HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEMIFINAL RESULTS; STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS SET:
State Football Championship matchups have been set for all classes at the conclusion of the semifinal round on Friday night across the state of Nebraska.
In Class A, Omaha Westside dominated Grand Island and sets up a rematch of the 2021 championship as Gretna outmatched Creighton Prep.
Class B had Bennington control Waverly, while Omaha Gross Catholic used a late pick-six to seal a win over Scottsbluff.
C1 Has the top two seeds facing off as Aurora will battle Pierce.
Class C2 sees a Cinderella story approaching with #12 Cedar Catholic upsetting Battle Creek and faces #3 Norfolk Catholic.
In 8-Man, Class D1 matches up Neligh-Oakdale and Clarkson/Leigh. Class D2 has Howells-Dodge and Hitchcock County facing off after dominating semifinal round wins.
Finally in the 6-Man championship in Kearney next Friday Parkview Christian landed a spot winning in a revenge game against SEM, while Pawnee City continues their unlikely run taking down Pawnee City.
LOPER FOOTBALL DOMINATES RIVERHAWKS IN FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME:
The Nebraska Kearney football team ran for 357 yards, got a pick six from a defensive end and forced seven punts to blank Northeastern State, 42-0, Saturday afternoon in Tahlequah, Okla.
This was the regular season finale for both. UNK (8-3) could be selected for one of two bowl games on Saturday, Dec 3rd.
The two bowl games the Lopers could be invited to are the Farmers Bank & Trust Live United Bowl in Texarkana, Ark., and the Heritage Bowl in Corsicana, Texas. UNK played in the Mineral Water Bowl (Excelsior Springs, Mo.) in 2019 but that game is no longer played.
UNK VOLLEYBALL DROPS MIAA TOURNAMENT TITLE; PLACED IN….
Sophomore outside Jalyn Stevenson had 17 kills and 18 digs and redshirt freshman middle Austin Broadie had a match-high 18 kills to help 20th-ranked Washburn beat 12th-ranked Nebraska Kearney in the MIAA Tournament Championship Saturday night in St. Joseph, Mo.
Sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble to start the week, the fifth-seeded Ichabods (24-7) received the MIAA’s auto berth by knocking off the fourth-seed (Central Oklahoma), top seed (Northwest Missouri) and the Lopers. This marks WU’s first-ever MIAA tourney crown.
On Sunday, UNK heard it was selected to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament as the Lopers will face 3rd ranked Concordia St. Paul in the first round of the Central Regional this weekend in Wayne.
The Lopers (28-5) were ranked fifth in the most recent region rankings but fell two spots to the seventh seed, despite reaching the MIAA Tournament finals.
HUSKER VOLLEYBALL CAN’T SHAKE SLOW START IN COLUMBUS:
The No. 4 Nebraska volleyball team dropped a 3-1 match at No. 6 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon at the Covelli Center.
The Buckeyes won the first two sets, 31-29 and 25-21, before the Huskers got on the board with a 28-26 win in set three. But Ohio State finished off the match with a 25-16 win in the fourth and final set.
Ally Batenhorst tied her career high with 15 kills to lead the Huskers (22-3, 13-2 Big Ten). Madi Kubik had 14 kills and 10 digs, and Whitney Lauenstein also hit double figures with 12 kills.
The Huskers play at Iowa on Friday at 6 p.m.
LOPER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DOWNS SW MINNESOTA STATE IN HSC:
Redshirt junior forward Shiloh McCool tallied a game-high 17 points and Nebraska Kearney used a big second half to beat Southwest Minnesota State, 67-57, Saturday evening at the Health & Sports Center.
The game was part of a MIAA/NSIC “Crossover” Tournament with Northwest Missouri State downing Minnesota Crookston, 70-58, in the early game. Both UNK and Northwest went 2-0 on the weekend.
It was a bit of déjà vu early on for the Lopers as the Mustangs shot out of the gates to the tune of 22-9. Last year in Maryville, a more veteran SMSU squad beat UNK, 76-66, as part of a 7-2 start.
UNK trailed by 11 early in the second quarter and by seven, 34-27, at the break. A 13-5 third quarter closing run gave the Lopers the lead for good and made the score 45-44.
The Lopers head to Chadron State (Thurs.) and Colorado School of Mines (Sat.) next week.
UNK MEN’S BASKETBALL HITS MULTIPLE TRIPLES IN LOSS AT UMD:
Four starters scored in double figures to help the 7th-ranked Minnesota-Duluth edge Nebraska Kearney, 78-72, Saturday evening in Duluth.
The game was part of the annual American Family Insurance Classic.
UMD, which returns the majority of its roster from a 2022 squad that won 26 games and reached the NCAAs, needed to rally past a Loper squad that was again hot from behind the arc. After sinking 15 of 33 bombs Friday vs. Bemidji State, UNK went 12 of 29 today. The makes came from seven different players with Colorado sophomore guard Sean Evans (5 of 8) having the hottest hand.
UNK hosts NAIA Manhattan Christian (3-2) on Tuesday night.
LOPER WRESTLING DOWNS CHADRON STATE IN HOME DUAL:
The top-ranked Nebraska Kearney wrestling team won the last five weight classes to get past Chadron State, 24-13, Sunday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.
This was the opening weekend for the Lopers as they took part in the Dakota Wesleyan Open in Mitchell, S.D. on Saturday.
UNK hosts the annual Younes Hospitality Open next Saturday at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.
#1 UNK 24, Chadron State 18
125 lbs. – Quade Smith wins by major decision over Hector Serratos (8-0)
133 lbs. – Quentrevion Campbell wins by fall over Jordan Kelber (4:17)
141 lbs. – #3 Nick James wins by decision over Ethan Leake (9-3)
149 lbs. – John Burger wins by major decision over Brandon Paredes (9-0)
157 lbs. – Luke Goncalves wins by decision over Tyler Collins (9-6)
165 lbs. – Kaden Hart wins by decision over Javen Palmer (2-0)
174 lbs. – #2 Austin Eldredge wins by tech fall over Rowdy Pfeil (17-2; 3:30)
184 lbs. – #1 Billy Higgins wins by decision over Keegan Gehlhausen (10-8)
197 lbs. – #5 Hayden Prince wins by decision over Eli Hinojosa (4-2)
285 lbs. – Crew Howard wins by decision over Mason Watt (2-1)
STORM DROP CONTEST TO WATERLOO:
The Tri-City Storm dropped a road contest to the Waterloo Black Hawks by a final score of 5-1 Saturday night at Young Arena.
Tanner Adams netted the Storm’s only goal in the loss. Tri-City has dropped three consecutive games, and will return home to the Viaero Center to host the Des Moines Buccaneers in back-to-back games next weekend.
HUSKER FOOTBALL POSTGAME COMMENTS – MICKEY JOSEPH:
JOSEPH – SMOTHERS PLAYING THROUGH INJURY:
Interim Head Coach for the Nebraska Football team Mickey Joseph addressed the media after Saturday’s loss to Michigan and spoke on Logan Smothers lack of early playing time with the offense’s struggles…
Nebraska inserted Smothers after Chubba Purdy suffered a high ankle sprain during a scramble. The Huskers face Wisconsin at 11 AM on Saturday to close out Memorial Stadium.
JOSEPH – LEANING ON RUN GAME WITH SMOTHERS:
Mickey Joseph was asked in his postgame press conference at Michigan what the adjustment between Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers at quarterback is offensively…
Nebraska turned to Smothers after an injury to Purdy. The starting quarterback is a question mark for the Huskers heading into this week’s matchup against Wisconsin.
JOSEPH – MICHIGAN IS VERY GOOD IN THE TRENCHES:
Mickey Joseph gave high praise to the Michigan Wolverines, explaining their most dominant traits from Saturday’s matchup in the Big House…
Nebraska was pushed around all day, as the majority of Michigan’s rushing yards were garnered running up the middle of the Husker defense.
JOSEPH – OFFENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS WITHOUT WHIPPLE:
Nebraska interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph was nearly without offensive coordinator Mark Whipple after a nasty collision in the first half left Whipple struggling to stand. Joseph addressed the offensive adjustments made by the staff in his postgame comments….
Whipple was able to continue play calling assignments from the press box for the second half.
JOSEPH – HUSKERS MUST RECRUIT BETTER TO COMPETE:
Nebraska interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph addressed the media after the loss at Michigan and gave a simple answer to how Nebraska can get back to competing with other Big Ten teams…
Nebraska hosts Wisconsin on Saturday at 11 AM.
NFL SCORES/SCHEDULES:
SUNDAY:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-16 Seattle Seahawks
Detroit Lions 31-30 Chicago Bears
Miami Dolphins 39-17 Cleveland Browns
Tennessee Titans 17-10 Denver Broncos
Minnesota Vikings 33-30 Buffalo Bills (OT)
New York Giants 24-16 Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs 27-17 Jacksonville Jaguars
Pittsburgh Steelers 20-10 New Orleans Saints
Indianapolis Colts 25-20 Las Vegas Raiders
Arizona Cardinals 27-17 Los Angeles Rams
Green Bay Packers 31-28 Dallas Cowboys (OT)
San Francisco 49ers 22-16 Los Angeles Chargers
MONDAY:
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles – 7:15 PM
Local Results & Schedules:
THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:
SATURDAY:
- UNK:
- Football: @ Northeastern State, Tahlequah, OK
- UNK 42-0
- Women’s Basketball v. Southwest Minnesota St. @ Health & Sports Center
- UNK 67-57
- Men’s Basketball @ Minnesota-Duluth
- UMD 78-72
- Football: @ Northeastern State, Tahlequah, OK
SUNDAY:
- UNK:
- Wrestling: v. Chadron State @ Health & Sports Center
- UNK 24-13
- Wrestling: v. Chadron State @ Health & Sports Center
