Pender 2-2 in last four matches

The Pender Pendragons are 2-2 in their last four matches, losing 3-0 at Scribner-Snyder Monday night, and 3-2 at Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family Tuesday night, before downing Emerson-Hubbard 2-0 and Neligh-Oakdale 2-1 at the Emerson-Hubbard Triangular Thursday night.

The Trojans won set one 25-19, and sets two and three 25-22.

Pender was led by Hallie Ballinger, who posted 17 kills. Cecilee Jacobsen added 7.

The Pendragons dropped sets one and two to the Bulldogs, 25-18 and 25-16, before winning set three 26-24 and set four 25-21. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family prevailed in set five, 15-9.

Pender downed the Pirates 25-18 in the first set, and 25-9 in the second set.

The Pendragons defeated the Warriors 25-19 in set one, and 25-20 in set three. Neligh-Oakdale won set two 25-14.

The Scribner-Snyder loss appeared to have motivated and fueled this team. Pender has competed very well since that loss.

The Pendragons (7-8) take part in the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament on Saturday.

This tournament appears like it could be very competitive as there are a number of teams playing well right now.

With that said, I think Pender has just as good a chance as anyone to compete and advance in the winners bracket.

The Pendragons simply have to pick up where they left off against the Pirates and Warriors, and turn their recent success into even more success.

Ballinger and Jacobsen need to have good matches offensively for Pender, and the Pendragons can't afford to beat themselves.

Pender has to execute at a high level, and play well all day long.

The Pendragons have to try and be as consistent as possible, and do everything in their power to come out on top in every match.

Pender has to be focused and motivated to do well.

I think the Pendragons have a good chance to have success all day on Saturday, but it all goes back to coming ready to play and being consistent.

Pender has to serve, pass, hit, and serve receive well.

The Pendragons have to communicate on offense and defense, and be good judgers as to if balls are in or out.

Pender has to play smart, but aggressive Volleyball all day long.

The Pendragons have to give it everything they've got, and push and challenge each other to have success.

Pender has to be mentally and physically tough all day long as well.

Oakland-Craig 2-5 in last seven matches

The Oakland-Craig Knights are 2-5 in their last seven matches, going 2-2 at the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday before losing to Stanton and Tekamah-Herman at their home triangular on Tuesday, and falling at home to Howells-Dodge Thursday night.

Oakland-Craig beat Scribner-Snyder and Winnebago 2-0 on Saturday, but lost 2-0 to Elkhorn Valley and Ponca.

The Knights lost 2-0 to the Tigers and Mustangs, and fell 3-0 to the Jaguars.

Oakland-Craig defeated Scribner-Snyder 25-12 in sets one and two.

The Knights downed Winnebago 25-19 in the first set, and 25-10 in the second set.

Ponca beat Oakland-Craig 25-14 in set one, and 25-23 in set two.

The Falcons took care of the Knights 25-20 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Tekamah-Herman beat Oakland-Craig 25-8 in set one, and 25-23 in set two.

The Mustangs defeated the Knights 25-15 in the first set, and 25-16 in the second set.

Howells/Dodge defeated Oakland-Craig, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17 Thursday night in volleyball action heard on 107.9 the Bull.

The Knights fell to 4-14 on the season.

Head Coach Chelsey Quigley says the two teams meet again tomorrow morning at a day long tourney at Clarkson/Leigh. "I would like to see them again, whether it's now or during conference. Cause I know, my girls, we can play with them. And I completely believe in their ability to do so. I think we have a pretty solid defense, and if we can just put a couple of things together, then I think we can be successful against them."

The two teams will play at 9:00 a.m.

This is going to be another difficult match for Oakland-Craig, in my opinion, but I feel the Knights are better suited to beat the Jaguars this time around than the first time.

I'm not saying Oakland-Craig is going to beat Howells-Dodge, because that would be very tough, but anything can happen.

The Knights have to fix the mistakes they made against the Jaguars Thursday night, and come out and play better Saturday morning.

I think Oakland-Craig has a shot to get off to a hot start and perhaps take a set, or at least make one or more of them close.

This tournament is important for the Knights.

Oakland-Craig really needs to get their season on track, and perhaps they can do so in this tournament.

I don't know if it's realistic to say the Knights can win this tournament, but again, anything can happen so the possibility cannot be entirely ruled out.

Oakland-Craig has to play well regardless of if they are playing in consolation or in the winners bracket.

The Knights have to come ready to play, and must have a good showing to gain some momentum for next week.

Oakland-Craig has the West Point-Beemer Triangular on Tuesday with the host Cadets and Douglas County West so the Knights need to play well on Saturday to gain some confidence heading into those matches.

Oakland-Craig has to take things one match at a time and not get too ahead of themselves. All the Knights should be worried about at the moment is knocking off Howells-Dodge.

Howells-Dodge 4-0 in last four matches

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars continue their winning ways as they defeated Lutheran High Northeast 3-2 at home last Tuesday night, BRLD and Madison 2-0 at the Wisner-Pilger Double Triangular on Tuesday, and Oakland-Craig 3-0 on the road Thursday night.

The Eagles won the first two sets over the Jaguars, 25-23 and 25-22, before Howells-Dodge stormed back to win sets three, four, and five, 25-19. 25-16, and 15-12.

Kalli Brester put down 19 kills and had 26 digs while Sam Brester registered 16 kills. Erin Prusa and Haley Eikmeier notched 9 and 8 kills, respectively, while Macey Kulhanek and Hailey Coufal recorded 30 and 15 digs, respectively. Tessa Brester added 8 digs and 49 set assists.

The Jaguars downed the Dragons 25-14 in the first set, and 25-8 in the second set.

Kalli Brester posted 8 kills with Sam Brester totaling 7. Kulhanek chipped in 7 digs with Tessa Brester dishing out 20 set assists.

The Jaguars knocked off the Wolverines 25-19 in set one, and 25-20 in set two.

Sam Brester led the way with 11 kills while Kalli Brester notched 7 kills and 8 digs. Kulhanek totaled 11 digs while Tessa Brester registered 22 set assists.

Against the Knights, The Jaguars won the first set 25-19, the second set 25-16, and the third set 25-17.

Kalli Brester totaled 13 kills and 17 digs while Sam Brester posted 8 kills. Kulhanek chipped in 15 digs while Tessa Brester contributed 10 digs and 26 set assists.

Head Coach Neil VanLengen's team is now 13 and 1. "We got a few aces or some bad passes that were able to get us some free balls. And we've got some hitters that can put balls away when we get free balls so that's kind of one of our goals of the season is to serve a little bit tougher."

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament.

It's never easy to play and beat the same team twice in a row, but if there's a team that can do it, it's Howells-Dodge.

The Jaguars appear to be a very strong team and a very formidable foe, as well as a team to be reckoned with.

When Howells-Dodge is on, they are on.

The Jaguars are one of the best teams around when they are on, and this team just has so much talent and athleticism it's almost not fair sometimes.

I look for Howells-Dodge to do well on Saturday. I think you will see the Jaguars compete for the championship, and perhaps even win it.

This team has so much firepower, and is tough to beat.

Howells-Dodge is one of the more complete teams in the area and throughout the state for their class, and I look for the Jaguars to prove that once again on Saturday.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Howells-Dodge sweep Oakland-Craig again.

I think the match has a chance to be closer and more competitive, but I look for the Jaguars to find a way to win the match 2-0.

It's important for Howells-Dodge to sweep as many matches as possible to stay fresh all day and not wear out.

The Jaguars have to come ready to play, and must bring it, because you can bet the Knights and anyone else Howells-Dodge plays throughout the day will give the Jaguars' their best shot.

Howells-Dodge has to play their game, and not get flustered or rattled by any team that may surprise them in a set or a match for that matter.

Anything can happen in a set or match, but how well the Jaguars respond to any adversity they face could make or break Howells-Dodge in this tournament.

The Jaguars are due to win another tournament after winning their first one of the season, and coming up short in their second one.

Scribner-Snyder 2-6 in last 8 matches

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans are just 2-6 in their last 8 matches, falling 3-1 at home to BRLD last Tuesday, 3-1 at home to Humphrey/Holy Family last Thursday, and 2-0 to Ponca, Oakland-Craig, and Elkhorn Valley at the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday, before beating Winnebago 2-0, also at the same invite on Saturday.

Scribner-Snyder won 3-0 at Pender Monday night before falling 3-0 at Winside Tuesday night.

BRLD took set one from the Trojans, 25-22, before winning set two 25-23. Scribner-Snyder took set three 25-23 before the Wolverines earned a 25-20 win in set four.

Kaylee Boyle posted 13 kills and 11 digs while Savanah Miller had 9 kills and 15 digs. Nicole Boyle registered 7 kills, 7 digs, and 30 set assists while Mackenzy Schreck posted 15 digs.

Head Coach Shelly Schulenberg calls it a tough loss. "It's kind of a bummer. You never want to lose games where you fight hard to get through, and you lose the two sets, and we came back and took that third set, and they fought all the way through, and yeah it's always just a bummer. Been there done that in my day, and it's no fun in this decade either."

The Bulldogs won the first set 25-12 and the second set 25-15 before the Trojans took the third set 26-24. Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family won the fourth and decisive set 26-24.

Miller finished with 11 kills and 12 digs while Kaylee Boyle notched 9 kills and 19 digs. Nicole Boyle registered 11 blocks, 15 digs, and 25 set assists while Schreck totaled 9 blocks.

The Knights defeated Scribner-Snyder 25-12 in sets one and two.

Nicole Boyle had 9 digs while Kaylee Boyle and Miller dished out 12 and 10 set assists, respectively.

Ponca downed the Trojans 25-9 in set one, and 25-13 in set two.

Scribner-Snyder topped Winnebago 25-14 in the first set, and 25-15 in the second set.

The Trojans won set one 25-19, and sets two and three 25-22 over the Wildcats.

Kaylee Boyle paced Scribner-Snyder with 8 kills. Miller posted 16 blocks while Nicole Boyle recorded 14 digs and 13 set assists. Kaylee Boyle had 8 digs while Emily Lewin notched 7.

Winside beat the Trojans 25-9 in set one, 25-15 in set two, and 25-23 in set three.

Kaylee Boyle posted 9 blocks while Veronica Litz totaled 8. Miller added 7 blocks while Nicole Boyle registered 10 digs and 9 set assists. Lewin recorded 7 digs.

I think Scribner-Snyder has been fighting some injuries to go along with a tough schedule lately. I believe that's what's sort of led to their inconsistency.

The Trojans (6-9) host Fremont Bergan (11-3) Tuesday night.

The Knights swept Omaha Brownell-Talbot 3-0 at home Thursday night.

Fremont Bergan appears to be a tough, legitimate team who has played some good teams and won some big matches.

This is going to be another tough match for Scribner-Snyder, in my opinion.

The Knights are C-2, and I think being the bigger school helps out Fremont Bergan in this case.

It's not to say the Trojans can't win, because they can, but it's going to be really tough.

If anything, this match will help prepare Scribner-Snyder for the rest of the season, and help strengthen them for the postseason.

Not all is bad having to take on the Knights. There are a lot of things the Trojans can learn and take away from this match.

I look for Scribner-Snyder to play Fremont Bergan tough. Whether that's just competing in and losing all three sets, or actually winning a set or two, or winning the match, I don't know, but I fully expect the Trojans to make a match of things with the Knights.

Scribner-Snyder is experienced, and has been there and done that before, so I don't expect the Trojans to be scared of or back down from Fremont Bergan at all.

Scribner-Snyder has to eliminate hitting errors, and have a good hitting percentage.

Defense is of equal importance for the Trojans. Scribner-Snyder has to have good judgement on balls going in or out, and must communicate with one another on serve receives.

The Trojans are going to need to play their best match of the season to knock off the Knights, in my opinion.

Fremont Bergan appears to be the real deal, and Scribner-Snyder can't afford to have an off night or struggle at any point.

A 5-point run here and there from the Knights could make a huge difference in the match. There's really not a whole lot of room for error for the Trojans.

Scribner-Snyder just has to give it their best shot, and see what happens. The Trojans have to expect to win though.

Winnebago 1-5 in last six matches

The Winnebago Indians went 0-4 at the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday, and went 1-1 at the Omaha Nation Triangular on Tuesday.

Winnebago lost 2-0 to Oakland-Craig, Ponca, Elkhorn Valley, and the host Trojans on Saturday, before beating the host Chiefs and losing 2-1 to Walthill on Tuesday.

The Knights defeated the Indians 25-19 in set one, and 25-10 in set two.

Winnebago dropped set one to Scribner-Snyder, 25-14, and lost set two 25-15.

The Falcons downed the Indians 25-14 in the first set, and 25-10 in the second set.

Ponca beat Winnebago 25-9 in the opening set, and 25-6 in the second set.

Allie Frenchman had 9 digs for Winnebago.

The Indians took care of Omaha Nation in set one, 26-24, and set two, 25-16.

Winnebago took set one from the Blujays, 25-21, before Walthill won set two 25-16, and set three 25-14.

I think the Indians have been very competitive lately in many ways. Winnebago's progress may not be showing up in terms of wins and losses, but I feel this team is getting better.

The Indians (4-15) taken on Allen (3-13) and Whiting, IA (6-5) in their home triangular on Tuesday.

The Eagles went 0-3 at the Ponca Invite on Tuesday, although they beat Winnebago 2-0 at the Ponca Triangular on September 13th.

Allen isn't a bad team, but I feel the Indians have gotten better since their loss to the Eagles.

I think Winnebago has a shot to beat Allen, and sweep the triangular with a win over Whiting, IA.

Perhaps all Winnebago's hard work, blood, sweat, and tears will finally pay off and show in these matches.

I'm willing to bet the Indians have done everything in their power to be successful this year, and they appear to be well on their way to making good things happen.

A triangular sweep would be such a huge lift for this team. Winnebago has yet to sweep a triangular this year, and doing so would be a big deal.

The Indians won their own tourney a couple weeks back, and I think Winnebago has a chance to do well at home again.

The Indians will have had an entire week to prepare for both teams so that should help Winnebago out quite a bit.

The Indians just have to finish matches. They took the first set from Walthill, but couldn't close out the Blujays.

Winnebago has to put teams away when they have the chance.

The rest of the Indians' schedule doesn't appear to be terribly difficult outside the Lewis and Clark Tournament so I look for Winnebago to make some headway prior to that tournament starting.

The Indians have four home matches left, and if they could go 4-0 in those matches, it would be a huge lift and a big deal.

Clarkson/Leigh 3-1 in last four matches

Success has come Clarkson/Leigh's way as of late as the Patriots went 2-1 at the Hampton Tournament on Saturday before beating Logan View 3-0 on the road Tuesday night.

Clarkson/Leigh beat Deshler and Burwell 2-1 on Saturday before losing 2-0 to the host Hawks.

The Dragons took set one from the Patriots, 25-23, before Clarkson/Leigh won sets two and three, 25-11, and 25-20.

Hannah Kasik posted 13 kills while Halee Steffensmeier totaled 17 digs. Kaegan Held notched 28 set assists.

Hampton downed the Patriots 25-16 in set one, and 25-19 in set two.

Shelby Paprocki registered 8 kills while Held recorded 13 set assists.

Clarkson/Leigh took sets one and three 25-22, and 25-21, from the Longhorns, while Burwell won set two 27-25.

Paprocki finished with 13 kills and 10 digs while Steffensmeier posted 8 digs. Held dished out 29 set assists.

Against the Raiders, the Patriots won the first set 27-25, the second set 25-15, and the third set 25-17.

Paprocki led Clarkson/Leigh with 10 kills and 11 digs while Sydney Folken had 7 kills. Held chipped in 22 set assists.

Head Coach Rebecca Schneider says unforced errors on both sides made for a close match. "Yeah I got to give Logan View credit. They really challenged us. We had a lot of unforced errors that we didn't take care of the ball very well. So that's why the score ended the way it did. I'm glad we came out on top though."

Schneider says she's dealing with a young team. "We had 3 returning starters. I lost seven seniors from last year so we had to fill in with more sophomores because obviously yeah just two seniors and one junior who missed out half the season last year because of an accident. And they've really stepped up, and they really mesh well together."

The Patriots (8-6) host the Clarkson/Leigh Invite on Saturday.

Other teams in this tournament include BRLD (11-10) and Oakland-Craig (4-13).

The Wolverines have played great volleyball lately, but the Knights have really struggled.

If Clarkson/Leigh faces Oakland-Craig, they should win. BRLD would be a much tougher matchup although I feel the Patriots would still be capable of beating the Wolverines.

This is a big tournament for Clarkson/Leigh. It's a chance for the Patriots to do well at home, and give this young team a boost of confidence heading into next week.

Clarkson/Leigh has a lot of matches next week so it's important for the Patriots to play well Saturday to give themselves confidence heading into next week's stretch of matches.

Clarkson/Leigh has to be mentally and physically tough on Saturday just like they were against Logan View.

The Patriots have to battle, scrap, and claw for every point, and eliminate or at least minimize unforced errors.

Clarkson/Leigh has to be raring to go from the get go, and must be ready to go full tilt with every team they play.

It's going to be a long day for the Patriots win or lose, so Clarkson/Leigh might as well seize the opportunity and moment, and have success.

It would be such a big deal to these players, coaches, fans, and communities for the Patriots to do well in this tournament.

I really think Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to make a statement in this tournament, and continue to build upon their recent hot play.

The Patriots have won three out of their last four, and I look for Clarkson/Leigh to keep the ball rolling on Saturday.

BRLD 4-1 in last five matches

The Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines have continued their great play as of late, downing Scribner-Snyder 3-1 on the road last Tuesday night, Emerson-Hubbard and Winnebago 2-0 at their own triangular last Thursday night, before beating Wisner-Pilger 2-1 and losing 2-0 to Howells-Dodge at the Wisner-Pilger Double Triangular this past Tuesday night.

BRLD took set one from the Trojans, 25-22, before winning set two 25-23. Scribner-Snyder took set three 25-23 before the Wolverines earned a 25-20 win in set four.

Head Coach Rebecca James says she expected a good fight. "Their girls just don't give up. And their setter is pretty talented too cause she can dump the ball and she can also turn and hit. So yeah I felt like we were going to be evenly matched, and we always put up a pretty competitive game with Scribner, so yeah I was pleased with how we played."

BRLD knocked off the Pirates 25-15 in the first set, and 25-16 in the second set.

The Wolverines downed the Indians 25-3 in set one, and 25-8 in set two.

BRLD earned a 25-23 set one win over the Gators before Wisner-Pilger took set two 25-15. The Wolverines won set three 25-18.

BRLD lost set one to the Jaguars, 25-19, and dropped set two 25-20.

I think the Wolverines are playing impressive Volleyball right now. BRLD has been real good in their wins, and solid even in defeat.

The Wolverines (11-10) take part in the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament on Saturday.

Other teams in the tournament include the host Patriots and Oakland-Craig.

I think BRLD has a chance to do well in this tournament, and perhaps challenge for the championship.

The Wolverines are 7-3 in their last 10 matches, and have really come on as of late.

It has been an impressive thing to see from BRLD.

I look for the Wolverines to ride the wave of momentum they've created, and win even more on Saturday.

I think you will see BRLD compete well in every set they're in, and win their fair share of sets and matches.

I think it's going to be a good day for the Wolverines of BRLD.

The Wolverines have to be upbeat, loose, and thinking positive.

BRLD has to believe in themselves and be confident, but not be too overconfident.

The Wolverines have to stay disciplined and must be focused against every team they take the floor against.

BRLD has to do everything in their power to keep playing the way they have been lately, and win.

I don't think there's any doubt the Wolverines have a chance to do really well in this tournament, and perhaps even avenge an early season loss to Clarkson/Leigh should the two teams meet.

BRLD has to come out guns ablazin, and keep the momentum rolling all day.

The Wolverines have to pick up right where they left off last time, and play well all day long.

BRLD is due to breakout and win a tournament sometime given the way they've been playing lately, and I don't think there's a better time than now to earn your first tournament win of the year.

The Wolverines have to go out there and get it.

Tekamah-Herman 2-1 in last three matches

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers went 1-0 last week, and are 1-1 so far this week, sweeping Madison 3-0 on the road last Tuesday before downing Oakland-Craig 2-0 and losing 2-0 to Stanton at the Oakland-Craig Triangular this past Tuesday.

The Tigers downed the Dragons 25-17 in set one, 25-13 in set two, and 25-15 in set three.

Tekamah-Herman defeated the Knights 25-8 in the first set, and 25-23 in the second set.

The Mustangs knocked off the Tigers 25-13 in set one, and 29-27 in set two.

I thought Tekamah-Herman did a nice job competing against Stanton, and did an even better job taking care of business against Oakland-Craig and Madison.

The Tigers (7-10) take part in the Raymond Central Invite on Saturday.

The host Mustangs are 5-8 on the season, although they have won five out of their last six.

I don't expect Raymond Central, or any other team in this tournament for that matter, to be easy for Tekamah-Herman, but I think given the way the Tigers have played the last couple of weeks, they have a chance to be successful.

This team has overcome quite a bit, and has shown tremendous toughness and resiliency throughout the season.

Tekamah-Herman may not win this tournament, but I look for the Tigers to have a respectable showing and hold their own.

I think you will see a very determined Tekamah-Herman team on the floor, battling and gutting things out until the very end, regardless of the score of the match.

I think the Tigers have what it takes to win more than they lose on Saturday, and it's really all about Tekamah-Herman playing their game if you ask me.

The Tigers can't let anything or anyone distract them from accomplishing what they hope to accomplish.

All Tekamah-Herman should be worried about, and who and what they need to focus on, are themselves, their coaches, and perhaps their fans too.

The Tigers have to feed off of whatever contingent of Tekamah-Herman fans make the trip, and use it to their advantage.

The Tigers have to be excited and thrilled about the opportunity to have a successful day of volleyball.

Tekamah-Herman has to hang in there tough in all matches, and continue to claw, scratch, fight, and battle until the end no matter what.

If the Tigers can do that, they should give themselves a fairly decent chance to win some matches, and perhaps steal a set or match they wouldn't of been able to win otherwise.

The tide appears to be turning for Tekamah-Herman so hopefully the Tigers can keep up their good play.

Logan View goes 1-3 at Louisville Invitational

The Logan View Raiders went 1-3 at the Louisville Invitational on Saturday, defeating Johnson County Central 2-0, but losing 2-0 to Seward, Weeping Water, and Omaha Brownell-Talbot.

The Bluejays topped the Raiders 25-5 in the first set, and 25-8 in the second set.

The Indians won set one 25-17, and took set two 25-22.

Logan View did a nice job beating the Thunderbirds, but probably would have liked to have done better in all their other matches.

The Raiders (2-15) host Clarkson/Leigh (7-6) Tuesday night.

The Patriots went 2-1 at the Hampton Tournament on Saturday, downing Burwell and Deshler 2-1, but losing 2-0 to the host Hawks.

I think Logan View has a chance to be competitive against Clarkson/Leigh if they play up to their potential.

The Patriots are a solid team, but they're still young.

The Raiders are a bit more seasoned and experienced, plus the match is at Logan View, so I think that makes a big difference in a match like this.

The Raiders are also the bigger school so it will be interesting to see if that factors into the match at all.

I think Logan View is capable of knocking off Clarkson/Leigh, but the Patriots are probably the more talented team.

Clarkson/Leigh has a better record, and a really good class of Sophomores.

It will be interesting to see if the Raiders can do anything to slow down the Patriots.

Logan View is going to have to play one of their better matches of the season to come away with a win, in my opinion.

The Raiders can't afford to dig themselves a hole, Logan View needs to get off to a strong start, and build an early lead.

The Raiders probably need to win at least one of the first two sets to have a realistic chance of winning.

Logan View has to do their best to keep things close throughout the match. The Raiders have to do their best to hold leads or remain within striking distance throughout the match as well.

Logan View has a ways to go to get where they want, but this team is making good strides.

There's a lot of season left, and the Raiders have to keep improving and believing. Logan View has to remain resilient as well.

Tuesday's match will be aired on 107.9 the Bull with first serve set for 7:00 p.m.

North Bend Central sweeps West Point-Beemer, wins David City Invite

North Bend Central is 4-0 in their last four matches, sweeping West Point-Beemer 3-0 on the road Thursday night, and downing Twin River, David City, and Shelby/Rising City 2-0 on Saturday to win the David City Invite.

The Tigers beat the Cadets 25-20 in set one, 25-18 in set two, and 25-17 in set three.

Kristin Lux paced North Bend Central with 13 kills while Brooke Fredrickson had 11.

Head Coach Amy Sterup. "We got all guns aswingin I guess you would say, and I think that's partly due to everybody goes up for the attack, and the blockers don't know where it's going to be. So that helps out a lot to getting those aces for everybody."

The Tigers downed the Huskies 25-17 in the first set, and 25-22 in the second set.

North Bend Central beat the Scouts 25-11 in set one, and 25-14 in set two.

The Tigers defeated the Titans 25-13 in the first set, and 25-15 in the second set.

North Bend Central is simply on a roll right now. The Tigers are playing fantastic volleyball.

North Bend Central (15-1) hosts Twin River (13-5) Tuesday night.

The Titans defeated Yutan and David City Aquinas 2-0, in addition to the loss to the Tigers.

I look for North Bend Central to take care of business against Twin River again.

I think things could be closer this time around, but I look for the Tigers to either win 3-0 or 3-1.

I would be surprised if this match went five sets.

North Bend Central has been super impressive this year as the Tigers have only lost three sets total.

That's dominant volleyball at its finest, and North Bend Central should be commended for the way they have played so far this season,

This is a big week for the Tigers though.

North Bend Central has Twin River on Tuesday and a trip to undefeated Malcolm on Thursday.

The Clippers have yet to lose a set all year, although I would say Malcolm hasn't played that difficult of a schedule.

Either way it figures to be one of the toughest tests of the year for the Tigers.

I definitely think North Bend Central can win, it's just going to take a great effort on their part.

The Tigers just have to continue to take things one match at a time, and can't overlook anyone.

As big as the Malcolm match is on Thursday, North Bend Central can't look past the Titans.

Every opponent deserves respect, and the Tigers are definitely a team that respects everyone they play.

You don't see North Bend Central play at their competition's level. The Tigers play at a high level....at a championship level in other words, every time they take to the court.

North Bend Central has to keep the ball rolling and continue to work hard and progress so they can make state.

West Point-Beemer falls to North Bend Central

North Bend Central defeated West Point-Beemer 3-0 in High School Volleyball action on 107.9 the Bull Thursday night.

The Tigers won set one 25-20, set two 25-18, and set three 25-17.

Brittney Hinkel led the Cadets (4-6) with 6 kills.

I thought West Point-Beemer competed very well against North Bend Central. I feel the Cadets took some steps in the right direction on Thursday.

Head Coach Monica Wiehn is proud of the way the Cadets played.  "Makenna Weddle did a great job, she hit consistently at home. And then Bethany Anderson and Brittney Hinkel and then Leigh (Jahnke) on the outside as well as Nicole (Mitzel). I mean they're doing an excellent job, they're keeping the balls inside the court, they're making the other team work. So I'm not disappointed by their swings at all.

West Point-Beemer returns to action on Tuesday, facing Wayne (10-7) and Arlington (10-4) in the Wayne Triangular.

The Blue Devils won the Wisner-Pilger Classic on Saturday, knocking off Pierce, Wisner-Pilger, and CWC 2-0. Arlington beat Schuyler 2-0, but lost 2-0 to Bishop Neumann at the Schuyler Invitational on Saturday.

This is going to be another good, tough test for the Cadets.

Both teams are good, and West Point-Beemer is definitely going to be challenged in both of these matches.

I think the Cadets have a chance to be very competitive, and push both teams though.

I don't think either team is as good as North Bend Central, and I look for West Point-Beemer to compete very hard against Wayne and Arlington.

I don't know if the Cadets will win either match, but I think West Point-Beemer can at least take a set in both.

Moral victories are never something a team wants to settle for, but if the Cadets end up losing to the Blue Devils and Eagles, hopefully they take a set from both, or are at least very competitive in both matches.

West Point-Beemer has a lot of winnable matches coming up so the Cadets need to play well against Wayne and Arlington to prepare themselves for what lies ahead.

The Cadets are capable of doing some nice things here as the regular season progresses, in my opinion.

I feel West Point-Beemer is nearing the point where they hit their stride and win a bunch of matches.

I think the best is yet to come for the Cadets.

West Point-Beemer has to go into these matches believing they can win. The Cadets can't back down from either the Blue Devils or Eagles, and have to play their game.

West Point-Beemer has to play with confidence, and minimize mistakes to have a shot against both teams.

Wisner-Pilger goes 2-1 at own Classic

Wisner-Pilger went 2-1 at their own Classic on Saturday, defeating Laurel-Concord-Coleridge and Huumphrey St. Francis 2-0, but falling 2-0 to Wayne.

The Gators downed the Bears 25-23 in set one, and 25-17 in set two.

Jayda Oligmueller posted 13 kills and 11 digs while Maci Batenhorst registered 7 kills.

Wisner-Pilger knocked off the Flyers 25-19 in the first set, and 25-12 in the second set.

Oligmueller totaled 14 kills while Batenhorst notched 11 kills and 7 ace serves.

The Gators fell 25-21 in set one to the Blue Devils, and dropped set two 25-14.

Oligmueller posted 10 kills while Batenhorst recorded 7.

The one two punch of Oligmueller and Batenhorst worked well for Wisner-Pilger over the weekend. I thought the Gators played pretty good Volleyball.

Wisner-Pilger (8-6) hosts Madison (0-11) and BRLD (10-9) in their home Double Triangular on Tuesday.

The Dragons fell 2-0 to Pierce, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge, and CWC on Saturday at the Wisner-Pilger Classic.

Madison comes right back to Wisner for more, and I fully expect the Dragons to give the Gators their best shot.

Wisner-Pilger needs to play well against Madison. The Gators can't take the Dragons lightly.

The Wolverines beat Emerson-Hubbard and Winnebago 2-0 at the BRLD Triangular on Thursday.

BRLD has really come on lately and played some exceptional volleyball so Wisner-Pilger is going to have to play real well to knock off the Wolverines.

The Gators are going to have to play even better against BRLD than they will against Madison to come away with the win.

Wisner-Pilger is due to sweep a triangular. The Gators have yet to win a tournament or a triangular so far this year, but I think now is the time to do so.

The Wolverines are going to be extremely tough, no doubt about it, but Wisner-Pilger is a tough team too.

And the Gators have BRLD at home so that should help quite a bit.

Wisner-Pilger has to play their best match against the Wolverines. The Gators can't afford to struggle against BRLD or they could lose.

I'm sure Wisner-Pilger would love to go on a run here at the end of the regular season, and I feel the Gators are capable of making that happen, beginning this week.

This triangular serves as the only matches for Wisner-Pilger this week.

Stanton tops Pender and Wisner-Pilger

The Stanton Mustangs defeated Pender and Wisner-Pilger 2-0 at the Wisner-Pilger Triangular on Tuesday.

The Mustangs downed the Pendragons 25-15 in the first set, and 25-16 in the second set.

Bree Burtwhistle finished with 10 kills, 7 digs, and 8 set assists while Jessie Brandl registered 7 kills. Makenna Espinoza totaled 9 set assists.

Stanton knocked off the Gators 25-21 in set one, and 25-19 in set two.

Brandl recorded 12 kills while Burtwhistle posted 7 kills and 11 set assists. MacKenzie Brandl chipped in 7 digs while Espinoza dished out 11 set assists.

It was business as usual for the Mustangs. Stanton took care of business against both teams, although credit Wisner-Pilger for competing with the Mustangs.

Stanton (15-2) squares off with Tekamah-Herman (6-9) and Oakland-Craig (3-11) Tuesday night at the Oakland-Craig Triangular.

The Tigers won 3-0 at Madison on Tuesday while the Knights beat Scribner-Snyder 2-0, but lost 2-0 to Ponca and Elkhorn Valley at the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday.

Both Tekamah-Herman and Oakland-Craig are decent teams, but the Mustangs should be able to beat both.

Stanton is an exceptional team, and I look for the Mustangs to sweep both the Tigers and Knights on Tuesday.

Stanton has a tough match with Wayne on Thursday so the Mustangs need to play well on Tuesday to set the tone for that match so to speak.

Stanton has some challenging matches coming up at the end of the regular season, and then there's the East Husker Conference Tournament, so the Mustangs have to keep getting better and must continue to play at a high level.

Stanton can't afford to regress in any manner this week or at any point during the course of the rest of the season for that matter.

The Mustangs have to keep improving if they want to get where they want at the end of the season.

I'm sure Stanton would love to make state again, but there's a lot of work to be done yet if that is to happen again.

The Mustangs need to play well on Tuesday, and not take either team for granted.

Stanton has to come out and not only win, but dominate.

The Mustangs need to play well throughout both matches, and win going away. The last thing Stanton can afford to do is struggle.

GACC goes 1-1 at Arlington Triangular

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays went 1-1 at the Arlington Triangular on Thursday, sweeping Oakland-Craig 2-0, but losing 2-0 to the host Eagles.

Arlington won set one 25-12, and set two 25-8.

The Bluejays downed the Knights 25-14 in sets one and two.

Maddie Knobbe put down 13 kills and had 11 digs while Ally Plagge notched 9 digs. Kali Stratman added 18 set assists.

GACC played well against Oakland-Craig, but really struggled against the Eagles for whatever reason.

The Bluejays (8-4) host Bishop Neumann (11-1) Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers topped Nebraska City and Arlington 2-0 on Saturday at the Schuyler Invitational.

This is going to be a really difficult match for the Bluejays, in my opinion.

GACC's young team is going to have to grow up in a hurry if they hope to compete with and beat Bishop Neumann.

The Cavaliers are the real deal, but if there's ever a team to win a big match, especially at home, it's the Bluejays.

GACC could very well lose this match 3-0, but the Bluejays can never be counted out.

GACC has too much pride and tradition to be counted out of any match.

The Bluejays are capable of winning anytime they take the floor, and these girls have to believe that.

GACC has to play to win, not play not to lose.

The Bluejays have to come out on fire and get off to a good start.

GACC has to take things one point at a time, and try and hold or a lead or at least remain within striking distance in every set.

The Bluejays are going to have to play their best match of the season to win, in my opinion.

It's going to take a monumental effort for GACC to upset Bishop Neumann.

We will find out what the Bluejays can do Tuesday night. GACC is going to have to play up to their potential for the result of the match to come out the way they want it to.

If the Bluejays play the way they did against Arlington, it's going to be extremely difficult for them to beat Neumann.

Emerson-Hubbard goes 1-1 at BRLD Triangular

The Emerson-Hubbard Pirates went 1-1 at the BRLD Triangular on Thursday, falling 2-0 to the host Wolverines, but beating Winnebago 2-1.

BRLD took set one 25-15, and set two 25-16.

The Pirates won set one over the Indians, 25-13, and earned a 25-16 set three win after Winnebago won set two 25-16.

I thought Emerson-Hubbard did a good job to beat the Indians. It had to be nice for the Pirates to pick up that first win.

Emerson-Hubbard (1-10) takes part in the Ponca Invite on Tuesday.

The host Indians figure to be tough as they have swept the Pirates twice so far this season.

Ponca will certainly be a tough opponent for Emerson-Hubbard, but the Pirates have to come into this tournament thinking they've got a shot to beat anyone they take the floor against.

I look for Emerson-Hubbard to play with a boost of confidence following the win over Winnebago.

I don't know if it will be enough to beat Ponca, but I think the Pirates have a shot to compete better with the Indians, and perhaps win a set this time around.

Emerson-Hubbard has to use the Winnebago win as fuel and motivation to win even more matches this season.

It took a while for this team to win a match, but now that's it happened, I think this team can relax and play ball without feeling as much pressure.

The Pirates have to continue to build on last week's first win. Emerson-Hubbard has to look forward from here on out, the Pirates can't look back.

As encouraging and promising as Thursday's win was, Emerson-Hubbard can't dwell on it. The Pirates have to move on and focus on the task at hand on Tuesday.

There's a lot of season left for Emerson-Hubbard, and the Pirates have to keep getting better.

Emerson-Hubbard has to come out aggressive and passionate Tuesday night.

The Pirates have to do their best to compete with every team they play, and do everything in their power to win every match.

Emerson-Hubbard has to let the game come to them, and not force things.

Logan View winless in last six matches

The Logan View Raiders went 0-3 on Saturday, and have lost three times so far this week, falling 2-0 to Yutan, Homer, and Schuyler at their own Invite on Saturday, 2-0 to West Point-Beemer and Humphrey Lindsay/Holy Family on Tuesday, and 3-2 at home to Omaha Brownell-Talbot Thursday night.

The Chieftains downed the Raiders 25-7 in set one and 25-20 in set two.

The Knights defeated Logan View 25-14 in the first set, and 25-17 in the second set.

The Warriors topped the Raiders 25-15 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family beat Logan View 25-6 in the first set, and 25-13 in the second set.

The Cadets took care of the Raiders 25-10 in set one, and 25-17 in set two.

Logan View won the first set over Omaha Brownell-Talbot 25-18, BT took the second set 25-14 before LV won the third set 25-10. BT earned a 25-14 win in the fourth set, and took set five 15-11.

I thought Logan View did a great job battling back against Omaha Brownell-Talbot.

Logan View (1-12) takes part in the Louisville Invitational on Saturday.

The host Lions are pretty good as they are 8-3 on the season.

Things figure to be challenging for the Raiders in this match, but given the way Logan View competed against Omaha Brownell-Talbot, I think gives them a shot to do well against Louisville.

I think the way Logan View performed against Omaha Brownell-Talbot is a testament to these girls and their willingness to fight and battle no matter what the odds.

I look for Logan View to use the Omaha Brownell-Talbot match as motivation to do better in future matches.

I think the match could kind of kickstart something for this ball club.

I look for the Raiders to have a good showing on Saturday.

Win or lose, I think Logan View has a chance to be competitive and make more strides.

Even if the Raiders don't win this weekend, they have a chance next week against both Clarkson/Leigh and Madison.

These girls need to keep their spirits up and remain positive while continuing to work hard and having fun.

It has been a difficult season for Logan View without a doubt, but I think things are starting to look up a little bit for the Raiders.

Logan View just has to take things one point, one set, and one match at a time, and continue to improve and believe.

It will be interesting to see what the Raiders do this weekend. I think they have a chance to have some success.

Oakland-Craig 0-5 in last five matches

The Oakland-Craig Knights have lost their last five matches, falling 2-0 to BRLD and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at the Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family Triangular last Tuesday before losing 3-0 at North Bend Central this past Tuesday. Oakland-Craig lost 2-0 to Arlington and GACC at the Arlington Triangular on Thursday.

The Wolverines downed the Knights 25-20 in the first set, and 25-18 in the second set.

The Bulldogs defeated Oakland-Craig 25-16 in set one, and 25-20 in set two.

The Tigers beat the Knights 25-14 in sets one and three, and 25-12 in set two.

The Eagles knocked off Oakland-Craig 25-12 in the first set, and 25-18 in set two.

The Bluejays took care of the Knights 25-14 in sets one and two.

Oakland-Craig is really struggling right now for whatever reason. I must say the Knights' struggles surprise me.

Oakland-Craig (2-9) takes part in the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday.

Winnebago and the host Trojans are both in this tournament, and I think the Knights are capable of getting things back on track and beating both teams.

Success in this tournament really comes down to how bad Oakland-Craig wants it and how hard they are willing to work.

The wheels have sort of fallen off the wagon so to speak so it's time to put them back on and get things turned around if you are the Knights.

It's tough to continually lose the way Oakland-Craig has, but the Knights have to get back up on that horse and keep fighting.

Oakland-Craig has to be committed and dedicated to getting things turned around because they're the only ones that can get this thing headed in the right direction.

I'm sure frustration has probably settled in, but the Knights must continue to fight and battle through this adversity and these difficult times.

Sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good, and so perhaps Oakland-Craig can get their season back on track this weekend.

I don't know if the Knights have hit their low point yet, but if Oakland-Craig goes 0-3 this weekend, I would say they will have hit their low point.

Hopefully the Knights can get things turned around sooner rather than later because I feel this team is better than what they have shown so far.

These girls have to keep grinding and working hard to overcome the tough hand that has been dealt to them.

Oakland-Craig has lost to good teams so I think it's simply a matter of the Knights being more competitive against all teams, including the three this weekend.

Wisner-Pilger 2-2 in last four matches

The Wisner-Pilger Gators continue to hover around .500 as they lost 2-0 to Stanton, but beat Pender 2-0 at their home triangular on Tuesday before falling 2-1 to Crofton and beating Battle Creek 2-1 at their home triangular on Thursday.

The Gators defeated the Pendragons 25-18 in set one, and 25-22 in set two.

Jayda Oligmueller finished with 10 kills for Wisner-Pilger.

The Mustangs downed the Gators 25-19 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Oligmueller notched 8 kills.

The Warriors won set one over Wisner-Pilger, 25-23, and took set three, 25-12, after the Gators won set two 25-22.

Oligmueller totaled 13 kills and 9 digs while Maci Batenhorst registered 12 kills. Allissa Meyer posted 8 digs.

The Braves earned a 25-23 set one win before Wisner-Pilger won sets two and three 25-10 and 25-18.

Oligmueller recorded 17 kills and 10 digs while  Batenhorst registered 13 kills and 7 digs. Lauren Jacobsen added 12 digs while Ashton Meyer chipped in 7.

Wisner-Pilger has played good volleyball so far this week, in my opinion. The Gators competed with and lost to two tough teams, and beat two fairly decent teams.

Wisner-Pilger (6-5) hosts their own Invite on Saturday.

I think the Gators have a chance to be very competitive and pick up a good number of wins in this tournament.

Wisner-Pilger has been at home all week, and I feel like the Gators are starting to hit their stride.

This tournament is a good chance for Wisner-Pilger to make a statement and get on a roll.

I think the Gators are due to breakout at some point, and start winning a bunch of matches in a row.

I feel the time to do that could be now or pretty soon.

I think Wisner-Pilger is kind of like a caged animal ready to breakout.

I think the Gators have shown and proven to be a tough, resilient ball club so far this season.

I look for Wisner-Pilger to have a good day of volleyball on Saturday.

The Gators are at home, and I feel Wisner-Pilger has a good chance to do some damage.

The Gators have to be really in tune to the matches, and be fired up and ready to go.

Hopefully there's a respectable crowd on hand to cheer on these girls because I'm sure Wisner-Pilger could really use the support.

I think the Gators will find success this weekend.

Wisner-Pilger hosts a Double Triangular against Madison and BRLD on Tuesday so being in the midst of a bunch of home matches, the Gators have to take advantage of all the play on their home floor.

We will see if Wisner-Pilger can gain a bunch of momentum on Saturday.

Winnebago 3-3 over last six matches

The Winnebago Indians are 3-3 in their last three matches, downing Santee, Omaha Nation, and Walthill 2-0 at their own tourney on Saturday, before falling 3-1 to the Chiefs on the road Tuesday, and Emerson-Hubbard 2-1 and BRLD 2-0 at the BRLD Triangular on Thursday.

The Indians defeated the Warriors 25-20 in set one, and 25-9 in set two.

Winnebago downed Omaha Nation the first time around 25-14 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

The Indians beat the Blujays 25-20 in set one, and 25-21 in set two.

Zena Harden totaled 11 digs.

Winnebago took the first set from the Chiefs the second time around, 25-17, before Omaha Nation won the second set 25-20, the third set 25-21, and the fourth set 25-16.

Allie Frenchman recorded 15 kills and 11 digs while Delicia Payer notched 8 set assists.

The Indians lost 25-3 in set one, and 25-8 in set two to the Wolverines.

The Pirates earned a 25-13 set one win and won set three 25-16 following a 25-16 set two win by Winnebago.

Payer finished with 14 digs and 8 set assists while Jonna Price registered 9 digs.

Winnebago did some really nice things on Saturday, and showed more signs of promise on Tuesday and Thursday.

The Indians (3-10) take part in the Scribner-Snyder Invite on Saturday.

I think Winnebago has what it takes to be competitive in this tournament.

The host Trojans are tough, and I'm sure every other team in this tourney will give the Indians their best shot though.

Winnebago has to rediscover what worked last weekend, and become a more consistent club.

I would say the Indians have sort of struggled this week so far, but there have been some good things too.

I think it's simply a matter of Winnebago maintaining intensity and a high level of play throughout matches.

It's not that the Indians have gotten lax in matches, but Winnebago has to keep the foot on the throttle all day long on Saturday and from here on out.

I really think the Indians can have a good day on the court, Winnebago just has to have things all come together like they did last weekend.

The Indians have learned how to win at home, now it's a matter of figuring out how to win on the road and at neutral sites.

If Winnebago can figure out how to win away from home, they are more than capable of turning their season around and doing some good things yet this year.

Building a program into a winner takes time, but I feel the Indians have made some strides in doing so and are headed in the right direction.

Winnebago has to remain positive and stick with things, and they will be just fine in the end.

These girls have to keep grinding, battling, and fighting, and keep believing in themselves and their teammates.

Pender falls to Stanton and Wisner-Pilger

The Pender Pendragons fell 2-0 to Stanton and Wisner-Pilger at the Wisner-Pilger Triangular on Tuesday.

The Gators won the first set 25-18, and took set two 25-22.

The Mustangs downed the Pendragons 25-15 in the first set, and 25-16 in the second set.

I thought Pender was competitive in both matches, they just played two tough teams.

The Pendragons (5-6) host Scribner-Snyder (4-4) Monday night.

The Trojans lost 3-1 at home to BRLD this past Tuesday night.

Pender has to slow down Kaylee Boyle, Savanah Miller, and Nicole Boyle.

This trio was lethal against the Wolverines despite the loss.

The Pendragons need to focus in on slowing down all three players, and force others to step up and beat them.

I think this is a match Pender is very capable of winning. I think the Pendragons have a fairly decent chance to take this match in four sets.

Both teams are experienced and have a handful of seniors so that should make for a very competitive match.

Both squads have had a number of close sets this year so I look for all sets to be close.

I give the advantage to Pender being they're at home and in a little bit of a larger class, but don't count out Scribner-Snyder.

The Pendragons have to forget about what happened on Tuesday and move on.

For the most part, Pender won't see that level of competition until the end of the regular season, when they face Howells-Dodge.

The Pendragons have a lot of matches next week so getting the first one would go a long ways in setting the tone for the rest of the week, in my opinion.

A win would also give Pender the confidence and momentum they need to compete with and "upset" Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family on the road Tuesday, in my mind.

Clarkson/Leigh 1-3 in last four matches

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots are 1-3 over their last three matches as they lost 2-0 to Hartington Cedar Catholic and Battle Creek, and beat Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-1 at the Stanton Tournament on Saturday. Clarkson/Leigh fell 3-0 at Twin River Tuesday night.

The Patriots defeated the Bears 25-19 in set one. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge won set two 25-20 before Clarkson/Leigh took set three 25-12.

Shelby Paprocki had 12 kills and 9 digs while Hannah Kasik notched 11 kills. Kaegan Held registered 22 set assists.

The Trojans knocked off the Patriots 25-9 in the first set, and 25-20 in the second set.

Held recorded 10 set assists.

The Braves earned a 25-20 win in set one and took set two as well.

Paprocki registered 7 kills and 13 digs while Held dished out 20 set assists.

The Titans downed Clarkson/Leigh 25-19 in the first set, 25-10 in the second set, and 25-20 in the third set.

The Patriots have ran into some tough teams lately. Clarkson/Leigh has remained competitive for the most part, it's just they've played stout competition in larger classes.

The Patriots (5-5) take on Burwell (6-7) in the Hampton Tournament on Saturday.

The Longhorns went 1-1 at the Heartland Lutheran Triangular on Tuesday, beating the host Red Hornets 2-0, but losing 2-1 to Palmer.

Both these teams are kind of in the same boat in that they've faced some tough competition.

I would say Clarkson/Leigh has lost to better teams, but I would say Burwell has beaten better teams.

This really is a toss up match if you ask me.

Both teams are pretty young, and don't have many senior contributors.

Neither squad was in this tournament last year so this is a new thing for both squads this season.

I think it's going to come down to which team familiarizes themselves with things the soonest.

The gym, the floor, the atmosphere, and the crowd are all things both teams are going to have to adapt to.

The game of Volleyball remains the same though, and the Patriots have to simply play their game.

Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to do well in this tournament I think. The host Hawks are really good, but I think the Patriots have a chance to knock off the Longhorns at the very least.

If Clarkson/Leigh can go 2-1 in this tournament, I think it would be a good lift, and a big confidence and momentum booster for the Patriots.

This team is still young, but could grow up in a big way this weekend.

Clarkson/Leigh has a chance to do some damage next week I think so if the Patriots could do some damage this weekend it would only help and benefit Clarkson/Leigh heading into next week's matches.

West Point-Beemer 2-3 in last five matches

The West Point-Beemer Cadets are 2-3 over their last five matches, losing 2-0 to Battle Creek, beating Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 2-1, and falling 2-0 to Twin River at the Stanton Tournament on Saturday before beating Logan View 2-0 and losing 2-1 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at their home triangular on Tuesday.

The Bears grabbed set one from the Cadets 25-11 before West Point-Beemer won set two 25-17 and set three 25-15.

The Braves downed the Cadets 25-16 in the first set, and 25-18 in the second set.

The Titans defeated West Point-Beemer 25-14 in set one, and 28-26 in set two.

The Cadets beat the Bulldogs 26-24 in the first set before losing sets two and three 25-20 and 25-17, respectively.

West Point-Beemer knocked off the Raiders 25-10 in set one, and 25-17 in set two.

I think the Cadets are playing some respectable volleyball right now. Given all the talent West Point-Beemer lost last year and given the fact they have a new coach, I would say things are going well.

The Cadets (4-5) take on North Bend Central (11-1) at home Thursday night.

The Tigers swept Oakland-Craig 3-0 at home Tuesday night.

North Bend Central has been on a roll as they have only lost three sets this season, including just one among all their wins.

The Tigers are a tough team, and present a difficult challenge for the Cadets.

I look for West Point-Beemer to come out tough, aggressive, and fiery.

I think the Cadets will play inspired volleyball, and challenge North Bend Central in every set.

West Point-Beemer may not win the match, but if anything, I think the Cadets can gain confidence in knowing they can play with a top team in C-1 if things are close.

West Point-Beemer has to believe they can win though. The Cadets have to believe in their abilities and trust one another.

West Point-Beemer has to continue to grow and improve to become an elite team. I think the Cadets have taken many positive steps in the right direction, and are a good, solid team at the moment, I just think it's a case of West Point-Beemer is going to get better with time.

It has been a respectable season so far for the Cadets, and I look for these girls to work hard and give it their all Thursday night.

The Tigers might be too strong for West Point-Beemer in the end, but the Cadets still need to do everything in their power to give North Bend Central their best shot.

West Point-Beemer can't back down from the Tigers. The Cadets have to be strong at the net and in the back row to be successful.

West Point-Beemer has to match North Bend Central's intensity level, and do their best to outwork and outhustle the Tigers.

The Cadets have to get better in any ways possible, and be proud of their efforts, win or lose.

Catch the match on 107.9 the Bull. First serve is slated for 7:30 p.m.

North Bend Central notches wins over Wisner-Pilger and Oakland-Craig

The North Bend Central Tigers cruised to easy wins over Wisner-Pilger and Oakland-Craig last Tuesday night and this past Tuesday night, respectively, beating both 3-0.

North Bend Central defeated the Gators 25-19 in the first set, 25-18 in the second set, and 25-17 in the third set.

The Tigers knocked off the Knights 25-14 in sets one and three, and 25-12 in set two.

North Bend Central continues to play very good volleyball. The Tigers have been real impressive and dominant so far this season.

North Bend Central (11-1) is at West Point-Beemer (4-5) Thursday night.

The Cadets beat Logan View 2-0, but lost 2-1 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at their home triangular on Tuesday.

I think West Point-Beemer is having a respectable season so far, and has done some nice things, but the Tigers are really good.

I feel the Cadets can challenge and push North Bend Central, but I think the Tigers will be too strong for West Point-Beemer in the end.

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if North Bend Central won in a sweep given the way they have played lately.

The Tigers have been very dominant and impressive this season.

As a matter of fact, North Bend Central has only lost one set among all their wins this season.

The Tigers' lone loss is to Columbus Scotus so North Bend Central has lost only three sets the entire season.

The Tigers need to be focused and ready for the Cadets though. You can bet West Point-Beemer will come out fired up, and play inspired volleyball.

I look for North Bend Central to get the Cadets' best shot.

The Tigers have to be ready to weather any storms West Point-Beemer might through their way and must overcome any runs the Cadets go on.

North Bend Central has to continue doing what they have been doing all season, and they will be just fine.

The Tigers have to keep their foot on the accelerator throughout the entire match, and keep going strong until the match is won or lost.

North Bend Central has the David City Invite on Saturday so the Tigers need to play well and stay fresh Thursday night in order to gear up for the weekend.

Thursday night's match will be carried on 107.9 the Bull. First serve is scheduled for 7:30.

Guardian Angels Central Catholic 2-1 in last three matches

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays are 2-1 in their last three matches, falling 3-1 at Wayne last Tuesday night before knocking off O'Neill and Homer 3-0 at home on Thursday and this past Tuesday, respectively.

The Blue Devils took set one 25-23 before the Bluejays won set two 25-17. Wayne took set three 25-21 and set four 25-15.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 21 kills and 10 digs while Ally Plagge had 18 digs. Kali Stratman notched 16 digs and 28 set assists. Allie Knobbe posted 7 digs.

Head Coach Kate Hagemann says her girls lack experience. "Inconsistent probably. Every set we lost we dug ourselves a big hole. The first and third set we battled back and were able to make a set of it, but it's hard in the game of volleyball to get down down 6 points, 8 points, and expect to battle back."

Hagemann says inexperience is hurting her team. "We're young. We're really inconsistent. We make a ton of mental errors right now. And so that's what we talked about after the game. I think physically we have the skills to be a very good team, and we've talked about that. We just have to improve mentally when it comes to communication, when it comes to translating what we're doing in practice, and what we've talked about in a timeout out onto the court, and a lot of that's just youth. We're throwing out there 6, 7 kids who have never played varsity before."

GACC defeated O'Neill 25-13 in set one, 25-15 n set two, and 25-19 in set three.

Maddie Knobbe registered 14 kills while Tessa Simonsen had 7. Plagge added 16 digs while Stratman recorded 8 digs and 28 set assists.

The Bluejays topped the Knights 25-19 in the first set, 25-20 in the second set, and 25-16 in the third set.

Maddie Knobbe put down 12 kills while Plagge and Stratman totaled 11 digs and 25 set assists, respectively.

I think GACC played real well against O'Neill and Homer. Wayne is a good team that has played a tough schedule, and winning at their place is never easy.

The Bluejays (7-3) battle Arlington (7-3) and Oakland-Craig (2-7) Thursday night at the Arlington Triangular.

The Eagles lost 3-0 at Omaha Duschesne Academy on Tuesday while the Knights lost 3-0 at North Bend Central on Tuesday.

I think Arlington is going to be a very difficult opponent for GACC.

The Eagles have beat 3 Class B Schools and five of their seven wins are over teams with winning records.

I'm not saying the Bluejays can't beat Arlington, it's just going to be very difficult, in my opinion.

The Knights have really struggled lately, and I don't see GACC having much trouble with them.

These are the Bluejays' only two other matches of the week so GACC needs to have a good showing.

The Bluejays have to build on the success they had against Homer and O'Neill, and do everything in their power to come up with a triangular sweep on Thursday.

It's going to be awfully difficult for GACC to win in Arlington's house against the Eagles I'm afraid, but if there's any team that can win a big match in a tough road environment, it's the Bluejays.

GACC just has to play smart, error free volleyball, and make the Eagles earn their points.

The Bluejays have to force Arlington into mistakes, and capitalize on them.

GACC has to do the little things well, and cannot beat themselves.

The Bluejays have to come out inspired and play great volleyball. GACC can't come out sluggish and uninspired.

The Bluejays have to play championship volleyball and be at their best in order to have a chance to knock off the Eagles.

I know GACC is young, but they can't get rattled. The Bluejays have to play their game, and respond well to any adversity that comes their way.

GACC has to give it their best shot in both matches, and do everything in their power to come away with two wins.

Emerson-Hubbard remains winless

The Emerson-Hubbard Pirates are 0-3 in their last three matches, having lost 3-0 at home to Laurel-Concord-Coleridge last Tuesday night, 3-2 at home to Allen Thursday night, and 3-0 at Ponca Tuesday night.

The Bears beat the Pirates 25-22 in set one, 25-16 in set two, and 25-20 in set three.

Emerson-Hubbard knocked off the Eagles 27-25 in the first set before Allen won the second and third sets 25-21. The Pirates won the fourth set 25-21 before the Eagles took the fifth and decisive set 15-11.

The Indians defeated Emerson-Hubbard 25-11 in set one, 25-13 in set two, and 25-5 in set three.

The Pirates came close to beating Allen, but just couldn't get the job done.

Emerson-Hubbard (0-9) faces Winnebago (3-8) and BRLD (8-9) at the BRLD Triangular on Thursday.

The Indians lost 3-1 at Omaha Nation on Tuesday while the Wolverines won 3-1 at Scribner-Snyder, also on Tuesday.

I think the Pirates have a good shot at picking up their first win of the season on Thursday.

I don't know if Emerson-Hubbard will beat BRLD, but I could see the Pirates beating Winnebago.

It would mean so much for this team to pick up their first win of the season.

Obviously, Emerson-Hubbard would like a sweep, but I would say a split is more likely.

Both the Wolverines and Indians have come on strong lately though.

Both are playing very respectable volleyball while the Pirates' struggles continue.

I think Emerson-Hubbard has what it takes to knock off Winnebago though, I really do.

The Pirates just have to trust themselves and their teammates, and believe in each other.

Emerson-Hubbard has to find some confidence in their play and learn how to win.

The Pirates haven't shown the ability to close out matches so far this season, but that can all change on Thursday.

Emerson-Hubbard has to focus in on what they are doing and play two good, clean matches.

The Pirates must give it their all in both matches, and do everything in their power to beat both Winnebago and BRLD.

Emerson-Hubbard has to forget about the Ponca match on Tuesday, and refocus their efforts on the Indians and Wolverines.

If the Pirates can pick up at least one win on Thursday it could give Emerson-Hubbard the confidence and drive they need to win more matches this season, in my opinion.

Scribner-Snyder falls to Clarkson/Leigh

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans lost 3-1 at Clarkson/Leigh Tuesday night.

The Patriots downed the Trojans 25-13 in set one. Scribner-Snyder took set two 25-23 before Clarkson/Leigh won sets three and four 25-16.

MacKenzy Schreck finished with 12 kills, 10 blocks, and 8 digs while Nicole Boyle had 18 digs and 20 set assists. Savanah Miller added 14 digs while Kaylee Boyle notched 8.

Head Coach Shelly Schulenberg says her team didn't play as well as they would of hoped.

"We did not have our best match against Clarkson/Leigh. We had 61 team errors, and like I had mentioned in one of my other interviews, you're just not going to beat anybody if you have that many errors, no matter what team you're playing."

Scribner-Snyder hosts BRLD Tuesday night on 107.9 the Bull. Schulenberg says there's a lot of excitement and anticipation around this match with it being the Trojans' first one at home. "They're all excited to finally be at home. We've heard lots of good comments from the community too that they're ready to come watch us play. So we are definitely ready to start off at home, and then all week we're at home, so that'll be nice."

Scribner-Snyder comes in with a 4-3 record while the Wolverines are 7-9 on the season. 

BRLD went 1-2 at the Tekamah-Herman Invite on Saturday, downing Omaha Roncalli 2-0, but losing 2-1 to Tekamah-Herman and 2-0 to Fort Calhoun.

This is an intriguing matchup if you ask me.

I feel both teams have played good volleyball lately, and are getting ready to hit their stride.

I still think both teams are a bit inconsistent, but I think there's a lot of potential in both.

For the Trojans, it's all about eliminating errors.

Scribner-Snyder has to hit well and make good, crisp, smart passes.

The Trojans have to be on target and on top of their game to come away with a win Tuesday night.

There figures to be a pretty decent crowd from Scribner-Snyder at the match from the sounds of it so the Trojans no doubt want to have a good match for their home crowd.

Scribner-Snyder has to be excited about the opportunity in front of them. The Trojans have to be excited to play another C-2 team with the chance to knock them off and earn extra power points.

Scribner-Snyder has to be ready to defend their home court. The Wolverines will no doubt come in fired up so the Trojans need to match BRLD's intensity.

As Schulenberg said, Scribner-Snyder is at home all week so this is a big week for the Trojans. Scribner-Snyder wants to be impressive at home and give the communities of Scribner and Snyder something to be proud of.

First serve is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on the Bull.

Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur goes 1-2 at Tekamah-Herman Invite

The Bancroft-Rosalie-Lyons-Decatur Wolverines went 1-2 at the Tekamah-Herman Invite on Saturday, beating Omaha Roncalli 2-0 before losing 2-1 to the host Tigers and 2-0 to Fort Calhoun.

Tekamah-Herman won set one over the Wolverines 25-15. BRLD took set two 25-23 before the Tigers claimed set three 25-21.

The Pioneers claimed set one against the Wolverines, 25-21.  Fort Calhoun won set two 25-19.

BRLD downed the Crimson Pride 25-18 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

I thought the Wolverines might win this tournament, but it just wasn't meant to be. BRLD did a great job not giving up and continuing to fight and salvage a win though.

The Wolverines (7-9) are at Scribner-Snyder (4-3) Tuesday night.

The Trojans lost 3-1 at Clarkson/Leigh last time out, but had won four matches in a row prior to that.

Scribner-Snyder is good, but if BRLD is on top of their game, I think they can beat the Trojans.

It all depends on which Wolverines' team shows up though.

BRLD has been great at times this year, but at other times I feel they've been inconsistent.

That's something that can be fixed and straightened out though.

There's no doubt the Wolverines can beat Scribner-Snyder, and get on a roll.

I really thought BRLD was going to win the Tekamah-Herman Invite on Saturday, but perhaps the Wolverines will peak at a later time instead.

This match is important for both teams. I'm not sure who needs the win more.

It's a matchup of two teams who have caught fire in recent matches, and would really like to win.

It's never easy to win on the road, especially against a good team like the Trojans, but the Wolverines have a lot of talent, and can get the job done without a doubt.

It will be interesting to see if BRLD can pick up the win. It's definitely possible, but Scribner-Snyder is experienced, and will be fired up to take on the Wolverines at home for sure.

This is the Trojans' first home match of the season so you can bet there will be some extra motivation on their side.

I feel this match could go either way, it just depends on who plays well and who doesn't.

First serve is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on 107.9 the Bull.

Tekamah-Herman goes 1-2 at own tournament

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers went 1-2 at their own tournament on Saturday, downing BRLD 2-1 before losing 2-1 to Fort Calhoun and 2-0 to Omaha Roncalli.

Tekamah-Herman won set one over the Wolverines 25-15. BRLD took set two 25-23 before the Tigers claimed set three 25-21.

The Crimson Pride downed the Tigers 25-10 in the first set, and 25-17 in the second set.

The Pioneers won set one 25-14. Tekamah-Herman earned a 25-17 set two win before Fort Calhoun claimed set three 25-20.

The Tigers didn't play too bad on Saturday, in my opinion. Tekamah-Herman took care of the Wolverines, and gave Fort Calhoun all they could handle.

The Tigers (5-9) are at Madison (0-5) Tuesday night.

The Dragons lost 3-0 at home to David City last time out, and have really struggled this year.

Madison has only won one set all year so this is a match Tekamah-Herman should be able to win in three or four sets.

The Tigers can't overlook or underestimate the Dragons though.

Any team can be beaten on any given day so Tekamah-Herman has to be ready from the get go against Madison.

The Tigers must bring their "A" game, and be ready to take it to the Dragons.

Tekamah-Herman has to play well in all facets of the game...serving, passing, hitting, serve receiving, and attacking well.

The Tigers have to do the little things well and find ways to manufacture easy points.

At the same time, Tekamah-Herman has to make life difficult on Madison, and make the Dragons earn their points.

The Tigers have to do their best to get the ball to their best hitters.

Tekamah-Herman has to outhustle and outwork Madison as well.

The last thing the Tigers can afford to do is let the Dragons hang around. Tekamah-Herman can't give Madison and hope or life...the Tigers have to take that away early.

The Tigers have to enjoy themselves and have fun, but at the same time be serious and have a business like attitude.

Tekamah-Herman has to simply take care of business.