Winter sports, as hard as it is to believe, is coming to crunch time for teams across the state of Nebraska, and certainly for our three schools in Clay County. Wrestling districts are this weekend, while girls sub-district tournaments begin next Monday and Tuesday.
But this week, before I continue on with the “end is near” talk about the winter sports season, I have to pinpoint an amazing feat by the Sandy Creek boys basketball team, as the Cougars captured their first Southern Nebraska Conference basketball tournament title since 2002 with a 33-28 win over Centennial, on the Broncos home court, nonetheless!
Coach Wiseman and his staff, along with their players have dealt with a lot, while trudging through the season. Injuries have plagued the Cougars, cold shooting at times has hampered Sandy Creek, but one thing you will always know about the Sandy Creek crew.... their defense is tenacious, and even at times, impossible to deal with, especially when you have a host of players standing like a tree over the top of their opponents.
Saturday night’s SNC win proved the tenacity of the mantra of Sandy Creek’s boys athletics right now. Point blank, these kids don’t like to lose, and when they do, they go to work that much harder.
After just one loss this past football season, in the Class D-1 state semifinals, and just four losses this basketball season, that alone proves a point, that these young men work their tails off, and continue to build on their culture, not just in sports, but as the young men that they are, and continue to grow with each day in practice, and each game.
Some players may not see the court often, but they put in the hard work during practice, because it shows, when you watch the guys on the court during games, after being pressed hard during practice sessions.
The 2024 Southern Nebraska Conference tournament title is a complete team effort, because as just a simple observer during games, you can tell that Sandy Creek doesn’t just show up for games. When they “clock in” for practice, they go all out.
A hearty congratulations fella’s, that was a fun win to watch, but there’s still work left to do. Take care of business each day in practice, and take each game one game at a time.
Speaking of work left to do. Sutton and Sandy Creek’s wrestling teams head to Weeping Water High School this Friday and Saturday to take the first step in punching a possible ticket to the 2024 Nebraska State High School wrestling championships, while Harvard heads to Shelby-Rising City for district meet action.
Good luck to the Mustang, Cougar, and Cardinal grapplers as you work your tails off to reach the pinnacle of any wrestling season, a trip to Omaha.
Girls sub-districts are slated to get started next Monday for Sandy Creek and Harvard.
The Cougars will head to Roseland for action in the D1-3 Sub-District Tournament at Silver Lake High School, the likely top-seed in the tournament. If my projections are correct, the Cougars will take on Blue Hill during Monday night’s opening round game.
Harvard is projected to head to Grand Island, and more specifically, Heartland Lutheran High School for the D2-4 Sub-District Tournament, where they most likely will take on the Giltner Hornets next Monday night.
Sutton’s post-season run won’t begin until next Tuesday night, as I have them going into the C2-9 tournament as the second seed, with Wood River waiting in the dark for the Fillies. This sub-district tournament will be hosted by top-seeded Hastings St. Cecilia.
A down the road projection I have made is that both Sandy Creek and Sutton’s boys will host their respective sub-district tournaments, which run Feb. 19, 20, and 22 for Sandy Creek and Harvard, and Feb. 20 and 22 for Sutton.
The Cougars will host the C2-2 tournament, hosting EMF, Heartland, Superior, and Thayer Central. As the number one seed in the tournament, the Cougars will take on the winner of the Heartland/Superior first-round game on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Sutton will host the D1-3 tournament with Blue Hill, Kenesaw, and Nebraska Christian coming to the Sutton Dome for action. Sutton’s first round game is likely to be against Nebraska Christian on Tuesday, Feb. 20, with Blue Hill and Kenesaw battling it out in the other first round game.
Harvard, it appears to me, is likely headed to Nelson for the D2-2 tournament at Lawrence-Nelson High School. If everything stands through the next week and a half, the Cardinals will likely be the fourth seed, taking on Dorchester in the first round, Feb. 19. The winner will then take on Lawrence-Nelson, Feb. 20.
