Friday Morning Sports – Gretna Forced to Vacate Football Championship, Kearney Wrestling Results v. Columbus, UNK Women Reach Personal Milestones in Win, Loper Men Down Gorillas, Storm Take Winning Streak to Sioux Falls, Local Sports Schedule

GRETNA FORCED TO VACATE 2021 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP:

An agenda item on the NSAA Board of Directors meeting for Jan. 20, 2022, caught the attention of athletic directors and coaches around the state on Tuesday. The agenda item, a player on the 2021 Class A State Champion Gretna football team.

Over two hours later, the board left an executive session. The NSAA board announced they had upheld Executive Director Jay Bellar’s December ruling. Gretna would have to vacate the 2021 Class A Championship for using an ineligible player.

No champion will be listed for the 2021 season in the NSAA record books and Gretna will return the championship trophy. All student-athletes will keep their individual medals. 

It is the first time a title has been vacated since 1919 when Holbrook had to vacate their basketball championship from Class F.

KEARNEY WRESTLING v. COLUMBUS:

The Kearney Bearcats wrestling team competed in the ‘Under the Lights’ Dual against the Columbus Discoverers on Thursday night. 

After starting out to an early lead for Columbus, Kearney wrestled back and tied the dual at 31 before ceding a 34-31 advantage prior to the final match of the night at 120 pounds. 

Columbus ended the night with the victory, 37-31. 

Individual Dual results included:

106: KHS Miller by decision

113: CHS Delano by decision

120: CHS Cerny by decision

126: CHS Bice by fall.

132: CHS Kucera by decision.

138: CHS Bronlow by decision.

145: KHS by decision

152: KHS Sutton by fall.

160: KHS 

170: CHS Garcia-Gomez by fall.

182: KHS Kuchera by illegal throw resulting in injury

195: CHS Blaser by fall.

220: KHS Molina by fall.

HWT: KHS Fedde by fall.

The Kearney Wrestling team returns to action at the Midwest Duals hosted by UNK at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. 

UNK WOMEN REACH PERSONAL MILESTONES, DOWN PITTSBURG STATE:

Redshirt juniors Elisa Backes and Klaire Kirsch both reached career milestones as No. 12/14 Nebraska-Kearney downed Pittsburg State, 72-58, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (15-2, 10-1) are now in first place in the MIAA standings as Missouri Southern State shocked No. 2/3 Fort Hays State, 54-41, tonight in Kansas. UNK hosts the Tigers (15-2, 9-2) in a key game next Saturday at Buckle Court while the Lions (11-5, 8-3) visits this Saturday.

Backes tallied 15 points in just 22 minutes to become just the 27th Loper to reach 1,000 career points (1,012). “Betty Buckets” has done this mainly as a reserve as she has appeared in 104 games with 12 starts.

Kirsch (Rapid City) posted her fourth double double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds (nine defensive). She joins Heather Steffen (’04), Ginger Keller (’94) and Janelle Miratsky (’98) as the only UNK women’s players to reach 800 career boards. Kirsch, averaging close to nine boards a game, could break Steffen’s school-record (906) by the end of the year.

UNK MEN FOLLOW SIMENTAL’S BIG NIGHT IN WIN:

Guard David Simental tallied a season-high 30 points and Nebraska-Kearney shot 60% from the field to beat Pittsburg State, 88-79, Thursday night at the Health & Sports Center.

Starting a four-game home-stand, the Lopers improve to 7-10 (3-8) while the Gorillas fall to 4-13 (3-8). UNK has now taken six of the last eight meetings with the Gorillas.

The Lopers led for nearly 27 minutes and by as many as 12 points. Simental finished 8 of 13 (5 of 7 3’s) from the field and 9 of 10 at the line. He also had four dimes in all 40 minutes.

UNK hosts Missouri Southern State on Saturday. The Lions fell tonight at Fort Hays, 89-71.

STORM TAKE WINNING STREAK TO SIOUX FALLS:

The Tri-City Storm puts the longest active winning streak in the Western Conference on the line tonight at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in a road matchup against the Sioux Falls Stampede. 

Tri-City swept the Fargo Force and Omaha Lancers last weekend, and enters tonight’s game against Sioux Falls having won the last six games. Following tonight’s road game, the Storm will return home to the Viaero Center for “Scout Night” against the Des Moines Buccaneers. Puck drop for tonight’s road game is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.

LOOMIS’ QUINN JOHNSON SURPASSES STATE RECORD:

Loomis senior Quinn Johnson needed 7 three pointers to pass the NSAA career three-pointers made in a career record. He had 10 in the first half. 

Johnson went 12-17 from three last night to break the record held by Brady Delimont from Ainsworth. Johnson is currently committed to UNK Men’s basketball as a walk-on after his graduation. 

HUSKER MEN AND OHIO STATE POSTPONED:

The Nebraska men’s basketball game at No. 19 Ohio State scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22, in Columbus, Ohio, has been postponed due to health and safety protocols within the Husker program.

With players currently in health and safety protocol, Nebraska fell below the Big Ten Conference roster minimum, with fewer than seven scholarship players available.

The programs will coordinate with the Big Ten Conference office to reschedule the game. Nebraska’s next scheduled game is against No. 8 Wisconsin on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m., at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

HUSKER FOOTBALL – BRYAN APPLEWHITE SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

APPLEWHITE – EXCITED TO BE A PART OF HUSKERS

New Nebraska Running Backs coach Bryan Applewhite was a guest on Sports Nightly last night and said that joining the Huskers was exactly what he was hoping for… 

Applewhite comes to the Huskers from TCU, and has yet to step foot in Lincoln as he has been on the recruiting trail since his hiring last Wednesday.

APPLEWHITE – NEBRASKA STILL A NATIONAL BRAND

Bryan Applewhite, new Nebraska Running Backs Coach for the Husker Football team, was a guest on Sports Nightly on Wednesday. Applewhite has been hitting the recruiting trail already, and says that Nebraska still holds a place with national recognition… 

The Huskers nabbed Applewhite from TCU, and are currently aiming at verbal commit of the Horned Frogs, Ajay Allen. The Huskers running back room currently has six scholarship backs on roster. 

NEBRASKA WRESTLING VISITS BADGERS & WILDCATS:

The No. 14 Nebraska wrestling team will hit the road for the second-straight weekend as it visits No. 7 Wisconsin on Friday and No. 21 Northwestern on Sunday. The battle with the Badgers is slated for 7 p.m. on Jan. 21 while the Huskers and Wildcats will wrestle beginning at 2 p.m. on Jan. 23.

No. 7 Wisconsin (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) is coming off three-straight ranked conference wins against No. 12 Northwestern (Jan. 7), No. 16 Rutgers (Jan. 9) and No. 14 Minnesota (Jan. 16). The Badgers’ lineup features four wrestlers ranked inside the Top 10 of their weight class, No. 8 Eric Barnett (125), No. 8 Austin Gomez (149), No. 8 Dean Hamiti (165) and No. 8 Trent Hillger (HWT).

The Huskers (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) return to action looking for their first conference win of the season. Nebraska is coming off its second dual loss of the season, as Minnesota defeated NU 19-13 on Jan. 14.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: Varsity Dual v. Columbus
    • CHS 37-31

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Aurora
    • KCHS 34-29
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Aurora
    • KCHS 53-40

• UNK:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Pittsburg State @ Health & Sports Center
    • UNK 72-58
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Pittsburg State @ Health & Sports Center
    • UNK 88-79

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: Midwest Duals Tournament @ Buffalo County Fairgrounds – 9 AM
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X – 5:15 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X – 7 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • WRESTLING: Midwest Duals Tournament @ Buffalo County Fairgrounds – 9 AM

• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: Midwest Duals @ Buffalo County Fairgrounds

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS WRESTLING: @ Missouri Valley Invite – 9 AM
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL – v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 5 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL – v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 6:45 PM

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Ralston Invite
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln Southwest – 4 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Lincoln Southwest – 5:45 PM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • SWIMMING & DIVING: @ Ralston Invite
  • WRESTLING: @ Centennial Conference Tournament
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Aquinas Catholic
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Aquinas Catholic

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Northwest Missouri Open
  • WRESTLING: v. Midwest Duals
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. Missouri Southern @ Health & Sports Center – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Missouri Southern @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ Polar Dog Invite, Concordia – 10 AM
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL v. University of Jamestown – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. No. 11 University of Jamestown – 3:45 PM