Wednesday Afternoon Sports – Kearney Baseball Placed #2 in A-6 District Tourney, Rogers Departs Huskers for Ducks, Storm Set for Western Conference Finals Clash, Kearney Boys Soccer Battles Omaha Westside, Local Sports Schedule

KEARNEY BASEBALL SEEDED #2 IN A-6 DISTRICT TOURNEY:

The Kearney Baseball team knows when and where they will be heading to battle for a chance to punch their ticket to the state tournament. The Bearcats finished the regular season as the #7 team overall in Class A powerpoints, delegating them to the A-6 District as a #2 seed. 

Kearney will face #3 Lincoln North Star on Saturday, May 7 at 1:30 PM from Lincoln’s Sherman Field in the A-6 District semifinal. If the Bearcats win, they will take on the winner of the Lincoln Southeast and Columbus or Omaha Benson contest on Saturday morning. 

Pregame on KGFW will begin at 1:30 PM. 

ROGERS DEPARTS HUSKERS FOR DUCKS:

Casey Rogers, former Nebraska defensive lineman, entered the transfer portal two weeks ago and has announced he is heading to the Northwest to join the Oregon Ducks. 

Some familiar faces will greet the former Husker when he arrives in Eugene. Tony Tuioti, who coached Nebraska’s defensive linemen from 2019 to 2021, took over in December at Oregon in the same role. Also, Jordon Riley, a reserve defensive lineman on last season’s Husker team, in January announced his transfer to the Ducks.

Rogers was expected to be one of Nebraska’s stalwarts on the defensive interior alongside Ty Robinson this fall.

STORM FACE SIOUX CITY IN WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:

With the conclusion of the conference semifinal rounds in the Clark Cup playoffs, two teams remain in the Western Conference as the Anderson Cup winning Tri-City Storm will welcome the #2 seed Sioux City for a Western Conference Finals matchup beginning on Friday at the Viaero Center. 

Tri-City advanced after sweeping the Omaha Lancers in two games while the Musketeers bested the #6 seed Waterloo in a three game series. 

The best of 5 series begins on Friday, May 6 with puck drop at 7:05 PM at the Viaero Center in Kearney. The Storm’s first road contest will be Tuesday, May 10 in Sioux City. 

SCHEIERMAN SELECTS BLUEJAYS OVER HUSKERS, OTHERS:

South Dakota State transfer Baylor Scheierman, arguably the best available player in the portal, committed to Creighton on Tuesday.

Scheierman, an Aurora native, chose the Bluejays over Nebraska, Clemson, Arkansas and Duke.

Scheierman was quoted as selecting Creighton for their unselfish team play, and he felt he fit best in their system.

Scheierman won Summit League Player of the Year honors this past season after averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists and shooting 46.9% from 3-point range last season with the Jackrabbits. 

HUSKERS RECEIVE MORE DEFENSIVE LINE HELP FROM PORTAL:

Nebraska took to the transfer portal in search of help along the trenches, and Big Red found it on Tuesday with Devin Drew. Drew, who entered the portal in early February after spending the past two seasons at Texas Tech, committed to the Huskers.

At 6-foot-2 and 280 pounds, Drew provides not just a big body the Huskers sorely need but also experience playing Power Five football, which is something that Nebraska’s young interior linemen outside of projected starter Ty Robinson lack. Drew was a steady contributor to the Red Raiders’ defensive front in 2020 and 2021, racking up a combined 55 tackles and .5 tackles for loss.

Prior to his time in Lubbock, Texas, Drew played two seasons at nearby Iowa Western Community College, where he earned first-team National Junior College Athletic Association All-America honors in 2019. In 2018 and 2019 the Kansas City native recorded a combined 97 tackles, 23.5 stops for a loss and 14.5 sacks. His 2019 season was dominant as he had 9.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

NBA PLAYOFFS SCORES:

TUESDAY RESULTS:

Boston Celtics 109 – 89 Milwaukee Bucks (Tied 1-1)

Memphis Grizzlies 106 – 101 Golden State Warriors (Tied 1-1)

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE:

Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat – 6 PM (MIA 1-0)

Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns – 9 PM (PHX 1-0)

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Papillion-LaVista Invite
    • KHS = 2nd out of 12 teams
      • Olivia Flood – 2nd in #1 Singles
      • Emma Heacock – 2nd in #2 Singles
      • Paige Moffett/Emilee Anderson – Champions #2 Doubles
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS SOCCER: DISTRICT SOCCER @ Northwest
    • Hastings 1-0
  • BOYS SOCCER: DISTRICT SOCCER @ Northwest
    • Hastings 1-0

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BOYS SOCCER: A-6 District Final @ Omaha Westside – 6 PM
• UNK:
  • WOMENS GOLF: @ NCAA Central Regional
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament v. UCO

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Lincoln Southeast/Northeast Triangular – 1 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Kearney Catholic Invite – 9 AM
  • T&F: @ Cozad Invite – 4 PM
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament – TBD
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • BASEBALL: District Baseball – TBD
  • GIRLS TENNIS: Dual v. Norfolk @ Harmon Park – 4 PM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • BASEBALL: District Baseball – TBD
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament – TBD
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ GPAC Championships @ Doane

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • DISTRICT BASEBALL: TBA
  • GIRLS TENNIS: @ Lincoln Invite – 8:30 AM
• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • DISTRICT BASEBALL: TBA
  • BOYS SOCCER: District Final – TBA
  • GIRLS SOCCER: District Final – TBA
  • BOYS GOLF: @ Centennial Conference – 10 AM
• UNK:
  • SOFTBALL: @ MIAA Tournament – TBD
  • M/W T&F: @ MIAA Championships
• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W T&F: @ GPAC Championships @ Doane