerson-Hubbard Boys lost 70-28 at home to Stanton to end the regular season last Friday night before losing 39-35 to Clarkson/Leigh Monday night in the D1-4 Sub-District Play-in-Game at Wisner-Pilger.

The Mustangs led the Pirates 16-1 after one and outscored Emerson-Hubbard 24-14 in the second quarter to take a 40-15 lead into the locker room.

Stanton won the third quarter 17-9 to go up 57-24 at the end of three.

The Mustangs outscored the Pirates 13-4 in the fourth quarter.

Joshua Sebade had 10 points and 12 rebounds, good enough for a double-double, while Spencer Burcham totaled 7 points.

The Pirates and Patriots were tied at 6 at the end of one. Emerson-Hubbard won the second quarter 13-10 to go up 19-16 at halftime.

The Pirates put up 9 points in the third quarter compared to 7 for Clarkson/Leigh to extend their lead to 28-23 at the end of three.

The Patriots outscored Emerson-Hubbard 16-7 in the fourth quarter.

Taylor Donner had a team-high 13 points.

It was a tough end to a difficult season for the Pirates I would say.

Emerson-Hubbard ends the 2016-2017 campaign at 2-21.

There weren't a lot of bright spots for the Pirates this year, but competing with Hartington-Newcastle, Winside, and Elgin Public/Pope John had to be encouraging I would say.

Donner led the team in scoring with 211 points while Sebade was second with 197.

Sebade was the team's leading rebounder with 153 boards while Jacob Kneifl had 116.

The Pirates lose just two seniors in Donner and Austin Carper.

Key returners include Kneifl, Burcham, Nolan Belt, Johnny Orr, Chandler Emmons, and Sebade.

Emerson-Hubbard was very young this year, and the type of season they had was understandable with a new coach and everything.

With that said, the Pirates will be more veteran laden next year and should be more competitive than they were this season.

The returning players and newcomers have to understand that it takes hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to be successful.

Everyone has to be committed to working hard and getting better, bigger, faster, and stronger in the weightroom and on the court.

Emerson-Hubbard has a lot of work to do this offseason if they want to be better in 2017-2018 so everyone has to get after things as soon as possible.

The more basketball the returning players and newcomers play, the better they are going to be.

There can't be any coaches organized practices or anything like that in the offseason, but the players have to take it upon themselves to work together, working on plays and offenses if at all possible.

The more continuity, togetherness, and cohesiveness these boys can have together, the better they will be next season.

Wisner-Pilger Boys beat Stanton, fall to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family in Sub-Districts

The Wisner-Pilger Boys beat Stanton 52-32 in the C2-7 Sub-District Play-in-Game at Norfolk Catholic Monday night before losing 71-68 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family in the Semifinals Tuesday night.

The Gators led Stanton 13-10 at the end of one before outscoring the Mustangs 14-5 in the second quarter to take a 27-15 lead into the locker room.

Wisner-Pilger won the third quarter 10-9 to go up 37-24 at the end of three.

The Gators put up 15 points in the fourth quarter compared to 8 for Stanton.

Hunter Waterman led Wisner-Pilger with 15 points. Keegan Ruskamp added 14 while Jayden Raabe notched 11.

In the Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family/Wisner-Pilger Game, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 24-15 lead at the end of one. The Gators won the second quarter 20-17 to make it a 41-35 game at halftime in favor of Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family.

The Bulldogs outscored Wisner-Pilger 17-14 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 58-49 at the end of three.

The Gators put up 19 points in the fourth quarter compared to 13 for Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family.

Ruskamp led Wisner-Pilger with 19 points while Waterman and Gunner Labenz added 14 apiece. Nathan Hatterman and Raabe notched 11 and 10, respectively for the Gators.

Head Coach Duane Mendlik on the loss. "We did a nice job. Came up a little short. We missed a couple of shots down the stretch that we'd certainly like to have back. But it was a good game. I'm pleased."

Mendlik's boys put up 19 points in the fourth quarter to make it close. "Offensively I think we did a pretty good job. We did come back and shoot the ball pretty well. They're really a good ball club. And they've got a lot of players that can do a lot of different things. I thought our kids showed a lot of heart, and I thought they played very well. We made a couple of mistakes down the stretch that we probably shouldn't of, but that's the way the game is. I tried to tell them that this is the way it is every single game at this point in the season."

Wisner-Pilger ends the season at 11-13.

It was a strong finish to the season for the Gators, who won five out of their last seven games.

I think the progress Wisner-Pilger made and the success they had at the end of the season will definitely carry over to next year.

I feel the Gators finished the season about as well as anyone could have hoped for.

Sure Wisner-Pilger could have done some things differently during the Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family game, but overall I thought it was a very good performance from these kids.

The wins over BRLD, West Point-Beemer, Wakefield, and Howells-Dodge (twice) were the biggest victories of the season for the Gators, in my opinion, and are wins I feel Wisner-Pilger can build off of heading into next season.

The Gators graduate just two seniors in Gage Reicken and Hatterman.

Big returners include Waterman, Labenz, Koehlmoos, Ruskamp, and Raabe.

Next year should be Wisner-Pilger's year as they figure to be senior laden.

The seniors to be and the rest of the players need to work their tails off this offseason so they can have a good season next year.

Waking up early in the morning in the dog days of summer to get workouts in will be very important, in my opinion.

The more running, lifting, conditioning, skill honing, and just playing of the game the Gators can do, the stronger they will be for next season.

These players have to work together and for one another during open gyms, team camps, summer leagues, and other summer camps.

Everyone has to want to get better, and must work towards the same common goal.

The pieces definitely appear to be in place for Wisner-Pilger to have a really good 2017-2018 campaign.

Stanton Boys rout Emerson-Hubbard in final reglar season game; drop Sub-District Game to Wisner-Pilger

The Stanton Boys beat Emerson-Hubbard 70-28 on the road last Friday night before losing 52-32 to Wisner-Pilger in the C2-7 Sub-District Play-In-Game at Norfolk Catholic Monday night to see their season come to an end.

The Mustangs led the Pirates 16-1 after one and outscored Emerson-Hubbard 24-14 in the second quarter to take a 40-15 lead into the locker room.

Stanton won the third quarter 17-9 to go up 57-24 at the end of three.

The Mustangs outscored the Pirates 13-4 in the fourth quarter.

Trey Erbst had 24 points and 7 rebounds while Beau Wilke notched 10 points. Henry Bohac added 9 while Hunter Stallbaum totaled 7.

The Gators led 13-10 at the end of one before outscoring the Mustangs 14-5 in the second quarter to take a 27-15 lead into the locker room.

Wisner-Pilger won the third quarter 10-9 to go up 37-24 at the end of three.

The Gators put up 15 points in the fourth quarter compared to 8 for Stanton.

Myles Nickolite had 12 points for the Mustangs while Marcus Spotanski totaled 7.

It was a tough way to end a tough season for Stanton.

The Mustangs end the year at 7-15.

Stanton played and lost to some good teams so I would say the Mustangs weren't as bad as their record.

The win over Wisner-Pilger in the regular season, and the four victories to end the regular season were all positives for Stanton this season, in my opinion.

The Mustangs graduate some talent in Nickolite, Erbst, Bohac, Stallbaum, and Parker Thiesen.

Key returners for Stanton include Wilke, Ashton Flood, Spotanski, Broderick Sieh, and Nate Arens.

Nickolite was the team's leading scorer this season with 342 points while Erbst was second with 271.

Erbst was 1st in rebounding with 115 boards while Nickolite finished 2nd with 98.

It's never easy losing your top two scorers and rebounders, but life without Nickolite and Erbst must go on for Stanton.

The returning players and newcomers have to work hard and get better this offseason.

The returning players and incoming freshmen have to work hard in the weight room and in the gym, and must attend as many open gyms, summer league games, and summer camps as possible.

The more basketball these players play, and the harder the work, the better they will be.

Everyone has to have drive, motivation, and determination everyday to improve.

Hopefully by the start of next season the returning players will be bigger, faster, stronger, and more mature.

Someone is definitely going to need to step up and provide leadership next season so hopefully someone steps up and takes charge in the offseason.

Tekamah-Herman Boys fall to DC West in regular season finale and Fort Calhoun in Sub-Districts

The Tekamah-Herman Boys lost 78-38 at home to DC West last Friday night and then the season came to an end Monday night as the Tigers lost 54-26 to Fort Calhoun in the C1-6 Sub-District Play-in Game at Oakland-Craig.

The Falcons led the Tigers 23-8 at the end of one before winning the second quarter 20-12 to go up 43-20 at halftime.

DC West outscored Tekamah-Herman 23-10 in the third quarter to lead 66-30 at the end of three.

The Falcons put up 12 points in the fourth quarter compared to 8 for the Tigers. 

The Pioneers led 19-1 at the end of one. Both teams scored 12 points in the second quarter, and the score was 31-13 at halftime in favor of Fort Calhoun.

The Pioneers outscored Tekamah-Herman 18-8 in the third quarter to go up 49-21 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 5 points in the fourth quarter.

Clay Beaumont scored 12 points for the Tigers.

Tekamah-Herman played right with Fort Calhoun for two quarters. Unfortunately, the other two quarters didn't treat the Tigers very well.

Tekamah-Herman finishes the season 0-19.

The highlights of the season for the Tigers had to be the close losses to Clarkson/Leigh (twice), Pender, and Friend.

It was a long and tough season for Tekamah-Herman, but I think it's safe to say the Tigers never quit.

Tekamah-Herman says goodbye to three seniors in Nate Olson, Dustin Pickell, and Colton-Morrow-Merrill.

Key returners include Brady Ball, Beaumont, and Luke Wakehouse.

From what I've heard the Tigers have some kids coming up and will be able to play a full JV schedule next year.

That's good news for Tekamah-Herman, who could really benefit from playing a full JV schedule, in my opinion.

I think the future looks good and bright for Tiger Boys Basketball.

These returning players and newcomers just have to put in the work necessary to be successful.

Everyone has to do their part in the offseason by working hard and participating in open gyms, weightlifting sessions, summer leagues, and summer camps.

The more basketball and conditioning these kids participate in, the better off they're going to be.

Everyone has to be committed to improving and growing and prospering as young men and student athletes.

Hopefully with an entire year to grow and mature Tekamah-Herman will be primed and ready for better things in 2017-2018.

I would say one thing is for sure....things can only go up from here.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls top Pender in Sub-District Final

It was a back and forth affair in the Girls Basketball D1-4 Sub-District Final at Wisner Thursday night between Guardian Angels Central Catholic and Pender with the Bluejays outlasting the Pendragons 59-56.

Pender jumped on GACC early and led 19-15 after one before the Bluejays outscored the Pendragons 15-11 in the second quarter to tie the game at 30 at halftime.

Pender started the second half on a 10-0 run, and won the third quarter 12-10 to lead 42-40 after three.

GACC came through in the end though, putting up 19 points in the fourth quarter compared to 14 for Pender.

The Bluejays were led by Lexis Haase, who had 15 points. Lauren Wobken added 14 while Makayla Tomka totaled 13. Hannah Hunke chipped in 9.

This was a tough and gritty win for GACC. The Bluejays definitely showed the heart of a champion in coming back in this game.

GACC (20-2) advances to the D1-2 District Final against Weeping Water (15-9) at Elkhorn South Saturday afternoon.

The Indians topped Cedar Bluffs 63-38 in the D1-3 Sub-District Final at Wahoo last Thursday night.

Weeping Water isn't a bad team, but the Bluejays should have no problem beating them.

GACC is poised to be the No. 1 seed in the State Tournament next week, and I don't see the Bluejays being denied this district title.

Haase, Wobken, Tomka, Maddie Knobbe, and Hunke all need to play well for GACC to win comfortably, in my opinion.

The last thing GACC wants in this game is a close contest.

This is a game where the Bluejays have to establish their dominance and be the great and elite team that they are.

I look for GACC to win in blowout fashion and make a statement heading into the state tournament.

I think the Bluejays will send a message to the rest of D-1 that they are the team to beat if they haven't done that already.

GACC has to come out ready to go and be on fire Friday night though.

The Bluejays have to play a great game, and must be ready to take it to the Indians for four quarters.

GACC can't relax or just waltz into this game knowing they have a wildcard locked up.

The last thing the Bluejays want is a loss before the state tournament, and I think GACC will make sure that doesn't happen.

The Bluejays have to play with a tough competitive spirit, and must be clicking on all cylinders offensively and defensively.

Tip-off is set for 2:00.

Oakland-Craig Girls defeat Fremont Bergan in C2-3 Sub-District Final

The Oakland-Craig Girls beat Fremont Bergan 60-55 last Thursday night in the C2-3 Sub-District Final at Fort Calhoun.

Bergan led 15-11 after one and won the second quarter 15-14 to take a 30-25 lead into the locker room.

Oakland-Craig outscored Bergan 21-10 in the third quarter to go up 46-40 at the end of three.

Bergan put up 15 points in the fourth quarter compared to 14 for Oakland-Craig.

Dacey Nelson totaled 31 points and 8 rebounds while Kennedy Benne added 19 points.

Head Coach Anderson says Nelson was a big reason the Knights were victorious. "Yeah she's definitely one of the leaders of our team out there. She loves to have the ball in her hands, and when she does good things happen for us."

The Knights (14-6) take on Ponca (20-4) in the C2-2 District Final at Wisner-Pilger Saturday evening.

The Indians defeated BRLD 59-58 in the C2-4 Sub-District Final at West Point-Beemer last Thursday night.

Anderson says the two teams are a lot alike. "Oh they're a very, very athletic team. Quite a few seniors on their team, and they're a lot like us as far as they're not a bunch of 6'0 girls by any means, but they play very physical and they get up and down the court, they're going to press you. A lot of full court man. And really try to speed you up, and force you into turnovers."

I don't think there's any doubt that Nelson is the key to this game. She needs to have a big game for Oakland-Craig to win, there's no doubt about it.

Big time players step up in big games, and that statement certainly applies to Nelson.

The Knights could benefit from Benne and Shannon Pille having big games too, and I think at least one of them is going to need to step up and score like they did in Sub-Districts.

As good as Ponca is it might take all three players I mentioned scoring in double digits for Oakland-Craig to win.

This is a district final, and is for all the marbles, and the Knights have to play their best game of the season to come out on top.

Oakland-Craig has played basketball ever since the loss to West Point-Beemer in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament on January 27th as the Knights have won five in a row so I'm interested to see if Oakland-Craig can keep the magic going.

I'm sure Oakland-Craig would love to get back to state, and if the Knights win Saturday evening they will have really earned this state tournament berth.

The Knights are looking to get back to state for the second straight season while the Indians are looking to get there for the first time since 2015.

Saturday evening's game is scheduled to start at 6:00.

Howells-Dodge Girls knock off Battle Creek in Sub-District Final

The Howells-Dodge Girls knocked off Battle Creek 54-30 in the C2-7 Sub-District Final at Norfolk Catholic last Thursday night.

The Jaguars led the Braves 14-13 after one. Both teams scored 6 points in the second quarter to make it a 20-19 game at halftime in favor of Howells-Dodge.

The Jaguars tripled up Battle Creek 15-5 in the third quarter to go up 35-24 at the end of three before outscoring the Braves 19-6 in the fourth quarter.

Sam Brester had 15 points and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double, while Macey Kulhanek totaled 15 points. Chelsea Bayer added 8.

Head Coach Scott Polacek says having multiple girls reach double figures has been the recipe for success. "Normally, when a team has 4 girls in double figures, you are going to be successful.  We've had balanced scoring several times, and each of those games we came out on top."

Polacek adds his team did well on both ends of the floor against the Braves. "We did a nice job defensively throughout the game, and our transition game was excellent during the 2nd half of the BC game."

Howells-Dodge played a great second half in running away with things against Battle Creek.

The Jaguars (21-3) take on Twin River (18-6) in the C2-4 District Final at Central Community College in Columbus Saturday night.

The Titans beat Nebraska Christian 51-36 in the C2-8 Sub-District Final last Thursday night.

Polacek says his team needs to be efficient and effective on offense. "We need to take care of the ball against a very sharp defensive team. Coach Morris is a great coach, and they will make us work for our points."

Polacek adds this is a must win for his team. "We won't get a wildcard, so this game is do or die for us."

I think Howells-Dodge has a good chance to win if they play up to their potential.

This is no given win though as the Titans are a tough team.

If it weren't for a couple of upset losses Twin River would have an even better record than they already do.

So the Titans are definitely a formidable foe, and the Jaguars are going to have to play on top of their game and the best they can to come out on top.

Brester, Kulhanek, Bayer, Erin Prusa, Tessa Brester, Emily Ritzdorf, and Kalli Brester all need to have strong games for the Jaguars.

Howells-Dodge has to play like there is no tomorrow, because if they lose, there isn't.

The Jaguars have to come out and play amazing basketball, attacking the basket, and pressuring the ball heavily on defense.

Howells-Dodge has to play to the best of their abilities, and outwork, outhustle, and outplay Twin River.

The Jaguars have to want it more than the Titans, and have to try and make a memory that will last a lifetime.

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

GACC Boys fall to Winnebago in regular season finale; drop Pender in Sub-Districts

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys lost 96-53 at Winnebago in Friday night's regular season finale before winning 68-35 over Pender in the D1-4 Sub-District Semifinals at Wisner-Pilger Tuesday night.

The Bluejays led the Pendragons 13-9 at the end of one before winning the second quarter 17-12 to take a 30-21 lead into the locker room.

GACC outscored Pender 18-8 in the third quarter to go up 48-29 at the end of three.

The Bluejays notched 20 points in the fourth quarter and held the Pendragons to 6.

Kobe Slaughter led the way with 22 points and 7 rebounds while Nolan Plagge totaled 15 points. Cole Kreikemeier chipped in 13 while Landon Stalp scored 7. Andrew Guenther added 7 rebounds.

GACC really turned things on in the second half against Pender.

The Bluejays (12-13) take on Walthill (18-3) in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.

The Blujays routed Clarkson/Leigh 74-38 in the Sub-District Semifinals on Tuesday.

GACC downed the Patriots 61-27 in the regular season so based on that score this should be a pretty good game.

The Bluejays have to play a complete game though. Walthill is a really good team as they were Runner-Up in D-1 a year ago, and if GACC doesn't play four good quarters of basketball, they could very well get beat.

Slaughter, Plagge, and Kreikemeier have to continue to score the way they have lately, and must continue to play well for the Bluejays.

GACC has to try and contain the likes of Jayden Sheridan, Grayden Hallowell, Romello Porter, and Ben Lovejoy.

Those are the Blujays' top four scorers, and I think it's going to be important for the Bluejays to keep them in check.

Walthill is a mini version of Winnebago, and are good and mighty I would say.

With that said, GACC has faced a difficult and challenging schedule this year, and there's no doubt the Bluejays have what it takes to win.

GACC has to play their best game of the season to come out on top though.

The Bluejays' season will be over if they lose so this is a must win for for GACC.

One would think the Bluejays have a chance to make a run since they're in D-1 this year, but the Blujays are a formidable foe, and could very well end GACC's season.

Knowing that, the Bluejays have to get psyched, pumped up, energized, and ready for this game.

This is championship basketball, and GACC has to be on top of their game.

I would say it's going to take a complete team effort on the Bluejays' part for GACC to come out on top.

The Bluejays have to play together and as one if they want to advance to a District Final.

Game time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on 107.9 the Bull.

Oakland-Craig Boys top Omaha Brownell-Talbot in Sub-Districts

The Oakland-Craig Boys topped Omaha Brownell-Talbot 72-46 in the C2-3 Sub-District Semifinals at Fort Calhoun Tuesday night.

The Knights led 15-12 after one before outscoring the Raiders 25-10 in the second quarter to take a 40-22 lead into the locker room.

Omaha Brownell-Talbot won the third quarter 18-16 to make it a 56-40 game at the end of three.

Oakland-Craig totaled 16 points in the fourth quarter and held the Raiders to 6.

Carter Thiele led the way with 33 points and 7 rebounds while Garrett Seagren notched 17 points.

Head Coach Aaron Meyer feels his team could have played better despite the win. "I'd like to see us start both halves better than we did. We lacked a little in our defensive intensity overall. I also didn't like our overall body language on the court. We won, and by looking at the scoreboard won big, but it wasn't pretty."

The Knights (16-6) take on Yutan (17-7) in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.

The Chieftains beat Fremont Bergan 56-46 in the Sub-District Semifinals Tuesday night.

Oakland-Craig beat Bergan 65-58 in overtime so this should be an interesting game at the very least.

The Knights could still perhaps get a wildcard to state if they lose, but you never want to have to rely on the wildcard.

Oakland-Craig has to come out and play the way they did against West Point-Beemer.

The Knights have to start the 1st and 3rd quarters better than they did on Tuesday.

Oakland-Craig played well in the 2nd and 4th quarters against Omaha Brownell-Talbot, but the Knights are going to have to play well for four quarters to beat Yutan I would say.

The Chieftains are a quality team, and if Oakland-Craig isn't on top of their game and plays the way they did for part of the game on Tuesday, they could get beat.

The Knights are too good and too talented to fall short of their hopes and dreams of making state.

With that said, Oakland-Craig needs other players besides Thiele and Seagren to step up and score.

The Knights might be able to win if those two combine for 50 again, but players like Kobe Benne, Tyson Harney, and Evan Reinert have to step up and contribute as well.

Oakland-Craig has to get out and run, and be on fire from beyond the arc.

The Knights have to stay calm and poised no matter the situation, and must find a way to come through in the clutch.

Oakland-Craig must play their best game of the year to come away with the win, in my opinion.

This time of year it doesn't matter how much you win by...all that matters is that you win.

So I feel the Knights can definitely win Thursday night, but beating the Chieftains will be no small task.

Oakland-Craig has to be mentally and physically tough, and has to be ready to bring it for 32 minutes.

The Knights can't take any plays off at all. Everything has to be done with 100% effort.

Oakland-Craig has to play with heart, pride passion, toughness, tenacity, and grit to pick up the win, in my opinion.

Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Winnebago Boys down GACC in final regular season game; top Fort Calhoun in Sub-Districts

The Winnebago Boys beat Guardian Angels Central Catholic 96-53 at home Friday night in the regular season finale before winning 84-47 over Fort Calhoun in the C1-6 Sub-District Semifinals at Oakland-Craig Tuesday night.

The Indians have rolled right along as they've continued to play great basketball.

Head Coach Jeff Berridge says losing to Ponca really allowed his team to refocus. "Yes that loss helped us realize that we are human and that they need to work hard to become what they dream of State Champs. We are refocused and ready."

Berridge adds his team is very diverse on offense. "We play fast and shoot the ball a lot, it helps cause we are a shooting team any of my rotation can knock down the 3. David is a big factor in are team on both sides of the court, he can do what he wants when he wants. When we need big time buckets he is always there to make them but the supporting cast is always ready for their shots cause people are so focused on stopping him leaves them open more to shoot."

Winnebago (24-2) battles Logan View/Scribner-Snyder (18-5) in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.

The Raiders knocked off Arlington 65-62 in the Sub-District Semifinals Tuesday night.

Berridge says his squad has to play their game. "Playing Winnebago Basketball we do that we will win."

LV/SS is a solid team, and I would say slowing down Ben Moxness and Jacob Polk is the key to beating the Raiders.

Moxness and Polk have done most of the damage for LV/SS this year, and if the Indians can hold them both under their averages they should be good to go.

Winnebago can't fall asleep on Alex Hagerbaumer or Alex VonSeggern though as both had breakout games against the Eagles.

The Indians are more of an offensive team while it could be argued that the Raiders' strength is their defense.

With that said, both teams have been able to adjust to different teams this year so it will be interesting to see if both can adapt to one another Thursday night.

I don't expect Winnebago to have any trouble adapting to LV/SS's style of play if they can't get out and run, but the Indians have to get out and run as much as possible.

The more Winnebago can speed up the game and play up tempo, the better off they will be.

The Indians just have to go out and play their game and have fun like they have all season.

Wingett has to throw some dunks to electrify the crowd, and Drake Gorrin, D'Von Lapointe, Cedrick Blackdeer, and Manape Cleveland have to play their roles well as well and knock down perimeter jump shots.

Winnebago just has to get out there and play Rez ball and do their thing.

You can bet the Indians will get the Raiders' best shot, but in the end Winnebago should prevail.

As good as Moxness is, I don't think he's quite as good as Wingett.

And Polk is a very good player too, but the Indians have multiple stars whereas LV/SS just has a couple.

Berridge says these types of games bring out the best in his team. "Competitive environment always helps make us better, it should be a fun run and looking forward to it."

Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.

Logan View/Scribner-Snyder Boys down Yutan in final regular season game; beat Arlington in Sub-District Semifinals

The Logan View/Scribner-Snyder boys beat Yutan 54-51 at home in Friday night's regular season finale before defeating a pesky Arlington team 65-62 in the C1-6 Sub-District Semifinals at Oakland-Craig Tuesday night.

The Chieftains led the Raiders 13-11 after one. LV/SS won the second quarter 15-12 to go up 26-25 at halftime.

Yutan put up 12 points in the third quarter compared to 11 for the Raiders to tie the game at 37 at the end of three.

LV/SS outscored the Chieftains 17-14 in the fourth quarter.

Jacob Polk had a team-high 24 points while Ben Moxness tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double.

The Raiders led the Eagles 12-9 after one before doubling up Arlington 14-7 in the second quarter to take a 26-16 lead into the locker room.

The Eagles won the third quarter 15-13 to make it a 39-31 game at the end of three.

Arlington notched 31 points in the fourth quarter compared to 26 for LV/SS.

Moxness led the way with 25 points and 7 rebounds while Polk and Alex Hagerbaumer totaled 13 and 12, respectively. Alex VonSeggern added 7.

I thought balanced scoring for the Raiders made the difference in this game.

LV/SS (18-5) takes on Winnebago (24-2) in the Sub-District Final Thursday night.

The Indians blasted Fort Calhoun 84-47 in the Semifinals on Tuesday.

Winnebago has certainly played some great basketball for most of this season, and the Raiders have been no slouch in their own right.

This should be a good game, and I'm really looking forward to the matchup between Moxness and Polk.

You can bet the Indians will focus heavily on those two so I feel it's important for other players to step up and help out the way they did against the Eagles.

Moxness and Polk have been the show this year you could say, but I think LV/SS is going to need all their pistons firing to upset Winnebago.

This is the season for the Raiders...this is do or die for LV/SS.

There is no tomorrow if the Raiders lose this game as they're too far down in the powerpoint standings to receive a wildcard to state.

It certainly won't be easy for LV/SS to pick up a win, but anything can happen, and the Raiders have to believe they can beat Winnebago.

The Indians are pretty much ensured a trip to state win or lose, but I don't expect there to be a letdown from Winnebago whatsoever.

I'm sure David Wingett will look to dunk it over anyone and everyone he can so LV/SS has to make sure they challenge him at the rim and try to force him to make free throws.

The Raiders also have to stay out of foul trouble and slow things down to their liking.

I also think it's important for LV/SS to get Winnebago in foul trouble and play without getting in foul trouble at the same time.

Moxness and company have to take it right at Wingett and try and get him in foul trouble.

Easier said than done, but the Raiders can't shy away from the Indians whatsoever.

I don't know if LV/SS can run with the Indians, but if the Raiders did what Ponca did, which is slow the pace, they may have a chance to win.

LV/SS has to keep this a halfcourt contest though. The Raiders can't afford to run and gun with Winnebago or it might spell the end of their season.

Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.