Monday Morning Sports – High School Football Semifinals Set, State Volleyball Recap, Loper Football Wins Dramatic Senior Finale, Husker Volleyball Edges Northwestern, Husker Hoops Begin Season, Weekend Sports Recap

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL QUARTERFINAL RESULTS; SEMIFINALS SET:

Some seasons continued on Friday night, while others came to a heartbreaking finish in the quarterfinal round of the NSAA State Football playoffs. 

In Class A, top seed Omaha Westside will face Grand Island after the Islanders pushed past Millard South 28-10. Creighton Prep downed Elkhorn South and will face Gretna. 

Waverly will face Bennington in Class B, as Scottsbluff takes on Omaha Gross Catholic. 

In C1, Aurora and Boone Central have a rematch while Adams Central upset McCook and now faces Pierce. 

Class C2 has Battle Creek facing Cedar Catholic after both teams upset Hastings St. Cecilia and Malcolm, respectively. 

Into 8-Man where in Class D1 North Platte St. Pats will face Neligh-Oakdale and Stanton takes on Clarkson/Leigh. In D2 Howells-Dodge faces Central Valley as the Cougars took down BDS and Bloomfield will face Hitchcock County after dismantling Elm Creek 58-6. 

Finally, 6-Man saw state-favorite Potter-Dix fall to Pawnee City as they take on Arthur County. #1 SEM has a rematch set with Parkview Christian. 

Full game details and kickoff times can be found at the NSAA website. 

STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP:

The 2022 State Volleyball Champion field had several familiar faces and plenty of great battles for statewide supremacy on Saturday. 

Papillion-LaVista South edged past Westside in four sets for the Class A title. In Class B, Elkhorn North fell to Omaha Skutt Catholic, now earning their eighth consecutive state title. 

Class C1 crowned Grand Island Central Catholic over Gothenburg in a challenging four set match. North Bend Central fell to Minden in three sets as the Whippets claimed third place. 

In Class C2, Lincoln Lutheran won over Archbishop Bergan in a sweep. Amherst ended their season at fourth with a sweep loss to Oakland-Craig.

Class D1 had Cedar Catholic winning in a passionate five set battle over Norfolk Catholic. 

Finally, Class D2 had its own theatrics as Overton ended as state runner-up falling to Howells-Dodge in five sets. Shelton also earned third in D2 winning in four sets over Humphrey St. Francis. 

LOPER FOOTBALL OVERCOMES TURNOVERS, WINS ON LATE FIELD GOAL:

Super senior Junior Gonzalez hit a 28-yard field goal as time expired to lift Nebraska Kearney to a 20-18 win over Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

This was UNK’s home finale and “Senior Day” for 19 traditional and Super Seniors. The Lopers (7-3) keep their bowl game hopes alive while the Bronchos (5-5) drop a third straight game. These two teams will meet in Edmond next September to start the 2023 season.

UCO turned four UNK turnovers into nine points and controlled the second half to erase a 17-6 deficit. 

The Lopers close out the regular season next Saturday in Tahlequah, Okla., against Northeastern State (2-8). The RiverHawks fell today at Fort Hays State, 37-14.

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL RALLIES PAST NORTHWESTERN IN FIVE SETS:

The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team survived an upset bid from Northwestern with a 3-2 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Sunday afternoon. 

The Huskers (21-2, 13-1 Big Ten) dropped sets one and three and were down 23-21 in the fourth set. But the Huskers found a way to outscore Northwestern 19-6 from that point on to finish out the comeback win on the road. 

Whitney Lauenstein had 16 kills and seven blocks and hit .353 to lead the Huskers. Madi Kubik had 15 kills and eight digs, and Lindsay Krause tallied 14 kills and hit .379. 

The Huskers host Iowa on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. It is set to be Nebraska’s 300th consecutive regular-season sellout.

UNK WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SPLITS KANSAS CITY WEEKEND:

After downing Southern Nazarene 75-53 on Saturday morning, the UNK Women’s Basketball could not contain No. 6 West Texas A&M and sophomore guard Karley Motschenbacher – who added 21 points in a 59-53 Lady Buffs win. 

Senior Klaire Kirsch (12) and Kansas senior forward Elisa Backes (10) combined for 22 points as each made four field goals and grabbed seven rebounds as well.

UNK hosts Minnesota-Crookston (Saturday) and Southwest Minnesota State (Saturday) next weekend. Northwest Missouri State will be in attendance as well and plays the early contest each day. 

HUSKER FOOTBALL RECEIVES AFTERNOON KICKOFF FOR BIG HOUSE MATCHUP:

The Big Ten Conference has announced that Nebraska’s game at Michigan next Saturday will kick off at 2:30 central time (3:30 ET).  The game will be televised on ABC and carried on the Huskers Radio Network. 

Pregame on Saturday begins at 10:30 AM on KGFW and 1:45 PM on KQKY-HITS 106. 

LOPER VOLLEYBALL ENDS SEASON No. 2 IN MIAA; FACES GRIFFONS IN REMATCH:

The UNK Volleyball team ended their regular season with back-to-back home sweeps over Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern, dominating both conference teams to stay strong at 26-4 on the season.

UNK enters the conference tournament at No. 2, having lost the regular season title to Northwest Missouri State who cemented their first regular season MIAA title in school history last week. 

The Lopers head to St. Joseph for the MIAA tournament facing Missouri Western State on Thursday at noon. Missouri Western is the host of this year’s MIAA Tournament. UNK has taken 6 of the 7 sets played between the two on the season, including a 3-1 win on Sept. 23 in St. Joseph. 

HUSKER MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOOPS OPEN SEASON TODAY:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team tips off its 2022-23 regular season by taking on Omaha on today in Lincoln. Tip-off between the Huskers and Mavericks at Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for Noon. 

Nebraska enters 2022-23 ranked No. 22 in both Associated Press and USA Today/WBCA Top 25 preseason rankings, returning several All-Big Ten players and the reigning Freshman of the Year in Alexis Markowski.

Meanwhile, the Nebraska men’s basketball team tips off the 2022-23 season later in the evening against Maine. Tip off from Pinnacle Bank Arena between the Huskers and Black Bears is set for 7 p.m.

The Huskers, who begin their 127th season on Monday, went 1-1 during its two exhibition contests. NU defeated Chadron State 87-60 on Oct. 23 before falling at Colorado, 72-61, in a charity exhibition on Oct. 30.

KGFW will broadcast the Husker Men’s matchup with Maine with pregame beginning at 7 PM.

HUSKER FOOTBALL POSTGAME COMMENTS – MICKEY JOSEPH:

JOSEPH – DID NOT EXECUTE IN 2nd & 3rd QUARTERS:

Interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph addressed the media on Saturday after another Huskers defeat, and said he wants to see more execution in the middle quarters of the game… 

Nebraska led 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, as it is the first time in the PJ Fleck era that Minnesota has won a game down by double digits. The Huskers take on Michigan on Saturday in the Big House. 

JOSEPH – QUARTERBACK CHANGE GAVE BETTER CHANCE TO WIN:

Nebraska Interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph was asked what prompted the quarterback change from Chubba Purdy to Logan Smothers during the loss to Minnesota on Saturday…

Joseph added that he and offensive coordinator Mark Whipple made the call to switch quarterbacks, and that both were in agreement for the change. 

JOSEPH – WAS NOT COMFORTABLE PLAYING CASEY:

Interim Head Coach for Nebraska Mickey Joseph added in his postgame press conference after the loss to Minnesota that Casey Thompson could have gone, but elected to sit the regular starter for fear of further injury…

Nebraska has taken some of the most quarterback pressures and sacks so far this season, as Thompson was injured against Illinois but is hoping for a return this week against Michigan.

JOSEPH – MINNESOTA BACKUP GAVE TROUBLES TO DEFENSE:

Mickey Joseph, interim Head Coach for the Huskers, said in his postgame press conference his defense was prepared for Minnesota backup quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis… 

Kaliakmanis threw for 137 yards and ran for 27 more as his dual-threat ability churned out first downs throughout the second and third quarters. 

JOSEPH – WHIPPLE AND I ON SAME PAGE FOR QB CHANGE:

Mickey Joseph agreed with offensive coordinator Mark Whipple about the need to change at quarterback during the fourth quarter of the Nebraska/Minnesota contest…

Nebraska elected to switch to Logan Smothers for the final drive of the game, as the Alabama native led the Huskers on a crucial fourth down conversion but ultimately fell short in the 20-13 loss at Memorial Stadium.

NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:

SUNDAY:

New England Patriots 26-3 Indianapolis Colts

Detroit Lions 15-6 Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 Atlanta Falcons

New York Jets 20-17 Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings 20-17 Washington Commanders

Cincinnati Bengals 42-21 Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20 Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins 35-32 Chicago Bears

Seattle Seahawks 31-21 Arizona Cardinals

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16-13 Los Angeles Rams

Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 Tennessee Titans (OT)

MONDAY:

Baltimore Ravens @ New Orleans Saints – 7:15 PM

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

SATURDAY:

• UNK:
  • Women’s Swimming: @ UNK Invite @ Kearney High School
    • UNK = 1st of 3 (1,085 points)
  • M/W Cross Country: @ Joplin, MO
    • UNK MEN: 2nd (68 points)
    • UNK WOMEN: 2nd (67 points)
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Southern Nazarene @ Kansas City, MO
    • UNK 75-53 Southern Nazarene
  • Football: v. Central Oklahoma @ Ron & Carol Cope Stadium
    • UNK 20-18 UCO

SUNDAY:

• UNK:
  • Women’s Basketball: v. West Texas A&M @ Kansas City, MO
    • West Texas A&M 59-53 UNK

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Unified Bowling: McCook Varsity Dual @ Big Apple – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Maine (6 PM – 9:45 PM)

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Collegiate Signing Day @ Kearney High School – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • N/a
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Sports Nightly (6 PM – 8 PM)

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Volleyball: MIAA Tournament @ St. Joseph, MO – 12 PM
    • UNK v. Missouri Western State
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Omaha (6 PM – 9:45 PM)

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Minnesota-Crookston @ Health & Sports Center – 7 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Volleyball v. Iowa (5:30 PM – 8:45 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Unified Bowling: @ Grand Island Invite @ Westside Lanes – 1 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
  • Wrestling; @ Dakota Wesleyan Open, Mitchell, SD – 9 AM
  • Football: @ Northeastern State, Tahlequah, OK – 2 PM
  • Women’s Basketball v. Southwest Minnesota St. @ Health & Sports Center – 4 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Football @ Michigan (10:30 AM – 9:30 PM) – KGFW
  • Nebraska Football @ Michigan (1:45 PM – 7:45 PM) – KQKY-HITS 106

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • Swimming: @ Eagle Invitational, Oklahoma City, OK – 10 AM/6 PM
  • Wrestling: v. Chadron State @ Health & Sports Center – 12 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Volleyball @ Ohio State (3 PM – 6:15 PM)