Tekamah-Herman falls to Howells-Dodge and BRLD

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers lost 3-1 at home to Howells-Dodge last Thursday night, and at BRLD Tuesday night.

The Jaguars won sets one and two 25-22, and took set four 25-18 after dropping set three 25-20.

The Tigers were led by Liz Dlouhy and Marin Jetensky, who had 27 and 21 kills, respectively.

Tekamah-Herman nabbed set one from the Wolverines 25-23 before losing sets two and three 25-19, and set four 25-15.

Head Coach Becky Rennerfeldt says her team really struggled against the Wolverines.

"We didn't really come to Lyons on Tuesday night ready to play. We played okay our first match, but it wasn't the best I've seen us play this season. And then the next three matches we just really could not serve receive. We did not do a very good job of that, and totally threw off our offense."

14-14 West Point-Beemer and 12-18 Tekamah-Herman meet in Sub-Districts Monday evening.

The Cadets beat Pender 2-1, but lost 2-0 to Howells-Dodge at their home triangular on Tuesday.

The Cadets swept the Tigers 3-0 in the regular season.

Rennerfeldt says it's key for Dlouhy and Jetensky to play well on Monday.

"That would be correct. Yep I mean if our middles are off then we're in trouble, but doesn't really matter what our middles can do if we aren't able to pass the ball. Like on Tuesday when we couldn't serve receive we got to make sure that we get that done. We got to make sure that we are able run our offense so we can do some things, and play really good defense."

I think Tekamah-Herman can win, but the Tigers need an effort like they got against Wisner-Pilger.

Tekamah-Herman clicked on all cylinders in that match, but didn't play as well against Howells-Dodge and BRLD.

The season is on the line for the Tigers so Tekamah-Herman must play with a sense of urgency.

The Tigers need to play with mental and physical toughness, tenacity, fire, pride, passion, and grit.

Tekamah-Herman has to bring their best and play their best match on Monday.

I look for the match to be more competitive than the regular season match between the two teams was.

It's a toss up to me as to who wins and who loses, it just depends on how well Dlouhy and Jetensky play, and which Tigers' team shows up.

The winner will likely play North Bend Central in the Sub-District Final on Tuesday.

I don't know if either Tekamah-Herman or West Point-Beemer can get by NBC, but anything can happen this time of year.

First serve is set for 6:15 p.m. in Oakland on Monday. The match can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

West Point-Beemer 2-1 in last three matches

The West Point-Beemer Cadets downed Boone Central/Newman Grove 3-2 on the road last Tuesday night before falling 2-0 to Howells-Dodge, but beating Pender 2-1 at their home triangular this past Tuesday night.

The Cadets also lost 2-0 to Stanton, but beat Scribner-Snyder 2-0 at the Scribner-Snyder Triangular on October 11th.

The Cardinals won the first set over West Point-Beemer 25-18 before the Cadets took sets two and three 25-16 and 25-17. BC/NG earned a 25-23 win in set four before West Point-Beemer prevailed in set five with a 15-13 victory.

The Pendragons grabbed set one 26-24 before the Cadets won set two 25-22, and set three 25-16.

The Jaguars downed West Point-Beemer 25-17 in sets one and two.

Head Coach Monica Wiehn says her team has improved over the course of the year.

"I give it to these girls. They've worked hard in practice. They've come out and they wanted to make themselves better since day one. They've pushed each other. And it's just a fighting battle within practice. And then in games they're really pushing each other, and they're enthusiastic about the game, and they've really wanted a winning season this year."

14-14 West Point-Beemer and 12-18 Tekamah-Herman meet in Sub-Districts Monday evening.

The Tigers lost 3-1 at BRLD Tuesday night to end the regular season.

The Cadets swept the Tigers 3-0 in the regular season.

 Wiehn says her team has to control what they can control.

"We just have to play our side of the net. We have to be strong at the net, get across there. And then strong with our swings. And just being consistent moving our feet, talking, and playing our side. That's what we're worried about right now."

This is a very solid and young West Point-Beemer squad. The Cadets have had a nice season, and I think West Point-Beemer has a good chance to be successful and beat Tekamah-Herman on Monday.

North Bend Central is the clear favorite to win this sub-district, but anything can happen, and I think the Cadets can at least reach the sub-district final.

I feel like West Point-Beemer has made good strides this year, and is in a position to have postseason success.

The Tigers have struggled in their last couple of matches and haven't been nearly as consistent as the Cadets, in my opinion.

The whole key to this match though, in my mind, is Tekamah-Herman's Liz Dlouhy and Marin Jetensky.

If those two go off the Tigers may have enough to win, but if West Point-Beemer holds them in check, then I think the Cadets stand a good chance to win.

The postseason is what you live for as a player, coach, and fan.

West Point-Beemer has to have a good game plan, and the players must execute it. The fans also need to be a factor and get behind this team.

First serve is set for 6:15 p.m. in Oakland. The match can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Winnebago winless in last two matches

The Winnebago Indians are 0-2 in their last two matches, losing 2-0 to Bloomfield at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Saturday at Wynot before losing 3-0 at Omaha Christian Academy Thursday night.

The Eagles took set one 25-12, set two 25-16, and set three 25-21.

Head Coach Kayla Herfel says the Eagles were a little too much for her team.

"Omaha Christian has some really well players. They were on their toes the whole time. Their hitters were really good. I feel we played really good defense with them, but obviously they came with a win. But they played really well."

3-27 Logan View and 5-21 Winnebago meet in Sub-Districts in Oakland on Monday.

Logan View lost 2-0 to North Bend Central and Stanton at the North Bend Central Triangular on Tuesday.

The Raiders downed Winnebago 2-1 at the Fort Calhoun Tournament on September 3rd.

Herfel says her team has the potential to win this time around.

"Absolutely. I think we have a chance to beat anybody that we come across. It just depends how our attitudes are on the court. And I hope that we stay positive throughout the match and we'll beat them."

I think the Indians have a shot to win. Jonna Price and Allie Frenchman are two players to watch out for for Winnebago.

The biggest thing for the Indians is to have confidence and believe in themselves.

Winnebago has to play like they practice, and have all their hard work pay off on the court.

These girls have to expect to win, and must play aggressive and smart volleyball.

The Indians have to limit hitting and service errors, and make Logan View execute their offense.

I look for this match to go a good four or five sets. It would surprise me if it was a sweep one way or the other.

The season is on the line for Winnebago, and their play has to reflect that.

The Indians have to show some fight, and do what they can to be successful and win.

Winnebago has to give an all out effort, and leave everything out on the court.

First serve is set for 5:00 p.m. at Oakland-Craig. The winner plays North Bend Central at 7:30.

Monday's match (es) can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Logan View winless in last four matches

The Logan View Raiders are 0-4 in their last four matches as they fell 2-0 to Scribner-Snyder and Wisner-Pilger at their home triangular last Thursday, and 2-0 to North Bend Central and Stanton at the North Bend Central Triangular on Tuesday.

The Trojans downed the Raiders 25-23 in set one, and 25-21 in set two.

The Gators beat Logan View 25-10 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

The Tigers took care of the Raiders in set one 25-8, and earned a 25-10 win in set two.

The Mustangs defeated Logan View 25-10 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Head Coach Doug Bartek says his team competed well on Tuesday.

"Yeah we were pretty pleased with the way our kids stepped up. We knew going into the triangular that that was a really tall order. But what we wanted to do was we just wanted to play hard, improve, and be able to walk off knowing that we gave our best shot, and I really think we did."

3-27 Logan View and 5-21 Winnebago meet in Sub-Districts in Oakland on Monday.

The Raiders downed Winnebago 2-1 at the Fort Calhoun Tournament on September 3rd.

Bartek feels his team has improved from the time when they beat the Indians in the regular season.

"We know we're a lot better now than we were back then. We expect Winnebago to be better too as everybody is during the course of a long season. But we just think we've shored up some areas that were some concerns early on, particularly in our serve receive."

Ashley Uhing and Taylor Ruwe are the keys for Logan View I would say. Both need to have good matches and step up and perform well for this team.

The Raiders can definitely beat the Indians again, and should believe it.

Logan View can't get down on themselves if they are struggling at any point on Monday though.

The Raiders have to right the ship and keep fighting and battling the entire time against Winnebago, and North Bend Central, should they play the Tigers.

Logan View is young, and I think a win over the Indians would be good for future postseason success.

I don't know if the Raiders can upset North Bend Central, but anything is possible, and if Logan View gets the opportunity to play the Tigers, they should embrace it.

The seniors have to do their best to play well in what could be their final match or matches of high school volleyball, and must lead by example.

This team has to remain positive at all times, and never give up no matter the situation.

First serve is set for 5:00 p.m. at Oakland-Craig. The winner plays North Bend Central at 7:30.

Monday's match(es) can be heard on 107.9 the Bull.

Howells-Dodge unbeaten in last three matches

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars are 3-0 in their last three matches, defeating Tekamah-Herman 3-1 on the road last Thursday night, and West Point-Beemer and Pender 2-0 at the West Point-Beemer Triangular on Tuesday.

The Jaguars won sets one and two over the Tigers 25-22, and took set four 25-18 after dropping set three 25-20.

Kalli Brester paced Howells-Dodge with 26 kills, 7 blocks, and 13 digs while Jessi Brester had 8 kills. Sam Brester added 7 kills while Kulhanek totaled 15 digs. Emily Ritzdorf posted 7 digs while Haley Eikmeier recorded 8 blocks. Tessa Brester recorded 12 digs and 36 set assists.

The Jaguars knocked off the Cadets 25-17 in sets one and two.

Kalli Brester notched 7 kills while Tessa Brester dished out 14 set assists.

Howells-Dodge beat the Pendragons 25-18 in the first set, and 25-10 in the second set.

Kalli Brester put down 10 kills while Tessa Brester contributed 21 set assists.

The Jaguars definitely appear to have regained their form after the three-match losing streak they went through. I'm not sure if Howells-Dodge was ever in a funk though.

The Jaguars (24-5) take on either Wisner-Pilger (19-11) or Battle Creek (16-13) in the first round of the C2-7 Sub-District at Norfolk Catholic Monday night.

The Gators swept Oakland-Craig 3-0 on the road Tuesday night while the Braves lost 3-0 to Wayne in the third place game of the Mid-State Conference Tournament at Battle Creek Thursday night.

This Sub-District is very intriguing to me, especially since the Jaguars haven't seen the Braves or Gators yet this year.

That first match could be the toughest one of the postseason for Howells-Dodge, in my opinion.

The reason I say that is the Jaguars may not know what to expect from either Battle Creek or Wisner-Pilger seeing as they didn't play in the regular season.

I still expect Howells-Dodge to be ready to play regardless of the opponent, and the Jaguars will have some time to digest who their first round opponent is going to be after the first match gets over with so I suspect Howells-Dodge will be just fine.

On the other side of the bracket is Stanton and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, and if the Jaguars get by their match on Monday, Tuesday appears like it would be even more difficult.

To be the best you have to beat the best though, and I feel Howells-Dodge is well suited to make a big postseason run.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Jaguars played the Mustangs in the Sub-District final, and what a crazy and wild match that would be.

Howells-Dodge has to play their game, and do the things they have all year that earned them this No. 1 seed.

I think the Jaguars are for real, and I think Howells-Dodge is going to prove it next week.

And that doesn't necessarily need to be done with a district final or even a sub district final win.

The Jaguars are in a good position to get a wildcard, and I would say Stanton and/or Howells-Dodge has a chance at a wildcard should one or both falter in sub districts.

You always want to win your way to state if you can and not have to rely on a wildcard, but wildcards are there to reward teams who had a great regular season.

So if the Jaguars need one to make it to Lincoln so be it. The main thing is find a way to get back to state.

Monday's match is scheduled to get underway at 7:30 p.m.

Wisner-Pilger 3-0 in last three matches

The Wisner-Pilger Gators defeated Logan View and Scribner-Snyder 2-0 last Thursday night at the Logan View Triangular before beating Oakland-Craig 3-0 on the road Tuesday night.

The Gators downed the Raiders 25-10 in set one and 25-11 in set two.

Jordan Wegner had 11 kills while Ashton Meyer and Jayda Oligmueller posted 8 digs apiece.

Wisner-Pilger beat the Trojans 25-9 in set one, and 25-7 in set two.

Oligmueller had 10 kills with Wegner recording 9. Ariel Meyer notched 11 digs while Allissa Meyer registered 7.

The Gators topped the Knights 25-20 in the first set, 25-12 in the second set, and 25-21 in the third set.

Oligmueller compiled 14 kills and 7 digs while Maci Batenhorst totaled 13 kills. Wegner contributed 11 kills and 8 digs. Ashton Meyer chipped in 15 digs while Allissa Meyer had 13. Lauren Jacobsen added 7 digs and 41 set assists.

Wisner-Pilger has played good volleyball lately and peaked at the right time. I think the Gators are a threat to do some good things in the postseason.

Wisner-Pilger (19-11) squares off with Battle Creek (16-13) in the bunny bracket of the C2-7 Sub-District at Norfolk Catholic on Monday.

The Braves lost 3-0 to Wayne at home in the Mid-State Conference Tournament on Thursday.

These two teams met on September 22nd at the Wisner-Pilger Triangular with the Gators winning 2-1.

I like Wisner-Pilger to beat Battle Creek again.

I feel the Gators are playing too well right now to not at least earn a shot to upset Howells-Dodge.

Oligmueller, Batenhorst, and Wegner all need to have good matches hitting the ball for Wisner-Pilger, and Ashton, Allissa, and Ariel Meyer need to have solid matches digging as well.

It's going to take all hands on deck and on board for the Gators to knock off the Braves and other teams after that if Wisner-Pilget gets that far.

Wisner-Pilger has to play together as one, and believe in their abilities as well as trust each other.

It's the postseason, and anything can happen so the Gators have to think they've got a chance to do some postseason damage.

The Jaguars are the No. 1 seed, but upsets happen all the time, and Wisner-Pilger has to think they have a shot to upset Howells-Dodge if the Gators can get by Battle Creek.

You never want to overlook an opponent, but I'm sure Wisner-Pilger would really like to get a shot to upset the Jaguars.

The Gators just have to play their game, and play smart, mistake and error free volleyball.

Wisner-Pilger has to serve, pass, hit, block, and serve receive well.

The Gators must make their postseason opponent (s) earn their points. Wisner-Pilger has to do all they can to outwork, outhustle, and outplay the competition.

The Gators are playing as well as anyone right now as Wisner-Pilger has won 7 out of their last 8 so we will see how much postseason damage the Gators can do.

First serve between the Braves and Gators is slated for 6:15 p.m.

Oakland-Craig downs Pender, loses to Wisner-Pilger

The Oakland-Craig Knights beat Pender 3-2 on the road last Tuesday night before falling 3-0 at home to Wisner-Pilger this past Tuesday night.

Oakland-Craig lost to the Gators in the first set 25-20, and dropped the second set 25-12 before losing the third set 25-21.

The Knights did a good job of beating the Pendragons and competing well in two sets against the Gators, in my opinion.

Oakland-Craig (8-23) takes on Fremont Bergan (16-14) in the first round of Sub Districts Monday night at Fremont Middle School.

Fremont Bergan beat Oakland-Craig 2-0 on October 11th at the Oakland-Craig Triangular.

Fremont Bergan has scuffled as of late though as they are just 3-9 in their last 12 matches.

I think Oakland-Craig has a legitimate shot to pull off the upset.

Oakland-Craig has played their best volleyball as of late as they won three out of their last four to end the regular season.

These girls need to dream and think big because anything is possible.

Oakland-Craig has to be confident in their abilities, and believe they can win.

It's the postseason, and I look for Oakland-Craig and Bergan to go wall to wall with one another.

I think Oakland-Craig will at least take one set for sure, if not a couple or win the match.

It has been a tough season for Oakland-Craig, but nothing would make their season more than to upset Bergan and send them home for the season.

Upsets happen all the time in the postseason, and I think this is one of those sub districts where the No. 4 seed can win it and advance to a district final.

Oakland-Craig has a lot of work to do if they want to make it that far, but Oakland-Craig really has nothing to lose in this match.

I suspect Oakland-Craig will play loose. If anything I expect Bergan to tighten up being they are the favorite.

All the pressure is really on Bergan. Not many expect Oakland-Craig to win.

All that really matters though is what the girls and coaches in the locker room believe and think.

Oakland-Craig has to have a good game plan to slow down Lexie Langley, Alexis Villwok, Alyssa Mendlik, and Haley Kempf.

Oakland-Craig has to be all in, and expect to win.

First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

BRLD beats Pender and Tekamah-Herman

The BRLD Wolverines topped Pender 3-1 at home last Tuesday night, and beat Tekamah-Herman 3-1 at home this past Tuesday night.

BRLD won set one over the Pendragons 25-20, and took set two 25-16 before losing set three 25-17. The Wolverines earned a 25-17 set four win.

The Tigers claimed the first set from BRLD 25-23, but the Wolverines bounced back to win sets two and three 25-19, and set four 25-15.

It appears BRLD continued the success they had in the East Husker Conference Tournament as the Wolverines have now won five out of their last six.

BRLD (18-14) battles Homer (14-13) in the opening round of Sub Districts on Monday at Wayne High.

The Wolverines topped the Knights 2-0 on September 8th at the Wakefield Tournament.

Homer went 1-1 at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament, beating Wausa 2-0, but losing 3-2 to Winside.

This is an intriguing battle if you ask me.

The Knights have also won five out of their last six and appear to be on a roll as well.

That should make for a good quality match Monday night.

This sub district is clearly Ponca's to win, I don't think there's any mistaking that, but I think BRLD has a good chance to make the sub district final.

This team has had a respectable season after starting off sort of slow.

The Wolverines have played their best volleyball down the stretch and given themselves a chance to be competitive night in and night out.

I look for BRLD to find a way to win against Homer, and I think the match will go five sets.

The Wolverines are a tough team, and I think BRLD will be able to outlast the Knights.

I think beating Homer once already gives the Wolverines the confidence needed to do it again.

Vicki Gatzemeyer, Tess Nottleman, Lexie Bacon, and Kelly Wakeley need to be on top of their game for BRLD though.

These four definitely make the Wolverines go, and I look for all four to step up in a big way and perform well for BRLD Monday night.

The Wolverines have to play their game, and perform at the highest level possible against the Knights.

Winning in the postseason is never easy so BRLD has to stay the course and fight through any tough moments that come their way.

I look for Monday night's match to be a seesaw back and forth battle. I'm sure both teams will trade blows every set until a winner is decided.

First serve is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Clarkson/Leigh tops Mead and Pender

The Clarkson/Leigh Patriots downed Mead 3-0 at home last Thursday night, and Pender 3-0 on the road Monday night to end the regular season.

The Patriots beat the Raiders 25-16 in set one, 25-14 in set two, and 26-24 in set three.

Hannah Kasik had 12 kills while Beth Wiese notched 8. Shelby Paprocki totaled 7 kills and 16 digs while Halee Steffensmeier registered 24. Kaegan Held recorded 15 digs and 29 set assists with Sara McEvoy and Cully Cerv posting 9 and 8 digs, respectively.

The Patriots took set one over the Pendragons 25-11, set two 25-20, and set three 25-21.

Paprocki put down 17 kills and had 14 digs while Kasik registered 8 kills 8 digs. Steffensmeier and McEvoy compiled 12 and 11 digs, respectively, while Held had 7 digs and 30 set assists.

Head Coach Rebecca Schneider's girls only had four service errors.

"Yeah we definitely limited our errors so I mean when we limit our errors we play great volleyball, and we just go after it."

Clarkson/Leigh (16-14) battles the Pendragons (10-19) again Monday night in the first round of Sub Districts at Wisner-Pilger.

The Patriots also defeated Pender 2-1 at the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament on October 1st so it will be the third matchup of the season for Clarkson/Leigh and Pender.

It's never easy to beat a team three times in a season, but given the way the Pendragons have performed lately, a third win over Pender is a very real possibility.

The Pendragons have lost 9 out of their last 10, but this is still a veteran team, and I expect Pender to play well on Monday.

I think the Patriots are going to have their hands full on Monday. This is a veteran and talented Pender team, and I fully expect the Pendragons to play much better Monday than they have here at the end of the regular season.

The road to Lincoln appears to run through GACC, and beating the Bluejays in the sub district final will be no easy task for whoever plays them, but I feel Clarkson/Leigh has the best chance of all the teams in the sub district to give GACC a match.

I feel the Patriots have quite a bit of talent, perhaps even more talent than Pender.

The difference between Clarkson/Leigh and Pender though is the Patriots have a bunch of talented sophomores, and the Pendragons have talented seniors.

Experience normally beats youth, but that hasn't been the case this year when these two teams have met.

We will find out if Clarkson/Leigh can get the job done for a third time, or if the third time is the charm for Pender.

I could see the Patriots sweeping the Pendragons or the match going five sets. It really all depends on which Pender team shows up, in my opinion.

Clarkson/Leigh has been consistent so you know what to expect from them, but it's hard telling how the Pendragons will come out and play.

The winner of Monday's match gets either GACC, Walthill, or Emerson-Hubbard in the sub district final on Tuesday.

First serve between the two teams is set for 6:30 p.m.

Pender 0-4 in last four matches

The Pender Pendragons are still struggling as they lost 3-2 at home Oakland-Craig last Thursday night, 3-0 at home to Clarkson/Leigh Monday night, and 2-0 to Howells-Dodge and 2-1 to West Point-Beemer at the West Point-Beemer Triangular Tuesday night.

The Patriots took set one from the Pendragons 25-11, and set two 25-20, and set three 25-21.

Hallie Ballinger paced the Pendragons with 7 kills.

Head Coach Melissa Hansen says it was the last home match for her seniors.

"I think that our girl's emotions were running high with the 6 seniors getting to play on this court one last time. I think that there was a lot of emotions. I know in the locker room we had tears. They were really upset that this was going to be the last night, and I really thought we would come out and play harder than we did, but I think the emotions got a little to the best of us."

The Jaguars won the first set 25-18, and took set two 25-10.

The Pendragons topped the Cadets 26-24 in set one before losing set two 25-22, and set three 25-16.

Hansen says they'll see Clarkson Leigh again in sub districts.

"I think we've played them twice now, lost both times. We played them in the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament. We lost to them there in 3 sets. So we've lost to them twice already this season. And yeah I'm guessing we're pry playing first round in Wisner on Monday."

Pender (10-19) will face the Patriots (16-14) in the D1-4 Sub District at 6:30 p.m.

The Pendragons have sort of fallen off the charts you could say, but I think Pender is capable of playing a good match on Monday.

This team is too experienced and talented to go out without a fight.

I look for Pender to play well on Monday, and make some noise in the match against the Patriots.

Pender has to find an answer for Shelby Paprocki though as she had 17 kills in Monday night's match.

Ballinger, Cecliee Jacobsen, and Kamryn Anderson, among others, need to step up and have good matches for the Pendragons.

Pender can't let emotions get the best of them this time, and quite honestly should come out fired up and inspired given their recent play.

I'm sure the Pendragons want to do something about the way they have played lately, and I think Pender is capable of playing well on Monday.

I don't know if anyone in this sub district can beat GACC, but I think the Pendragons are at least capable of making the sub district final.

Clarkson/Leigh is still a pretty young team, and sometimes experience beats youth in the postseason.

Pender certainly hopes that is the case Monday night. The Pendragons could really use a win to extend their season.

We're to that time of year where emotions run high and there are tense and nervous moments.

Pender has to do their best to stay calm, cool, collected, and relaxed in all situations. The Pendragons can't panic if they get down. Pender must continue to fight and battle the way they are capable of regardless of how things are going.

Emerson-Hubbard goes 1-1 at Lewis and Clark Tournament

The Emerson-Hubbard Pirates beat Allen 2-0, but lost 2-0 to Ponca in the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament at Ponca on Saturday.

The Pirates downed the Eagles 25-21 in set one, and 26-24 in set two.

The Indians beat Emerson-Hubbard 26-14 in the first set, and 25-16 in the second set.

I thought the Pirates did a good job beating Allen. I think Emerson-Hubbard has definitely made progress as the season has progressed.

The Pirates (4-22) take on Walthill (9-11) in the bunny bracket game of the D1-4 Sub District Tournament at Wisner-Pilger on Monday.

The Blujays beat Emerson-Hubbard 2-0 at their home triangular on October 4th, but went 0-2 at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Saturday.

I think the Pirates have a shot to win this time around.

The bad news is the winner gets Guardian Angels Central Catholic, and the way the Bluejays are playing right now, upsetting them is going to be very difficult.

It's the postseason though, and anything can happen, so Emerson-Hubbard has to play optimistic and opportunistic volleyball.

I think it would be a big deal for the Pirates to beat Walthill and take on GACC.

Emerson-Hubbard would at least see what it takes to be successful by playing the Bluejays, although a lot these girls probably experienced success in some fashion last year when the Pirates made their big state run.

The season is on the line for Emerson-Hubbard, and I expect the Pirates to play and fight their best Monday evening.

A win over the Blujays would be big for momentum heading into the GACC match and next season, in my opinion.

At the very least, If Emerson-Hubbard can at least compete against Walthill, and take a set or two, I think the Pirates can feel encouraged heading into the offseason.

These girls have to play for each other and have a team first attitude if they want to find success on Monday.

I'm sure emotions will be running high, especially for the seniors, but Emerson-Hubbard has to do their best to remain poised and composed, and not let their emotions get the best of them.

First serve between the Pirates and Blujays is set for 5:00 p.m.

Scribner-Snyder splits Logan View Triangular, sweeps Weeping Water Triangular

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans are 3-1 in their last four matches, losing 2-0 to Wisner-Pilger, but beating Logan View 2-0 at the Logan View Triangular last Thursday. The Trojans defeated Omaha Christian Academy 2-1 and Weeping Water 2-0 at the Weeping Water Triangular on Tuesday.

The Gators took set one from Scribner-Snyder 25-9, and won set two 25-7.

The Trojans beat the Raiders 25-21 in the first set, and 25-23 in the second set.

Mackenzy Schreck put down 8 kills and 7 digs for Scribner-Snyder.

The Eagles won the first set over the Trojans 25-20 before Scribner-Snyder took sets two and three 25-11 and 25-16.

Savanah Miller registered 14 kills while Kaylee Boyle notched 7 kills and 10 digs. Nicole Boyle recorded 21 set assists.

The Trojans earned a 25-23 win in set one over the Indians, and nabbed set two 25-19.

I think Scribner-Snyder is playing good volleyball at the right time. The Trojans appear to be ready for the postseason.

Scribner-Snyder (12-17) takes on Mead (10-16) in the first round of sub districts at David City Aquinas on Monday.

Mead beat Scribner-Snyder 3-1 in the regular season.

The Raiders lost 3-0 at Malcolm to end the regular season on Tuesday.

Mead has lost six matches in a row.

The Raiders' top hitters are June Johnson (167 kills), Jayden Haag (139 kills), and Breanna Wirth (116 kills).

Those three are definitely the three the Trojans have to focus on.

I think Scribner-Snyder has a good chance to make a postseason run.

Humphrey St. Francis is the top seed in this D2-2 Sub District, yet they are only 15-11.

The Trojans appear to be at full strength now, and this is a veteran team that has played a tough schedule.

I don't know if Scribner-Snyder can make state with defending D-2 state champion Exeter-Milligan on the other side of the bracket, but anything is certainly possible.

This is Scribner-Snyder's chance to make a run. This is the moment these seniors have been waiting for all season long, and perhaps their entire lives.

This is it for the Trojans. One final chance to go out there and make things happen.

Scribner-Snyder has to be tough and resilient throughout the postseason. It's a do or die situation for all involved for the most part so the Trojans have to play their game, and understand that their opponent is playing for their season too.

I think the key to success for Scribner-Snyder is limiting hitting and service errors. The Trojans can't afford to beat themselves, and must make teams earn their points.

First serve between Scribner-Snyder and Mead is set for 6:30 p.m.

GACC wins first two matches of Mid-State Conference Tournament

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays are 2-0 at the Mid-State Conference Tournament so far, knocking off Wayne 3-1 at Pierce on Monday, and Hartington Cedar Catholic 3-0 in Battle Creek on Tuesday.

GACC lost set one to the Blue Devils 25-17, but bounced back to win set two 25-21, set three 25-23, and set four 25-22.

Maddie Knobbe recorded 14 kills, 10 blocks, and 9 digs while Riley Throener had 10 kills. Ally Plagge notched 18 digs while Lisa Gatzemeyer totaled 13. Kali Stratman added 9 digs and 28 set assists.

The Bluejays won set one over the Trojans 25-19, and took set two 25-18, and set three 25-15.

Knobbe paced GACC (14-9) with 19 kills and 7 digs while Tessa Simonsen registered 8 digs. Stratman dished out 20 set assists.

Head Coach Kate Hagemann.

"Done a really nice job the last couple weeks of finishing sets, and that's something we didn't do very well early in the season and why some of those wins got away from us, but we found  a way the last couple of weeks and that's great for our confidence."

The Bluejays were seeded 6th, but play Crofton (20-4) for the championship at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Battle Creek.

"As a coach you tell them everyday just get a little bit better, and let's play our best volleyball at the end of the season. And we've gone through some ups and downs, and they're finding their stride right now, and playing with a lot of confidence. So I'm really happy for them. And after the game I said what do we think and they said we're going to find a way to win it on Thursday too." Hagemann said.

The Warriors just swept GACC 3-0 in Crofton a couple of weeks back.

Hagemann says things won't be easy.

"It'll be tough, it's going to be a battle, but this team, we're capable of doing it if we just keep improving."

I agree with that statement 100%. I think the Bluejays are playing at whole new level right now, and have turned the corner.

Crofton beat Pierce 3-1 on Tuesday to punch their ticket to Thursday's championship match.

GACC appears to have a lot of confidence right now. Saying they're going to find a way to win on Thursday shows how much this team believes in themselves.

It's amazing...the Bluejays have had some uncharacteristic struggles and losses this season, yet here they are at the end of the regular season playing their best volleyball.

GACC really couldn't ask for much more right now. The Bluejays have a chance to win the Mid-State Conference Tournament despite all the losses they've compiled this season.

I agree with the players in that GACC is going to win it on Thursday. I think the Bluejays are going to find a way to get the job done.

This is no disrespect at all to the Warriors because Crofton is a great team, but I don't know of many teams in Classes C-2 through D-2 that could beat GACC right now the way they are playing.

Confidence leads to success, and this Bluejays' team is about as confident as any volleyball team in the area right now.

GACC has to feel pretty darn good about themselves if they can beat the Warriors on Thursday.

North Bend Central defeats Stanton and Logan View in triangular

The North Bend Central Tigers knocked off Stanton 2-1 and Logan View 2-0 at their home Triangular on Tuesday.

The Tigers defeated the Raiders 25-8 in set one and 25-10 in set two.

North Bend Central took set one from the Mustangs 25-14, and won set three 25-17 after dropping set two 25-20.

What a great job the Tigers did on Tuesday. North Bend Central took care of business and played up to their capabilities, which is a really good sign.

The Tigers (24-2) host Madison (3-24) in the regular season finale Thursday night.

The Dragons won 2-0 over St. Edward, but lost 2-0 to Riverside at the Riverside Triangular on Tuesday.

Thursday night's meeting marks the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

I honestly don't see North Bend Central having much trouble with Madison at all.

It should be a quick match that ends in a sweep for the Tigers.

With it being the last ever home match for the seniors it would be a good chance to get all the seniors a good chunk of playing time.

This match and this night really is all about the seniors and what they have done for this program over the course of the last four years.

North Bend Central has accomplished so much this year and I feel the Tigers are primed and ready to make a run at state, but everyone needs to be on board with Thursday's plan and play well.

The underclassmen should be happy for their senior classmates, and cheer them on from the bench if they're a varsity player, or from the stands if they're just on JV or below.

This should be a very special night for all involved, and I look for North Bend Central to play a good match and take care of business the way they are capable of.

I'm sure emotions will be running high, especially at the beginning of the match, and I'm guessing that might affect the Tigers' play a little bit, but it shouldn't be anything North Bend Central can't overcome.

The Tigers are mature enough to be able to control and handle their emotions I would think, and should be able to mentally prepare themselves for how they are going to feel on Thursday.

What could be a very memorable postseason lies ahead for North Bend Central, and the Tigers need to continue to play well and enjoy the ride.

North Bend Central has to do their best to stay in the moment and not get too ahead of themselves because once things are over, they are over.

Stanton beats Logan View, loses to North Bend Central

The Stanton Mustangs went 1-1 at the North Bend Central Triangular on Tuesday, sweeping Logan View 2-0, but losing 2-1 to the host Tigers.

North Bend Central won set one 25-14 and set three 25-17 while Stanton won set two 25-20.

Bree Burtwhistle posted 10 kills, 7 digs, and 14 set assists while Jessie Brandl notched 8 killls. MacKenzie Brandl registered 18 digs. Katie Brandl added 9 while Makenna Espinoza dished out 16 set assists.

The Mustangs took care of the Raiders 25-10 in set one, and 25-21 in set two.

Burtwhistle registered 9 digs and 10 set assists.

I thought Stanton played pretty good Volleyball on Tuesday. I think the Tigers were simply the superior team in that match.

The Mustangs (24-6) host Twin River (17-12) Thursday night in the team's regular season finale.

The Titans lost 3-1 at Wisner-Pilger last Tuesday night.

The two teams have met twice already this season with Stanton beating Twin River 2-1 at the Scotus Invitational and 2-0 at the Stanton Tournament.

These girls and teams are certainly no stranger to one another, and should know what to expect from one another.

I think the Mustangs have a good chance to beat the Titans for the third time, it's just never easy to beat a team three times in a season.

If there's a team that can beat a team three times in a year though it is Stanton.

It would be a big deal for the Mustangs to win with it being the final time Stanton's seniors will ever play on their home floor.

This team no doubt has aspirations for big things in the postseason, and the Mustangs certainly are capable of making another postseason run, but Twin River is the only opponent Stanton should be concerned with at the moment.

Every match counts for the wildcard point standings, and the Mustangs should understand the importance of continuing to win matches should they need a wildcard to get into the state tournament.

Challenging matches lie ahead for Stanton without a doubt so the Mustangs need to win this one against the Titans to give them a boost of confidence and momentum for the postseason.

Sub District pairings come out on Thursday so Stanton will know for sure who they play first in the postseason at that time.

The Mustangs definitely want to be focused for the postseason, but only after they play Twin River.

Stanton should only be worried about the Titans until after Thursday's match. At that time the Mustangs need to get ready to crank up the intensity and play for the postseason.

I'm sure Thursday night will be very emotional for these girls with it being their final match at home this season, but they have to do their best to not let their emotions get the best of them and affect their play.

North Bend Central wins East Husker Conference Tournament; sweeps Howells-Dodge

The North Bend Central Tigers won the East Husker Conference Tournament and swept Howells-Dodge to make it 4-0 in their last four matches.

North Bend Central swept Clarkson/Leigh 2-0 in the EHC Tournament at home last Thursday night, and Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family on Saturday in Wisner before downing Stanton 3-1 for the championship, also on Saturday.

The Tigers downed the Jaguars 3-0 at home Tuesday night.

North Bend Central defeated the Patriots 25-17 in set one, and 25-19 in set two.

The Tigers beat the Bulldogs 25-15 in the opening set, and 25-12 in the closing set.

The Tigers won set one 25-21 before Stanton took set two 25-23. North Bend Central won sets three and four 25-19.

Fresh off their East Husker Conference Tournament Championship, North Bend Central beat Howells-Dodge in straight sets at home Tuesday night, winning set one 25-20, set two 25-21, and set three 25-14.

Head Coach Amy Sterup says her team showed no ill effects from Saturday's Championship.

"We did alright. Coming off of the Conference Tournament they were tired in practice so I was a little worried, but they came out and played their game and they did alright."

Kristin Lux paced the Tigers (22-2) with 18 kills. Brooke Fredrickson added 15 while Jacki Minarick totaled 9.

Sterup says her team was on top of their game in the conference tournament. "The girls played well in the conference tournament.  They knew it was going to take determination and playing at the top of their game. The played as a team and didn’t play on a rollercoaster. The team had talked before the finals to make sure they stayed focused and not let errors get the best of them."

North Bend Central is off until Tuesday when they host Stanton (23-5) and Logan View (3-25) in a Triangular.

The Mustangs swept Lutheran High Northeast 3-0 on the road Tuesday night while the Raiders fell 2-0 to Wisner-Pilger and Scribner-Snyder at their home Triangular on Thursday.

Sterup says it's going to take a repeat effort to beat Stanton again. Playing a game like we did with them in the conference finals. Staying focused and working as a team."

The Tigers shouldn't have much trouble beating Logan View, but the Stanton match figures to be very challenging.

The Mustangs have Jessie Brandl back, and are hoping to be at full strength.

Stanton at full strength is better than what the Mustangs showed and brought on Saturday.

I fully expect Stanton to challenge and push North Bend Central, and I would be very surprised if this match didn't go 3 sets, but I do expect the Tigers to win.

I think North Bend Central has proven they are a step or two above the rest of the conference.

North Bend Central has their sights set on big things in the postseason no doubt, and I think this match with the Mustangs will help prepare the Tigers for the type of competition they are going to see in sub districts, districts, and state if North Bend Central makes it that far.

I don't think there's any doubt the Tigers are a better team this year than they were last year.

That's a testament to how hard these girls have worked and how dedicated they are to the sport.

Challenges, including this match with Stanton, lie ahead, but the more tough tests North Bend Central passes, the better chance they will have to make and do some damage at state.

Right now it's not looking like the Tigers will get a berth into the state tournament with a wildcard so it could be a case where North Bend Central has to win a district final to reach state.

Sterup says her team has done a good job of  staying tuned in and being focused. "The season has been about making sure we control our game on our side and not let minor errors get them down on the court. And no matter what stick together as a team and don’t let outside stuff mess with their team when they walk into the gym."

There's still some time before it comes down to that for the Tigers as North Bend Central has plenty of work to do before then so the biggest thing for the Tigers is continuing to improve and grow as a team and unit.

Stanton goes 3-1 at East Husker Conference Tournament; sweeps Lutheran High Northeast

The Stanton Mustangs are 4-1 in their last four matches, defeating Madison 2-0 and Wisner-Pilger 2-1 last Thursday at home in the East Husker Conference Tournament, and Howells-Dodge 2-1, but losing 3-1 in the Championship to North Bend Central on Saturday in Wisner.

Stanton swept Lutheran High Northeast 3-0 on the road Tuesday night.

The Mustangs downed the Dragons 25-17 in set one, and 25-11 in set two.

Bree Burtwhistle had 8 kills and 11 set assists while MacKenzie Brandl notched 8 digs. Makenna Espinoza dished out 10 set assists.

The Gators won set one 25-12 before Stanton took sets two and three 25-16 and 25-22.

Hannah Heppner totaled 11 kills while Burtwhistle registered 8 kills, 17 digs, and 15 set assists. Brandl posted 27 digs with Espinoza adding 10 digs and 9 set assists. Katie Brandl contributed 7 digs.

The Jaguars won the first set 25-18 before the Mustangs came back to win set two 25-13 and set three 26-24.

Burtwhistle posted 17 kills and 15 set assists while Jessie Brandl had 12 kills. MacKenzie Brandl posted 26 digs while Katie Brandl compiled 15. Espinoza recorded 10 digs and 18 set assists. Allie Spence chipped in 7 digs.

The Tigers won set one 25-21 before Stanton took set two 25-23. North Bend Central won sets three and four 25-19.

Jessie Brandl put down 15 kills while Hannah Heppner totaled 12. Burtwhistle recorded 11 kills, 7 digs, and 20 set assists. MacKenzie Brandl and Katie Brandl notched 18 and 16 digs, respectively, while Espinoza dished out 16 set assists.

The Mustangs defeated the Eagles 25-21 in the first set, 25-22 in the second set, and 26-24 in the third set.

Heppner registered 15 kills while Jessie Brandl and Burtwhistle posted 12 apiece. Burtwhistle added 23 digs and 18 set assists while MacKenzie Brandl contributed 18 digs and 10 assists while Kiley Wiedeman and Katie Brandl totaled 9 and 8 digs, respectively. Espinoza compiled 15 set assists.

Head Coach Tracy Kuester-Burtwhistle says LHNE made her team work hard.

"The match against LHNE was a very competitive match. LHNE played some great defense on us which made us utilize all of our hitters, and keep that composure doing some long volleys. It was a good win for us."

Kuester-Burtwhistle says it's nice to have Jessie Brandl back, even though she's limited.

"Jess is only playing 3 rotations at this time for the Mustangs. We never want players out for illness and feel the team did a good job of stepping up during her absence, it was a learning curve. Having Jess back gives us again more options in our offense."

Stanton (23-5) takes on North Bend Central (22-2) and Logan View (3-25) at the North Bend Central Triangular on Tuesday.

The Tigers swept Howells-Dodge 3-0 at home this past Tuesday night while the Raiders lost 2-0 to Wisner-Pilger and Scribner-Snyder at their home triangular on Thursday.

Kuester-Burtwhistle says she hopes her team is at full strength and executes against NBC. "

North Bend on Tuesday we are excited to match up again. During conference our starting Middle Sally Brechbill did not play due to illness, so we are hoping to have all our starters back by Tuesday. We will need to continue to be aggressive blockers and attackers. Also, we will need to clean up our serve receive so we are not playing so many 2nd contacts out of system and we will be adjusting our defense slightly."

Kuester-Burtwhistle adds it will be nice to be at full strength, but everyone needs to work together like they did in Jessie Brandl's absence.

"Our philosophy is that not one player makes a team and feel our team has done a great job of adjusting to adversity over the last 3 weeks. Having all starters back on Tuesday we are excited to see the possibilities. However, we will need all players playing their role to continue to add the 'w' to our record."

I expect Tuesday night's match against the Tigers to be tight. I don't think Stanton will have much trouble defeating Logan View.

The match being in North Bend makes it a really tough draw for the Mustangs though.

Stanton is definitely capable of winning, and I think this match will go three sets.

It's too bad the two teams couldn't play the best of five again because I think these two teams are too good for things to be decided in three sets.

I give North Bend Central the edge with the match being on their home floor, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if the Mustangs found a way to win.

Stanton appears to be playing their best Volleyball of the season at the right time. 

GACC 2-1 in last three matches

The Guardian Angels Central Catholic Bluejays are 2-1 in their last three matches, falling 3-0 at Crofton last Thursday night before downing David City Aquinas 3-1 on the road Monday night, and Norfolk Catholic 3-0 on the road this past Tuesday night.

The Warriors defeated the Bluejays 25-17 in the first set, 25-20 in the second set, and 25-16 in the third set.

Maddie Knobbe had 10 kills and 9 digs while Kali Stratman added 10 digs and 17 set assists. Ally Plagge and Allie Knobbe notched 8 and 7 digs, respectively.

The Bluejays won set one over the Monarchs 25-16 before dropping set two 25-23. GACC took set three 25-22 and set four 25-16 to close out the match.

Head Coach Kate Hagemann says her team played pretty well.

"I was pretty happy with our overall play. I was a little frustrated we let set two get away. We've just had some of those sets lately where we get to 22, we get to 23, and we're just not able to finish. And postseason we want to be able to get that cleaned up, but I thought we kind of overcame some mental hurdles there in set three. We got down by 1 there late in the game, and then we're able to score three or four straight to finish the set."

Maddie Knobbe paced the Bluejays with 29 kills and 12 digs. Stratman totaled 12 digs and 33 set assists. Allie Knobbe posted 8 digs while Plagge recorded 7.

GACC downed the Knights 25-14 in set one, 25-9 in set two, and 25-18 in set three.

Maddie Knobbe finished with 14 kills while Plagge and Allie Knobbe registered 14 and 7 digs, respectively. Stratman dished out 25 set assists.

The Bluejays appeared to get back on track some this week. Hopefully for GACC they can get on a roll heading into sub districts.

The Bluejays (12-9) take on Wayne (18-9) in the first round of the Mid-State Conference Tournament in Pierce on Monday.

The Blue Devils downed GACC 3-1 at home on September 13th. Wayne won 3-1 at home over Lutheran High Northeast last time out on Thursday.

The Blue Devils are a very strong team, and it's going to take the Bluejays' best effort and then some for GACC to come out on top.

The Bluejays definitely have a tough draw and their work cut out for them.

This conference is tough just like any other year, and GACC is still a quality team that is capable of knocking off anyone they play in this tournament.

It would be nice from the Bluejays' standpoint to gain some consistency.

GACC has been kind of up and down this year, and every time it looks like they're getting on track and getting ready to go on a winning streak, they have a hiccup or two.

Time is running out for the Bluejays to be a consistently good team.

GACC is definitely capable of getting on a big winning streak, and riding that momentum to state, but the Bluejays have to start playing the way they can.

The field is stacked in this conference tournament. There aren't going to be any gimmie matches for GACC, at least in the winners' bracket.

With that said, I look for the Bluejays to build off of this week's wins and have a good showing on Monday and throughout the rest of this tournament.

I wouldn't be surprised if GACC challenged for the championship or found a way to win it.

It's that time of year where the Bluejays are looking to play their best Volleyball, and perhaps GACC is starting to do that just a little bit.

Maddie Knobbe, Stratman, Plagge, and Allie Knobbe need to keep doing what they've been doing for the Bluejays.

These four have played very well for and led GACC lately, and their contributions have meant everything to this team.

Monday's match is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. in Pierce.

Emerson-Hubbard 1-3 in last four matches

The Emerson-Hubbard Pirates went 1-1 at the Hartington-Newcastle Invite on Saturday, losing 2-0 to Cedar Bluffs, but beating Wausa 2-0. Emerson-Hubbard lost 2-0 to Hartington-Newcastle and Winside at the Winside Triangular on Tuesday.

The Pirates downed the Vikings 25-11 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Cedar Bluffs beat Emerson-Hubbard 25-15 in set one, and 25-7 in set two.

Hartington-Newcastle defeated the Pirates 25-20 in the first set, and 25-15 in the second set.

Winside knocked off Emerson-Hubbard 25-13 in set one, and 25-20 in set two.

Despite the losses, I thought the Pirates competed well. Emerson-Hubbard pushed Winside and Hartington-Newcastle in a set, and that looks like progress to me.

The Pirates (3-21) take on Ponca (24-2) in the first round of the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament on Saturday in Ponca.

The Indians topped Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 3-0 at home Tuesday night.

Ponca has beaten Emerson-Hubbard three times this season, all in sweeps.

It's never easy to beat a team four times in one season, but it appears the Indians are in pretty good shape to do just that.

With that said, I think the Pirates can compete with Ponca in a set or two, and maybe even take a set this time around.

Emerson-Hubbard is improving, I just don't think the Pirates are to a point yet where they can knock off a team like the Indians.

I just don't think Emerson-Hubbard is ready to beat Ponca.

Still though the Pirates can't back down from or be intimidated by the Indians.

Emerson-Hubbard has to believe they can win, and trust one another.

The Pirates have to communicate on the court, and be good judgers of if balls are going to be in or out.

Emerson-Hubbard has to remain scrappy, and fight and claw until the very end of matches.

The Pirates have to limit service and hitting errors. It's important for Emerson-Hubbard to hit, pass, block, serve, and serve receive well.

I look for the Pirates to play some good Volleyball in this tournament, and continue to improve.

Emerson-Hubbard isn't anywhere near where they want to be I'm sure, but I believe this team is slowly getting better.

The Pirates just have to keep making strides and continue to take steps in the right direction.

Emerson-Hubbard has to do their best to not have any major setbacks from here on out.

What I mean by major setbacks is not being competitive in matches. The Pirates need to compete at the very least against everyone in this tournament and throughout the rest of the season.

Saturday's match against Ponca is set to start at 3:00 p.m.

Winnebago falls to Wakefield

The Winnebago Indians fell 2-0 to Wakefield at their home Triangular Thursday night.

The Trojans won set one 25-13, and took set two 25-10.

I thought the Indians could be more competitive, but they just couldn't get it going against Wakefield.

Winnebago gets ready for the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament, which begins on Saturday.

The Indians take on Bloomfield (2-19) in Wynot.

The Bees lost 2-0 to Madison and Elkhorn Valley at the Bloomfield Triangular on Thursday.

Winnebago should be able to knock off Bloomfield, but Wynot awaits the winner.

The most important thing for the Indians is to play a clean, flawless match against the Bees in order to prepare for the difficult match with the Blue Devils.

Winnebago definitely has a tall task in front of them, but if the Indians can play a good match against Bloomfield, they may have a chance to be competitive against Wynot.

We're getting to that time of year where anything can happen and upsets occur so Winnebago has to play optimistic Volleyball, and believe they can play the role of spoiler.

It has been a tough season so far for the Indians without a doubt, but perhaps Winnebago can make some noise in this conference tournament.

It's never too late for a team to get things going, and I think the Indians are capable of winning a few matches in this conference tournament.

Winnebago is going to have to play a lot better than they did against Wakefield, but the Indians are definitely capable of doing that.

Winnebago simply has to learn how to win away from home.

The Indians only have one win on the road or at neutral sites so that has to change for Winnebago if they want to be successful in this tournament.

The Indians have to be up to the challenge of competing at a high level if they want to do well Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday.

It would be a big deal for Winnebago to find success in this tournament and get their season on track.

It's one of the Indians' last chances to get things going so it's important for Winnebago to do well and play at a high level in this tournament.

With sub districts right around the corner now is the time to start playing well if you are the Winnebago Indians.

First serve between Winnebago and Bloomfield is set for 2:00 p.m.

Tekamah-Herman finishes 1-2 at East Husker Conference Tournament; downs Fremont Bergan and Scribner-Snyder

The Tekamah-Herman Tigers are 3-2 in their last five matches, losing 2-0 to Clarkson/Leigh on Thursday at the East Husker Conference Tournament in North Bend, and 2-0 at BRLD on Saturday in Wisner, but beating Pender 2-1, also on Saturday in Wisner.

Tekamah-Herman topped Fremont Bergan and Scribner-Snyder 2-0 at their home Triangular Tuesday night.

The Patriots defeated the Tigers 25-13 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

The Wolverines knocked off Tekamah-Herman 25-18 in set one, and 25-16 in set two.

The Tigers downed the Knights 25-23 in the opening set, and 25-22 in the decisive set.

Tekamah-Herman beat the Trojans 25-21 in set one, and 25-18 in set two.

Tekamah-Herman heads into Thursday's home match with Howells-Dodge winners of four out of their last six. Head Coach Becky Rennerfeldt says her middle hitters have made all the difference.

"Our middle hitters are our main hitters, and they get a lot of kills for us. Our outside hitters, they're working hard to just play really good defense. But both our middle hitters, Liz Dlouhy and Marin Jetensky, are playing really well."

12-16 Tekamah-Herman hosts 21-5 Howells-Dodge in High School Volleyball Action Thursday night on 107.9 the Bull. Rennerfeldt says she expects the Jaguars to be tough even though they've struggled lately.

"Yeah I talked to a few coaches about that at a meeting, and they seem to be maybe in a slump, but they're playing good teams too when they've lost this year. So they're always a good team. They always come to Tekamah-Herman ready to play. And we know that it's going to be a really tough game for us, but one that we're hoping that we can compete in."

The Jaguars have dropped three in a row.

Howells-Dodge's losses have been to good teams as Rennerfeldt said though so the Jaguars are certainly capable of beating the Tigers.

Howells-Dodge's losses in that stretch are to Stanton, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, and North Bend Central.

With that said, Tekamah-Herman has been playing very well lately, and I think the Tigers have a shot to knock off the Jaguars.

I would say some of Howells-Dodge's recent struggles have been due to the competition, but also the Jaguars not being ready to play, at least in the Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family match.

With that said, if the Jaguars aren't ready to play and aren't on top of their game against the Tigers, then I think Tekamah-Herman can win.

I think the Tigers can win regardless of how well Howells-Dodge plays, but I think the chances would be better if the Jaguars had another off night.

It's senior night for Tekamah-Herman, and I look for the Tigers to come out and play inspired.

I look for Dlouhy and Jetensky to have big matches for Tekamah-Herman, and lead this team like they always do.

Howells-Dodge, particularly their middle blockers, aren't that tall so it will be interesting to see if Dlouhy and Jetensky can have success against the likes of Sam Brester, Hailey Eikmeier, and Grace Dvorak.

It's Pink Out Night, and I look for the Tigers to play well and be very competitive against the Jaguars.

First serve is set for 7:15 p.m. on the Bull.

Howells-Dodge goes 2-2 at East Husker Conference Tournament; loses at North Bend Central

The Howells-Dodge Jaguars are 2-3 in their last five matches, beating Logan View and West Point-Beemer 2-0 on Thursday at home in the East Husker Conference Tournament, but losing 2-1 to Stanton and 2-0 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family on Saturday in Wisner. Howells-Dodge lost 3-0 at North Bend Central Tuesday night in a match aired on 107.9 the Bull.

The Jaguars topped the Raiders 25-6 in set one and 25-7 in set two.

Kalli and Sam Brester notched 8 kills apiece while Tessa Brester had 15 set assists.

Howells-Dodge downed the Cadets 25-20 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Kalli Brester had a team-high 11 kills while Tessa Brester recorded 19 set assists.

The Jaguars earned a 25-18 win in set one over the Mustangs before dropping set two 25-13 and set three 26-24.

Kalli Brester posted 14 kills and 14 digs while Macey Kulhanek and Hailey Coufal contributed 20 and 8 digs, respectively. Tessa Brester dished out 28 set assists.

The Bulldogs took set one over Howells-Dodge 25-22, and won set two 25-15.

Kalli Brester recorded 7 kills while Tessa Brester compiled 15 set assists.

Howells-Dodge dropped set one to the Tigers 25-20, set two 25-21, and set three 25-14.

Head Coach Neil VanLengen says he was proud of the way his team played.

"Oh I just told my team you guys for 2 1/2 sets we played outstanding. I mean you put that team in C-2 that's the state champs hands down. I mean there's nobody in C-2 that can play with them. So they got a little tougher draw in C-1, but man we play the way we did I like our chances. We are going to do very well."

Kalli Brester notched 16 kills for the Jaguars (21-5) while Sam Brester and Erin Prusa registered 9 and 8, respectively.

VanLengen says his team's play was a lot better Tuesday night than it was on Saturday.

"Saturday we just weren't quite ourselves. Kind of had a chance to beat Stanton, and let them get away with one. And then we just weren't ready to play the third place game. And so I just told them hey we got to get rid of that, and be ready to go. And we were. Man to me for 2 1/2 sets that's as good of Volleyball you're going to see around here anyway man. Just two heavyweight teams just slugging it out. Shoot first set we had 16 side outs, second set I think we had 14 or 15 side outs. I mean that's outstanding Volleyball really."

The Jaguars are back in action Thursday, battling Tekamah-Herman (12-16) on the road in a match that can be heard on 107.9 the Bull beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Howells-Dodge is on a bit of a skid right now as they have lost three in a row.

The Jaguars simply have to come ready to play in every match from here on out.

Howells-Dodge can't take sets or matches off. The Jaguars need to be ready to play no matter what.

I'm not suggesting Howells-Dodge is in trouble as they played Stanton tough on Saturday and North Bend Central tough Tuesday night, but losing to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family hurts.

Right now the Jaguars stand a good chance to get to state, even if it's with a wildcard, but this team needs to understand the importance of continuing to play well and win for that reason.

Hopefully the loss to the Bulldogs doesn't comeback to haunt Howells-Dodge because it will be a shame if the Jaguars don't make state.

I think it's very possible for Howells-Dodge to play Stanton a third time in the postseason, and the Jaguars can definitely beat the Mustangs again, but the Jaguars can't afford anymore losses.

Howells-Dodge has to come out and play with a purpose and business like attitude against the Tigers Thursday night.

Tekamah-Herman is no slouch, especially at home. The Tigers topped Fremont Bergan and Scribner-Snyder 2-0 at their home triangular on Tuesday, and have won four out of their last six.

Just ask Wisner-Pilger what the Tigers are capable of doing.

Point being the Jaguars have to be ready to play and cannot take Tekamah-Herman lightly.

Howells-Dodge has to play the way they did in the first two sets against North Bend Central. If the Jaguars do that they should be in good shape.

We're to the point in the season where every match is critical. Play time is over. It's time for Howells-Dodge to gear up and make their run towards the state tournament.

Perhaps a win over Tekamah-Herman will be just what the Jaguars need. I do think Howells-Dodge stands a good chance to come away with a win Thursday night if they're on top of their game.

Oakland-Craig finishes 1-2 at East Husker Conference Tournament; knocks off Clarkson/Leigh

The Oakland-Craig Knights are 2-2 in their last four matches, losing 2-1 to Pender and Twin River on Thursday in Genoa at the East Husker Conference Tournament, before downing Logan View 2-0 on Saturday in Wisner.

Oakland-Craig topped Clarkson/Leigh 3-1 at home Tuesday night.

The Titans won the first set over the Knights 25-14, and earned a 25-19 win in set three. Oakland-Craig took set two 25-17.

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

The Patriots won set one 25-17, but Oakland-Craig won the next three 25-14, 25-21, and 25-23.

The win over Clarkson/Leigh is just what the Knights needed. Perhaps Oakland-Craig isn't done quite yet.

The Knights (7-22) host Pender (10-15) Thursday night.

In addition to their win over Oakland-Craig last week, the Pendragons lost 2-0 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family at the EHC Tournament in Genoa on Thursday, 2-1 to Scribner-Snyder and Tekamah-Herman on Saturday in Wisner, and 3-1 at BRLD Tuesday night.

Pender really appears to be struggling right now, and I think the Knights are catching the Pendragons at a good time.

If Oakland-Craig plays the way they have in their last couple of matches, and Pender continues to play the way they have in recent matches, the Knights could come away with a victory.

I don't know what's made the difference for Oakland-Craig over their last couple of matches, but the Knights don't appear to be going out without a fight.

Oakland-Craig's sub district doesn't appear to be the most difficult, and with Fremont Bergan struggling some lately, who knows what can happen come postseason time.

That's all still a couple of weeks away though, and the Knights' sole focus should be on the Pendragons at this point.

Oakland-Craig has to try and slow down Pender's big guns at the net, and put some good swings on the ball when they have the chance.

The Knights need to be efficient passing and hitting the ball Serving, serve receiving, and blocking needs to be solid as well.

Oakland-Craig has to turn in a strong performance if they want to knock off the Pendragons.

Pender will no doubt do everything in their power to get their season back on track so the Knights need to be prepared to take the Pendragons' best shot.

Oakland-Craig has to outwork and outhustle Pender if they hope to come away with the win, in my opinion.

The team that plays the hardest and makes the fewest mistakes will win I think.

I think the Knights have a chance to do what they did on Tuesday, which is win 3-1.

I could also see the match going five sets, but I do not think it will be a sweep either way.

Pender goes 1-3 at East Husker Conference Tournament; loses at BRLD

The Pender Pendragons have hit a rough patch in their season, beating Oakland-Craig 2-1 in the first round of the East Husker Conference Tournament in Genoa on Thursday, but losing 2-0 to Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, also on Thursday, 2-1 to Scribner-Snyder and Tekamah-Herman on Saturday in Wisner, and 3-1 at BRLD Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs topped the Pendragons 25-14 in set one, and 25-19 in set two.

Pender defeated the Trojans 25-23 in the first set, but dropped the next two 25-19 and 25-18.

The Wolverines won set one 25-20 and set two 25-17 before the Pendragons earned a 25-17 win in set three. BRLD took set four 25-17.

A four-match losing streak is not what the doctor ordered for Pender at this point in the season. I'm sure the Pendragons would like to get back on track quickly.

Pender (10-15) hosts Oakland-Craig (7-22) Thursday night.

The Knights downed Clarkson/Leigh 3-1 at home Tuesday night.

Oakland-Craig has had a down year, but given the fact the Knights beat the Patriots on Tuesday and played the Pendragons close the first time around kind of makes this a scary match for Pender, in my opinion.

Perhaps Oakland-Craig is starting to figure some things out so maybe this isn't the best time to be playing them.

I believe the Pendragons are capable of getting back on track and winning though.

Pender has some challenging matches the rest of the way so the Pendragons need to get something going Thursday night.

I would say the match against the Knights is a must win for Pender.

The Pendragons don't want to head into next week's matches against Clarkson/Leigh, West Point-Beemer, and Howells-Dodge with a loss hanging over them.

Pender would just assume get back on track and play well the rest of the way.

Again, I think the Pendragons can play well and win on Thursday, but I also think Oakland-Craig has a good chance to win too seeing how they played against Clarkson/Leigh.

The team that plays the hardest and makes the fewest mistakes will win, in my opinion.

Pender has to limit hitting and service errors, and must be sound passing, hitting, serving, blocking, and serve receiving.

The Pendragons' big guns have to step and show up for Pender Thursday night.

The Pendragons have five seniors, and I just can't see them going out without a fight.

This team is too good and talented to lose the rest of their matches this season.

I'm not suggesting that will happen, but if Pender doesn't step up their game soon they could be facing an uphill battle the rest of the way.

A win over Oakland-Craig would be a positive step in the right direction for the Pendragons, and perhaps would get Pender back on track.

Scribner-Snyder finishes 2-2 at East Husker Conference Tournament; splits triangular matches with Fremont Bergan and Tekamah-Herman

The Scribner-Snyder Trojans are 3-3 over their last six matches, losing to Wisner-Pilger, but beating Madison 2-0 on Thursday at the East Husker Conference Tournament in Stanton, downing Pender 2-1, but losing 2-0 to BRLD on Saturday in Wisner, and turning around and downing Fremont Bergan 2-1, but losing 2-0 to Tekamah-Herman at the Tekamah-Herman Triangular on Tuesday.

The Gators downed the Trojans 25-13 in the first set, and 25-21 in the second set.

Nicole Boyle totaled 9 set assists.

Scribner-Snyder defeated the Dragons 25-23 in set one, and 25-14 in set two.

Kaylee Boyle notched 7 kills and 10 digs while Emily Lewin added 11 digs. Nicole Boyle dished out 15 set assists.

The Wolverines beat the Trojans 25-17 in the opening set, and 25-20 in the second set.

Kaylee Boyle recorded 11 digs while Savanah Miller posted 10. Nicole Boyle compiled 9 set assists.

The Pendragons won set one over Scribner-Snyder 25-23 before the Trojans took set two 25-19, and set three 25-18.

Kaylee Boyle registered 11 kills and 14 digs while Nicole Boyle added 9 kills and 13 digs. Miller totaled 20 set assists.

The Tigers downed Scribner-Snyder 25-21 in the first set, and 25-18 in the second set.

Nicole Boyle finished with 12 set assists.

The Knights claimed set one over the Trojans 25-22 before Scribner-Snyder returned the favor with 26-24 win in set two, and a 25-23 victory in set three.

Kaylee Boyle recorded 9 kills and 10 digs while Nicole Boyle posted 7 kills and 8 set assists. Mackenzy Schreck notched 7 kills. Miller added 10 digs while Lewin totaled 7. Micah Risch contributed 14 set assists.

The Trojans have been playing pretty good Volleyball lately. Scribner-Snyder appears to be getting healthy at the right time, and perhaps can make a run.

The Trojans (9-16) take on Logan View (3-22) and Wisner-Pilger (16-11) at the Logan View Triangular on Thursday.

The Gators are 4-1 in their last four matches, defeating Scribner-Snyder 2-0 and losing 2-1 to Stanton on Thursday at the East Husker Conference Tournament in Stanton, before downing West Point-Beemer and Clarkson/Leigh 2-1 on Saturday in Wisner. The Gators topped Twin River 3-1 at home Tuesday night.

The Raiders went 1-3 at the East Husker Conference Tournament, losing 2-0 to Howells-Dodge, Oakland-Craig, and BRLD, but beating Madison 2-0.

Wisner-Pilger is certainly playing lights out volleyball right now while Logan View appears to be getting a little better with each match.

I don't think either match is going to be a cakewalk for Scribner-Snyder, but I think the Trojans have a good chance to beat the Raiders and compete with the Gators.

Both Wisner-Pilger and Scribner-Snyder are playing at a very high level at the moment.

If the Gators weren't playing so well I would say the Trojans have a good chance to beat them, and they still can, but I think it's going to be pretty difficult.

Scribner-Snyder has to limit hitting and service errors, and do everything they can to limit Jayda Oligmueller, Maci Batenhorst, and Jordan Wegner.

Wisner-Pilger might be a bit taller than Scribner-Snyder so what the Trojans lack in height they must make up for with pure determination and hustle.

Scribner-Snyder has to be quick to balls, and must be ready to play smart and heady.

The Trojans need to communicate if a ball is going to be in or out, and have good judgement as to whether or not to go after balls that may or may not go out of bounds.

Scribner-Snyder has to be sound in the hitting, passing, blocking, serving, and serve receive games.

I think the Trojans are going to need to play one of their better matches of the season to come away with a victory over the Gators.

Scribner-Snyder's efforts can't all be on the Gators though. Everything I talked about the Trojans needing to do well against Wisner-Pilger applies to the Logan View match as well.

Wisner-Pilger goes 3-1 at East Husker Conference Tournament; downs Twin River

The Wisner-Pilger Gators are 4-1 in their last four matches, defeating Scribner-Snyder 2-0 and losing 2-1 to Stanton on Thursday at the East Husker Conference Tournament in Stanton, before downing West Point-Beemer and Clarkson/Leigh 2-1 on Saturday in Wisner.

The Gators topped Twin River 3-1 at home Tuesday night.

Wisner-Pilger downed the Trojans 25-13 in set one and 25-21 in set two.

Jayda Oligmueller and Jordan Wegner had 9 kills apiece while Maci Batenhorst notched 7 kills and 7 digs. Ashton Meyer totaled 10 digs while Lauren Jacobsen and Wegner recorded 8 and 7, respectively.

The Gators took set one from the Mustangs 25-12 before Stanton bounced back to win sets two and three 25-16 and 25-22.

Oligmueller recorded 8 kills and 18 digs while Batenhorst and Wegner totaled 7 kills each. Batenhorst added 14 digs while Meyer and Allissa Meyer notched 13 and 10 digs, respectively.

Wisner-Pilger won set one over the Patriots 25-20, and took set three 25-22 after dropping set two 25-20.

Wegner compiled 14 kills and 8 digs while Batenhorst had 11 kills and 13 digs. Oligmueller recorded 15 digs while Ashton Meyer posted 10.

The Gators lost the first set to the Cadets, 25-17, but won sets two and three 25-11 and 25-16.

Wegner finished with 14 kills while Batenhorst totaled 9 kills and 14 digs. Oligmueller contributed 17 digs.

The Titans took set one from Wisner-Pilger 25-20, but the Gators bounced back to win set two 25-23, set three 25-18, and set four 25-16.

Wegner compiled 17 kills and 9 digs while Oligmueller registered 13 kills and 17 digs. Batenhorst notched 12 kills and 11 digs. Allissa Meyer, Ashton Meyer, and Jacobsen chipped in 11, 10, and 9 digs, respectively.

Wisner-Pilger appears to have saved their best for last. The Gators are playing great Volleyball at the moment.

Wisner-Pilger (16-11) takes on Scribner-Snyder (9-16) and Logan View (3-22) at the Logan View Triangular on Thursday.

The Raiders went 1-3 at the East Husker Conference Tournament, losing 2-0 to Howells-Dodge, Oakland-Craig, and BRLD, but beating Madison 2-0.

The Trojans, on the other hand, beat Fremont Bergan 2-1, but lost 2-0 to Tekamah-Herman at the Tekamah-Herman Triangular on Tuesday.

Scribner-Snyder is a solid team, and Logan View seems to be coming around a little bit perhaps, and I look for both teams to give the Gators everything they've got.

I think Wisner-Pilger has a very good opportunity in front of them in that I think they can win both matches, but the Gators have to come to play, and can't take either opponent lightly.

Oligmueller, Batenhorst, and Wegner have really come on lately for Wisner-Pilger.

I've been very impressed with their ability to lead this team both from an offensive and defensive standpoint.

The Gators are certainly clicking on all cylinders right now, and I don't know if there are many teams out there that want to play Wisner-Pilger right now.

It's a good thing the Gators are playing the way they are at the moment because Wisner-Pilger is in a difficult sub district with the likes of Stanton and Howells-Dodge.

The Gators have already shown they can compete against the Mustangs though, and given the three-match losing streak the Jaguars are on right now, Wisner-Pilger has to think they can compete with Howells-Dodge too.

I look for the Gators to keep getting better and be there in the end come postseason time.

Wisner-Pilger has a very favorable schedule the rest of the regular season so the Gators should be able to win the rest of their remaining regular season matches.

I like the way Wisner-Pilger has come together as a team and is playing right now. The Gators appear to be a force to be reckoned with from here on out, and should garner the attention of their remaining opponents whether it's in the regular season or postseason.