Saturday Morning Sports – Kearney Basketball Downed in Doubleheader Friday, Storm Extend Winning Streak, Husker Wrestling Dominates, Nebraska Women Contest Postponed, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BASKETBALL DOWNED IN DOUBLEHEADER TO LINCOLN PIUS:

The Kearney High School basketball teams both fell on the road to Lincoln Pius Friday night. 

The girls had a back-and-forth match with Kearney taking a small lead in the middle of the second quarter, only to see that lead evaporate and never return. Kearney was held at arms length the rest of the way and fell 41-35. 

The Kearney boys were swallowed up, spat out, and stomped on by the Lincoln Pius boys, as the Bearcats fell 74-26. 

Both teams are back in action today at Kearney High School as the Bearcats take on Lincoln Southwest. Pregame coverage of the doubleheader begins at 3:45 PM. 

STORM EXTEND WINNING STREAK, RETURN HOME FOR SUNDAY ‘SCOUT NIGHT’:

The Tri-City Storm defeated the Sioux Falls Stampede by a final score of 5-1 Friday night at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center to win seven consecutive games. 

Dane Dowiak (2), Jeremy Wilmer (2), and Tanner Adams scored the Storm’s goals in the victory. Sebastian Wraneschitz made 22 saves on 23 shots to record his first career USHL win in goal for Tri-City in his debut for the team. 

With exactly half of the regular season now completed, Tri-City holds a record 25-5-1-0 and leads in the USHL’s league standings by five points. Tri-City now returns home for the organization’s annual “Scout Night” game on Sunday afternoon.

HUSKER WRESTLING DOMINATES BADGERS:

The No. 14 Nebraska wrestling team defeated No. 7 Wisconsin 22-12 to earn its first conference victory of the season on Friday evening. The Huskers (4-2, 1-2 Big Ten) won seven of 10 bouts, while earning a bonus point victory, to hand the Badgers (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) their first loss of the season. 

NU is back in action on Sunday when it stays on the road and faces No. 21 Northwestern on Jan. 23. Dual meet action is slated to get underway at 2 p.m.

NEBRASKA WOMEN SUNDAY CONTEST POSTPONED: 

The Nebraska women’s basketball game at Illinois originally scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. (CT) in Champaign has been postponed due to health and safety protocols within the Husker program.

Per the amended Big Ten Conference 2021-22 Forfeiture Guidelines, this game will be postponed and the Conference office will coordinate the rescheduling process.

If the game is not able to be rescheduled, it would count as a “no contest” for both teams. 

Illinois will now make up their missed contest from Jan. 2 with Iowa on Sunday.

NEBRASKA WOMEN AND RUTGERS RESCHEDULED TO FEBRUARY:

The Nebraska women’s basketball game with Rutgers has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 1 at Pinnacle Bank Arena with tip-off set for 7 p.m. (CT).

The game with the Scarlet Knights had previously been set for Thursday, Jan. 20, but health and safety protocols within the Husker program caused the game’s postponement earlier this week.

The new game date and time were set through the cooperation of the Nebraska and Rutgers staffs through the coordination of the Big Ten Conference.

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.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X
    • LPX: 41-35
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X
    • LPX: 74-26

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL – v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena 
    • HC: 74-50
  • MENS BASKETBALL – v. Dakota Wesleyan @ Lynn Farrell Arena 
    • Dakota Wesleyan: 77-64

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