Class C2 State Tournament Preview
GAME 1: #1 Oakland-Craig (25-1) vs. #8 Clarkson/Leigh (20-5) LOCATION: Lincoln North Star TIME: 2:00 PM KEY PLAYERS FOR OAKLAND-CRAIG: The Knights have been impressive all season, chalking up big wins against BRLD, North Bend-Central and Norris, among others. Led by…
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Continue ReadingGAME 1: #1 Oakland-Craig (25-1) vs. #8 Clarkson/Leigh (20-5)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 2:00 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR OAKLAND-CRAIG: The Knights have been impressive all season, chalking up big wins against BRLD, North Bend-Central and Norris, among others. Led by all-stater Kennedy Benne Kennedy Benne 5'5" | SG Oakland-Craig | 2020 State NE (21 ppg, 6 rpg, 5 spg), Oakland-Craig is far from a one-woman team. Benne is supported by classmate Mya Guzinski Mya Guzinski 5'7" | SF Oakland-Craig | 2020 State NE (5 apg), junior post player Jeaninna Blahak (6 ppg) and outstanding freshman Chaney Nelson (9.5 ppg, 3 spg). Their deep, athletic, attacking team will be a handful for the rest of the teams in the tournament to handle.
KEY PLAYERS FOR CLARKSON/LEIGH: The Patriots hope to avenge an early season loss to Oakland-Craig with their own balanced attack. No players average double figures, but Ashlynn Novotny (7.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.7 apg, 3 spg) will fill a stat sheet, while junior forward Cassidy Hoffman (9.4 ppg) and sophomore guard Kennedy Settje (9.8 ppg) will have to be active on the offensive end to give Clarkson/Leigh a chance.
GAME 2: #4 Ponca (21-4) vs. #5 Grand Island Central Catholic (17-7)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 3:45 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR PONCA: Like most of the smaller schools that come out of northeastern Nebraska, Ponca is battle-tested and are ready for their return to the state tournament. Outstanding senior Kaci Day Kaci Day 5'10" | PF Ponca | 2020 State NE (14.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg) has teamed up with fabulous freshmen Ashlyn Kingsbury (11 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Samantha Ehlers (7.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) to naviage the Indians through a tough schedule that will have them ready to push through this difficult C2 bracket.
KEY PLAYERS FOR GRAND ISLAND CENTRAL CATHOLIC: Speaking of tough schedules, GICC is another school from central Nebraska that has played numerous teams that are a class or two above them, including Class B programs like Gross Catholic, York and Grand Island Northwest. The dynamic backcourt of senior Katie Maser (8.6 ppg) and sophomore Rylie Rice (15.2 ppg) give the Crusaders the most important weapon a team can have at the state tournament; great guard play.
GAME 3: #2 Crofton (23-3) vs. #7 BRLD (20-5)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 7:00 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR CROFTON: Perhaps Nebraska’s premier small school program, the Warriors are back to take the final step and take home another state tournament title, which would be their 9th since 2005. Coach Aaron Losing has a deep and athletic squad, led by senior Alexis Arens (7.9 ppg) and junior Lacey Sprakel (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg). Kaley Einrem, a junior guard, gives another 11 points a night, but the Warrios have five other players that give them at least five points a night. Their toughness and competitiveness, with the sting of last year’s finals loss, will make Crofton tough to beat.
KEY PLAYERS FOR BRLD: One of the most explosive teams in the state, BRLD will be able to match-up with Crofton in terms of sheer numbers and depth. Isabel Freemont, a 5’8″ junior guard, averages 10 points a night, while classmate Caragan Tietz leads the Panthers with 12 points a night. Senior KaiLynn Lovejoy chips in 10 a night, while sophomore forward Jordan Snyder, a 6’2″ forward, goes for 11.7 ppg and 7 boards a night. This has a chance to be a very entertaining contest.
GAME 4: #3 Hastings St. Cecilia (23-3) vs. #6 Superior (21-3)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 8:45 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR HASTINGS ST. CECILIA: The Class C2 defending champs have had a few ups and downs in defending their title, but they have come out of the other side of a diffcult schedule with the #3 seed. Senior Tori Thomas (13.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg) has alot of support from classmates Makenna Asher (8.2 ppg) and Natalie Kissinger (7.3 ppg), while super sophomore Chelsea Fisher Chelsea Fisher 6'2" | C Pleasanton | 2022 State NE (11.4 ppg) leads an active defense and a team that is starting to hit all cylinders at the right time.
KEY PLAYERS FOR SUPERIOR: Everything starts and ends with the Meyer’s for the Wildcats; Nebraska volleyball commit Kalynn Meyer (21.5 ppg, 15.7 rpg) and sophomore Shayla Meyer (13.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) will be the alpha and the omega for the Wildcats, but who will they get support from? Will it be senior Hallie Miller (4.7 ppg) or classmate Trisha Hayes (4.5 ppg)? Someone will have to step up to make plays consistently for the Wildcats to make a run for another state title.
CLASS C2 STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: Oakland-Craig over Clarkson/Leigh, Grand Island Central Catholic over Ponca, Crofton over BRLD, Hastings St. Cecilia over Superior
SEMI-FINALS: Oakland-Craig over Grand Island Central Catholic, Crofton over Hastings St. Cecilia (just barely . . .)
FINALS: Whomever Oakland-Craig faces in the finals is going to make this a terrific ball game. I think it is going to be Crofton, but it could very easily be St. Cecilia’s. However, Oakland-Craig has a little bit easier path to the final, and that spare energy will give them the edge Saturday night.