Friday Afternoon Sports – Kearney Girls Basketball Heads to Bellevue East for District Championship, Nebraska Volleyball Day Hosts Lopers, Mavericks, Wildcats, and Huskers, Nebraska Baseball Begins South Alabama Series, Storm Host Sioux City, Stars Drop Sub-District Final, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY HIGH GIRLS BASKETBALL HEADS TO BELLEVUE EAST FOR STATE TOURNAMENT BID:

The Kearney High Girls Basketball team takes their longest trip of the year to Bellevue East tonight for a chance to claim their spot in the Class A State Tournament as the Bearcats matchup with the Chieftains in the A-5 District Final. 

#2 Kearney obliterated #3 Papillion-LaVista South on Wednesday night at home, as the Chieftains handled #4 Omaha North 74-39.

KGFW’s pregame coverage begins at 6:30 PM with tip-off set for 6:45 from Bellevue East. Tune in to the broadcast with Austin Jacobsen on the call. 

Hear the Bearcats on 1340 KGFW, 96.1 FM, on the free KGFW mobile app, and online at KGFW.com.

MEMORIAL STADIUM TO HOST HUSKER, LOPER, MAVERICK, AND WILDCAT VOLLEYBALL IN AUGUST:

Volleyball Day in Nebraska is coming to Memorial Stadium this August.

The Nebraska volleyball program will host the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Stadium as part of a local doubleheader celebrating the impact of volleyball on the state of Nebraska. The University of Nebraska-Kearney will play Wayne State College in an exhibition match at 4:30 p.m. to start the event. Memorial Stadium gates will open at 3:30 p.m.

UNK and Wayne haven’t met on the volleyball court since the fall of 2015. This year, Division II teams cannot begin regular season play until Thursday, Aug. 31; both the Lopers and Wildcats are flying out of Nebraska on Aug. 31 to respective tournaments in Utah and Florida

Following the Nebraska-UNO match, a concert featuring a national recording artist will take place on a stage on the Memorial Stadium field. The musical artist will be announced at a later date. The Huskers’ Teraflex court will be positioned near the north end zone of Tom Osborne Field with the concert stage closer to midfield.

HUSKER BASEBALL TRAVELS TO SOUTH ALABAMA FOR WEEKEND SERIES:

Nebraska Baseball continues play this weekend with a three-game series at South Alabama in Mobile, Ala. First pitch of the series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on tonight  at Stanky Field.

The teams continue the series on Saturday, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch. 

This weekend’s series between the Huskers and Jaguars marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs.

The Big Red are 2-1 in the state. Nebraska lost its series opener in 2007 against the Crimson Tide with an 8-0 setback, before bouncing back with 4-3 and 6-5 wins to take the series against Alabama.

The Huskers are still seeking their first win on the year after starting 0-3-1 in their series at San Diego last week. 

STORM HOST SIOUX CITY FOR WEEKEND SERIES:

The Tri-City Storm is set to host the Sioux City Musketeers for back-to-back home games this weekend at the Viaero Center following last weekend’s road sweep of the Musketeers and the Sioux Falls Stampede.

Puck drop for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.

KEARNEY CATHOLIC BOYS DROP SUB-DISTRICT FINAL:

The #4 seed Kearney Catholic Stars scrapped in the C1-9 Sub-District Final, but ultimately fell short of the title and a district final bid falling to Adams Central 40-31 at Wood River High School. 

The Stars end their season at 10-15 overall, pulling off two wins in the sub-district tournament over #5 Gibbon and #1 Wood River to wrap up the year. 

NEBEKER’S BIG DAY NOT ENOUGH TO RALLY LOPERS:

Super senior forward Darrian Nebeker scored a career-high 30 points but Missouri Western State rallied past Nebraska Kearney, 83-78, Thursday night in St. Joseph.

This game was originally set for December but postponed due to COVID protocols with the Griffons program.

MWSU (12-15, 8-13) bounces back from a buzzer-beating loss to Newman Wednesday night, keeps its tourney hopes alive and splits the season series with the Lopers (5-22, 3-18). UNK has now suffered 12 setbacks by 10 points or less.

Nebeker (West Jordan, Utah) came in averaging just under 17 points a night, tied for first best in the MIAA

UNK finishes out the season Saturday afternoon against Fort Hays State (19-8, 14-7). The regionally-ranked Tigers rallied past the Lopers, 57-55, to take the first meeting earlier this year in Kansas.

ADAMS CENTRAL’S MULLIGAN STEPS DOWN AS FOOTBALL COACH:

After a nine year run as head coach of Adams Central football, Shawn Mulligan is stepping down, according to Patriots’ Activities Director Alan Frank.

Mulligan led the Patriots to a state championship berth in 2020, as well as two semifinals appearances in 2019 and 2022 (this past season). Defensive coordinator Josh Lewis has been chosen as Mulligan’s replacement effective immediately.

HUSKER SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO NEW MEXICO:

The Nebraska softball team (5-5) travels to Las Cruces, N.M., for the Troy Cox Classic this weekend, Feb. 24-26. The Huskers face four teams including No. 4 Oklahoma State while playing a total of five games. 

NU will open with No. 4 Oklahoma State (8-1) today. The game is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. (CT). This marks the second time the Huskers and the Cowgirls will meet this season. 

Following game one, Nebraska will face New Mexico State (5-4). First pitch will be at approximately 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the Big Red will take on CSU Bakersfield (2-8) at 5:30 p.m. (CT). Nebraska will take on New Mexico (3-5) following the completion of game at approximately 7:30 p.m. (CT).

The Huskers will finish the weekend on Sunday with a game against the Lobos at 10 a.m. (CT). 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
    • DIVING: Ben Knoell = 6th / Ian Hanson = 13th
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
    • DIVING: Ben Knoell = 6th / Ian Hanson = 13th
  • Boys Basketball: C1-9 SUBDISTRICT FINAL @ Wood River High School
    • #4 KCHS v. #3 Adams Central @ Wood River High School
      • #3 AC 40-31 #4 KCHS
• UNK:
  • Men’s Basketball: @ Missouri Western State @ St. Joseph, MO
    • MWSU 83-78 UNK

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • Softball: @ McPherson, KS
    • CANCELED
  • Softball: @ McPherson, KS
    • CANCELED

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Girls Basketball: A-5 DISTRICT FINAL
    • #2 Kearney @ #1 Bellevue East – 6:45 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
• UNK:
  • Softball: v. Sioux Falls @ Topeka, KS – 10 AM
  • Softball: v. Rockhurst @ Topeka, KS – 12 PM
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Barry, FL @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center – 5:30 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W Tennis: @ Metro @ Denver, CO – 2 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • DISTRICT FINAL: Kearney Girls Basketball @ Bellevue East (6:45 PM – 8:45 PM)

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Boys Basketball: A-2 DISTRICT SEMIFINAL
    • #2 Kearney High v. #3 Lincoln Pius X @ Kearney High School – 7 PM
      • KGFW Pregame at 6:45 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • Swimming & Diving: State Championships @ Bob Devaney Sports Center
  • Boys Basketball: District Final
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. Hawaii Pacific OR Indianapolis @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center
  • Wrestling: @ NCAA Super Region VI @ Chadron State – 10 AM
  • Softball: v. Missouri-St. Louis @ Topeka, KS – 11:30 AM
  • Women’s Basketball: v. Fort Hays State – 2 PM
  • Men’s Basketball: v. Fort Hays State – 4 PM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE: 
  • Women’s Wrestling: @ KCAC Championships, York, NE – 9 AM
  • M/W Bowling: @ NAIA National Qualifier @ Belton, MO – 10 AM
  • M/W Tennis: @ CSU Pueblo, Pueblo, CO – 12 PM
  • Softball: @ Sterling – 1 PM
  • Softball: @ Sterling – 3 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa, OK – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Men’s Basketball v. Minnesota (1:30 PM – 5:15 PM)
  • DISTRICTS: Kearney Boys Basketball v. Lincoln Pius X (6:45 PM – 8:45 PM)

SUNDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a
• UNK:
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships @ Pittsburg, KS
  • Women’s Tennis: v. TBD @ Ernest Grundy Tennis Center
  • Softball: v. St. Cloud State @ Topeka, KS – 9:30 AM
  • Softball: v. Minnesota Crookston @ Topeka, KS – 11:30 AM
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W Bowling: @ NAIA National Qualifier @ Belton, MO – 10 AM
  • Softball: @ Friends, KS @ Wichita, KS – 12 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa OK – 12 PM
  • Softball: @ Friends, KS @ Wichita, KS – 2 PM
  • Baseball: v. Peru State @ Tulsa, OK – 3 PM
• KGFW Sports Schedule:
  • Nebraska Women’s Basketball v. Northwestern (12:45 PM – 4 PM)