Terry Douglass, Central Nebraska Today
GRAND ISLAND — Grand Island Central Catholic is headed to state for the first time in four years after posting a 47-42 home-court victory over Elkhorn Mount Michael Benedictine Monday night in the Class C-1, District 6 final.
The No. 6-rated (NebPreps coaches’ poll) Crusaders earned the 22nd state-tournament berth in program history. GICC last qualified in 2022 when it finished as the Class C-2 state runner-up and will be seeking its first state title in Lincoln since winning Class C-2 in 2021 under head coach Tino Martinez.
Braylon Wolfe was stellar for the Crusaders (22-5), scoring a game-high 22 points. The 5-foot-8 junior guard had 12 first-half points, but was particularly clutch in the final 12 minutes. Wolfe twice beat the shot clock — with a 3-pointer in the third quarter and a driving basket inside in the fourth — and also converted a driving layup to beat the third-quarter buzzer.
Connor Haney and Brandon Cloud added seven points apiece for Central Catholic. Haney scored on a driving layup with one second left before the intermission, giving the Crusaders a 27-15 halftime lead, equalling their largest advantage.
Jack Burke and Connor Sall scored 12 points apiece for Mount Michael (16-9), which beat GICC 54-46 at home on Jan. 2. The Knights, who rallied from behind in the first meeting between the two teams, appeared to have designs on another comeback Monday night.
Mount Michael sliced the Crusaders’ lead to two points twice in the fourth quarter, the first time coming on three free throws by Sall 46 seconds into the final frame. Later, Miles Wewel’s driving basket pulled the Knights to within 40-38 with 2:35 to play.
Cloud scored inside on a feed from Haney to put GICC in front 42-38 with 1:24 remaining. The Crusaders converted 5 of 8 free-throw attempts in the final 38.1 seconds to keep Mount Michael at bay.
GICC 47, Elkhorn Mount Michael 42
Mount Michael (16-9)……….9 6 14 13—42
GICC (22-5)…………………….14 13 7 13—47
MOUNT MICHAEL—Noah Stricklett 5, Jack Burke 12, Connor Sall 12, Paxton Theis 5, Miles Wewel 8.
GICC—Braylon Wolfe 22, Jack Alberts 3, Thomas Birch 4, Connor Haney 7, Isaac Urbanski 4, Brandon Cloud 7.
