Class D2 State Tournament Preview
GAME 1: #1 Falls City Sacred Heart (24-3) vs. #8 Loomis (19-6) LOCATION: Lincoln North Star TIME: 9:00 AM KEY PLAYERS FOR FALLS CITY SACRED HEART: Last years runner up is back as the top seed, but they are looking to…
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Continue ReadingGAME 1: #1 Falls City Sacred Heart (24-3) vs. #8 Loomis (19-6)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 9:00 AM
KEY PLAYERS FOR FALLS CITY SACRED HEART: Last years runner up is back as the top seed, but they are looking to take it one step further. Returning all-stater Ericson Vonderschmidt (13.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) leads a deep and balanced squad to Lincoln, aided by senior point guard McKenzie Witt (6.0 apg) and sophomore Rachel Magdenz (10 ppg). Sacred Heart has played a loaded schedule and has come out the other side the #1 seed, and they are going to be hard to stop.
KEY PLAYERS FOR LOOMIS: Before the season started, Loomis was my team on the brink, and they have come through with a state tournament appearance. Two seniors Darla Thorell Darla Thorell 5'9" | PF Loomis | 2020 State NE (13.8 ppg) and Paige Booe (6.9 ppg), are supported by junior Alexis Billeter Alexis Billeter 5'4" | SF Loomis | 2021 NE (13.4 ppg) and sophomore Hanna Steward (11 ppg). However, the next closest Wolf is just below three points a night, and Loomis is going to have a tough time matching up with Sacred Heart’s depth and athleticism.
GAME 2: #4 Wynot (22-4) vs. #5 Lawrence-Nelson (25-1)
LOCATION: Lincoln North Star
TIME: 10:45 AM
KEY PLAYERS FOR WYNOT: The returning Class D2 state champions return to Lincoln to defend their state title, and they are ready, having played a tough slate of games in Northeast Nebraska. The Blue Devils are deep and balanced, led the senior guard tandem of Katelyn Heine (10.8 ppg) and Michaela Lange (9.6 ppg). Wynot is built to win three games in three days, with a flexible team that can win in a variety of ways to ensure that they survive and advance.
KEY PLAYERS FOR LAWRENCE-NELSON: Lawrence-Nelson has had perhaps the most dominant regular season of anyone in Class D2, but they will be tested right away. The Raiders are going to attack the entire court, with seven players with more than 30 steals on the season. Three seniors, Karigan Drudik Karigan Drudik 5'8" | SF Lawrence Nelson | 2020 State NE (8 ppg), Taylor Harrington (12.1 ppg) and Annie McCartney (9.1 ppg) are the leaders for the Raiders, but they may have some troubles with first-time jitters on Thursday morning.
GAME 3: #2 Humphery St. Francis (23-2) vs. #7 Sterling (20-7)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 7:00 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR HUMPHERY ST. FRANCIS: Allison Weidner Allison Weidner 5'10" | PG St. Francis Humphrey | 2021 State #97 Nation NE , the future Cornhusker, has been the dominant individual player in Class D2 all season long, ranking amongst the state’s leaders in points (25 ppg), assists (6.5 apg) and steals (7.5 spg). Weidner is not doing this all by himself, with classmate Alissa Koch (9.2 ppg, 2.5 spg) playing the consumate wingman to Weidner. The Flyers are rolling, having coming into the state tournament on a 15 game winning streak
KEY PLAYERS FOR STERLING: Colby Theis (11.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg) was the lone returning starter back from last year’s state tournament team for the Jets, but she has lead a young squad, with the aid of freshman guard Macy Richardson (12.8 ppg, 2.5 spg) back to Lincoln. Sterling has played a solid schedule, which will aid them Thursday evening, including close duels with BDS and Falls City Sacred Heart. Will the balance of Sterling carry the day against the individual play of Weidner and St. Francis?
GAME 4: #3 Mullen (25-1) vs. #6 BDS (18-5)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 8:45 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR MULLEN: The Broncos come stampeding out of the Sandhills behind the outstanding play of returning all-stater and Nebraska-Kearney commit Samantha Moore (16.9 ppg, 3.5 apg, 4.0 spg) and her sidekick, sophomore guard Taylor Svoboda (10 ppg). Mullen has a great record, but they have not played a great schedule, which could hurt them as the weekend progresses. Moore will need to be outstanding all weekend to give the Broncos a chance at cutting down the nets Saturday afternoon.
KEY PLAYER FOR BDS: BDS is back in the state tournament for the third consecutive season, and they have a squad that could be built to make a nice run this weekend. A balanced squad who has been challenged throughout the season, multi-sport senior Regan Alfs (12.2 ppg, 9.2 rpg) hopes that classmate Rylee Hacker (8.2 ppg) and junior Macy Kamler (13 ppg) hope to add to the Eagles outstanding volleyball campaign.
CLASS D2 STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: Falls City Sacred Heart over Loomis, Wynot over Lawrence-Nelson, Humphery St. Francis over Sterling, BDS over Mullen
SEMI-FINALS: Falls City Sacred Heart over Wynot, Humphery St. Francis
FINALS: Allison Weidner Allison Weidner 5'10" | PG St. Francis Humphrey | 2021 State #97 Nation NE might be the best player in the state, but Falls City Sacred Heart has the best team in Class D2. I see the Irish pulling away in the second half to win the state championship Saturday afternoon.