GACC Boys finish State Runner-Up

The 8th seeded Guardian Angels Central Catholic Boys upset top seeded Dundy County-Stratton 65-55 in the first round of the Class D-1 State Tournament at Lincoln East Thursday afternoon.

The Bluejays led 19-16 at the end of one. The Tigers won the second quarter 9-7 to make it a 26-25 game at halftime in favor of GACC.

The Bluejays outscored Dundy County-Stratton 19-15 in the third quarter to go up 45-40 at the end of three.

GACC put up 20 points in the fourth quarter compared to 15 for the Tigers.

Mitch Haas had a team-high 19 points for the Bluejays while Kobe Slaughter and Nolan Plagge totaled 17 and 16, respectively.

GACC defeated Randolph 57-45 in the Class D-1 State Semifinals at the Devaney Center on Friday to advance to the State Championship.

The Bluejays jumped on the Cardinals 18-8 at the end of one before Randolph doubled up GACC 18-9 in the second quarter to make it a 27-26 game at halftime in favor of the Bluejays.

GACC extended their lead to 7 at 38-31 at the end of three by winning the third quarter 11-5.

The Bluejays outscored the Cardinals 19-14 in the fourth quarter.

Plagge led GACC with a game-high 18 points while Slaughter totaled 14. Andrew Guenther chipped in 10.

Lourdes Central Catholic ended Guardian Angels Central Catholic’s hopes of a Class D-1 state championship by beating the Bluejays 47-44 Saturday morning at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Only three teams had won back to back titles in D-1, and now the Knights are the fourth.

A 10-2 run at the end of the third made the difference in the game even though the Bluejays hit four threes in the fourth quarter to keep it close.

Haas and Plagge totaled 13 points apiece while Slaughter notched 12.

Head Coach Brad Slaughter says playing at PBA is something he will never forget. "It was a big deal, not all kids and coaches get to experience that. To make that big of run with this groups of boys, and my son, will be something that will be cherished for the rest of my life. Childhood dream."

Slaughter adds there's not a lot he feels the team could of done differently to win. "I wouldn't of changed much, maybe try to get better movement within the offense."

GACC ends the year at 16-14.

Slaughter says he will always remember this team as a team that always gave it their all. "How competitive these kids are and how they left everything out on the floor every game."

The Bluejays graduate Haas, Plagge, Slaughter, Derek Petz, Cole Kreikemeier, Sam Ulrich, Guenther, and Bryant Rief.

GACC brings back the likes of Landon Stalp, Jared Minnick, and Casey Doernemann.

The Bluejays don't return a whole lot next year with most players lost to graduation, but Slaughter says making the state championship ought to give next year's team a boost. "Has to be a big step in developing a program. Should help us understand how the strength of schedule will help in the end if you maintain the proper mind set."

I don't know how GACC's JV did this year, but the Bluejays lose a lot off this year's team.

With that said, teams like GACC just reload instead of rebuild.

Slaughter says it's going to take off season work on basketball skill to be successful again next season.

The Bluejays certainly came up short of achieving their dream of winning a state title, but just to play at PBA and experience a state championship is something that will no doubt last a lifetime for everyone involved with the team this season.

A tough schedule definitely paid off and benefited GACC in the long run.

There's not much more you could ask from the Bluejays to end the year other than to win the state title.

I think not winning it leaves more to accomplish and play for next year though.

Next year's team ought to have a deep passion and burning desire to get back to Lincoln and PBA.

And GACC can definitely get back there, they just have to work hard in the offseason and trust the process.

I credit this year's team for continuing to fight and defy the odds no matter how difficult things got at certain times this year.

This team was very senior laden, and I think the senior leadership paid off in the end for the Bluejays.

Winnebago Boys take 3rd at State for second straight year

The Winnebago Boys saw their dream of winning a second state championship in the last three years end on Friday as the Indians fell 55-52 to Wahoo in the Class C-1 State Semifinals at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Winnebago led 17-14 after one and outscored the Warriors 14-12 in the second quarter to take a 31-26 lead into the locker room.

The Indians won the third quarter 15-14 to extend their lead to 46-40 at the end of three.

Wahoo rallied in the fourth quarter, putting up 15 points in the frame compared to 6 for Winnebago to seal the deal.

David Wingett paced the Indians with 13 points while Manape Cleveland and Cedrick Blackdeer totaled 11 and 10, respectively.

Kearney Catholic gave Winnebago a run for their money in the first round at the Devaney Center Thursday morning, but the Indians held off the Stars, winning 67-63.

The two teams went back and forth in the first quarter as the game was tied at 18 after one. Winnebago distanced themselves from Kearney Catholic a little bit in the second quarter, outscoring the Stars 18-11 to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room.

The Indians extended their lead to 11 at the end of three, winning the third quarter 17-13 to go up 53-42.

The Stars got within 2 points in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, and put up 21 points in the frame compared to 14 for Winnebago, but it wasn't enough as Wingett canned two free throws to seal the deal for Winnebago.

Wingett led all scorers with 24 points while Drake Gorrin added 18. Blackdeer and Cleveland registered 11 points apiece.

Winnebago beat Columbus Scotus 71-68 in overtime in Saturday's third place game as Blackdeer hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

The game was tied at 18 after one. Both teams scored 16 points in the second quarter, and the game was tied at 34 at halftime.

The Indians won the third quarter 11-10 to go up 45-44 at the end of three.

The Shamrocks put up 19 points in the fourth quarter compared to 18 for Winnebago to tie the game at 63 and send it into OT.

The Indians outlasted Columbus Scotus 8-5 in the extra session.

It was a really good season for Winnebago. I'm sure the Indians would have liked to have won state, but third place is still very respectable.

Winnebago ends the year at 28-3.

It was a great year and a great ride for the Indians. This year's senior class accomplished a lot. 3 straight State Tournament appearances and a State Championship is an awful lot to be proud of.

Gorrin, Blackdeer, Wingett, Miguel Baker, Iktomi Rice, and Manazheega Cleveland are all lost to graduation,

Maurice Scott, D'Von LaPointe, Drew Parker, Ed Payer, Manape Cleveland, Makoonce Littlevoice, and Willy Wingett are all back and are key returners for Winnebago.

The Indians don't figure to be very tall next season, but they should be very fast and athletic.

I think Winnebago has a shot to at least get back to the State Tournament next season.

David Wingett is a huge loss for the Indians though and will be sorely missed.

You don't exactly replace that type of talent and production overnight.

With that said, there are many capable, worthy, and deserving players coming back for the Indians, and Winnebago ought to still be pretty good next year.

It will be interesting to see what the Indians have coming up though because a lot of talent will be lost after next year as well.

I do think the future of Winnebago Boys Basketball is bright, but new players have to emerge and develop, and make a name for themselves on this team.

The Indians have to play ball as much as possible in the offseason, whether it's at the school or at the outdoor court in Winnebago.

The returning players and newcomers have to work hard and put the work in this offseason to live up to what past players and teams have accomplished.

The Indians didn't accomplish what they accomplished the last three years without a lot hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and time commitment I'm sure.

I'm sure most if not all of these players put their heart and soul into the game this year and have done the same thing in past years, so the blueprint is definitely there for future players to follow I would say.

Oakland-Craig Boys lose in first of state to Elmwood-Murdock

The Oakland-Craig Boys kept things close with defending Class C-2 State Runner-up Elmwood Murdock in the first round of State at Lincoln Southeast Thursday night, but in the end, Elmwood-Murdock was too much for Oakland-Craig as they won 44-38.

Elmwood-Murdock led 14-11 after one and extended their lead to 25-21 at halftime by winning the second quarter 11-10.

Elmwood-Murdock outscored Oakland-Craig 12-8 in the third quarter to go up 37-29 at the end of three.

Oakland-Craig cut the lead to 5 late in the game, but couldn't get any closer as they put up 9 points in the fourth quarter compared to 7 for Elmwood-Murdock.

Garrett Seagren led all scorers with 22 points while Carter Thiele chipped in 11 points and 11 rebounds, good enough for a double-double.

I thought Oakland-Craig played a pretty good game, at least defensively. Oakland-Craig may not have been as sharp offensively though.

Oakland-Craig ends the year at 16-8.

It was a good season for the Knights, and Oakland-Craig should be very happy and content with what they accomplished this season,

Thiele was first on the team in scoring and rebounds with 448 points and 191 boards. Seagren was second with 437 points and 131 rebounds.

The Knights will definitely miss Thiele next season along with Zach Ahrens,

Oakland-Craig figures to be back next season though given everyone that returns.

Seagren, Kobe Benne, Evan Reinert, Robby Mayberry, Cole Bures, Tyson Harney, Wyatt Seagren, and others return for the Knights.

Oakland-Craig should be very good once again next year as long as they can find someone to replace Thiele.

That will definitely be the challenge though. His production and leadership doesn't figure to be easy to replace.

The Knights have to be excited about next year and the future though.

Oakland-Craig's returning players and newcomers have to wake up everyday dreaming about state and what it would be like to play at the Devaney Center and Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Knights took that first step in making it to state, now it's a matter of getting back there and winning a game or two.

The ultimate goal has to be playing and winning on the final day of the state tournament at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Oakland-Craig has to dream of what it would be like to win a state championship, and have it on their minds during every workout this offseason.

Champions are made from April to November, and the more work these kids put in this offseason, the better they will be in 2017-2018.

There has to be a lot of excitement and optimism around the Oakland-Craig program given the kind of season they had this year.

It's definitely an exciting time to be a Knight and part of the Oakland-Craig Boys Basketball Program.

Oakland-Craig Boys reach State via Wildcard

The Oakland-Craig Boys have qualified for State via Wildcard following Thursday, February 23rd's 64-40 loss to Yutan in the C2-3 Sub-District Final at Fort Calhoun.

The Chieftains led 19-16 after one, and won the second quarter 16-10 to take a 35-26 lead into the locker room.

Yutan outscored the Knights 14-8 in the third quarter to go up 49-34 at the end of three.

The Chieftains put up 15 points in the fourth quarter compared to 6 for Oakland-Craig.

Carter Thiele had a team-high 11 points and 10 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Garrison Dodge added 9 points while Garrett Seagren and Kobe Benne totaled 8 apiece.

Head Coach Aaron Meyer says his squad had an off game. "This is the time of year when you need to be hitting on all cylinders and we didn't do that. Yutan has quite a guard/post combo, so you have to help at times you really don't want to. To win, we need to defend, rebound, and make shots. Those 3 areas didn't come easy. We tip our hands to Yutan for a great game."

Meyer says the team thought the season was pretty much over after the loss. "Oh that was kind of a nightmarish game. One of those things where matchups wise we shot cold. I mean so before that game we had an idea going into subs that there was an outside possibility of Boys Town and GACC would go to state. We knew there was an outside possibility for a wildcard, but I'm going to be honest that night after the Yutan game we pretty much gave our thank you's and goodbyes, and thought that was it. It wasn't until on the bus ride home we saw that GACC had pulled the upset on Walthill, and we knew that there was still a little bit of life left."

16-7 and 7th seeded Oakland-Craig squares off with 23-3 and 2nd seeded Elmwood-Murdock in the first round of Class C-2 Boys State Basketball at Lincoln Southeast Thursday night  Meyer says his team is going to need to utilize its strengths and turn in a good performance to come away with the win. "We're going to have to play well. We're going to have to make shots, we're going to have to defend and rebound. We're going to be quite a bit undersized, but hope that our athleticism will help us, and hope we can get out and run a little bit."

Oakland-Craig is certainly the underdog in this game, but that's not to say they can't win.

Oakland-Craig has had a nice season, and is a very athletic team, and if the Crofton Girls can get beat by Diller-Odell, then Oakland-Craig can beat Elmwood-Murdock.

Oakland-Craig has to play much better than they did against Yutan though.

That Yutan game was one of Oakland-Craig's toughest defeats of the year without a doubt if not the toughest defeat, in my opinion.

The good thing for Oakland-Craig is they get another shot...a second chance at redemption.

It's pretty special for Oakland-Craig to be at state, and they have to do everything to play and compete well and at a high level Thursday night.

If Oakland-Craig can get out and run and hit from the outside...look out.

I think Oakland-Craig can give Elmwood-Murdock a run for their money if they are on.

Size and State Experience could definitely be a factor in this game, but I fully expect Oakland-Craig to hold their own.

It will be interesting to see what happens. It would be a huge deal for Oakland-Craig to win as they haven't won a state game in 10 years.

Just being at state is a big deal in itself though. Opportunities like this don't come too often, and so Oakland-Craig has to make the most of their opportunity at state.

Oakland-Craig has to be ready to bring it for four quarters, and must play their best game Thursday night.

Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. Catch the action on 107.9 the Bull.

GACC Boys down East Butler in District Final to reach State

The GACC Boys had their way with East Butler in the D1-2 District Final at Clarkson last Tuesday night, winning 68-39.

The Tigers hit the first basket of the game, but the Bluejays quickly went on an 11-0 run, and led 16-10 after one. GACC won the second quarter 16-12 to take a 32-22 lead into the locker room thanks to a Sam Ulrich made shot near the end of the half.

The Bluejays outscored East Butler 24-11 in the third quarter to go up 56-33 at the end of three.

GACC doubled up the Tigers 12-6 in the fourth quarter.

The Bluejays  were led by Kobe Slaughter, who had a game-high 22 points. Nolan Plagge chipped in 17 while Mitch Haas registered 11. Cole Kreikemeier totaled 8 rebounds.

Head Coach Brad Slaughter. "I mean they're a very nice team. I was wondering a little bit about the depth. I thought maybe the man pressure would get them tired and stuff, and it did get them tired. And they were gassed at the end. And we're conditioned well. So the key for us was pressure and just being smart with the ball."

Slaughter says his team was ready for the Tigers. "Yeah we had a good game plan for East Butler. We were wanting to create a lot of pressure for them, and we thought that would help us out in a couple different ways, but number one making them tired and also limiting the best shot selection."

14-13 and 8th seeded Guardian Angels Central Catholic and 23-3 and top seeded Dundy County-Stratton square off in the first round of the Class D-1 Boys State Basketball Tournament in Lincoln on Thursday. Slaughter says the Tigers are a very worthy opponent. "Well I think it's going to be a great game. They definitely have some nice athletes, they have some nice scorers. They've put together a very, very good season, and to play that many games and have that kind of record is a testimony to their team and part of their tradition."

The Bluejays are making their first appearance at state since 2012 while Dundy County-Stratton is there for the 3rd year in a row.

It'll be Slaughter's first trip to state. "We want to enjoy the moment. The seniors and all the kids that worked hard I mean I want them to cherish this opportunity. And of course we're going down to compete at a high level. We don't just want to get there, we want to get there and play."

The Bluejays will try and duplicate the girls' efforts at the state tournament this weekend by knocking off Dundy County-Stratton and winning state. Slaughter says it would be a tremendous accomplishment for both Bluejay teams to win state, but the D-1 field isn't easy by any means. "Well that would be great, that would be fun, it would be a great time to be a Bluejay. But we got our work cut out for us. It's definitely feasible, I mean the field that we have, the field of 8 teams, I mean looks to be a pretty well balanced field. And which the team that gets on the hot hand and the roll at any given point in time is probably going to come out pretty good."

I think GACC has a shot to win state.

The Bluejays have played their best basketball of the season as of late, in my opinion, and have played a very tough schedule, and are battle tested.

If GACC plays the way they did against Walthill and East Butler there's no doubt in my mind they have a chance to do something in this state tournament.

Basketball is really strong in the Mid-State Conference and in Northeast Nebraska, and I think the Bluejays will represent themselves very well in this State Tournament.

It would be awesome for GACC to play at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday. That's every kid's dream.

Thursday's game, which is set to start at 2:00 p.m. at Lincoln East, will air on 107.9 the Bull.

Winnebago Boys ready for another State run

The Winnebago Boys secured the No. 1 seed in the Class C-1 State Basketball Tournament in Lincoln by downing Columbus Scotus 65-50 in the C1-3 District Final at Norfolk High last Monday night.

The Indians led 20-13 after one before the Shamrocks won the second quarter 12-7 to make it a 27-25 game at halftime in favor of Winnebago.

The Indians outscored Columbus Scotus 19-8 in the third quarter to go up 46-33 at the end of three.

Winnebago put up 19 points in the fourth quarter compared to 17 for the Shamrocks.

Head Coach Jeff Berridge says the win was bigger than just claiming the top seed. "It was big. More than that it was like a moral victory for us. Being they were ranked number one almost all year long, so we were kind of down in the rankings. So it was a big win for us that way, and it's a big win getting the number one seed going into the tournament. I mean we kind of got the easier side of the bracket, but Class C-1 there's so many good teams in the tournament anybody could win it really."

Berridge adds his team knew what to expect from and came ready to play against the Shamrocks. "Yes we did. We were anticipating a good game, and that's what we got. And our boys came out and they fought hard. And we kind of controlled the game for a while, and it got close, but at the end of the game we pulled it out and we won."

26-2 and top seeded Winnebago meets 21-5 and 8th seeded Kearney Catholic in the first round of the State Tournament Thursday morning. Berridge says the Stars are well coached, but if his team plays their game they should be fine. "I mean they're a solid team. They're there for a reason. And I've been told their coach has been there for a while. And he's got a pretty good system. And his kids always run his system pretty good. So we're just looking to play Winnebago Basketball, and if we do that there's not a whole lot of teams that can run with us up and down the court for the whole game."

The Indians are making their third straight state tournament appearance, and are looking to win C-1 again after winning it in 2015, while Kearney Catholic is making their first state appearance since 2014.

This is a tough C-1 field, but there's no doubt that Winnebago is capable of winning the whole thing.

I think the state championship will come down to the Indians and either Bishop Neumann or Columbus Scotus, and if Winnebago plays the way they did against the Shamrocks they should stand a pretty good chance to win the C-1 title for the second time in the last three years.

David Wingett has to have a huge tournament, and must come up big with some monster dunks and things of that sort for Winnebago.

This tournament is a huge showcase for him in terms of where he could land in College.

More important than that though is how the team plays.

The Indians just have to play Rez Ball, and play it at a high level.

Winnebago just has to play their game, and do what they did two years ago, and they should be fine.

The Indians have to play their tails off for four quarters every game they play in this tournament, and cannot afford to take a single play off.

One possession, one turnover, one missed lay up, one missed free throw, could be the difference in at least one of these state tournament games for Winnebago.

The Indians simply have to do everything in their power to come out on top and become state champions once again.

The Indians take an 11-game winning streak into Thursday's game, which is set to start at 9:00 a.m. at the Devaney Center.

The game can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

GACC Girls win Class D-1 State Title

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Girls Basketball Team won their 6th State Championship in School History on Saturday, knocking off Dundy County-Stratton 53-50 in double overtime at Pinnacle Bank Arena in the Class D-1 State Title Game.

The Bluejays led 8-7 after one before winning the second quarter 13-12 to take a 21-19 into the locker room.

The Tigers outscored GACC 12-10 in the third quarter to tie the game at 31 at the end of three.

Both teams scored 7 points in the fourth quarter, and the game was tied at 40 at the end of regulation.

Both teams scored 5 points in the first overtime, and the score was tied at 45 heading into the second overtime period.

The Bluejays outscored Dundy County-Stratton 8-5 in the second overtime session.

Lexis Haase led GACC with 19 points while Makayla Tomka and Maddie Knobbe registered 12 apiece.

GACC advanced to the Class D-1 State Championship Game by knocking off North Central 67-50 in the State Semifinals at the Devaney Center Friday morning.

The Bluejays led 15-10 after one before doubling up the Knights 20-10 in the second quarter to take a 35-20 lead into the locker room.

North Central won the third quarter 16-15, and the score after three was 50-36 in favor of GACC.

The Bluejays outscored the Knights 17-14 in the fourth quarter.

GACC was led by Haase with 25 points. Knobbe added 14 while Hannah Hunke and Lauren Wobken chipped in 9 and 8, respectively.

GACC was given a scare through three quarters by Meridian in the first round of the State Tournament at Lincoln Southwest Thursday morning, but the Bluejays used a 16-point fourth quarter to win 37-29.

GACC trailed 24-21 in the fourth quarter before going on a 10-0 run to lead 31-24.

The game was tied at 21 at the end of three after the Mustangs led 13-12 at halftime.

The Bluejays held a 6-3 lead at the end of one

Haase led GACC with 13 points while Tomka added 11. Wobken chipped in 9.

Head Coach Jerry Stracke says his team overcame a poor shooting performance to win on Thursday. "It seems like we always have one bad shooting day at the state tournament, but not too many teams could shoot like that and come away with a win. They did a nice job making up for it on the defensive end and never gave up when things didn't go their way."

The Bluejays end the season at 24-2 in claiming their first State Title since 2012.

Stracke says his players have a lot to be proud of. "Any time you get down to state its a great achievement and winning it is icing on the cake. It was nice to see their hard work pay off. We have good athletes and good support from the parents and fans. Just happy for them to have that chance to experience it - it will be something they will remember for the rest of their lives."

GACC graduates Hunke, Tomka, Knobbe, Wobken, and Emily Reeson.

The Bluejays bring back the likes of Haase, Maddie Bracht, Allison Plagge, Marissa Hunke, Allie Knobbe, and others.

Stracke adds this year's team was special. "This group was a great group to work with. Great attitudes and work ethic. They had to overcome a lot of obstacles and it made them stronger and better at the end."

It was a great run and ride for GACC, and the Bluejays had a tremendous season, and have plenty to be proud of.

Stracke says his team has to be willing to put in the work to get back next year though. "Commitment to shooting and working during the off season."

GACC has a great Girls Basketball Program, and I imagine the Bluejays will be back at state for a 21st consecutive season.

GACC figures to be sort of young next year, but the Bluejays should still be good as they always reload instead of rebuild.

GACC certainly loses some integral pieces from this year's state championship team, but should be good again next season.

What a ride and what a season the Bluejays had this year though.

I want to personally congratulate these girls on winning the state title...they have an awful lot to be proud of.

All the hard work, time, dedication, and sacrifice this team put in really paid off in the end.

It was a picture perfect end to the season for the seniors, and gives the underclassmen a clear cut idea of what being the best is like and what it's going to take to get back.

Howells-Dodge Girls win C-2 State Title

The Howells-Dodge Girls won their first ever State Championship as a Consolidated School on Saturday, topping Diller-Odell 39-30 in the Class C-2 State Championship Game at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The Jaguars jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first quarter and led 14-7 after one before the Griffin won the second quarter 14-13 to make it a 27-21 game at halftime in favor of Howells-Dodge.

Howells-Dodge outscored Diller-Odell 5-1 in the third quarter to lead 32-22 at the end of three.

The Griffin put up 8 points in the fourth quarter compared to 7 for the Jaguars.

Macey Kulhanek paced Howells-Dodge with 12 points while Sam Brester had 9.

Howells-Dodge advanced to the Class C-2 State Title Game by taking down Ponca 47-44 in the State Semifinals at the Devaney Center Friday afternoon.

Things were tight throughout as the Jaguars held just a one-point lead at the end of one, 12-11. The Indians outscored Howells-Dodge 12-9 in the third quarter to take a 23-21 lead into the locker room.

Ponca went on a mini 5-0 run to start the second half, and led 28-21, before the Jaguars responded with a 10-0 run of their own to pull in front 31-28.

Howells-Dodge led 33-30 at the end of three, and both teams scored 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Brester led all scorers with 22 points and 9 rebounds while Kulhanek notched 12 points.

Howells-Dodge advanced to the State Semifinals for the third year in a row on Thursday by knocking off Cambridge 58-41 in the first round of State at Lincoln North Star.

The Trojans led early, taking a 17-13 lead at the end of one, a quarter highlighted by the Jaguars' Sam Brester's buzzer beating three pointer. The difference in the game was in the second quarter as Howells-Dodge outscored Cambridge 21-6 to lead 34-23 at halftime.

Both teams scored 11 points in the third quarter, and the score after three was 45-34 in favor of the Jaguars.

The Jaguars won the fourth quarter 13-7.

Howells-Dodge was led by Brester, who had a game-high 25 points and 15 rebounds, good enough for a double-double. Kulhanek added 19 points.

Head Coach Scott Polacek says winning the state title means a lot to both communities. "It is great for our communities. The two towns have incredible traditions of sports, and expectations are high, so we put a lot of passion into our season, to keep the tradition alive."

The Jaguars end the year at 25-3.

Polacek adds having previous state experience really helped his team win it this time around. "We've been to the tournament for 2 years previous, so we were easily able to handle the stress of the weekend. We knew what to expect. We had different girls have great games throughout the tournament, and that balance gave us an edge."

Howells-Dodge loses Brester, Emily Ritzdorf, Kalli Brester, Chelsea Bayer, and Tessa Brester to graduation.

Polacek says these seniors meant a lot to the Jaguars' year. "We had an excellent group of seniors who had tremendous desire, and that was the difference the whole season."

Howells-Dodge brings back the likes of Kulhanek, Erin Prusa, Tonya Brester, Grace Dvorak, Jessi Brester, and Emily Wragge.

But Polacek says next year is the last thing his team is thinking about right now. "It will be awhile before we think about next year. We have our town/team celebration next Saturday, and we are going to enjoy it until then!"

This is something the Jaguars should let soak in and feel great about for quite a while.

Howells-Dodge should be very proud of what they accomplished this season. To win a state title is something these girls will never forget.

The Jaguars were a great team this season, and I feel honored and privileged to have broadcasted a game of theirs this season.

Howells-Dodge was definitely worthy of this state championship, and it couldn't of happened to a better team.

There's a lot to get after to defend their state title next year, but the Jaguars ought to enjoy this one for a while, and party and celebrate lots.

State titles are very rare to come by for most schools, and this is a time that Howells-Dodge has to really enjoy.

All that hard work and dedication put in by these players paid off and culminated with a state title.

The Jaguars reached the Pinnacle this year again, and came through when it mattered most this time around.

These Howells-Dodge seniors ended their careers on the Huskers' home court, and you could not ask for more if you are the Jaguars.

Pender Girls fall to Dundy County-Stratton at State

The Pender Girls saw their season come to an end at the State Tournament in Lincoln Thursday afternoon as the Pendragons lost 47-40 to Dundy County-Stratton.

The Tigers led 11-7 after one before winning the second quarter 12-10 to lead 23-17 at halftime.

Dundy County-Stratton outscored Pender 10-8 in the third quarter to lead 33-25 at the end of three.

The Pendragons put up 15 points in the fourth compared to 14 for the Tigers.

Pender was led by Amber English with 15 points. Kam Anderson added 9 while Hallie Ballinger totaled 8.

It was a great season for Pender. A trip to state is a great way to end the season.

The Pendragons end the year at 18-9.

Big wins for Pender this season came over Oakland-Craig, BRLD, Hartington Cedar Catholic, North Bend Central, and Stanton.

I thought the season defining game for the Pendragons was the second game against Stanton. Pender was down 12 and came back in won in overtime. And had the Pendragons lost that game there would of been no wildcard to state.

I thought Pender had a great season. These girls meant a lot to and did a lot for this program this season.

The impact the Pendragons had on the area this year was significant, and they should be very proud of their accomplishments.

I'm sure Pender is probably disappointed they couldn't beat Dundy County-Stratton, but I still feel the Pendragons were one of the top teams in D-1.

I think it could be argued that Pender was the third best team in the state in D-1 this year.

Pender says goodbye to seniors Ballinger, Anderson, English, and Cecilee Jacobsen.

These seniors meant a lot to Pender Girls Basketball, and will be deeply missed without a doubt.

The Pendragons return the likes of Michaela Wegner, Tymaree Krusemark, Rylee Lehmkuhl, Sarah Krueger, and Briana Jorgensen.

So Pender loses quite a bit of talent, but returns some good players too.

I think the Pendragons have a chance to be a good and competitive team in the future.

The returning players and incoming freshman have to work hard in the offseason, and live up to the standards set by this year's senior class and past senior classes that made the state tournament.

Pender has been a real solid program since about 2010-2011, and the Pendragons have to keep working hard and improving to continue their success of the past 7 seasons.

There's still some talent in the pool at Pender, but it's critical for next year's players to put in hard work this offseason if the Pendragons want to be successful in the future.