Wednesday Afternoon Sports – Kearney Boys Defend Home District Meet; Multiple Bearcats Earn State Qualifying Bids, Stars T&F Qualifies Five, Storm Shocked in Sweep, UNK Men’s Basketball Adds Division One Transfer, Husker Softball Set to Face Penn State in Big Ten Tourney, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BOYS DEFEND DISTRICT HOME MEET; MULTIPLE BEARCATS EARN STATE BIDS:

The Kearney boys track and field team held firm at Kearney High School on Tuesday, earning their A-1 District Title with a meet-high 138 points. 

The Kearney girls qualified 18 in districts, finishing third overall in the meet. 

Both boys and girls will head to Omaha next week for the State Track & Field meet at Burke Stadium. 

STARS T&F QUALIFY 5 ATHLETES FOR STATE MEET:

The Kearney Catholic Stars competed in the Broken Bow District Track & Field meet on Tuesday, qualifying five athletes to compete in various events at the state meet next week. 

Ashley Keck qualified in the Triple Jump as district champion, 300 hurdles, and the 4×4 relay. Margaret Haarberg has qualified in the 4×4 and High Jump; Kami Kaskie will compete in the 3200 meters; Garrett Schmaderer qualified in the Triple Jump; Payton Dzingle in the 200 and 4×4 relay; and Rosalyn Roggasch in the Long Jump and 4×4 relay. 

STORM FALL TO SIOUX CITY; END SEASON SWEPT IN WCF:

The Tri-City Storm’s season came to an end Tuesday night in a Western Conference Finals series loss to the Sioux City Musketeers. Tri-City dropped the third and final game of the series by a final score of 2-0 at the Tyson Events Center. The Storm finished the Clark Cup Playoffs with a 2-3-0 record after sweeping the Omaha Lancers in the Western Conference Semifinals round of the postseason.  

Tri-City outshot Sioux City 12-5 in Tuesday’s 1st period, and the 2nd period began in a scoreless tie. Grant Slukynsky netted the only goal of the 2nd period to give the Musketeers a one-goal lead. 

The Storm lifted goaltender Arsenii Sergeev for an extra attacker in the final minutes of Tuesday’s 3rd period. Tri-City was unable to tie the game, and the team surrendered an empty-net goal with less than one second remaining.

UNK MENS BASKETBALL ADDS DIVISION ONE TRANSFER:

Nebraska-Kearney head men’s basketball coach Kevin Lofton announced today that wing Skylar Wilson will suit up for the Lopers next season.

Wilson (6-7, 180 lbs.) joins forward Ryder Kirsch (6-7 forward/Rapid City, S.D.) and guard Jamison Gruber (6-1 guard/Council Bluffs, Ia.) as recent additions to the 2022-23 roster.

​The Colorado native took a redshirt season this past winter at Division I Portland (Oreg.) after prepping at Eaglecrest High in Centennial, Colo., and Southern California Academy. He helped the Eaglecrest Raptors make a pair of trips to the Sweet 16 of the Class 5A state tourney.

As a senior in 2019-20, Wilson earned second-team all-conference honors after averaging 10.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while knocking down 41 threes and making over half his two-point shots.

EIGHT HUSKERS HONORED BY BIG TEN SOFTBALL:

Freshman catcher Ava Bredwell was named the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year on Wednesday, when the conference announced its postseason awards. Bredwell was one of seven Huskers to earn recognition on an All-Big Ten team, tying Northwestern for the most selections in the league. 

Bredwell is the first Husker to receive conference Freshman of the Year honors since Ali Viola was named the 1995 Big Eight Freshman of the Year. Bredwell is only the third catcher to be named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year since the award began in 1985. Bredwell also earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team. 

In addition to Bredwell, Nebraska was well represented on the All-Big Ten first and second teams, in addition to the Big Ten All-Defensive team.

Abbie Squier (outfield) and Cam Ybarra (second base) were both named to the All-Big Ten first team. Earning second-team All-Big Ten honors were Mya Felder (first base), Billie Andrews (shortstop) and Olivia Ferrell (pitcher). This marks the first All-Big Ten honor for Squier, Ybarra, Felder and Ferrell while Andrews earned all-conference accolades for the second straight season. Nebraska’s five All-Big Ten selections marked its most since the 2014 Big Ten champion Husker had six players earn All-Big Ten recognition.

McGOWENS INVITED TO NBA COMBINE:

Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens earned an invitation to the Microsoft Surface NBA Draft Combine 2022 next week in Chicago.

McGowens is one of 76 players invited to the combine, which will take place May 18-22. He is the first Husker to participate in the event since Isaiah Roby in 2019, as McGowens will look to become the third Husker draft pick in the last four years.

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.

HUSKER SOFTBALL AWAITS BIG TEN TOURNAMENT:

The Nebraska softball team is set to travel to East Lansing, Mich., for the Big Ten Tournament this week, May 11-14. The Huskers go in as a No. 2 seed, receiving a bye for the first round of the tournament. NU will take on Penn State after the Nittany Lions downed Indiana on Wednesday morning. 

All tournament games will be broadcasted live on the Big Ten Network.

The Huskers go in to the tournament as the No. 2 seed, the highest-seed since NU claimed the regular-season title and a No. 1 seed during the 2014 season.

The Huskers have yet to face Penn State this season. The Nittany Lions are 13-10 in conference play with series wins against Purdue, Indiana and Rutgers.

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES:

TUESDAY RESULTS:

Miami Heat 120 – 85 Philadelphia 76ers (MIA 3-2)

Phoenix Suns 110 – 80 Dallas Mavericks (PHX 3-2)

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics (Tied 2-2)

Golden State Warriors @ Memphis Grizzlies (GSW 3-1)

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:

• • T&F: District Track @ Kearney High School
    • KHS Boys = A-1 District Title
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Varsity Dual v. GISH
    • KHS 5-4

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:

• • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Heartland Athletic Conference Tournament – 9 AM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Awarii Dunes Invite – 8:30 AM 

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Awarii Dunes Invite – 8:30 AM
  • GIRLS TENNIS: v. Gothenburg Dual – 4 PM

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:

• • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: State Tournament v. #1 Millard West – 10 AM
    • KGFW Pregame at 9:45 AM
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Norfolk Invite – 9 AM

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: State Tournament v. #1 Millard West – 10 AM
    • KGFW Pregame at 9:45 AM

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ Concordia Twilight Meet – 2 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:

• • M/W T&F: @ Concordia Twilight Meet – 2 PM

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: v. Loper Twilight Meet – 3 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:

• • M/W T&F: v. Loper Twilight Meet – 3 PM