KEARNEY – The Bearcat girls basketball team began a new era with a gritty victory over the Omaha Marian Crusaders on Thursday night, earning their new head coach JD Carson his first win on his career with a 45-39 slugfest victory at Kearney High School. Click here to listen to the broadcast replay.
Carson entered the season as the new leader of the Bearcat clubhouse, having been an assistant for numerous years while also manning the coaching duties for the KHS Boys and Girls Golf teams. The Bearcats would have a slightly new look entering the season as well, with graduated seniors Kierstynn Garner and Kaleigh Hatcher leaving noticeable voids on the roster. Returning starters Tatum Rusher, Haidyn Skeen, Kennidy Garner, Maddy Province, and others looked to pick up right where Kearney ended their previous season trend.
Meanwhile, Head Coach Tom Tvrdy’s Marian squad was in the second year of their Tvrdy experience having went 8-14 the previous season. They entered the evening with more questions about their roster, including how key player McKenna Stover would perform after averaging nearly 10 points per game the prior year.
The game began with an early lead by Marian after the Crusaders found their identity early: play tight, tough defense and force the ball to 6’3 junior Maggie Tynan inside. Tynan got her work early, scoring the opening bucket while Kearney looked to get in rhythm offensively. Despite the slow start, a strong bench by the Bearcats appeared with Addie Helmbrecht and Kiara Dutenhoffer both adding in offensive life with a three point play and four points respectively.
Kiara Dutenhoffer // Corbey Dorsey Photography
Marian’s Zoe Wiegert would add a triple in the opening minutes, as Kearney and the Crusaders would end the first quarter tied at 8.
Entering the second, the grudge match continued as Kearney’s Rusher continued to work for offensive success but drew up empty with some added free throws. Marian leaned heavily on their post, as Tynan continued her lunch-pail day with eight points by herself in the second. Stover also added a runner in the quarter, but Kearney had five different players contribute in the second to take a 21-19 lead into halftime.
One of those contributors – Kelsey Hatcher – begun to spring to life later in the contest as Marian’s defense would stiffen up in the third. Kearney could only muster eight points in the quarter after giving up a three pointer to start the second half, surrendering the halftime lead. Marian would knock down three triples in the quarter to enter the final quarter up 32-29.
Maddy Province // Corbey Dorsey Photography
As previously mentioned, Hatcher found her work outside and knocked down a triple in the fourth quarter to begin the Kearney onslaught. Kennidy Garner added her own triple, and knocked down five consecutive free throws to score all her eight points in the fourth quarter. The Crusaders could not keep their tight defense in line, as they were outscored 16-7 in the final quarter and lost 45-39 at Kearney High School.
The Bearcats improved to 1-0 prior to taking on Millard South on Saturday at Marian to conclude the early season tournament. Kearney had contributions from Hatcher with 11 points, Garner finished with 8, Dutenhoffer ended with 7, Maddy Province had 6, Haidyn Skeen and Rusher had 4 each, while Helmbrecht concluded with 3.
