Stanton finishes as State Runner-Up

The Stanton Mustangs made a deep run in the State Tournament this past weekend, advancing all the way to the state title match before losing 3-0 to Hastings St. Cecilia.

Stanton defeated Crofton 3-2 on Thursday at Lincoln Southwest, and Shelby/Rising City 3-2 on Friday in the semifinals at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Mustangs took on the Hawkettes on Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Stanton took set one from the Warriors 26-24. Crofton won set two 25-20 before the Mustangs won set three 25-20. The Warriors took set four 25-19 before Stanton earned a 15-12 win in set five.

Chantelle Christensen had a game-high 18 kills while Jessie Brandl recorded 11 kills and 25 digs. Hiliary Huss finished with 9 kills, 17 digs, and 20 set assists. Bree Burtwhistle added 8 kills, 12 digs, and 26 set assists while MacKenzie Brandl notched 25 digs.

The Huskies took set one from Stanton 25-22. The Mustangs won set two 25-23 and set three 26-24. Shelby/Rising City won set four 25-21, but Stanton won the fifth and decisive set 15-13.

Huss finished with 22 kills, 16 digs, and 25 set assists. Jessie Brandl had 15 kills and 15 digs while Burtwhistle recorded 10 kills, 14 digs, and 31 set assists. Christensen added 8 kills while MacKenzie Brandl and Leah Arens totaled 37 and 10 digs, respectively.

Hastings St. Cecilia won sets one and three 25-13, and won the middle set 25-21.

Jessie Brandl and Huss notched 7 kills apiece while MacKenzie Brandl totaled 17 digs. Jessie Brandl recorded 10 digs while Burwhistle registered 9 digs and 9 set assists. Huss had 13 set assists.

The Mustangs had a very good showing for it being the first time they had ever made the state tournament in school history.

Stanton no doubt would have loved to have won the state championship, but just getting there was quite the accomplishment.

The Mustangs finish the 2015 campaign with a 33-4 record.

It was a fantastic season for Stanton, who pretty much ran the table from the start to the finish of the season.

Sure the Mustangs were challenged at times and took their lumps, but overall Stanton was dominant throughout the course of the season.

Each and every one of these players and coaches should be proud of what they accomplished this season. They made history.

Huss led the team in kills with 334 while Jessie Brandl was the team leader in ace serves with 54. Christensen had a team-high 78 blocks while MacKenzie Brandl finished with 794 digs. Burtwhistle led the way in set assists with 490.

The Mustangs lose Madison Kleinschmidt, Huss, Arens, Christensen, Ali Wade, and Alex Oestreich to graduation.

These six seniors were great contributors to this year's team and past teams, and certainly made their mark on this program.

They certainly set a foundation for success, and played one of the best teams if not the best team in school history.

MacKenzie Brandl, Burtwhistle, and Jessie Brandl figure to be the top returners for Stanton next season.

There's a lot of production to replace, but I look for new players to emerge and leave their mark on this program in 2016.

I suspect the Mustangs will be a force to be reckoned with once again next season.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic finishes third at state

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays finished third at the state tournament this past weekend, sweeping Arcadia-Loup City 3-0 in the first round at Lincoln Southwest on Thursday, losing 3-1 to Hastings St. Cecilia in the semifinals at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday, and beating Shelby/Rising City 3-0 on Saturday in the third place game.

GACC defeated the Rebels 25-17 in set one, 25-8 in set two, and 25-10 in set three.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 13 kills to lead the team while Breanne Kreikeimeier and Katie Steuter registered 8 kills apiece. Morgan Bracht totaled 7 kills and 17 digs. Steuter led the way with 25 digs while Kreikemeier and Kate Knobbe added 11 and 10, respectively. Kali Stratman recorded 7 digs and 16 set assists while Sara Wordekemper dished out 14 set assists.

The Bluejays took set one from the Hawkettes 25-15, but lost the next three sets 25-21, 25-23, and 25-14.

Steuter finished with 14 kills and 28 digs while Kreikemeier and Maddie Knobbe notched 11 apiece. Bracht led the way with 35 digs while Kreikemeier and Kate Knobbe totaled 20 and 19, respectively. Sarah Arduser added 17 digs while Stratman notched 16 digs and 14 set assists. Wordekemper led the way in set assists with 24.

GACC defeated the Huskies 25-21 in set one, 26-24 in set two, and 25-20 in set three.

Maddie Knobbe registered 11 kills while Kreikemeier totaled 8 kills, 7 blocks, and 9 digs. Bracht posted 7 kills and 17 digs while Steuter came in with 21 digs. Kate Knobbe and Stratman notched 12 digs apiece. Stratman added 19 set assists.

The Bluejays didn't reach their goal of winning the state championship, but GACC still had a good state tournament and showed they were one of the top teams in the state.

The Bluejays end the year 31-3.

It was a great run for GACC, who dominated throughout much of the season.

I think the Bluejays pretty much maximized their potential, and played as well as they could have throughout the season.

It takes a lot of hard work and determination to do what GACC did, yet the Bluejays were there ready to play hard night in and night out.

GACC ran the table, and earned the best seed possible at the state tournament.

Maddie Knobbe led the Bluejays in kills this season with 372. Kreikemeier finished with a team leading 67 ace serves. Maddie Kobbe also led GACC in blocks with 159. Steuter was the digs leader with 593. Stratman had 515 set assists to lead the team.

GACC graduates quite a bit of talent, including Wordekemper, Kreikemeier, Steuter, Kate Knobbe, Arduser, and Leah Bracht.

These six seniors meant a lot to Bluejay volleyball this season and in seasons past, and their contributions should not soon be forgotten.

Maddie Knobbe and Stratman are the only two players with a lot of varsity experience returning for GACC next season.

There's a lot of hard work and player development to be done in the offseason, but look for the Bluejays to be good again next year.

GACC has a winning tradition in sports, and that doesn't change next season. I still expect the Bluejays to have a fine season and be in contention for a state title again.

Howells-Dodge loses in the first round of state to Johnson-Brock

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars saw their season come to an end at the State Tournament on Thursday, losing 3-1 to Johnson-Brock at Lincoln Southeast.

The Eagles won set one 25-12 before Howells-Dodge earned a 25-20 set two win. Johnson-Brock took set three 25-19, and won set four 25-21.

The Jaguars played tough, but not well enough to beat the eventual state champion Eagles.

Howells-Dodge still had a great year though as the Jaguars finish the campaign with a 23-10 record.

The Jaguars had nice wins over North Bend Central, Oakland-Craig (twice), Cedar Bluffs, Elgin Public/Pope John, Tekamah-Herman, Hartington-Newcastle, and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family.

Howells-Dodge certainly played a challenging schedule, and I think that helped the Jaguars prepare for the postseason and make their run.

Sure Howells-Dodge had their struggles this year, but the Jaguars stepped up and performed at a high level when it meant the most.

I'm sure Howells-Dodge wishes they could have done better at the state tournament, but Johnson-Brock was simply a team on a mission. The Eagles were not going to be denied.

The Jaguars say goodbye to seniors Mallory Rolf, Caitlin Klosen, Shelby Hegemann, Vanessa Hegemann, Kara Brichacek, and Kelly Cech.

These six seniors meant a lot to Howells-Dodge volleyball this season and in seasons past, and to end their careers at the state tournament, there's no better way to go out.

While the Jaguars lose a good amount of talent, they return a lot of talent as well.

Figuring to lead Howells-Dodge in 2016 will be Macey Kulhanek, Tessa Brester, Hailey Coufal, Kalli Brester, and Sam Brester.

There are certainly other players who could step up and contribute for the Jaguars in 2016, but these five players are the main ones returning.

I definitely feel like Howells-Dodge is capable of making the state tournament again in 2016.

Howells-Dodge defeats Cedar Bluffs to advance to state

Howells-Dodge is headed to the state tournament as they defeated Cedar Bluffs 3-0 in the D1-2 District Final in North Bend Thursday night. Head Coach Neil VanLengen talks about what allowed his team to come away with the victory.

"We worked on it the last time we played them. Some of the things we talked about on the whole season basis are blocking and defense. And that's what won the game for us. Our blocking and defense leads to offense. And whatever, defense always wins championships or great games like this. And we really worked hard on blocking."

The Jaguars won set one 25-16, set two 25-17, and set three 25-16.

Kalli Brester registered 11 kills and 14 digs while Sam Brester and Kara Brichacek had 8 kills apiece. Mallory Rolf added 7 kills and 11 digs while Macey Kulhanek recorded 17 digs.

Howells-Dodge enters this week's state tournament with a 23-9 record.

The Jaguars will face Johnson-Brock (22-9) on Thursday at Lincoln Southeast.

The Eagles earned a wildcard into the state tournament after losing 3-0 to Diller-Odell in Sub Districts.

This is going to be a tough match for Howells-Dodge, but I think the Jaguars are definitely capable of winning and advancing to the semifinals on Friday.

If Howells-Dodge wins they would likely play Emerson-Hubbard on Friday.

That would be a very difficult matchup for the Jaguars, but just getting to the semifinals would be a big deal for Howells-Dodge.

I think the Jaguars are definitely capable of winning their first round match, and playing three matches this weekend.

Howells-Dodge has had a great season, and to get three matches at state would be a big deal for this program.

The Jaguars would love to get to the state championship, and certainly they are good enough to do that, but it's going to be very difficult.

Howells-Dodge's goal should be to win the whole thing, but if they don't I think taking 3rd or 4th at state would be a respectable consolation prize.

It will be interesting to see how the Jaguars fare at this state tournament. A first round win over Johnson-Brock would be nice.

First serve is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln Southeast.

Stanton heading to Lincoln despite District Final loss

The Stanton Mustangs were upset by Shelby/Rising City in the C2-3 District Final at Columbus Lakeview Thursday night, but still qualified for the state tournament via wildcard.

Stanton fell to the Huskies in five sets, winning sets one and two 25-20 and 25-14 before losing the next three sets 25-20, 25-23, and 15-12.

Hilary Huss totaled 19 kills, 18 digs, and 18 set assists while Jessie Brandl notched 13 kills and 18 digs. Chantelle Christensen added 9 kills while MacKenzie Brandl totaled 46 digs. Bree Burtwhistle had 15 digs and 26 set assists while Alex Oestreich and Ali Wade registered 11 and 7 digs, respectively.

I figured the Mustangs would take care of business and roll to an easy District Final win. Apparently they did too after going up 2-0. However, Shelby/Rising City had other ideas.

Stanton (31-3) battles Crofton (20-9) in the first round of state on Thursday at Lincoln Southwest.

The Warriors defeated Elgin Public/Pope John 3-2 in the C2-5 District Final at Norfolk Catholic on Thursday.

This is a very intriguing matchup, in my opinion.

The Mustangs had the better regular season, but Crofton has the state experience.

I could see Stanton winning or losing this match. I don't think it's clear cut either way how they will do.

The Mustangs are definitely going to have a battle on their hands, there's no doubt about it.

Stanton has to step up their game and play better than they did against the Huskies. The Mustangs can't let their foot off the accelerator like they may have against Shelby/Rising City.

Stanton can't take Crofton lightly or for granted. The Mustangs have to come out swinging and ready to play.

This is state, and as excited as Stanton has to be to be there, they can't be satisfied with just making it.

The Mustangs have to be hungry to win, and that has to show in their play Thursday afternoon.

Stanton can't let the atmosphere get to them. The Mustangs can't be caught up in the awe of the state tournament.

First serve is set for 3:30 p.m. at Lincoln Southwest.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic heading to state

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays are the No. 1 seed in the State Tournament, which begins on Thursday in Lincoln, thanks to a 3-0 sweep of Hartington Cedar Catholic in the C2-2 District Final at Norfolk High on Thursday.

GACC won set one 25-17, set two 25-22, and set three 25-20.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 13 kills and 7 blocks while Breanne Kreikemeier totaled 10 kills and 11 digs. Morgan Bracht notched 7 kills 16 digs. Kate Knobbe added 24 digs while Katie Steuter recorded 20. Kali Stratman registered 7 digs and 15 set assists while Sara Wordekemper dished out 15 set assists.

The Bluejays played amazing Volleyball against the Trojans. GACC looked like a state championship team.

The Bluejays (29-2) take on Arcadia-Loup City (18-12) in the first round of state on Thursday.

Arcadia-Loup City downed Hemingford 3-2 in the C2-6 District Final at Ogallala on Thursday.

The Rebels certainly made a nice postseason run to get to the state tournament, but I don't think they're good enough to deny and beat GACC.

I look for the Bluejays to earn a sweep and put Arcadia-Loup City away early.

GACC would play the winner of Sutton and Hastings St. Cecilia in the semifinals on Friday.

I think the Bluejays have just as good a chance as anyone to win the state title.

GACC has been very good all season long, and I think the experience of making the state tournament last year should help this team in this year's state tournament.

The Bluejays have proven to be a very tough team this season, and I feel like GACC is playing their best volleyball of the season right now.

I look for the Bluejays to roll to victory on Thursday, and possibly win on Friday and Saturday. I definitely think GACC will play three games this weekend.

The Bluejays have to continue to play the way they have ever since the Mid State Conference Tournament loss to Hartington Cedar Catholic. If GACC does that they should be in good shape.

First serve is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Lincoln Southwest.

North Bend Central falls to Columbus Lakeview in Sub Districts

The North Bend Central Tigers had a disappointing finish to the season, falling 3-1 to Columbus Lakeview in the C1-4 Sub District at Fremont High last Monday night.

North Bend Central took set one 25-21, but dropped sets two, three, and four 25-12, 25-13, and 25-18.

Kristin Lux finished with 12 kills while Brooke Frederickson and Allison Lux had 9 and 8, respectively. Kaitlynn Bjorklund totaled 17 set assists while Noelle White registered 13.

I thought the Tigers would do a whole lot better than they did against the Vikings. I thought North Bend Central would win and push Columbus Scotus for the Sub District Championship.

Things just didn't work out that way though.

The Tigers finish the season 23-6.

It was certainly a good year for North Bend Central, and the highlight had to be beating C-2 State Qualifier Stanton.

The Tigers beat a lot of good teams this season, and should be proud of the year they had.

North Bend Central says goodbye to Allison Lux, Kinzie Lorence, White, and Kylee Hines.

These four seniors meant a lot to this year's team and past teams. They will for sure be missed.

The Tigers return Alexandria Humlicek, Kristin Lux, Bjorklund, Jacki Minarick, Kendra Lorence, Frederickson, Kiley Allgood, and others.

I think North Bend Central returns enough players to be a factor in Class C-1 again next season.

The Tigers have been really good as of late, and I look for North Bend Central to have a mighty fine season yet again next year.

The Tigers have to work on coming through in the clutch when it counts, and if North Bend Central can figure out how to win in the postseason look out for the Tigers in Sub District and District Play.

North Bend Central has to work hard in the offseason, and prepare themselves for another successful regular season and good postseason play.

The Tigers have to play better and perhaps harder in the postseason than they do in the regular season.

North Bend Central has to figure out a way to translate their game from the regular season to the postseason.

The best way to do that is win in the summer, and work hard in the offseason. Keep building for the postseason. That's what the Tigers have to do at all times.

Logan View's season ends in loss to Arlington

Logan View saw their season come to an end last Monday as the Raiders lost 3-0 to Arlington in the C1-6 Sub District at Fremont Middle School.

The Eagles won set one 25-11, set two 25-13, and set three 25-7.

It was a difficult ending to a difficult season for Logan View. The Raiders just didn't have any spark or magic in them in the postseason and throughout the regular season for that matter.

It was a tough season for Logan View, who finished the 2015 campaign 3-30.

Logan View had a tough time finding their way this season, but did find success against Omaha Brownell-Talbot and Madison.

Logan View defeated Omaha Brownell-Talbot twice, and took care of the Dragons in the East Husker Conference Tournament.

There were certainly a couple of bright spots this year for the Raiders, but there's a lot of room for this team to grow and improve before the start of next season.

Logan View has to work hard in the weight room and on the court in the offseason. The Raiders have to look forward to waking up everyday and getting after things.

The returning players and newcomers have to be excited about playing the game of volleyball, and that has to show in their work everyday until the start of next season.

Next year's team has to want to get better in the offseason. Logan View cannot be satisfied with where they are at whatsoever. The Raiders have to dedicate themselves to improvement in the offseason.

It will be interesting to see if Logan View is any better next season. The Raiders had a tough time this year, but next year is a new year and anything can happen.

Logan View has to play optimistic volleyball in their summer league matches. If the Raiders can find success in those it may translate to success in the actual season.

It's important for every player to attend team camps, summer leagues, summer workouts, and open gyms as much as possible.

Tekamah-Herman's season ends in Sub District Final loss

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers made a strong push in the postseason, but came up short of reaching a district final and ultimately state, falling 3-1 to Arlington in the C1-6 Sub District Final at Fremont Middle School last Monday night. Tekamah-Herman defeated Fort Calhoun 3-1 prior to playing the Eagles.

The Pioneers won set one 25-20. The Tigers took set two 27-25, set three 25-19, and set four 25-11.

Tekamah-Herman won set one over Arlington 25-21. The Eagles won sets two, three, and four 25-15, 25-18, and 27-25.

The Tigers had a good postseason showing. Tekamah-Herman nearly took Arlington to a 5th set.

Tekamah-Herman ends the year at 17-14.

It was a successful season for the Tigers by many means.

Tekamah-Herman started and finished the season strong.

I think the Tigers maximized their potential in many ways. I think Tekamah-Herman probably got the most out of themselves this season.

The Tigers lose Allie Snow, Sammi Surber, and Katheryn Gregerson to graduation.

These three meant a lot to Tekamah-Herman Volleyball this year, and without them, the Tigers would not have been as successful, in my opinion.

This year's senior class laid a foundation for success that other teams should follow in the future.

Tekamah-Herman has to work their tails off in the weight room and on the court this offseason if they want to get better and have an even better season next year.

It's going to take a lot of hard work for the Tigers to get to the top, but Tekamah-Herman is definitely capable of taking things to the next level in 2016.

This was a good year for the Tigers, and Tekamah-Herman should be proud of themselves for the way they fought all season long.

At the same time there's a lot of room for growth and improvement so the Tigers have to remain hungry, determined, and focused in the offseason.

West Point-Beemer falls to Wayne in Sub Districts

The West Point-Beemer Cadets fell 3-0 to Wayne in the C1-7 Sub District at Norfolk High last Monday.

The Blue Devils won set one 25-15, set two 25-17, and set three 25-22.

I thought West Point-Beemer would do better than they did against Wayne. I guess it just wasn't meant to be for the Cadets on this night.

West Point-Beemer ends the 2015 season with a 15-14 record.

The Cadets had a similar season this year compared to last year, although West Point-Beemer had a winning record this year.

The Cadets graduate Taylor Weddle, Amanda Hansen, Jade Duhsmann, and Madison Voelker.

These four meant a lot to West Point-Beemer Volleyball this year and in years past.

The Cadets return Katie Pilakowski, Nicole Mitzel, Brittney Hinkel, Makenna Weddle, Leigh Jahnke, Bethany Anderson, and others.

The future of West Point-Beemer Volleyball looks good, although the loss of the four seniors will definitely be felt in the future.

This year's team was very up and down. The Cadets played well at times, but struggled at others. The postseason loss for West Point-Beemer sort of summed up their inconsistencies this year.

I know a lot of these girls are looking forward to basketball, and they should be, but after basketball is over these girls need to devote proper time to volleyball.

Volleyball is just as important as basketball, and next year's team has to become more consistent if they want to win more.

I think the Cadets can be successful next year, but it's going to take a lot of hard work. West Point-Beemer can't just show up next fall and expect to win. The Cadets have to work their tails off in the offseason.

Clarkson/Leigh loses to Battle Creek to end year

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots lost 3-0 to Battle Creek last Monday at the C2-5 Sub District at Norfolk Catholic, falling 25-17 in set one, 25-18 in set two, and 25-20 in set three.

Shelby Paprocki had 12 kills and 16 digs while Maddie Cerv totaled 20 digs. Kaitlyn Becher registered 7 digs and 8 set assists while Kaegan Held added 7 set assists.

I thought Clarkson/Leigh played a competitive match despite getting swept. The Patriots made a lot of improvements from last year to this year, going 11-19 this season compared to 6-26 a year ago.

Becher, Megan Svehla, Cerv, Alyssa Novotony, Jessi Sayers, Rachel Rupprecht, and Camille Koehn are lost to graduation.

These seven players did a lot for Clarkson/Leigh this season and throughout their careers, and will be missed for sure.

The Patriots have to be excited about their future though.

Clarkson/Leigh returns Held, Hannah Kasik, Holly Kuhr, Paprocki, and others.

This year's freshman class is very talented, and I look for many of them to step up as sophomores and contribute to next year's team in a big way.

Paprocki led the team in kills this season with 265. She also led the way with 29 ace serves. Kasik led the way in blocks with 71. Cerv had a team leading 439 digs. Held led the way with 300 set assists.

So as you can see, the future is bright for this program given the production that returns for them next season.

For as many seniors as the Patriots lost this year, I think next year's team has a chance to be even better than this year's team was.

I wouldn't be surprised if the 2016 Clarkson/Leigh Patriots post a winning record and win anywhere from 15-20 matches.

The Patriots nearly doubled their win total from a season ago, and I could easily see that happening again in 2016.

Winnebago loses to Wakefield to end year

The year came to a close for the Winnebago Indians last Monday as they fell 3-0 to Wakefield in the C2-3 Sub District at Pender.

Winnebago lost set one 25-9, dropped set two 25-8, and fell 25-12 in set three.

The Indians definitely didn't end the season strong or the way they wanted to. Winnebago ends the campaign at 7-20.

Winnebago parts ways with Skylar Kennedy, Sianne Harden, Illeanna Frenchman, and Rebecca Fremont.

These four contributed a lot to Indian volleyball this season. Their contributions will be missed I'm sure. Their loss will be felt in the future too I am sure.

It wasn't the greatest season for Winnebago by any stretch of the imagination, but the Indians went out there and gave it their all every time out I am sure.

The success of this year's team can't necessarily be measured by wins or losses, but by how much this team grew as the year went on.

I think Winnebago did improve as the year went on, although it's hard to see that improvement given the results of their matches.

The Indians managed a few wins here and there, and took three out of four from Omaha Nation.

Winnebago has a lot to work on if they want to be better in the future though.

The returning players and newcomers need to dedicate themselves to the gym and the weightroom this offseason, and attend summer camps and open gyms whenever possible.

These girls have to want to get better, and make improvements before the start of next season.

There are some big shoes to fill with the departure of the four seniors listed above, but it's simply time for new players to emerge and rise up and fill the void left by the departing seniors.

I think the Indians have a chance to win at least 10-15 matches next year if they improve, grow, and mature significantly in the offseason.

Oakland-Craig falls to Wisner-Pilger in Sub Districts

The Oakland-Craig Knights saw their year come to an end last Monday night as they lost 3-2 to Wisner-Pilger in Sub District C2-3 action at Pender.

The Knights took set one from the Gators 27-25. Wisner-Pilger rebounded to win set two 25-14 and set three 28-26. Oakland-Craig won set four 25-22 before the Gators prevailed in set five 18-16.

It was a very good season in many ways for the Knights. Oakland-Craig did a lot of nice things in going 22-9.

The Knights say goodbye to Olivia Bures, Brynn Charling, Paige Stammert, and Emma Reinert.

These four seniors will be missed, there's no doubt about it. Their contributions to Oakland-Craig volleyball will be remembered by many for a long time I am certain.

The Knights had a very good 2015 season, but they have to be hungry and ready for more in 2016.

Oakland-Craig has to get better in the offseason, whether that's playing the game of volleyball, getting after things in the weight room, or working on drills and conditioning at open gyms and team camps.

There's a lot of growth and maturity for this team to do in a year's time, and I look for the Knights to come back stronger than ever in 2016.

I think this program is in the middle stages of how great they can be. Oakland-Craig has had successful back-to-back seasons, and I look for the Knights to be even better in 2016.

Oakland-Craig made a lot of strides from 2014 to 2015, going from 20-14 to 22-9.

The Knights did a good job cutting down on their loss total from a year ago, and picking up more wins.

Oakland-Craig has to learn how to handle success though. The Knights have to work just as hard if not harder than they did last offseason to be even better next year.

There's a lot of time between now and the start of next fall so plenty of time to improve if you are the Oakland-Craig Knights.

Wisner-Pilger's season ends in loss to Guardian Angels Central Catholic

The Wisner-Pilger Gators saw their magical season come to an end on Tuesday as they lost 3-2 to Guardian Angels Central Catholic in C2-3 Sub District Play at Pender. This coming after Wisner-Pilger defeated Oakland-Craig 3-2 last Monday.

The Knights took set one from the Gators 27-25. Wisner-Pilger rebounded to win set two 25-14 and set three 28-26. Oakland-Craig won set four 25-22 before the Gators prevailed in set five 18-16.

Sydney Bradfield finished with 18 kills and 12 digs while Bailey Batenhorst totaled 16 kills and 9 digs. Sara Smyth added 12 kills and 15 digs while Tessa Ruskamp notched 9 kills and 15 digs. Lauren Jacobsen had 16 digs and 9 set assists while Sydney Williams registered 36 set assists.

Wisner-Pilger took set one from the Bluejays 25-22. GACC bounced back to win sets two and three 25-13 and 25-22. The Gators took set four 27-25, but the Bluejays prevailed in set five, winning it 15-8.

Bradfield notched 18 kills and 24 digs while Batenhorst totaled 15 kills and 13 digs. Smyth recorded 9 kills and 9 digs while Ruskamp notched 9 kills and 11 digs. Jacobsen added 24 digs and 12 set assists while Williams posted 11 digs and 30 set assists.

The Gators had a tough sub district, and nearly won it. Wisner-Pilger just missed out on a wildcard, and had it not been for Stanton losing, the Gators would be playing down in Lincoln on Thursday.

As it is Wisner-Pilger ends the season at 26-7.

The Gators part ways with Smyth, Ruskamp, Batenhorst, Williams, and Bradfield.

Each of these talented five seniors will be missed, and their contributions to Wisner-Pilger Volleyball will not soon be forgotten.

Allissa Meyer, Jacobsen, and others will be asked to step up and play significant roles on next year's team.

The Gators lose a very talented class of seniors, and making up for their departure will not be easy.

Batenhorst led the team in kills with 330 while Bradfield had a team leading 49 ace serves. Smyth led the way in blocks with 60 while Ruskamp notched 231 digs to lead the team. Williams led the way with 431 set assists.

It's going to be very difficult for next year's team to duplicate the success this senior class and this team had this season.

However, it's simply time for new players to step up and emerge, and become leaders.

This program is now going to be led by different players so the returning players and newcomers have to take it upon themselves to have a successful offseason and get ready to roll in 2016.

It will be interesting to see what kind of impact the new starters have on next year's team. I think Wisner-Pilger could be good again next year, but it's going to take a lot of hard work for the Gators to remain at the top.

One thing is for sure though...Wisner-Pilger should be very hungry heading into next season given the way this season ended.

Pender's season ends in Sub Districts

The Pender Pendragons saw their season come to an end last week as they defeated Walthill 3-0 last Monday in the D1-5 Sub District at Ponca before losing 3-0 to Emerson-Hubbard, also on Monday of last week.

Pender took set one from the Blujays 25-11. The Pendragons earned a 25-6 win in set two before grabbing set three 25-10.

The Pirates won set one over Pender 25-14. Emerson-Hubbard won set two 25-13, and took set three 25-15.

The Pendragons gave it their best shot last week, but fell short of advancing any farther than their second match in sub districts. Beating the Pirates was asking a lot.

Pender finishes the season 9-22.

Justice Sorenson and Sarah Schopke are the lone seniors the Pendragons lose.

Pender brings back Rylee Lehmkuhl, Cecilee Jacobsen, Hallie Ballinger, Kamryn Anderson, and others.

The Pendragons should be solid next season with the majority of their team back.

I think Pender is a team that got better as the season went along.

The Pendragons didn't wow you with a lot of big wins, but they beat some teams they were supposed to and competed with some of the tougher teams on their schedule.

The biggest thing for Pender next year is being consistent.

The Pendragons really weren't consistently competitive this season, and I think that sort of hurt them in the long run.

There's a lot of work for the returning players and newcomers to do in the offseason.

Attending team camps, working out in the weightroom, and just playing the game of volleyball whenever possible could go a long ways in helping next year's Pender team be successful.

I think the Pendragons have what it takes to be good in 2016, but a lot of growth, strides, and improvements need to be made from now until the start of next fall.

Don't be surprised if Pender wins 15+ matches next season.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast reaches Sub District Final

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars reached the D1-3 Sub District Final at Oakland-Craig on Tuesday, falling 3-2 to Cedar Bluffs. This coming after Lyons-Decatur Northeast defeated Fremont Bergan 3-2 last Monday.

The Knights took set one from the Cougars 25-20. Lyons-Decatur Northeast won set two 25-21, and set three 25-17. Fremont Bergan won set four 25-14 before the Cougars prevailed in set five 15-13.

Brianne Haskell totaled 11 kills and 28 digs while Kelly Wakeley notched 8 kills and 18 digs. Abby Peterson finished with 33 digs while Mickayla Petersen had 25 digs and 10 set assists. Lexie Bacon recorded 13 digs and 11 set assists.

The Wildcats went up 2-0, winning set one 25-12 and set two 25-17. Lyons-Decatur Northeast took set three 25-21 and set four 25-18. Cedar Bluffs prevailed in set five, winning 15-12.

Maddie Ronnfeldt led the way with 15 kills while Wakeley had 14 kills and 32 digs. Haskell added 12 kills and 35 digs. Bacon totaled 17 digs and 19 set assists while Petersen notched 14 digs and 17 set assists. Peterson recorded 12 digs while Brandi Simonsen registered 8.

It was a good season in many ways for the Cougars. Lyons-Decatur Northeast was three points away from reaching a district final.

The Cougars end the year at 16-17.

Ronnfeldt graduates as does Petersen, Libby Henneman, Haskell, Tessie Collins, and Peterson.

These six seniors meant a lot to this program over the years, and their contributions will be sorely missed no doubt.

Wakeley, Sophia Henneman, Bacon, and Simonsen return for next year's co-op team, the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines.

They will be joined by the likes of Tess Nottleman.

Next year's co-op team will have some talent, but a lot of freshmen could be called upon to step up and play well early.

It will be interesting to see if there's anything coming up between the two schools. I would imagine there is.

I'm sure Lyons-Decatur Northeast would prefer to continue on with that name, but given the amount of players out for both Bancroft-Rosalie and Lyons-Decatur Northeast this year, the co-op is probably a good thing.

There should be some heated battles for playing time I would imagine. Starting roles could be interesting. I would think all of the returning players would have a good shot at starting roles in 2016.

Wakeley and Nottleman should make for a dynamic duo, and Bacon should really help as well.

It will be interesting to see how successful the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines are in 2016.

Bancroft-Rosalie loses to Humphrey St. Francis in Sub Districts

The Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers lost their final match as the Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers last Monday, losing 3-0 to Humphrey St. Francis in the D2-3 Sub District at Guardian Angels Central Catholic.

Bancroft-Rosalie dropped set one 25-10, set two 25-14, and set three 29-27.

Tess Nottleman finished with a team-high 13 kills while Kassidi Browning and Lauren Zuhlke had 16 and 8 set assists, respectively.

The Panthers didn't have the type of showing they wanted to I'm sure, but Bancroft-Rosalie never gave up and continued to fight until the very end. That was evident by the score of their final set.

The Panthers finish the campaign with a 13-17 record.

Bancroft-Rosalie loses seniors Vicki Gatzmeyer, Kelcee Bacon, Lauren Ahlers, Browning, Hannah Flock, Zuhlke, Ashten Reil, and Mariah Petersen.

These eight seniors will no doubt be missed. I'm sure the Panthers wish they could have had a better season given the number of seniors they had, but things just went the way they did for whatever reason.

Junior Tess Nottleman led the way with 170 kills. Browning was the leader in set assists with 238. Nottleman also led the way with 46 blocks.

Nottleman will no doubt be a key contributor on the co-op team next year.

The future of the Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines looks bright given the star players that return from both schools.

I look for Nottleman and Kelly Wakeley to make for a deadly duo next season.

It will be interesting to see how the co-op team does next year. Girls getting along will be a big thing. There can't be any selfishness on the part of anyone whatsoever.

I'm sure there will be certain players who feel they should start, and may not, but whatever the case may be, girls need to understand their role on the new team and just go with it.

Things may not be pretty at times next season, but I look for Nottleman and Wakeley to help the Wolverines pick up quite a few wins in 2016.

Both schools certainly graduate a lot of talent so it will be interesting to see what is coming up from the junior high ranks.

Scribner-Snyder falls in Sub District Final

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans made a little bit of a postseason run, beating Cornerstone Christian 3-0 and upsetting Mead 3-1 last Monday in the D2-3 Sub District at Guardian Angels Central Catholic, but falling 3-0 to Humphrey St. Francis in the Sub District Final on Tuesday.

Scribner-Snyder downed the Cougars 25-9 in set one, 25-10 in set two, and 25-15 in set three.

Savanah Miller finished with 9 kills while Kaylee Boyle notched 7. Nicole Boyle dished out 14 set assists.

The Raiders grabbed set one from the Trojans 27-25, but Scribner-Snyder bounced back to win set two 25-13, set three 25-19, and set four 25-18.

Kaylee Boyle had 14 kills and 22 digs while Miller totaled 11 kills and 23 digs. Nicole Boyle notched 13 digs and 19 set assists while Mackenzy Schreck recorded 9 digs.

The Flyers won sets one and three 25-20, and took set two 25-14.

Kaylee Boyle registered 10 kills and 12 digs while Schreck had 9 kills and 7 digs. Miller posted 17 digs while Nicole Boyle compiled 15 digs and 20 set assists. Mickayla Mandel added 14 digs.

The Trojans had a very successful end to their season. Scribner-Snyder finished the campaign 8-25, but won five out of their last seven matches.

The Trojans certainly could have had a much better season if they had played at the level they did at the end the entire time.

Scribner-Snyder says goodbye to seniors Brittney Utemark, Jamie Poppe, Michaun Stucky, Brittany Hilliard, Schreck, and Haley Bundy.

Stucky and Schreck are the only real significant losses, in my opinion, but all six seniors will be missed no doubt.

Nicole and Kaylee Boyle will be back as will Miller and Daria Risch.

These four should lead the Trojans next season and have outstanding campaigns.

Kaylee Boyle led the team in kills this season with 84 while Nicole Boyle finished with a team-high 30 ace serves. Schreck finished with a team leading 28 blocks. Kaylee Boyle also led the way with 298 digs while Nicole Boyle had a team leading 222 set assists.

So as you can see the majority of the team's production, or at least a lot of it, returns next season.

I think given the way Scribner-Snyder finished this season, they have a chance to be good in 2016.

There's a long way to go between now and the start of next season, but the more offseason work these girls put in the better they will be come next fall.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic wins tough C2-3 Sub District

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays advanced to a District Final by beating Wakefield 3-0 on Monday and Wisner-Pilger 3-2 on Tuesday in Sub District C2-3 action at Pender.

GACC dominated the Trojans 25-7 in set one, 25-11 in set two, and 25-10 in set three.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 9 kills while Morgan Bracht and Katie Steuter totaled 14 and 13 digs, respectively. Breanne Kreikemeier added 9 digs while Sarah Arduser recorded 7. Kali Stratman dished out 16 set assists.

The Gators nabbed set one from the Bluejays 25-22. GACC won sets two and three 25-13 and 25-22 before Wisner-Pilger won set four 27-25. The Bluejays took set five 15-8.

Knobbe led the way with 15 digs while Kreikemeier registered 13 kills and 17 digs. Steuter recorded 10 kills and 41 digs. Bracht added 35 digs while Kate Knobbe posted 18. Arduser notched 12 while Stratman totaled 9 digs and 27 set assists. Sara Wordekemper compiled 12 set assists.

I thought the Gators might beat GACC, but the Bluejays rose to the occasion in the fifth set and put it away early.

GACC went up 5-0 in the fifth and decisive set, and that was the difference.

The Bluejays (28-2) take on Hartington Cedar Catholic (22-8) in the C2-2 District Final at Norfolk High Thursday night.

The two teams met twice in the regular season. GACC won 3-1 at Hartington Cedar Catholic on October 1st, and the Trojans returned the favor in the Mid-State Conference Championship match on Thursday, winning 3-2.

The Bluejays are pretty much in to the state tournament win or lose, and Hartington Cedar Catholic could still get in with a loss, but it would be tougher for them.

This match is important for GACC in terms of avenging a loss. The Bluejays don't want to head into the state tournament having lost to this team twice within a week. That would not be good for mental reasons should the two teams play again at state.

This match has a lot of meaning to GACC in terms of pride. The Bluejays want to win to get payback on the Trojans, and secure the No. 1 seed at the state tournament.

GACC is definitely capable of winning a state championship, and winning these types of matches could go a long ways in helping the Bluejays win tough matches at state.

Both of these teams are good, and I expect quality volleyball to be played Thursday night.

The atmosphere should be electric for what should be a great match.

I look for both cheering sections to really cheer hard for their respective team, and for the student sections to battle things out with different chants.

First serve is slated for 7:00 p.m.

Stanton rolls through Sub District C2-5

The Stanton Mustangs are one win away from advancing to state for the first time in school history as they defeated Battle Creek and Lutheran High Northeast 3-1 in C2-5 Sub District action at Norfolk Catholic Monday and Tuesday.

Stanton took set one from the Braves 25-18. Battle Creek won set two 25-21, but the Mustangs took sets three and four 25-14 and 25-22.

Jessie Brandl finished with 15 kills and 15 digs while Hilary Huss totaled 14 kills, 18 digs, and 25 set assists. Bree Burtwhistle notched 8 kills, 12 digs, and 24 set assists. MacKenzie Brandl registered 48 digs while Leah Arens compiled 15.

The Eagles took set one from the Mustangs 25-20, but Stanton roared back to win sets two, three, and four 25-19, 25-17, and 25-21.

Jessie Brandl posted 22 kills and 20 digs while Huss and Burtwhistle recorded 11 kills apiece. MacKenzie Brandl totaled 42 digs while Burtwhistle added 16 digs and 20 set assists. Huss had 11 digs and 25 set assists while Arens chipped in 9 digs.

The Mustangs were challenged by both teams, but rose to the occasion in each match and got the job done each time. I don't think there was any way Stanton was going to let Battle Creek or Lutheran High Northeast beat them.

Stanton (31-2) takes on Shelby/Rising City Thursday night in the C2-3 District Final at Columbus Lakeview.

The Huskies defeated Twin River and Cross County 3-0 in Sub District C2-6 action on Monday.

Shelby/Rising City won't be an easy opponent by any means, but the Mustangs should have a really good chance to beat the Huskies and advance to state for the first time in school history.

Stanton has to play loose, aggressive, smart, and most importantly needs to have fun.

This is what the Mustangs have been working towards since the end of last year...the chance to get to the state tournament.

Stanton should reach state even if they lose, but there's a small chance the Mustangs could get left out again if they lose.

I'm sure Stanton just assumes win their way in and not have to worry about a wildcard.

It would be a big deal for the Mustangs to reach the state tournament. This team has dominated throughout the regular season and so far in the postseason, and has come too far to be denied now.

Stanton has to want it more than Shelby/Rising City, and that has to be evident in their play Thursday night.

This is just another road block to a potential state championship for the Mustangs. Stanton has passed nearly every test so far this season, and I look for the Mustangs to get the job done Thursday night.

There might be some early match jitters on the part of Stanton, but I look for the Mustangs to eventually settle into the match and roll to a 3-0 sweep, and at worst a 3-1 win.

Match time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Howells-Dodge advances to District Final

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars won sub district D1-4, knocking off Osceola and Fullerton 3-0 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Howells-Dodge downed the Bulldogs 25-11 in set one, 25-14 in set two, and 25-15 in set three.

Kalli Brester had 10 kills and 8 digs while Sam Brester notched 9 kills. Macey Kulhanek led the way with 10 digs while Shelby Hegemann and Tessa Brester compiled 13 and 10 set assists, respectively.

The Jaguars defeated the Warriors 25-11 in set one, and 25-21 in sets two and three.

Kalli Brester recorded 10 kills and 9 digs while Sam Brester and Mallory Rolf totaled 8 and 7 kills, respectively. Kulhanek added 14 digs while Tessa Brester and Shelby Hegemann posted 14 and 13 set assists, respectively.

Howells-Dodge was on top of their game Monday and Tuesday. The Jaguars didn't leave anything to chance, and took care of business against both opponents.

Howells-Dodge (22-9) takes on Cedar Bluffs (27-4) in the D1-2 District Final at North Bend Central Thursday night.

The Wildcats won sub district D1-3, downing Omaha Nation 3-0 and Lyons-Decatur Northeast 3-2.

The two teams met on September 8th at the Cedar Bluffs Triangular with the Wildcats winning 2-0.

Cedar Bluffs needs this game more than the Jaguars in terms of making the state tournament.

Howells-Dodge sits fourth in power points and stands a good chance to make state should they lose, but you never know.

The Jaguars would just assume win and not have to worry about a wildcard.

Howells-Dodge has to be on top of their game against the Wildcats.

The Jaguars can't afford to play poorly and sluggish. Howells-Dodge has to bring their best, just like they did in sub districts.

If the Jaguars play the way they did in sub districts I think they stand a really good chance to win, but if Howells-Dodge plays the way they did against Cedar Bluffs in the regular season, things could go the Wildcats' way.

I think Howells-Dodge is good enough to sweep the Wildcats 3-0 or win 3-1, but I could also see the match going five sets. It all depends how well both teams play.

First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Catch all the action on 107.9 the Bull.

Bancroft-Rosalie wins regular season finale over Omaha Nation

The Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers won their final regular season match on Monday, winning 3-0 at home against Omaha Nation.

Bancroft-Rosalie won set one 25-15, set two 25-11, and set three 25-16.

Tess Nottleman had 10 kills while Vicki Gatzmeyer notched 7. Kassidi Browning totaled 14 set assists while Lauren Zuhlke compiled 8 set assists and 9 ace serves.

The Panthers played a good match on Monday. Bancroft-Rosalie really needed a lift heading into the postseason, and got it.

The Panthers (13-16) take on Humphrey St. Francis (16-12) in the D2-3 sub district tournament at Guardian Angels Central Catholic on Monday.

Bancroft-Rosalie defeated the Flyers 2-0 at the Cedar Bluffs Invitational on September 12th.

Humphrey St. Francis defeated Palmer 2-0, but lost 2-0 to Shelby/Rising City at their home triangular on Friday.

I think the Panthers have a good chance to not only win this match, but the sub district.

There is no clear cut team in this sub district, and as far as I'm concerned, it's up for grabs.

Bancroft-Rosalie already knows they can beat the Flyers, and that could be a huge advantage for the Panthers mentally.

Bancroft-Rosalie has stumbled down the stretch, but perhaps the win over the Chiefs got this team back on track.

We will find out on Monday if that win gave the Panthers any momentum or confidence. This is it for the Bancroft-Rosalie Panthers. This team will be no more after this season. Bancroft-Rosalie has to make the most of their chances this week.

Monday's match is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Scribner-Snyder wins final two regular season matches

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans defeated Omaha Christian Academy and Weeping Water 2-0 at the Omaha Christian Academy Triangular on Tuesday.

Scribner-Snyder downed the Indians 25-19 in set one, and 25-17 in set two.

Savanah Miller had 10 kills and 12 digs while Kaylee and Nicole Boyle notched 7 digs apiece. Nicole Boyle dished out 7 set assists.

The Trojans defeated the Eagles 25-12 in set one, and 25-22 in set two.

Kaylee Boyle recorded 14 digs while Nicole Boyle registered 13.

Scribner-Snyder played excellent volleyball to end the regular season. I would say the Trojans saved their best for last.

Scribner-Snyder (6-24) takes on Cornerstone Christian (1-10) on Monday in the D2-3 sub district at Guardian Angels Central Catholic.

The Cougars haven't played since October 20th when they lost 2-0 to Omaha Christian Academy.

This is a match the Trojans should win. This isn't a particularly tough sub district, and the district final matchup for whoever wins this sub district doesn't seem to be too hard either.

I really think that given the way Scribner-Snyder played last week, they have as good a chance as anyone to reach the sub district final and perhaps win the sub district.

Anything can happen in the sport of volleyball and in sub districts, and this team is playing their best volleyball at the right time.

What an accomplishment it would be for this team to get to the sub district final or district final. It hasn't been the easiest season for the Trojans by any means, but they have put themselves in a position to do some postseason damage.

Scribner-Snyder and Cornerstone Christian are set to square off at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. The winner gets Mead at 8:00 p.m., also on Monday.

I look for the Trojans to at least win one match on Monday, if not two.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast loses regular season finale to Tekamah-Herman

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars lost 3-0 at Tekamah-Herman on Tuesday to end the regular season.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast dropped set one 25-17, set two 25-20, and set three 25-19.

It wasn't an ideal way to end the regular season if you are the Cougars, but Lyons-Decatur Northeast took on a solid C-1 team, and so the loss is definitely understandable.

The Cougars (15-16) take on Fremont Bergan (14-16) on Monday in the D1-3 sub district at Oakland-Craig.

The two teams did not meet in the regular season.

The Knights lost 3-0 at home to Omaha Concordia on Tuesday.

I think Lyons-Decatur Northeast has a chance not only to win this match, but win the sub district.

The Cougars are playing close to home, and have already beaten the No. 1 seed, Cedar Bluffs, once this season.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast no doubt suffered a setback against the Tigers, but it's an entirely new season now.

Anything can happen in the postseason, and the Cougars have to gear up for a big postseason run, their last as the Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to have a burning desire to extend their season a few more days, and reach a district final. That would be a good accomplishment for this team if they don't make the state tournament.

Monday's match is scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m.

Howells-Dodge goes 1-1 in last week of regular season

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars went 1-1 at the West Point-Beemer Triangular last week, defeating Pender 2-1, but losing 2-0 to the host Cadets.

West Point-Beemer won set one 25-22, and set two 25-21.

Kalli Brester finished with 7 kills and 9 digs while Macey Kulhanek notched 11 digs. Shelby Hegemann and Tessa Brester posted 11 and 8 set assists, respectively.

The Jaguars won sets one and three 25-17 and 25-22 over the Pendragons. Pender took set two 25-23.

Kalli Brester totaled 12 kills and 11 digs while Sam Brester recorded 11 kills. Kulhanek had 19 digs while Mallory Rolf notched 12. Tessa Brester compiled 19 set assists while Hegemann dished out 9.

Howells-Dodge did what I was afraid they might do, and that's struggle on the road to end the regular season.

The Jaguars (20-9) take on either Osceola (9-18) or High Plains Community (1-24) in sub district D1-4 action at David City Aquinas on Monday.

Howells-Dodge should easily beat the winner, but Fullerton or Nebraska Lutheran could give the Jaguars a match on Tuesday, should Howells-Dodge advance that far.

It's possible that the Jaguars could earn a wildcard into the state tournament, but Howells-Dodge would like to get to Lincoln by winning their way there.

The Jaguars have to come out and play like they are playing at home. Howells-Dodge is as good as anyone when they're on, but when they're off, they're off.

The Jaguars need to be on top of their game this entire postseason to win their way into the state tournament.

It's important for Howells-Dodge to play hard and not take anything for granted.

The Jaguars have to make the most of their opportunities this postseason, and make everything count.

Howells-Dodge has to be on top of their game throughout the entire postseason to ensure a trip to Lincoln.

The Jaguars will take on either the Bulldogs or the Storm at 8:00 p.m. on Monday.

Pender goes 1-2 in last three regular season matches

The Pender Pendragons went 1-2 last week to end the regular season, defeating Clarkson/Leigh 3-1 on the road Monday before losing 2-1 to Howells-Dodge and 2-0 to West Point-Beemer at the West Point-Beemer Triangular on Tuesday.

The Pendragons won set one 25-20 and set two 25-13. Clarkson/Leigh took set three 25-23 before Pender closed out the match with a 29-27 set four win.

The Pendragons lost set one to the Cadets 25-21, and dropped set two 25-15.

The Jaguars won sets one and three 25-17 and 25-22. Pender took set two 25-23.

The Pendragons competed well last week. Pender played all three teams tough.

The Pendragons (8-21) battle Walthill (6-17) in the D1-5 bunny bracket match at Ponca on Monday.

The two teams did not meet in the regular season.

The Blujays lost 2-0 to Bloomfield and Wynot last Saturday at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament.

Walthill has played well at times this year, but I don't think they're nearly talented enough to defeat Pender.

Given the way the Pendragons played last week, and given who the Blujays have beaten this season, I think Pender is in good position to pick up a win.

That's the good news. The not so good news is the winner gets Emerson-Hubbard.

That's not to say the Pendragons can't pull off the upset, but it's going to be very difficult.

Pender has to focus on beating Walthill, and getting to 9 wins.

This team is playing their best volleyball at the end of the season, and that's all you can ask.

It will be interesting to see how the Pendragons fare on Monday, and on Tuesday should they somehow make it that far.

The Walthill match begins at 5:15 p.m. The Emerson-Hubbard match would be at 7:45.

Clarkson/Leigh falls to Pender to end regular season

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots lost their final match of the regular season on Monday, falling 3-1 at home to Pender.

The Pendragons won set one 25-20 and set two 25-13. Clarkson/Leigh took set three 25-23 before Pender closed out the match with a 29-27 set four win.

Shelby Paprocki finished with 15 kills and 14 digs while Hannah Kasik totaled 11 kills and 7 digs. Camille Koehn notched 10 kills while Maddie Cerv posted 28 digs. Kaegan Held recorded 13 digs and 16 set assists while Kaitlyn Becher dished out 18 set assists.

I'm sure it wasn't the finish to the end of the regular season the Patriots were looking for. I'm sure Clarkson/Leigh feels they could have won that last regular season match.

The Patriots (11-18) take on Battle Creek (14-16) in the bunny bracket match of the C2-5 sub district tournament at Norfolk Catholic on Monday.

The two teams met on September 19th at the Stanton Invitational with the Braves winning 2-0.

Battle Creek went 1-3 at the Mid-State Conference Tournament, losing 3-2 to Crofton and Boone Central/Newman Grove on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, and beating O'Neill 2-0 and losing 2-1 to Norfolk Catholic on Thursday.

The Braves are a fairly decent team, and I don't think Clarkson/Leigh is going to have an easy time with Battle Creek whatsoever.

Neither team was particularly impressive at the end of the season, and I look for Monday's match to be an interesting and entertaining one.

This is a tough sub district to be in. The Patriots have had a better season than they did last year, but if they win they get Stanton in the next sub district match.

So even if Clarkson/Leigh beats the Braves, they're going to have to turn around and knock off the mighty Mustangs, which is an entirely different challenge in itself.

It would still be good for the Patriots to get the opportunity to play Stanton though. Clarkson/Leigh has to do everything in their power to keep their season going as long as possible.

Monday's match begins at 5:00 p.m. The winner gets the aforementioned Mustang at 7:30.

Stanton sweeps Twin River to end regular season

The Stanton Mustangs won their final regular season match on Thursday, defeating Twin River 3-0 on the road.

Stanton won set one 25-12, set two 25-15, and set three 25-18.

Hilary Huss notched 11 kills, 8 digs, and 15 set assists. Jessie Brandl totaled 9 kills and 11 digs while Chantelle Christensen recorded 7 kills. Bree Burtwhistle had 19 digs and 16 set assists while MacKenzie Brandl registered 9 digs.

The Mustangs did a good job of taking care of business against the Titans. Stanton showed no ill effects from the loss to North Bend Central, and did what they have most of the season, which is dominate.

The Mustangs (29-2) battle either Battle Creek (14-16) or Clarkson/Leigh (11-18) in the C2-5 sub district at Norfolk Catholic on Monday.

I don't look for Stanton to have a lot of trouble against either opponent.

The Mustangs could be challenged by Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family if the Bulldogs reach the sub district final.

This is an interesting sub district, in my opinion. Stanton should win it, but the Mustangs have to be on top of their game, and can't miss a beat.

Unlike last year, Stanton should get a wildcard into the state tournament should they falter in sub districts or in a district final, but the Mustangs need to win their way into the state tournament this year.

This team has been on a mission since the end of last year, and everything they've worked for in the last year, all the countless hours spent on the court and in the weight room, is for the chance to get to state and win a state championship.

Stanton has to make it count this time. The Mustangs can't falter this time around. Stanton has to find a way to become district champions, and earn their way into the state tournament.

It's the postseason, and the Mustangs have to play championship volleyball.

Monday's match is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Oakland-Craig loses regular season finale at Wisner-Pilger

The Oakland-Craig Knights lost 3-1 at Wisner-Pilger on Tuesday to end the regular season.

Wisner-Pilger took set one 25-21. The Knights won set two 25-20 before the Gators took sets three and four 25-16 and 25-19.

Oakland-Craig hung in there early, but I think Wisner-Pilger wore the Knights down to eventually pull away.

Oakland-Craig (22-8) battles the Gators (25-6) again Monday evening in the C1-3 sub district tournament at Pender.

I think the Knights can definitely win, but Oakland-Craig has to play a much better second half of the match than they did against Wisner-Pilger the first time around.

The Knights have to execute at a very high level, and slow down the Gators' offense.

Volleyball, like most other sports, is a game of momentum, and Oakland-Craig has to keep the mojo on their side to come out on top.

I'm sure Wisner-Pilger has their sights set on a subdistrict final against Guardian Angels Central Catholic, but the Knights have to feel they are the ones who will take on the Bluejays on Tuesday.

This is the season for Oakland-Craig. The Knights have to come out and battle from start to finish. Oakland-Craig has to want it more than the Gators.

This is a very tough sub district, and the winner will no doubt have earned their way through, but if the Knights are the winner of this sub district they will have to feel ecstatic about winning it.

First things first though, Oakland-Craig has to focus on the match with Wisner-Pilger, but the Knights are definitely capable of winning this sub district, in my opinion.

The match is set to begin at 6:00 p.m. It can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Wisner-Pilger downs Oakland-Craig in regular season finale

The Wisner-Pilger Gators closed out their regular season on Tuesday with a 3-1 home win over Oakland-Craig.

Wisner-Pilger took set one 25-21. The Knights won set two 25-20 before the Gators took sets three and four 25-16 and 25-19.

Bailey Batenhorst led the way with 16 kills and 11 digs while Sara Smyth and Sydney Bradfield notched 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Tessa Ruskamp had 7 ace serves and 10 digs while Lauren Jacobsen finished with 9 digs and 13 set assists. Alissa Meyer registered 26 set assists.

This was a big win for Wisner-Pilger. I think the Gators showed they are primed and ready for a postseason run. I know I said it would be tough for the same team to win twice given the fact these two teams play in sub districts on Monday, but given the way Wisner-Pilger played on Tuesday I think the Gators can get the job done again.

Wisner-Pilger (25-6) meets Oakland-Craig (22-8) in the C1-3 sub district tournament at Pender Monday evening.

This is going to be an all out battle between two very good teams.

The Gators got the best of the Knights the first time around, and will have to play well again to win a second time.

Wisner-Pilger can't be looking forward to a potential showdown with Guardian Angels Central Catholic on Tuesday. The Gators have to be focused on Oakland-Craig.

This should be a very good match between two heavyweights. I look for the atmosphere to be electric and the gym to be rocking.

I'm sure both student sections will be going after it, and that should improve the quality of the match.

I think Wisner-Pilger is going to get the Knights for a second time, but the Gators have to play really well on Monday. Wisner-Pilger has to play one of their better matches of the year to come out on top, in my opinion.

It should be an absolute crazy match. Catch the action on 107.9 the Bull. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic goes 2-1 in Mid-State Conference Tournament

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays went 2-1 at the Mid State Conference Tournament last week, defeating Norfolk Catholic 3-0 on Monday, and Pierce 3-2 on Tuesday, before losing 3-2 to Hartington Cedar Catholic in the championship on Thursday.

GACC took set one from the Knights 25-13. GACC won set two 25-17, and set three 25-19.

Maddie Knobbe had 7 kills while Katie Steuter and Breanne Kreikemeier totaled 22 and 17 digs, respectively. Kate Knobbe notched 9 digs while Kali Stratman registered 7 digs and 12 set assists. Sara Wordekemper added 8 set assists.

Pierce won set one over GACC 25-20. GACC won set two 27-25 before Pierce took set three 25-18. GACC earned a 25-23 set four win and won set five 15-12.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 13 kills and 10 blocks while Steuter had 12 kills and 33 digs. Kreikemeier notched 10 kills and 12 digs while Kate Knobbe and Morgan Bracht recorded 23 and 21 digs, respectively. Sarah Arduser added 13. Stratman posted 12 digs and 33 set assists. Wordekemper dished out 9 set assists.

The Bluejays lost set one to the Trojans 25-21. GACC bounced back to win sets two and three 25-12 and 25-20 before dropping sets four and five 25-21 and 15-9.

Maddie Knobbe compiled 18 kills and 10 blocks while Bracht registered 9 kills and 25 digs. Steuter recorded 7 kills and 28 digs. Kreikemeier and Kate Knobbe each had 25 digs while Arduser totaled 9. Stratman notched 7 digs and 21 set assists while Wordekemper dished out 15 set assists.

The Bluejays played good volleyball last week, but not as good as they were prior to the Mid-State Conference Tournament, in my opinion.

It's hard to beat the same teams time and time again, and GACC found that out against Hartington Cedar Catholic.

The Bluejays (26-2) take on either Winnebago (7-19) or Wakefield (10-20) in the C1-3 sub district tournament at Pender Monday night.

I don't see GACC having trouble against either team as there are bigger fish to fry in this sub district tournament.

I look for the Bluejays to advance to the sub district final on Tuesday against either Wisner-Pilger or Oakland-Craig.

GACC is probably safely into the state tournament, but the Bluejays would just assume win their sub district and not have to rely on the wildcard.

Often times winning championships at the sub district and district final level leads to a state championship.

Wildcard teams win state championships too, but I'm sure GACC would like to win a state championship having entered the state tournament via a district championship.

Whoever wins between the Gators and Knights will no doubt be gunning for the Bluejays so GACC has to come out and play superb volleyball against the winner, assuming a matchup takes place between the two.

The Bluejays face the winner of Winnebago/Wakefield at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. I look for GACC to sweep the winner 3-0.

Winnebago loses final four regular season matches

The Winnebago Indians went 0-4 two weeks ago, losing 2-0 to Homer and Wakefield in the Homer Triangular last Thursday, and falling 2-0 to Plainview and Hartington-Newcastle at the Lewis & Clark Tournament last Saturday.

Winnebago fell to the Knights 25-6 in set one, and 25-7 in set two.

The Trojans won set one over the Indians 25-7, and took set two 25-11.

The Wildcats nabbed set one 25-9 and set two 25-10.

The Pirates grabbed the first set 25-20, and set the second set 25-17.

The Indians stumbled down the stretch, which is not something you want to do heading into the postseason.

Winnebago (7-19) takes on Wakefield (10-20) in the C2-3 sub district at Pender on Monday.

The Trojans lost 2-0 to Allen last Saturday at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament, but beat Wausa 2-0.

Like the Indians, Wakefield has struggled down the stretch.

Winnebago is definitely capable of competing with and beating the Trojans, but the Indians have to step up their game big time.

Winnebago can't expect to win if they come out flat and uninspired.

The Indians did not play good volleyball last Thursday and Saturday, and it has been tough sledding as of late for Winnebago.

The Indians may feel like this sub district is too tough for them, but this is the hand they have been dealt.

Winnebago can either scrap, fight, and play hard, or pack their bags and get ready for basketball.

The Indians are going to have to play much better than they did against Wakefield the first time around if they want to come out on top.

Monday's match is set to start at 4:30 p.m. The winner gets Guardian Angels Central Catholic at 7:30 p.m.

North Bend Central wins final match of regular season

The North Bend Central Tigers closed out their regular season on Thursday with a 3-0 win at Madison.

North Bend Central won sets one and two 25-11, and took set three 25-13.

It was a dominant win for the Tigers. North Bend Central didn't have a letdown after beating Stanton earlier in the week.

The Tigers (23-5) battle Columbus Lakeview (22-8) in the C1-4 sub district at Fremont High Monday evening.

The two teams did not play in the regular season.

The Vikings defeated Schuyler 3-0 on Tuesday to end the regular season.

This is what North Bend Central has been building for this entire season. The time has come for the Tigers. It's time to step up and perform, and get the job done.

North Bend Central isn't likely to receive a wildcard to state should they falter before the state tournament so this is do or die for the Tigers.

Columbus Lakeview is a very good team as is Columbus Scotus, who North Bend Central could very well see in the sub district final on Tuesday.

Brooke Fredrickson, Allison Lux, Kristin Lux, Kaitlyn Bjorklund, and Noelle White all have to step up and have big matches for the Tigers.

North Bend Central has to play well as a team, and continue to fight no matter the situation.

The Tigers are no doubt going to face some adverse times in this sub district tournament, and the way North Bend Central responds to those times could very well determine if they win or lose.

The match is slated to start at 6:30 p.m.

Tekamah-Herman sweeps Lyons-Decatur Northeast

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers ended the regular season on a high note, defeating Lyons-Decatur Northeast 3-0 at home on Tuesday.

Tekamah-Herman won set one 25-17, set two 25-20, and set three 25-19.

It was a dominant win for the Tigers. It's exactly the type of win Tekamah-Herman needed heading into sub districts.

The Tigers (16-13) battle Fort Calhoun (12-15) in the C1-6 sub district at Fremont Middle School on Monday.

Tekamah-Herman met the Pioneers on September 19th in the Tekamah-Herman Tourney, and won 2-1.

Fort Calhoun lost 3-1 at home to Arlington on Tuesday to end the regular season.

I think this match is going to be a dog fight between the Tigers and Pioneers.

I could easily see this match going five sets with both teams' seasons on the line.

The winner gets either Arlington or Logan View in the sub district final at 8:00 Monday night.

I'm sure Tekamah-Herman would love to advance to the sub district final.

In order to do that though the Tigers have to bring their "A" game.

Tekamah-Herman has to play the way they did against Lyons-Decatur Northeast, not Howells-Dodge.

Only the Tigers' best effort will allow them to get where they want to. The season is on the line for Tekamah-Herman, and the Tigers have to be ready to rock and roll Monday evening.

Match time is set for 6:30 p.m.