D1 State Tournament Preview
GAME 1: #1 Weeping Water (25-1) vs. #8 Hartington Cedar Catholic (10-13) LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest TIME: 9:00 AM KEY PLAYERS FOR WEEPING WATER: The top-seeded Indians are led by the duo of Grace Cave Grace Cave 5'6" | PG Weeping…
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Continue ReadingGAME 1: #1 Weeping Water (25-1) vs. #8 Hartington Cedar Catholic (10-13)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 9:00 AM
KEY PLAYERS FOR WEEPING WATER: The top-seeded Indians are led by the duo of Grace Cave Grace Cave 5'6" | PG Weeping Water | 2021 State NE , a Nebraska-Omaha commit, and senior Peyton Barrett. Barrett is the key for the Indians; Cave is supremely athletic and can create so much for Weeping Water, while Barrett can be the Robin to Cave’s Batman. If Barrett can meet or exceed her 18 points a night for three days, Weeping Water has a great chance to cut down the nets on Saturday morning.
KEY PLAYERS FOR HARTINGTON CEDAR CATHOLIC: Don’t be deceived by Cedar Catholic’s won-loss record; they play in the ultra-competitive Northeastern Nebraska region, and they knocked off Humphery/ Lindsay-Holy Family in the district final, so they are feeling really good about themselves. Freshman Mackenna Noecker leads the Trojans at almost 13 points a night, and she will have to be explosive for Cedar Catholic to have a chance, along with junior Brynn Wortmann (13.6 ppg) and senior Abby Hochstein (10 ppg, 6 rpg).
GAME 2: #4 Maywood/ Hayes Center (23-3) vs. #5 Fremont Bergan (14-9)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 10:45 AM
KEY PLAYERS FOR MAYWOOD/ HAYES CENTER: The attacking defense of Maywood/Hayes Center will be keyed by the four-headed monster of freshman Ashlin Bronz (10.5 ppg), junior Jaycee Widener (10.9 ppg) and seniors Avery Johnson Avery Johnson 5'9" | SG Needham | 2022 State MA (14.7 ppg) and Jaycee Lapp (8.8 ppg). Each one of these players have 80 steals or more apiece, and if they can get Bergan playing at their pace, they have a great chance of moving on to the semi-finals and perhaps beyond.
KEY PLAYERS FOR FREMONT BERGAN: Like Cedar Catholic, don’t be deceived by the defending champions record. Bergan plays in the highly competitive Centennial Conference against the likes of Kearney Catholic, Hastings St. Cecilia and Guardian Angels Central Catholic. Plus, don’t discount the returning experience of senior Allie DeGroff (10 ppg, 7 rpg) and junior Lauren Baker (14 ppg). If these two players can calm their teammates and help Bergan control tempo, they will have a great chance to move on.
GAME 3: #2 CWC (25-1) vs. #7 Dundy County-Stratton (18-6)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 2:00 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR CWC: CWC will go as Taylor Peter Taylor Peter 5'11" | PF Chambers/Wheeler Central | 2020 State NE goes. The 6’0″ senior, who is averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds a game, has been dominant for the Coyotes, but she will need help from 6’1″ junior forward Morgan Ramsey Morgan Ramsey 5'10" | PG Chambers/Wheeler Central | 2021 NE (13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg). If the Coyotes get good guard play, they will also have a chance to make a run at the state title, as these two players should dominate the paint the entire weekend.
KEY PLAYERS FOR DUNDY COUNTY-STRATTON: Dundy County-Stratton is a little more balanced than most of the teams in D1, with five players averaging five or more points a game. Two juniors should lead the way in point guard McKinzie Baney (13.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and forward Maggie Lutz (9.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg). If the Tigers can contain the combo of Peter and Ramsey and allow their balance to overcome that dynamic duo, they will have a chance to move on.
GAME 3: #3 Pleasanton (25-0) vs. #6 Pender (17-11)
LOCATION: Lincoln Southwest
TIME: 3:45 PM
KEY PLAYERS FOR PLEASANTON: The last remaining undefeated team in the entire state, the Bulldogs are even more balanced and more explosive than Dundy County-Stratton. The “Three Musketeers” of juniors for the Bulldogs lead the way; Isabelle Paitz (11.6 ppg), Kaci Pierce Kaci Pierce PG Pleasanton | 2021 NE (10.4 ppg) and Katelyn Lindner (8.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Pleasanton is back at the state tournament, and they have been on a mission to cut down the nets since last season. If the pressure of maintaining the undefeated record doesn’t get to them, they are going to be in the running.
KEY PLAYER FOR PENDER: Pender is cut from the same cloth as Cedar Catholic; they have played a great schedule and will not be intimidated by Pleasanton. Junior Ashley Ostand (14.7 ppg, 119 steals) leads the Pendragons back to the state tournament, and their experience against teams like North Bend-Central, BRLD, Oakland-Craig and Wynot has prepped the Pendragons for this moment
CLASS D1 STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS: Weeping Water over Hartington Cedar Catholic, Maywood/ Hayes Center over Fremont Bergan, CWC over Dundy County-Stratton, Pender over Pleasanton
SEMI-FINALS: Weeping Water over Maywood/ Hayes Center, CWC over Pender
FINALS: I predicted Weeping Water before the season started, and I’m going to stay with them. I think clinching the top seed and having a little bit easier way to the finals will help the Indians finish on top.