Lyons-Decatur Northeast 3-2 over last five matches

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars are starting to play better volleyball as they went 2-1 last week, and are 1-1 so far this week.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast beat Scribner-Snyder 3-0 last Tuesday before beating Winnebago 2-0 and losing 2-1 to Emerson-Hubbard on Thursday at the Winnebago Triangular.

The Cougars topped Madison 2-0 on Tuesday of this week while losing 2-1 to Howells-Dodge.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast took sets one and two from the Trojans 25-12, and won set three 25-20.

Kelly Wakeley finished with 10 kills and 15 digs while Maddie Ronnfeldt had 9 kills. Brianne Haskell posted 7 kills and 11 digs. Abby Peterson and Mickayla Petersen totaled 11 digs each while Lexie Bacon registered 8 digs and 22 set assists. Petersen added 7 set assists.

Head Coach Angela Hathaway says it was a good win for her squad. "It was definitely a team effort. It was awesome to see us not give up, not lag in the middle. When we're up we finished, it was an awesome team effort and good to see improvements throughout the season. This is pry the first match we've seen the middles actually come alive more so than just our outsides. So it was definitely a team effort all throughout the game."

The Cougars defeated the Indians 25-8 in set one and 25-16 in set two.

Haskell had 7 digs while Bacon recorded 12 set assists.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast took set one from the Pirates 25-13, but lost sets two and three 25-21.

Haskell finished with 10 kills and 16 digs while Wakeley posted 7 kills and 20 digs. Peterson totaled 11 digs while Bacon had 9 digs and 9 set assists. Petersen compiled 12 set assists.

The Cougars topped the Dragons in set one 25-20, and won set two 25-14.

Haskell finished with 8 kills and 8 digs while Peterson totaled 17 digs. Wakeley notched 14 while Bacon and Petersen dished out 11 set assists apiece.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast downed the Jaguars 26-24 in set one before losing set two 25-23 and set three 25-22.

Haskell registered 14 kills and 18 digs while Wakeley had 9 kills and 20 digs. Peterson finished with 15 digs while Bacon recorded 13 digs and 18 set assists. Petersen totaled 9 digs and 12 set assists.

The Cougars are starting to come on. Lyons-Decatur Northeast has played at a very high level as of late.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast (6-11) is at Boys Town on Thursday for a Double Triangular with the host Cowboys (6-10) and Cedar Bluffs (13-3).

Boys Town lost 3-0 at home to Fremont Bergan on Tuesday while the Wildcats won 3-2 at Bancroft-Rosalie on Tuesday.

I really think the Cougars are going to challenge both of these teams.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast has played some of their best volleyball of the season the last two weeks, and I look for the Cougars to play well on Thursday as well.

The most interesting thing to see will be if Lyons-Decatur Northeast can get over the hump.

7 of the Cougars' 11 losses this season have gone the distance. Lyons-Decatur Northeast could be a whole lot better record wise than they are right now.

It has to be frustrating to lose all those close matches, but the Cougars have to keep fighting and realize all those tough losses are only going to make them better.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to keep fighting just like they have in every match this season. The Cougars have to believe that eventually some of these close matches will go their way.

It will be interesting to see what transpires on Thursday.

Howells-Dodge 1-2 in last three matches

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars are 1-2 over their last three matches, having lost 3-0 at Lutheran High Northeast last Tuesday before beating Lyons-Decatur Northeast 2-1 and losing 2-0 to Wisner-Pilger at the Wisner-Pilger Triangular on Tuesday of this week.

Howells-Dodge lost set one to the Eagles 25-15, dropped set two 25-12, and fell 25-20 in set three.

Kalli Brester posted 7 kills for the Jaguars while Tessa Brester had 10 set assists.

The Gators defeated Howells-Dodge 25-10 in set one and 25-14 in set two.

The Jaguars dropped set one to the Cougars, 26-24, but bounced back to win set two 25-23 and set three 25-22.

Kalli Brester finished with 10 kills while Mallory Rolf contributed 8 kills and 11 digs. Macey Kulhanek led the way in digs with 15 while Tessa Brester notched 9.

Howells-Dodge has struggled these past two weeks. Granted the Jaguars lost to two C-2 schools, but still the Jaguars have four wins, three of them impressive, over C-2 schools this season. Howells-Dodge has to get back to playing the way they were before the Lutheran High Northeast match.

The Jaguars (9-4) host Oakland-Craig (11-4) on Thursday.

The Knights lost 2-1 to Stanton, but beat Tekamah-Herman 2-0 at the Stanton Triangular on Tuesday.

Oakland-Craig appears to have gotten back on track after struggling a tad last week.

That's exactly what Howells-Dodge will look to do on Thursday.

I think the Jaguars have what it takes to push this match to four or five sets, but I could also see Howells-Dodge getting swept.

It all comes down to how well the Jaguars play and execute.

When Howells-Dodge is on they can beat anyone they play, but when they struggle they are very vulnerable and tend to lose.

The Jaguars have to be mentally sharp in this match. Howells-Dodge can't make any silly mistakes and hand the Knights free and easy points.

The Jaguars have to make Oakland-Craig earn their points, and force the Knights to work. If Howells-Dodge can do that and catch some breaks they may be able to spring the minor upset.

Pender 0-3 in last three matches

The Pender Pendragons have lost their last three matches as they fell 2-0 to Wisner-Pilger and Stanton at their home Triangular last Tuesday, and lost 3-0 at home to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family this past Tuesday.

Pender fell 25-14 in set one to the Gators and lost set two 25-15.

The Mustangs downed the Pendragons 25-17 in set one and 25-14 in set two.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family took care of Pender in set one, winning 25-13. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family won sets two and three 25-20 and 25-15.

The Pendragons have really struggled as of late. Pender hasn't won a match or even a set since September 5th. Something has to change for the Pendragons.

Pender (2-9) hosts Emerson-Hubbard (14-1) and Neligh-Oakdale (5-8) in a triangular on Thursday.

The Pirates went 3-0 at the Ponca Invite on Tuesday, sweeping Ponca, Allen, and Wynot 2-0.

The Warriors lost 2-0 to Bloomfield, but beat Plainview 2-0 at their home triangular on Tuesday.

This will be another challenging triangular for the Pendragons.

Pender has a better chance to win one or both matches this time around, but things won't come easy for the Pendragons.

Pender has to snap out of this funk they are in, and play better volleyball.

The Pendragons haven't had as many matches as some teams this season, and a lack of matches played could be a reason why they are struggling, but Pender has to overcome that.

The Pendragons have these matches on Thursday and then the Clarkson Tourney on Saturday, so Pender has to step up and play inspired volleyball the rest of the week.

The Pendragons have to take things one set, one point at a time, and fight hard no matter what.

This is an important week for Pender. The Pendragons have to somehow gain some positive momentum heading into next week, whether that's winning a match or even a set. Pender desperately needs something to build off of and something to go their way.

West Point-Beemer 1-4 in last five matches

The West Point-Beemer Cadets are 1-4 in their last five matches, having beat Logan View 2-0 and losing to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family last Tuesday at the Logan View Triangular, falling to North Bend Central 3-0 on the road Thursday, and losing 2-0 to Wayne and 2-1 to Arlington this past Tuesday at the West Point-Beemer Triangular.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family topped West Point-Beemer 25-13 in set one and 25-22 in set two.

The Cadets downed the Raiders 25-16 in set one and 25-13 in set two.

The Tigers defeated West Point-Beemer 25-21 in set one, and 25-19 in sets two and three.

The Blue Devils beat the Cadets in set one 25-18, and took set two 25-16.

The match against the Eagles was tight as Arlington took sets one and three 25-23 and 25-18. West Point-Beemer won set two 31-29.

The Cadets haven't played their best volleyball as of late. West Point-Beemer has been inconsistent as of late, and has taken their lumps. The Cadets competed well against the Eagles, but the Wayne and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family matches were definitely ones I'm sure West Point-Beemer feels they could have done better in.

The Cadets (6-7) look to rebound on Thursday when they host Norfolk Catholic (5-7).

The Knights are coming off 2-0 losses to Crofton and Lutheran High Northeast on Tuesday.

This is a match between two teams who could really use a momentum booster.

Norfolk Catholic has lost to and beat some good teams this year, and the same could sort of be said for West Point-Beemer.

The Knights have played a tougher schedule up to this point, but I look for this match to go at least four sets.

I think the Cadets can win, but Norfolk Catholic is battle tested, and that will make things difficult.

The match being in West Point really helps West Point-Beemer so we will see if the Cadets can take advantage of the match being on their home floor.

West Point-Beemer has to play the way they did against Tekamah-Herman. If the Cadets can turn in the type of performance they did against the Tigers they just might knock off the Knights.

Regardless of what happens, it should be a hard fought match between two fairly equal teams.

Thursday night's match will be aired on 107.9 the Bull.

Scribner-Snyder 1-4 in last five matches

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans went 1-4 last week, losing 3-0 at Lyons-Decatur Northeast on Tuesday and 3-0 at Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family on Thursday. Scribner-Snyder lost 2-0 to Elkhorn Valley and Oakland-Craig on Saturday at their own invite, but beat Winnebago 2-0, also at the Scribner-Snyder Invite.

The Trojans dropped sets one and two to the Cougars 25-12, and lost set three 25-20.

Nicole Boyle led the way with 13 digs while Savanah Miller and Michaun Stucky totaled 9 apiece. Mackenzy Shreck and Kaylee Boyle each had 8.

Scribner-Snyder lost set one to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, 25-14, set two 25-23, and set three 25-13.

Kaylee Boyle registered 8 digs while Miller posted 7.

The Trojans lost set one to the Falcons 25-23, and dropped set two 25-16.

Nicole Boyle dished out 7 set assists.

Scribner-Snyder lost set one to the Knights 25-18, and fell 25-11 in set two.

Nicole Boyle totaled 8 digs.

The Trojans took set one from the Indians 25-15, and won set two 25-18.

Miller notched 7 digs.

It was another tough week for Scribner-Snyder. The Trojans gave it their all I'm sure, but struggled for the most part. The Winnebago win is something to build off of though.

Scribner-Snyder (2-13) hosts Winside (5-7) on Tuesday.

The Wildcats won 3-0 at Wausa last Tuesday, and appear to be fairly decent this year.

Winside has played their best volleyball as of late, and that should make life difficult on the Trojans.

Scribner-Snyder is going to have to play very well to knock off the Wildcats, there's no doubt about it.

The Trojans must up their level of play, and take their game to a whole new level.

Scribner-Snyder has to play much better than they have in their first 15 matches of the season.

This is the Trojans' lone match this week so Scribner-Snyder should be able to focus solely on Winside. No other team should be on the Trojans' minds at this point.

Scribner-Snyder has to execute in all facets of the game. Serve receiving, serving, hitting, passing, blocking, and digging all have to be excellent.

It's going to take a complete match from the Trojans for Scribner-Snyder to win. I don't think there's any doubt the Trojans are going to have to play their best match of the season to come out on top.

We will find out what Scribner-Snyder is made of on Tuesday.

Bancroft-Rosalie finishes week 3-1

The Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers played at a very high level last week, defeating Oakland-Craig and Clarkson-Leigh 2-1, and Elkhorn Valley 2-0 at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday. Bancroft-Rosalie lost 3-2 at Homer on Tuesday.

The Panthers lost set one to Homer 25-19. Bancroft-Rosalie rebounded to win the next two sets 25-19 and 25-21. The Knights won sets four and five 27-25 and 18-16.

The Panthers beat the Falcons 25-22 in set one, and 25-10 in set two.

Bancroft-Rosalie took sets one and three from the Patriots 26-24 and 25-7, losing the middle set 25-18.

The Panthers won set one over Oakland-Craig 25-21, dropped set two 25-11, but won set three 25-20.

Bancroft-Rosalie played very good volleyball last week. I think the Panthers are starting to turn the corner and some heads. Bancroft-Rosalie is on a hot streak right now.

The Panthers (10-9) host Cedar Bluffs (12-3) on Tuesday.

The Wildcats lost 3-1 at Fremont Bergan on Thursday after beating Weeping Water 3-0 last Tuesday.

This is a humongous match for Bancroft-Rosalie.

The Panthers are playing by far their best volleyball of the season right now, and are getting a very good team to come to their house.

Bancroft-Rosalie has to be ready to rock and roll from the get go. I'm sure the Panthers know by now what's expected of them, and I look for Bancroft-Rosalie to go out there and compete at a high level.

This is the Panthers' lone match this week so Bancroft-Rosalie can really focus in on this one match.

The Panthers have to put their heart and soul into this match. Bancroft-Rosalie has to play with physical and mental toughness, tenacity, and grit.

It all has to come together for Bancroft-Rosalie on Tuesday. The Panthers have to rise up and play well.

This would be an absolute gigantic win for Bancroft-Rosalie. The biggest thing for the Panthers is to remain hungry. Bancroft-Rosalie can't be satisfied by what took place over the weekend. The Panthers have to want more.

North Bend Central finishes week unbeaten

The North Bend Central Tigers are playing superb volleyball right now as they went 5-0 last week, beating the likes of Oakland-Craig 3-1 on the road Tuesday, West Point-Beemer 3-0 at home on Thursday, and Shelby/Rising City, David City Aquinas, and Yutan 2-0 on Saturday at the David City Invite.

North Bend Central took set one from the Knights 25-19, lost set two 25-18, but won sets three and four 25-22 and 25-12.

Kristin Lux had 18 kills and 19 digs while Brooke Fredrickson posted 11 kills and 9 digs. Allison Lux notched 8 kills while Kenzie Lorence and Alexandria Humlicek totaled 16 and 11 digs, respectively. Kylee Hines added 7 digs while Noelle White and Kaitlynn Bjorklund recorded 26 and 20 set assists, respectively.

The Tigers defeated the Cadets 25-21 in set one, and took sets two and three 25-19.

Kristin Lux posted 12 kills and 22 digs while Fredrickson had 10 kills and 12 digs. Allison Lux notched 10 kills while Lorence and Humlicek totaled 10 and 7 digs, respectively. Hines added 7 digs while White posted 7 digs and dished out 16 set assists. Bjorklund had 9 set assists.

North Bend Central took out the Chieftains in set one 25-12, and won set two 25-14.

Allison Lux totaled 10 kills while White and Bjorklund had 14 and 9 set assists, respectively.

The Tigers beat the Monarchs 25-19 in set one, and 25-20 in set two.

Kristin Lux had 10 kills while Allison Lux recorded 9. Bjorklund dished out 14 set assists while White registered 10.

North Bend Central defeated the Huskies 25-16 in set one, and 29-27 in set two.

Fredrickson had 10 kills while Allison Lux recorded 7. Bjorklund had 15 set assists. White added 8.

The Tigers are on fire right now. North Bend Central played lights out volleyball last week, and kept things rolling from the week before.

The Tigers (14-3) are at Twin River (5-12) on Tuesday.

The Titans defeated Clarkson/Leigh, Madison, and Yutan last week, but lost to Columbus Lakeview, Shelby/Rising City, and David City.

Twin River has played and lost to some really good teams this year, and I think North Bend Central is the next team on the list.

The Tigers have played about as good as you could hope for these last two weeks.

I look for North Bend Central to roll the Titans on Tuesday. I think the Tigers have a pretty good chance at earning a sweep.

I just don't see Twin River slowing North Bend Central down. The Tigers are just too hot right now.

It's important for North Bend Central to play well. This is the Tigers' only match this week and they want to keep the momentum going.

I fully expect North Bend Central to come out guns ablazin on Tuesday. I think the Tigers definitely have a good shot at a sweep.

It should be a relatively easy match for North Bend Central. The Tigers should win as long as they come ready to play. 

Wisner-Pilger 5-2 in last seven matches

The Wisner-Pilger Gators went 5-2 last week, beating Pender 2-0, but losing 2-0 to Stanton on Tuesday.
Wisner-Pilger beat Battle Creek 2-0 and Crofton 2-1 at the Battle Creek Triangular on Thursday. The Gators went 2-1 at the Wisner-Pilger Classic on Saturday, beating Madison and CWC 2-0, but losing 2-0 to Pierce.

Wisner-Pilger defeated the Pendragons 25-14 in set one, and took set two 25-15.

Bailey Batenhorst had 7 kills and 7 digs to lead the Gators. Sydney Williams notched 13 set assists.

The Gators fell to the Mustangs 25-21 in sets one and two.

Batenhorst posted 11 kills while Williams totaled 15 set assists.

Wisner-Pilger defeated the Braves 25-16 in set one, and 25-23 in set two.

Sara Smyth finished with 10 kills and 7 digs while Tessa Ruskamp recorded 10 digs. Batenhorst added 8. Williams dished out 11 set assists.

The Warriors took set one from the Gators, 25-20, but Wisner-Pilger rebounded to win sets two and three 25-13 and 25-23.

Batenhorst put down a match-high 18 kills while Smyth had 9 kills and 7 digs. Ruskamp totaled 10 digs while Williams had 24 set assists.

The Gators won set one over the Dragons 25-7, and took set two 25-15.

Batenhorst posted 10 kills.

Wisner-Pilger dropped set one to the Bluejays, 25-18, and lost set two 25-20.

Batenhorst finished with 8 kills while Lauren Jacobsen totaled 8 digs and 11 set assists. Ruskamp chipped in 7 digs.

The Gators won set one over the Renegades, 25-16, and took set two 33-31.

Batenhorst notched 11 kills to lead all players. Sydney Bradfield added 9 kills while Williams posted 21 set assists.

Wisner-Pilger played pretty good volleyball last week. I would say not at the level they were before last week, but still the Gators are playing respectable right now.

Wisner-Pilger (11-3) hosts Madison (1-11) and Howells-Dodge (8-3) in the Wisner-Pilger Double Triangular on Tuesday.

The Dragons lost to Tekamah-Herman, Twin River, Columbus Lakeview, Humphrey St. Francis, and the Gators last week, but beat Laurel-Concord-Coleridge.

The Jaguars were swept 3-0 by Lutheran High Northeast last Tuesday.

I think Wisner-Pilger has a very good chance to go 2-0 on Tuesday.

Howells-Dodge has faltered against some of the better teams on their schedule, and Madison has had a long season so far.

That's not to say either team isn't capable of beating the Gators though.

Wisner-Pilger has to come out and take the fight to both teams.

The Gators can't back down from either team whatsoever. Wisner-Pilger has to be the aggressor, and has to want it more than both the Dragons and Jaguars.

These two matches are the Gators' only two of the week so Wisner-Pilger has to make them count. The Gators would be sitting pretty if they could get to 13-3 on Tuesday.

Winnebago goes 1-5 last week

The Winnebago Indians finished last week 1-5, sweeping Omaha Nation 3-0 at home on Tuesday before losing 2-0 to Emerson-Hubbard and Lyons-Decatur Northeast at the Winnebago triangular on Thursday. Winnebago lost 2-0 to Elkhorn Valley, Scribner-Snyder, and Clarkson/Leigh at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday.

The Indians defeated the Chiefs 25-16 in sets one and three, and 25-14 in set two.

Rebecca Freemont finished with 14 ace serves while Skylar Kennedy had 14 set assists.

Winnebago lost set one to the Pirates, 25-20, and dropped set two 25-7.

The Indians fell 25-8 in set one to the Cougars, and lost set two 25-16.

The Falcons took set one from Winnebago 25-8, and won set two 25-17.

The Trojans won set one over the Indians 25-15, and took set two 25-18.

Winnebago fell 25-10 in set one to the Patriots, and lost set two 25-14.

I was a little surprised the Indians didn't fare better against the teams they lost to last week. Getting swept by Emerson-Hubbard is understandable, but Winnebago should have been more competitive against the rest of the competition.

The Indians (5-11) take on Walthill (4-5) and Omaha Nation (6-7) on Tuesday at the Walthill Triangular.

This is the fourth time this season that Winnebago is playing the Chiefs. The Blujays are coming off a 3-0 loss to Whiting, IA on Monday.

The Indians met Walthill on September 10th with the Blujays winning 3-2.

I think Winnebago has a good chance to go 2-0 on Tuesday.

The Indians struggled against the teams they lost to last week, but Winnebago has beaten Omaha Nation three times, and nearly defeated Walthill the first time around.

Neither match will be easy, especially the match against the Blujays with the triangular being in Walthill, but I look for Winnebago to step up and perform well.

Freemont and Kennedy need to have good matches for the Indians. As a matter of fact the whole team needs to play well.

Winnebago has a chance to pick up two wins this week, but the Indians have to perform well. Winnebago can't play like they did against Emerson-Hubbard, Lyons-Decatur Northeast, Elkhorn Valley, Clarkson/Leigh and Scribner-Snyder, and expect to win.

Stanton sweeps Pender Triangular

The Stanton Mustangs continued their winning ways last week, defeating Pender and Wisner-Pilger 2-0 at the Pender Triangular on Tuesday.

Stanton downed the host Pendragons 25-17 in set one, and 25-14 in set two.

Hilary Huss finished with 10 kills. Mackenzie Brandl notched 14 digs while Bree Burtwhistle finished with 11 set assists.

The Mustangs knocked off the Gators 25-21 in sets one and two.

Burtwhistle had 9 kills and 13 digs while Huss notched 7 kills, 12 digs, and 9 set assists. Brandl posted 21 digs.

It was business as usual for Stanton last week. The Mustangs simply rolled both teams, and continued to play outstanding volleyball.

Stanton (16-1) hosts Tekamah-Herman (9-4) and Oakland-Craig (10-3) in their own triangular on Tuesday.

The Tigers swept Madison 3-0 at home on Tuesday while the Knights went 2-2 last week, losing 3-1 at home to North Bend Central on Tuesday, beating Scribner-Snyder and Clarkson/Leigh 2-0 on Saturday at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney, but losing 2-1 to Bancroft-Rosalie, also on Saturday.

Both matches will be difficult, but I look for the Mustangs to go 2-0 on Tuesday.

Oakland-Craig and Tekamah-Herman have played good volleyball this season, but Stanton has played outstanding volleyball.

The Mustangs are a couple steps ahead of both these teams, in my opinion.

I think Stanton has a good chance to sweep both teams.

The Mustangs will have had an entire week to rest and prepare, and that should give them an advantage, at least against the Knights.

The Tigers will have had an entire week to rest and prepare for this triangular as well so the match between Stanton and Tekamah-Herman could be interesting as could the Oakland-Craig match.

This should be a good triangular. There will be some quality volleyball played in Stanton on Tuesday.

The Mustangs figure to get both teams' best shot so they have to be on top of their game.

These are Stanton's only matches of the week so the Mustangs have to make the most of them.

Tekamah-Herman beats Madison

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers swept Madison on Tuesday, winning 3-0 at home.

Tekamah-Herman won set one 25-15, set two 25-14, and set three 25-12.

The Tigers did what they had to do to take care of business in their lone match last week. It was a good week of volleyball for Tekamah-Herman.

The Tigers (9-4) battle Stanton (16-1) and Oakland-Craig (10-3) on Tuesday at the Stanton Triangular.

Oakland-Craig went 2-2 last week, losing 3-1 at home to North Bend Central on Tuesday, beating Scribner-Snyder and Clarkson/Leigh 2-0 on Saturday at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney, but losing 2-1 to Bancroft-Rosalie, also on Saturday.

The Mustangs beat Pender and Wisner-Pilger 2-0 on Tuesday of last week.

Tekamah-Herman has two very difficult matches on Tuesday. The Tigers will no doubt get challenged by both teams.

Tekamah-Herman has to be on top of their game in order to compete with and beat Stanton and Oakland-Craig.

The Mustangs have been on fire pretty much all season, and the Knights have had a nice season so far.

If there was ever a time when Oakland-Craig has struggled it was last week.

The Knights didn't play as well last week compared to the rest of the season, in my opinion.

The Tigers may be catching Oakland-Craig at a good time.

I look for Tekamah-Herman to go 1-1 in this triangular. The Tigers could go 0-2 if they don't play well against the Knights. It will be awfully difficult for Tekamah-Herman to down Stanton, but you never know. The Tigers are a solid ball club.

Oakland-Craig goes 2-2 last week

The Oakland-Craig Knights went 2-2 last week, losing 3-1 at home to North Bend Central on Tuesday, beating Scribner-Snyder and Clarkson/Leigh 2-0 on Saturday at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney, but losing 2-1 to Bancroft-Rosalie, also on Saturday.

Oakland-Craig lost set one to the Tigers, 25-19, won set two 25-18, but lost the next two sets 25-22 and 25-12.

The Knights defeated the Trojans 25-18 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

Oakland-Craig beat the Patriots 25-17 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

The Panthers took set one from the Knights 25-21. Oakland-Craig dominated set two 25-11, but Bancroft-Rosalie won set three 25-20.

The Knights faced a couple of hot teams in North Bend Central and Bancroft-Rosalie. Those two teams just played exceptional matches to beat Oakland-Craig.

The Knights (10-3) battle Tekamah-Herman (9-4) and Stanton (16-1) at the Stanton Triangular on Tuesday.

The Tigers swept Madison 3-0 on Tuesday of last week while the Mustangs beat Pender and Wisner-Pilger 2-0, also on Tuesday.

Oakland-Craig is going to have to raise their level of play to beat both of these teams. I think the Knights could be in the middle of a midseason slump, but I could also be wrong.

Oakland-Craig no doubt wants to get back on track given what happened last week, and I think they are more than capable of getting the job done.

These matches will be two tough tests for the Knights. We will find out a lot about this team's resolve and moxie on Tuesday.

Oakland-Craig has two challenges on their hands, there's no doubt about it. It will be interesting to see what kind of response this team has to what happened last week.

The Knights have to step up their game, and play their best volleyball of the season.

Both opponents figure to be ready and fresh for both matches on Tuesday. Oakland-Craig has to do what they can to be fresh and ready as well.

I could see the Knights losing both matches on Tuesday, but I could also see them going 1-1. I don't know if Oakland-Craig can beat Stanton, but the Tekamah-Herman match figures to be pretty interesting.

The Knights have to play well in order to have a good showing on Tuesday. Oakland-Craig has to do what they can to maintain a competitive edge.

Logan View finishes week 2-5

The Logan View Raiders went 2-5 last week, beating Omaha Brownell-Talbot twice, but losing 2-0 to West Point-Beemer, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Douglas County West, Louisville, and Auburn.

Logan View took on the Cadets and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at their own triangular on Tuesday.

The Raiders lost set one to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 25-18, and dropped set two 25-9.

West Point-Beemer took set one from Logan View 25-16, and won set two 25-13.

Logan View battled Omaha Brownell-Talbot on the road Thursday, winning 3-1.

Omaha Brownell-Talbot won set one 25-21, but Logan View nabbed the next three sets 25-13, 25-12, and 25-22.

The Bulldogs won set one over the Raiders 25-7 on Saturday at the Louisville Invite, and took set two 25-11.

Logan View beat Omaha Brownell-Talbot 26-24 in set one on Saturday, and won set two 25-18.

The Raiders lost to 25-15 in set one to the host Lions, and 25-16 in set two, also on Saturday.

Logan View fell 25-9 in set one to the Falcons, and 25-14 in set two, also on Saturday.

Logan View struggled against the majority of the competition last week, but found success against Omaha Brownell-Talbot.

Hopefully the wins over Omaha-Brownell Talbot will sort of jump start this team.

Logan View (2-16) is at Clarkson/Leigh (5-8) on Tuesday.

The Patriots lost to Twin River on Tuesday of last week, and fell to Oakland-Craig and Bancroft-Rosalie on Saturday at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney, but beat Winnebago, also at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney.

Clarkson/Leigh has come close to beating some good teams, but has struggled against others.

The Patriots have been up and down so far this year, and are trying to become more consistent.

If the Raiders can catch Clarkson/Leigh on an off night, Logan View might have a chance to win.

The Patriots have struggled to win close sets and put teams away when they've had the chance.

Logan View has to build on the things they did against Omaha Brownell-Talbot, and let those things lead to more success on Tuesday.

The Raiders can't be intimidated by Clarkson/Leigh. Logan View has to go out there and give it their best shot.

I don't know if the Raiders will win, but if they could take a set or two from the Patriots, that could be a good building block for the rest of the season.

Logan View is past moral victories, but if they do lose there are still probably going to be good things to take away from the loss.

I look for the Raiders to make things competitive on Tuesday. I think Logan View is capable of pushing Clarkson/Leigh to four or five sets.

Clarkson/Leigh 1-3 in last four matches

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots won once and lost three times last week, falling 3-2 at home to Twin River on Tuesday before losing 2-0 to Oakland-Craig and 2-1 to Bancroft-Rosalie at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday, but beating Winnebago 2-0, also at the Scribner-Snyder Tourney.

In the Twin River match, the Titans won set one 25-22. Clarkson/Leigh took set two 25-23 and set three 25-18, Twin River came back to win sets four and five 26-24 and 15-10.

Maddie Cerv and Shelby Paprocki each had 13 kills for the Patriots. Hannah Kasik finished with 11. Cerv added 24 digs while Paprocki totaled 21. Kaegan Held and Holly Kuhr notched 9 apiece while Camille Koehn added 8. Held dished out 19 set assists while Kaitlyn Becher recorded 16.

The Patriots defeated the Indians 25-10 in set one and 25-14 in set two.

The Knights defeated Clarkson/Leigh 25-17 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

Cerv posted 9 digs while Kuhr and Paprocki totaled 7 each. Held recorded 7 set assists.

The Panthers won the first set over the Patriots 26-24. Clarkson/Leigh took set two 25-18, but Bancroft-Rosalie dominated set three 25-7.

Kasik led the way with 7 kills while Paprocki and Cerv notched 12 and 8 digs, respectively. Held posted 12 set assists.

The Patriots didn't play bad volleyball last week, they just didn't win a couple of close sets necessary to win a couple more matches.

Clarkson/Leigh could have easily gone 3-1 last week if a couple of sets had gone their way.

The Patriots (5-8) host Logan View (2-16) on Tuesday.

The Raiders went 2-5 last week, defeating Omaha Brownell-Talbot twice, but losing 2-0 to West Point-Beemer, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Douglas County West, Auburn, and Louisville.

Logan View no doubt has a little momentum coming into this match so Clarkson/Leigh had better be ready to play.

The Patriots have to finish the Raiders if they have the chance. Clarkson/Leigh also has to win any close sets these two teams play to get themselves over the hump.

The Patriots have to play well to prepare themselves for the Clarkson Tournament on Saturday.

Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to do well on Tuesday I think. The Patriots are getting a team that has struggled most of the season, and has only had success against one school.

Logan View figures to be more confident than they were before they won a match, but I still look for Clarkson/Leigh to come out and take care of business.

These are the type of matches the Patriots must win if they want to get somewhere this season.

Clarkson/Leigh is so close to getting to where they want, it's just a matter of winning some of these close sets.

It will be interesting to see if the Patriots can get the job done on Tuesday. Clarkson/Leigh has beaten who they were supposed to for the most part this season, but has struggled against certain teams with good records. The Patriots have been competitive against some good teams too though.

It's all about Clarkson/Leigh becoming consistent. The Patriots have to play well at all times to have the kind of success they are capable of having.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic beats Arlington

It took five sets, but the Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays topped Arlington 3-2 at home Thursday night.

GACC won set one 25-20 and set two 25-22 before the Eagles bounced back to take sets three and four 25-23 and 25-22. The Bluejays won set five 15-10.

Maddie Knobbe posted 17 kills and 7 blocks. Breanne Kreikemeier had 14 kills and 16 digs while Kate Steuter totaled 14 kills and 15 digs. Morgan Bracht led the way in digs with 23. Kate Knobbe notched 18 while Sarah Arduser chipped in 13. Kali Stratman dished out 16 set assists while Sara Wordekemper recorded 15.

Head Coach Kate Hagemann says both teams played great in the match that was back and forth. "It was exciting. I don't know, I kind of have a hard time putting into words cause we were just all over the place. I thought we played great for you know 5, 10 points, and then we'd let up for a few points. And you know I thought really overall we probably played one of our better matches. And give credit to Arlington, they played great. And I think they definitely had a better scouting report coming in than I had for our girls. And I was just lucky our girls competed and battled. But you know they did a great job of blocking. I think that's pry the best we've been blocked all year. And they did a great job of digging and just keeping balls alive. And for a while there we were not doing a good job of staying in system. When they would throw some stuff over the net. And we would allow it to affect us instead of just staying calm, getting another good pass, going forward, and going right back at them. So I'm proud of girls. You know I said after the match every day we just want to get a little better, and games like this are definitely going to make us better."

There's no doubt GACC was pushed in this match, but the Bluejays rose to the occasion and got the job done.

GACC (9-1) is at Homer (8-10) on Monday.

The Knights defeated Bancroft-Rosalie 3-2 on Tuesday of last week before going 1-2 at the Wisner-Pilger Classic on Saturday.

Homer lost 2-0 to Wayne and Humphrey St. Francis, but downed Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-0.

The Bluejays should be able to sweep the Knights, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't.

GACC needs a sweep so they can save their energy for Bishop Neumann and Hartington Cedar Catholic on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

This is going to be a tough week for the Bluejays. GACC has to step up their game and play even better than they have to this point in the season.

All three matches are on the road, and it can be tough to play away from home, but I look for the Bluejays to step up and compete well.

It's going to be tough for GACC to win all three matches, but it is definitely possible. The Bluejays just have to play at a high level, and execute in all facets of the game.

It will be interesting to see how GACC fares this week. I look for the Bluejays to go 3-0 or 2-1.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic sweeps Wayne and O'Neill

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays swept Wayne and O'Neill 3-0 last week.

GACC took on the Blue Devils at home last Tuesday, winning set one 25-18, set two 25-23, and set three 25-20.

Maddie Knobbe had 11 kills while Breanna Kreikemeier totaled 8 kills, 7 blocks, and 15 digs. Kate Steuter led the way in digs with 21 while Sarah Arduser added 11. Kate Knobbe and Morgan Bracht notched 10 and 9, respectively. Sara Wordekemper dished out 22 set assists while Kali Stratman recorded 14.

The Bluejays battled the Eagles on the road Thursday, winning the opening set 25-18, the second set 25-14, and the third set 25-11.

Kreikemeier, Steuter, and Maddie Knobbe registered 9 kills apiece while Steuter and Bracht posted 12 digs apiece. Kreikemeier chipped in 11 while Stratman and Kate Knobbe totaled 7 apiece. Wordekemper notched 16 set assists while Stratman recorded 8.

GACC dominated and took care of business last week. Wayne proved to be a tough team, but the Bluejays did what they needed to to prevail in each set.

GACC (8-1) hosts Arlington (5-4) Thursday evening.

The Eagles beat West Point-Beemer and Twin River on Saturday at the Stanton Invitational while losing to the host Mustangs. Arlington fell to Wahoo last Tuesday.

The Eagles are a better team than their record shows. Arlington took Class B Platteview the distance twice, and has beaten everyone they were supposed to.

The Bluejays shouldn't worry too much, but I think the Eagles definitely have what it takes to push GACC.

The Bluejays won't have an easy time with Arlington, in my opinion.

GACC has to raise their level of play in this match. As good as the Bluejays played last week, they're going to have to play even better on Thursday.

This is GACC's only match of the week, and they will have had a week to prepare for it so the Bluejays should find a way to come away with a victory.

I definitely think GACC will win on Thursday, but I think the Eagles will come to play. Arlington shouldn't be intimidated by the Bluejays given who they've played this season.

This is a scary match for GACC, in my opinion.

The Bluejays have a lot to play for in terms of earning extra wildcard points over a team a class above them, but a loss wouldn't help GACC's cause whatsoever.

I wouldn't be surprised if this match went four or five sets. I think the Bluejays will prevail, especially with the match being on their home floor, but it won't be easy.

Listen to Thursday's match on 107.9 the Bull. Things are set to get underway at 7:30 p.m.

Bancroft-Rosalie 1-2 in last three matches

The Bancroft Rosalie Panthers went 1-2 last week, losing 3-0 at home to Emerson-Hubbard last Monday before falling 2-0 to Howells-Dodge and beating Wakefield 2-1 at the Wakefield Triangular on Tuesday.

Bancroft-Rosalie lost set one to the Pirates 25-16, dropped set two 25-14, and fell in set three 25-20.

Head Coach Rebecca James says her team played well despite the loss. "We have played a lot worse this year so no we played well. I thought that we dug and got some balls up and over that I didn't expect us to get. And we didn't quit. You know that last set 20-24 we could of shutdown, and we didn't. You know these girls they've got a lot of fight in them, and if we could just get everybody together and things we might get a set from some of these teams that we're playing."

The Panthers fell 25-21 in set one to the Jaguars, and dropped set two 25-12.

Lauren Zuhlke had 7 set assists.

Bancroft-Rosalie won set one over the Trojans 25-19, lost set two 25-14, but won set three 27-25.

Hannah Flock led the team with 10 kills. Vicki Gatzmeyer had 9 aces while Zuhlke and Kassidi Browning totaled 12 and 10 set assists, respectively.

The Panthers showed a lot of resolve and moxie in beating Wakefield. It wasn't an easy match, especially with it being on the Trojans' home floor, but Bancroft-Rosalie found a way to win, and that is impressive to me.

The Panthers (7-8) are at Homer (6-8) on Tuesday.

The C-2 Knights beat Winside, Osmond, Yutan, and Logan View last week, but lost to Ponca and Platteview.

Homer has a couple of bad losses this season, including a 2-1 loss to Wakefield.

I think Bancroft-Rosalie is capable of giving the Knights a match.

It's going to be tough for the Panthers to win given the fact Homer is a C-2 team and the match is on the road, but anything can happen.

Bancroft-Rosalie has to prepare themselves physically and mentally. This could be a very intense, tough, and tight battle.

I think both teams are playing at about the same level right now. Neither has been super consistent this year. Both have played well at times, but have struggled at others.

The match probably comes down to who executes and plays better. Which team catches more breaks? This match could definitely go four or five sets.

The Panthers are participating in the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday so a win on Tuesday to get them to .500 would be good heading into that tournament.

Scribner-Snyder loses to Clarkson/Leigh

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans lost 3-1 at home to Clarkson/Leigh on Tuesday.

The Patriots took set one 25-22 before Scribner-Snyder won set two 25-18. Clarkson/Leigh won the next two sets 25-20 and 25-14.

Kaylee Boyle had 9 kills and 16 digs while Savanah Miller posted 9 kills and 12 digs. Veronica Litz added 7 kills while Nicole Boyle had 8 ace serves, 10 digs, and 12 set assists. Mackenzy Schreck and Daria Risch each had 12 digs while Michaun Stucky totaled 7 set assists. 

The Trojans gave it their all against the Patriots. Unfortunately, they didn't do enough to get the job done.

Scribner-Snyder (1-9) is at Lyons-Decatur Northeast (3-9) on Tuesday.

The Cougars lost to Oakland-Craig and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 2-1 on Tuesday at their own triangular before going 1-2 at the Tekamah-Herman Tourney on Saturday. Lyons-Decatur Northeast beat Fort Calhoun 2-0, lost 2-1 to the host Tigers, and lost 2-0 to Omaha Roncalli.

The Cougars have certainly had some close calls in terms of almost winning, but just haven't been able to get over the hump.

The same could sort of be said for the Trojans.

This is a match up between two teams who really need a win.

Scribner-Snyder probably needs it more than Lyons-Decatur Northeast, but a loss for the Cougars would probably set them back more than the Trojans if Scribner-Snyder lost.

I think the Trojans can win, but it's going to be difficult. Scribner-Snyder is going to have to play their best match of the season to come out on top.

It will be interesting to see if the Trojans can play at a high level. Scribner-Snyder needs to play well to gain momentum for the rest of the week.

The Trojans are at Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family on Thursday before returning home for the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday. 

Catch Tuesday's match on 107.9 the Bull. Things are set to get underway at 6:30 p.m.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast finishes week 1-4

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars were very competitive last week, but their efforts yielded them only one win as they finished the week 1-4.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast lost to Oakland-Craig and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 2-1 on Tuesday at their own triangular before going 1-2 at the Tekamah-Herman Tourney on Saturday. The Cougars beat Fort Calhoun 2-0, lost 2-1 to the host Tigers, and lost 2-0 to Omaha Roncalli.

The Cougars took set one from Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 25-17, but lost the next two sets 25-23 and 25-21.

Kelly Wakeley had 10 kills and 8 digs while Brianne Haskell notched 28 digs. Abby Peterson totaled 10 digs while Lexie Bacon posted 9 digs and 12 set assists. Mickayla Peterson dished out 8 set assists.
 

The Knights took set one from the Cougars 25-14. Lyons-Decatur Northeast rebounded to win set two 25-14, but Oakland-Craig took care of business in set three, winning 25-13. 

Wakeley put down 8 kills and added 14 digs. Abby Peterson led the way in digs with 23. Haskell totaled 16 while Bacon notched 15 digs and 14 set assists. 

The Cougars won set one against the Pioneers 25-19, and took set two 25-16.

Haskell had 8 kills and 16 digs while Wakeley recorded 8 kills and 7 digs. Brandi Simonsen added 10 digs while Bacon dished out 15 set assists.

The Crimson Pride won set one over Lyons-Decatur Northeast 25-21, and took set two 25-20.

Wakeley finished with 8 kills to lead the team. Haskell totaled 12 digs while Abby Peterson chipped in 8. Bacon registered 7 digs and 8 set assists.

 

The Tigers won set one over the Cougars 25-21. Lyons-Decatur Northeast nabbed the second set 25-13, but Tekamah-Herman won set three 25-21. 

Wakeley posted 10 kills while Haskell recorded 8 kills and 11 digs. Maddie Ronnfeldt and Bacon had 10 digs each while Simonsen had 9. Bacon dished out 26 set assists.

It was a week of almosts for the Cougars. Lyons-Decatur Northeast has been close to victory so many times this season, yet they seem to come up short quite a bit.

The Cougars (3-9) battle Scribner-Snyder (1-9) at home on Tuesday.

The Trojans lost 3-1 at home to Clarkson/Leigh on Tuesday of last week and have struggled for much of the season.

This could be a pretty good battle on Tuesday. I fully expect Lyons-Decatur Northeast to win, but I think Scribner-Snyder is definitely capable of making things interesting.

Wakeley and Haskell have to continue to lead this team.

The Cougars' hard work and effort hasn't yielded them many wins this season so far, but at some point you would think Lyons-Decatur Northeast will turn the corner.

The Cougars also have matches against Winnebago and Emerson-Hubbard on Thursday so if Lyons-Decatur Northeast could win two out of three this week I think it would serve as a good building block for the rest of the season.

The Cougars have been so close to winning quite a few matches this year, but victory has seemed to slip out of their grasp time and time again.

I think that's about to change starting Tuesday. I think you'll see Lyons-Decatur Northeast start to get on track.

Listen to Tuesday's match on 107.9 the Bull. Things are set to get underway at 6:30 p.m.

Howells-Dodge sweeps Wakefield Triangular

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars went 2-0 last week, defeating Bancroft-Rosalie and Wakefield 2-0 at the Wakefield Triangular on Tuesday.

The Jaguars defeated the Panthers in set one 25-21, and took set two 25-12.

Kalli Brester had 7 kills and 10 digs for Howells-Dodge while Tessa Brester and Shelby Hegemann totaled 10 and 7 set assists, respectively.

Howells-Dodge took set one from the Trojans by the score of 25-23, and earned a 30-28 win in set two.

Kalli Brester finished with 13 kills and 11 digs. Sam Brester had 8 kills while Mallory Rolf posted 15 digs. Hegemann dished out 16 set assists while Tessa Brester totaled 13.

The Jaguars played good volleyball last week. Howells-Dodge did what they needed to do in both matches, and didn't have to play any extra sets.

The Jaguars (8-2) are at Lutheran High Northeast (9-7) on Tuesday.

The Eagles went 2-3 last week, losing 3-1 to Hartington Cedar Catholic on Thursday before falling 2-0 to Grand Island Central Catholic and Ord at the Ord Invite on Saturday. LHNE beat O'Neill 2-1 and Ansley-Litchfield 2-0, also on Saturday at the Ord Invite.

Lutheran High Northeast has lost a lot of tough matches. Their record is a little bit deceiving.

This is a step up in competition for Howells-Dodge, and the Jaguars are no doubt going to have their hands full.

This is Howells-Dodge's only match of the week though so the Jaguars can really focus in on the Eagles.

The Jaguars will have had an entire week to prepare for Lutheran High Northeast so that should be to their benefit.

LHNE could be at a disadvantage having played a bunch of matches over the weekend. That could also be to their benefit though as Howells-Dodge could come out flat having not played for a week.

This won't be an easy match for the Jaguars. Howells-Dodge is definitely going to have to bring their "A" game if they want to win.

The Jaguars have to be ready to play from the get go.

This is probably Howells-Dodge's toughest test of the year so far. We will find out what the Jaguars are made of, and see if they can pull out a win.

Winnebago 3-2 in last five matches

The Winnebago Indians went 3-2 last week, losing 2-0 to Ponca and Allen at their own triangular on Tuesday, but rebounding to beat Omaha Nation twice and Flandreau Indian, SD at the Flandreau Indian Tourney on Saturday.

Winnebago lost set one to Allen 25-11, and dropped set two 25-15.

Rebecca Freemont had 18 digs while Illeana Frenchman notched 16.

Ponca took set one from Winnebago 25-23, and owned set two 25-8.

Skylar Kennedy had 14 digs.

Winnebago took care of Flandreau Indian 25-15 in set one, and 25-14 in set two.

The Indians defeated Omaha Nation 25-20 in sets one and two one of the times the two teams played.

Freemont posted 7 kills while Kennedy totaled 12 set assists.

Winnebago took the second match from the Chiefs, winning 2-1. The Indians won sets one and three 25-19 and 25-22.

Frenchman totaled 12 kills while Freemont had 9. Deonna Harris chipped in 7 blocks while Kennedy recorded 27 set assists.

Winnebago showed some promise over the weekend. I don't know what the Indians did, but Winnebago played their best volleyball of the season on Saturday.

The Indians (4-6) play Omaha Nation (6-5) again on Tuesday.

Winnebago will meet the Chiefs in Winnebago.

It's going to be very tough for the Indians to beat Omaha Nation for the third time in the last four days, but anything is possible.

The Indians have to play with the same will and determination they played with on Saturday.

The wins on Saturday could be season changing for Winnebago.

The Indians have a big week of volleyball this week.

After Omaha Nation on Tuesday, Winnebago has Emerson-Hubbard and Lyons-Decatur Northeast in a home triangular on Thursday, and then will take part in the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday.

The Indians have a real chance to do some damage this week.

Saturday's wins no doubt lifted the confidence of this team, and should help Winnebago moving forward.

If the Indians could win four or five matches this week I think they would be pretty satisfied.

Winnebago could definitely have a successful week this week. The Indians just have to do the things that allowed them to win three times on Saturday.

Frenchman and Freemont have to continue to lead this team. Their production will be needed this week.

We will see what Winnebago can do this week.

Clarkson/Leigh finishes week 3-3

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots went 3-3 last week, defeating Scribner-Snyder 3-1 on the road Tuesday before going 1-1 at the High Plains Triangular, defeating the host Storm 2-0, but falling 2-1 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family. Clarkson/Leigh went 1-2 at the Stanton Invitational on Saturday, losing 2-0 to Battle Creek and West Point-Beemer, but beating Twin River 2-1.

The Patriots won set one over the Trojans 25-22. Scribner-Snyder took set two 25-18, but Clarkson/Leigh rebounded to win sets three and four 25-20 and 25-14.

Shelby Paprocki had 10 kills and 14 digs while Maddie Cerv recorded 8 kills and 18 digs. Camille Koehn notched 8 kills. Kaegen Held and Kaitlyn Becher recorded 14 and 12 set assists, respectively.

Clarkson/Leigh took sets one and two from High Plains 25-14.

Paprocki led the way with 9 kills while Cerv had 11 digs. Held posted 12 set assists.

The Patriots lost set one to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 25-14 before rebounding to win set two 25-18. Clarkson/Leigh lost set three 25-22.

Cerv recorded 8 kills and 19 digs while Paprocki totaled 7 kills and 13 digs. Holly Kuhr notched 8 digs while Becher and Held dished out 17 and 7 set assists, respectively.

Clarkson/Leigh lost set one to the Titans 25-17, but rebounded to win the next two sets 25-23 and 25-19.

Cerv posted 20 digs while Held had 14 set assists.

The Patriots lost set one to the Braves, 25-17, and dropped set two 25-7.

Clarkson/Leigh dropped set one to the Cadets 25-17, and lost set two 25-14.

Paprocki totaled 8 kills and 7 digs while Cerv notched 10 digs.

The Patriots played pretty respectable volleyball last week. Clarkson/Leigh made strides from the start of the season, and has put themselves in a position to eclipse last year's win total.

The Patriots are a much better team this year than they were a year ago.

Clarkson-Leigh (4-5) hosts Twin River (2-9) on Tuesday.

Things were tight the first time these two teams played, and I suspect things could be close again.

The Patriots have to want it more than the Titans. It's no doubt going to take a gutsy performance from Clarkson/Leigh to pick up the win.

Both teams played a lot of volleyball last week so there shouldn't be much of an advantage for either team as to who is fresher.

Twin River played four matches last week while the Patriots played six.

This won't be an easy match for Clarkson/Leigh. The Titans gave the Patriots a good match the first time around, and I wouldn't be surprised if things went the distance in this match as well.

I could easily see the match going four or five sets.

Clarkson/Leigh has the Scribner-Snyder Invitational on Saturday so it's important for the Patriots to play well on Tuesday to gain momentum for that tournament.

Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to play even better this week than they did last week.

I look for the Patriots to keep building on last week's success, and have another successful week.

This team has taken their lumps, sure, but Clarkson/Leigh is definitely headed in the right direction.

It will be interesting to see if the Patriots have more success this week.

Pender loses to Wakefield

The Pender Pendragons lost 3-0 at home to Wakefield on Thursday, losing set one 25-15, set two 25-19, and set three 25-19.

It was a tough loss for Pender, who, in my opinion, could have performed better than they did.

I thought the match would go five, but the Trojans were dominant from the onset.

The Pendragons (2-6) host Stanton (14-1) and Wisner-Pilger (6-1) in a triangular on Tuesday.

The Mustangs beat Boone Central/Newman Grove, Norfolk Catholic, Arlington, Hartington Cedar Catholic, and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-0 last week while the Gators lost 3-2 at North Bend Central on Tuesday of last week.

Both teams are going to be very difficult to compete with, let alone beat, but Pender has to play with confidence, physical and mental toughness, tenacity, heart, and grit.

The Pendragons can't back down from either team, and have to put forth their best effort.

I don't think Pender played the way they are capable of against Wakefield, and I'm sure the Pendragons are anxious to get back out on the court and prove that they are a better team than what they showed against the Trojans.

I definitely think Pender is better than what they showed on Thursday, but it might not show on Tuesday.

Both Stanton and Wisner-Pilger are C-2 juggernauts, and are loaded with talent.

Having these two at home helps, but the Pendragons have their work cut out for them, there's no doubt about it.

Pender has to play hard and fight no matter what. The Pendragons have to give maximum effort on every serve and in every set.

Pender can't give up if they fall behind.

These are the Pendragons' only two matches of the week so Pender has to do what they can to have a good showing.

Stanton finishes week unbeaten

The Stanton Mustangs went 5-0 last week, defeating Boone Central/Newman Grove and Norfolk Catholic 2-0 at the Stanton Triangular on Thursday, before going 3-0 at the Stanton Invitational on Saturday, defeating Arlington, Hartington Cedar Catholic, and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-0.

Stanton won set one over the Cardinals 25-9, and took set two 25-11.

Jessie Brandl had 7 kills and 9 digs while Hilary Huss posted 16 digs and 12 set assists. Bree Burtwhistle posted 9 digs and 8 set assists while Mackenzie Brandl added 9 digs.

The Mustangs took set one from the Knights, 25-20, and won set two 25-13.

Chantelle Christensen had a match-high 7 kills. Mackenzie Brandl totaled 22 digs while Huss had 12 digs and 9 set assists. Jessie Brandl added 7 digs.

Stanton knocked off the Bears 25-6 in set one, and 25-14 in set two.

Burtwhistle recorded 7 kills and 10 set assists while Mackenzie Brandl notched 12 digs. Huss had 10 digs and 9 set assists.

The Mustangs took set one from the Trojans 25-22, and won set two 25-19.

Jessie Brandl and Leah Arens had 8 kills apiece to lead all players. Mackenzie Brandl added 16 digs while Huss totaled 12 digs and 15 set assists. Jessie Brandl posted 9 digs while Burtwhistle recorded 13 set assists.

Stanton downed the Eagles 25-17 in set one, and 27-25 in set two.

Huss notched 10 kills, 13 digs, and 14 set assists. Jessie Brandl totaled 8 kills and 8 digs while Christensen put down 8 kills. Mackenzie Brandl recorded 18 digs while Burtwhistle had 9 digs and dished out 14 set assists. Leah Arens had 8 digs.

The Mustangs played superb volleyball last week. Stanton was challenged at times, but came through in the clutch just like they have pretty much all season.

The Mustangs (14-1) take on Wisner-Pilger (6-1) and Pender (2-6) on Tuesday at the Pender Triangular.

The Gators lost 3-2 at North Bend Central on Tuesday of last week while the Pendragons lost 3-0 at home to Wakefield on Thursday.

Stanton should be able to make quick work of Pender, but Wisner-Pilger could provide an interesting challenge.

The Gators are a very good team, and a rival of Stanton's.

I expect this to be a very intense and competitive match.

I look for the match to go three sets. I could see the Mustangs winning in two given the way they have played lately, but I think Wisner-Pilger is too good to get swept in this match.

I think Stanton will win, but the Gators should put up a fight.

These are the Mustangs' only two matches of the week, and it would be a big deal to get to 16-1.

Stanton has passed almost every test they've had so far, and I look for the Mustangs to pass two more tests on Tuesday.

Stanton has to be on top of their game though. Wisner-Pilger is a quality team, and Pender can't be overlooked.

The Mustangs have to remain focused and keep their eye on the prize.

Stanton will no doubt get both teams' best shot so they have to be ready to go from the get go.

Wisner-Pilger falls at North Bend Central

For the first time this season, the Wisner-Pilger Gators lost a match, falling 3-2 at North Bend Central on Tuesday.

The Gators took the first two sets 25-20 and 25-21, but the Tigers rallied to win the next three sets 25-23, 25-17, and 15-12.

Sydney Bradfield led the way with 19 kills and 7 digs while Bailey Batenhorst had 13 kills. Tessa Ruskamp notched 9 kills and 9 digs while Sara Smyth totaled 7 kills, 7 blocks, and 13 digs. Lauren Jacobsen added 12 digs.

Wisner-Pilger nearly got the job done. The Gators had North Bend Central right where they wanted them, they were just unable to finish them off.

Wisner-Pilger (6-1) takes on Pender (2-6) and Stanton (14-1) in the Pender Triangular on Tuesday.

The Mustangs beat Boone Central/Newman Grove, Norfolk Catholic, Arlington, Hartington Cedar Catholic, and Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-0 last week.

The Pendragons lost 3-0 to Wakefield on Thursday.

The Gators should have no trouble with Pender whatsoever. Stanton could be a different story though.

Wisner-Pilger definitely has to up their level of play when they take on the Mustangs.

I think the Gators are definitely capable of winning a set against Stanton, but it will be very difficult to defeat the Mustangs.

Wisner-Pilger is the kind of team who could knock off Stanton, but it's going to take an amazing effort on the Gators' part.

Wisner-Pilger has to fight and battle hard from start to finish, and can't give in whatsoever.

The Gators have to make the Mustangs earn their points, and can't beat themselves.

More importantly, Wisner-Pilger has to close out Stanton if they get the chance.

The Gators have Battle Creek and Crofton on Thursday so two wins on Tuesday would really give Wisner-Pilger a gigantic momentum boost.

The Gators host the Wisner-Pilger Classic on Saturday.

Oakland-Craig continues to roll

The Oakland-Craig Knights went 2-0 last week, defeating Lyons-Decatur Northeast and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 2-1 at the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Triangular.

The Knights took set one from the Cougars 25-14. Lyons-Decatur Northeast rebounded to win set two 25-14, but Oakland-Craig took care of business in set three, winning 25-13.

The Knights won set one over Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 25-21. H/LF won set two 25-19, but Oakland-Craig bounced back to win set three 25-20.

The Knights played decent volleyball last week. Oakland-Craig probably could have swept the Cougars, but credit Lyons-Decatur Northeast for making it a match.

The Knights (8-1) definitely have to step up their game on Tuesday when they battle North Bend Central (9-3) at home.

The Tigers handed Oakland-Craig their only loss of the season, beating them 2-1 at the Northeast Nebraska Tournament on September 3rd.

North Bend Central also handed Wisner-Pilger their first loss of the season last week, downing the Gators 3-2 at home after trailing 2-0.

I think there's a good chance the Knights return the favor on Tuesday, but Oakland-Craig has to be on top of their game.

The Knights have to play their best match of the year to come out on top.

It should be an electrical atmosphere for this match. I would imagine people from the communities of Oakland and Craig will flock to this match.

It's a weeknight, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a packed house for this match.

These are the types of matches you have to win to get where you want in the postseason.

Oakland-Craig has to prove to themselves that they can beat someone good.

The Knights haven't played the most difficult schedule so this is their chance to prove to some of the top teams in the Northeast Nebraska area that they are a team to be reckoned with.

Oakland-Craig has a real chance to impress on Tuesday, and has to make the most of their opportunity.

The Knights have the Scribner-Snyder Tourney on Saturday, and a win on Tuesday would no doubt springboard Oakland-Craig into that tournament.

North Bend Central knocks off Wisner-Pilger

The North Bend Central Tigers handed Wisner-Pilger their first loss of the season on Tuesday, winning 3-2 at home.

The Gators took the first two sets 25-20 and 25-21, but North Bend Central rebounded to win the next three sets 25-23, 25-17, and 15-12.

Brooke Fredrickson led the way with 21 kills and 27 digs. Kristin Lux posted 17 kills and 17 digs while Allison Lux added 13 kills and 7 digs. Kylee Hines totaled 14 digs while Alexandria Humlicek and Kenzie Lorence notched 13 and 8, respectively. Noelle White recorded 26 set assists while Kaitlynn Bjorklund had 24.

The Tigers showed great resolve and moxie in coming back against Wisner-Pilger.

The Gators had North Bend Central down and out, but the Tigers played with the heart of a champion and came back to win.

North Bend Central (9-3) is at Oakland-Craig (8-1) on Tuesday.

The Knights won 2-1 over Lindsay/Holy Family and Lyons-Decatur Northeast on Tuesday of last week.

Oakland-Craig has been on a roll this season, but their only loss has come to the Tigers.

North Bend Central knocked off the Knights 2-1 in the Northeast Nebraska Tournament on September 3rd.

That match is Oakland-Craig's only real test of the year so far. The Knights haven't played the most difficult schedule.

With that said it will be difficult for the Tigers to beat Oakland-Craig again, especially with the match being in Oakland.

You can bet there will be a big and loud crowd for the match.

Wisner-Pilger found out how tough it is to beat the same team twice in a season, and North Bend Central is in the same kind of situation.

That's not to say the Tigers can't get the job done, because they can, but it's not going to be easy to knock off the Knights again.

This should be a great match. I anticipate it going five sets, but you never know. It could go just 3 or 4 if one team is not as ready to play as they should be.

Both teams will have had an entire week to prepare for one another so it should make for an exciting, intriguing match.

North Bend Central has West Point-Beemer at home on Thursday and the David City Invite on Saturday so this is a big week of volleyball for the Tigers. 

Tekamah-Herman 2-2 in last four matches

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers went .500 last week, losing 3-2 at West Point-Beemer on Tuesday before finishing 2-1 at the Tekamah-Herman Tourney on Saturday. Tekamah-Herman beat Fort Calhoun and Lyons-Decatur Northeast 2-1, but lost 2-1 to Omaha Roncalli.

The Cadets took set one over the Tigers 25-20, and won set two 25-18. Tekamah-Herman bounced back to win sets three and four 25-21 before West Point-Beemer won the fifth and decisive set 15-11.

The Pioneers took set one over the Tigers 25-20 before Tekamah-Herman bounced back to win sets two and three 26-24 and 25-19.

The Crimson Pride won set one over the Tigers 25-17. Tekamah-Herman bounced back to take set two 25-17, but Omaha Roncalli took the third and decisive set 25-15.

The Tigers won set one over the Cougars 25-21. Lyons-Decatur Northeast nabbed the second set 25-13, but Tekamah-Herman won set three 25-21.

The Tigers played pretty good volleyball last week if you ask me. Tekamah-Herman was very competitive in every one of their matches, and was a couple of sets away from going 4-0.

The Tigers (8-4) host Madison (0-6) on Tuesday.

The Dragons lost 3-0 at David City on Tuesday of last week and fell 3-0 at home to West Point-Beemer on Thursday.

Given the fact Tekamah-Herman took the Cadets to five sets and Madison got swept by them you would think the Tigers would have little trouble with the Dragons.

I look for that to be the case on Tuesday. Madison has yet to win a set this year, and Tekamah-Herman has competed very well in just about every match so far this season.

I don't know if the Tigers are playing as well as they did to begin the season, but Tekamah-Herman definitely took a step forward last week.

I think the Tigers made strides in trying to get back to the way they were playing to begin the season.

I look for Tekamah-Herman to take another step forward this week, and sweep the Dragons.

Madison could win their first set of the year against the Tigers, but I think there's a good chance Tekamah-Herman sweeps them.

The Tigers have to play well in order to build for next Tuesday's matches with Oakland-Craig and Stanton.

The Knights and Mustangs figure to both be tough, but if Tekamah-Herman can get back to their beginning of the season form, the Tigers may have a chance to win one of the matches or both.

At the very least Tekamah-Herman may have a chance to win a set against each team.

First things first though, the Tigers have to take care of Madison.

Logan View goes 0-3 at Logan View Invite

The Logan View Raiders really struggled last week, going 0-3 at their own invite on Saturday.

Logan View lost 2-0 to Platteview, Homer, and Yutan.

The Raiders fell in set one to the Chieftains 25-12, and dropped set two 25-17.

Logan View lost set one to the Knights 25-22, and fell in set two 25-20.

The Raiders lost to the Trojans in set one 25-15, and lost set two 25-16.

It wasn't a good weekend of volleyball for Logan View. The Raiders competed with Homer, but otherwise Logan View had a rough go of things.

The Raiders (0-11) host West Point-Beemer (5-3) and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (7-5) on Tuesday in a home triangular.

The Cadets knocked off Tekamah-Herman 3-2 at home on Tuesday before winning 3-0 at Madison on Thursday. West Point-Beemer went 1-2 at the Stanton Invitational on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Arlington and 2-0 to Hartington Cedar Catholic, but beating Clarkson/Leigh 2-0.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family went 5-0 last week, picking up wins over High Plains, Clarkson/Leigh, Twin Loup, CWC, and Riverside.

Needless to say Logan View has their work cut out for them.

The Raiders are playing these two teams at a time when they are playing some of their best volleyball. The Cadets are coming off a 3-2 week while Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family went perfect last week.

It's going to be very difficult for Logan View to win given how they are playing right now.

That's not to say the Raiders can't get things headed in the right direction though.

This team has done some good things at certain times this year, they just haven't been consistent enough throughout an entire match to win.

Logan View is beyond moral victories at this point. They really don't do any good anymore.

The Raiders have to put together a complete match to pick up a win. Logan View has to take things one set and one point at a time. The Raiders can't afford to beat themselves.

Logan View has to keep their heads up and keep believing. I think things can eventually come together for this team if they keep fighting and persevering.

One of these nights the Raiders are going to have things go their way or so you would think.

We'll see what sort of progress Logan View makes on Tuesday.

The Raiders have a very winnable match at Omaha Brownell-Talbot on Thursday before the Louisville Invite on Saturday.

This is a big week of volleyball for Logan View. 

West Point-Beemer goes 3-2 last week

The West Point-Beemer Cadets played at a pretty high level last week, going 3-2 in their five matches.

West Point-Beemer knocked off Tekamah-Herman 3-2 at home on Tuesday before winning 3-0 at Madison on Thursday. The Cadets went 1-2 at the Stanton Invitational on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Arlington and 2-0 to Hartington Cedar Catholic, but beating Clarkson/Leigh 2-0.

West Point Beemer took set one over the Tigers 25-20, and won set two 25-18. Tekamah-Herman bounced back to win sets three and four 25-21 before the Cadets won the fifth and decisive set 15-11.

West Point-Beemer won set one over Madison 25-15, took set two 25-22, and dominated set three 25-5.

The Cadets knocked off the Patriots in the first set, 25-17, and claimed set two, 25-14.

West Point-Beemer lost set one to the Eagles, 25-18, won set two 27-25, but dropped the third set 25-22.

The Cadets fell 25-14 to the Trojans in set one, and lost set two 25-11.

West Point-Beemer played pretty good volleyball last week. I'm sure the Cadets feel they could of had a better showing at the Stanton Invitational, but the week as a whole was good for West Point-Beemer.

The Cadets (5-3) take on Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family (7-5) and Logan View (0-11) at the Logan View Triangular on Tuesday.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family went 5-0 last week, picking up wins over High Plains, Clarkson/Leigh, Twin Loup, CWC, and Riverside.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family has certainly been playing better volleyball as of late, and will be difficult for West Point-Beemer to beat.

The Raiders lost 2-0 to Platteview, Homer, and Yutan at the Logan View Invite on Saturday.

I don't see the Cadets having any trouble with Logan View whatsoever.

I see West Point-Beemer going at least 1-1 in this triangular. 2-0 is possible, but given the way Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family is playing right now, it's going to be very difficult to beat them.

The Cadets are very capable of knocking them off though, they just have to step up their game.

West Point-Beemer has to increase their intensity and up their level of play from last week. The Cadets performed well last week, but West Point-Beemer has to keep getting better to keep having good results.

This is a big week for the Cadets. West Point-Beemer has a real tough match on Thursday at North Bend Central.

The Cadets have to play well on Tuesday in order to prepare themselves for Thursday. Two wins on Tuesday would most likely give West Point-Beemer the momentum and confidence needed to compete with and possibly upset the Tigers.