Harvest Sports

Sunday Edition: Summer Breeze

Tony Chapman — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:11:00 +0000

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Kearney Catholic’s Hazel Haarberg was usually all alone during the sprints at the Class C state track meet. The Nebraska recruit won the 100 and 200 in state record fashion. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

The Spring Sprint

There are few things more exhilarating (and exhausting) than getting through the spring sports season and their respective championships for us. Starting with soccer and concluding with state golf (which spreads from Scottsbluff to Columbus) the 20-ish days of May state championships are a grind.

(And, why we sometimes need a little reset.)

We were again honored, and humbled, to put together a team to help share the stories and recaps of each state championship for the Nebraska School Activities Association.

If you missed any, we are glad you subscribed. Here they are for you to read just in case as 17 state team champions were crowned in May.

SOCCER: It was a return to the top for both Lincoln Southwest and Gretna in the boys state championships. The same could be said for the girls side, as Omaha Marian and Lincoln Pius X claimed state titles. Our Nick Rubek had all the coverage. You can also read Nick’s season recap here.

STATE TRACK AND FIELD: The four-day run of state track at the new and improved Omaha Burke stadium was full of “new flags” in the north end zone. The Wednesday and Thursday session had Class A state titles for Lincoln North Star (boys) and Papillion-LaVista South (girls) and in Class B the teams title went to Waverly (boys) and Bennington (girls). In all, 12 state or state meet records we set in the Class B meet.

More dominating performances came on Friday and Saturday in the Class C and D meets. In Class C, the Kearney Catholic girls won their third straight title while Chase County returned to the top of the boys race. In Class D, Dundy County Stratton completed their second consecutive boy-girl sweep of the team titles.

BASEBALL: With a wet Friday poised for Omaha, the state baseball finals were delayed one day, but it didn’t dampen the effect on the games which saw three one-run decisions in the finals. And, state championships for Millard North, Omaha Skutt Catholic and a first for Lincoln Lutheran in Class C. Our Terry Douglass had all the coverage.

GIRLS TENNIS: Lincoln East kept their stranglehold on the Class A state tennis field winning their fourth Class A state title in the last five years, while scoring 56.5 of 60 possible points. In Class B, Gretna East’s “team title” (with no champions) led to a first title in school history. Our Chris Basnett had all the coverage at girls state tennis.

BOYS GOLF: The state boys golf championships had a little bit of everything to cap the 2025-26 championship season. Team title repeats for Lincoln East (Class A) and Creighton (Class D), a historic first for Bennington and in Class C, Bergan outlasted Adams Central in a team playoff.

The sun sets on the Firefighters 4-2 win over the Savannah Bananas at Haymarket Park on Thursday night. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

🍌🍌 Banana Ball

The fearless of the Newsletter house is a big fan of the Savannah Bananas. So, when we were able to score club tickets to the game on Thursday night at Haymarket Park there was definite excitement in the air.

We are sure some of you went to the stadium show last night, too.

This Bananas thing is, well, bananas. Super fun and self made by ringleader Jesse Cole. You’d do well to listen to this podcast with Cole and Ryan Hawk. The show he has built — this is not a baseball game, though you get the sense that both Bananas and the Firefighters are competing to win — is out of this world.

If you ask me — a non-baseball aficionado — its more fun than baseball. Doesn’t means it’s America’s Pastime, but it is fun, no doubt. The 11 “Banana Rules” bring a sense of pace and excitement to the game as well.

Our favorite? The sprint that occurs on the fourth ball call. The batter can go as far as they want while the fielding team must have all nine players touch the ball before they can make an out. While this usually results in the batter just reaching first, it’s a hoot to see the infield play around the horn at mach speed while the outfield sprints in from their position.

And, while they keep the traditional score (we forget to even right it down, maybe it was 8-7 Firefighters) it’s winning innings that matters most in Banana Ball. Win an inning, get a point. That’s how the Firefighters 4-2 win was determined.

Better yet? Go up 1-0 in the bottom of an inning? Inning over. Other team can’t win. Switch sides. The game moves so quick (and has a two-hour time limit, if needed).

Rating out of 10 bananas? We give our Banana Ball Experience a two thumbs up 10.

Odds and Ends

If you know the Newsletter you know that golf and basketball are high on the list. So a few things we are following and followed so far this summer.

TOP-10 TEAM CAMP: Kearney (Class A, B, C1) and Bloomfield (C2, D1, D2) were the winners at the Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase Top-10 Camp earlier this week in Kearney.

The Bearcats are loaded. And they should produce a team that is equal to or better than their 2025-26 version that advanced to the state semifinals in Class A. Returning starters Augusta Ganz, Hallie Garner, Libby Province formed a good nucleus and that has added Alma transfers Kinley Ford and Kam Scott as well as Elm Creek standout Kendal Cavanee.

The Bearcats beat O’Neill in the final. We were super impressed with Eagle Hannah Hilker in the title game. The senior-to-be averaged 16.9 points per game last season.

On the small school side, Bloomfield got past Centura in the final game. The Queen Bees made quite a statement in 24 hours after losing in the Class D-1 state final in March.

Behind sisters Kennedy and Madyson Mlady, Bloomfield beat Pender twice (in pool play and in the semifinals) before topping the Centurions in the final. Centura had two big wins of their own topping Class D-1 champion Howells-Dodge twice (in pool play and the semifinals).

If we saw a Saturday in March that included these four teams it would not be overly surprising. But, it’s funny how brackets work out.

THESE KIDS ARE GOOD: You might watch a little golf, but the Nebraska Junior Amateur this week at Oakland Golf Club was sensational golf.

Creighton Prep’s Tommy Kelley and York’s Jaxson Hinze (both Nebraska commits) staged an epic dual down there stretch with Kelley winning by one on 14-under par in a record-setting tournament.

On the girls side, another Nebraska pledge — Brooke Thiele — claimed her second title with a 6-under par winning score. Thiele, who played for the Bishop Neumann boys team and was a Class C medalist.

Both players will advance to the US Junior and US Girls Junior this summer with their victories.

Indeed, these kids are GOOD.

📸📸 From Spring

Lincoln Pius celebrates their first state soccer title since 2005 on Tuesday. The Thunderbolts defeated Blair 2-1 for the Class B title. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Chase County discus standout Noah Rau compete in the Class C competition on Saturday morning. Rau set a Class C meet record with a throw of 196-04. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Millard North celebrates their first state baseball championship since 2005 after they defeated Lincoln East 6-5 in extra innings for the Class A title. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Lincoln East’s Briana Rademacher returns a ball in the Class A state championship match on Friday, May 22. Rademacher won her third title at No. 1 singles. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Kearney Catholic’s Nash Malone hit his tee shot on the sixth hole at Lochland Country Club in the Minden Invite earlier this spring. Malone won his second straight Class C championship. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

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Record Setting Season

Nick Rubek — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Not even weather could dampen the spirit of high school soccer in the state of Nebraska.

And it sure tried.

Thunderstorms broke up perhaps the best match of the eight-day event, causing it to switch venues and ultimately finish – in thrilling fashion – the next day.

Then temperatures dipped for the finals, which were also delayed for a day due to the weather.

Still, the state showed up – with blankets, of course.

A final-night attendance of 7,529 for a pair of boys championship matches was the second-highest figure in state soccer history, behind only the 8,200 that packed Morrison Stadium for the 2013 finals.

And what they witnessed was another step forward in the progress of the sport in Nebraska.

— A new benchmark for girls and goals.

— Breakthrough performances by two of the most tradition-rich female programs in the state.

— Returns to the top for a pair of boys teams with plenty of their own history.

It all added up to one of the more memorable postseason pushes in recent memory, capped with four state finals that didn’t disappoint, either. Here’s a final breakdown of the 2026 season.

Omaha Marian’s Skylar Farley (13) advances the ball upfield in the Class A championship game. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

CLASS A GIRLS

The trophy case at Omaha Marian doesn’t ever really collect dust. But it might just need to be expanded after the Crusaders took home the program’s 15th state title.

Their first since 2017 had to feel like a sigh of relief for a Marian side that had lost in the final three straight times (2018, 2019, 2025) since winning its last crown.

Leading scorer Leena Brunt tallied one in the first half, and an own goal forced by Cooper Dally sealed the deal after the break as Marian got back on top in Class A.

A return to the throne came after two-time defending champion Lincoln Southwest was upended by Elkhorn South in the semifinals. The Silver Hawks were trying to become just the fourth program in Nebraska history with a Class A girls three-peat.

Instead, they had to settle for another strong season, buoyed by a record-breaking season from junior forward Ansley Throener. The Nebraska commit racked up 59 goals – the most ever by a girl in either class – and added 17 assists, finishing 28 points clear of any other scorer in Class A. She had ten hat tricks on the season.

Lincoln Pius X Haley Thomsen (15) works the ball upfield in the Class B state final. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

CLASS B GIRLS

The third time was the charm for Lincoln Pius X.

After falling short in title matches each of the previous two seasons, the Thunderbolts struck for a pair of first-half goals less than 90 seconds apart and handed previously unbeaten Blair its first loss of the season in a 2-1 victory for the state title.

Margo O’Donnell and Eva Kolm each found the back of the net in the span of 85 seconds, and the Pius defense did enough late to hold on for the win.

But not before Blair star forward Cadence Field would make her mark, registering the 33rd goal of her sophomore season, the most in Class B.

Field and the Bears bring back almost an entire roster next season after reaching the state championship round for the first time since 2001.

Full Girls Soccer State Recaps on the NSAA Website

Lincoln Southwest’s Miguel Solano works the ball against Omaha South’s Hugo Hernandez in the Class A state championship game. Solano’s goal in the 41st minute was the lone score of the contest. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

CLASS A BOYS

A surging scorer and a determined defense led Lincoln Southwest back to the top.

The Silver Hawks rode a second-half goal from Miguel Solano and leaned on a banged-up back line for the rest, outlasting Omaha South 1-0 for a state title, the program’s first since 2014.

Solano, who had four goals through Southwest’s first 13 matches, racked up nine in the postseason, including six at the state tournament.

But it was his last – a brilliant individual effort – that will live in Silver Hawk lore.

The senior forward stuck with a run through a pair of defenders, finding just enough space to get off a quality strike that proved to be the winner.

From there the Southwest defense — a unit missing multiple key contributors from a season-long battle against the injury bug — did its best work.

A patchwork back line and keeper Brentyn Ebeler kept the ninth clean sheet of the season for Southwest, giving head coach Derek Scheich his first state title.

Omaha South was playing in its sixth Class A final in the span of 13 seasons, and got there with one of the more dramatic wins imaginable.

The Packers outlasted defending state champion Omaha Westside in the semifinals — a replay of last year’s title tilt. The match, which started on Friday night at Morrison and ended Saturday at UNO, featured eight goals and wasn’t finished until South scored in the tenth round of the shootout.

The Gretna Dragons, including Evan Brewer (21), celebrate their 2026 Class B state soccer championship on Wednesday at Morrison Stadium. The Dragons defeated Lexington 8-2 in the title game. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

CLASS B BOYS

Eight was again a lucky number for Gretna in a state championship.

The Dragons racked them up early and then late, matching the program’s own record for goals in a final in an 8-2 victory over Lexington.

Elijah Fulton scored the first of his three in the third minute and tallied two more in a late surge just 12 seconds apart, the fourth hat trick in the final six matches of the season for the senior.

Alex Sowinski and Nate Thiellen each added a pair — including goals in a decisive late surge that saw the Dragons net five goals in a stretch of just over 12 minutes. It turned a one-score game into a runaway championship for Gretna, the program’s fourth all-time.

The scoreboard snowman also matched Gretna’s record from 2022, an 8-0 win over Omaha Westside for the Class A title.

Full Boys Soccer State Recaps on NSAA Website

Sunday Edition: The Standard

Tony Chapman — Sun, 03 May 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Dundy County-Stratton’s Clara Spargo runs the finals of the Class D 200 meter dash at the 2025 State Track Meet. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

The old saying, “the standard is the standard” rings true in many athletic programs around the country and around the state of Nebraska.

It has come to mean just a little more in Benkelman, where track and field coach Mike Spargo has built a sort of small-town juggernaut with his DCS Tigers. Both of his Dundy County-Stratton teams won the Class D state championships last season in record-setting fashion.

And, they appear set to make just as much noise at Burke Stadium again in a few weeks when the 2026 event kicks off on May 22.

“We are really just trying to get through to our kids that they should be the best version of themselves everyday,” Spargo said. “If you have a good day, make the next one better. But, if you have a bad day make that one better, too.

“We just try to hold ourselves and our kids to be the best versions of themselves they can be. We even shorten it down to just ‘be you.’ You don’t have to be anybody different than yourself.”

Last spring in sweeping the Class D state titles, the Tiger boys scored 87 points and the girls scored 86 — both thought to be state meet records — and won 10 events between the two teams.

This spring has been much the same for DCS.

The brother-sister combo of Brock and Kennedy Bailey leads the class in both weight throws after they won each at the 2025 state meet. They are not just Class D leaders, but state leaders. Kennedy’s discus throw of 159-11 is seventh in the nation. Brock leads the state in the shot put with an early April throw of 63-10.

Senior boys Ethan Latta and Kevin Garcia-Guzman also have their sights on gold medals in Omaha.

Garcia-Guzman is second in the 110 hurdlers in Class D and leads the class in the 300 hurdlers with a time of 38.98 that he ripped off on Friday at the RPAC Championships. Latta leads Class D in the high jump (6-6) and both are on the 400 and 1,600 meter relay teams that will be gold medal contenders.

Garcia-Guzman, who finished second in both hurdle races last year, said getting to Omaha last year with his team has motivated them to repeat the feat this month.

“Last year was very cool,” he said. “You go through all the emotions of seeing all of your hard work pay off. And, at the beginning of this year we kind of set our standards for what we can do and what we want to do as a team. We just keep working at it and see what we can do.”

There is that word again. Standard.

“We want to go down there and score 100 points,” Garcia-Guzman added.

DCS senior Kevin Garcia-Guzman run the 110 meter hurdlers at the Chase County Track Meet. Garcia-Guzman has the top time in Class D in the 300 meter hurdlers and is second in the 110s. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

The sister combo of Clara and Abi Spargo — the coaches daughters — join Bailey to form a dynamic trio that can win the state title nearly on their own. Clara is a senior pledge to Northern Arizona, while Abi is a sophomore.

Clara has battled injuries this spring and has slowly worked herself back after winning four gold medals at last year’s meet in the 100, 200, 400 and the 400 relay. Clara and her coach have not settled on the district and state meet events just yet.

It’s been a near dream season for Clara Spargo and the entire school on the girls side of sports. After winning last year’s title — the first girls championship in school history — they added a D-2 semifinal appearance in volleyball, then finished 28-1 in basketball and the Class D-2 state champions.

“It has just been about a perfect year,” Clara Spargo said. “Even though I have battled injuries a little bit, I just feel like we have a bunch of girls that are willing to do anything to score points for our team this year. And, I think this year we can get some more girls at state to be a part of this which will be good for our program.”

DCS hurdle standout Abi Spargo runs in Imperial. Spargo, a sophomore, leads Class D in both the 100 meter and 300 meter hurdle races. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Clara will try for a third straight Class D 400 meter title for sure and she’ll also focus on the 200 and the 400 relay; the last event could be the 100 or the 1,600 relay. Sister Abi, who leads the state in both the hurdle races and is on the 400 relay team could add the 400 (her current time leads the state) or that 1,600 relay.

The Tigers are that deep with talent that making a run with the relays seems inevitable. One thing is for sure, Coach Spargo will have input from his runners. It’s how he runs his program, to maximize the points they can score.

“You know, it’s really fun for us to do,” he said, “because we try to get the kids involved in the process. We try to give them a lot of opportunities. It’s why we let Ethan go long jump and have Kevin run the 100. We love to have their input and our coaches input.”

If they could add events, the Tigers may score even more. Latta set the school record in the long jump this season and Garcia-Guzman ran a sub-11 second 100 meter dash.

Yes, the standard is alive and well in Benkelman.

“If we pull attention away from it, and when we stop upholding ourselves to that standard then the standard is going to drop,” coach Spargo said.

Unfortunately for the rest of Class D track, that standard doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.

STATE LEADER: DCS junior Brock Bailey throws the shot put at the Chase County Track Meet on April 21st. Bailey leads Class D and all-classes in the event. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

New Season, Same Movie

Nick Rubek — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Lincoln Southwest’s Yai Tong — a senior captain — tries to break past the Lincoln Southeast defense in the Heartland Athletic Championship game. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

You’ll have to excuse Lincoln Southwest if there’s a case of déjà vu spreading.

If this season feels like one the Silver Hawks have lived before, it’s because they have - last season.

This campaign’s flagpole moments are eerily similar to one that ended at Morrison Stadium last May.

Shootout loss to Norfolk – after 100 minutes of scoreless soccer - in the season’s second week.
A mid-April setback to rival Lincoln Southeast.
A bounce back effort for Heartland Athletic Conference tournament title immediately after.
Hotly contested loss to Omaha South to wrap up the regular season.

Adding one more similarity — a trip to the state tournament — will mean Southwest was able to adapt and overcome.

The Class A, No. 3 Silver Hawks enter the postseason hunting an eighth-straight appearance at state, a trek that begins with next week’s district tournament.

It’s a side that is a real threat to win it all, too — the Silver Hawks own a pair of wins over fellow top five teams.

“That’s a testament to the players for stepping up and rolling with it,” Silver Hawks coach Derek Scheich said. “It’s been kind of a process over the course of the season to get everyone singing from the same sheet.”

An early-season high note — a shootout victory over perennial power Omaha Creighton Prep — was muted a bit as injuries began to mount.

That match, played on the final Saturday in March, was the last time Scheich penciled in his preferred 11.

Shuffling in the back began as three of the four Silver Hawk starters on defense were hurt. Only one defender – senior Tanner Drought – has played in all 13 Southwest matches this season.

“It’s just been a next man up mentality and we’re making the most of it,” Scheich said.

Junior captain Peyton Tiernan shored things up a bit, moving from the midfield to a spot in the back left.

“That’s just been huge,” Scheich said. “He’s been a real servant for us. He probably doesn’t want to play centerback, but he does for the team.”

Tiernan’s absence in the middle created a void that senior Noah Schroeder has helped fill. Schroeder has chipped in five goals and five assists – good for second on the team in points - in a more attacking role.

“He’s surpassed every expectation,” Scheich said. “He sometimes plays like he’s two guys.”

Scheich also gives a tip of the cap to sophomore Ricky Gomez, who he said stepped into a starting role in the middle and has taken on a lot of the defensive responsibilities as Schroeder pushes forward.

And then there’s the man behind them, keeper Brentyn Ebeler. The senior, a two-year starter, has seven clean sheets despite all the moving around in front of him.

“We’ve had people step up and fill roles,” Ebeler said. “I feel like our togetherness is our strength. I feel like we’re a really tight group and work well together.”

Lincoln Southwest goalkeeper Brentyn Ebeler defends a shot against Lincoln Southeast in the Heartland Athletic Conference championship match. The Silver Hawks won 3-0. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Ebeler will play at Northeast Community College, the 2024 national champion in junior college’s Division II. But before that, he’s looking to help get Southwest back to the same place his predecessor did – a state final.

After two seasons as the understudy behind keeper Dylan Beiermann, an All-Nebraska selection in 2024, Ebeler took over in goal a year ago and has 14 shutouts in his two seasons between the pipes.

“It was really good to have a guy ahead of me that was as talented as Dylan that I could watch and learn from,” Ebeler said.

He also credits the addition of assistant Jacob Hardy, a former Kearney standout that still owns the Nebraska high school record for career shutouts.

Scheich has pointed to Hardy’s senior season – when Kearney won three 1-0 matches at the state tournament – as a blueprint for the Silver Hawks.

“Postseason is who is willing to suffer, and who is going to play mistake-free soccer,” Scheich said.

On the other end of the pitch, the leader is someone with familiar names – yes, both.

Sophomore forward Messi Alawadi has a team-leading six goals for the Silver Hawks. His older brother Mabast was the leading scorer and an All-Nebraska selection in 2024.

And much like his namesake Lionel Messi, the younger Alawadi has the gift of touch.

“He’s so good on the ball - it’s like glue, it’s stuck to his foot,” Ebeler said. “And he’s such a dog, to be honest. He stepped up through injury. He just loves soccer.”

Added Scheich: “He’s been super instrumental for us. His work rate and attacking quality has been really important for us.”

“LIKE TWO GUYS.” Lincoln Southwest’s Noah Schroeder (6) has moved to the middle of the field for a Silver Hawk team that has battle injuries. He’s second on the team in points scored. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Alawadi, who has battled multiple leg injuries throughout the season, got the opening goal in the 3-0 revenge victory over third-ranked Lincoln Southeast in the HAC final in late April. It was a match that he wasn’t even expected to play in after landing awkwardly on his leg two days earlier.

His emergence wasn’t just important for Southwest, it was timely, too.

After racking up eight goals in a season-opening win over Lincoln North Star, the Silver Hawks averaged just two per match in their next nine outings. Three of those matches were scoreless.

“Hopefully we can find our shooting boots here as we head into the postseason,” Scheich said.

In his tenth season as head coach, Scheich has helped the program establish a high bar. Southwest won its lone title in 2014, but was upset in the opening round the next season. Back-to-back missed state tournaments followed before Scheich took over.

The Silver Hawks have reached the state semifinals in four of their seven tournament appearances under Scheich, playing for the title twice.

“The expectation is really high,” he said. “We lose a match and sometimes the reaction is ‘this is the worst thing ever.’ One of the things we preach to our guys is that it’s not pressure, it’s an opportunity. ‘You’re at a program where the expectation is success, and you should embrace that.’”

Sunday Edition: Chasing Noah

Tony Chapman — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Chase County’s Noah Rau enters the discus ring on Tuesday at the Longhorns home meet. Rau won the event with a throw of 200’11”. The Nebraska pledge holds the state and state meet records in the event. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

If you don't know about this nowhere, you don't know me / Not everybody thinks we got it made, but we do, don't we? — from "Don’t We” by Morgan Wallen

There is something peaceful about a drive out west down Nebraska Highway 61. On a day like last Tuesday — hot and steamy, with a slight breeze — it ends at Chase County High School’s discus ring.

This is a land of rolling hills, ranches, cattle, fiber internet (if you know, you know) and, well, hard work. Indeed, this mountain time zone oasis is not for everyone. But, it fits Longhorn Noah Rau just perfectly.

“The people of Chase County, the support they give us is just amazing,” Rau said, not long after competing for a final time in Imperial on Tuesday.

Rau has sprung up out of this land like a corn field in June. Planting his seed and then working hard to be the best he can be. Now, the Chase County senior and Nebraska track and field pledge — not on anyone’s mind until this time last year — is one of the top-five prep discus throwers in the United States.

At last year’s state meet, he broke the state record with his throw of 203’9” to win Class B and the all-class gold medal. It was his first throw over 200-feet in competition after he had thrown 198’10” in districts. Marty Kobza’s mark had stood since 1981.

Now, 200-feet is commonplace for Rau who has hit the mark in four meets this year including yesterday in Hershey. He has not lost a Nebraska discus competition since he finished 15th at state as a sophomore and now, with Chase County back in Class C for 2026, he holds the state record in two different classes.

But, Noah Rau’s secret ingredient to his state record in the discus — now standing at 207’3” — isn’t going to take long to tell you about.

He did it the Chase County way.

“Every day, you have to wake up with an attitude that you are going to get better,” Rau says behind his home bleachers. It’s too bad a group of youngsters weren’t listening. “It wasn’t like overnight I went from a 130 (feet) thrower to a 150-feet thrower.

“One week it started at 130, then 135 and just progressively it got better. It’s crazy what you can make happen with consistency, hard work and dedication.”

Noah Rau unleashes his final attempt of the competition at the Chase County Invitational on Tuesday. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Longhorn track coach Carl Zuege has seen it all first hand. He said Rau’s success has spread, not only in his track team but throughout the school.

“When your best athlete is your hardest worker that’s when you see excellence like Noah has, but it’s contagious,” Zuege said. “You can’t put a value on a kid like Noah.

“He’s in the weight room at 6:00 AM every day; he comes out by himself and throws on the weekend. I think early last year, we knew we’d have a good one. I am not sure we fully expected this, but he has done everything it takes to get to this level.”

This Highway 61 corridor has seen it’s fair share of recent success, too. Zuege said many of the area athletes feed off each other.

Last spring, behind distance phenoms Mason McGreer and Elijah Goodell, the Perkins County boys won the Class C state track title. Down the road in Benkelman, the Spargo sisters and the Bailey brother-sister combo have set Dundy County-Stratton up for a chance at back-to-back boys and girls titles in Class D.

Last fall, the Chase County girls cross country team won the Class C state championship. All that in addition to Rau’s all-class gold.

“We have seen a lot of kids around here — even at this meet — like Mason last year and the Spargo girls and Dundy County this year,” Zuege said. “It’s a rising tide. Southwest Nebraska has been on fire in track and field recently.”

Noah Rau waits for his next attempt in the shot put at the Chase County Invitational on Tuesday, April 21st. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Noah Rau’s discus has taken him across the country.

From Kentucky to Oregon, he visited many of the top track and field programs in the nation. He flew in above the horse training facilities in Kentucky and performed in the Nike Nationals meet at venerable Hayward Field in Eugene, OR.

“(The recruiting process) was just so much fun,” he said. “You really have to embrace it and I got to enjoy that with my family. Each trip meant a lot to us.”

In the end, with the focus on throws in Lincoln all that traveling led back home for Rau.

“It wasn’t a close decision at the end of it,” he admits. “Nebraska was fantastic. The new facilities are just amazing and they have a throws focus with their coaches. The new throws facility they have is one of the best in the nation. I am super excited to be a part of it.”

Zuege wasn’t surprised, either.

“Noah comes from just a great, humble, solid family,” he said. “You never worried about him making the wrong decision.”

Before Lincoln, there is still work to do for Noah Rau. It’s conference, district and, finally, state track season where the Imperial wonder will have his eyes on another state championship, another all-class gold medal.

“The last few summers, it has just been a lot of work in the weight room and a lot of work in the ring,” he says. “Improving by 40-feet last year was just awesome to see. I put in even more work last summer just trying to get better. It’s hard to get 40-feet better when you are at 200, but it’s fun to see what we have gotten out of the work this year.”

Now, a final high school step awaits Noah Rau. You sense he is completely ready.

“We like to say pressure is a privilege,” he adds. “You just have to embrace it and see where the Lord can take you.”

North on Highway 61 out of Imperial, Interstate 80 is about 45 miles away. When Chase County turns east for Burke Stadium, Rau will have one final chance for more history.

Everyone else, it seems, will just be chasing.

Back For More

Nick Rubek — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:11:00 +0000

BACK FOR MORE: Members of the Schuyler soccer team celebrate a goal in last year’s Class B state championship game. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Somewhere between a final horn in May and the first whistle the following March, Schuyler soccer coach Ulises Fuentes faced perhaps the biggest challenge of his young career.

And it was one that he’d be happy to take on again and again.

After guiding Schuyler to its first-ever state soccer title a year ago, Fuentes had to balance the joy of reaching the top with the desire to get back there.

“Now we have to work twice as hard,” Fuentes said. “It was a great year, but we have a goal. That goal is a little different. Now, we have to defend that title.”

The top-ranked Warriors have adjusted to life as the hunted, running out to a 15-0 record entering the final week of the regular season.

Fuentes and company have now won 31 in a row dating back to the Class B title run last season. It’s been more than a calendar year since they’ve experienced a loss, and even longer since losing to a Class B opponent.

“With this new group, we’ve basically been playing together since we were little kids,” senior David Arciga said. “We always had one goal, and that one goal was winning state. We just went out there that day and proved what we needed to prove.

“Now we have to prove it again.”

The senior, Schuyler’s leading goal scorer after notching his 21st of the season in a 3-1 win over Grand Island Northwest on Tuesday night, is part of a captain’s group that Fuentes leans on to help keep the target in sight.

There’s one at each level – the forward Arciga up front, midfield maven Kevyn Martinez in the middle, central defender Kevin Mariona in the back, and keeper Marcos Gomez between the pipes.

Having a core like that was especially handy early in the season when last year’s triumphs were clouding a bit of this year’s goals.

Schuyler captain David Arciga leads the Warriors with 21 goals on the season. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

After knocking off Bennington in the championship match last May, the Warriors returned home that night to a hero’s welcome that included an escort of police, fire, and rescue.

Players and coaches were celebrities around town for most of the summer.

It’s part of what often makes staying on top harder than getting there.

“Sometimes they think they’re the champs,” Fuentes said. “I think we’ve been overconfident in some games. And you’ve got to stay away from that.”

Thus is life when a significant portion of a roster returns after reaching new heights. But replacing the production from departing senior Obed Benazo – an All-Nebraska striker – and three other starters was a priority.

Enter sophomore Omar Genchi.

Four of Genchi’s 18 goals during a breakout freshman campaign came at the state tournament. Most were of the highlight-reel variety.

He’s already exceeded that total this season, adding 20 more goals and a team-leading 11 assists.

“Honestly, he’s a phenomenal player,” Arciga said of Genchi. “He likes having the ball at his feet. And when he has the ball at his feet, he can do whatever he wants.”

Said Fuentes: “He’s quick on the ball. If you’re going to give him a little space, he’s going to take the shot. He’s going to go for it.”

Genchi had braces in three of Schuyler’s final six matches a year ago. He found the back of the net seven times in that stretch, including two each against Crete and Hastings in the Warriors’ first two matches at Morrison Stadium.

That production didn’t come as a surprise to Fuentes.

“I saw that coming,” he said. “With the chances he had at state, he took advantage of it.”

It’s been more of the same this season.

Genchi hit the ground running with a hat trick against Aurora in the season-opener. He notched both goals in a 2-1 win over a traditionally-tough Elkhorn Mount Michael team less than a week later. Then came another brace against York and three more goals – to go with a pair of assists – in a 14-0 win over Columbus Lakeview to put a bow on the month or March.

Super sophomore Omar Genchi has scored 20 goals and added 11 assists for undefeated Schuyler so far this spring. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

It’s not just goals, too. Genchi’s 11 helpers are among the state leaders.

“He brings speed, assists, passing,” Fuentes said. “He’s going for it.”

Not to be outdone, Arciga has found the back of the net in 12 of his team’s 15 matches, following up a 25-goal junior campaign with a state-leading 21 already this season. He’s had six matches with two or more goals, equaling last year’s tally for multi-score outings.

“I think it’s our chemistry,” Arciga said about the strength of this version of the Warriors. “Our attacking third has been really good at finishing, and our defense has been really solid, too.”

Both ends of the Schuyler formation did their parts in a pair of matching 2-1 wins over third-ranked Omaha Roncalli and No. 5 Lexington.

Mix in a victory over Class A No. 9 Grand Island – by the same scoreline - and there have certainly been tests this season. Another, a visit to seventh-ranked Columbus Scotus, awaits this weekend, before the regular season wraps up next week in a home game against Ralston.

Then comes another calendar flip to the money month of May.

“Once we hit the end of April, that’s when it really starts to fly,” Arciga said. “We just have to take it game by game, not get ahead of ourselves.

“I think this group goes in and gives 100% no matter what.”

That’s part of what Fuentes said will be the biggest key to a repeat – mentality.

“We make mistakes and we learn from it,” Fuentes said. “Trust is the biggest thing. You’ve got to trust it and take the chances.”

Sunday Edition: Tunnel Vision

Chris Basnett — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Harrisburg, South Dakota’s Brianna Reilly leads the field at the Titan Classic 1,600 on Thursday night. Reilly, one of the top distance runner’s in the nation, won the event in 4:53.89. (For Harvest Sports / Jay Slagle, Prep Running Nerd)

One by one, the rock stars were introduced.

And if they didn’t already know this was a big deal, the eight girls competing in the special elite heat of the Titan Classic 1,600 at Papillion-La Vista South High School figured it out pretty quickly.

“Thank you for being here,” a meet official told the group before they took the track. “I hope everyone makes a great memory today.”

Safe to say everyone did just that in what was just your standard twilight mile that will go down as one of the fastest in Nebraska girls high school history.

That an eighth-grader (an eighth-grader!) won the race — Harrisburg, South Dakota’s Brianna Reilly finished first with a time of 4:53.89 — was only part of the story.

As word spread over the past couple weeks that this was going to happen, expectations built. When it was time for the race, each runner was introduced individually, jogging from the 50-yard line to the start line after hearing their name.

Then the runners, and everyone watching them, delivered.

“I had a lot of fun, especially with the crowd, it was like they were engulfing you almost,” said Papio South freshman Emily Hegge, who finished third. “So definitely on that final stretch, and every single lap, it was just so much fun.”

Oh yeah, the crowd.

The normal rhythm of a track meet was paused for the race, and spectators were allowed to stand on lanes 5 through 8 of the track. Combined with the sea of competitors crowding the rope on in the infield, the home straight turned into a chute for the competitors to run through.

“It was so loud; I couldn’t hear anything. It brought back basketball memories, like the district final game,” said Crofton freshman Avery Arens, who finished second. “And it was like, this is amazing.”

Reilly, Arens, and Hegge all broke the five-minute barrier. All eight runners finished in 5:10 or better, and five of the eight ran personal bests. Arens’ time of 4:56.18 broke the Class C state record in the 1,600, a mark she had already broken with a handheld time of 5:02 just last week.

North Platte’s Kori McClain (7) and Waverly’s Emma Steffenson (5) compete in Thursday’s Titan Classic 1,600. Steffenson, a Nebraska commit, finished fourth with a Class B leading time of 5:00.92. (For Harvest Sports / Jay Slagle, Prep Running Nerd)

Harrisburg’s Reilly, one of the best young runners in the entire country, was able to compete because the South Dakota High School Activities Association allows seventh and eighth-graders to compete on varsity in certain sports.

Reilly’s personal best of 4:46.50 at last summer’s Brooks PR Invitational, one of the top youth track meets in the nation, would be an all-class Nebraska state record.

The credentials of all eight runners were impeccable. Arens shattered the all-class course record at last fall’s state cross country meet on her way to the Class D state championship. That same day, Hegge won the Class A title.

Another Harrisburg freshman, Hanna Genrich, had a personal best of 4:56.96 coming in. Waverly’s Emma Steffensen is a University of Nebraska commit who has the top 800 in the state and leads Class B in the 1,600. She nearly cracked into four-minute territory, finishing in 5:00.92. North Platte’s Kori McClain was third in the fall at the Class A state cross country meet. Papio South’s Ashlyn Carter and Omaha Marian’s Maya Freyer both rank among Nebraska’s best distance runners.

The idea for the competition bloomed from the mind of Papio South coach Jeremy Haselhorst, who organized the event in part to give his star freshman, Hegge, a look at the best in the region, and in part to bring the region’s best together.

Haselhorst was partly inspired by what didn’t happen last track season when two of the state’s top boys distance runners, Fremont’s Juan Gonzalez (now at Oregon) and Gretna East’s Braden Lofquest (now at Duke) never met head-to-head as each took turns lowering the state record in the mile.

No such worries in 2026. Arens and Hegge pushed each other the entire race, and had begun closing the gap on Reilly before the eighth-grader held on.

“We went out at a pretty good pace, then as the race went on, we got faster and faster,” Hegge said. “And I think that is definitely a positive, especially at the state meet, having this race and having the girls around me to push me, it’s just a great opportunity.”

It’s an opportunity that could well present itself again next season. The hope is to bring the Titan Classic 1,600 back in 2027 with many of the same competitors — five of the eight runners were in eighth, ninth, or 10th grade.

“I can’t wait to see them again and be able to run with them and push myself to do the best,” Arens said.

Crofton’s Avery Arens (right) and Papillion-La Vista South’s Emily Hegge congratulate each other at the end of the Titan Classic 1,600. Arens was second in setting a Class C record and Hegge finished third. (For Harvest Sports / Jay Slagle, Prep Running Nerd)

Growing Up Fast

Nick Rubek — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:11:00 +0000

Bellevue West senior Mandy Morgia heads the ball in Thursday’s match with Class B, No. 1 Lincoln Pius. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Bellevue’s baby birds are growing right up.

And after reaching new heights a year ago – a historic season fueled by a fabulous freshman class - Bellevue West’s girls soccer team is on the hunt for more.

“That experience was great,” Thunderbirds coach Alan Carr said. “But they’re hungry to get back.”

The “back” he’s talking about is the biggest stage – Nebraska’s state tournament. Carr and company notched the program’s first win there last May, knocking off perennial power Lincoln East in the quarterfinals.

It gave a team that often started six or more underclassmen a taste of what it’s like to play with some of the best the state has to offer.

As did the way the T-Bird season ended – a semifinal loss to an Omaha Marian team that they had beaten twice during the regular season.

“I think that’s already added a little more fuel to the fire,” Carr said. “Honestly, seeing that motivation and drive is going to be an important part. We’re going into this year with a team that’s going to be a little different than last year’s team — when we were going in as the underdog.”

The location of the target has certainly shifted to the backs of Bellevue West.

It’s part of the deal when you have the kind of success they did a year ago and bring back almost everyone. All but one of the 110 goals the Thunderbirds racked up a year ago were by players again on the roster this season.

“Some of our most influential players last year were freshmen,” Carr said.

Yirah Sears and Vanna Reitsma - Class A’s top two goal scorers – garner the attention, and deservedly so. The duo combined for 68 goals and 43 assists a year ago.

The 35 goals and 27 assists from Sears — then a freshman — led the state’s biggest class. Reitsma, a Nebraska-Kearney commit, was just behind in both categories, finishing with 33 goals to go with 16 helpers of her own.

The duo pushed a Thunderbird attack that racked up seven wins with seven goals or more.

And it’s been more of the same this season.

West has ushered in another crop of standout freshmen while only replacing two seniors from a year ago.

They’ve hit the ground running, too.

Sears has continued her torrid pace, racking up eight goals through West’s first four games – all wins. The T-Birds outscored opponents by a combined 27-1 tally in that stretch, including a 3-0 season-opening win over one of Class A’s preseason favorites in Elkhorn South. They also added a 4-1 victory over Papillion-La Vista, a state tournament qualifier a year ago.

Then came the early-season measuring stick match against perennial power Omaha Marian.

Carr’s crew led on two separate occasions before giving up a late score in a 3-2 loss. It was another close affair in what quickly became one of the state’s top rivalries.

While he wasn’t ready to count moral victories, Carr said his side’s confidence was a key takeaway from the state semifinal rematch.

“Last year going into those games, we sat very defensively and tried to hit a counter,” Carr said. “Losing to (Marian), it hurt and it sucked. But I was proud of the way the girls played.”

The Thunderbirds split their next two — bouncing back with a win over traditional power Omaha Westside — before falling to Class B, No. 1 Lincoln Pius X on Thursday afternoon.

Bellevue West midfielder Zoe Ryan works the ball upfield against Lincoln Pius X. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

It adds up to a 5-2 start entering the Metro Conference tournament — a milestone moment a year ago when West won the first conference crown in school history.

Through the front half of the schedule, it’s been another fresh face up front that’s led the way.

Sophomore winger Josie Ryan has found the back of the net in five of Bellevue West’s seven games this season. Included in Ryan’s early output were a pair of hat tricks — both in one day.

Ryan tallied four against Class B contender Omaha Duchesne and three more against North Platte, running out to an early lead atop the Class A scoring charts.

“Great third option,” Carr said with a joking laugh.

Ryan got in the mix a year ago, finishing with 14 goals and six assists during her rookie season. But it was where she did her attacking from that was notable.

A threat up top for most of her youth career, Ryan played a key defensive role for the Thunderbirds last year.

“It was honestly not as hard as I thought it was going to be,” she said of the move to the back. “But I like (winger) a lot more. I feel like I can connect better.”

Having an additional weapon on the edge makes the Bellevue West threat even more dangerous than it was a year ago.

Said Ryan: “You can’t shut just one of us down.”

Despite the early returns, Carr doesn’t expect Ryan to be stuck in one place for too long.

“She gave us so much stability in the back last year,” he said. “Naturally she’s an attacking player, a wide attacking player and we’ve obviously put her up there already. The thing is ‘how can you replicate her?’”

Utilizing Ryan’s versatility to his team’s advantage is a good start, Carr added.

“She’s starting in a high position for us this year, but I think she’ll move around a little bit,” he said.

They’ll need all hands on deck for a schedule that certainly jumped up a level in competition. Bellevue West played just four matches against state tournament qualifiers in the regular season a year ago – two against Marian, one each against Millard West and Papillion-La Vista.

Through just two weeks this season the Thunderbirds have already matched that number.

“We’ve got some really tough games,” Carr said. “Those are games that will challenge us.”

Bring it on, Ryan says.

“I feel like we were super confident going in,” she said of the early-season big games. “It’s kind of intimidating at first, playing some of those teams - they are really good teams. I just feel like the more we play, the more confident we’ve gotten.”

Made in March

Tony Chapman — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:11:00 +0000

March has passed and it was busy one, so as we begin April we take a look back. We’ll start by giving you a final girls basketball Power 20 for the awesome 2025-26 season that was and then who knows where it goes from there. But, the good news is this — the sports calendar has changed and we have some more stories lined up for you starting on Friday with a new member of the team and some soccer.

As always, thanks for being on this ride with us. We appreciate all the good vibes you send our way for the “different” way we try to bring you Nebraska sports (pretty cool to mix in a little Nebrasketball last week from Baz). So good.

It prompted this text to us from a friend of the Newsletter.

“Chris, great story today! America needs more of what you guys are doing. There should be 3,000 versions of what you are doing all across America reminding us of why our nation fell in love with sports in the first place. So, so good. …you’re keeping hope alive in some of (redacted 😀)-aged coaches who are worried we lost everything that got us in this crazy business.”

We couldn’t agree more. Share with your friends if you like. Your words, however, they come mean the world to us.

Bennington’s Macie Reiner handles the ball in the Badgers state championship game win over Gretna East. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

The Girls Hoops Power 20

A final wrap on a such an awesome girls basketball season. You may or may not agree with our final Power 20 and that’s okay. We still appreciate you all!

1 - Bennington (28-0): I think many will take a pause at this final ranking, but just know this: the Badgers will be the team to beat when they move up to Class A next year at the start of the season. So we put them here to end 2026. Last ranking: 1.

2 - Lincoln North Star (27-1): The Navigators completed a dream season that ended with the first-ever team state championship in school history. A total team effort that was punctuated with an outstanding defensive effort for three games at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Last ranking: 3.

3 - Omaha North (26-5): A historic season for the Vikings should not be diminished one bit by a title game loss to North Star. North was leading most of the first half before star Jo Metoyer went down with an ankle injury. The Viking ship will be loaded pretty well next year. Last ranking: 2.

4 - Millard West (21-5): The attempt at third straight state title ended in the Class A semifinals to Lincoln North Star, but still another great run for Coach Marc Kruger’s Wildcats who will need to replace Minnesota-bound Kylee Paben. But, everyone else is back. Last ranking: 4.

5 - Omaha Westside (22-6): Despite a quarterfinal loss to Millard West at state, the Warriors stay slightly ahead of Kearney (a semifinalist) based on a strong back half of the season, just four Nebraska losses (three to teams in front) and the win over Omaha North. Last ranking: 5.

6 - Kearney (21-4): A historic season in Buffalo County for the Bearcats who won their first state tournament game since 2008. Their young starting cast could be ready to improve on 2026 next season. Drew Danielson will sleep well this offseason. Last ranking: 6.

7 - Milford (28-1): One of the great small-town seasons we can remember. The Eagles soared to the Class C-1 state title and completed a volleyball, basketball double in the process. You know about Shayla Rautenberg, but the supporting cast that returns — Abby Crabtree, Adalyn Cisneros and Ashlynn Miller — will have the Eagles firmly in the top-10 to open 2026-27. Last ranking: 8.

8 - Malcolm (27-2): Two losses. An all-timer to Milford in the regular season. And another to the same team in the state finals where the Clippers simply ran out of gas. The Dolliver sisters got their one crack together in a historic season in “The Village” that led to Malcolm’s first state title game appearance. Last ranking: 9.

9 - Lincoln Southwest (16-9): A big jump for the Silverhawks, who played round three with Kearney in nailbiting fashion before losing in the opening round in Lincoln, 55-51. Seven of nine losses to teams ahead of them here plus a win over Kearney in the HAC Tournament. Last ranking: 15.

10 - Gretna East (22-6): A late-season surge by the Griffins lands them in the top-10 after a trip to the Class B finals. The all-around play of junior Madi Shelburne made up for the unfortunate loss of standout guard Sophia Lindsey down the stretch as Gretna East upset Norris in the Class B semifinals, 45-43. Last ranking: 16.

11 - Norris (23-4): A season long run in the top-10 falls just short of that mark for Norris, which lost two of their final five games this season. Prior to that it was just two losses to Bennington and a big win over Milford early in the season. A talented nucleus returns. Last ranking: 7.

12 - Lincoln Pius X (21-5): If you want to move Pius up in your rankings, we don’t mind. They played really good teams very, very well. A 43-38 loss to North Star, and they took Bennington to the buzzer in the state semifinals as well. But, hard to ignore the head-to-head losses to both Gretna East and Norris. Last ranking: 10.

13 - Pender (28-2): We are now in 1990s Sandy Creek territory for the Pendgragons won their fourth straight state title. A second in Class C-2 (2023) to go with two in Class D-1 (2024, 2025). The Pendragons took on all comers with just losses to West Central, SD (a Class A state qualifier) and Lincoln Christian. The season punctuated by a big Showcase win over Millard North in Kearney. Last ranking: 12.

14 - Omaha Westview (20-6): A second straight trip to Lincoln for the Wolverines, who played in the Metro Conference final and won their last 10 games before losing to Omaha North in Lincoln. Last ranking: 14.

15 - Millard North (15-10): The Mustangs move back up after earning the wild card berth to Lincoln. The Mustangs, however, defeated just one team that made it to Lincoln — Omaha Westside. Last ranking: 20.

16 - Omaha Marian (14-10): A strong final month for the Crusaders, who gave Kearney all they could handle for about 27 minutes in the district final. Last ranking: 13.

17 - Gothenburg (23-5): A return to the Power 20 for the Swedes who defeated Ogallala and Fort Calhoun in Lincoln to finish third in a loaded Class C-1. Halsey Thomalla had one of the great tournaments in recent memory with 85 points over three games. Last ranking: NR.

18 - Elkhorn Valley (28-1): Another fantastic season for the Falcons that ended with a lone loss to Pender in the Class C-2 state title game. EV has won 56 of 58 games with two Class C-2 title appearances the past two seasons. Last ranking: 17.

19 - Central City (24-4): Let’s analyze the Bison for the first time all year. Excellent group of athletes; many were on the Class C state softball runner-up team. Lost four games by 17 points total. The opponents: Malcolm, Elkhorn Valley and Milford (twice). Their 37-34 meat grinder with Milford was the Eagles closest game in Lincoln. Gave Class C-2 qualifier Centura two of their four losses and in a month where Raymond Central beat fellow state qualifiers Lincoln Christian AND Fort Calhoun, the Bison beat the Mustangs 54-26 in the district final. Last ranking: NR.

20 - Lincoln Christian (24-3): Our final spot comes down to Lincoln Christian (they will hang me in Fort Calhoun) and Papillion-LaVista with the nod going, just barely, to the Crusaders. All based on scores with No. 12 Lincoln Pius X. The Bolts played the two teams on back-to-back nights in mid-January and beat the Monarchs by 13 (on the road) and LC by 10 (at home). Heck, Pius coach Ryan Psota may disagree. He probably does. But, we’re sticking with it. Last ranking: 11.

Watching You (listed alphabetically by class): Bellevue West (14-11), Lincoln High (17-7), Papillon-LaVista (16-8), Fort Calhoun (25-4), Holdrege (22-5), Ogallala (21-5), Raymond Central (19-5), Centura (24-4), Guardian Angels CC (21-8), Oakland-Craig 24-4), Yutan (22-5). Special Mention: Howells-Dodge (22-7), Dundy County-Stratton (28-1).

Abi Spargo of Class D-2 champion Dundy County-Stratton. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

A Mental Attitude Award

If you know the Newsletter — even just a little — you’ll know the love we have for the Indiana high school basketball tournament. And, heck, the way they do high school sports there in general. Just last Saturday, they finished the state high school boys tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

One of the great things they do each year — in all sports — is the awarding of the “Trester Award” for mental attitude. You can read about the award here. At the beginning of each state tournament school administrators and coaches, select a player from their team to be nominated for this award given at the conclusion of the tournament. While historically, the award is given to a player on the losing team in the finals that is not always the case. Bobby Plump of Milan was the 1954 winner — they turned him into Jimmy Chitwood.

Off and on for many years in Nebraska, I have wondered if an award like this could happen. South Dakota does a similar award called “The Spirt of Su” Award, named after 1992 South Dakota Miss Basketball SuAnne Big Crow. This year, however, I just couldn’t get out of my mind, that this would be a perfect year for an award like this in Nebraska.

The winners — for me — would start and end with Scottsbluff’s Nate Kelley and Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver. We profiled both earlier this month. And as we sign off of a great winter sports season they both epitomize to us exactly what high school sports should be all about.

Scottsbluff do-everything point guard Nate Kelley. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Before You Go

Our final recaps from the state boys and girls basketball championships can be read at the links.

Also if you missed any of our other recaps you can catch them at the following links: state dual wrestling, bowling, girls wrestling, boys wrestling and state swimming and diving championships.

Watch. Dream. Float.

Chris Basnett — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:54:20 +0000

From the Editor: Chris Basnett was the Nebraska basketball beat writer for the Lincoln Journal Star from 2016-2022. He joined the Harvest Sports teams in October after his position was eliminated at the newspaper. Last week, he attended the NCAA Regional in Oklahoma City where Nebraska — somehow, someway — advanced to tonight’s Sweet 16 matchup with Iowa. The words that follow speak to the heart of this Nebraska team and its fans in a perspective that few could experience. But, we are thankful Baz — a lifelong Nebrasketball fan — has this perspective.

Enjoy!! — Tony Chapman

The scene in Oklahoma City before Nebraska’s opening game of the NCAA Tournament against Troy last Thursday. (Harvest Sports / Chris Basnett)

Are your emotions ready for another one?

Are you sure?

Thing is, it’s OK if they’re not.

We’ve all spent the past few days trying to unravel what the Nebraska men’s basketball team did in Oklahoma City. The truth? We might never completely wrap our heads around it.

Now we prepare for Thursday night’s Sweet 16 (SWEET 16!!!) game. Of course it had to come against Iowa. Does it remind you, even just a little bit, of the NU football team having to beat Miami in 1994 to win that national title?

Your heart sank when you saw the Hawkeyes beat Florida. You can’t stomach a loss to that program, on that stage. They’ve punched you in the gut too many times.

But your head knows Nebraska is the better team. Your head also knows that no matter what happens Thursday, this has been the greatest basketball season Nebraska has ever had. You only get one of those.

You should also know this:

Demons are there to be slayed.

Nebraska has already knocked down so many walls (and Busch Lights).

A first-round win by 29 points? You would have been less surprised had NU won by two. Even as the lead grew to 15, then 20, then 25, it still didn’t feel safe; history playing tricks against what your own eyes were showing you to be true. But with six or seven minutes left, you could finally let your guard down and celebrate that first tournament win.

And then you back it up by winning the best game of the tournament so far, with an environment and an ending so ludicrous Hollywood would think it was too much — a Lincoln kid hits the winning shot on the birthday of the team’s most popular player and coach’s son, and the other guy’s half court shot rattles so deep in the cylinder there’s no way it should have come out. But it did.

This is life now as a Husker hoops fan. Let that roll around in your mind for a minute.

All of the bad breaks and B.S. of the last 130 years of Nebrasketball made Saturday night possible. We can't forget that.

That crowd, that moment, that release after the brilliant Tyler Tanner’s 60-foot heave rattled in and out? None of that happens without the failures of the past.

We can’t and shouldn’t forget that disappointment. We aren’t here, right now, without it.

But now all of it is dead. Forever.

Twitter tweet

I will remember three things over everything else from those three days in Oklahoma City.

— First, what we already talked about: the collective holding of breath from 15,000 as Tanner’s last, desperate shot sailed through the Paycom Center air. My wife and I were fortunate (or not) to have seats almost directly behind where Tanner let it fly. It looked good from the second it left his fingertips. And with the history of Nebraska basketball, why would you think anything else?

You often hear the phrase, “it took my breath away”. In a world of hyperbole, that phrase has lost meaning. But if you were there in person Saturday night, you understand it to be true.

How many times have you watched it? How many times have you looked at the ball leaving Tyler Tanner’s hand, convinced this was the time it was going through?

And how many times have you finished watching, only to realize you hadn’t been breathing, again?

— Second, the joy Thursday in Section 112 as the final seconds ticked off Nebraska’s 76-47 win over Troy. The three guys right in front of us who spent the whole game hollering, then stood silently, arms around each other’s shoulders, drinking it in.

The tears, from grown men (this one included) that had seen a lifetime of other teams getting that moment. The blowout allowed the time for those emotions to slowly build. I wonder how many thought about how they would react in that moment, and how different it was when that moment arrived.

If Saturday was raw, unfiltered pandemonium, this was something different — excitement, yes, but something more. A richness of feeling that only comes in those most special of life’s moments. Nebraska could win the national championship in a couple weeks, and the feeling of seeing that might match what we felt on Thursday. But it wouldn’t surpass it.

— And third, seeing my wife’s happiness while Nebraska made history.

Megan sacrificed for me, becoming a basketball widow in the winters when I covered the Huskers for the Lincoln Journal Star from 2016-2022. It was a lot of cold nights home alone while her husband was out watching some of the most disappointing basketball this program has ever put on display.

Were there a few highlights? Sure. There was also Christmas Day in 2020, the middle of COVID, when I sat in a mostly empty Pinnacle Bank Arena watching what would end up being a 7-20 Nebraska team lose to Michigan while Megan, nine months pregnant, sat home alone on the holiday.

Our son was born three days after that game.

One of the people who texted me congratulations while we were still in the hospital? Fred Hoiberg.

You don’t forget gestures like that. And as the years have gone by, Megan’s fandom has grown along with Hoiberg’s teams. We feel a connection to that program that not many others can. Our son, now past his fifth birthday, talks about “Sammy my boy” when Nebrasketball is on the TV. Our own boy watching Fred’s boy play and trying to mimic that reckless abandon.

So no, we were not going to miss this.

And in the delirium of Saturday’s win, Megan’s joy radiated. We hugged each other. We hugged others. She took pictures of fathers and sons who were at that game together. She threw her arms around me for photos those fathers and sons took of us. She took video after video, capturing the experience while I was too dazed to do much of anything.

Soon enough we were in the mass of people outside the arena, wandering aimlessly — at the same time stunned, delirious, and overjoyed — unsure where to go but certain we needed to give another hug, hand out another high-five, take another picture, make another memory.

My phone told me I walked more than 10,000 steps Saturday night and into the wee hours of Sunday morning, but that can’t be an accurate measure of how far I traveled.

How can it tell when you float?

Chris Basnett and his wife, Megan, poise for a portrait in Oklahoma City last week during the NCAA regionals. Just two of thousands of Nebraska fans, who journeyed to see the Huskers first-ever NCAA Tournament win. (Harvest Sports / Chris Basnett)

2026 Boys State Tournament Super-Six All-Tournament Teams

Tony Chapman — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:00:00 +0000

Lincoln Southwest, Scottsbluff, Ashland-Greenwood, Archbishop Bergan, Howells-Dodge, and Archangels Catholic were crowned champions at the conclusion of the boys state basketball championships on Saturday. Below are our picks for the 2026 Super-Six All-Tournament Teams.

All Class

Nate Kelley (Scottsbluff), honorary captain. Gavin Baker (Archbishop Bergan); Uzziah Sanders (Lincoln Southwest); Derek Tonjes (Ashland-Greenwood); Levi Webb (Papillion- LaVista South); Dakari Wilson (Lincoln Southwest).

Class A

Uzziah Sanders (Lincoln Southwest), honorary captain. Connor Falkinburg (Papillion- LaVista South); Bryce Johnson, Jr. (Bellevue West); Makkiah Sanders (Lincoln Southwest); Levi Webb (Papillion- LaVista South); Dakari Wilson (Lincoln Southwest).

Class B

Nate Kelley (Scottsbluff), honorary captain. Evan Greenfield (Norris); Kellen Murphy (Elkhorn North); Rylee Meininger (Scottsbluff); Sutton Piatkowski (Elkhorn North); George Ziebell (Omaha Skutt Catholic).

Class C-1

Derek Tonjes (Ashland-Greenwood), honorary captain. Cal Kissenger (Ashland-Greenwood); Trey Schieber (Douglass County West); Sawyer Smith (Ogallala); Brenton Wenzl (Auburn); Cooper Westerhold (Ashland-Greenwood).

Class C-2:

Gavin Baker (Archbishop Bergan), honorary captain. Easton Buss (Freeman); Ryan Maguire (Yutan); Callen Marshall (Norfolk Catholic); Trey Mooney (Archbishop Bergan); Gavin Schutt (Norfolk Catholic).

Class D-1

Andre Martin (Howells-Dodge), honorary captain. Cole Lawless (Lutheran High Northeast); Chase Luther (Howells-Dodge); Carson McDonald (McCool Junction); Quinn Oberg (Elm Creek); Nathan Tomcak (Howells-Dodge).

Class D-2

Brenden Johannes (Archangels Catholic), honorary captain. Jarek Erickson (Elgin Public/Pope John); Gavin Geilenkirchen (Archangels Catholic); Luke Guenther (Guardian Angels Central Catholic); Gage Hedstrom (St.Mary’s); Ethan Wiessler (Archangels Catholic).

The Captains

Lincoln Southwest’s Uzziah Sanders (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Scottsbluff’s Nate Kelley. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Ashland-Greenwood’s Derek Tonjes (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Archbishop Bergan’s Gavin Baker (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Howells-Dodge’s Andre Martin (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Archangels Catholic’s Brendan Johannes (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

The Nate Kelley Experience

Tony Chapman — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:11:00 +0000

Do everything. Scottsbluff’s Nate Kelley brings the ball up the floor in the Class B state semifinals against Norris. Kelley scored 27 points in the Bearcats 64-60 win. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Nate Kelley is sprinting.

For 32 minutes against Norris in the state semifinals, mostly with the ball in his hands, he’s going baseline to baseline and generally willing Scottsbluff to a 64-60 win.

After the game it’s out to slap Scottsbluff’s name on the bracket, then back for a TV interview, then over to the sideline to talk with long time Scottsbluff radio man Chris Cottrell, then back across the court again to join his teammates in filming a hype video for Saturday’s state final.

The movement never stops for one of the state’s best athletes, no matter where he’s going.

This is the Nate Kelley Experience. And it’s an experience Scottsbluff would like to ride for one more game.

“That’s what he does for us. I don’t know how many games he’s done it,” Scottsbluff coach Scott Gullion said after Kelley finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

“Really happy for him. His last time down here, and he gets an opportunity to finish the one thing that he hasn’t been able to accomplish in his high school career.”

A state championship is the only thing missing from Kelley’s inarguable resume as one of the state’s best athletes.

A four-year starter at point guard for a Class B powerhouse that’s qualified, not coincidentally, for four consecutive state tournaments.

A mainstay at quarterback for the Scottsbluff football program, running for 1,000 yards three straight years, controlling the game on the other side of the ball as a defensive back, and guiding the Bearcats to four more playoff appearances.

As universally respected as any athlete from the Wyoming border to the Missouri River.

“I’ve definitely just been taking it in more this year,” Kelley said. “These are my best friends I’ve been playing with since we were little. So just enjoying every practice, every shoot around, every game.”

The raw athletic skill is one thing for the 6-foot guard. But there are a lot of 6-foot guards at the state tournament who are great athletes.

There are far fewer with the bucketful of intangibles Kelley brings to the table.

“Amazing. Amazing career,” Gullion said. “Kind of a coach’s dream, honestly. No problems. 4.0 student, great leader, wants to be great, extreme work ethic.

“Just wants to win. You don’t have to ask him to do something twice. He just does it. He’s been huge for our program.”

Nate Kelley drives to the basket in the first half of the Class B semifinals against Norris’ Evan Greenfield. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Look at Friday night, when Kelley led Scottsbluff to its 84th win in his four years.

With 7:39 left and Norris slicing deep into what was a 14-point Scottsbluff lead, Kelley is hit with his third foul. The Titans score seconds later to make it a two-possession game.

After a Bearcat miss, here comes Norris again. And here’s Kelley, risking a fourth foul when he absolutely can’t afford it by sliding over to take a charge 30 seconds later.

He gets the call.

Or his final assist, with 31 seconds left, when he kicks to Esai Sabala in the corner. At this point, Sabala is 0-for-7 from the floor.

Now he’s 1-for-8. And Scottsluff’s two-point lead is up to five.

If he wasn’t so darn good at getting his teammates involved, Kelley would score even more than the 17 points a game he already does.

“The biggest thing I remember about him was, I’d go watch their youth games when he’s in fourth, fifth grade. He’s the best player on the team, but he’s making sure his teammates get involved, and he’s high-fiving everybody,” Gullion said. “You saw the leadership qualities at a very young age, and it was really apparent he was ready right away (as a freshman). Pretty incredible.”

To watch Kelley is to watch a young man in full control. He’s every cliche: hard-nosed, smart, tough, aware of his surroundings, unselfish.

He reminds of so many of the great Nebraska-born guards who played at UNK in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some of the best years storied program’s history.

It makes a lot of sense that one of those guards who is now the team’s coach, Marty Levinson, recruited him and signed him as part of the Lopers’ latest recruiting class.

Kelley smiles when you give this comparison to him. It clearly resonates.

“That’s pretty cool,” Kelley said. “I’ve always just kind of had a natural leadership skill. I think because I play three sports (Kelley runs track in the spring), and I played everything growing up — baseball, soccer, everything — I think all those sports helped me with my leadership.”

He’s led Scottsbluff within 32 more minutes of what would be a sweet state championship. The Bearcats have been unafraid to traverse the state, playing the best Class B has to offer, any time, anywhere. They’ve seen the best. And the best have seen them.

Saturday, they see Elkhorn North. A win would give the program its first championship since 2012, and second since 1955, with three runner-up trophies collected since that last title.

What an experience that would be.

Norfolk Catholic’s Nathan Timmerman (0) and Gavin Schutt (4) celebrate their semifinal victory over Yutan. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Saturday’s Championship Games

Scottsbluff’s win over Norris had barely ended and the text came.

“Let’s take the emotion out of this in the moment here, but has there ever been a better Friday at PBA?”

It’s a fair question. The evidence as such.

On this Friday the 13th, we saw a little bit of everything. The top seeds in Classes A, B, C-1 and C-2 all fell — three of them at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The last four games in Class A and B were all decided in the last 30 seconds with a capper 3-point shot from Esai Sabala which helped seal Scottsbluff’s 64-60 win over Norris in the nightcap.

No matter. We’ll be ready. Here’s a preview of each state championship game.

CLASS D-2 | 9:00 AM | Elgin Public/Pope John (25-3) vs. Archangels Catholic (27-2): The town of Elgin makes their first state finals appearance since 1995, after the Wolfpack pulled away from Guardian Angels Central Catholic with a 21-point fourth quarter on Friday morning for a 44-33 win. Jarek Erickson had 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Elgin High won the 1995 Class D-2 title, while Pope John lost in the 1966 Class D title game to Marquette.

The Wolfpack will get Archangels Catholic to make the Class D-2 final a match between two sub-district final losers. The Defenders dominated on the boards — getting 21 offensive rebounds — in a 57-52 win over defending champion St. Mary’s. Brendan Johannes scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds for Archangels. Interestingly, EPPJ knocked out GACC which beat Archangels in the sub-district final and Archangels did the same to St. Mary’s which beat EPPJ three times this year including the sub-district final.

CLASS C-1 | 11:00 AM | Douglas County West (23-6) vs. Ashland-Greenwood (27-1): They won’t draw any pretty pictures of DC West’s semifinal shocker of Ogallala, but the Falcons were the better team on Friday. No question. DC West 49, Ogallala 39. The Falcons controlled the first three quarters and took a 35-22 lead to the fourth quarter before the top-ranked Indians stormed back and then ran out of gas. DC West — despite a 3-for-16 effort from the free throw line — hung on by shooting 41% from the field and making eight triples to the Indians one. Lane Smith scored 13 for DC West, now in their first state final in school history.

Ashland-Greenwood will not be in their first state basketball final. The Jays clamped down in the second half against stubborn Auburn for a 67-52 win after they trailed 33-32 at the break. On Saturday morning, the Jays will go for their fourth title in four seasons. Derek Tonjes had 26 points and nine rebounds for the winners who outscored the Bulldogs 35-19 in the second half.

CLASS A | 1:00 PM | Lincoln Southwest (23-4) vs. Papillion-LaVista South (19-6): Buckle up for Lincoln Southwest’s high-flying, up-tempo, no-fear show in the Class A final. The Silverhawks battled and battled — uphill most of the way against top-ranked Omaha Westside — for a 66-63 semifinal win and their second state final appearance in school history. Dakari Wilson scored 24 points for LSW as they battled back from down 56-49 with 5:40 left in the game.

Papio South’s run to a second straight final is as improbable as it gets. The Titans started 4-5 and lost to Millard North 61-30 in the Metro Conference tournament. But, then they figured things out. Friday’s semifinal win over Bellevue West — 65-61 — was their 15th win in 18 tries. Levi Webb had 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Titans and Bryce Johnson, Jr. had 30 points in a losing effort for the T-Birds. Southwest beat Papio 89-63 on December 12th.

CLASS C-2 | 4:15 PM | Norfolk Catholic (24-4) vs. Archbishop Bergan (27-1): Norfolk Catholic’s journey to the Class C-2 state title game has been, well, something. On Wednesday, the Knights started the tournament missing their first 10 shots from the field and the free throw line. On Friday afternoon they put themselves in the finals with a game ending 13-2 run to edge Yutan, 49-47. Gavin Schutt made two free throws with 12 seconds left and had 19 points and six rebounds for the Knights.

Defending champion Archbishop Bergan had to scratch and claw past Freeman, who they upset in the first round last year on their way to the title. On Friday, it was senior Gavin Baker who willed the Knights to a 58-53 win over the the Falcons. He scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Bergan overcame a 34-30 halftime deficit with a 28-19 second half surge.

CLASS B | 6:15 PM | Elkhorn North (19-5) vs. Scottsbluff (23-4): Elkhorn North will make their first Class B state final appearance on Saturday after surviving a wild final minute of overtime to defeat three-time defending champion Omaha Skutt. Down 59-57, the Skyhawks were fouled twice in the last 26 seconds but didn’t make any of the four free throws, the last one intentionally with five seconds left. Kellen Murphy scored 17 points to lead the Wolves.

You read it all already. Nate Kelley scored 27 points and assisted on the most important basket of the game — Esai Sabala’s left corner triple with 31 seconds left, which gave the ‘Cats a 61-56 lead that they rode to a 64-60 revenge win over Norris for a second straight trip to the Class B finals. Scottsbluff will play in their 11th state championship game and go for their fifth title.

CLASS D-1 | 8:15 PM | Howells-Dodge (25-3) vs. McCool Junction (21-6): Howells-Dodge erased a 15-8 first quarter deficit with a 21-5 second quarter and the cruised to a 60-36 win over Elm Creek. The Jaguars return to the state title game for the second year in a row and will look for their first title since 2013 in the Saturday nightcap. Ethan Prusa led four players in double figures with 17 points.

McCool Junction is in their first state championship game since 1985 after they held on for a 50-49 win over Lutheran High Northeast. Buoyed by an 7-0 from the 5:44 mark of the fourth quarter to 2:38 left which turn a 43-41 deficit into a 48-41 lead. Jameson Weiss, who led the Mustangs with 14 points and four rebounds, made two free throws for a 50-46 lead with 13 seconds left.

Semifinals Behind The Lens

DC West celebrates their 43-39 upset of Ogallala on Friday morning. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Sharp shooter. Lincoln Southwest’s Dakari Wilson fires a 3-point shot in the first half against Omaha Westside. Wilson scored 24 points in the Silverhawk win. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Elkhorn North’s Kellen Murphy peers through the Omaha Skutt defense in the first half of the Wolves overtime win over the Skyhaws. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

The EPPJ bench celebrates a three-point basket in their semifinal win over Guardian Angels Central Catholic. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

The Truth Arrives in Lincoln

Tony Chapman — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:55:00 +0000

THE TRUTH. Ogallala coach Carter Brown and his team during a post game interview with News Channel Nebraska after Thursday’s win over Syracuse. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Ogallala’s Truth

Brash and bold, Ogallala’s boys basketball team — the state’s only unbeaten — would just like you to come watch them play the game they love.

The Indians attacking, up-and-down, pressing game is played mostly with coach Carter Brown’s five starters on the floor. For a 9:00 AM tip in Class C-1, it also required a 4:30 Mountain Time shoot around at Nebraska Wesleyan’s Snyder Arena on Thursday morning.

And, the Kansas State Five.

“We had a shoot around today at 5:30 this morning,” Brown said. “First thing we do is run two sprints — we call them the K-State Five. They aren’t just a down and back sprint. It’s five down and back’s for each one. We ran two.”

It seemed to get the juices flowing for the Indians just fine as they ran Syracuse out of John Cook Arena with ruthless precision and Sawyer Smiths’s triple (almost quadruple) double of 23 points, 12 rebounds, 10 steals and nine assists.

Smith, you can tell, is on a business trip.

“I think our defensive effort was great today,” he said. “I thought we forced a bunch of steals in the first half and then some guys hit some big shots. We are going to have to keep doing that.”

The game on Friday was tied 7-7 and then it wasn’t. The Indians forced 24 turnovers and it was 39-15 after 16 minutes.

Step one. Ogallala 77, Syracuse 43.

Yes, there are things left to do for this Ogallala group.

“This wasn’t our goal. We are taking it one day and one game at a time,” said Brown, who played on three state tournament teams for the Indians, the final one losing to Auburn in the 2020 state finals. “These guys have a mission and you won’t see a celebration yet. We are excited to move on, but we aren’t where we want to be yet.”

There is an interesting history with this town and this team pursuing their own history. They own one of the state’s most historic wins — Ogallala 84, Wahoo 68 — which ended a 114-game Warrior win streak. But, still a title eludes them. There have been just four state finals appearances.

Ogallala’s Sawyer Smith (33) is ready to score off a first quarter steal in the Indians 77-43 win over Syracuse on Thursday. Smith had 23 points, 13 rebounds, 10 steals and eight assists in the win. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Last year the Indians came to Lincoln with a 24-1 record and a title contender. But Smith severely sprained his ankle during practice on the trip out and they lost to Doniphan-Trumbull, 57-45.

The same arch enemies are here this week.

Ashland-Greenwood, who delivered a 50-20 semifinal gut-punch when Smith was a freshman, is on the other side. So, too, is Auburn and coach Jim Weeks who ended Brown’s playing career in the 2020 state finals. They face each other at 10:45.

But, you get a feeling this Ogallala group has what it takes to turn the tables. To do what no other Indian team has ever done. With Smith and his band mates — Lincoln Gillen, Rylan Gilmore, Edan Cain and Tanner DeCastro — who all scored in double figures on Friday, “The Truth” may set Ogallala free.

“We just have a group that is willing to do so many things that some others aren’t willing to do,” Brown said. “They play so hard, it is such an unselfish group. We have a hungry group of kids that are set on doing something special together.”

For Carter Brown, watching from the sidelines has been less work and more fun.

“It’s been an absolute blast. Coming down here was almost bittersweet because the end is close,” he said. “They have waited 365 days for this given the circumstances of last year. Going on this journey with them, I have never met or been around a more deserving group.”

As for “The Truth” so perfectly stitched on Brown’s quarter-zip and his players shooting shirts? The Indians hope to keep showing you more of it.

“It’s who we are and what we are about. It’s how hard we play and how well we play together and everything else that goes into that. That’s what it is — who we are and what we are about. That’s all I am going to say.”

Yes, these Indians they’ll just let you watch their basketball do the talking.

No. 1 and still No. 1: Archbishop Bergan’s Trey Mooney bring the ball up the floor against Pender in Wednesday’s Class C-2 quarterfinals. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Friday’s Semifinals

CLASS A (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

1:30 PM | Omaha Westside (24-2) vs. Lincoln Southwest (22-4): Omaha Westside’s title hopes stayed alive as they came back from down 48-33 to start the fourth quarter against Lincoln High for a 61-58 win by scoring the final six points of the game in the last 56 seconds. London Dada had 18 points for the Warriors. High flying Lincoln Southwest put on an offensive clinic in the second half of an 81-71 win over Millard North. They scored 47 second half points after trailing by eight at the break and got 73 points for twins Uzziah (26) and Makkiah (21) Sanders and Dakari Wilson (26).

3:15 PM | Bellevue West (21-5) vs. Papillion-LaVista South (18-6): After a first round loss to Millard North last year, Bellevue West is back in the semifinals for the eighth time in nine years after their 79-68 win over Papio. The Birds outscored the Monarchs 48-30 in the second half and got 24 points from Brayden Mauro. Papio South extended the career of head coach Joel Hueser for one more day in their 57-48 win over Creighton Prep. Levi Webb and Connor Falkinburg each scored 17 points for the Titans.

CLASS B (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

6:00 PM | Omaha Skutt Catholic (25-2) vs. Elkhorn North (18-5): In looking to win their fourth consecutive Class B title, the Skyhawks slowly dispatched Cinderella Lincoln Pius X. Skutt led 24-17 at the break and the Thunderbolts cut the lead to 34-29 after three. George Ziebel scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the winners. Elkhorn North will get one more shot at Omaha Skutt who beat them 54-43 in the regular season. On Friday, the Wolves jumped to a 29-14 halftime lead and cruised past Wahoo getting 17 points and six rebounds from Kellen Murphy.

7:45 PM | Norris (23-2) vs. Scottsbluff (22-4): Second-seeded Norris made just 10-of-24 free throws and 3-of-21 3-point shots, but got Bennington in the paint as they made 22-of-30 2-points shots in their 63-55 win. The Titans held off a late Badger rally and 26 points from Blaize Jung to advance. Norris got 19 points from Shane Holen. Should Scottsbluff shoot like they did on Thursday night for two more days, it may take a small miracle to stop them. The Bearcats shot 55 percent from the field and a blistering 12-for-21 from long distance in a 76-53 win over Gretna East. Nate Kelley needed just 15 shots to score 20 points as Scottsbluff put five players in double figures.

CLASS C-1 (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

9:00 AM | Ogallala (26-0) vs. Douglas County West (22-6): An opening technical foul for dunking in pre-game warmups didn’t deter Ogallala from much during their opening round 77-43 win over Syracuse. The Indians led by 24 at the break and their five starters scored 74 of their points — all in double figures. DC West never trailed in getting off to a 12-0 start against Grand Island Central Catholic before winning their first state tournament game in school history, 49-41. Lane Smith score 14 points and Trey Olsen added 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

10:45 AM | Ashland-Greenwood (26-1) vs. Auburn (25-1): Ashland-Greenwood won their 11th state tournament game in their last 13 tries with a 65-53 win over Lincoln Christian. They Jays shot 63 percent from the field with 19 points from Derek Tonjes and 18 from Cooper Westerhold. Ryan Guenther’s driving bucket with 13 seconds left in overtime lifted Auburn to a 41-40 overtime win over Gothenburg. The Swedes had taken the lead on Kash Koehn’s triple with 1:01 left in a game that went to overtime tied at 37. Guenther had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead Auburn.

CLASS C-2 (at Bob Devaney Center)

1:30 PM | Yutan (23-2) vs. Norfolk Catholic (23-4): A slow first quarter start didn’t deter top-seeded Yutan from pulling away for a 62-40 win over EMF in the opening round. The Chieftains trailed early, but led 36-18 at half as Ryan McGuire scored 20 and grabbed 18 rebounds. Yutan’s slow start was nothing compared to Norfolk Catholic who was 0-10 from the field AND the free throw line in the first quarter yet still fought back for a 48-40 win over North Bend Central. Gavin Schutt had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds.

3:15 PM | Archbishop Bergan (26-1) vs. Freeman (20-5): Bergan Ball is back at state and they won’t be surprising anyone this year. The Knights sprinted to a 10-point halftime lead an then outscored Pender — looking for their first ever state tournament win — 33-15 in the second half for a 71-43 win. Cale Sheets and Gavin Baker each had 18 points. They get Freeman — the top-seed they shocked last year — who somehow, someway defeated Valentine 57-56 in overtime on Easton Buss’ full court layup with 0.8 seconds left. Four Falcons were in double figures.

CLASS D-1 (at Bob Devaney Center)

6:00 PM | Howells-Dodge (24-3) vs. Elm Creek (22-5): Howells-Dodge flipped a 23-20 halftime deficit against Fullerton with a 22-10 third quarter and then held the Warriors to just four points in the fourth quarter for a 57-37 win. Andre Martin led four players in double figures with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Elm Creek avenged a prior loss to North Platte St. Pat’s as they scored the last 10 points of the game for a 55-46 win over the Irish. Quin Oberg was a machine for the Buffs scoring 30 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.

7:45 PM | Lutheran High Northeast (23-4) vs. McCool Junction (20-7): Ian McDonald scored with 24 seconds left to cap a 13-2 fourth quarter for LHNE that forced overtime. Then, the Eagles outscored Mead 8-5 in the extra session for a 47-44 win. Cole Lawless scored 16 points to lead LHNE. In a battle of the Omaha World-Herald’s top two teams, McCool Junction won a Crossroads Conference rubber match with East Butler. After the Tigers trimmed McCool’s 24-17 halftime lead to 37-36 after three quarters, the Mustangs took over late with an 11-2 fourth quarter run. Colby Yates had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the winners.

CLASS D-2 (at Bob Devaney Center)

9:00 AM | Elgin Public / Pope John (24-3) vs. Guardian Angels Central Catholic (16-11): Top-seeded EPPJ hung on as Pleasanton could not get a shot off in their last two possessions of the game giving the top-seeded Wolfpack a 46-44 win. Jarek Erickson scored 16 points for the Pack and Brennan Linder scored 23 for the Dawgs to lead all scorers. GACC watched Deshler cut a 48-40 lead to 50-49 on an Easton Nash triple with 22 seconds left, but held on for a 54-50 win. Luke Guenther scored 19 points for the Bluejays.

10:45 AM | Archangels Catholic (25-2) vs. St. Mary’s (26-2): Archangels had six players scores between six and 10 points as they pulled away from Falls City Sacred Heart 49-28. The Defenders outscored the Irish 30-6 in the second half. Ethan Wieseler and Brendan Johannes led the way with 10 points apiece. In the nightcap, St. Mary’s jumped to a 30-15 halftime lead against Wynot and cruised to 56-42 win in a rematch of the 2025 title game. Gage Hedstrom scored 19 points for the Cardinals.

First Round In Pictures

Douglas County West Chip Daehling celebrates the Falcons win over Grand Island Central Catholic. It was the first state tournament win in school history. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Bellevue West’s Amari Smith (5) goes up for a dunk in the second half of the T-Birds first round win over Papillion-LaVista on Wednesday. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Freeman’s Keegan White (51) scores in the post for the Falcons in the second half of their overtime win over Valentine. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Norris’ Shane Holen (0) drives the ball up the floor against Bennington on Thursday. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

McCool Junction’s Carson McDonald moves up the floor in the Mustangs 55-50 win over East Butler on Thursday. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Championship Perseverance

Tony Chapman — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:11:00 +0000

The Milford bench celebrates a Kylie Jakub three-point basket in the fourth quarter of their state championship win over Malcolm. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

In the Class C-1 state championship game on Saturday, the lessons of perseverance were both evident and, at the same time, invisible. Both stories are worth telling because we could all learn something from Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver and Milford’s Kylie Jakub.

If you are reading this, you likely know about Dolliver’s uneventful junior season where the standout Nebraska-Omaha basketball commit was sidelined for volleyball and basketball after tearing her ACL in late June 2024 during a summer basketball game. The evidence shows on the court in the padded knee brace she wears to protect her knee from further injury.

In missing her junior year, Dolliver missed out on a season with sister Payton. A season they had been wanting together their whole life. The story so eloquently told by the Lincoln Journal-Star’s Amie Just last Friday. Without Halle, Payton averaged nearly 21 points as a freshman. Halle learned how to coach.

What you always fear when you tear an ACL is that you’ll never get back to what you were before. And, before, Halle Dolliver was one of the top players in the state regardless of class. But, the big lesson here is the work she put in to come back and be better than ever.

How hard was she to prepare for and guard? We asked each coach that faced her in the state tournament, where the Clippers lost in the championship game to Milford.

Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver brings the ball up the floor in the state semifinals against Fort Calhoun. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

“Halle is as tough as they come,” Milford coach Bryce Roth said. “She is a really good kid and competitor. I was just happy for her that she was able to finish up her career with Payton and her teammates after what had to be a very challenging junior season - mentally and emotionally.

“She can impact the game in so many ways - her ability to put her team on her back and hit tough shots in clutch situations is tough to deal with. Our first game at home; she hit a contested fadeaway three from probably 25 feet to make it a one possession game. She is a load to try and prep for defensively because she is so active and aggressive on the offensive boards.”

Fort Calhoun coach Eric Jones said that the elder Dolliver almost singlehandedly wrecked their game plan.

“Her Kevin Love style outlet passes basically destroyed multiple aspects of not just our game plan but who we are,” Jones said. “And it was something we could not account for. She certainly didn’t look like a 17 percent 3-point shooter at the state tournament. Ultimately her 3s were the difference in our game.

“But, more importantly, from my interactions with her she just seems like an incredible person and competitor.”

Holdrege coach Derek Runcie lost to Dolliver twice in his teams last three games.

“She’s an old school player,” Runcie said, the ultimate compliment. “She can score at all three levels. Most kids today can’t score in the mid-range but she is fantastic in that area. Her ability to score going to her left, she is so difficult to keep off the glass and she can play any position on the floor.

“Her ability to come off that injury and be as good as she was shows you just how tough she is.”

Dolliver’s Clippers had fought back and forth with Kylie Jakub’s Eagles as Saturday morning turned into afternoon. Milford led 49-47 heading to the fourth quarter. It was a classic game through 24 minutes.

And then Kylie Jakub — like she had done so many time this year for Milford — flipped it. Her two 3-point shots in the first 2:11 of the fourth quarter gave the Eagles a 55-47 lead and left Malcolm playing catch up. Milford would win the Class C-1 state final 66-52.

It’s just that if everyone knew about Jakub’s junior season, she could have quit it. If she was any other kid, she problaby would have been done. Perseverance.

“To be honest, I did almost quit,” Jakub told me after the title game. “I had lost my love for basketball. I think by the grace of God and the love of my coaches and teammates the love came back.”

As a sophomore, Jakub started alongside Ayla Roth in the Milford backcourt. The Eagles finished 16-7 and lost to Minden in the district championship game.

Last year, Roth was a senior. Talented freshman Abby Crabtree and Shayla Rautenberg found themselves in the Milford rotation. And, Taylor Oldfield transferred in from Raymond Central. It squeezed Jakub out of the rotation.

Adalyn Cisneros (left) and Ashlynn Miller help up Kylie Jakub after she drew a charge in the fourth quarter of Milford’s home win over Malcom on January 8th. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

In Milford’s run to the Class C-1 state championship game, Jakub supported her teammates from the bench and wore the jersey for her community.

“In the hardest moments, you feel like you lost it all,” Jakub admitted. “But, I wanted to support my community, I wanted to be there. That gave me the strength to go back out because I would have missed this all.”

It’s something that moves Milford’s Coach Roth to tears.

“She started 23 games as a sophomore as our point guard,” Roth tells me after she hit two big threes in a quarterfinal win over Central City. “She’s just a phenomenal story. To move into the role she had last year shows the kind of kid she is.

“She is all about her teammates. She is all about the team. She bought into us and the team and didn’t complain. She’s the cornerstone of our program.”

On Monday morning, after Kylie Jakub had a weekend with her state championship nets she brought them to Bryce Roth’s classroom. They needed to be with that big trophy, one of the six given out Saturday with a “50” on them to signify a championship during the 50th girls state basketball tournament.

The coach did the only thing he could do. He cried. Because kids like Kylie Jakub don’t come along too often.

Two kids in a single championship game. Two kids that could have quit, but didn’t. Two careers of perseverance intertwined on Saturday at the Nebraska girls state basketball championships. Most think their story ended in different ways by the color of their medal.

But, Halle Dolliver and Kylie Jakub had won long before last Saturday. They won by putting on their uniforms and representing their towns. Two awesome stories of championship perseverance.

2026 Girls State Basketball Super-Six All-Tournament Teams

Tony Chapman — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:03:00 +0000

Lincoln North Star, Bennington, Milford, Pender, Howells-Dodge, and Dundy County-Stratton were crowned champions at the conclusion of the 50th girls state basketball championships on Saturday. Below are our picks for the 2026 Super-Six All-Tournament Teams.

All Class

Halle Dolliver (Malcolm), honorary captain. Ani Leu (Lincoln North Star); Himayajo Metoyer (Omaha North); Shayla Rautenberg (Milford); Macie Reiner (Bennington); Hadley Walsh (Pender).

Class A

Ani Leu (Lincoln North Star), honorary captain. Kendall Anderson (Lincoln North Star); Himayajo Metoyer (Omaha North); Kylee Paben (Millard West); K.J Pinchon (Lincoln North Star); Libby Province (Kearney); T’Niyah Wilson-Smith (Omaha North).

Class B

Macie Reiner (Bennington), honorary captain. Harper Bohaboj (Bennington); Skylar Johnson (Bennington); Madi Shelburne (Gretna East); Kate Miller (Lincoln Pius X); Ize Tidball (Norris).

Class C-1

Halle Dolliver (Malcolm), honorary captain. Abby Crabtree (Milford); Payton Dolliver (Malcolm); Raeann Massey (Fort Calhoun); Ashlynn Miller (Milford); Shayla Rautenberg (Milford) Halsey Thomalla (Gothenburg).

Class C-2:

Hadley Walsh (Pender), honorary captain. Madalyn Dolliver (Pender); Bailey Gerths (Guardian Angles Central Catholic); Cameron Rutjens (Elkhorn Valley); Mylee Tichota (Yutan); Kyndal Werner (Elkhorn Valley).

Class D-1

Kylie Brichacek (Howells-Dodge), honorary captain. Kendal Cavenee (Elm Creek); Kennedy Mlady (Bloomfield); Madyson Mlady (Bloomfield); Miranda Nuss (Sutton); Brynn Throener (Howells-Dodge).

Class D-2

Abi Spargo (Dundy County Stratton), honorary captain. Josie Faimon (Red Cloud); Kenna Oligmueller (Wynot); Emily Schack (Dundy County Stratton); Clara Spargo (Dundy County Stratton); Haley Wiesler (Wynot).

The Captains

Lincoln North Star’s Ani Leu. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Bennington’s Macie Reiner (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhowe)

Pender’s Hadley Walsh (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Howells-Dodge’s Kylie Brichacek (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Dundy County-Stratton’s Abi Spargo (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Weekend Work

Tony Chapman — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 13:11:00 +0000

Gretna East’s Madi Shelburne (35) drives to the basket in the first half of the Class B semifinals against Norris. Shelburne scored the winning basket for the Griffins as they advanced to tonight’s championship game. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Workin’ for the Weekend

Weekday Wade Coulter and the Gretna East girls basketball team will work the weekend.

Again.

The third-year school is in its second straight Class B state championship game, taking down Norris for the first time in three tries this season with a 45-43 win Friday night in the Class B state semifinals at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

It’s not always going to be pretty with Gretna East. In last year’s run to the state final, the Griffins didn’t make it to 40 points in any of their three games. But they have athletes for days, and a fearless style that turns those athletes loose with a ferocious full-court defense.

Thing is, that hadn’t bothered Norris much this year. The Titans beat Gretna East 52-42 on December 23, then 51-35 on January 9.

Gretna East (22-5) hasn’t lost since, with Friday marking its 15th straight win.

“It ain’t pretty, but it’s effective,” said Coulter in beginning to pay his team the biggest compliment he could. “We muck the game up and make it a circus. We fly around. We turn our athletes loose, because we’re not basketball first.

“We’ve got enough basketball, obviously, to get to the finals, but thank God we’re multi-sport athletes. Because without our soccer kids, without our volleyball kids, without our track kids, we ain’t here, we’re not as deep, we’re not as good.”

The depth paid off in a game where neither team led by more than seven points. The largest lead in the second half was just five, for Norris on a 3-pointer from Kalle Stauffer with 2:17 left in the third period.

Still Norris led most of the way, thanks to a 12-0 first-half run that gave the Titans their largest lead at 17-10. Gretna East’s only lead of the fourth quarter came on its final bucket, when Madi Shelburne outmuscled a Norris defender for an inbounds pass, spun, and scored with four seconds left.

Shelburne, a UNO soccer commit, missed Gretna East’s first two games against Norris because of soccer commitments.

She made up for lost time Friday, scoring a career-high 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting and finishing one off her career-best with 10 rebounds while playing a team-high 30 minutes. The 5-foot-10 junior has scored in double figures in seven of her last eight games, including 15 in an opening-round win over Sidney.

“It was fun to finally be able to play and to beat them,” Shelburne said. “This time was so amazing. We just play every play, and we are in it for each other, and we trust each other on and off the court.

Shelburne, averaging 9.4 points per game, was the only Griffin with more than eight points as Gretna East finished 1-for-13 from 3-point range and shot 39% from the floor.

But the Griffins held Norris (23-4) to its second-lowest point total of the season while forcing 17 turnovers and winning the second-chance point battle 11-7 despite being out-rebounded 34-28.

Norris scored two points over the game’s final 3 minutes, 39 seconds.

“I don’t care if we’re up by 20, down by 20, we’re playing a 2-20 basketball team or one of the best two teams in our class all season that’s beaten us twice,” Coulter said. “Make the next play. Trust your teammates. Execute. Do the small things.”

Norris nearly forced overtime on a perfectly executed full-court inbounds play.

With 5.3 seconds left, Alli Bornschlegl caught an inbounds pass at half court and flipped the ball to Marlee Emerson, who was running alone up the left wing. But Emerson’s layup with 1.2 seconds to go rolled off the rim, and time ran out on the Titans’ bid for their first state final since 2021.

Landri Gates led Norris with 11 points. Ize Tidball had 10.

Up next is another Eastern Midlands Conference postseason game. Gretna East will take on unbeaten Bennington at 6:15 Saturday as both programs go for their first state championship.

One more chance to try and dig some gold out of the muck.

Bennington’s Harper Bohaboj dazzled late for the Badgers hitting the go-ahead basket in the final minute of a 55-52 win over Lincoln Pius. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Bennington 55, Lincoln Pius X 52

Winners find a way to win, and Bennington hasn’t done any losing so far.

So when the Badgers had their backs up against the wall in the Class B state semifinals, they clawed their way out.

Ending the game on a 10-2 run, Bennington stayed undefeated with a 55-52 win over Lincoln Pius X at Pinnacle Bank Arena to advance to its first-ever girls state basketball championship game.

“It definitely wasn’t our brand of basketball, and I think there’s a lot of energy and pressure in the gym,” said Bennington junior guard Harper Bohaboj. “We could feel it, but we always rise to the occasion. We always talk about that, and really practice that throughout the year.”

The high-flying Badgers were held below 60 points for just the fourth time all season while winning by single digits for only the third time all year. The only other team to stay within single digits was Norris, which did it twice.

So it was Bohaboj’s layup with 1:07 left that gave Bennington (27-0) its first lead since the 1:51 mark of the third period before the Badgers made just enough free throws to hang on.

Bohaboj’s game-high 19 points led Bennington. The junior also had six rebounds and four steals.

Pius X’s only losses this season came to the other three Class B semifinalists — Bennington, Norris, and Gretna East — in addition to falling to Class A finalist Lincoln North Star and Iowa state semifinalist Bishop Heelan.

Kate Miller scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half to lead Pius X, and added 10 rebounds. UNO commit Ava Markowski finished with 15 points and seven boards.

Bennington led 15-6 five minutes into the game before Pius X rallied for a three-point halftime lead that set the stage for a back-and-forth second half.

“You saw them dig in, and we had to get stops,” Bennington coach John O’Connor said. “The girls kept saying, defense wins championships, and that’s what we had to do to get it done.

Lincoln North Star’s Joyce Johnson celebrates a play in the Gators 47-31 win over Millard West on Friday afternoon. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Saturday’s Finals

All Games at Pinnacle Bank Arena and live on Nebraska Public Television

CLASS A

1:00 PM | Lincoln North Star (26-1) vs. Omaha North (26-4): Let’s be honest, it’s the one we all wanted. North Star’s only loss in a near perfect season to the Vikings. And the Vikings just a single loss to Omaha Westside at full strength. On Friday, North Star used a late three-point barrage to end the first half and then held Millard West to a single point in the third quarter of a 46-31 win. Ani Leu scored 17 for the Gators. Jo Metoyer scored 21 points and T’Niyah Wilson-Smith scored 11 points and grabbed 20 rebounds as Omaha North pulled away from Kearney for a 59-47 win.

CLASS B

6:15 PM | Gretna East (23-4) vs. Bennington (27-0): Madi Shelburne’s driving bucket from the left hand side of the lane sunk top-seeded Norris 45-43 on Friday night. Shelburne scored 19 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Griffs. The unbeaten Badgers got a Harper Bohaboj go-ahead bucket with just under a minute left to lift Bennington a 55-52 win over Pius. Bohaboj finished with 19 points and six rebounds while sophomore Macie Reiner had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

CLASS C-1

11:00 AM | Milford (27-1) vs. Malcolm (27-1): If this one is half as good as the regular season game in Milford — a 66-64 Milford win — you’ll want to get a seat belt for your couch or Pinnacle Bank Arena chair. That game feature 19 3-point makes and just 14 total turnovers. Both teams know exactly what they need to do for success in this one. Milford had 26 points and 26 rebounds from duo Ashlynn Miller and Shayla Rautenberg, but got a big 22 point, five assist effort from Abby Crabtree to help put Gothenburg to rest 63-51. In the other semifinal, Payton Dolliver scored 30 points and big sister Halle had 27 points and 21 rebounds as the Clippers kept Fort Calhoun just far enough away in a 72-59 win.

CLASS C-2

4:15 PM | Pender (27-2) vs. Elkhorn Valley (28-0): Three-time defending champion Pender has yet to be rattled by a pair of slow starts. They have controlled the final eight minutes in each of their first two tournament games. On Friday, it was an 18-6 final frame that stole the semifinal from Yutan. Madalyn Dolliver had 16 points on 5-for-8 3-point shooting and Hadley Walsh added 11 points and 11 rebounds. To keep their unbeaten season alive, Elkhorn Valley had to end the game on a 24-4 run against GACC for a 48-40 win. The Falcons were down 36-24 with just under four minutes left in the third quarter before flipping a switch. Cam Rutjens scored 13 points and had nine rebounds for EV, now in the C-2 final for a second straight season.

CLASS D-1

8:15 PM | Bloomfield (28-0) vs. Howells-Dodge (21-7): It wasn’t pretty for Bloomfield and that was mostly because of a fantastic defensive effort from Sutton. But, the Bees made just enough plays in the last 120 seconds to pull away from a 33-32 lead for a 44-38 win over the Fillies. The Queen Bees got 15 points and 13 rebounds from Madison Mlady and 13 points, five rebounds and seven steals from sister Kennedy. Battle tested Howells-Dodge, with seven losses but unbeaten in Class D-1 advanced with a 44-31 win over Elm Creek as sophomore Brynn Throener scored 12 points and had four rebounds.

CLASS D-2

9:00 AM | Dundy County Stratton (27-1) vs. Wynot (18-11): Dundy County Stratton will go for their first state basketball title on Saturday morning and Wynot, well, they will not be going for their first. The Tigers continued their dream season with a dominating 45-25 win over Archangels Catholic. Abi Spargo had 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for DCS. Wynot, despite a 13-11 record headed to the postseason, will go for its ninth state title in 15 tries to open championship Saturday. The state volleyball champs got 19 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks from Kena Oligmueller to advance.

Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver (30) scored 27 points and had 21 rebounds in the Clippers 72-59 semifinal win over Fort Calhoun. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Semifinal Notes

SISTER ACT(S): You’ll hear plenty about the Dolliver sisters in the Class C-1 and Class C-2 games. Halle and Payton for Malcolm. Madalyn and Mayci for Pender. But, another set of sisters will go for a state titles in Class D-1.

For Bloomfield, Kennedi and Madyson Mlady have led the Queen Bees to an unbeaten record and berth in the D-1 final. In their 44-38 win over Sutton on Friday night they combined for 28 points, 18 rebounds, eight steals and six assists. Not a bad night.

Bees coach Conner Wilson said the daughters of Nebraska 8-Man Hall of Fame running back Travis Mlady, have played a bunch of basketball together. With Bloomfield up one late in the game Kennedi scored on a perfectly execute pick-and-roll.

“I think the stress kind of released for all of us,” Wilson said. “They finally smiled after that play. It was just such a struggle all night. We shot poorly. After that it kind of pushed us over the hump, finally.”

Will probably miss some here, but there will be more. Howells-Dodge will counter with sisters Brynn and Kenadie Throener in the Class D-1 game. And facing the Dolliver’s in Class C-2 are the Werner’s — sophomore Kyndal and freshman twins Kayton and Olivia.

In Class D-2, track standouts Abi and Clara Spargo of DCS will try to lead the Tigers to their first state title. For Wynot, senior Jordan and freshman Makenzie play key minutes for the Blue Devils.

Friday At The Bank

Omaha North’s Jo Metoyer brings the ball up the floor in the Class A semifinals against Kearney. Metoyer scored 21 points in the 59-47 win. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Gretna East’s Ellie Henn (left) and Heather Wadsworth celebrate the Griffins semifinal win over Norris on Friday night. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Fort Calhoun coach Eric Jones chats with his team during their semifinal loss to Malcolm. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Second Chances

Tony Chapman — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:11:00 +0000

Gothenburg’s Zoe Beveridge drives past Harper Smith of Ogallala in the Class C-1 quarterfinals on Thursday. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Milford coach Bryce Roth has been through the Class C-1 ringer this year and knows just how tough winning a state championship will be this weekend.

His Eagles only loss is to Class B top-seeded Norris. And during the season, they have defeated Malcolm (third seed), Ogallala (fourth seed) and Holdrege (sixth seed) in the state tournament bracket. In sub-district play, Milford survived eighth-seeded Central City 44-43.

Sheesh.

Surely, beating Central City — ranked in the top-10 in Class C-1 most of the year — would help Milford get a favorable draw at the state tournament? Nope. The Bison were ready again — maybe even better than the first time before the Eagles hung on for a 37-34 first round win on Thursday morning at the Bob Devaney Center.

“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Roth said. “We made some adjustments to our defense at halftime. And, we shut them out for awhile to get the lead. But, (Central City) coach (Dan) Negus does such a good job. They made some changes that we had to adjust to.”

Such was the case in all of Class C-1 on Thursday. Three of the four game were rematches of previous postseason games. Like it or not, in an effort to get the “best teams” to Lincoln these things will happen. And, in a loaded class in 2026 it was a near certainty.

How good was Class C-1? The teams that survived to Lincoln have a combined record of 186-21, with 11 of those losses coming to each other. Three more 20 win teams did not make the field.

“We wanted (the schedule) we had,” Roth said. “We were fortunate that we got invited to the Nebraska Girls Basketball Showcase to play Ogallala. We have seen really, really good teams. It sharpens you and you get something different from almost every one of those teams we have played.”

Right after Milford won, Gothenburg came back in dramatic fashion to be the lone postseason “loser” in the semifinals. The Swedes have battled injuries the last 45 days and appears to be getting healthier, but are appreciative of their second chance. They lost to Ogallala 66-31 in the C1-10 sub-district final, after winning the first contest between the two on February 10th, 61-58.

Swede coach Tim Strauser said his team just had to buckle down after trailing 44-28 in the third quarter.

“We just had to chip away,” Strauser said. “We knew it would be a game of runs and we knew they were a good team. We just had to continue to play our game and we did that.”

The new life has lifted the Swedes.

“We told our kids after our district final and before we came down here that any of the teams can win it,” Strauser said. “There are just so many great teams and great coaches in our class and they all are putting together game plans that make it tough.

“Our theme is just, ‘Why Not Us’ and let’s just go out and compete.”

Elkhorn Valley and Ashley Schutt (21) moved on to the Class C-2 semifinals on Wednesday with a 42-36 win over Crofton. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Friday’s Semifinals

CLASS A (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

1:30 PM | Lincoln North Star (25-1) vs. Millard West (21-4): A rematch of a doozy of a 2025 semifinal sees the Navigators as the favorites this time around. North Star got 14 points from KJ Pinchon in their 43-32 win over Millard North. For the two-time champion Wildcats a 3-point flurry from freshman Grace Lucero-Miner helped them pull away Omaha Westside 57-45. Minnesota pledge Kylee Paben had 23 for MW.

3:15 PM | Kearney (21-3) vs. Omaha North (25-4): The Bearcats scored their first win in Lincoln since 2017 on Wednesday by winning the final minute against Lincoln Southwest, 55-51. Libby Province had a steal and made two free throws to put the Cats ahead for good. The top-ranked Vikings of Omaha North were in control from the tip against Westview in a 74-49 win. Justine Tcheuhchoua had 14 points for the Vikings.

CLASS B (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

6:00 PM | Norris (25-1) vs. Gretna East (21-4): Norris wanted to no part of a slow down game with Blair like their regular season, 37-35 win. So, they took matters into their own hands on Thursday afternoon. The Titans never trailed and sprinted to a 22-4 first quarter lead in their 64-33 win over the Bears. Ize Tidball had 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Griffins fought off Sidney 54-41 and head to their second straight title game after they were ahead just 28-27 at the break. Madi Shelburne scored 15 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and had five assists for the Griffins. Norris won the regular season matchup on January 9th, 51-35.

7:45 PM | Bennington (26-0) vs. Lincoln Pius X (21-4): Sophomore Macie Reiner scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had seven assists as Bennington pulled away from seventh-seeded Scottsbluff in the second half. The Bearcats stayed close for 16 minutes, but the Badgers outscored Scottsbluff 33-21 after halftime in the 62-42 win. Pius jumped to a 8-0 lead on Beatrice and never trailed in winning 38-24, but the Lady Orange had forced a four-point game at the half. Austen Davis had seven points and 13 rebounds for the Bolts.

CLASS C-1 (at Pinnacle Bank Arena)

9:00 AM | Milford (26-1) vs. Gothenburg (22-4): Top-ranked Milford got 10 points and 18 rebounds from Shayla Rautenberg and 11 points from junior Ashlynn Miller as they held on to beat Central City for the second time in the postseason. Gothenburg came back from down 44-28 in the third quarter for a 70-63 win over conference mate Ogallala behind 32 points and 12 rebounds from Halsey Thomalla.

10:45 AM | Fort Calhoun (25-2) vs. Malcolm (25-4): Fort Calhoun turned in the stunner of Thursday with a 57-56 overtime win over defending champion Lincoln Christian on Isabel Wray’s layup off an out of bounds play with under five seconds left. Dehli Hallberg led the Pioneers with 14 points off the bench. Malcolm used a 12-0 run to extend a 21-19 second quarter lead to 33-19 by the middle of the third quarter to top Holdrege for a second time in the postseason, 56-36. Payton (26) and Halle (22) Dolliver combined for 48 points for the Clippers.

CLASS C-2 (at Bob Devaney Center)

1:30 PM | Pender (26-2) vs. Yutan (21-4): The three-time champion Pendragons shook off Centura with a big fourth quarter on Wednesday, outscoring the Centurions 14-6 to pull away for a hard fought 41-32 win. Hadley Walsh was Hadley Walsh — 21 points and nine rebounds. Yutan got 20 points from Mylee Tichota in a 37-31 win over Hastings St. Cecilia.

3:15 PM | Elkhorn Valley (27-0) vs. Guardian Angels Central Catholic (21-6): Elkhorn Valley continued their unbeaten season with a gritty 42-36 win over Crofton. Cameron Rutjens had 12 points for the Falcons. There was a bit more drama for GACC. Julie Ridder banked in a three with no time left — part of her seven points — to send the Bluejays to overtime with Oakland-Craig where they prevailed 56-48. Bailey Gerths had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the winners.

CLASS D-1 (at Bob Devaney Center)

6:00 PM | Bloomfield (27-0) vs. Sutton (21-7): Unbeaten Bloomfield wasted little time getting out the state tournament jitters. Sophomore Madison Mlady scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Bees 74-53 win where Arapahoe scored the finals 12 points of the game. Sutton got 17 points and 12 rebounds from Miranda Nuss as they flipped a 20-18 halftime deficit into a 48-33 win over Amherst.

7:45 PM | Elm Creek (23-4) vs. Howells-Dodge (20-7): The Buffaloes sputtered in the first half but pulled away in the third quarter with a 12-3 run to open the second half and take control. Junior Kendal Cavanee had 13 points, five rebounds and four assists for the winners. Howells-Dodge made three first quarter triples and led 17-5 after eight minutes before cruising to a 51-28 win over Maywood-Hayes Center. Kylie Brichacek scored 12 points and had 12 rebounds for the Jaguars.

CLASS D-2 (at Bob Devaney Center)

9:00 AM | Dundy County Stratton (26-1) vs. Archangels Catholic (18-9): Dundy County Stratton survived. Archangels’ zone flipped a switch. In the Wednesday morning session at Pinnacle Bank Arena, top ranked DCS had to comeback for a 37-36 win after trailing by five points. Emily Schack scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Tigers. Archangels flipped to a 1-3-1 second half defense that Silver Lake couldn’t crack in their 55-33 win where they outscored the Mustangs 23-2 in the third quarter. Whitney Wegener scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Defenders.

10:45 AM | Red Cloud (21-3) vs. Wynot (17-11): Red Cloud pulled away from a 33-31 halftime score to defeat SEM 62-53 getting 27 points and seven rebounds from Josie Faimon in the win. Wynot won a thriller over defending champion Falls City Sacred Heart. When Hailey Wiessler’s potential game-winning basket was ruled after the buzzer on review, the Devils instead dominated overtime for a 54-49 win. Addison Sharpe had 16 points for Wynot.

Elm Creek coach Jadyn Ehresmen encourages her team in the second half of the Buffaloes 47-21 win over Cross County on Thursday. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

First Round Notes

REPLAY FIRST: Hailey Wiessler’s potential game-winning shot for Wynot was the first time replay was used in the girls state tournament in a non-championship game. It was the third year that the NSAA, with cooperation from News Channel Nebraska and Striv who stream the games NFHS, has had replay technology available. The technology was used in last year’s boys tournament in a first round game between Norris and Lincoln Pius X.

WILD CARD BLUES: In the first round, only two teams that had previously lost in sub-district or district play advanced to the semifinals. Gothenburg in C-1 over Ogallala and Guardian Angels Central Catholic in overtime over Oakland-Craig. Both teams won sub-district final rematches and wild card teams finished the quarterfinal round 2-10.

FOR THE GIRLS: Just five of the 48 teams that advanced to Lincoln had female head coaches. And of those only two will coach in today’s semifinal — Omaha North’s Michaela Dailey and Elm Creek’s Jadyn Ehresmen. For Ehresmen, who played at Bertrand and Concordia, leading other young women is her passion.

“I think both male and female coaches are extremely talented,” Ehresmen said. “But there is a special connection being a female head coach with high school girls. You can relate to some things. And, this is just a really special group that we have here, too.”

The Buffaloes, who advanced to last year’s D-1 title game, will face Howells-Dodge in the final Class D-1 semifinal at 7:45.

First Round In Pictures

Fans react to a GACC basket in their overtime win over Oakland-Craig in the first round of the Class C-2 state tournament. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Norris’ Marlee Emerson moves the ball up floor in the Titans first round win over Blair. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Millard West’s Kylee Paben works against the Omaha Westside defense. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Fort Calhoun celebrates their 57-56 overtime win over Lincoln Christian on Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers won their first state tournament game since 2005 with the victory. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Bennington’s Macie Reiner (15) looks to pass over the Scottsbluff defense in the first half of their 62-42 win over the Bearcats. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Being Shayla

Chris Basnett — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:11:00 +0000

Milford’s Shayla Rautenberg (right) battles with Malcolm’s Halle Dolliver (30) in Milford’s 66-64 win over the Clippers earlier this year. Rautenberg is hoping to lead Milford back to the Class C-1 state title game. (Harvest Sports / Andrew Placke)

Shayla Rautenberg is special, precisely because she doesn’t specialize.

Sure, Milford’s sophomore unicorn — 6-foot-4, able to dunk a basketball, member of the USA national volleyball program — likely has a future in the sport that strings a net across the court rather than hanging one from a rim.

But it’s Rautenberg’s willingness to live in both worlds, not to mention run a little track in the spring, that set her apart as much as her vast athletic ability.

“It is refreshing, because I think that was a concern everybody has had. The trend is to try and specialize. And I think if you look at all the stats that show that people that are playing at the highest levels, they’re not specializing,” Milford girls basketball coach Bryce Roth said. “They’re all people that have played two or three sports.

“(Specializing) is an illusion people are being sold. All these clubs are making money hand over fist trying to trick people into a reality that's not really helping (the athletes).”

That’s not to say there isn’t value in the club system. But for Rautenberg, who could play for any club volleyball program anywhere in the country, using her gifts in more than one arena isn’t really that big of a deal.

“I would say it’s been a pretty easy path. People are always asking me what my favorite sport is, and if you asked me that in sixth grade, I probably would have told you basketball,” Rautenberg said. “But I’ve switched that to volleyball. But doing both sports growing up, it’s just been easy to transition into high school doing both.”

She does just fine, too. Milford heads into this week’s state tournament 25-1, the only loss coming by single digits to Class B top seed Norris in a game the Class C-1 Eagles led at halftime.

Rautenberg averages 19 points, 14.2 rebounds, and four blocked shots per game while drawing the full attention of opposing defenses and anyone else who happens to be in the gym on a given night.

This after leading Milford to its first state volleyball title in the fall, with the last of her 30 kills in the state final delivering the Eagles their championship.

Milford’s Shayla Rautenberg (center) reacts to a kill in a first round win over Adams Central at last fall’s state tournament. Rautenberg led the Eagles to their first state title in school history. (Harvest Sports / Dante Boelhower)

Without turning a 16-year-old high school sophomore into too much of a cultural touchstone, Rautenberg’s ability to compete at an elite level in multiple sports shows, quite simply, that it can be done.

“I’ve heard other coaches that talk to me about, that’s a great example for little girls growing up here, and trying to buck that trend (of specialization),” Roth said. “I sure hope (she’s an influence). I do know that, all the following that we have with our younger players, they’re wanting to be active in whatever sport it is. And I think our community does a good job of promoting all the sports that we offer.”

In training and competing with the U.S. girls U19 national volleyball team that won the NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup over the summer, Rautenberg stood out even among the best young volleyball players in the country.

“I think (playing multiple sports) just comes with the territory of being in a small town,” Rautenberg said. “All of the other Team USA girls, they’re shocked when I tell them that I do three sports. They all just play volleyball.”

Wait, three sports?

Yep, once the basketballs are put away, Rautenberg will head to the track. Last year she competed in the high jump and 4x400 relay. She’s hoping to negotiate her way out of running the 400 this spring, because, have you ever tried running a 400 at a full sprint?

In the summer, there will be more club volleyball, more club basketball, and offseason training with Milford’s basketball and volleyball teams when she isn’t doing her club sports or training with USA Volleyball.

She wouldn’t have it any other way, either.

“She handles it really well. It's basically, if she doesn't have something, she gets bored; she doesn't know what to do with herself,” Lisa (Reitsma) Rautenberg, Shayla's mom and former Nebraska volleyball All-American, said last summer. “Luckily, she does love it. If she wasn't into it and didn't love it, we wouldn't be doing as much as we are.”

Rautenberg has found a good situation, with a supportive family, and coaches at both the high school and club level willing to work together to make sure she can spend the time she needs with each pursuit.

“Our coaches are really good about working with me being a multisport athlete,” Rautenberg said. “I know a lot of girls that might do only volleyball, or some of them quit basketball because they just didn’t have the time. So that’s a lot of credit to my coaches.”

It’s a credit to Rautenberg, too, for being willing to take on such a busy schedule. Her basketball coach isn’t surprised.

“Her competitive spirit is pretty unmatched. I mean, she hates to lose. Yes, she’s a .01 percenter (athletically). But what really sets her apart is, she just absolutely hates to lose and will compete at a level that just really helps raise everybody’s play, whether it’s practice or even just playing a goofy game of cards or something,” Roth said. “That’s infectious, and it sets the tone.”

Before You Go

Here is everything you need to know about this week’s Nebraska girls state basketball tournament. A historic 50th edition of the championship. Read our preview for the NSAA website here.

Also if you missed any of our other recaps you can catch them at the following links: state dual wrestling, bowling, girls wrestling, boys wrestling and last weekend’s swimming and diving championships.

🚗 🚗 Thoughts From The Road

Tony Chapman — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:11:00 +0000

Dad and Ella at the final stop. The Oakland-Craig Competition Gym, which early in the day (and on Sunday) hosted their annual youth basketball tournament.

Make A Memory

When I was a freshman in high school, my dad took me to three playoff football games on the same day. I’ll never forget it. The state semifinals of 1990. Now, all we do is play on Friday at 7:00 (or 6:00). The doubleheader is rare.

But, on this sunny and warm Saturday, dad and I tracked from Hampton to Doniphan for a 1:00 game between the Cardinals and perennial power Grant. I distinctly remember that the Cards were also playing in the state volleyball finals as well.

At 4:00 we traveled down the back roads to Kenesaw. The Blue Devils were hosting Newcastle in an 8-man show down. And the 7:00 game was in Wood River between Scott Frost (just a sophomore then) and Geneva, who would win the eventual Class C-1 state title the next week.

On Thursday, when Mother Nature wiped out most of the Class C and D sub-disrict finals, the delays gave Ella and I another chance. It took even more than just the weather. Likely some work arounds for different towns. A bus turning around at Kearney on Thursday. And an already scheduled youth basketball tournament that kicked the start of our last game to 7:00.

And maybe a little help from coach.

But dang it if we didn’t get it done.

1:00 — Malcolm and Holdrege. The Dolliver girls are still good. And, the Dusters, well, I am not sure anyone is going to want to see them in Lincoln.

4:00 — Howells-Dodge and Cross County. The Jaguars are just 18-7, but unbeaten in Class D-1. They will be a tough out if they advance to Lincoln.

7:00 — Oakland-Craig and GACC.

We sandwiched our long Saturday with a trip to Milford on Friday night and coaching some hoops in Hampton with our Northwest junior high team on Sunday.

So thankful. The best weekend.

Oakland-Craig’s Briar Ray (1) looks for a gap in the GACC defense on Saturday. The Knights won the top-10, Class C-2 battle 67-58 in overtime. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

The Girls Hoops Power 20

The postseason is officially here as we look forward to the state girls basketball tournament which begins next Wednesday in Lincoln at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and Pinnacle Bank Arena leading into Saturday’s championship games. We can’t wait. Come say hello!! Let’s move into our final Power 20 of the season.

1 - Bennington (23-0): The Badgers will host the B-2 on Wednesday (either Lexington or Nebraska City) and then a likely district final against Central Conference foes Aurora or Crete. The Cardinals have won 13 of their last 14 and defeated Aurora twice in the past 30 days. Last week: 1.

2 - Omaha North (22-4): When the Vikings are on, they are the most dangerous team in the state. They will host the A-2 district with a district final against Bellevue West or Elkhorn South. Last week: 2.

3 - Lincoln North Star (22-1): Got a hard-fought win over No. 10 Pius and over watching you Millard South last week and earned the top-seed in the postseason. Will face the winner of Omaha Burke and Bellevue East to open their district tournament on Wednesday. Last week: 3.

4 - Millard West (18-4): The best win of the week for any of the Power 20 was the Cats 65-46 win over Kearney on Valentines Day. Millard West left little doubt in that one, sprinting to a 23-7 lead after the first quarter. The Cats had three in double figures with Londyn Whitney getting 15 points. If Kylee Paben gets that kind of help the rest of the way MW is a title contender. Last week: 5.

5 - Omaha Westside (20-5): The Warriors are 12-1 since the calendar flipped. A dangerous team to watch the next 10 days. Jump Kearney based on the head-to-head scores with Millard West, plus the win over Omaha North. Last week: 7.

6 - Kearney (18-3): Really wish we had the grade against Omaha Westview to put in here. Alas, we will see how districts and, possibly, the state tournament goes for the Bearcats. Last week: 6.

7 - Norris (20-3): Titans lost a 58-54 contest with then, No. 15 Omaha Marian last Tuesday but still have enough good wins to stay in the top 10. They would get to host two games in the B-1 district tournament this week. Last week: 4.

8 - Milford (24-1): Just one step before “survive and advance” season in Class C-1, Milford hung on last Friday to beat Class C-1, No. 8 Central City 44-43 behind 22 points and 16 rebounds from Shayla Rautenberg. How good is Class C-1? There are 11 teams with 20 wins or more. Last week: 7.

Malcolm’s Payton Dolliver drives to the basket in the second half of the Clippers 45-36 win over Holdrege on Saturday afternoon. Dolliver had 17 points and 12 rebounds in the win. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

9 - Malcolm (24-1): Now 14 in a row for Malcolm who will play all of the postseason without starter Baylor Bratrsovsky after she suffered a torn ACL in their final regular season game. Yes, the Dolliver sisters are good. But there is plenty of help here. Promise. May have looked the best of Class C-1’s “big three” in the sub-district final round with a 45-36 win over Holdrege. Last week: 9.

10 - Lincoln Pius X (18-4): Played No. 3 Lincoln North Star to a 43-38 game last Tuesday, which should get the Bolts ready for the postseason. Our guess here is Pius has the taste of last year’s first round state exit still on their minds a little bit. Last week: 10.

11 - Lincoln Christian (23-2): Thought about a small demotion for Lincoln Christian after their loss to Raymond Central in the sub-district final. The Crusaders jumped out to a big lead and then the ball wouldn’t go in the basket. Ultimately their spot on this list will depend on next week. Last week: 11.

12 - Pender (24-2): The Dragons quest for a fourth title is off to a good start. Will host Johnson County Central in their district final on Saturday. Last week: 12.

13 - Omaha Marian (13-9): Our coaches poll won’t have as much love for Marian as the Power 20 and that’s okay. But the Crusaders have won nine of 10 and that includes wins over Westview, Southwest and Norris. The only lost to Iowa queens, Johnston. This team could give Kearney fits on Friday night if both advance. Last week: 15.

14 - Omaha Westview (18-5): The Wolverines could have moved up, had the game with Kearney been played (and won). Instead, they stay here but will still host their Class A district. Will need to advance to Lincoln to keep this spot. Last week: 13.

15 - Lincoln Southwest (14-8): Should both advance, the one district final in Class A that could have the most intrigue is Southwest and No. 20 Millard North. Both would be 15-8 at tip. Last week: 14.

16 - Gretna East (18-5): Like Bennington, should the Griffins advance, they would have a Central Conference foe in either York or Grand Island Northwest. A semifinal appearance in Lincoln will be required to stay in this spot. Last week: 16.

17 - Elkhorn Valley (25-0): A required flip now between Oakland-Craig and Elkhorn Valley (this matches our coaches poll now) after O-C needed overtime to defeat Guardian Angels Central Catholic on Saturday. Elkhorn Valley’s win was 54-38 on January 30. Last week: 18.

18 - Oakland-Craig (23-3): You know who doesn’t care that they dropped in this week’s poll? Oakland-Craig. In fact, they may welcome it. Last week: 17.

19 - Papillion-LaVista (15-7): Told you the Monarchs were playing for their ranking on Saturday against Lincoln Northeast and they responded with a 58-40 win. Last week: 20.

20 - Millard North (14-8): Snuck past Lincoln Southeast, 56-53. Depending on district and state results, might need to win their district to stay here for the postseason poll. Last week: 17.

Watching You (listed alphabetically by class): Bellevue West (13-10), Lincoln High (16-6), Holdrege (21-4), Alma (25-1), Bloomfield (25-0).

Creighton Prep’s Zaiyahn Ornelas prepares for his championship match at Class A, 126 pounds. The Nebraska-bound Ornelas won 5-3 to become the 39th four-time state champion in Nebraska history. (For Harvest Sports / NEWrestle, Megan Hardy)

Wrestling Week in Omaha

The boys and girls state wrestling championships capped off their five-day run at the CHI Center in Omaha on Saturday. What a week for our friends at NEWrestle!! They have all the recaps on the NSAA homepage, and you can link on them below as well.

Boys team champions: Creighton Prep (A), Omaha Skutt Catholic (B), Battle Creek (C) and Plainview (D).

Girls team champions: Omaha Westside (A) and Adams Central (B).

Boys Wrestling Recap | Girls Wrestling Recap

Parting Shot

The Class A boys state basketball tournament might be as wide open as it has ever been. Get to Lincoln and you have a fighting chance. Boys districts brackets for Class A will be released later today.

How wide open? Only Omaha Westside has 20 wins and no team has fewer than four losses on the season. Here is Yasir Grixby of Omaha Central knocking down Lincoln Southwest last night in a buzzer beater.

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Jesus, Then Basketball

Tony Chapman — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:11:05 +0000

Grand Island Lutheran coach Jeremiah Slough chats with Maxwell Murdoch at the end of the first half of the Lightning’s win over Wallace at the Heartland Hoops Classic. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

Jeremiah Slough has watched and played a whole bunch of basketball.

Starred at Doniphan-Trumbull for coach Rick Rath. Has the Hastings College single-game scoring record; 61 points for you Grand Island Lutheran kids he is coaching now.

Out of college, he began his coaching career in Pleasanton before a long stint at Grand Island Senior High. He coached multiple Division I athletes in his time with the Islanders and mentored current Creighton standout Isaac Traudt.

But, when Heartland Lutheran changed their school name to Grand Island Lutheran last year and was in the middle of reorganizing their school the principal and athletic director position came open. And, along with it a head basketball coaching position in Class D-2 — Nebraska’s smallest class.

The little barn on Grand Island’s Husker Highway is a long ways away from Creighton Prep’s Bird Cage; it’s mostly 84-foot floors now for coach Slough and his long-time assistants Rath (his high school coach), Steve Hartman and Jason Moritz.

“I prayed about this move a lot,” Slough said after his team defeated then, Class D-2, No. 10 Wallace 51-49 on Saturday at the Heartland Hoops Classic. “I have a bunch of old guys with me. I joked with them that I would coach until they all died, so I hope they have some years left in them.

“I wasn’t going unless they were coming with me. They understand the moment (in games), when to challenge me, when to rub my back. They are father figures for us.”

His team is now 15-6 in his first year, with five losses to ranked teams in Class D-1. They will enter the postseason next week against a loaded sub-district field that includes No. 4 Lawrence-Nelson and No. 6 Deshler. The Lightning are receiving votes in this week’s coaches poll.

But, the basketball is almost secondary now. You should hear Slough talk about his five seniors; three of whom were full-time starters before giving way to young talent for the Lightning in 2025-26. Just Chad Rostvet sees regular minutes.

Grand Island Lutheran sophomore guard Xander Rivera attacks the basket against Wallace at the Heartland Hoops Classic. (Harvest Sports / Tony Chapman)

“It brings me to tears talking about it,” Slough said. “Those seniors have been part of teams with just seven or eight players on them. They haven’t won very much. Three of them were three year starters prior to this year. They have given their playing time to a bunch of freshman and sophomores and they have stayed united and kept our locker room together.

“That’s what makes it special. Everyone sees our young talent, but what they don’t see is five selfless seniors that were in a transition where their school name changed, where everything they have always had is different. But, they are unselfish enough to let their role change. You don’t see very much in society anymore.”

The other seniors include Darrin Bexten, Vance Smith, Colton Zehender and Rafe Mendyk. The guys on the floor they are cheering on, put on a good product under Slough’s guidance.

Freshman Maxwell Murdoch pours in 16.7 points per contest and 6-6 sophomore Luke Olsen scores another 13.7 points and leads the team in rebounding at 7.5 a contest.

But, where the Lightning really get you is on the defensive end. They give up just over 35 points per contest and mix in a variety of zone and trapping defenses, the most unique a hybrid 2-3 that looks like a Merrimack 4-1 (must be a basketball psycho to appreciate this one) with the long wings on Slough’s roster coming out high to cause problems.

With nine players returning for Slough next season, the experience of next week’s postseason should lean toward invaluable. The previous Heartland Lutheran went to state just once in 2010 losing to eventual champion Ewing in the first round.

Now a rejuvenated Slough is ready to build his second Grand Island program to the top of their class.

“Our kids love Jesus and they are on fire for basketball,” Slough said. “And that’s happening at the youth level, too. We are excited about our program, but also the ministry we are creating at Grand Island Lutheran High.”

Some things are even bigger than basketball.

Pure Cinema

Saturday’s game six at the Heartland Hoops Classic was, indeed, a classic between Class C-1, No. 1 Ogallala and No. 2 Ashland-Greenwood. While the Indians prevailed 56-52, we were left wanting more. Maybe we’ll get in a few weeks. Our “movie” recap.

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