Tuesday Morning Sports – Winter Weather Affects Spring Sports Schedule, Bearcat Baseball Wins Over Papio-South, Bolt Sports Nightly Comments, McGowens Goes Pro, Local Sports Schedule Update

WINTER WEATHER POSTPONING SPRING SPORTS:

As winter weather makes its final push into spring, athletics for Kearney High have had to adjust their originally planned schedules for the day today. 

Kearney High Baseball was planning on continuing their winning streak to Papillion-LaVista this afternoon, instead the contest has been postponed to a date to be determined. 

Meanwhile the Bearcat Boys and Girls Soccer teams will take on North Platte on Thursday at home rather than this evening with game times set to the same times at 5:30 and 7:30 start times. 

KEARNEY BASEBALL RUN RULES PAPILLION-LaVISTA SOUTH, TUESDAY CONTEST POSTPONED

The Kearney High Bearcat baseball team dominated the Titans of Papillion-LaVista South Monday afternoon with a run-rule 11-1 win at Memorial Field. 

Riley Miller earned the win on the mound, pitching all 5 innings. Kearney now sits at 3-0 on the season. Their contest with Papillion-LaVista originally scheduled for Tuesday has been postponed due to winter weather. A makeup date has yet to be announced. 

NEBRASKA BASEBALL SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

BOLT – INCONSISTENT START FOR BIG RED BASEBALL

Head Coach for the Nebraska Baseball team Will Bolt joined Sports Nightly on Monday night and summarized the start for the Huskers in one word:

The Huskers will start Big Ten play later this weekend with a home series against Michigan starting on Friday.

BOLT – KNOW WHO CAN STEP UP

The Head Coach for the Nebraska baseball team Will Bolt spoke on Sports Nightly on Monday about how his team is beginning to get into a rhythm of who they can lean on for success later this season… 

The Huskers start Big Ten play on Friday against Michigan at home but can’t overlook South Dakota State in a home matchup on Wednesday.

BOLT – NOT IDEAL TO PUSH FRESHMEN EARLY

Will Bolt made his appearance on Sports Nightly Monday night and spoke about some of the struggles for the Husker Baseball Team has come from pushing too many young players in for experience… 

Bolt and his Huskers are looking to find a consistent hitting order before walking into Big Ten play with Michigan this weekend.

BRYCE MCGOWENS GOES PRO:

Nebraska freshman Bryce McGowens announced Monday morning that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft and will sign with an agent.

McGowens, who was named the Big Ten Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press, averaged a team-high 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media.

The 6-foot-7, 179-pound guard was ninth in the Big Ten in scoring this past season, while ranking among the conference leaders in free throws made (162, 1st), free throws attempted (195, sixth), free throw percentage (.831, third) and minutes played (33.3, 13th). His 16.8 scoring average ranks third among true freshmen nationally, as McGowens is one of five true freshmen averaging at least 15.0 points per game entering this week’s postseason action. He also ranks second among Big Ten freshmen in rebounding.

The 2022 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 23, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL TRANSFER NAMED TO US COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM:

USA Volleyball has announced players and staff on the 2022 U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team (WCNT), including incoming Nebraska volleyball transfer middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord. 

The team includes 38 of the country’s top collegiate women’s volleyball players and a coaching staff of seven, including three Olympic medal winners and two others with Olympic coaching experience. 

Hord announced her transfer from Penn State to Nebraska in January. Hord earned All-America recognition each of her four seasons at Penn State, including first-team honors in 2019, second-team accolades in 2021 and third-team recognition in 2020. She was an honorable-mention All-American as a freshman in 2018.

SWEET SIXTEEN SET AFTER UPSET RIDDLED ROUND OF 32:

The Sweet Sixteen has officially been set at the conclusion of the first two rounds of March Madness on Sunday night. Matchups include:

THURSDAY:

No. 1 Gonzaga v. No. 4 Arkansas

No. 2 Villanova v. No. 11 Michigan

No. 2 Duke v. No. 3 Texas Tech

No. 1 Arizona v. No. 5 Houston

FRIDAY:

No. 3 Purdue v. No. 15 Saint Peter’s

No. 1 Kansas v. No. 4 Providence

No. 4 UCLA v. No. 8 North Carolina

No. 10 Miami (FL) v. No. 11 Iowa State

Winners advance to the Elite Eight set for Saturday and Sunday. The Big Ten only has two schools remaining – Purdue and Michigan – after Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan State, and Wisconsin all fell on Sunday. 

TUESDAY SPORTS NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:

Tuesday’s Sports Nightly show will include a recap of the Nebraska Pro Day hosted today at the Nebraska Practice Facility. 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: v. Papillion-LaVista South
    • KHS 11-1
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ Lincoln Northeast – 6 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: v. Papillion-LaVista South
    • 11-1

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista
    • POSTPONED; Date TBA
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte
    • POSTPONED to Thursday, 3/24
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte 
    • POSTPONED to Thursday, 3/24
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ GICC – 4 PM
  • BASEBALL: @ Papillion-LaVista
    • POSTPONED; Date TBA
  • BOYS SOCCER: @ GINW
  • GIRLS SOCCER: @ GINW
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • T&F: Lincoln Northeast Relays (Girls Only)
  • GIRLS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 5:30 PM
  • BOYS SOCCER: v. North Platte – 7:30 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: v. Hastings – 4 PM
  • T&F: @ Minden Triangular – 4 PM
• UNK:
  • N/a
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
  • T&F: UNK Invite (Boys Only)
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • 11 AM v. Norris
    • 1:30 PM v. Lincoln Pius X
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: @ Lincoln Pius X Tournament
    • Time & Opponent TBA
• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK & FIELD: @ Emporia Relays – 3 PM
  • SOFTBALL: v. Fort Hays State @ Patriot Park – 1 PM, 3 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • MENS GOLF: @ Doane University Invite
  • MENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • WOMENS TENNIS: @ Mount Marty University
  • BASEBALL: v. Dordt University @ Duncan Field – 1 PM (Doubleheader)
  • SOFTBALL: v. Briarcliff – 1 PM (Doubleheader)