Friday Morning Sports – Raiola Comments on Huskers Pipeline, Kearney Ready to Host Juniors State Tournament, Husker Women to Face Omaha in Season Ope

DONOVAN RAIOLA SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

RAIOLA – INJURED LINEMEN CONTINUED TO BE INVOLVED:

Offensive line coach for the Huskers Donovan Raiola spoke on Sports Nightly Thursday night and was asked how Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran continued to aid Nebraska despite their spring injuries limiting them this off-season… 

Both Prochazka and Corcoran are on track to make their return for the opening game of the season against Northwestern in Ireland on August 27. Both are also projected to start for the Husker Pipeline. 

RAIOLA – OTHER GUYS CONTINUED TO STEP UP IN SPRING:

Offensive line coach for Nebraska Football Donovan Raiola spoke on Sports Nightly Thursday night and mentioned how lingering injuries to Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran aided other players’ further development… 

The Huskers are set with younger pieces ready to step up including Henry Lutovsky, Broc Brando, and returning starter Bryce Benhart. 

RAIOLA – HIXON LOOKS TO LOCK IN AT CENTER:

Cam Jurgens started at center the past two seasons for Nebraska, but with the second round pick now out of rotation for the Huskers the void seems to be filled by a former walk-on and sixth year senior Trent Hixon says offensive line coach Donovan Raiola… 

Ethan Piper and Ian Boerkircher have also tried out for the role, with a starter likely to be named heading into Week 0 against Northwestern.

RAIOLA – TEDDY PROCHAZKA READY TO ROLL FOR 2023:

The best news of the day for the Huskers offensive line came when coach Donovan Raiola spoke on Sports Nightly Thursday night saying that returning sophomore Teddy Prochazka seems eager and ready to roll for fall camp… 

Prochazka was a key cog in the rotation for the Huskers last season before earning his starting role in the Northwestern contest at left tackle. His season would come to an end the following week at Michigan with an ACL tear. 

KEARNEY READY TO HOST JUNIOR DISTRICT BASEBALL:

Kearney is ready to host the Junior State Legion Baseball tournament at Memorial Field, kicking off Saturday with the first round of action. 

All games will be played at Memorial Field with the first game coming Saturday at 11:30 AM between Papillion South and Lincoln Southwest, followed by Game 2 at 2 PM with Millard South and Grand Island, then Game 3 with Millard North and Creighton Prep, and finally concluding with the night cap contest at 7 PM with Kearney and Norfolk. 

KGFW will provide coverage of the Kearney POST 52 Juniors all tournament long, with pregame of the Kearney/Norfolk matchup beginning at 6:45 PM with first pitch at 7 PM. 

Hear Post 52 baseball on 1340 AM, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com. 

HUSKER WOMEN SET TO OPEN SEASON WITH OMAHA:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team will tip off its 2022-23 regular-season schedule by taking on Omaha at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 7.

The game between the Huskers and the Mavs is expected to tip off at Noon following the Nebraska Life Skills Sportsmanship Pep Rally at Pinnacle Bank Arena earlier in the day

The contest will mark the first regular-season meeting between Nebraska and Omaha since a 66-58 Husker victory over the Mavs at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Nov. 22, 2016, which marked Coach Amy Williams’ fourth game as Nebraska’s head coach.

TOMINAGA SCORES 33 FOR JAPAN IN LOSS TO AUSTRALIA:

Husker junior guard Keisei Tominaga put on a shooting display, but it was not enough as a short-handed Japan team lost to Australia, 99-85, in the quarterfinals of the Asia Cup on Wednesday.  

Tominaga came off the bench to lead all scorers with 33 points on 12-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range and added five rebounds.  It was his third double-figure game in five contests at the Asia Cup

BARRETT RUUD – SPORTS NIGHTLY COMMENTS:

RUUD – NICK HENRICH AND LUKE REIMERS READY TO DOMINATE AGAIN:

Returning starters for the Blackshirts last season, Nick Henrich and Luke Reimer are ready to make another big splash at their linebacker spots. Linebackers coach Barrett Ruud adds that he feels his two stars are putting in the work to get better… 

The Huskers defense will rely on the savvy experience at linebacker as new faces will appear on the defensive line and defensive backfield.

RUUD – CLEMENTS AND HAUSMANN BENEFITTED FROM SPRING INJURIES:

Linebackers coach for the Huskers Barrett Ruud joined the Sports Nightly desk Wednesday night and stated that due to injuries in the spring, some players stepped up and earned valuable reps to get better; including third year linebacker Etava Clements…

Clements has seen some time in reserve action and special teams the past three seasons and aims to be a main rotation piece for the Blackshirts this fall. 

RUUD – HAUSMANN CONTINUES TREND TOWARDS PLAYING TIME:

Linebackers coach for the Nebraska Football team Barrett Ruud joined Sports Nightly Wednesday night and heaped high praise on talented Columbus freshman Ernest Hausmann. Hausmann joined the Huskers in January with an early graduation, and the time spent in Lincoln seems to have paid off… 

Hausmann was a machine at Columbus, racking up 190 total tackles in three years of varsity play as a Discoverer. 

MURRAY AGREES TO MEGA-EXTENSION WITH ARIZONA:

The drama is over and the decision is in: Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals have made a long-term commitment to each other with a new contract that would keep the quarterback in the desert through the 2028 season.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection was taken with the No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma after he won the Heisman Trophy and has largely delivered in his quest to make the Cardinals a better franchise.

The team announced the new contract on Thursday. ESPN reported that the contract could be worth $230.5 million, with $160 million guaranteed.

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

FRIDAY:

• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • POST 52: Juniors State Tournament @ Kearney (Memorial Field)
    • POST 52 v. Norfolk – 7 PM @ Memorial Field
      • Pregame at 6:45 PM on KGFW

SUNDAY:

• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • POST 52: Juniors State Tournament @ Kearney (Memorial Field)
    • POST 52 v. TBA